It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means …
All Elite Wrestling returns, as the road to AEW All In: London rolls through “Sin City” with the August 12 episode of AEW Dynamite, live at 8/7c on TBS and HBO Max from The Palms in Las Vegas, NV.
Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega & Don Callis Family Kick Things Off
Inside the arena, the Sum 41 “You Wanted War” theme plays and Excalibur welcomes us to the show with his usual opening catchphrase. “It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means!” He is joined on commentary by Paul Wight and Tony Schiavone.
Meanwhile, pyro erupts and the familiar sounds of Will Ospreay’s theme hits. “The Aerial Assassin” makes his way out to the ring with a microphone. He asks the Vegas crowd if anyone lost a lot of money, encouraging them to go win it back before talking about Grand Slam Mexico last week.
He’s grateful for the love of the fans last week, especially after finding out that his grandfather passed away. He addresses the emotions he had about this, before saying his grandfather would ask him why he’s crying and “do a flip.”
Will talks about pushing past this hurdle and doing his best for the fans, before turning his attention to Kenny Omega. He addresses the fact Omega wasn’t in Mexico last week but is backstage tonight, calling him out for a chat…but out instead comes Don Callis.
Fans greet Callis with loud “Shut the f**k up!” chants as he attempts to start speaking. Callis talks about being like Ospreay, in that he wasn’t at the first AEW Dynamite. He says he saw a place he could exploit. He gloats about his history with Kenny Omega and how he turned on him.
Callis says Ospreay thinks that his road to All In: London at Wembley Stadium is paved in gold, but it’s not, it’s paved in blood. “Your blood, brother!” With that said, RPG Vice and Jake Doyle ambush Ospreay and attack him from behind.
This continues until Kenny Omega runs out with a lead pipe and cleans house. Omega looks down as Ospreay with a smile on his face. He says he felt what Ospreay said. He says he has a way of talking when he feels something, and he could feel that Ospreay felt what he was saying.
He says he warned Ospreay about The Death Riders and others. He said his recent actions have made him sloppy. He tells Ospreay he will lose everything. He points his pipe at Ospreay and says this isn’t the man he wants to fight at Wembley Stadium.
He crouches down and extends his hand to Ospreay. Ospreay hesitates, but takes it. Omega helps him up. He tells Ospreay that he hopes he understands that he can’t help him like this again. From here on out it’s just me and you. Ospreay says he appreciates the help but points out that he didn’t ask for it.
He says he’s not gonna need his help. “Thank you,” he says, before dropping the microphone. Ospreay’s theme hits to end the explosive opening segment. Ospreay exits the ring and heads up the ramp. He stops and turns and looks at Omega one final time before heading to the back.
AEW All In: London Casino Gauntlet No. 2 Spot Qualifier
MJF vs. ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey vs. Nick Wayne
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Paul Wight run down the advertised lineup for tonight’s show as the official match graphics flash across the screen, and the crowd reacts to each in the background. We return live, where we head to the ring for our opening contest.
Kicking off in-ring action on tonight’s show is a three-way to determine the number two spot at the Casino Gauntlet at AEW All In: London. It will be MJF vs. ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey vs. Nick Wayne. A pre-match video package airs to bring us up to speed on the events leading into this bout.
Back live, the theme for MJF hits and the Vegas crowd roars as “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts begins the formal pre-match ring introductions. MJF comes out to showering pyro and poses before heading to the ring. MJF grabs Justin Roberts by the throat.
Roberts then corrects himself and introduces MJF as “The One True Champion” MJF. The theme for Nick Wayne hits next and out he comes as the second of three competitors in this high stakes bout. After that, ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey comes out to a big pop from the “Sin City” fans.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. MJF immediately leaves the ring, joining commentary to run Wayne and Bailey down. Speedball and Nick go at each other, trading offense to a standstill. Wayne hits the ropes but gets taken down by Bailey.
Bailey sends him out of the ring, only for Nick to block a dive attempt and send Speedball crashing to the floor. Wayne hits the ropes for a dive of his own, bringing Speedball back into the ring, but Bailey catches him with a foot to the face, sending him down before landing a moonsault off the ropes onto Wayne.
