The John Report: AEW Dynamite 10/16/24 Review

This week’s AEW Dynamite featured Jon Moxley and friends terrorizing the roster while Christian Cage faced Jay White in the main event.

The AEW WrestleDream PPV took place last Saturday. The big news coming out of that show was that Jon Moxley beat Bryan Danielson to win the AEW World Title so Moxley is now a 4-time AEW World Champion while Bryan’s World Title reign lasted less than two months. After the show, Danielson was attacked by Moxley’s new Blackpool Combat Club group and Wheeler Yuta turned on Danielson as well. Danielson is now retired as a full-time wrestler, but will probably be back at some point in the future. Bryan has said neck surgery is likely.

This will be a condensed review of AEW Dynamite. I tried this format a month ago and I liked it. In addition to writing my TJR reviews, I also do shorter recaps for my very good friends at Inside The Ropes. During Dynamite on Wednesday, I was doing a fantasy NBA draft for more than half the show and I couldn’t write a detailed review. I had the whole two hour show on when I was doing it, so I did see everything. I don’t have an interest in watching the show again just to write again. I’m going to use my shorter recap that I put on ITR and then I will add my “Analysis” as usual.

This was AEW Dynamite episode #263 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Follow me on Twitter/X @johnreport. Let’s get to it.

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

The show started with new AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and friends Claudio Castagnoli, Pac, Wheeler Yuta & Marina Shafir after WrestleDream when Moxley beat Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Title. Moxley said he hated what AEW had become and that he would do what needed to be done to build a better future.

Analysis: We still don’t know exactly what Moxley is talking about, but it’s making him a villain for trashing AEW as a company. It should lead to AEW building up babyfaces to try to stop him and it will likely take months until that happens.

Adam Cole did an in-ring promo talking about the “worst human being in the world” MJF (Maxwell Jacob Friedman). Cole spoke about how the real MJF is the guy we are seeing now and he called MJF fake. Cole even mocked MJF for having two surgeries for the hair on his head. Cole said everybody hates MJF and he called him out. MJF responded to Cole by appearing via video screen at an undisclosed location. MJF said that Cole stabbed him in the back, so MJF is never going to trust anybody ever again. MJF is aware that Cole wants revenge, but MJF isn’t going to let it happen and it will leave Cole with a void, which Cole can thank MJF for. Cole responded saying that he’ll give MJF the ass beating of a lifetime and MJF will wish they never met.

Analysis: If you were watching the product in 2023 when Cole and MJF were allies, it was Cole who came across as the lying dirtbag who literally was “the devil” that made MJF’s life hell and turned on him. Now we have to throw logic out the window just because of some segment they had when Max came back to AEW earlier this year and we’re supposed to cheer Cole just because he has catchphrases. Logically, it’s very flawed. I get why it’s done this way because MJF is a lying heel now. I’m just saying as a story, they want us to forget what really happened.

Chris Jericho was interviewed backstage after WrestleDream saying he wanted a rematch against Mark Briscoe for the ROH World Title because Mark cheated.

Mark Briscoe responded to Jericho’s request by saying yes to the rematch challenge. Briscoe told Jericho they could have the ROH World Title match next week on Dynamite and it will be a Ladder War.

Analysis: I assume that Briscoe beats Jericho again in the Ladder War match. Jericho doesn’t need the ROH World Title again.

Match #1: FTR – Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood defeated Big Bill & Bryan Keith by pinfall. FTR hit Shatter Machine on Keith for the win. It lasted about 9 minutes. After the match, The Outrunners celebrated with FTR, which the fans loved.

Analysis: *** Easy win for FTR and of course, Keith was doing the job here because that’s his role in that Learning Tree group. The Outrunners gimmick is fun because it’s nostalgia and all about the cheap pops.

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn were interviewed about their win over MxM Collection at WrestleDream. After Gunn left to get the car, MVP walked in with Shelton Benjamin and told The Acclaimed to call him when they wanted to get serious. Anthony Bowens turned down MVP while Max Caster did keep MVP’s card.

Analysis: It’s a tease that maybe Max Caster could break away from Bowens and be a heel with MVP. I wouldn’t mind seeing The Acclaimed as singles stars. They’ve had a nice run as a time. Maybe it’s time to move on to something else.

Match #2: Mercedes Mone (w/Kamille) defeated Queen Aminata by submission to retain the TBS Championship. Mone hit a backstabber followed by the Statement Maker submission for the win.

