It was the AEW Dynamite featuring MJF in action, plus Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli facing Kazuchika Okada & Orange Cassidy.
This episode took place in Philadelphia. The announcers were Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz.
Match #1: AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) beat Juice Robinson to retain the Dynamite Diamond Ring for the fifth straight year. Juice bled during the match. MJF avoided Juice hitting him with the fake ring, MJF hit Juice with the real ring and MJF hit the Heatseeker for the pinfall win.
Post match, Bullet Club Gold attacked MJF. The Kingdom and Roderick Strong tried a save, but it didn’t work. The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn made the save.
MJF accepted Jay White’s challenge for an eight-man tag team match and if MJF wins then Jay White must give MJF back the AEW World Title. MJF turned down Roderick Strong & The Kingdom and The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn as his partners.
Kenny Omega went face to face with MJF on the stage. MJF is six days away from breaking Omega’s record for the longest AEW World Title reign ever, so Omega wanted a title match. MJF agreed to it. That MJF-Omega match for the AEW World Title will be at Collision this Saturday. Omega said to MJF to end it: “Three days, bitch.”
A video aired about Wardlow talking about how he has sat at home for four months watching MJF become the name and face of the company despite doing some awful things. Wardlow said that there is nothing left, so now he’s going to take everything from MJF.
Match #2: Hook & Rob Van Dam defeated Dark Order’s Alex Reynolds & John Silver. RVD hit the Five Sar Frog Splash near the finish. Hook got the win for his team with the Red Rum submission.
A Toni Storm silent film aired.
Sting & Darby Allin were brought out to the ring for an interview with Tony Schiavone. Schiavone, on behalf of Tony Khan, presented Sting’s gift: Ric Flair. They reminisced about 35 years ago with Sting put himself on the map by having a legendary draw with Flair at Clash of the Champions. Ric said he wanted to be there to support Sting on the road to retirement in March 2024.
Christian Cage, the TNT Champion, interrupted the Sting-Allin interview and made a lot of awful dead jokes about Flair. Christian challenged Sting, Allin and a partner to a match against Christian, Nick Wayne & Luchasaurus at Full Gear. Sting accepted for his team.
Chris Jericho did a sitdown interview with AEW’s Tony Khan when I worked there briefly. Jericho talked about how Powerhouse Hobbs destroyed him a few weeks ago. Jericho said his mind is right and his body feels good. Jericho said he had a friend even bigger than Will Hobbs.
Match #3: The Elite (“Hangman” Adam Page and Matt & Nick Jackson) defeated The Hardys (Matt & Jeff) and Brother Zay to retain the ROH Six Man Tag Team Titles. Young Bucks won with the BTE Trigger for the pin.
After the match, Swerve Strickland & Prince Nana were shown in Adam Page’s house. Swerve left a t-shirt for Page’s son in the crib, who was never really shown.
Adam Copeland was interviewed by Renee Paquette backstage. Copeland once again reiterated that he didn’t want to wrestle Christian. Sting & Darby Allin interrupted to try to convince Copelnad to team with them.
Match #4: Hikaru Shida defeated Ruby Soho to retain the AEW Women’s Title.
Samoa Joe went up to MJF backstage saying he’ll be MJF’s friend, but he wants an AEW World Title match in return. Joe didn’t want an answer now if MJF would accept the offer although Joe thought he’ll get an answer soon.
Match #5: Claudio Castagnoli & Bryan Danielson defeated Kazuchika Okada & Orange Cassidy. Claudio hit an uppercut on Cassidy and pinned him. This was Okada’s first match ever on AEW Dynamite.
After the match, Bryan was selling an injury to his face he took Orange’s Orange Punch and Okada’s Rainmaker back to back. The ringside doctor checked on Danielson. The groups that both sides were involved in were there, but there wasn’t a fight. The show ended with Danielson getting his face checked by the doctor.
Next week on AEW Dynamite
* Orange Cassidy defends the AEW International Championship against Claudio Castagnoli.
There will be more matches announced for Dynamite most likely on Rampage and Collision.
That’s all for this week.