Reviews

The John Report: AEW Dynamite 08/28/24 Review

By John Canton • Published 29th August 2024

This week’s AEW Dynamite featured Ricochet’s first singles match in AEW, an All-Star 8-Man Tag Team Match, the new AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson, and more.

The AEW All In London PPV took place this past Sunday and it was a great show for the company’s biggest PPV of the year. I liked the show since the big matches did deliver as the best ones on the card, so that’s always a good thing. I’m very happy for Bryan Danielson as the new AEW World Champion. Some people are reacting to the show like it’s some all-time great event and I don’t see it that way. I did rate it highly, but I liked the Revolution PPV from March more than this one. That was a better show top to bottom. Anyway, I’m happy for AEW having a successful All In show with over 50,000 fans in attendance.

Up next for AEW PPVs is All Out from Chicago on Saturday, September 7th.

This was AEW Dynamite episode #256 from the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. Follow me on Twitter/X @johnreport. Let’s get to it.

It’s Wednesday and you know what that means. It’s Excalibur on commentary with Tony Schiavone and Taz.

Let’s Hear from Jon Moxley

Jon Moxley walked out from the back part of the arena. The announcers acted like they had no idea what Moxley was doing. Moxley also walked out with a new theme song and it was mentioned that he hasn’t been seen since the Forbidden Door PPV two months ago. Moxley was dressed in basic clothes as he walked into the ring with Tony Schiavone there to interview him.

Moxley said that it was about time that he talked with Darby Allin, who apparently wasn’t there tonight. Moxley said he’s not going to be hard to find. At that point, it looked like Moxley was about to leave, but then he stopped himself. Moxley said it’s going to take some time for everybody to wrap their brains around this. Moxley told Tony Schiavone this is not your company anymore. Moxley left. The fans chanted “Moxley” as he left.

Analysis: What did Moxley mean by that at the end? I don’t know. It sounds like the start of some big angle.

The Conglomeration group was backstage for an interview with Renee Paquette. Mark Briscoe said “Big Tom” aka Tomohiro Ishii had a big match tonight with Hangman Page. Mark mentioned they had an 8-man tag team match while Hook was joining them. Hook said it was cool to be FTW Champion again. Willow Nightingale mentioned her match with Kris Statlander at AEW All Out will be a Chicago Street Fight. Mark said that they are going to whip some ass in the tag team match tonight.

“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Tomohiro Ishii

They stood there and exchanged punches for about a minute. It’s not that interesting to me but I know this is Ishii’s style. Ishii ran over Page with a shoulder tackle. Ishii and Page exchanged chops repeatedly until Page backed him into the corner. They went to a picture-in-picture break.

(Commercial)

Page was in control with a DDT on the ring apron. Page jumped off the top with a clothesline for a two count. Page gave Ishii a backbreaker. There was a running clothesline from Page, but Ishii came back with a forearm to the head. Ishii hit a belly-to-back suplex. Page went up top, but Ishii stopped him from doing a move by hitting him with a jumping headbutt. Ishii hit a superplex off the middle ropes for a two count. Page avoided a sliding attack and hit a Death Valley Driver. Ishii no sold that and hit a German Suplex. Page didn’t sell that much as they got back to exchange elbow strikes. They went to a picture-in-picture break. Two breaks in the first 20 minutes is rare for AEW.

(Commercial)

Ishii hit a jumping kick to stop a charging Page. They ran the ropes leading to a double clothesline. Both men countered moves. Ishii went for a German Suplex, Page landed on his feet and Page hit a discus elbow followed by a German Suplex across the ring. Ishii had Page on his back and Ishii dropped Page with a leading Deadeye that led to a rough landing for Page. The referee checked on Page. Ishii hit a running clothesline for two. Ishii went for more strikes, but Page came back with a discus lariat. They did more clotheslines to eachother leading to Page hitting a running clothesline. Page hit a Deadeye slam and he did it a lot safer than Ishii did. Page hit the Buckshot Lariat for the pinfall win after about 17 minutes.

