AEW Dynamite - June 28, 2023
by Doc Allen
Live from FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ontario. WrestleTix estimates attendance at 4,328. Our hosts are Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Shiavone.
Winner: Jon Moxley
Moxley brushes past Kingston, the man who tried to shield him from invisible explosions. Eddie runs his mouth and almost eggs Moxley into a fight, but we’ll have to wait.
Renee Paquette is ready to interview Adam Cole in the parking lot, but MJF’s chauffeur honks to interrupt, a novel twist of a tired trope. MJF proposes that he and Cole make an honest effort to be tag team partners ahead of the tournament. Cole agrees, and MJF instantly makes him regret it with ready-made merch "Better Than You, Baybay!" If they’re going to do the Wacky Tag Team Partners Who Hate Each Other angle, at least this is off to an amusing start.
Renee Paquette demands to know what’s going on between her husband and Eddie Kingston. Jon lays all the blame on Eddie, who arrives on cue to rant and rave about Jon’s friendship with scumbag, Claudio Castagnoli. Renee shouts them down and orders Eddie to fix this.
Video package highlighting Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay’s gajillion star match at Forbidden Door. Omega accepts that he lost to the better man, but vows to come back.
International Champion Orange Cassidy, El Hijo Del Vikingo, and Keith Lee vs. The JAS (Daniel Garcia, Matt Menard, and Angelo Parker)
OC’s team are together because Vikingo and Lee were literally the first two people he found in the locker room when he needed partners. I find that charming, your mileage may vary. Fans chant for Vikingo while he mixes it up with Garcia. Vikingo flusters Garcia with his flippy offense. Cassidy saunters in while Parker mockingly combs his hair. OC takes him down and puts the comb in his pocket. He dropkicks 2point0 into their corner and takes a break to comb his own hair. Garcia ambushes, but Cassidy twists him into a bow and arrow for Vikingo’s diving foot stomp! Menard drops Vikingo onto the apron for Garcia’s shotgun dropkick. The JAS wear Vikingo down through a commercial break. Lee gets the hot tag and soars in with a slingshot crossbody. Garcia knocks Lee down and dances on his back, Lee makes him pay by swinging him into Parker. Garcia avoids a DVD, but Lee lights him up with double chops. Vikingo tries to help with a dive, but lands on Lee. Lee was supposed to catch him, but he hoists Vikingo up to do their planned tandem spot anyway. Meanwhile, Garcia blocks the Orange Punch and hits a piledriver for 2. Garcia applies a deep sharpshooter, but Vikingo saves with a slick superkick. Orange Punch on Parker! Lee returns and withstands Menard’s clubbing assault and hits the Supernova to win at 13:13! Just a shameless good time, hampered by one ugly botch. Vikingo is a total ready made star, ***.Winners: Keith Lee, Orange Cassidy, and El Hijo Del Vikingo
Hangman Page and The Young Bucks talk to the camera. They’re pumped up after winning at Forbidden Door, so they have a trios open challenge for tonight. The Dark Order clearly step up, but the Bucks and Page try to pretend otherwise. The Dark Order are offended that Page hasn’t talked to them in months. Page argues that this is all about fighting the BCC, this isn’t about them. Friendship is over, so it’s time to fight.
Video package showcasing Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada at Forbidden Door. Bryan got his "Final Countdown" music back and apparently got badly injured in the match, despite winning.
Renee Paquette is backstage with Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara. Jericho is buzzing about having been in the same ring with Sting, and it’s only fitting that they do so again on TBS. Jericho will bust out his Painmaker persona for the occasion.
The Dark Order (Evil Uno, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds, with -1) vs. The Elite (Hangman Adam Page, Nick Jackson, and Matt Jackson)
Nick starts grappling with Reynolds. Nick flips to reverse a wristlock and flips into a simple armbar. They speed things up and Nick hits a corkscrew armdrag. Silver tags and demands to face Hangman. Page tags and has to deal with Silver whining about him hanging out with the cool kids. They exchange holds until Silver hits an angry elbow to the face. Tags are made, but Uno turns his back on Matt to knock Page from the apron. The match breaks down while the Bucks clean house. Uno shuts them down with double clotheslines. The Elite gain control of Reynolds in time for commercials. Evil Uno is running wild on a somewhat hot tag. Uno loses his temper and slaps Hangman across the face. Page is done playing nice and brawls with Uno. Page scoops Uno, but Silver dropkicks them down. Uno and Reynolds dismantle the Bucks with dives from the apron. Silver and Reynolds put Hangman through their trademark combo for a good nearfall. The Bucks come back to life to save the day. Page is suddenly conflicted again, and Silver counters the Buckshot lariat for a great nearfall. Hangman answers with Deadeye! The Bucks give Silver the BTE Trigger and leave him for Hangman’s Buckshot to win at 13:50! Ambitious match that attempted to weave high spots with a dramatic narrative, and mostly succeeded, ***½.Winners: The Elite
The Blackpool Combat Club swarm the ring to beat up The Elite. The Dark Order are like "see ya!" and take off. Eddie Kingston attempts a rescue but falls victim to greater numbers. Moxley grabs a mic and issues a challenge for Blood and Guts in Boston.
