AEW Dynamite aired live from the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA. Samoa Joe made his AEW debut against Max Caster in a qualifying match for the Owen Hart Cup Tournament. FTR put the ROH & AAA Tag Team Championships on the line against the Young Bucks in the main event. In addition to the takeaways below, Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta was announced for this Friday’s Rampage.
Dynamite Results
- Adam Cole def. Christian Cage
- Samoa Joe def. Max Caster to qualify for the Owen Hart Tournament
- Captain Shawn Dean def. Shawn Spears
- The Hardys def. Butcher & Blade in a Tables match
- Hikaru Shida def. Julia Hart to qualify for the Owen Hart Tournament
- FTR def. The Young Bucks to retain the ROH & AAA Tag Team Championships
Here are the takeaways from tonight’s show:
Adam Cole def. Christian Cage, Texas Death Match For AEW Title Announced For Next Week’s Rampage
Adam Cole battled Christian Cage in the first match of the night. Cage and Cole locked up to start off the action. Christian brought Cole down with a Headlock but Cole was able to escape. Cage leveled Cole with a shoulder tackle and the two wrestlers locked up again.
Cole booted Christian in the ribs before bouncing his head off the top turnbuckle. Adam spit at Christian and retreated to the outside. Cage followed him out there and leveled Cole with a Clothesline and hit him with a chop to the chest against the barricade.
Back in the ring, Cage perched Cole up on the top turnbuckle but Adam escaped. Cole got Christian in the Tree of Woe and delivered a Superkick to the face. Cage rolled out of the ring to regroup and Cole followed him out there. Cole sent Cage into the barricade and then tumbling over the steel steps as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
Cage went for a Splash over the ring post and onto Cole below but he swatted him away when Dynamite returned. Christian rolled Cole up for a two count and followed it up with a Tornado DDT for another near fall. Cole connected with a Backstabber and went for the cover but Cage kicked out at two.
Cage planted Cole with a reverse DDT and climbed to the top rope. Christian went for a flying Headbutt but Cole got out of the way. Cole hit the Boom on Christian but he kicked out at two. Cage battled back but leaped into a Superkick for another two count and Cole couldn’t believe it.
Cole set up for the Panama Sunrise but Cage blocked it and hit a Hurricanrana for a two count. Cage went for the Spear but Cole booted him in the knee. Cage escaped Panama Sunrise but Cole hit another kick. Cage ducked under the Boom and hit Cole with a Spear for a two count as the crowd got to their feet. A very loud “AEW!” chant broke out as Cage went for the Killswitch. Cole poked Cage in the eye and hit the Boom for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Fish & O’Reilly attacked Christian but Jurassic Express made the save. AEW Champion Hangman Page made his way to the ring and Cole said he wanted another title shot. Page smacked Cole in the face and told him to look at him when he is talking to him. Hangman noted that they have a live Rampage in Texas next week and will defend the title against Cole in a Texas Deathmatch. The crowd chanted “cowboy shit!” as Hangman told Cole that he has a week to get his affairs in order.
Samoa Joe Qualified For The Owen Hart Cup Tournament
Max Caster faced Samoa Joe in an Owen Hart Cup Qualifying match. Caster’s rap joked that Joe is injury prone and that AEW beat NXT in the ratings when Joe was the champ. Caster and Joe traded some words in the ring and Joe hit a headbutt. Samoa Joe unloaded some strikes and danced around in the ring.
Joe hit a chop to the chest and a boot to the face in the corner. Joe hit a chop across the back and a boot to the face. Samoa Joe dropped an elbow and Caster rolled out of the ring to regroup. Joe hit a Suicide Dive through the ropes as a “Joe!” chant broke out. Bowens distracted Joe and Caster capitalized with some punches before the action returned to the ring. Samoa Joe responded with a shoulder tackle and the Muscle Buster for the pinfall victory. Samoa Joe has qualified for the men’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament.
Jay Lethal and Sanjay Dutt interrupted and said he tried to contract Samoa Joe for four months. They vowed to give Joe a present he will never forget next week in New Orleans.
Wardlow Cost Shawn Spears His Match
Shawn Spears battled Captain Shawn Dean tonight. MJF joined commentary for the match.
Spears controlled the action early and threw the Captain out of the ring as MJF boasted about having Wardlow banned. Spears pointed to the security sign that read Wardlow is banned from the arena and wiped his boots on it. The crowd chanted “Wardlow” as the action returned to the ring. Spears planted Dean with a Neckbreaker and had the match one but decided to inflict more punishment. Security staff was shown laid out as MJF began freaking out. Wardlow then was shown on camera beating the hell out of any member of security got in his way.
Wardlow made his way through the crowd and continued to beat down all the security members. Back in the ring, Captain Shawn Dean rolled up Shawn Spears for the pinfall victory. Security then was able to get Wardlow out as he had a big smile on his face. MJF and Shawn Spears threw a tantrum after the match. It was announced that MJF will face Shawn Dean next week.
Jericho Appreciation Society Ran Away
Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz attacked Jericho Appreciation Society backstage and beat them down. Kingston tried to throw a TV at them but they escaped. Jake Hager showed up right on time with a car and JAS drove away. Eddie, Santana, Ortiz then made their way to the ring. Kingston called Jericho a coward and vowed to attack Chris on sight even if they are with their family. They challenged them to a Trios match next week.
The Hardys Picked Up A Win
The Butcher & The Blade faced The Hardys tonight in a Tables Match. Before the match, Tony Schiavone interviewed TBS Champion Jade Cargill w/ Mark Sterling. Cargill said she is tired of all these MMA losers coming to her show and getting in her ring. Sterling said that Marina Shafir is the problem and Cargill is a problem solver.
