Action for March 20, 2024
Tonight’s doubleheader episode of AEW DYNAMITE & AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast live from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ON!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night, and you know what that means!
Tony Schiavone started the show in the ring to interview “The CEO” Mercedes Moné!
The fans chanted, “CEO! CEO! CEO!”
Mercedes: “Toronto, please say hello to your new CEO. I have been on such a high since last week at Big Business. I missed you guys, and I missed all of this! I am so excited to be here at AEW. Many of you guys don’t know this, but all of this almost got taken away from me ten months ago. I nearly had a career-ending injury in a match against Willow Nightingale.
“I know this is in the past, and I’m in a new home at AEW. A lot of people may not know who Mercedes Moné is, so I asked the production truck to play a highlight video so you can get a taste of your new CEO.
“As you see, I was rocking and rolling, I was kicking butt all over the world, but then it got taken away from me. But I knew I needed to be back, and I needed to be here. Minor setbacks make for major comebacks, and now I’m here as your CEO. I am not here to lead a woman’s evolution. I’ve done that before. I am here to lead a women’s global revolution. I can be here to meet the very best women in AEW and all over the globe.
“About last week when Julia Hart and Skye Blue attacked Willow, they must not have heard that I have unfinished business with Willow. And anybody that messes with my business will go bankrupt. There’s a price you pay when you mess with Mercedes Moné.”
The arena lights went dark!
The lights returned, and Julia Hart stood in the aisle, smirking at Mercedes. Skye Blue tried to ambush Mercedes, but Mercedes dropped Blue! Julie Hart jumped in, and Mercedes hoisted Julia for the Money Maker, but Skye Blue pulled Julia to safety!
Skye Blue and Julia Hart pulled steel chairs out from beneath the ring. They were about to enter the ring to attack Mercedes with the chairs, but Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander sprinted to the ring with their own chairs and came to Mercedes’s aid!
The lights went dark again! When they came back on, Willow had a chair, and it appeared she was set to whack Mercedes with it, but she put it down.
“I think she was going to hit Mercedes with it,” said Schiavone.
Mercedes pointed at Willow and said she had her eyes on her.
AEW Continental Championship Match!
“Mad King” Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Kazuchika Okada!
“The world is ready for this one,” said Tony Schiavone.
Kingston hit Okada with a flurry of offense and then blistered the challenger with chops. Okada hammered back with an elbow to the back of Kingston’s head. Okada spiked Kingston with a DDT on the arena floor!
Matthew and Nicholas Jackson watched backstage, wearing headsets and producing the match.
Okada nailed Kingston with a neckbreaker and followed up with a dropkick to the side of Kingston’s head. Kingston fired back with a double-over-hook suplex and then a back-heel trip. Kingston blasted Okada with machine gun chops in the corner. Kingston rocked Okada with a German suplex and then a sliding forearm. Okada rallied back with a dropkick.
Eddie stunned Okada with a spinning back fist for a near fall. Okada attempted to hit the Rainmaker, but Kingston raised his arms to block it. Okada gouged Kingston’s eyes. Okada planted Kingston on the mat and rocked Eddie with the Rainmaker, scoring the pin!
New AEW Continental Champions… “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada!
“History was made here tonight,” said Taz.
“Okada, wasting no time,” replied Excalibur.
“The Bastard” Pac’s music hit! Pac walked onto the ramp and stared a hole into Okada, making his presence known to the Rainmaker!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Swerve Strickland!
Renee said that Swerve went after AEW World Champion Samoa Joe and wanted to know his intentions.
Swerve: “The AEW World Championship, Renee. Samoa Joe attempted to embarrass me by choking me out. Unfortunately for him, I have a history of choking people out myself. I want to fight, so I will offer an open challenge tonight.”
Next, Renee Paquette interviewed Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale ahead of tonight’s street fight!
Mercedes Moné walked onto the scene and interrupted them.
Kris: “You know, I’ve been meaning to say this. Thank you for having Willow’s back last week.”
Mercedes: “Of course. That’s what a CEO does. You see, a CEO stands up for what she believes in. And I’m excited to watch your street fight tonight. Because you know what they say: payback’s a bitch. And thanks for having my back out there tonight, Kris. It was nice meeting you.”
Willow: “Mercedes, I just wanted to say—”
Mercedes: “You’ve done enough!
“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. FTW Champion HOOK.
Hook dumped Jericho on the back of his head with a T-bone suplex out of the gates!
“I don’t think Jericho expected that,” said Schiavone.
Hook battered Jericho in the corner. Jericho fired back with chops. Hook sent Jericho for a ride once again with another T-bone suplex. Hook dodged Jericho and planted Jericho with two more suplexes. Hook folded Jericho in half with another suplex!
“We are witnessing a lopsided affair. Hook is dominating Chris Jericho,” said Excalibur.
Jericho booted Hook in the face and rammed Hook with a shoulder block. Jericho jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Hook caught and suplexed him. Jericho tried to rally back with a lion sault for a near fall.
Hook charged at Jericho, but Jericho countered by throwing Hook. Jericho put Hook on the top turnbuckle, looking for a top-rope hurracanrana, but Hook managed to apply the Red Rum on Jericho! Chris Jericho broke the grip and was looking for the Walls, but Hook countered by rolling up Jericho and pinning him!
“What an inside cradle out of nowhere!” said Taz.
“That might be the biggest victory of Hook’s career thus far. Hook just pinned the first-ever AEW World Champion,” said Excalibur.
Jericho fist-bumped Hook after the match, and both men displayed mutual respect for one another.
We heard from the Undisputed Kingdom’s Adam Cole!
Cole: “I hate the feeling of being disappointed. Last week, Wardlow, I felt disappointed. You challenged Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, and you failed. Wardlow, you had one damn job, and you failed. And right now, I should be—you should be—the AEW World Champion.
“Instead, you have a new goal: to ensure the Undisputed Kingdom holds onto our gold. You’ll ensure that Taven and Bennett keep those Ring of Honor World Tag Team titles and Roderick Strong keeps the AEW International Championship. And then maybe we’ll forgive you.
“Wardlow, I’m not saying this out of anger. I’m saying this because I care about you. I want what’s best for you. I want you to reach your true potential. So don’t screw it up.”
Renee Paquette interviewed Chris Jericho backstage!
Jericho: “Last week, I said I wanted to face Hook individually for a reason. I was hoping he did what he did tonight. Hook, you showed me something I haven’t seen in a long time. You are a future World Champion. You are every bit of a bad, bad man, as everyone says you are. And after tonight, you’ve got my respect. And next week, Hook, on Dynamite, I’ve got a proposition for you.”
Tony Schiavone interviewed “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay in the ring!
Ospreay: “I’ll clear the air right now. The last time I was here, I was a little naughty boy. I’ve changed. I’m here to improve AEW. I am here to give you guys Elite levels of professional wrestling.
“I said what I wanted to say about Bryan Danielson until I saw Collision. I hope all the lads studied his match against Shibata on Collision. That was pro wrestling. Bryan, in one breath, you said you were grateful to be stepping into the ring with me, but in the other breath, you said I couldn’t walk in your shoes.
“Maybe he’s right because when I would go to Japan, I’d see his shoes, and there’s no way I could fit into them because they’re too small for me. What I did in Japan was elevate professional wrestling. But apparently, I can’t walk in your shoes. Want me to prove it? All right, Shibata, long time no see. Seven years ago, I wrestled Shibata, and he beat the piss out of me. But the 23-year-old me is different than the 30-year-old me because I’ve got a point to prove. So next week on Dynamite, Shibata, meet me in this ring. Danielson, sit home and watch, and let me show you what I’m all about.”
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm & Mariah May
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa!
Deonna and Thunder Rosa sprinted toward the ring and attacked Toni and Mariah, swarming them. Mariah grabbed Deonna by the hair, yanked her to the mat, and followed up with a dropkick.
Deonna turned the tables with a double clothesline to Toni and Mariah. Thunder Rosa grabbed a tag and launched off Deonna’s bag to splash Toni in the corner with a lariat. Thunder Rosa followed up with a running lariat. Luther tried to take a swipe at Thunder Rosa. As Luther distracted Thunder Rosa, Toni Storm knocked Rosa to the floor with a running hip attack!
Deonna grabbed a tag and punted Mariah in the face with a pump kick. Thunder Rosa tagged herself in, but Deonna didn’t seem happy. Thunder Rosa drilled Mariah with a Death Valley Driver in the center of the ring! Toni Storm grabbed Thunder Rosa from behind and nailed Rosa with a German Suplex!
Toni Storm cracked Thunder Rosa in the corner with a hip attack! Toni tried for a piledriver, but Thunder Rosa countered with a jackknife pin and scored the victory!
Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. The Butcher!
Swerve headbutted Butcher, catching Butcher by surprise. Swerve booted Butcher in the face. Butcher blasted Swerve with a strike to the face. Swerve double-stomped Butcher on the back.
Swerve rocked Butcher with the House Call kick, crunched Butcher with the Swerve Stomp right on target, applied a submission hold, and forced Butcher to tap!
“That may be Swerve’s first submission victory in an AEW ring,” said Excalibur.