Winner by pinfall: “Hangman” Adam Page

Analysis: ***1/2 It was a very good physical match with an obvious result because we know Ishii is there to lose to the top guys like Page. Ishii does get some wins sometimes, but usually, it’s on Collision against weaker opponents. Anyway, some of the no selling doesn’t interest me even though I understand it’s Ishii’s style and he’s been wrestling like that for many years. I just think there are better ways to tell stories in a match that don’t involve no-selling moves of the other guy.

After the match, former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland walked down to the ring joined by Prince Nana. Swerve had a big fur coat on as he got in the ring with Page.

Swerve said he should turn Page into a bloody mess right now after going to ringside during Swerve’s match at All In, but instead, he feels sorry for him. Swerve said every tirade makes Page sound like a petulant child. Swerve said that he may not have a title right now, but he’ll always be a World Champion and this will always be whose house? Audience: “Swerve’s House.” Swerve told Page that he failed.

Hangman told Swerve that he was not a champion of anything. Hangman called Swerve a piece of shit and said that he broke into Page’s home. Hangman said that Swerve couldn’t beat Page on his own because he got help from Prince Nana and he got help from Brian Cage and then they had a draw for 30 minutes. Page said that he wanted to do it again. Swerve said let’s do a Steel Cage Match at All Out (the All Out graphic was in the background).

Swerve said that when they had a triple threat with Samoa Joe, Page quit because he didn’t want Swerve to win the title that night. Swerve said that he went to Hangman’s house and he saw Page’s wife at a time when Page was about to become a father for a second time. Swerve said that he became the best that AEW has to offer and it will happen again. Swerve said that Page is so focused on Swerve because he can’t win the Owen, the Casino Gauntlet and let his team down at Blood & Guts due to his obsession with Swerve. That led to Swerve saying instead of burning shit to the ground, Page’s career is going up in flames. Swerve asked Page what kind of man he’ll be in that cage and mentioned Page’s kids again. Page left without saying a word. Swerve slowly left the ring as the show went to break.

Analysis: The Swerve-Hangman match at All Out makes sense since it has been a long rivalry, so now we get to see it in a Steel Cage Match. That should be amazing just like their other matches in the past. The Swerve/Hangman rivalry has been one of the best things about AEW over the last year. That rivalry elevated Swerve, so it will be interesting to see if Page can get a big win and maybe he’ll get into the AEW World Title picture again soon.

(Commercial)

Jamie Hayter vs. Harley Cameron (w/Saraya)

Welcome back former AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter making her in-ring return after returning at AEW All In. She was injured in May 2023 and missed 15 months of actin. It was a shoulder injury that kept her out for a long time.

Hayter hit a shoulder tackle. Cameron did a jawbreaker. Hayter picked up Cameron, who avoided going into the turnbuckle and Cameron hit a kick to the head. Hayter slammed Cameron to counter a move and Hayter kicked Cameron to knock Harley out of the ring. Cameron tried a move with a boot to the throat, but Hayter hit three straight backbreakers onto the knee. Hayter hooked the arms leading to a stiff Haterade lariat for the pinfall win after about three minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Jamie Hayter

Analysis: *3/4 An easy win by Hayter just like it should have been. There are some times when AEW books these matches to go ten minutes and give the loser some offense, but in this case it was what it needed to be with Hayter winning dominantly.

After the match, Saraya shoved Cameron into Hayter and then Saraya ran away to avoid Hayter going after her. Hayter celebrated the victory.

The foursome of Chris Jericho, Big Bill & Bryan Keith along with Roderick Strong were interviewed by Renee Paquette. Big Bill said that fall is around the corner, so things will be colorful. Jericho: “Hi guys.” Jericho said that the Wembley match was hard fought and Hook came out on top. Jericho said that Hook was only a champion because of the lessons that Jericho taught him. Strong said it is a huge honor to be part of the Jericho Vortex for one night. Strong said he wanted to get Kyle O’Reilly away from Orange Cassidy, who is bad news. Jericho said that Orange still owes him $7,000 for ruining a jacket three years ago. Jericho said they will pay the price. After Jericho left, Keith goes: “Pay the damn price!” That was it.

