Results
- Tommaso Ciampa def. Dezmond Xavier (9:44)
- Kevin Knight def. Claudio Castagnoli (TNT Championship) (9:44)
- Will Ospreay def. Hechicero (17:59) (Recommended)
- Willow Nightingale def. Kamille (TBS Championship) (8:27)
- Darby Allin def. MJF (AEW World Championship) (2:14)
MJF tries to sneak his way out of tonight’s main event
This week’s special Spring BreakThru edition of AEW Dynamite, live from the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington, started with interviewer Renee Paquette trying to track down MJF. Per her reporting, AEW hasn’t been able to reach MJF in days, and thus hasn’t been able to tell him that he’s defending his title tonight against Darby Allin (I guess he also hasn’t had internet access since Sunday either). After MJF got distracted by Don Callis for a second, Paquette got to break the news to him: Not only is he defending his title tonight, that match is up next.
We went to the ring, where Washington’s own Allin came to the ring for his title match. As expected, this audience of roughly 2,800 was loud and in support of their guy.
MJF, dressed in a suit and not ready to compete, came out and proclaimed that he’s not wrestling in an “impromptu” match. He started threatening to sue everyone involved, including referee Aubrey Edwards, announcer Justin Roberts and the live crowd.
Unfortunately, MJF’s mic started cutting out mid promo. He snatched Roberts’ microphone and started talking to Allin: “Darby, with love and respect, and I do mean it, with all due respect, you’re not ready to be world ch-” the mic was snatched by Allin, who was getting emotional.
“All it takes is one night to drop the wrestling world on its head, Allin replied. “If I’m not ready now, I’ll never be ready.” Allin talked about how he has “killed himself” for AEW, from promoting local shows to climbing Mount Everest with the company’s flag. He cut a really good promo here.
MJF continued to protest the match. However, Bryan Danielson got on the microphone and delivered a message from Tony Khan: “Tony actually agrees with MJF that it is actually unfair for him to wrestle when he is unprepared. And Max, that’s why Tony is going to give you plenty of time to prepare, because this match, this world championship match will happen in tonight’s main event.” Danielson said that if MJF refuses to fight tonight, he’ll be stripped of the title.
“Tonight, in the main event, I’m beating your ass with a headlock takeover,” Allin said before leaving the ring. Full of adrenaline, Allin ran into the guardrails a couple of times on the way out.
There were definitely some plot holes to this (How is it possible that MJF somehow didn’t know about this match existing until Wednesday?), but it did a solid job of providing a teaser for tonight’s main event. Since the match between MJF and Allin didn’t really get much of a build since it was confirmed on Sunday night, it was nice to get a short segment previewing the dynamic between them. Plus, Allin’s promo was especially strong. I’m looking forward to that main event.
Kenny Omega isn’t giving up yet
We were shown a clip from Dynasty, where former rivals Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay, who both were on the losing end of their respective matches, crossed paths inside the venue’s medical room. Omega said that he felt like he let everybody down by not earning the world title.
Ospreay said he remembered when Omega lost to Kazuchika Okada at the 2017 NJPW Wrestle Kingdom card, and that he bounced back from that.
“That was 10 years ago, Will,” Omega said. “I just feel like I don’t have any more time left. But, you do … You’ve got the heart of a wrestler. AEW, professional wrestling, it’s all you from here on, man.”
Ospreay said his dream is to be AEW Champion, but believes Omega hasn’t given up on that dream either. Ospreay left by saying that Omega is his hero.
“I’m your hero? … Maybe there is still a chance,” Omega said to himself. This ruled.
Tommaso Ciampa eyes title opportunity following latest win
The first match of the night saw Tommaso Ciampa face Dezmond Xavier of The Rascalz. Xavier was gaining some steam after the break, ending a combination of moves with an avalanche DDT for a near fall.
A 450 splash was dodged by Ciampa, who countered with a discus lariat. Xavier reversed a move into a roll-up attempt for a two. Ciampa went flying out of the ring after missing with a knee strike, allowing Xavier to land a tope suicida to the outside.
Back in the ring, Xavier earned a near fall from a top-rope frogsplash. He tried to come out of the corner with a move but was caught mid-air with a knee strike from Ciampa. The former TNT champion followed up with a Lumbar Check, then a running knee strike to the head for the pinfall victory in just under 10 minutes. A quick but fun little piece of work between these two.
Ciampa got on the mic afterward and talked about how he wants “all the gold.” He set his sights on the winner of tonight’s world title matchup. Hmm. Let’s maybe get a few more wins before discussing that.
FTR gloats about win over Cope & Cage
AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR hit the ring for the next segment.