MJF goes back into the ring, hitting the ropes over and over before simply flipping off the crowd. Bailey comes in from the top turnbuckle, not heeding MJF’s request to stop before taking him to the outside with a missile dropkick. Wayne comes in after Speedball, with MJF giving a few cheap shots.
He gives Nick some “pointers” as both men lay into Bailey, before MJF goes for the cover and a near fall. Wayne breaks it up, arguing with MJF who says that Nick gets to be in the ring with the champ and that should be good enough. Nick doesn’t take well to this, especially when MJF slaps him in the face, only to be sent to the outside.
This leaves Bailey and Wayne to go back at it, culminating in a backflip double knee from Speedball. Bailey gets to the apron, but is hung up on the ropes by MJF. Mike blocks a Heat-seeker, forcing MJF to the outside, where he catches both opponent with a moonsault as we go to ad break.
When the show returns, Bailey is in control as he has MJF down on the mat, going up top for a shooting star press. MJF rolls out of the way for a cover and a near-fall, leaving the ring for a breather as Wayne comes running in. Speedball dispatches of him before going up top for a shooting star press that connects.
A cover by Speedball for a two count, and Nick is back on his feet as he catches Bailey with a kick and a Prodigy-plex for a near-fall. MJF slides into the ring looking to cut Wayne off, but he gets taken by surprise by Wayne. MJF turns it around as he takes Nick to the mat.
However, a shooting star press from the ropes allows Speedball to break it up! He sends MJF out before setting up Wayne for Ultima Weapon, but MJF comes back into the ring, sending Mike out of the ring before locking in Salt of the Earth on Nick Wayne.
Nick taps out, and MJF steals a win to enter the Casino Gauntlet at No. 2. MJF grabs a microphone after the match, promising to leave Wembley with a shot at the title he “never lost” and running down Andrade El Idolo before the latter’s music to play.
It turns out it’s just a ruse, something MJF laughs about before saying he knows Andrade ain’t here because he whooped his ass. He goes on to run down Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay, promising that God won’t be there to save them from losing to MJF when the time comes.
Winner and No. 2 Entrant In AEW All In: London Casino Gauntlet: MJF
The Brawling Birds Pub With Divine Dominions
We cut to the Brawling Birds pub, only to find Divine Dominion standing there instead. They run down the Birds for seemingly only getting a title shot because it’s their home country and promising to defeat them in front of their countryfolk. They have a “toast” to the Birds, saying it was a good run. They drop their mugs and leave.
Mick Foley Interviews The Bang Bang Gang
Backstage, Mick Foley is standing by with the Bang Bang Gang as Jay White addresses facing David Finlay in a Continental Cup tourney match. Jay talks about the importance of finally settling a score with Finlay.
He also talks about the fact the rules will keep The Dogs and Death Riders away. He promises victory tonight, “and if you’re not down with that they’ve got two words for you, Guns Up!” We head into another commercial break.
AEW Continental Challenge Cup First Round
Jay White vs. David Finlay
We head to ringside as Jay White makes his entrance for tournament action! Out next is David Finlay, with Clark Connors coming out to the stage with him only to make his exit while we get a post-Collision promo with Finlay addresses facing White at Dynamite before this match gets underway.
Jay immediately goes after Finlay, letting out some frustrations over their issues as he sends David into the barricade. He brings Finlay back into the ring, landing some hard shots to take Finlay to the corner. David turns it around with some shots of his own.
He is less focused on getting a pin and more on inflicting pain on his former friend. This allows Jay to get back into the match, forcing Finlay to the apron, but David goes back after him with a jawbreaker on the top rope. White is able to swing the momentum back in his favor.
He ends up sending Finlay to the outside, landing a suplex that drops Finlay onto the apron. He brings David back into the ring for another suplex, and goes for a cover and a two. Finlay is able to retreat to the corner for a breather, before taking the Switchblade to the mat with a neck-breaker as we go to ad break.
When the show returns, David gets sent into the turnbuckle with an exploder by Jay, who follows with some chops before Finlay turns it around with a DDT for a near-fall. Both men are back on their feet, with Finlay breaking free of a Blade Runner attempt for a nearfall before White counters for a two count of his own.
Finlay takes control as he sends Jay to the corner, but Switchblade catches him with some punches to the head. Finlay sent to the mat by Jay, who lands a half and half suplex on Finlay, but can’t bridge for the pin as he is in pain from the impact.