(Commercial)

They showed highlights from AEW All In when Will Ospreay beat MJF with a Tiger Driver 91 thanks in part to Daniel Garcia preventing MJF from cheating.

Let’s Hear from MJF

Maxwell Jacob Friedman walked out in a suit. MJF warned the fans to be quiet because he’s not in a good mood. MJF said that he lost his championship, lost his ring and now he has two herniated disks in his spine. MJF told the fans that none of you had his back when he was defending the American Championship. MJF said that he is denouncing his American citizenship and said that the only place that matters is Plainview Long Island, New York. MJF said that he is sick of allowing the fans to live in lies. MJF said that this company without him is a circus.

MJF claimed that Will Ospreay cheated like a gutless little worm. MJF said he knows how talented Will is. MJF said that one day Will is going to come close to winning the biggest prize in this sport, but then MJF is going to cut him out at the knees with a smile on his face.

MJF said that he is going to address the scum of the Earth and called him a boy that he tried to help, but he didn’t realize it. MJF threatened Garcia to show his face, so Garcia attacked MJF from behind with a forearm to the back. Garcia choked out MJF with a front guillotine choke. Garcia picked up MJF and Garcia teased a piledriver, but Garcia stopped himself. Garcia picked up MJF to the top rope and teased a piledriver off the top, but security went into the ring. Garcia beat up security with punches, so MJF attacked Garcia with a forearm to the back followed by punches. MJF stomped on Garcia a bit, but then Garcia turned it around and Garcia stomped on MJF repeatedly. Garcia teased a piledriver off the top rope, but AEW interim EVP Christopher Daniels and members of the security team stopped Garcia from doing it. MJF managed to get away while Garcia was held back by security.

Garcia did a promo saying that Max was looking for the Dynamite Diamond Ring, but Garcia pawned it off for a roundtrip flight from Buffalo to London, England to ruin MJF’s match. Garcia mentioned his mother having to watch him get taken out on a stretcher because of an MJF attack. Garcia said that ruining Max’s life is his obsession and his fetish. Garcia said he talked to Tony Khan so it’s going to be MJF vs. Daniel Garcia at All Out. Garcia said he won’t feel fulfilled until he drops MJF on his head and breaks his neck. Garcia said if anybody on the planet cares about him then they will have to watch and suffer with him. MJF was shouting: “You got it!” MJF left to the back while Garcia went running after him.

Analysis: I thought it was an excellent segment with MJF selling the attack from All In while Garcia brought the fight to him. There’s a long backstory there so it makes sense to have MJF face Garcia at All Out. That’s going to be a big match for Garcia, so I’m interested to see who wins the match and how it’s booked. I think Garcia beating MJF would be huge for Garcia, but I’m no sure if it’s going to happen in their first match. That seems like a feud that could lead to multiple matches.

A video aired about AEW newcomer Ricochet, who made his debut at All In last Sunday. Ricochet spoke about how he was where he needs to be. Ricochet said now he gets to show his fans what he can do, so let’s see where this journey takes him.

All-Star 8-Man Tag Team Match: Hook, Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly & Orange Cassidy vs. Roderick Strong, “The Learning Tree” Chris Jericho, Big Bill & Bryan Keith

I don’t think I would call everybody in this match an “All-Star” but that’s how AEW is billing this match.

Hook did a front headlock suplex on Keith and Orange tagged in with a suplex. Kyle tagged in with a running dropkick. Mark was full of energy as usual with a vertical suplex and a kick to the back. The tall guy Big Bill is certainly well-tanned. I’ll give him that. Mark used his quickness to avoid Bill briefly, but Bill connected with some hard chops to the chest. Mark broke free from the heel corner, then all eight guys went into the ring and got into a brawl as they exchanged punches. That led to a picture-in-picture break.