Swerve: “Samoa Joe, before I met you, I had nothing but respect for you. But then I felt a little indifferent when I got to know you. Then, after a while, I started disliking you. And now I’m getting close to hating you. And as I stand with this chain in my possession, every day I think about wrapping it around your neck and hanging it from the post, but I don’t have enough chain for that big ass neck.
“You’ll keep sending security to watch your back. Every week I will take them out until you give me what I want!”
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe walked down to the ring!
Samoa Joe: “Well, what do you do with someone like you, Swerve? Logic should dictate that I ignore you entirely because, contrary to your belief, I beat you at Revolution and shoved you down the championship ladder.
“You still believe that the impossible is possible. You still believe that if you stand toe-to-toe with me, you can box with a god. The problem with that belief is it becomes an infection. All these people believe they can be great, too. And that’s all fine and dandy until someone like me shows up, smashes you in the face, and takes everything you have. And it was at that realization that I knew exactly what to do with someone like you. And that is to give you exactly what you want!”
Don Callis: “Whoa, whoa, whoa guys. It strikes me, Swerve, that I guess when you’re in Swerve’s House, you can just put yourself in a World title match. And Swerve, it strikes me that you and Takeshita have the same amount of wins. The difference is Takeshita is undefeated outside the Don Callis Family. So, Swerve, I think Takeshita needs to show you what it tastes like to lose to the family.
“And if you’re feeling good about that Swerve, I’m happy to teach you a lesson I’ve taught many people: This is not Swerve’s House—this is the Don Callis House!”
Swerve: “If I had more time and I wasn’t distracted by what I’ve got going on, I’d burn the Don Callis Family Tree down to a crisp. But you know what? I accept. I will take on Takeshita. And when I’m done with him, I’m coming for you again, Joe.”
Excalibur: “I’ve been informed that next week on Dynamite, Konosuke Takeshita is officially going against Swerve Strickland!”
TNT Championship I Quit Match!
“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) vs. “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Copeland immediately looked for the spear, but Christian bailed out of the ring. Copeland then blasted Christian with a sliding dropkick. Copeland chased Christian through the crowd, and they began to brawl in the penalty box.
Copeland propped a ladder across the guardrail and the announcers’ desk. Copeland pulled Christian down hard on the ladder!
The fans chanted, “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Copeland inverted the ladder in the ring and then slammed Christian against it stomach first! Copeland rammed Christian shoulder first into the steel ring post. Cope pulled a table out from under the ring. Copeland placed the ladder against the guardrail. Cope went to spear Christian through the table, but Christian leapfrogged over Copeland and then rammed Copeland into the ring post! Copeland was busted wide open!
Christian jumped off the top turnbuckle and splashed Copeland through the table outside the ring! Christian catapulted Copeland into a ladder placed on the turnbuckles. Copeland dodged a frog splash. Copeland locked in a cross-face submission, but Christian gouged Copeland in the eyes. Both men went for the spear and collided with one another!
Shayna Wayne ambushed Copeland, hitting him with a hockey stick for a low blow! Christian Cage cracked the hockey stick across Copeland’s back! Christian grabbed a barbed wire-wrapped chair from beneath the ring. Christian set Copeland’s head across one chair and tried for the con-chair-to with the barbed wire chair, but Copeland moved out of the way in the nick of time!
Copeland hit Christian with the hockey stick across the face. Copeland pulled the drawstring from his pants and wrapped it around Christian’s throat, pulling back. Killswitch and Nick Wayne jumped into the ring and began to stomp Copeland!
Mother Wayne entered the ring and slapped Copeland, while Nick Wayne and Killswitch held him back. Matt Menard and Daniel Garcia ran to the ring and cleaned the house of Nick Wayne and Killswitch, evening the odds for Copeland!
Copeland climbed the ladder and splashed Killswitch and Nick Wayne outside the ring! Garcia had handcuffs. Garcia and Menard handcuffed Killswitch to the ropes while Copeland handcuffed Nick Wayne in the opposite corner. Mother Wayne retreated from the ring!
With strikes, Garcia and Menard pinballed Christian Cage, and Copeland speared Christian! Copeland handcuffed Christian in the corner. Copeland pulled the case containing Spike from beneath the ring. Copeland swung Spike at Christian, cracking him between the legs! Copeland went to hit Christian again, but this time, Christian said, “I quit!”
And new TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
“Switchblade” Jay White and The Gunns had solid words for Darby Allin from poolside in Florida!
Jay White mocked Darby’s broken foot. “Switchblade” showed off Sting’s bat, which he had painted gold. They taunted The Acclaimed and Darby.
