Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC!
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!
“The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata!
Will shot in for a single leg, but Shibata defended and mounted Will. Shibata grounded Will on the mat and went for a cross-arm breaker, but Will got to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Ospreay and Shibata’s chain wrestled in British style. Shibata went for the PK, but Will dodged it!
Shibata cracked Will with forearms, but Will charged at Shibata with a dropkick, taking Shibata off his feet. Will battered Shibata with forearms and then dropkicked Shibata in the corner, taking pages out of Shibata’s playbook. Ospreay jumped over the top rope and connected with a crossbody press to Shibata on the floor.
As Ospreay got back into the ring, Shibata caught Ospreay flush in the face with a running front kick! Shibata suplexed Will on the arena floor and then blasted Will with a brutal round kick to Will’s back!
Shibata applied a figure four leg lock on Ospreay, but Ospreay could counter it and escaped. They got to their feet, and Will chopped Shibata. Shibata answered with a suplex.
“This is a rematch seven years in the making,” said Excalibur.
Shibata whipped Will into the barricade. Will springboarded off the barricade and connected with a forearm shot to Shibata. Will followed up with another springboard forearm into the ring. Shibata nailed Will with a forearm, and Will crumbled into a heap on the mat. Shibata jabbed and chopped Will, breaking him down in the corner. Shibata rocked Will with his trademark running dropkick in the corner.
Ospreay connected with a thrust kick. Shibata anticipated Will’s next move and countered with an STF. Will reached the ropes, forcing the ref to break the submission. Ospreay intercepted Shibata’s PK. They traded forearm strikes in the center of the ring. Ospreay, having a surge of adrenaline, smashed Shibata in the back of the head with a jumping high round kick!
Shibata locked Will in a sleeper and then suplexed Will. Shibata put the sleeper back on, but Ospreay fought out of it and stomped Shibata on the back of the head! Will smashed Shibata with the Os-Cutter, but Shibata kicked out at the one-count!
I will hit a backdrop suplex and then wipe out Shibata with a back elbow uppercut. Will walloped Shibata with a Tiger Driver and then finished Shibata off with the Hidden Blade, pinning Shibata!
“What a war we witnessed here tonight,” said Excalibur.
Renee Paquette was backstage with The Young Bucks—Matthew and Nicholas Jackson.
Matthew said they had some goals when they returned to AEW. The first was to retire Sting, and the second was to restructure the Elite, which they did by bringing Okada. Matthew said his biggest goal is to regain their AEW World Tag Team Championships. And they will beat Private Party tonight to get closer to regaining their titles.
The Continental Champion “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada pulled up in an exotic sports car for the next match!
AEW World Tag Title Tournament Quarter-Final Match!
The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson
Private Party—Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen!
Private Party wiped out the Bucks with stereo tope suicidas. Matthew whipped Zay over the barricade. Private Party fired back with the Silly String off the barricade onto Matthew. Nicholas planted Quen with a Falcon Arrow off the barricade! The Bucks were trying to win by countout.
Zay helped Mark Quen back into the ring, breaking the ref’s count. Nicholas suplexed Quen onto Matthew’s knees. Brother Zay got the hot tag, scored with a thrust kick to Matthew, and then did a moonsault onto Nicholas, who was on the arena floor!
Nicholas nailed Quen with a German Suplex. Nicholas planted Quen with a suplex on the edge of the ring. Private Party rallied back with the Gin & Juice on Nicholas!
“Perfection by Private Party,” said Taz.
Private Party hit the More Bang for Your Buck on Matthew, but Nicholas jumped in to break up the pin attempt! Nicholas grabbed the ring bell and brought it into the ring, but the ref pulled it out of Nicholas’ hands. As the ref was distracted, Nicholas kicked Zay with a low blow! Quen took one of the title belts off the podium and cracked Matthew in the head with it. Zay went to pin Matthew, but Nicholas grabbed Matthew’s leg and put Matthew’s foot on the rope to break the pin.
Quen attempted a 630 splash on Matthew, but Matthew dodged it. Nicholas tagged in, and they blasted Quen with the EVP Trigger and pinned him!