(Commercial)

The match continued with Jericho putting a full nelson on Orange and then Orange managed to get out of that. Orange broke free to bring in Mark, who was on fire with strikes and he sent Jericho head first into Keith. Mark hit a running kick on Bill and Mark sent Jericho out of the ring. Strong went illegally into the ring with a backbreaker on Mark. Keith worked over Mark with kicks to the chest. Kyle made a blind tag leading to a boot to Keith’s head. Kyle did a sweep kick to Keith. Strong was in the ring illegally again and Kyle hit him with a forearm. Bill made the tag leading to an elbow drop on Kyle, who was applying a submission to Keith. Bill hit a running corner splash. Bill hit a spinning sidewalk slam on Orange. They went to a PIP break again.

(Commercial)

The heels were in control of Kyle as the face in peril. Bill charged, so Kyle kicked him in the leg. Strong tagged in, Kyle brought in Hook and there were clotheslines from Hook. Strong kicked Hook in the back and Bill was in illegally, so Hook gave Bill a T-Bone Suplex across the ring. Hook hit a Northern Lights Suplex on Strong for two because Keith broke it up. Keith headbutted Kyle and Keith hit an Exploder Suplex on Orange. Keith hit a knee on Kyle. Mark sent Keith out of the ring. Mark ran the ropes leading to Jericho hitting Mark with a clothesline. Jericho ran the ropes just to say: “Hi guys.” Hook was back up with a punch and a T-Bone Suplex on Jericho. Strong with a lung blower on Hook and Kyle kicked Strong. Kyle jumped off the apron with a knee. Orange hit a suicide dive. Mark jumped off a chair in the ring and hit a somersault dive over the top onto a few guys on the floor. Hook avoided a move from Strong and went for Redrum. Hook had Strong in the Redrum and Strong’s foot was on the bottom rope, but the referee Aubrey Edwards never saw the foot on the rope. The match went 17 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Hook, Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly & Orange Cassidy

Analysis: ***1/4 The match was pretty good, but hardly the classic match that the announcers tried to make it seem like it was. That’s a big issue I have with AEW announcers overreacting to every match as being some epic performance. Anyway, it just like felt like a tag team match to get eight guys on the show and give them about 20 minutes for a match. I wouldn’t say it was randomly thrown together because the ending shows they had a point to it to set up the Hook/Strong story, so they’ll probably get a match out of this ending. I’m not sure what’s next for Jericho, but I don’t find “The Learning Tree” gimmick to be that entertaining.

After the match, wrestlers were fighting outside the ring. The Kingdom’s Matt Taven and Mike Bennett went into the ring where they attacked Hook. Strong hit Hook with a running knee to the face. Strong celebrated with the FTW Title over a fallen Hook.

Analysis: An easy way to set up a Hook-Strong rivalry. Strong is another veteran for Hook to beat.

Mercedes Mone was backstage at a party with Kamille and other people to celebrate Mone’s win at AEW All In and Kamille was there too. Private Party’s Mark Quen & Isiah Kassidy interrupted saying you can’t party without Private Party. Quen and Kassidy had shots. Kassidy hit on Mone. Kazuchika Okada walked up to them to interrupt. Mone asked Okada how to say: “Bye, bitch” in Japanese. Okada told Mone, who said “Sayanora bitches” to Private Party to get them out of there. Mone did her dance with Okada dancing with her. Mone did her “CEO” bit repeatedly while Okada said it was a dream come true.

Analysis: Riveting television. They pay Mone and Okada all this money to put them on for 90 seconds of television to do this. Sure.

(Commercial)

Mariah May AEW Women’s Championship Celebration

Mariah May was in a black robe celebrating her AEW Women’s Title win on the stage as Tony Schiavone was there to interview her. May said she her celebration has been postponed because she’s not doing it in this town. May insulted the city and fans. May took the robe off to reveal some lingerie and had the AEW World Title around her waist. May said that’s enough and left.

