Tonight on AEW Dynamite, Tony Khan will make a huge announcement that is supposed to change the wrestling industry. Plus Hangman Page pairs up with Dark Order to face Adam Cole and ReDRagon.
AEW DYNAMITE
March 2, 2022, Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, FL
Commentary: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone & Excalibur
Tony Khan kicks off the show with his huge announcement. He says when they started AEW three years ago, it started out and that parking lot. 17 years ago, ROH started up. Khan announces that he just became the new owner of Ring Of Honor. He’s going to start off the show with the opening match which took place in ROH that never had a winner: Christopher Daniels vs. Bryan Danielson. That happened 20 years ago and one week ago today.
MATCH 1
Bryan Danielson vs. Christopher Daniels
The two men observer the Code Of Honor. Danielson shows him up first, but then Daniels soon turns the tables and does the same. Daniels doesn his Asai moonsault to Danielson on the outside. Back in the ring, CD attempts a top rope cross body and gets a kick to the gut. Daniels fires back and hits a STO. Daniels hits his cross arm blackout in the corner for a near fall. Bryan hits his running knee strike in the corner. Chops to Daniels’ chest. A series of pins are traded. The two delivers hard shots. Danielson hits a rolling elbow strike for a very near fall. Daniels gets an opportunity to hit his Best Moonsault Ever, but Danielson catches him in the triangle hold. He gets the LaBell lock on and Daniels passes out.
WINNER: Bryan Danielson
Danielson gets on the mic and says 20 years ago in ROH they started matches with a handshake and ended with a handshake, but he’s not in ROH anymore. He’s in AEW and it’s time to kick someone’s head in. He stomps away at Daniels’ face. Danielson says he’s going to do the same to Moxley at Revolution. Out comes Mox. He says the story of Jon Moxley is just beginning and the first chapter is going to be written in blood. He tells Bryan to take his shot now. Mox drops the mic. BD feigns fight mode, but then rolls right out of the ring.
We see Sting and Darby Allin. Sting notes that there will be heavy duty fines and suspensions for anybody that gets involved in their trios match. It doesn’t bug Sting or it doesn’t bug Darby. No matter what happens on Rampage, they’re going to make their alliance a successful one. On Rampage however, it’s showtime.
MATCH 2
Casino Tag Team Royale
First out comes FTR, but then we have the return of Top Flight. Darius Martin and Dante show off their skills before the Acclaimed comes out. Max Caster raps for quite some time before FTR beats them up. Out comes 10 and Alan V Angels. Butcher and Blade are next. Leg drop sidewalk slam by the AHFO duo. Alan Angels is the first person eliminated. The Varsity Blondes enter next and we go to break. During the break, Bear Country comes out and once we’re back full screen Santana and Ortiz come out. They eliminaton Bear and Boulder.
ELIMINATED: Bear Country
Max Caster gets tossed. Best Friends are out next. Griff Garrisson gets eliminated. Evil Uno & Stu Grayson are the next team. Grayson saves 10. Blade gets booted out by 10. Butcher gets tossed by all of Dark Order.
ELIMINATED: Butcher & Blade
Young Bucks are next and we head to a second commercial. Back from it, Gunn Club are out. FTR hits a Big Rig on Austin Gunn as both the Bucks and FTR eliminate the brothers.
ELIMINATED: Gunn Club
Brock Anderson and Lee Johnson are the next two. Brock hits an Arn-like DDT and then a spinebuster. Bowens goes for 10’s mask and it helps him to eliminate 10. Chuck Taylor is also eliminated. Both the Wing Men go. Stu Grayson is gone.
ELIMINATED: 10 & 5
ELIMINATED: Wing Men
2point0 is the final team. Brock Anderson & Lee Johnson both get eliminated in succession.
ELIMINATED: Brock Anderson & Lee Johnson
Bowens gets tossed.
ELIMINATED: The Acclaimed
Evil Uno fights with Trent Berreta on the apron before Danhausen slides from under the ring to “curse” Evil Uno. Beretta hits a half-and-half and eliminates Evil Uno.
ELIMINATED: Evil Uno & Stu Grayson
2point0 are eliminated but then so is Santana and Ortiz. Trent gets knocked out.
ELIMINATED: 2point0
ELIMINATED: Santana & Ortiz
ELIMINATED: Best Friends
We’re down to Top Flight, Young Bucks & FTR. After an athletic sowcase, Dante Martin and Cash Wheeler eliminate one another. Harwood fights with Matt Jackson but ReDRagon distract Dax and Dax gets eliminated.
ELIMINATED: FTR
We’re down to the Bucks and Darius Martin. Darius hits a flying forearm and takes it to the Bucks. Matt indadvertantly eliminates Nick cause of a shove from Darius. The two fighters go back and forth. The punches are exchanged on the apron and Matt hits a low blow between the uprights. He superkicks Darius and eliminates the returning star.