Analysis: **1/2 This was just an average match with no heat. I find it strange that AEW is paying Mone a ridiculous amount of money, yet she wasn’t on the WrestleDream card and she is lacking a storyline. The feud with Britt Baker going into All In was just okay at best while leading to an average match. I expected more from Mone and it’s also on the creative team to be better.

Private Party was interviewed backstage with AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks and Private Party wanted a title rematch. The Bucks turned that down. Stokely Hathaway walked up to Private Party suggesting that the next time they lose, they should break up. Stokely claimed Zay was the star of the team anyway. Private Party pondered what Hathaway said.

Analysis: I think it’s very likely that Private Party will beat The Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Titles. I assume it will happen at the Full Gear PPV next month. The story could be that The Young Bucks only agree to the match if Private Party splits up if they don’t win.

The Elite group consisting of AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks, TNT Champion Jack Perry and AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada were backstage with a cake for Kenny Omega’s birthday. Perry dumped intestines onto the cake since Kenny had 20 feet of intestines removed due to his diverticulitis issues. Okada said “Happy birthday, bitch” and Perry told Omega to get well soon or die because he didn’t care.

Analysis: Bad comedy. It sounded better on paper, I’m sure. Happy birthday Kenny and hopefully he’s back soon whether it’s the end of this year or early next year.

Match #3: The Conglomeration – Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly & Rocky Romero defeated The Elite – Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson & Kazuchika Okada by disqualification. Orange Cassidy gave Matt a DDT and went for the Orange Punch, but Wheeler Yuta showed up and hit Orange with a Busaiko knee. It went 9 minutes.

Analysis: **1/2 This is the kind of match that used to be 15 minutes and full of action on Dynamite. Instead, it was done after about nine minutes with a DQ. Okay, but nothing special about it.

Jon Moxley and his Blackpool Combat Club group including Claudio Castagnoli, Pac (with a briefcase that may have Moxley’s AEW World Title in it), Wheeler Yuta & Marina Shafir took over the ring while The Elite left. Jack Perry helped his friends in The Elite go backstage. Wrestlers like Top Flight & Action Andretti tried to attack but were beaten up. The Dark Order was beaten up as well. Alex Reynolds was choked out by Shafir with a leather belt around the throat and Claudio/Yuta hit Reynolds with the steel steps to the ribs. Moxley said if you are involved with AEW then you are under attack. After Moxley and friends left, wrestlers came out from the back to help the ones down around the ring.

Analysis: The logical question becomes if The Elite has no interest in stopping Moxley’s group, how does AEW Owner Tony Khan feel about it? Tony is mentioned as this beloved owner all the time, yet these guys are ruining his show and we hear nothing about him. Anyway, maybe they’ll do some angle and we’ll see Tony take some terrible bump on a piledriver again. Once again, the Moxley group, who I guess is still the BCC, is the most interesting part of this show even though logically there are questions like why aren’t more wrestlers in the back coming out to try to fight these guys? Is catering that good? Are they playing video games? I don’t know. Let’s get some answers.

The Elite group was approached backstage by Daniel Garcia and Private Party wondering why nothing was done about what Jon Moxley and friends were doing. Nick Jackson said: “In due time.” Garcia and Private Party agreed to help eachother out.

Match #4: Shelton Benjamin (w/MVP) defeated Lio Rush (w/Leila Grey) by pinfall in Benjamin’s first AEW match. Benjamin won with a T-Bone suplex. It went about 11 minutes.

Analysis: *** It was a good match even though Rush had no chance here. I thought Rush was a good choice for an opponent because he’s talented in the ring and also a smaller guy, so Benjamin beat him up. It made Shelton look like a badass who was very aggressive in his AEW debut match.

After the match, MVP did a promo bragging about Benjamin beating Rush. MVP mentioned Swerve Strickland and told him to reconsider his position because otherwise, this (what happened to Rush) is his future. MVP suggested they finish the conversation they had at WrestleDream while teasing a match with Benjamin facing Swerve.

Following a break, Swerve Strickland & Prince Nana were interviewed about what MVP said. Swerve said he accepted the challenge. Swerve called himself the most dangerous man in AEW and sucked up to the fans to get them to chant “Swerve’s House” for him.

Analysis: We know Bobby Lashley is coming to AEW soon, so I think what might happen is that Swerve will beat Benjamin, celebrate the win and then Lashley will attack Swerve. That can set up a big Lashley-Swerve feud.

The Don Callis Family was in the ring for a “press conference” with Callis saying he would talk about the family himself. Callis had Lance Archer and ROH TV Champion Brian Cage with him. Callis said Cage & Archer will be going after the Tag Team Titles. The new AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher joined the Callis Family in the ring. Takeshita said that he would defend the title all over the world. Fletcher said he won’t say why he did what he did to Will Ospreay at WrestleDream. Callis ended it by saying the Don Callis Family has never been stronger.