Analysis: She is a fine-looking woman and a talented wrestler in her mid-20s too. I’m a big fan of Mariah May. I think she’ll have a lengthy reign as champion.

A video was shown of Grizzled Young Veterans from All In when The Young Bucks showed up. GYV said that was a message for the tag team division. Gibson told AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks that they were here to stay in AEW and were coming for those titles. James Drake told them to grit your teeth. After GYV left, Matthew Jackson said that was a great first impression and called them “pricks.” I laughed.

The Grizzled Young Veterans duo of Zack Gibson and James Drake did a backstage promo about having a match on Rampage. They face The Outrunners. Drake said when you see GYV coming, grit your teeth. Okay.

Analysis: I like GYV a lot. I think WWE should have used them better, so I’m glad they are here and I hope they succeed in AEW. I think the tag team division has been a lot stronger in the past compared to how it is now.

There was a video package of Konosuke Takeshita’s impressive performance in the G1 Climax tournament earlier this month.

Ricochet vs. Kyle Fletcher

Don Callis was on commentary since Kyle’s in his stable. The announcers put over how good Kyle is even though we know he’s losing this match.

Kyle hit a shoulder tackle. Ricochet did some impressive flips to avoid Kyle and hit a dropkick that sent Ricochet out of the ring. Ricochet jumped out of the ring, Kyle avoided it and Kyle kicked Ricochet off the apron to the floor. Kyle hit a suicide dive that sent Ricochet into the barricade. Kyle hit a running kick to send Ricochet over the barricade at ringside. Ricochet came back with Meteora double knee attack off the barricade onto Kyle on the floor. They went to a PIP break.

(Commercial)

They did some spot where Kyle did a half nelson slam kind of move and they messed it up, so it got no reaction. Kyle covered for a two count. Ricochet kicked Kyle to knock him back followed by a springboard clothesline. Ricochet hit a springboard back elbow after bouncing off the ropes. Ricochet hit an enziguri kick followed by a Northern Lights Suplex and a twisting neckbreaker slam. Ricochet hit a running Shooting Star Press for a two count. Kyle ran the ropes leading to a clothesline that led to Ricochet taking a great bump. Ricochet rolled through with a dropkick. Kyle left the ring, so Ricochet hit a suicide dive with the side of his body. Ricochet jumped off the top with nothing, so Kyle got a boot up and Kyle hit a running kick followed by a brainbuster. Kyle hit a jumping knee smash to the head. Ricochet hit a pump kick to the head followed by Ricochet hitting a Death Valley Driver for two. Ricochet hit a lifting reverse DDT called Vertigo for the pinfall win after 12 minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Ricochet

Analysis: *** It was a solid match that gave us a preview of what Ricochet can do. Ricochet didn’t do anything that special or different from what we have been used to seeing in the last six years when he was in WWE. It’s not like they are going to bring in Ricochet and have him lose his first singles match. A few minutes shorter would have been fine, but I didn’t mind it going as long as it did. I think Ricochet winning with a top rope move is more impressive than that Vertigo move. I guess it’s a case of him wanting to show he can win with a different move other than something off the top rope.

Will Ospreay, the AEW International Champion, appeared on the stage because he wanted to say something to his Ricochet. Before Ospreay could say anything, Pac attacked Ospreay from behind and hit a Poison Rana on the stage. Pac told Will to not forget about The Bastard. Pac welcomed Ricochet to AEW and told him to get to the back of the line because Will belonged to him. Pac went to the back, so Ricochet checked on his friend Ospreay on the stage.

Analysis: It was a nice tease for Will Ospreay and Ricochet, but first Ospreay must face Pac at All Out in less than two weeks. I’m sure they’ll get to the Ospreay-Ricochet match before the end of the year at some point.

Jon Moxley was walking backstage when some random security guys tried to talk to him. Marina Shafir walked into the scene and beat up some security guys. One security guy ran away. Moxley called it “a lesson in humility” and that was it. Shafir shoved the camera guy on his ass.

