Its Full Gear week! Shamelessly I’m also pumped because I’ll be in the building Friday and Saturday, so let’s hope tonight’s show puts a nice bow on it:
- AEW World Title Tournament Eliminator: Ethan Page vs. Bandido
- AEW Women’s Interim World Title Eliminator: Toni Storm (c) vs. The Bunny
- Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara vs. Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli
- Swerve Strickland vs. Anthony Bowens
- AEW World Trios Title: Death Triangle (c) vs Top Flight & AR Fox
Make sure to keep refreshing the page as the most recent results are below!
AEW Dynamite 11/16/22
Live from the Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut! Taz, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Ian Riccaboni are on commentary tonight! Ian is on commentary, which can only mean one thing…
Match #1. Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Blackpool Combat Club
All four men brawl to start, as all these same four guys will be doing battle for the ROH World Title in a fatal four-way match this Saturday at Full Gear. Claudio and Jericho head to the outside as Danielson and Guevara do battle in the middle of the ring. Danielson and Castagnoli quickly deliver some hammer and anvil elbows to the JAS and our legal men are Guevara and Danielson. Danielson looks for the Romero Special and locks it in the center of the ring. Castagnoli gets the tag and boots a prone Guevara in the face. Guevara with a reverse leapfrog and a dropkick to Claudio. Guevara looks for a suplex but Castagnoli reverses and holds Guevara up for about a minute, including a single leg lunge because why not. Jericho comes in and faces the same fate. Castagnoli locks in a top wrist lock on Jericho in front of Guevara as Danielson tags himself in. European uppercuts to Jericho but Jericho reverses and gets the tag to Gueveara. Double shoulder block by the JAS and some taunting. Danielson has had enough and delivers some yes kicks to Guevara and a pair of running dropkicks in the corner. Guevara counters a third dropkick with a drop toe hold into the turnbuckle and here’s Jericho to jab Danielson in the face with Floyd behind the referees back. Danielson is in trouble now as the JAS make frequent tags and keep Danielson in their corner. Double suplex by JAS. Danielson fights Jericho off and back flips off the top rope, before dropping Jericho with a dropkick. Castagnoli gets the tag and clears the ring. Machinegun European uppercuts in the corner by Castagnoli. Neutralizer attempt by Castagnoli but Jericho reverses into a back body drop. Castagnoli hits the ropes with a springboard European uppercut before Jericho rakes his eyes. Castagnoli looks for the swing but Guevara superkicks him! Jericho locks Castagnoli in the Walls of Jericho as Sammy gets thrown face-first into the ring post. Danielson comes off the top with a missile dropkick to break up Jericho’s submission. Danielson and Guevara square off in the center of the ring. Rolling elbow by Danielson drops Guevara. Yes kicks! Danielson misses a roundhouse and Guevara goes to the injured eye! Rising knee by Guevara! GTH attempt by Guevara but Danielson counters into the Labell Lock! Guevara gets to the ropes. Guevara and Danielson are both standing on the top rope… diving Ace Crusher off the top! Jericho hits the Lionsault out of nowhere! One, two, no! Castagnoli makes the save. Pop-up European uppercut by Castagnoli to Guevara! Jericho and Danielson both hit the ropes and have a meeting of the minds in the center. Jericho grabs Floyd but Castagnoli is here! Big swing! Castagnoli grabs the bat from Jericho and locks in the Sharpshooter… Jericho taps!
Winners: Claudio Castagnoli & Bryan Danielson
Rating: ***1/2. What an opener, and it’s no surprise considering who’s involved in the match. Castagnoli looks strong going into the Ring of Honor World Title match and honestly, aside from Guevara, I can see any of these guys winning.
Jeff Jarrett tells String that… It’s Showtime!
We get the world premiere of The Acclaim’s new single and it was… amazing.