ELIMINATED: Top Flight
WINNERS: The Young Bucks
Chris Jericho says te entire world is buzzing after his promo (or “conversation”) with Eddie Kingston. This Sunday, Eddie finally gets his chance to shine in the spotlight this Sunday. Does Kingston really have what it take to beat him? If he does, he’s going to shake his hand and tell him that he has his undying respect, but if he beats him, he’s going to laugh in his face and tell him to GFY. In comes Santana & Ortiz. Ortiz gives him a fist bump and Jericho asks if “we’re good?”
Out comes CM Punk. He questions now as to if he’s the bad guy? He said what Max did take courage to do. Punk can’t shake the feeling that he’s being gaslit. He’ll make it clear: he doesn’t think Max is lying. Where is question is is in his sincerity. Punk notes a famous picture of him and Steve Austin. Austin left wrestling and he wasn’t mad at the world. Since he’s been back, he’s seen MJF take out Dean Malenko who suffers from Parkinson’s. He’s watched Max run down Brian Pillman Jr.’s famous father. He also saw MJF make fun of Darby Allin’s late uncle. He also knows that “hurt people hurt people.” Punk invites MJF to come out here and have a conversation with him.
Max comes out and Punk tells him all the awful things he’s done in wrestling (he references Undertaker). He says what right now is about is an 11 year old kid watching at home. Punk said this morning he splashed water on his face and asked “Am I the good guy?” Punk says he sure is trying. He extends a hand. Max hugs him instead and Punk returns the embrace after a bit. He then kicks Punk in the balls. MJF gives him the Heat Seeker and rips off his dress shirt to reveal a tee with the Punk/Yong Max photo on it. He calls for the Pinnacle. They come out. Wardlow hands Max the ring and MJF drills Punk with hit. FTR play interference to security and Punk is bloodied. Max wipes his blood on his white tee. MJF grabs hold of a mic while locked in a dog collar. MJF says he’s going to show Punk why he’s the devil himself. Spears strangles him with the chain before Sting, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevera come out for the save.
After the break, Keith Lee gets interrupted by Ricky Starks. He warns Lee that he’s entering Starks country at Rampage. He’ll see him when he sees him and Keith Lee notes that he will be there.
MATCH 3
Britt Baker & Jamie Hayter vs. Mercedes Martinez & Thunder Rosa
They fight into a commercial break, but back from it Rosa gets the hot tag to Martinez. T-Bone suplex to Hayter. Mercedes gets Hayter isolated before Rosa hits a Thunder Driver clean on Britt Baker for the 1-2-3.
WINNERS: Mercedes Martinez & Thunder Rosa
Jade Cargill interrupts Tay Conti backstage to make her intentions clear for her challenger. Conti isn’t allowed to lay a hand on her.
Kris Statlander and Leyla Hirsch exchange words with one another in a video package.
MATCH 4
Cezar Bonini vs. Wardlow
Big ass powerbomb by Wardlow. Several more before the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Wardlow
Shawn Spears comes in to hit Bonini with the chair, but Wardlow grabs hold of it. Insteadm Wardlow grabs the chair. The two have a staredown, before Spears turns his gaze and relents.
We see an ominous video package featuring House Of Black including new member Buddy Matthews.
Wardlow and Spears are backstage and a little heated. MJF steps in and says to Wardlow if he wins the Face Of Revolution Ladder match, he’s going to let Wardlow keep the title shot (he’d beat him anyway). That prompts Wardlow to tell him that he’s too busy making sure Max wins his matches. That gets a slap from MJF. He reminds Wardlow that Wardlow works for him. Mighty tense indeed.
MAIN EVENT
Adam Cole & ReDRagon vs. Adam Page & Dark Order
Cole acts like he’s going to start off the fight, but he doesn’t. Instead Hangman works on Bobby Fish. John Silver gets to showcase his handywork before Alex Reynolds gets isolated. Later on Hangman almost gets a Deadeye on Cole but pins are exchanged. Kick to the knee to Page. Cole goes to lower the Boom, but Page slides underneath the ropes and is about to leap for a Buckshot, but Cole powders. We head to picture in picture.
Back from it, Cole gets a near fall on Silver. The tag gets made to Hangman later and Cole plays chicken shit. A sit-out powerbomb is made on KOR. Cole finally takes a tag, but Hangman played possum. The two duke it out before Dark Order battle with RD. Cole reverses a suplex by Silver, but Hangman levels Cole. Cole ultimately lowers the Boom on Reynolds for the 1-2-3.
WINNERS: Adam Cole and ReDRagon
Post-match, Hangman fights off all three. He’s about to go for a Buckshot Lariat before Fish trips him up. They pull out duct tape and tape him to the ropes. They roll John Silver in for a high-low via ReDRagon. Panama Sunrise on Alex Reynolds as Hangman is forced to watch. Hangman gets a headbutt on Cole but Cole superkicks him and place the AEW Title on Hangman’s shoulder.