Analysis: A logical question would be what happens to Moxley being a part of the Blackpool Combat Club. Does the BCC care that he’s acting this way? Nobody seems to want to ask that question or care. Hopefully they do address it at some point.

Bryan Danielson AEW World Championship Celebration

The great Bryan Danielson received a big ovation as the AEW World Champion. The fans were very happy with “You Deserve It” chants for him.

Bryan said after trying and failing numerous times, Bryan Danielson is the AEW World Champion. Bryan spoke about how it was in front of 50,000 people and in front of her family, who watched in the front row. Bryan talked about how his daughter said it was the best day of her life. Bryan remarked that she got a Peppa Pig tour that day too. Bryan said he knew it when he got backstage to see his peers and he admitted that it was his favorite moment of his career.

As for what’s next Bryan said his AEW deal expired on August 1st, he does need neck surgery sooner rather than later and his family is ready for him to come home. Bryan talked about how he’s loved pro wrestling and AEW makes pro wrestling better and makes his life better. Bryan went on to say he won’t retire as AEW World Champion. Bryan said he’ll fight for this title and as soon as he loses this title, his career as a full-time wrestler is over. Bryan added that it won’t be any time soon because he has more heads to kick in. Bryan said at AEW All Out in Chicago, if anybody wants a shot, come and get it.

Analysis: It was a good babyface World Champion speech, which is something Bryan is experienced at doing because he’s been in this spot before in WWE. Bryan made it seem like a sad speech for a few moments there, but then he turned around and had a lot of energy talking about how he’s going to be a fighting champion who will keep going full time until he loses the AEW World Title.

Jack Perry, the TNT Champion, appeared in a video. Perry claimed nobody believed in him so he had to create his own future. Perry spoke about when he came back to AEW he punched Tony Khan, destroyed Kenny Omega and just buried Darby Allin in Wembley. Perry said that he beat Bryan when they wrestled in the past and he’ll do it again. Perry claimed his future was to retire Danielson. Perry told Danielson’s future was behind him.

The video ended and Perry attacked Danielson from behind. Perry punched and choked Danielson. Perry hit a running knee to Danielson’s face. Perry posed over a fallen Danielson with his TNT Title and Danielson’s AEW World Title as the fans booed. That was the end of Dynamite.

Analysis: I don’t think Jack Perry is going to beat Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Title. I think Perry is a credible (sort of) opponent for Bryan to beat and that’s pretty much what he’s there for. The fans hate Perry, so it’s an easy rivalry to do for a match that is less than two weeks away.

===

Three Stars of the Show

“Hangman” Adam Page
Bryan Danielson
Ricochet

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The Scoreboard

This Week: 7.5 out of 10

Last Week: 7.75

2024 Average: 7.49

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Final Thoughts on AEW Dynamite

It was a pretty good episode of AEW Dynamite that moved on from All In smoothly while building up a lot of fresh stories for the All Out PPV in less than two weeks. The Jon Moxley return was a mysterious one because he’s teasing something big, but we don’t know where the angle is going. The MJF segment with Daniel Garcia was really good while setting up their All Out match.

There were only four matches, which is rare for AEW and is more of a Smackdown thing, but I thought it was fine for this show. They gave a lot of time for some of the matches, which ended up being pretty good. I liked Hangman’s win over Ishii and the promo with Swerve/Hangman setting up a Steel Cage Match. Ricochet picked up the win over Kyle Fletcher in a solid match. The “All-Star” tag team match was fine.

I liked Bryan Danielson’s speech as the AEW World Champion. He is still going to retire as a full-timer soon, but he’s going to be a fighting champion. That led to Jack Perry doing a cheap attack to set up a match at All Out. I don’t mind that. Bryan might lose the title before year’s end, so he should get a few wins before that and Perry’s an easy guy for him to beat. I liked the show overall.

The AEW All Out PPV takes place on Saturday, September 7th from Chicago with this lineup announced so far: