AEW Dynamite 2/1/23

Live from the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio! No surprise, we’re not waiting around as Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Taz are interrupted by “Wild Thing!” Mike Malkasian reports for Wrestling Headlines.

Match #1. Jon Moxley w/ Wheeler Yuta & Papa Mox vs. Hangman Page

Page doesn’t even make it to the ring as Moxley meets him on the ramp, and it’s on! Moxley puts Page through several guardrails as both men fight through the crowd. Running boot to a seated Moxley in the crowd, Page is not the favorite tonight, as Dayton is just an hour from Moxley’s hometown. Moxley locks in figure four on the floor but Page fights out. Moxley attacks Page with a chair and puts his ankle in a steel chair, but referee Paul Turner prevents Moxley from jumping off the apron, allowing Page to throw the chair and connect with Moxley’s face! Snap suplex on the chair by Page, and the bell still hasn’t rung, so this is all legal. Both men roll into the ring, and the match is officially underway. Pair of elbows and a leg lace by Moxley, but Page gets to the ropes. German suplex by Page now focuses his attack on the cut above Moxley’s eye. Both men trade heavy shots in the center, but Page catches a cross-body block from Moxley and connects with a fall-away slam. Moxley rolls to the apron and clubs a charging Page in the face. Rear naked choke by Moxley locked in now on the apron before transitioning into a bulldog choke. Piledriver attempt by Moxley, but Page tries to counter with the Deadeye as both men go back and forth. Page finally gets Moxley in a fireman’s carry and drops him face-first on the top turnbuckle. Moxley catches Page heading up to the top rope and rakes the back, but Page bites Moxley’s face, regains control, and connects with a big avalanche Death Valley Driver. One, two, no! Moxley is on his feet as Page tries to boot him in the face and does, but, ever defiant, Moxley flips Page off and hits a diving Ace Crusher. Both men exchange some heavy leather in the center of the ring, but Moxley is now implementing some kicks into his game. Moxley with a rear naked choke but Page hits a Saito suplex. Moxley rolls through and hits Page with one of his own. The front chancery suplex off the top by Moxley gets another two counts. Wrists are trapped here, and Moxley is stomping on the face of Page. Death Rider has been blocked, so Moxley transitions to a rolling straight armbar, but Page is at the ropes. Page elevates Moxley up and over the top to the outside and comes off the top with a moonsault but Moxley side steps… lariat! Moxley clears the announcers’ table and looks for the powerbomb, but Page fights out. Both men trade clotheslines, and Page hits a pop-up powerbomb on Moxley through the table!

Moxley barely makes it in before the ten count but runs into a big lariat by Page. Deadeye! One, two, no! Page looks for the stomp, but Moxley moves, and it’s the King Kong lariat! Porter has trouble returning to his feet, but Moxley measures him with elbows. Page is returning with some huge shots before hitting a super kick! Small package driver by Page! Two count! Moxley counters Buckshot, but Page counters into the tombstone! Buckshot! MOXLEY KICKS OUT! Bulldog choke by Page, but Moxley is getting to his feet, Moxley rolls page over his shoulder, traps the arm, and gets the three count!

Winner: Jon Moxley

Rating: ****1/4. Let these two men fight until the dawn of time. Great match, hard-hitting, real, filled with the thing that pro wrestling seems to be missing lately: the struggle. This whole match felt like a struggle between two guys who wanted to beat each other. Great stuff.

Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta hit the ring as Page is upset and gives them the finger. Moxley wants to keep fighting, and Page is bitter.

The Butcher, Blade, and Bunny are here with Renee and Jamie Hayter. The Bunny wants a match with Jamie Hayter… BREAKING NEWS.

Saraya and Toni Storm are shown on the monitor beating up Britt Baker in the parking lot

Match #2. The Acclaimed vs. Bootleg Beverly Brothers

The enhancement fellas don’t have names, it seems like, but they do have great scissors. Body slam by Caster. Scissor me, timbers by The Acclaimed. Billy Gunn is in the ring now, a three-way scissor party in the center. The Arrival by Bowens and the Mic Drop finishes this one.

Winners: The Acclaimed

Rating: NR

The Gunns are here and want a shot at the title and an answer… immediately. The Acclaimed ask the people what they want. Ohio says the Ass Boys do NOT deserve a shot at the tag team titles. Daddy Ass has said he’s had enough of this and walks out. Ass Boys tell Daddy Ass to do what he used to and drown his sorrows in the bottom of a pill bottle. Stiff. Daddy Ass wants to know if the Ass Boys have what it takes? Next week, they get the tag team title shot, and The Acclaimed look… perplexed.

Alex Marvez is with Jungle Boy, who says in 2023, he’s going solo. No more tag teams. Alright then.