White tries to push past this as he goes after Finlay, but the Dog turns it around to drop Jay to the mat. Cover by Finlay, but Jay manages to kick out. Finlay brings Switchblade to his feet but Jay fights out of it, setting up for a double underhook powerbomb and a near-fall.
However, Finlay counters a Blade Runner into a brain-buster across the knee. A cover by Finlay, but it only gets a two. Finlay stands Jay back up for a set of lariats, only for Jay to counter a brain-buster into a Blade Runner as he picks up the win. With the victory, White advances to the next round. We head to a break.
Winner and ADVANCING: Jay White
Swerve Strickland Returns, Confronts New AEW Trios Champions
When the show returns, we head to ringside as Tony Schiavone talks about the crowning of new AEW Trios Champions at last week’s AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam Mexico event at Arena Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico. From there, he welcomes them out to the ring.
With that said, out comes newly-crowned AEW Trios Champions “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” trio of Hangman Page, Brody King and Bandido. They head to the ring to a big pop from the crowd in Las Vegas. We get a look at how they won the titles last week as the trio enters the ring.
Bandido shows some love to the fans, and Brody King gets a good pop from the crowd before Page asks if he can speak some Spanish, only for Swerve Strickland’s music to hit. Out comes the most dangerous man in AEW alongside Prince Nana, who takes the mic to run down Schiavone.
He hands the mic to Strickland, who talks about trauma bonding before addressing three men who have bad blood with him out here celebrating. In fact, he’s the man all three of them have something in common about. He addresses beating Bandido at Double Or Nothing.
He also brings up his personal history with Brody King and how he last saw King laying in a pool of his own blood. He then gets to the obvious storied history member of the new championship trio, Hangman Page. Strickland points out that they were on the same page, but while he’s gone Hangman goes after the World Championship and lost.
He asks what Hangman’s legacy is gonna be now. He asks if he is going to ride off into the sunset. Page turns this around on Strickland, saying he’s one to talk about results. He’s seen Swerve do some crazy sh*t this past year, but hasn’t had much to show for it.
This confrontation is cut short by the arrival of The Demand and the Lethal Twist. Ricochet wants to know what Swerve is doing out here anyway, as this is official trios business. One, two, three, uno dos tres. He asks if Prince Nana is going to step back into the ring, as GOA would love to put him down for good.
He talks about what Swerve did to him a while back and how he abandoned GOA, but Ricochet saw their potential and that led all three of them to a run as World Trios Champions. He says things would be different if this was the NFL.
He says if it were the NFL, they’d have instant replay to show that Bishop Kaun’s shoulders weren’t down for the three count, saying they demand a rematch for their titles. He tells Swerve to swerve his ass on out and get to stepping.
He says to get to stepping so they can finish their business, and Strickland reluctantly obliges, but before he leaves, Swerve says Brody may be doing a lot of barking but Ricochet is the one who’s a b*tch. This upsets Ricochet, as one would expect.
A fired up Ricochet wants to go after Strickland, but GOA hold him back as Swerve heads to the back. Page offers a rematch to The Demand right here and now, but Ricochet he wants to do this on their time. With that said, this multi-layered segment comes to an end.
TNT Championship
“The Jet’ Kevin Knight (c) vs. Jericho
Once that segment wraps up, we clear ringside out for our next match as Jericho makes his entrance, followed by reigning and defending TNT Champion “The Jet” Kevin Knight with Don Callis at ringside. He tells the champ to do this for him before leaving, and Knight goes after Jericho to get this match underway.
He sends Jericho to the ropes with some strikes, but Jericho fights back with some chops of his own before landing a brain-buster on The Jet. Jericho continues the fight before sending Knight to the ropes, where Kevin goes for a leg lariat.
Instead, Jericho manages to turn it round, forcing the champ to the corner. He lands some punches on Kevin, followed by a hurricanrana that sends the champ to the mat. Knight gets to his feet but is quickly sent to the outside, where Jericho gets the drop on the champ.
He hangs out with his old pal Paul Wight before continuing to go after Knight, who sends his challenger crashing into the barricade before we go to ad break. When the show returns, we see Knight regain control as he sends Jericho to the mat.
