All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite: July 3, 2024

July 4, 2024 11:54 AM - Season 5, Episode 40

When the Lord (or Tony Khan) closes a Forbidden Door, he also opens the path towards All In at Wembley, which this week seems to paved with two great tournament matches, two welcome returns, and two dastardly heel turns.

Quotes from The Wrestling Observer:

Owen Hart Foundation Cup Men's Semifinal Match: Bryan Danielson def. PAC

"The first time these two have faced each other in a singles match since I believe 2009, as they had a great opener with the crowd split throughout. Similar to Forbidden Door, the story for Danielson in this tournament will be can his body hold up to get to not only the finals, but All In and the AEW World Title. PAC didn’t make it easy and there were some hard bumps in this, but Danielson getting the win the same way PAC did to advance to this match was good storytelling."

Important to notice that Danielson couldn't outfight or outmuscle PAC, he had to fall back on his technical skills and get a quick crucifix pin. Extrapolating backwards from the other semi-final makes me believe he will attempt to do the same thing to Hangman or Switchblade Jay White, but Jay is too crafty and Hangman is currently Akuma-tized.

"Mark Briscoe declares himself the first member of Team AEW for Blood & Guts, as Jack Perry slid in and cracked Briscoe with the TNT Title. Kyle O’Reilly hit the ring and attacked Perry until Kazuchika Okada appeared and laid him out with a Rainmaker. The Young Bucks strutted to the ring, hit an EVP Trigger on Briscoe, as The Elite all stood tall with their respective titles. The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass sprinted to the ring, as The Elite bailed, as Okada hilariously scratched at the Continental Title like it was a record."

If Team AEW is just going to be The Acclaimed plus Briscoe, that's not great for the babyface side, I've literally just seen all of them lose. Surprise Omega return, maybe?

Owen Hart Foundation Cup Women's Semifinal Match: Willow Nightingale def. Kris Statlander (w/Stokely Hathaway)

"Statlander tried to run up the ramp to meet Nightingale, who Pounced Statlander clear back down the stage. A snap suplex on the floor by Nightingale, as the match officially began in the ring. Statlander went for the eyes and was in control during commercial break. Both ladies fought to the apron, as Statlander wanted a suplex to the floor, but Nightingale shoved her off and Statlander crashed outside. Hathaway tended to his client, as Nightingale tried to flatten him with a cannonball, but Hathaway moved and Statlander took the bump. Dropkick back inside connected, as did a lariat that turned Statlander inside out for two.

Statlander dodged the Doctor Bomb and hit the Axe Kick for two. German suplex dropped Nightingale on her head, as Statlander was cut off in the ropes and Nightingale hit an Avalanche German of her own. Nightingale was then cut off by a Helluva Kick, but Nightingale rolled out of Wednesday Night Fever for a roll up for two. Statlander battled back and hit a F5 for a close near fall. Hathaway place a steel chain in the corner before taking the official. Statlander grabbed the chain, almost decking Hathaway, who was arguing with Nightingale. Statlander put on the brakes, but Nightingale got a school girl for the flash pin. Hathaway couldn’t believe what just happened."

Britt Baker Returns

"Tony Schiavone put over the fans of Chicago before welcoming back his good friend to Dynamite for the first time in nearly a year, Dr. Britt Baker, DMD. Schiavone gave her a big hug before Taz told him on commentary to hit the bricks, as Baker was met with loud Welcome Back chants, saying she’s missed the fans. [...] Moné shoved Baker and said she needs to get in the back of the line, bitch. Baker looks behind Mone and asks her what line? Mone hit her go home line and held up both her titles."

Britt is a little bit better than Mercedes at cutting live promos, but not a lot. On a show as fast-paced as Dynamite, this should never have been an entire quarter-hour of the program. As earnest and well received as he story about medical recovery was, the show would have been better served if this portion had been done as a taped segment to be aired later. "Bitch, what line?" is a funny comeback, I'll give her that.

Samoa Joe, HOOK & Katsuyori Shibata defeated Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona

"Chris Jericho walked to the ring with a bunch of security, who stood in front of Taz at the commentary table. Jericho said HOOK committed one of the biggest sins in wrestling at Forbidden Door, stealing someone else’s finishing move, which 'doesn’t work for [him], brother.' Also, Taz acted like a mark by cheering on his son and talked to The Young Bucks, saying he doesn’t feel safe doing commentary with him, so they granted him paperwork for Taz to be removed from commentary and the building the rest of the night. Security escorted Taz from the arena before the next match.