Analysis: There was no Will Ospreay on the show so it was just a way for the Don Callis Family to brag about screwing Will over. We’ve seen Ospreay face Fletcher before, but not since Fletcher turned on his best friend, so it should be a fun match when it happens. I like Takeshita as the International Champion. Cage & Archer seems very thrown together and Cage has been in a bunch of groups during his AEW run, many of which just fizzled out without any storyline explanations.

Mariah May, the AEW Women’s World Champion, was interviewed saying that that everybody is afraid of her. Anna Jay showed up to confront May and it was broken up quickly. Jay accidentally hit Christopher Daniels and he said it was okay.

Analysis: It set up the ladies for a Battle of the Belts show that I won’t watch.

The Fright Night Dynamite episode is in two weeks on October 30th (the night before Halloween) and Swerve Strickland will face Shelton Benjamin.

Ricochet was interviewed backstage saying he was not pinned in the triple threat match at WrestleDream, it was Ospreay. Ricochet said he hasn’t been beaten since joining AEW. Ricochet challenged Takeshita to show up on Collision so Ricochet can prove he was out of this world.

Analysis: The classic “I wasn’t pinned so I’m still great’ line. Well played. Ricochet facing Takeshita in a singles match would be great to see.

There was a backstage scene where BCC’s Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Pac, Wheeler Yuta & Marina Shafir were beating up the Dark Order and Top Flight groups. Moxley and friends took off in a truck. Evil Uno of Dark Order challenged BCC to a fight. Top Flight’s Dante Martin also challenged BCC to a fight on Collision. It sounds like a six-man tag on Collision.

Analysis: The way the story will go seems to be like these loser babyface groups like Dark Order and Top Flight going after Moxley and friends, but failing. However, we might see the trio of Daniel Garcia & Private Party have some success down the road. The key is to not rush it and build it up so it means something.

Match #5: Christian Cage (w/Nick & Mother Wayne) defeated Jay White (w/Juice Robinson & Colten Gunn) by pinfall. All of the friends at ringside were ejected or went fighting to the back. “Hangman” Adam Page was at ringside during the match due to his issues with White. The finish of the match saw Kip Sabian on the apron due to his issues with Christian Cage, the referee was distracted by that and Page hit White with a Buckshot Lariat. The referee turned around and saw Christian covering White, so he counted the pin to give Christian the win.

Analysis: *** They got a lot of time at around 16 minutes, but it wasn’t anything special. There was a lot of chaos at ringside and Christian capitalized on the Page attack for the win. The funny thing about Page’s attack is that referee Bryce Remsburg was standing three feet away while Page clotheslined White behind him, but Bryce was looking at Sabian and apparently was unable to turn his head to see what was happening even though he could probably hear a loud thud behind him. That’s pro wrestling refereeing, I know. It should set up another Page-White match since Page was not happy about losing to White at WrestleDream.

The announcers plugged what’s coming up on Collision this Saturday and Dynamite next week. White was shown in the ring selling the attack from Page. That was the end of the show.

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Three Stars of the Show

1. Jon Moxley and friends
2. Christian Cage-Jay White
3. Shelton Benjamin

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The Scoreboard

This Week: 6.75 out of 10

Last Week: 7.25

2024 Average: 7.49

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Final Thoughts on AEW Dynamite

It felt like a weaker episode of Dynamite. The match quality was probably among the worst episodes of Dynamite this year. However, it’s coming off a WrestleDream PPV with great matches, so I can understand why they booked some weird finishes on this show.

I think that Jon Moxley’s story with his new BCC group is by far the best thing they have going right now. There are logical questions that we could ask that would never be answered, but I like the idea of that Moxley-led BCC group causing chaos. If you book it right with a slow build then a bunch of babyfaces can overcome them, but don’t rush it.

The promo exchange between Adam Cole and MJF (who was via satellite) to start the show was okay if you forget the actual history that Cole was the one who turned on MJF, who was beloved at the time. I get why they are trying to erase their history because MJF is an asshole heel. I’m just saying it’s a bit of an insult to the viewers watching to suddenly paint Cole as a nice guy just because he was out of action for a year with an ankle injury. Anyway, they are good performers, so it will be a great match whenever it happens. Overall, it wasn’t a strong episode of Dynamite, in my opinion.

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Thanks for reading. Go Los Angeles Rams, Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs. You can contact me using any of the methods below.

John Canton

Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com

Twitter/X: @johnreport