Trios Champs The Acclaimed walked onto the ramp!
Caster said Billy Gunn wasn’t cleared to travel after what happened to him last week at the hands of Jay White. Caster offered Jay White a one-way first-class ticket to anywhere he wanted, as long as it wasn’t here. But he knows Jay White is too stupid to take him up on that offer. “When you bring your stupid ass back here with your ass, boys, we’ll be here to hunt you down.”
Bowens said he was angry because The Gunns and Jay White didn’t show up tonight. Bowens said Jay White was not a catalyst; he was a coward.
AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Wild Card Match!
Best Friends— “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy & Trent
The Don Callis Family’s Powerhouse Hobbs & Kyle Fletcher!
Matt Menard was on commentary for Rampage.
Hobbs spiked Orange with a spinebuster, and Trent ran in to break up the pin attempt! Hobbs repeatedly planted Orange onto the apron. Orange dodged a splash from Hobbs. Trent tagged in and drove Fletcher down with double knees. Trent wiped out Hobbs and Fletcher on the floor with a swan dive!
Hobbs and Fletcher stunned Trent with a pendulum bomb! Trent fired back with a DDT on Fletcher. Orange tagged in and connected with a crossbody to Fletcher, then knocked Hobbs with an elbow suicide. Cassidy pumped Fletcher with a DDT and tried to cover Fletcher, but Hobbs broke it up.
Hobbs put Orange in a torture rack. Trent freed up Orange, ramming a knee into Hobbs so Orange could roll up Hobbs for a near fall! Hobbs bulldozed Orange to the mat! Orange rallied back with a Stun Dog Millionaire on Fletcher, while Trent followed up with a half and half!
Hobbs pulped Orange and Trent with a double-shoulder tackle. Hobbs rag dolled Orange into the LED lights. Trent stomped Hobbs so Orange could crush Hobbs with a Beach Break! Fletcher avoided the Orange Punch and countered with a spinning tombstone for a near fall on Orange!
Trent nailed Fletcher with an avalanche half and half! Orange drilled Fletcher with a diving DDT! Orange rocked Fletcher with the Orange Punch and pinned Fletcher!
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kevin Matthews!
Shibata pounded Matthews into the corner and followed up with a running dropkick! Shibata took Matthews over the top with a suplex for a near fall. Matthews fired back with a lariat. Shibata went behind, locked in a sleeper, but Shibata released it. Shibata cracked Matthews with the PK and pinned Matthews!
The Don Callis Family’s Konosuke Takeshita vs. Rocky Romero!
Rocky chopped Takeshita in the chest. Rocky rocked Takeshita with a strike to the face. Rocky wiped out Takeshita with a step-up hurracanrana. Rocky followed up with the forever clotheslines. Takeshita countered with a boot and then a running basement dropkick!
Takeshita swung at Rocky, but Rocky ducked, and Takeshita struck the steel ring post! Rocky followed up with a tope suicide! Rocky hit the running sliced bread for a two-count on Takeshita! Rocky wrenched back on Takeshita’s arm.
Don Callis jumped on the ring apron to distract the ref. Rocky turned his attention to Don Callis, and Takeshita seized the moment to boot Rocky in the face! Rocky avoided a power drive knee, but Takeshita spiked Rocky with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall!
The fans chanted, “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Takeshita decimated Rocky with a forearm strike. Takeshita followed up with a Falcon Arrow and pinned Rocky!
Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale
TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue!
Kris clocked Julia with a drop-toe hold on a chair. Willow dropkicked Julia as Julia was wedged between the chairs. Willow pulled a table from beneath the ring and slid it into it. Skye Blue came to Julia’s aid. Skye wiped out Kris and Willow.
Skye held Kris back while Julia pulled out a steel spike. Julia charged at Kris with the spike, but Kris moved out of the way, inadvertently causing Julia to hit Skye in the face with the spike!
“Absolute carnage!” said Excalibur.
The fans chanted, “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Willow tried to powerbomb Skye on the announcers’ desk, but Sky countered with a Code Blue! Skye Blue emptied a bag of thumbtacks into the ring, and Statlander had her bag and emptied thumbtacks into the ring, too!
Skye Blue power-bombed Statlander into the tacks, but Statlander kicked out at the two-count! Skye put the tacks in Kris’ mouth and then rocked Kris with a thrust kick! Skye covered Kris, but Kris kicked out! Skye climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Willow jumped onto the apron, grabbed Skye, and planted her through two tables on the arena floor with a Death Valley Driver!
Statlander attempted a 450 splash from the top, but Julia rolled out of the way! Julia locked in Heartless, and Statlander tapped out!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Image credit: CAFonline