Shibata made his comeback and hot tag to HOOK, who dished out a series of suplexes, until the size of Liona put a stop to that. Kaun connected on a gutbuster, but only got a two. Jericho wisely pointed out had HOOK’s shoulder been placed on the mat for three, he would’ve lost the match. Joe finally cleaned house, but as he went for a dive, was ran through by a Liona Pounce. The match broke down, as Cage hit a F5 on Shibata, tried one on HOOK, but countered into a DDT. Joe made the tag, ran wild with a snap powerslam, STO and Manhattan Drop before Shibata & HOOK joined in for locomotion corner strikes. Double suplex into a senton for a near fall, as the match again broke down. Cage, Liona & Kaun tried a triple suplex, but everyone floated over into a trifecta of choke holds and everyone passed out simultaneously.

Jericho applauded from the desk, allowing Big Bill & Bryan Keith to attack from behind with chairs, as Jericho choked out HOOK with his jacket. Keith ripped away his arm sling, as Excalibur questioned if anything was wrong in the first place. Keith Pillmanized the arm of Shibata, as Bill draped Joe over the steps and hit multiple chair shots. Jericho put on brass knucks and laid out HOOK to the chants of Please Retire from the Chicago crowd. They weren’t done, as a table was set up and Bill hit a massive chokeslam on HOOK through it."

Jericho has truly managed to take all the criticism of him, both deserved and not, and forge it into a new heel gimmick persona that, begrudgingly, works. I actually laughed when he quoted Hogan, of all people.

Owen Hart Foundation Cup Men's Quarterfinal Match: Hangman Adam Page def. Jeff Jarrett

"Despite the loss, I recommend seeking out the 10-minute video of Jarrett talking about the Owen Hart Cup and what it meant to him. It was so good that part of me actually wanted him to win at least one match. That simply wasn’t going to happen with the returning Page now back with a new vicious demeanor. How this pans out with The Elite, who were the ones who suspended him months ago, remains to be seen, but it’s nice to have Page back in the fold as they head to the All In build."

The crowd and the commentary (and myself) were not used to Jeff Jarrett as a babyface. But with Satnam Singh sidelined to commentary (I think?) and Jay Lethal going his own way, maybe Double-J gets one last face run before retirement.

AEW International Championship Match: Will Ospreay (c) def. Daniel Garcia (w/MJF)

"Garcia tried going after the bad back of Ospreay to start, but Ospreay fired off a chop that sent Garcia to the corner. MJF pep-talked Garcia, who had a fast sequence of takeovers, as Ospreay tried to spring out of a head scissors, but Garcia seemingly turned it into a very short piledriver, something I hadn’t seen before. Garcia tried corner punches, but Ospreay trapped the head and hit a Cheeky Nandos kick before a slingshot cross body outside. [...] Ospreay gave Garcia an open shot, but Garcia opted for his dance, thrusting in Ospreay’s face before hitting a Saito Suplex. Garcia took too long to follow up and ran right into a standing Spanish Fly for two. Storm Breaker countered by Garcia almost into a Dead Eye variation for two.

Wall walk enzugiri from Ospreay, who tried another Spanish Fly, but floated over into a powerbomb stack for two. Ospreay held on into a Styles Clash for another near fall, as the Chicago crowd went nuts. Ospreay signaled for Hidden Blade, as Garcia hit a flying rear naked choke, transition into a guillotine. Ospreay planted Garcia on his face, as they trade home run shots, as Garcia dodged Oscutter into a spike piledriver for two. MJF slid the Dynamite Diamond Ring to Garcia, who looked at it too long and traded pin attempts before turning Ospreay inside out with a lariat. MJF pleaded with Garcia to use the ring, but he gave it back to MJF, only to be decked with a flying Hidden Blade by Ospreay, who got the win.

Post match, Ospreay thanked Garcia and gave him a pep-talk in defeat, similar to what Swerve Strickland did to Ospreay at Forbidden Door before heading to the back. MJF then came in to check on Garcia, saying that was on him, not Garcia, as the fans still love him. MJF helped Garcia up and raised his hand, hugging him before being the classic MJF, punting Garcia low. MJF put on the Diamond Ring and was going to use it, but Matt Menard hit the ring and took the shot instead. Garcia struggled to his feet and was knocked out by the ring as Garcia was bloodied, as was Menard ringside. Christopher Daniels & Rocky Romero ran to the ring, along with officials and agents, pleading with MJF, who hit an Avalanche Tombstone. Will Ospreay walked out from the back, but MJF bailed through the crowd, spitting at fans, getting into their face and throwing trash at them. Garcia was loaded on a backboard stretchered out, as Daniels told Ospreay that he’ll take care of things.

I was a little surprised Garcia didn’t take the title here, but with MJF turning post-match, I get it. At some point though, you’ll have to put the title on Garcia, perhaps winning a feud with MJF will get him to the next level. Thankfully MJF turned heel again, which is what he’s best at, as the babyface run of MJF is finally over. This vicious beating was exactly what MJF needed to reassert himself as one of the top heels in the company."

posted by The Pluto Gangsta