Match #3. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Brian Cage

Rolling elbow and a flying TakeshitaLine send Cage to the apron. Big boot by Takeshita and a flying plancha to the outside. Cage grabs Takeshita’s leg and hits a buckle bomb into the ring post on the outside. Cage looks for another buckle bomb inside the ring, by Takeshita fights out with some huge elbows. Cage fights off a back suplex attempt and hits a big knee lift before charging Takeshita but getting caught in the Blue Thunder Bomb! Two count. Takeshita misses a flying knee in the corner before landing on the apron and getting brought into the ring with a deadlift vertical suplex. 619 by Cage. Running back elbow in the corner and a big release German suplex, Takeshita landed hard. Takeshita hurricanranas himself out of a powerbomb attempt and comes off the top with a dropkick. Lariat by Takeshita and a bridging German suplex for two. Takeshita charges with a rising knee, but Cage catches him and hits a buckle bomb. Powerbomb attempt by Cage, but Takeshita reverses into a Liger Bomb for two! Rolling lariat by Cage is ducked, but Takeshita connects with a rolling elbow. Backdrop driver by Cage! Rolling lariat! Two count! Drillclaw by Cage is countered inter a sheer drop brainbuster! A second brainbuster! TWO COUNT. Cage fights Takeshita off and flattens him with an F5. Cage sets Takeshita up on the top rope, but Takeshita fights back with an avalanche brainbuster! RISING KNEE! One, two, three!

Winner: Konosuke Takeshita

Rating: ****. Wow. Just an absolute slobberknocker, as Jim Ross would say. These two men delivered, and Cage is putting together some of the best work of his career in just seven days. Takeshita is the future, and it’s good to see AEW stacking the wins.

The Elite are here and challenge Top Flight and AR Fox to a six-man tag next week.

Enter The Firm.

Ethan Page challenges The Elite to a six-man tag on Rampage, and they accept.

Match #4. Bryan Danielson vs. Timothy Thatcher

THATCH POINT – CLAP CLAP – THATCH POINT – CLAP CLAP. Thatcher quickly dives for the Fujiwara armbar, but Danielson gets to the ropes. Thatcher drives his Knee into the injured arm of Danielson before locking in a double wrist lock. Danielson gets to the ropes and connects with a flurry of strikes before dropping Thatcher to the mat with a dragon screw leg whip. Romero stretch by Danielson, but Thatcher breaks the grip with a finger lock. Thatcher drives some more knees to the spine of Danielson, but Danielson fights back with some round kicks in the corner. Running dropkick in the corner by Danielson, but Thatcher snaps Danielson to the mat with an arm ringer. Kimura by Thatcher again, who lifts Danilson off the ground with his grip. Thatcher is in side control now, but Danielson’s hip escapes to the ropes. Thatcher focuses his attack on the injured arm, dropping the ground and pound from the top. Single arm DDT by Thatcher, but Danielson grabs the wrist and quickly locks in the Labell Lock. Thatcher gets to the ropes quickly and continues the arm work. Uppercuts by Thatcher here as Thatcher sets Danielson up on the top rope, looking for a butterfly suplex off the top. Danielson headbutts Thatcher, but Thatcher is back up, but another headbutt drops him. Missile dropkick off the top by Danielson! European uppercuts Thatcher, but Danielson responds with round kicks, dropping Thatcher to his knees. Thatcher blocks a head kick and tries for the Fujiwara, but Danielson rolls through and lands the head kick!

Hammer and anvil elbows now by Danielson, currently looking to lock in a rear naked choke. Thatcher gets to his feet and backs him into the corner, squashing the referee. Back suplex by Thatcher, and here comes MJF with the Dynamite Diamond Ring, but Konosuke Takeshita makes the save from the crowd! Thatcher snaps Danielson down and locks in the Fujiawara! Danielson is in a bad position here as the referee finally gets up just in time to see Danielson grab the ropes. Thatcher delivers some elbows to the injured elbow and plants Danielson with a belly-to-belly suplex. Danielson hits the switch and lands a German release suplex! Thatcher evades a charging Danielson, but Danielson rebounds with the Psycho Knee!

Winner: Bryan Danielson

Rating: ***1/2. Remember what I said about the “struggle” regarding the Moxley and Hangman match? This encounter is different than anything we’ve seen tonight and similar to what you would see on Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport card. I understand this style might not be for everyone, but I love the throwback feel of a guy like Timothy Thatcher, and Danielson winning with the Psycho Knee instead of submission was a great strategy.

MJF and Takeshita are shown brawling in the back. Security and the referees finally get there to break it up. Renee is here to announce that next week on Dynamite, Takeshita will take on MJF in an AEW World Title Eliminator!

Rush is the next challenger for the Bryan Danielson gauntlet, and he’s here with Preston Vance and Lexi Nair. MJF barges in with a suitcase full of money and says the first one’s on the house, and there are five more if he ends Danielson next week.