“The Bucks move on, boys,” said Taz.
A video aired of Darby Allin with Tony Hawk talking about how much skateboarding meant to them growing up and its impact on their lives. Visit skatepark.org for more information on how you can help out.
Renee Paquette was backstage with FTW Champion HOOK and Chris Jericho!
Jericho said he’s never been in the ring with anyone like Hook. With 33 years of experience, he said he’d be happy to help Hook sharpen his skills and become the World Champion he knows Hook can be.
“If you want my advice, I’m here for you,” said Jericho.
Hook: “I appreciate your praise, Chris. And, of course, I’ll take your advice; you’re Chris Jericho. But you are Chris Jericho. I know who you are.”
Jericho: “Okay, and I know who you are. But more importantly, I know who you can be.”
TBS Championship #1 Contender Match!
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay
“The CEO,” Mercedes Moné, was on commentary for this match.
Skye Blue caught Kris out of the gate with a thrust kick. Anna caught Willow with a kick to the chin. Willow splashed Anna in the corner and followed up with a lariat. Skye Blue planted Willow with a DDT.
Statlander body-slammed Blue and rocked her with a sliding lariat. Statlander went for a body slam on Anna, but Anna escaped. Statlander knocked Anna down with a shoulder tackle. Skye Blue tripped up Kris from outside the ring, but Willow was there to pounce Skye!
“A blindside pounce!” said Excalibur.
Willow was right in front of Mercedes when she pounced on Skye. Mercedes and Willow locked eyes. Mercedes smirked at Willow, neither backing down.
Back in the ring, Kris fought off Skye Blue and Anna Jay. Anna Jay perplexed Kris and covered her, but Willow hit Anna with a senton to break up the pin. Skye blasted Willow with the Code Blue, but Statlander broke it up. Kris cracked Blue with a backbreaker. Willow walloped Anna Jay with a shotgun dropkick.
Skye shoved Kris into Willow. Willow countered a dragon suplex attempt by Skye on the apron by drilling Skye with a Death Valley Driver on the apron! Willow power bombed Anna Jay and pinned Anna Jay!
TBS Champion Julia Hart jumped into the ring, blindsiding Willow by smacking Her with Julia’s championship belt! Julia held her belt high, and she and Mercedes stared down!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview the legendary Dustin Rhodes!
Dustin said he’s started 2024 off with a bang. At 55, he’s just as passionate about wrestling as ever.
The Butcher interrupted Dustin and challenged him to a match for Friday’s Rampage! Dustin accepted, saying the Butcher would discover why Dustin is a “Natural legend!”
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm visited the studios of Turner Classic Movies and Ben Mankiewicz, the host of Turner Classic Movies!
Toni told Mankiewicz to watch out for the shoe and then tossed it over her head as she walked off the set.
AEW World Tag Title Tournament Quarter-Final Match!
The Undisputed Kingdom—ROH World Tag Team Champs Matt Taven & Mike Bennett (with International Champion Roderick Strong)
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta (with Chuck Taylor)!
Orange-decked Taven! Bennett took Trent off his feet with a lariat. Trent flew out of the ring with a top and took out Taven. Bennet jumped out of the ring and wiped out Trent. Orange took to the skies and jumped off the top turnbuckle, his hands in his pockets, and crashed onto Taven and Bennett!
Trent drove Bennett down with a double knee strike, Taven rocked Trent with a thrust kick, and Bennett spiked Trent with a piledriver on the apron!
Orange Cassidy grabbed a tag and hit Bennett with a crossbody press. Orange served one up for Taven! Orange blasted Bennett with the Stun Dog Millionaire! Taven came in and pulped Orange with a running knee strike! Taven and Bennett hit the Proton Pack, with Bennett covering Orange for a near fall!
Trent spiked Taven with a DDT, and Orange followed up with a DDT on Taven! Trent nailed Taven with a running knee strike! Strong jumped on the ring apron, but Chuck Taylor pulled him back down! Roddy wiped out Taylor with his right hand! Roddy jumped into the ring to escape Orange, dropping his title in the process, and jumped out. Orange chased after Roddy and connected with an elbow suicide!
