Welcome to POST Wrestling’s live coverage article for AEW Dynamite! Keep an eye on this article throughout the evening for the latest results and news from tonight’s show. Make sure to hit refresh on your browser to see the latest version of this page.
Still to come
- Mark Briscoe, Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler
- MJF & Hangman Adam Page Press Conference
Results
- Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli def. Konosuke Takeshita & Hechicero
- Kyle Fletcher def. Speedball Bailey (TNT Championship) (Recommended)
- Brody King def. ???
- Gabe Kidd & David Finlay def. Darby Allin & Orange Cassidy
- Willow Nightingale def. Persephone (TBS Championship)
Moxley, Claudio open card with tag win
This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, the final Wednesday night card before the promotion heads to Los Angeles for Revolution on Sunday, took place at the San Jose Civic in San Jose, California. A Revolution tag preview got things started this evening, as Jon Moxley teamed with Claudio Castagnoli to face his opponent this weekend, Konosuke Takeshita, who worked with Don Callis Family teammate Hechicero.
Takeshita was sporting a black eye during this one. A large part of this match’s early goings were between Hechicero and Castagnoli, who had a fun exchange. Takeshita got a hot tag late in the bout and gave Revolution opponent Moxley a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two-count.
Takeshita tried to follow with a knee strike, but Moxley blocked the move then scored a forearm. They traded front kicks to the head, but Moxley won the striking exchange after Castagnoli entered the ring and caught Takeshita with a European uppercut.
Moxley started to work submissions against Takeshita, but the Japanese star escaped by reaching the ropes. Moxley tried for a Gotch-style Piledriver, but Takeshita escaped then caught the Continental Champion with a knee strike. They both tagged out, ending what was a small taste of what they will deliver this weekend.
Castagnoli sent Hechicero out of the ring then came off the apron with a dive. Back in the ring Castagnoli scored a top-rope crossbody, and Hechicero answered back by scoring a flapjack. Always crafty on the mat, Hechicero tied up Castagnoli’s legs and tried for a roll-up pin attempt, which was eventually stopped by Moxley.
Castagnoli gave Hechicero his famous swing for a near fall of his own. Castagnoli landed a European Uppercut in the corner, but Hechicero answered back with a step-up knee-strike in the corner. Hechicero got a pair of near falls before a distraction spot with the referee allowed Castagnoli to poke Hechicero’s eyes, then score another European Uppercut and get the roll-up pinfall win.
While this did its job to preview Takeshita vs. Moxley, the performance from Hechicero and Castagnoli was the highlight for me. Good opener for the show.
Mark Davis and Lance Archer of the Don Callis Family hit the ring for a post-match attack. They propped up Moxley and gave Takeshita a chair, but Takeshita refused to do the cheapshot attack. It seems Takeshita is having trouble getting along with some of his family members.
Backstage, MJF asked Kyle Fletcher if he could put a terrible beating on Mike Bailey, as they attacked him last week. Fletcher said he doesn’t take orders from anyone and is only going to beat up Bailey tonight for himself. MJF told Don Callis that he needs to teach his guys how to talk to the world champion.
Kyle Fletcher retains in stellar TNT title bout against Speedball
In the first of two title matchups set for this evening, Mike Bailey took on TNT Champion Kyle Fletcher. This one had a fast pace to start. Bailey scored a nasty Poisonrana onto the ring apron before the show went to a commercial break.
Bailey sent Fletcher out of the ring right after the show returned then came flying over the ropes with a crossbody. Fletcher got distracted by speaking to Don Callis at ringside, allowing Bailey to score their springboard Triangle Moonsault to the outside.
Back in the ring, Bailey tried for a moonsault off the top, but Fletcher got out of the way. However, Speedball was able to connect just seconds later with a corkscrew moonsault to the outside.
Fletcher caught a spinning back kick from Bailey, then picked him up for a head-first buckle bomb – this looked incredible. Fletcher scored a running head kick in the corner then tried for what looked like a Michinoku Driver, but Bailey countered it into a sleeper hold.
Bailey transitioned the sleeper into an armbar, which Fletcher worked his way out of with a roll-up pin attempt. Speedball landed his famous standing moonsault into a double knees then a head kick, but Fletcher stayed alive with another kickout at two.
Fletcher powerbombed his way out of a submission Rampage Jackson/Ricardo Arona-style, sending Bailey rolling out of the ring. Bailey reversed a move from Fletcher at ringside and countered with another double-knee standing moonsault onto the floor. The fight went to the top rope, where, after scoring a pair of head kicks, Bailey scored another beautiful Poisonrana.
Bailey landed another spinning back kick to the head and went for the pin… But only got two. The arena erupted at this near fall. Bailey hit a third standing moonsault knee drop, a superkick, then started the sequence for his spinning head kick in the corner, but Fletcher countered into a Michinoku Driver. Bailey kicked out at two!