Match #5. AEW TBS Title: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Jade Cargill w/ Leila Grey

Velvet attacks early and sidesteps a charging Cargill, sending her to the outside. Baseball slide by Velvet, who delivers a few chops on the guardrail and rolls Cargill back inside. Velvet tries a cazadora, but Cargill reverses it into a wheelbarrow suplex for two. A big jumping elbow drop by Cargill gets another two. Velvet tries a cross-body block off the apron, but Cargill catches her, muscles her up into a military press, and then WALKS UP THE RING STEPS WITH RED VELVET IN MILITARY PRESS. Wow. Cargill deposits Velvet on the top turnbuckle. Hip toss by Cargill. Cargill misses a charge, and Velvet responds with a Code Breaker. Velvet charges again, and Cargill hits a pump kick for a two-count. Kiera Hogan sends Leila Grey into the steel steps on the outside, allowing Velvet to hit the tornado kick. Velvet tries an omoplata, but Cargill picks her up like a powerbomb, switches positions in mid-air, and it’s Jaded for the finish.

Winner and STILL AEW TBS Champion: Jade Cargill

Rating: **1/4. A good win here for Cargill, but I don’t think I ever need to see her vs. Red Velvet again. Cargill impresses me more and more every week with some unbelievable feats of strength in the ring.

For a medical update, Renee is here with Dr. Britt Baker, DMD. Ruby Soho is here to check on Baker, who says, “these are your girls.” Soho says she doesn’t get down like that but wanted to check on Baker.

Match #6. No Holds Barred for the AEW TNT Title: Darby Allin (c) vs. Samoa Joe

Darby had a hoodie with tacks glued to it and charged Joe a bunch! My internet goes out momentarily, and Samoa Joe looks to pull out a table under the ring, but Darby lawn darts himself into it. Darby sets up the stairs outside, and Joe whips Darby, who flips over the table and lands on the guardrail, and then face first in the crowd. Both men head into the group as Joe slams Darby on the cement stairs. Joe hip-tosses Darby over the guardrail onto the ring area floor and proceeds to body slam Darby on the top of the steel steps. A penalty kick by Joe and a diving elbow drop. Joe looks to twist Darby’s head off of his shoulders, but Darby fights back with some palm strikes. Darby charges Joe in the corner, and it’s the STJoe. Two count. Joe grabs another table underneath the ring and places it across the guardrail. Joe looks for a choke, but Darby connects with a jawbreaker and lights Joe up with chops in the corner. Joe has had enough and launches Darby over the top rope to the floor. Brainbuster by Joe, who doesn’t attempt a cover and decides to grab some chairs and throw them in the ring. Joe sets up the chairs in the call, back-to-back, and back suplexes Darby on the spine of the chairs. Wow. Joe turns the chairs around and looks for the powerbomb, but Darby throws powder in Joe’s eyes and reverses into the Code Red! Two count! Over the top stunner by Darby! Darby hangs the hoodie with the thumbtacks over himself and goes up to the top… Coffin Drop! One, two, no!

Darby grabs a knife and looks to cut the mat apart from the floorboards! Half of the ring has zero padding, with only the wood boards showing. On the other side of the ring, Darby attempts a suicide dive and misses as Darby goes crashing through the table on the outside! Powerbomb by Joe on the thumbtack hoodie! Joe looks to smother Joe in the hoodie, but Darby digs his fingers into Joe’s eyes, breaking the grip. Darby now beats Joe with chairs and heads up top for the Coffin Drop on Joe on the exposed wood! Joe shoves the referee into the corner, which crotches Darby. Joe follows Darby up… AVALANCHE MUSCLE BUSTER ON TO THE EXPOSED WOOD! HOLY S., That does it.

Winner and NEW AEW TNT Champion: Samoa Joe

Rating: ****. A bloody, brutal, wild brawl that was different than anything else on the show. It seems like AEW giving Darby the title was to make the hometown fans happy before returning to Joe, and that’s okay. Darby is on another level of “I don’t care about my well-being,” and I don’t know how long it can last. Some of these bumps legitimately had me turning away from the TV, but it was great television. Joe can still go, and I’ll be interested to see who’s next for these guys.

Wardlow is here! Fans are PUMPED for this as Wardlow hits the ring and double-legs, Joe. Powerbomb Symphony to Joe but Joe bails! Wardlow stands tall as security hits the ring. Wardlow dispatches a guard, and Joe is already in the back.

Final Thoughts: Outstanding episode of Dynamite; I feel like I blinked, and it was 9:30. Dynamite continues their trend of opening up and closing the show with great pro wrestling matches, and everything in between flows perfectly. The MJF/Danielson/Takeshita story intrigues me, and I’d assume it ends with Takeshita joining the BCC. Despite being the rubber match of their feud, Moxley and Page do not seem to be over yet, and I am beyond okay with that. I’m still not invested in the Gunn’s stuff, but they’re slowly pulling me in. Great to see Wardlow back, and will be interesting to see if he can regain the momentum he had last year. So much on this show, and the pacing was perfect. 9.25/10.