He goes for a Lionsault but takes a pair of knees from the Lionheart himself, who brings Kevin up for some more strikes and sends him to the ropes. Knight stops himself and sends the challenger to the ramp for a leaping lariat that levels him.
From there, he continues to go after Jericho until the challenger sends him onto the ramp, only to be distracted with following Don Callis at ringside. Kevin gets back into the ring and leaps out for a dive, only for Jericho to intercept him.
Knight sent back to the ring as Jericho goes for the Walls, but Knight counters for a close two-count. Jericho counters for a two of his own before Knight tries to sneak a pin with his feet on the ropes, but the ref catches it. Kevin argues with the official about this.
As they do, it allows Jericho to try the same on him for a two count. The champ turns it around, sending Jericho to the corner for some punches, but Jericho lands a powerbomb on him for a two count. He immediately goes for the Walls, but Don Callis climbs onto the apron.
Jericho inexplicably comes stepping toward the ropes, likely distracted with keeping the hold on to notice Don pulling out a screwdriver, and jabs Jericho in the head with it for a big reaction from the Las Vegas crowd. Knight goes for the cover.
It’s not enough to keep Jericho down, however, so Knight goes up top for a UFO Splash. He lands into a Codebreaker from Jericho. Once again we see Callis get on the apron, distracting the ref as Knight lands a low blow and Crash Landing for the win to retain his TNT title.
Winner and STILL TNT Champion: “The Jet” Kevin Knight
A Message From The Death Riders
Now we shift gears and shoot backstage, where we hear from The Death Riders. Claudio Castagnoli starts by addressing not knowing who he faces in the next round of the AEW Continental Cup Challenge tournament, but says he doesn’t care because.
Why? He says because ultimately we are just fighting ourselves. Jon Moxley then addresses how this tournament could go, saying his own run as AEW Continental Champion could come to an end tonight. On that note, the show heads into another commercial break.
Kris Statlander vs. Viva Van
Viva Van is already in the ring for our next match as Kris Statlander makes her entrance, and we get things underway. Despite an early onslaught from Statlander, Viva gains control for a near-fall on the former Women’s World Champion.
She hits another flurry of offense culminating in a moonsault on Stat for another two count, but Kris turns it back around for an inverted Wednesday Night Fever for the win. That was a quick one. Afterwards, Mick Foley comes to the ring for a post-match interview.
He points out his daughter in the crowd and then goes on to make an announcement that next week on AEW Dynamite there will be a four-way match for the TBS Championship. It will be Maya World defending against Kris Statlander, Persephone and Hikaru Shida.
Statlander addresses the other women in that match before Persephone and Hikaru Shida come out to confront Statlander. Out come Thunder Rosa and Maya World for the save, and what a way to transition to our next match as we get things underway.
Persephone & Hikaru Shida vs. Maya World & Thunder Rosa
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with women’s tag-team action. Maya World and Persephone start things off for their respective teams at the onset. Persephone takes control before tagging in Shida. She lays into the TBS Champion until Rosa gets a tag.
She looks to turn things around, but to no avail. Shida stays in control as she tags in Persephone, who mocks Rosa. Thunder sends Shida to the outside before laying into Persephone. She hits the ropes to fend off Shida on the outside, but this allows Persephone to blindside her.
From there, she then sends Maya crashing into the guardrail. She mocks the fans in the front row as the show shifts gears and settles into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When the show returns, we see this women’s tag-team tilt still in progress.
Persephone steps on Rosa to stay in control. She props the Mexican National Champion against the ropes, distracting the ref as Shida lands a cheap shot. Tag made as the pair knock Maya away before looking for a double suplex on Rosa, who ends up laying them out instead.
A tag is made to World, who gets the drop on both opponents. She lands a leaping back elbow on each of them before rolling up Shida. Persephone charges at her, and gets caught in a fall away slam by the TBS Champion who bridges for a near-fall on Shida.
Shida gets back up, and sends Maya to the outside but a blind tag is made to Rosa who goes into it with Hikaru. Shida wins the exchange, landing a Falcon Arrow for a two count before World breaks it up. Maya fights off Persephone as well.
She then finally gets an official tag, where she catches Shida with a stunner. Persephone grabs a hold of her, but Shida accidentally collides with her partner allowing Maya to land a bridging fall away slam for the win. The pair celebrate with Statlander joining them.