Bailey landed the Time Adventure spinning wheel kick in the corner upon second attempt. A long series of reversals ended with the fight going to the top rope. However, the referee got distracted at this point, as Kazuchika Okada appeared on the ring apron. This allowed Fletcher to gouge the eyes of Bailey, getting them out of the corner. Mark Davis slid a title into the ring for Fletcher, who hit Bailey over the head with it. The champ then scored his teardrop brainbuster to win in 18 minutes and retain.
This was a stellar matchup, and they did a great job at making Bailey look like a convincing title challenger. I mean, near the end, it seemed as though he was closing in on a win! Like tag partner Kevin Knight, Bailey would thrive as a singles act if given the chance, as demonstrated by this performance. The only thing I didn’t love was the ending, as this was quite similar to the finish of the match right before it. Felt a little repetitive.
Brody King gets last laugh before Revolution showdown against Swerve
Brody King, who will be taking on Swerve Strickland this weekend at Revolution, was booked for a standby bout in the next segment, beating an unnamed opponent in 19 seconds with a Gonzo Bomb.
As King was on his way out of the ring, a masked man from the crowd wrapped a chain around King’s neck and started to choke him. It was revealed moments later that this, of course, was Strickland.
This brawl went into the ring, where Strickland tried again to choke him with a huge chain, but King ripped it in half! King slammed Strickland then gave him a cannonball in a corner of the ring. With the chain wrapped around his arm, King put Strickland in a chokehold until the world champ eventually escaped and retreated up the ramp.
In a backstage promo, Mike Bailey said the Don Callis Family will get “exactly what they deserve” when he faces them in trios action at Revolution.
The Dogs win in first match since signing, Roddy Strong aligns with OC and Allin
In their first in-ring appearances since officially becoming part of the AEW roster, Gabe Kidd and David Finlay of “The Dogs” faced Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin in tag action.
Allin got a hot tag after a break, taking on both of The Dogs at the same time. He came off the ropes with a Coffin Drop to Finlay then locked Kidd in a Scorpion Deathlock. Darby tried to get on Finlay’s back for a Canadian Destroyer, but was stopped by Kidd, who knocked him out of the position with a hard lariat – very creative.
Both Dogs were sent out of the ring, allowing both Cassidy and Allin to score tope suicidas to the outside. Allin placed Kidd on a chair at ringside then came off the top with a huge missile dropkick. Cassidy wanted to land a ringside move of his own but was stopped by Clark Connors, who appeared from the crowd and took out Cassidy with a knockout blow.
Back in the ring, Kidd caught a Coffin Drop attempt from Allin and countered it into a sleeper hold. It became a two-on-one beatdown, with Finlay scoring a Dominator, then Kidd connecting with a piledriver for the pinfall win. With two in the ring and one in the crowd, The Dogs simply had the numbers advantage tonight.
Connors hit the ring and took out Cassidy with a spear after the match. Roderick Strong marched his way to the ring after the attack, and although it looked like the heel trio was setting up for him to join the attack, he came in to save the babyface tag duo! Despite his rocky past with Cassidy and the rest of The Conglomeration, it looks like Strong knows sticking up for them is a good thing.
This was a great showcase of The Dogs, who are still new-ish faces for some AEW fans. I’m looking forward to this trios bout, whenever it might happen.
The latest – 9:37 p.m. ET: Willow Nightingale retains TBS title against CMLL’s Persephone
TBS Champion Willow Nightingale was up next in a title match against CMLL’s Persephone, who was coming off a victory against Mercedes Moné last weekend inside Arena Mexico. This was Persephone’s first AEW appearance since it was announced a few months back that she has inked a dual contract with the company and CMLL (although she has worked a few ROH appearances in that time).
Persephone showcased her strength before a break, picking up Nightingale for a fallaway slam. The fight went to ringside after the show returned, where Nightingale landed a nasty spinebuster to the floor. She followed that up with a cannonball off the ring apron.
Back in the ring, Nightingale landed a second cannonball, this time in the corner. She went for the pin, but Persephone put an arm on the bottom rope to break the attempt. Nightingale climbed to the top and tried for a moonsault, but Persephone got out of the way.
Persephone started to gain some momentum with a German suplex, but Nightingale returned the favor with one of her own. Persephone held onto the ropes to avoid a second German, then connected with a springboard moonsault for a near fall.
Persephone came running off the ropes for a move, but Nightingale met her in the middle of the ring with a hard lariat for a two-count. Persephone scored a shotgun dropkick then climbed to the top for a move but was stopped by Nightingale.
Persephone tried for a Sunset Flip Powerbomb out of the corner then tried for a Crucifix Bomb, but Nightingale escaped both attempts. Nightingale then hit a backslide to get the three on Persephone and retain her TBS Championship. Really fun one between these two, even if the result was never in doubt. Hope we can see Persephone more on AEW TV, she was given a lot of room to showcase her skills in this one and lived up to the hype.