Match #2. Anthony Bowens vs. Swerve Strickland
Billy Gunn attacks Swerve on the ramp and quickly gets ejected from ringside. Bowens attacks Swerve on the outside and steps on his hands on the steel steps. Back in the ring the match finally starts, and Bowens drops Swerve with the up and over Fameasser for a quick two. Dropkick to Bowens sends Swerve to the outside. Drop step by Swerve and a tieres before a dropkick to Bowens face. Backflip senton to the outside and a pump kick off the apron by Swerve. Swerve not focuses the attack on the arm with an arm bar before throwing Bowens shoulder-first in the turnbuckle. Swerve heads up top but Bowens sweeps out the leg off the top rope and Swerve lands hard on the top turnbuckle. Big right hands by Bowens and a shoulder block. Running elbow strikes in the corner by Bowens and an Angle Slam get a two count. Swerve rolls through a pin attempt and holds on to the neck control… brainbuster! Swerve kick gets two. Swerve snaps the shoulder and Swerve heads up top… Swerve Stomp! One, two, no! JML Driver seals it.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
Rating: **1/2. Perfectly acceptable match here. Bowens is a great tag team wrestler and is definitely improving as a single. Good win here for Swerve who desperately needs some momentum.
Tony Schiavone is joined by the ROH TV champ, Samoa Joe. Joe says he’s surprised people are shocked at what he did to Wardlow. Is it shocking that Wardlow always ran his mouth and failed to recognize the most dangerous man in the world. Joe refuses to sit around and wait to be a victim.
Enter Powerhouse Hobbs.
Hobbs says Joe is late to the party, since he’s been kicking Wardlow’s ass for several weeks. Hobbs says he’s going to come to the ring and get himself some of Joe.
ENTER WARDLOW.
Wardlow comes from the crowd and spears Joe off of his feet as Hobbs jumps him. The locker room has emptied in an attempt to regain some order but Wardlow destroys security instead. Wardlow hits the ropes and takes out everyone as he dives over the top with no hands.
Dr. Britt Baker cuts a scathing promo on Saraya, saying while Baker did not wrestle in MSG, she did wrestle in Daley’s Place in front of zero fans, keeping the spirit of wrestling alive. Baker is the heart, soul, and face of this division.
Match #3. AEW World Trios Title: Death Triangle (c) vs. AR Fox & Top Flight
Fenix and Darius to start… with me luck, here. Darius sends Fenix to the apron and tries to follow him out but Fenix comes back in the ring and both men have a sequence reminiscent of Will Osprey and Richochet. Penta and Dante get the tag. Backflip over Penta and a no look double jump over Penta into a tilt a whirl DDT that sends Penta reeling to the floor. Fox and Pac get the tag. Double handspring but Pac comes back with a shoulder block. Spinning back kick by Pac but Fox hits him with an enziguiri. Cutter by Fox sends Pac to the outside. Running step up moonsault by Fox off the ropes takes out Pac on the outside. Senton by Fox but Penta breaks it up with a punt to the head. All six men are in and Top Flight launches Pac into a cutter by Fox halfway across the ring. Triple super kick by Death Triangle and a triple dropkick. Cazadora bomb and moonsault combo by Death Triangle. Penta with overhand chop to Fox and a quick tag to Fenix, who follows up with some chops of his own. WAZAPPP diving dropkick to Fox by Lucha Brothers. Pac in now as both men connect on big boots but Fox is down in the opposing corner. Death Triangle making quick tags as AR Fox is in trouble. Fox back flips out of a back suplex and tags Darius Martin. Running punt to Pac and a brainbuster! Two count. Fenix gets the tag as Top Flight use Fenix to land a tornado DDT on Pentagon. Top Flight with a pair of suicide dives on Death Triangle. Imploding 450 by Fox to the outside. Triple jump dive by Dante. Spanish Fly off the top by Fox to Fenix. Penta makes the save and attacks Fox from behind. Fear Factor by Lucha Brothers! Black Arrow to AR Fox finishes it!
Winners and STILL AEW World Trios Champions: Death Triangle
Rating: ***1/2. I haven’t taken a breath in like ten minutes. All action, exactly what you have come to expect from the AEW trios titles.
Pac grabs the mic and asks the fans if they think the Death Triangle is stupid? Pac has heard the rumors. If there are certain individuals in this company that can make their return at Full Gear, that’s ridiculous. Death Triangle is issuing an open challenge because they run from nobody. A graphic is shown on the big screen…
Death Triangle vs. The Elite this Saturday!
Pac says that the Elite think they’re coming for them, but the Death Triangle have been waiting.