Dax Harwood got on the mic and noted that he believes the fans are angry that they beat Cope & Cage last weekend. They said that people love underdog stories, but underdogs don’t win. Stokely Hathaway said that when David faces Goliath, David always loses (I don’t think that’s how the story goes). He also said that Tony Khan will keep signing “chuds” to try and take down FTR, but nobody can.
FTR mourned the loss of Cope & Cage, who they say will never challenge for the titles again, then mocked their famous five-second pose. In a jam-packed episode like this, maybe we could’ve done without this segment.
Kevin Knight defends TNT title for the first time
The first title match of the evening saw Kevin Knight defend his TNT Championship for the first time, taking on Claudio Castagnoli of the Death Riders. This match was made after Knight won Sunday’s Casino Gauntlet match, which featured three other Death Riders.
Knight sent Castagnoli out of the ring for a dropkick in the opening minute of the match. He attempted a tope suicida to the outside, but Castagnoli quickly snuck into the ring and took him out with a lariat in the process.
A fun sequence of reversals at ringside between these two ended with Knight coming off the apron with a clothesline, giving him the lead as the show went to commercials.
Knight picked up Castagnoli for a huge slam, then landed a standing frogsplash for a two-count. Castagnoli left the ring once again and was caught with a dive over the top rope from Knight. A long stretch of reversals in the corner came to a close when Castagnoli dropped Knight with a hard uppercut. This spot looked like it was somewhat botched halfway through, but they saved it.
Knight came off the top rope with a move but was caught by Castagnoli, who got two from a backbreaker. Castagnoli did his classic swing then tried to catapult Knight into the corner, but Knight landed on the top rope and came flying off with a big uppercut.
Knight returned to the top and came off with his UFO Splash for the pin in just under 10 minutes. A decent first appearance for Knight as TNT Champion. I think he has a lot of potential as a singles talent and hopefully he can get a meaningful run with the title.
On the mic, Knight gave credit to Castagnoli afterward. He talked about losing his trios titles just before the TNT title win, saying that it was the case of one door opening up as another one closed. Knight then, like Tommaso Ciampa did earlier, bit off more than he could chew by saying he’s keeping his eye on tonight’s title match.
The Demand beats up Chris Jericho again
After losing in his return last weekend to Ricochet, Chris Jericho came to the ring for an interview with Renee Paquette for the next segment.
Jericho was asked how he felt in his first match back. While he gave credit to Ricochet, he said that he was outnumbered “three-to-one” due to Ricochet’s help at ringside from the Gates of Agony. It was at this point that GoA and Ricochet cut off the promo.
Ricochet toyed with the idea that Jericho’s new bit could be getting beaten up by The Demand each week. He mentioned that Jericho’s Lionsault should be renamed to the “Rico-Sault” after it was used against him on Sunday.
In a promo where he repeatedly mentioned that Ricochet is bald, Jericho asked Ricochet to leave GoA on the stage and face him one-on-one. Ricochet was eventually goaded into heading to the ring without any support for a fight with Jericho.
Ricochet got into the ring and was immediately beaten up by Jericho. Despite saying he wouldn’t need any backup, GoA eventually made their way into the ring to help him in the fight.
The segment ended with GoA giving Jericho a double-team chokeslam, then Ricochet scoring a Lionsault (Ricosault?). Looks like Jericho needs some friends if he wants to take down The Demand.
Will Ospreay takes down Don Callis’ Hechicero
The next match saw Will Ospreay face off against Hechicero of the Don Callis Family. Ospreay was sporting loads of athletic tape and heavily selling the damage he took from Sunday night against Jon Moxley, where his neck was repeatedly targeted by the champ.
Ospreay was on a roll early on despite his injuries, catching Hechicero with a crossbody to the outside as the show went into a break. Five minutes into the match, the broadcast revealed that Marina Shafir of the Death Riders was at ringside.
Ospreay came off the ropes with a Corkscrew Kick, then a springboard forearm for a near fall. He followed up with a standing Sky Twister Press to get another two-count. Hechicero peeled down the straps on his outfit to communicate that he’s kicking things up a notch.
Ospreay set up for a Hidden Blade but got caught by the impressive Guillotine pilerdriver from Hechicero for a near fall. Since that move spiked Ospreay on his injured neck, we had a fake doctor check-in spot on Ospreay as the match went through a second commercial break.
Hechicero scored a sneaky trip that sent Ospreay out of the ring, then came over the top rope for a tope suicida (yes, over the top rope!). Back in the ring, Hechicero came off the top with an elbow to the back of Ospreay’s head for a two-count.