The match started off in a brawl with Butcher punching a steel chair into Matt Hardy’s face. The Hardys hit a double DDT but Blade battled back. Blade sent Hardy onto a table but not through it as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, the teams were battling outside the ring. Jeff hit Butcher with a Leg Drop and then delivered an Atomic Drop to Blade. Matt Hardy planted Blade with a Twist of Fate on the floor outside the ring. Back in the ring, Matt hit Butcher with a Leg Drop through the table for the elimination. Matt connected with another Twist of Fate on Butcher on the floor. The Hardys set up a couple tables and put Blade on top of them. Jeff climbed to the top of the ladder and put Butcher through the table with a Swanton Bomb for the win.
After the match, AFO (Andrade, Jose, The Bunny, and Private Party interrupted and made their way to the entrance ramp. Sting’s music hit and he came to the entrance ramp with a baseball bat. Sting hit Private Party and approached Andrade as he hid behind The Bunny. They escaped and went backstage to end the segment. Jurassic Express and Christian Cage were then shown backstage. Cage was frustrated about his loss to Adam Cole and stormed off. Jurassic Express challenged reDragon to a match next week and will put the tag titles on the line.
Hikaru Shida Qualified For The Owen Hart Tournament
Julia Hart faced Hikaru Shida in a qualifying match for the women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament. Before the match, Toni Storm and Jamie Hayter had a backstage confrontation.
It was announced that Thunder Rosa will defend the AEW Women’s Championship against Nyla Rose at Saturday Fight Night on April 16th (Battle of the Belts).
Hart controlled the match early and choked Hikaru with her jacket. Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison were ringside and Julia kicked them out. Dynamite went to a commercial break with Hart in control. When Dynamite returned, Shida battled back and sent Hart to the corner.
Shida connected with a running knee and followed it up with a Suplex. Julia battled back with a slam for a near fall and climbed to the top rope. Hart went for a Moonsault but Shida got out of the way. Hikaru hit an elbow and then a Falcon Arrow for the pinfall victory. Hikaru Shida has qualified for the women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament.
Serena Deeb tried to attack Shida after the match but she was ready for it. Team Taz tried to attack Swerve Strickland backstage but Keith Lee made the save.
FTR Retained In A Great Match With The Young Bucks
FTR defended the AAA & ROH Tag Team Championships in the main event against the Young Bucks. The champions controlled the action early and isolated Matt in the ring. Matt escaped to the corner and Nick Jackson tagged in. Harwood took Nick to the mat with a headlock takeover and then went for a wrist lock but Jackson got to the ropes. Nick threw his goofy headwear at Dax and Harwood responded by dropping it in his trunks, and then throwing it in Matt’s face.
Harwood hit an Arm Drag in the middle of the ring. Matt tagged in and Nick tripped Harwood up. Wheeler tripped up Matt and then traded punches with Nick int he middle of the ring. Young Bucks hit Dax with a couple Dropkicks and then did the same to Wheeler. Cash shrugged it off and exploded with a Clothesline that knocked Matt and Nick to the mat.
Cash Wheeler tagged in and locked in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Dax got Nick Jackson in the Sharpshooter as well but Young Bucks were able to escape. Young Bucks took control and isolated Cash in the ring. Matt and Nick beat him down and posed for the booing crowd.
Nick climbed to the middle turnbuckle and connected with a double axe handle to the face. Matt taunted Dax and he got into the ring allowing Young Bucks to hit Cash with a couple cheap shots as Dynamite went to the final commercial break of the night.
When Dynamite returned, Young Bucks had Cash Wheeler trapped in the ring. Cash tried for a tag but Nick knocked Harwood off the ring apron with a Superkick. Matt sent Cash to the corner and went for a double team move but Nick accidentally caught him with a kick to the face.
Nick tagged himself in and leaped into a strike from Wheeleer. Dax Harwood unloaded some punches and Suplexes before sending Nick out of the ring. Harwood unloaded some chops in the corner on Matt and rolled him up for a two count. Matt and Dax got in a test of strength and traded roll-up attempts but both men kicked out. Harwood planted Matt with a Piledriver and went for the cover but Jackson kicked out at two.
Harwood perched Matt up on the top turnbuckle and delivered a chop to the chest. Nick hopped on the apron and shoved Dax to the floor. Wheeler hit a Back Drop on Nick onto the ring apron as Dax crotched Matt on the top turnbuckle. Harwood hit a Superplex but Nick caught Wheeler with a Hurricanrana on the opposite of the ring and all four wrestlers were down.
Nick tagged in and hit Wheeler with a knee to the face. Young Bucks followed it up with a Bulldog/ Dropkick combo and Nick hit a Facebuster. Dax hit Nick with a Brainbuster but turned around into a Dropkick from Matt. Wheeler slammed Matt to the mat and went for the cover but Matt kicked out at two.
FTR went for the Big Rig but Young Bucks blocked it. Matt hit Wheeler with a low blow while the referee was distracted. Young Bucks went for Big Rig on Cash Wheeler and connected but Wheeler kicked out at the last moment. Young Bucks hit a 450 Splash and a Moonsault on Cash but he somehow kicked out at two.
Matt went for the cover two more times but Wheeler kicked out again and again. Nick hit Cash with a title and Matt used the tights for leverage in a cradle but Harwood broke it up at two. Young Bucks leveled Harwood with a Superkick and knocked him out of the ring. Nick Jackson tagged in and Young Bucks got in the ring with Cash Wheeler.
Young Bucks thought they had the match won with the BTE Trigger but Cash had his boot on the rope. A loud “FTR!” chant broke out as they hit a ridiculous Powerbomb/Tombstone combo on the Young Bucks. FTR then hit Matt with a BTE Trigger and followed it up with the Big Rig for the pinfall victory. FTR got a great reaction as they posed with the titles to close the show.