Match #4. AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament: Ethan Page vs. Bandido
Arm ringer and headlock by Page to start. Bandido breaks the grip and points the FINGER GUN to Page. Fast action to start as Bandido uses a handspring into the ropes to backflip over Page but Stokely gets involved and Page takes advantage. Bearhug by Page, who looks to slow down the quicker Bandido. Superkick by Bandido and a running shoulder block by Page. Hammer throws by Page send Bandido into the buckles. Bandido rebounds and sends Page to the outside. Bandido heads up top, to the actual ring post and not the turnbuckle… moonsault to Page! 21 Plex inside is blocked by Page and Page uses the bottom rope to plant Bandido with an assisted cutter. Page puts Bandido on the top rope and looks for the Avalanche Ego’s Edge, but Bandido hurricanrana’s Page off! Military press by Bandido, and now a single arm military press slam! Frog Splash by Bandido! One, two, no! Bandido goes up top again but Page chops him at the legs. Page goes up top but Bandido fights him off. Page bodyslams Bandido off the top! Diving shoulder block by Page follows by the Ego’s Edge! One, two, three!
Winner: Ethen Page
Rating: **1/2. This turned into quick a good little match here. Short and sweet with a lot of the middle playing out in the commercial break, but the end was really fun. While I’d love to see Bandido in the title picture because I feel like the guy is on fire, Page has been in AEW for quite some time now and it’s great to see him finally having a spot.
Saraya is backstage with Renee. Saraya says she chose to come to AEW, because she wants to be the best, and the best is Britt Baker.
Match #5. AEW Interim Women’s World Title Eliminator: Toni Storm (c) vs. Anna JAS
Both women trade headlocks before Storm drops Anna with a big boot. Storm misses a charge in the corner and Anna capitalizes with a back stabber off the middle rope. Sliding roundhouse kick by Anna gets two. Anna with a gift wrap submission as we head to break. Thesz press by Storm and a lariat that takes Anna off her feet. Fisherman’s suplex by Storm gets a two count. Storm looks for the Texas Cloverleaf but Anna gets to the ropes. SWEET CHEEKS MUSIC by Storm sends Anna to the floor. Storm follows and Anna shoves her into the steel steps. NOSHIGAMI by Anna to Storm on the floor! Anna rolls Storm in the ring… another Noshigami! One, two, no! Queenslayer attempt by Anna but Storm throws her into the ropes and hits a shotgun dropkick. Running hip attack! Texas Cloverleaf by Storm as Anna taps immediately.
Winner: Toni Storm (c)
Rating: *3/4. This was fine. Call me old fashioned, but I don’t think anyone should be getting up after back-to-back finishers, one on the floor, and one in the ring.
Jamie Hayter hits the ring immediately after the match and gets in Storm’s face. Hayer isn’t here to fight, or so it seems, as both women stare at the title.
Moxley hits the ring and he says there’s something wrong with him. The pain, the adrenaline, the fighting… he’s addicted to it. Moxley wanted to know who MJF is, so he did some research. MJF took the summer off, won a poker chip in the worst ladder match ever, and now he’s here. Moxley says MJF shows the MJF people want him to see. Moxley sees a kid playing wrestler. Moxley wants MJF to show him why people think he’s the next big thing.
Enter Stokely Hathaway.
The Firm hit the ring and attack Moxley, but MJF is here to make the save! MJF lays out the firm but walks into a Morrissey choke slam but a low blow by MJF! MJF ducks a Ethan Page boot and he takes out Morrissey with an eye poke and a groin shot. MJF grabs the mic and says he didn’t save his ass because he likes him, he doesn’t want any excuses. MJF isn’t the same kid he was when they found the first time. MJF needs the AEW belt more than he needs to breathe, and that belt means you’re the best wrestler on God’s green earth. The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world he doesn’t exist, and MJF is the devil. Moxley says if MJF can’t find it within himself, he will reach in and pull it out himself.
Final Thoughts: Very fast show tonight, I feel like I blinked, and it was 9:30. Some really strong wrestling matches but a storyline heavy show heading into Full Gear this weekend. The main event segment fell a little flat, and it might be because very few people care about The Firm, and we’re used to having a big main event wrestling match. Moxley and MJF is still an interesting main event and part of me thinks we’re going to see some sort of double turn, or maybe Regal aligning himself with MJF. Britt and Saraya backing off of the insults and talking about their respect for each other is another nice touch. The Elite announcement sure was a surprise considering I thought that was going to be saved for Saturday. Lastly, the Ring of Honor titles are getting more attention and I think that’s going to be important heading into Final Battle in just a few weeks. 7.0/10