Video promo with various guys making their case for the Owen Hart Tournament.
Adam Cole is still waiting for MJF when Roderick Strong stops by to say hi. MJF shows up and calls Strong a "generic white guy." This place sucks, so MJF wants to get going. Cole and Roderick hug it out.
Video recap of Jungle Boy Jack Perry losing to SANADA at Forbidden Door, but then turning heel by taking down Hook.
Jack Perry comes to the ring to cement his heel turn by demanding that "Tarzan Boy" be turned off. .He’s going to make this quick, since he has a plane to catch, leaving all the fans behind to suffer the wildfires. He’s still young, rich, and banging the hottest b!tch in the company. Perry is upset that after getting screwed out of two world titles, he’s expected to watch an entitled second generation guy like Hook dangle his fake title in his face. He talks tough and threatens violence, but flees the scene when Hook finally arrives. I’m not in love with Perry’s heel turn at this stage, but it’s hard to argue that it wasn’t time.
The backstage camera catches Jack Perry literally diving into a car to peel out before Hook can hurt him.
Ruby Soho (with The Outcasts) vs. Alexia Nicole
Ruby has an upcoming date against Britt Baker and has something to prove against some hometown talent. She tosses Nicole to ringside for some cheap shots from The Outcasts. Nicole stumbles back in for a backdrop driver! Ruby hits a second driver but voluntarily breaks the pin. Ruby puts on a rubber glove and gleefully finishes with Britt’s Lockjaw at 2:09. Productive squash match to get Ruby ready for Britt.Winner: Ruby Soho
Ruby grabs a mic and blames filthy, disgusting Canada for getting Britt too sick to compete. She hopes that Britt and Adam Cole don’t reproduce, because their kids will be too weak. Ruby loves her alliance with The Outcasts, and makes the case that Britt works hard but has no respect from the fans, they sh!t on her for sneezing wrong. Ruby intends to leave Britt with absolutely nothing.
Video recap from Rampage, when Anthony Bowens had to break it to Harley Cameron that he’s not into her because he’s gay. This leads to Johnny TV (formerly John Morrison) teaming up with QT Marshall, because that’s a winning career move. At least this angle seems self-contained to Rampage.
Tornado Tag:
Le Sex Gods (Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara) vs. Darby Allin and Sting
Darby and Guevara clear themselves out, leaving Jericho and Sting to standoff. They joust with baseball bats until Sting connects with shots to the ribs. Allin helps Sting hit a Stinger Splash, but Guevara sneaks back in for a flying cutter. Jericho whips Sting into the rails. Sammy gets a ladder. Jericho and Guevara use plunder to wear down Darby’s spine. Back from commercials, Le Sex Gods continue to dominate as Sammy hits a cutter from the rails. Allin answers with a Coffin Drop onto Sammy at ringside. Sting splashes Jericho against the rails. Darby and Sting set Sammy on some tables. Darby is ready for a dive, but wait a minute, STING wants to dive instead! Sting flies off the ladder and puts Sammy through a table! WHAT WAS THAT!?! Allin blasts Jericho with a tope and smashes a skateboard over his spine for only 2. Jericho sidesteps to send Allin face-first into a ladder and goes to work on Allin’s spine. Darby reverses a whip into the propped ladder! Jericho blocks a springboard Coffin Drop with Darby’s own skateboard! Judas Effect on Darby, who crashes to ringside. Sting ambushes Jericho, but gets caught in the Liontamer. Sting grabs his bat and swings at Jericho’s head to escape. Fans chant "This is awesome!" Stinger Splash on Jericho! Codebreaker out of nowhere, but Sting kicks out! Sting ducks the Judas Effect and hits the Scorpion Death Drop for only 2! Sting reverses another Codebreaker into the Scorpion Death Lock! Jericho taps and I am SO HAPPY with that finish. Total fan service from beginning to end, ***¾.Winners: Sting and Darby Allin
Final Thoughts: This show set out to be a barrel of fun and absolutely succeeded.
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