Ospreay started to battle back, countering a move from Hechicero into a Stundog Millionaire. He connected with a thrust kick to Hechicero’s head in the corner then tried to lift him up for a move, but the pain in his neck caused him to let go.
Ospreay came off the ropes for an attempted Os-Cutter, but Hechicero instead had a snazzy transition into an armbar. Hechicero switched into a triangle choke, which Ospreay escaped by transitioning into a Styles Clash. Ospreay then came charging at Hechicero for the Hidden Blade, scoring him the pinfall win in 18 minutes.
Don Callis called for “Plan B” afterward, which was the rest of his faction attacking Ospreay. Mark Davis hit the ring and further aggravated Ospreay’s neck with a piledriver to end the segment.
AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla appeared in the crowd for a promo, just days after her win over Jamie Hayter. Alex Windsor, ally of Hayter, cut off the segment to call out Thekla, who cheated her way to the win on Sunday night.
Windsor, who was dressed to fight, called on Thekla to come to the ring and fight her tonight. “How about no?” Thekla replied.
Windsor said how about they face off on Collision tomorrow night. Thekla’s Sisters of Sin tried to take out Windsor but were dropped immediately by her. The segment ended with Windsor threatening to go into the crowd to fight Thekla.
Jon Moxley cut a promo on his Collision opponent, Washington’s Nick Wayne: “I don’t know very much about you at all, so, Nick, please, surprise me.”
Willow Nightingale retains against Kamille
The co-main event of the night saw the recently returned Kamille take on TBS Champion Willow Nightinale.
Kamille tried to get the jump on Nightingale, but the champ was ready to fight. Nightingale was on a roll after the show returned from a break, connecting with a pounce then a cannonball in the corner for a near fall.
Nightingale tried for a powerbomb, but wasn’t able to lift Kamilla up due to the damage she took on her shoulder earlier in the match. Kamille caught Nightingale with a Rough Ryder for a two-count of her own. Kamille kept attacking the arms and shoulder of Nightingale. Nightingale suddenly caught Kamille with a roll-up at the eight-minute mark to retain. This match felt like it was missing something.
Before the main event, we saw Darby Allin mentor Sting meet him backstage. “It’s Showtime,” Allin said. “No, it’s not Showtime,” Sting replied. “It’s your time!”
Darby Allin pulls off stunning two-minute victory AEW World Champion
The main event of the night saw Darby Allin take on AEW World Champion MJF. They did a great job building to this one all night, really hyping it up as the coronation for Allin in front of his home crowd. The question we all had was: Was all this a fake-out, or were we really about to see a new champ crowned? Allin came out and greeted what looked to be family at ringside as part of his entrance.
MJF didn’t waste much time bending the rules: He handed his Dynamite Diamond Ring to referee Aubrey Edwards, using that distraction to give Allin a low blow. Allin pushed MJF in front of the referee, giving him the chance to score a low blow of his own! Using the momentum of that dirty tactic, Allin connected with a Scorpion Death Drop, four consecutive Coffin Drops off the top rope, then, as he promised earlier in the night, a side-headlock takeover into the pinfall for the victory in just over two minutes. Allin is your new AEW World Champion.
A load of the AEW babyface roster made their way out to the ring to celebrate with Allin, who took in the moment as the show went off air.
Listen, this is quite the high-risk move for AEW, to suddenly end MJF’s reign on TV in such a quick fashion. But, I like it. Just like what happens sometimes in even the highest level of prizefighting, MJF got caught early and that was all it took. We need surprises every now and then, and this is a fun one to spice up the title picture. We’ll get the lengthier match between MJF and Allin at Double or Nothing, likely, and that one will get a full build. This did kind of feel similar to when Brody King beat MJF in a title eliminator in just over a minute in February, in the swiftness of the high-stakes result. But this still felt like a great moment.
Final thoughts
AEW did a great job at building the main event in the opening segment then delivering with a memorable finish. I’m sure there are people who will hate the move they made tonight, but I personally like it. There were some other great matches on this, with Will Ospreay and Hechicero standing out as the best performances. I still personally think it’s a huge issue that the women’s division is so underrepresented. They received 15 minutes tonight, that’s 1/6 of the show before you even factor in overrun minutes. When the division is as good as it is currently, it’s hard to excuse that.
Here’s what was confirmed for the special Thursday night Collision going down tomorrow:
- Adam Copeland to appear
- Hikaru Shida & Kris Statlander in tag action
- Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Zachary Wentz & Myron Reed
- Jon Moxley vs. Nick Wayne (AEW Continental Championship Eliminator)
- Thekla vs. Alex Windsor (AEW Women’s World Championship)