Winners: Maya World & Thunder Rosa
Darby Allin With A Message For Kevin Knight
After the match wraps up, we cut to some words from Darby Allin. He addresses those asking him about his world title run, saying he has no regrets as he admits to burning the candle at both ends. Kevin Knight has been doing the same with the run as TNT Champion.
He addresses his personal history with Knight and saying that if he beats him one more time at AEW All In: London when falls count anywhere, he shows exactly the potential that Darby has known about him. On that note, the show heads to another commercial break.
Backstage With Kyle Fletcher & Don Callis
When the show returns from the break, we see Renee Paquette is backstage with Kyle Fletcher and Don Callis, congratulating him on his TNT Title defense last week. Fletcher thanks her and says ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey always brings out the best of him.
He then brings up defending the TNT Title in another country, in the United Kingdom at AEW All In: London. Callis said he’s talking to Tony Khan about defending the title against someone who has never gotten his rematch. Fletcher says please don’t tell him it’s not Konosuke Takeshita. Callis said, not just him.
It’ll be against Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada, who is then seen standing there next to them. Callis said this guarantees them 100-percent to win the match. Okada said as long as the title stays in The Don Callis Family. Callis and Okada are hyped up. They turn back around and Fletcher has already walked off annoyed.
AEW Continental Challenge Cup First Round
Jon Moxley vs. “Jungle” Jack Perry
It’s main event time!
In another first round battle in the ongoing, inaugural AEW Continental Challenge Cup Tournament, reigning AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley of The Death Riders goes one-on-one against “Jungle” Jack Perry. The two men make their respective ring entrances, and then the bell sounds to get things started.
The two lock up and trade offense until Mox gets Perry to the mat on a waistlock. Perry gets to his feet, forcing Mox to the ropes for a break. They lock up again, and this time Perry gets some shots in on the champ, who sends Perry to the ropes.
Jack turns this around to send Mox to the outside. He goes to the ropes for a dive, but Jon intercepts with a forearm. He sends Perry into the ring post before soaking in the crowd’s approval. He heads back into the ring as the ref begins the count.
Perry gets to his feet using the barricade, and Mox breaks the count by following Perry. He sends Jack toward the barricade but is intercepted by the former Jungle Boy, only to be sent crashing to the timekeeper area. On that note, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break as the match continues.
When the show returns, we see both men are back in the ring now, with Mox landing a body slam on a busted open Perry for a near-fall. He goes after the face some more, digging into it with his knuckles as the ref tries to intervene.
Mox backs off from that but gets right back into it with a knee strike, before digging into the face yet again. We see a hammerlock of sorts on Perry, who gets to the ropes for a break. The champ brings Perry to his feet and then to the ropes, where he drops Jack with a shoulder tackle.
From there, he lands another knee strike. This time he takes Perry to the corner, running him down about wanting to be in the main event before sending him to the ropes, only for Jack to turn it around, sending the champ flying with a dropkick that sends him to the floor at ringside.
After that, he hits the ropes for a dive, sending Mox into the barricade and then back into the ring. He goes for a moonsault and then the cover, but Mox kicks out and goes for a bulldog choke. Perry manages to escape but gets dropped hard to the mat.
Mox follows up with a pin attempt, going for the cover but only getting a two count. He attacks Jack again for another pin attempt that comes close, but ultimately fails. Mox lays in an onslaught of strikes on Perry, the ref checking if Jack can defend himself.
When it seems that isn’t happening the ref calls for Mox to step back, checking on his opponent once more, but Perry isn’t ready to give up yet. This riles up the champ as Perry gets to his feet, flipping Mox off. Mox lands some hard shots but Perry refuses to fall.
He gets sent to the ropes, but he fires back with a lariat. Perry is back up and lands another on Mox, and goes for a piledriver. However, Mox counters. Perry turns it into a sunset flip into a pin attempt, but only gets a count of two for his efforts.
Perry quickly transitions from there to a Snare Trap. He cranks back on it, but Mox ends up fighting his way out and countering into another bulldog choke. He squeezes away and Perry fades. Mox gets the win. He shows respect to Perry afterwards as the show ends. Thanks for joining us!
Winner and ADVANCING: Jon Moxley