The ref was removing the International Title from the ring when Taven and Bennett had Trent set up for their finisher. As the ref was distracted, Chuck knocked Taven off the turnbuckles. Trent rolled up Bennett with a jackknife pin and scored the victory!
“What a win!” said Schiavone.
“Interesting turn of events, but congrats to Cassidy and Trent,” said Taz.
Orange, Trent, and Chuck were about to give the people what they wanted—the big hug—when The Bucks’ music hit! Nicholas and Matthew Jackson walked onto the ramp and stared at Orange and Trent!
Next week on Dynamite, we’ll be the Young Bucks against the Best Friends in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinals!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Kyle O’Reilly!
Kyle said it felt good to rip the band-aid off with his return match and victory against “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith. He said AEW has a deep roster, and there’s no such thing as an easy match. He said he loves the Undisputed Kingdom but will prove he can do it without them again this week on Collision.
“The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita (with Don Callis) vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)!
Swerve rolled up Takeshita for a near fall. Swerve was looking for the short-arm scissors, but Takeshita got to the ropes. Then, Takeshita connected with the Takeshita line!
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe was watching the match on a monitor backstage, obviously keenly interested in this number one contender’s match.
Swerve blasted Takeshita with a diving European uppercut to the back of his neck. Swerve rocked Takeshita with a neckbreaker over the middle rope. Swerve followed up with a backbreaker, but Takeshita fired back with a brainbuster on Swerve!
Swerve nailed Takeshita with a German Suplex, but Takeshita got right to his feet and knocked Swerve’s block off with a devastating forearm! Swerve launched into a hurracanrana over the top rope and onto Takeshita on the floor!
Swerve followed up with a big diving cross body, but Takeshita kicked out at the one-count. Takeshita smoked Swerve with a knockout shot! Takeshita nailed Swerve with a running knee strike. Takeshita flipped over the top rope and landed hard on Swerve!
Takeshita hoisted up Swerve for a brainbuster on the top turnbuckle, but Swerve fought out of it. Takeshita headbutted Swerve in the ribs. Swerve chopped out Takeshita’s legs with swift kicks. Swerve drilled Takeshita with a DDT off the turnbuckles! Swerve splashed Takeshita with a sky twister for a near fall!
The fans chanted, “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Takeshita fired back with a reverse hurracanrana and followed up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall on Swerve!
“Takeshita can’t believe Swerve kicked out of that,” said Taz.
Swerve clobbered Takeshita with a straight right hand! Takeshita stunned Swerve with a jumping knee strike! Swerve planted Takeshita on the crown of his head! Swerve squashed Takeshita with the Swerve Stomp on the apron! Swerve returned to the top and jumped at Takeshita, but Takeshita countered with a powerbomb! Swerve escaped a brainbuster attempt, but Takeshita was prepared with a wheelbarrow suplex to Swerve. Takeshita flattened Swerve with a Power Drive Knee, but Swerve kicked out at the two-count!
Takeshita was looking for an avalanche of blue thunder, but Swerve knocked Takeshita down to the mat. Takeshita avoided the Swerve Stomp. Swerve countered a blue thunder bomb attempt, sending Takeshita into the corner turnbuckles. Swerve rocked Takeshita with the House Call kick! Swerve hit the Swerve Stomp, but Takeshita kicked out! Takeshita blasted Swerve with a jumping knee strike. Swerve countered a pop-up power bomb attempt with the Swerve Stomp! Swerve planted Takeshita with the Big Pressure and pinned Takeshita!
“Well, if that isn’t a 5-star match, I don’t know what is,” said Tony Schiavone.
Renee Paquette interviewed AEW World Champion Samoa Joe after the match, asking him about facing Swerve Strickland.
Samoa Joe: “You should ask him how he’s feeling right now. Next week, Swerve; when you walk down to that ring and sign onto that dotted line, I will ensure you understand your request. You think you’re ready. No, no, you’re not that man.”
“Swerve Strickland will face Samoa Joe at Dynasty for the AEW World Championship on Sunday, April 21st, live on pay-per-view!” said Excalibur.
AEW
Jade Cargill Image credit: WWE.com
