7/5/23 AEW Dynamite Recap

The opening credits roll. Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone are on commentary from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

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A pre-recorded promo with Darby Allin and Keith Lee airs. Allin says Lee probably feels like he is lost in the shuffle these days, and then tells him to get his head out of his ass and show up to fight tonight. Allin walks away and Lee says that was ballsy, but stupid.

Match #1 – #1 Contender’s (AEW World Tag Team Championship) Blind Eliminator Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy vs. Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana)
Allin and Lee start the match, and Allin slaps Lee across the face. Lee backs Allin into the corner and tosses him across the ring. Lee goes for the Supernova, but Allin gets free and tags in Cassidy. Cassidy delivers a few light chops, but Lee double chops him down immediately. Cassidy backs to the corner and puts his hands in his pockets, but Lee double chops him again. Allin tags back in and Cassidy dropkicks Lee. Allin goes for the Coffin Splash, but Lee catches him. Cassidy delivers the Orange Punch and Allin delivers a Coffin Splash that sends Lee into the corner. Strickland tags in and delivers an uppercut and a back kick to Allin in the corner. Strickland delivers a diving uppercut and drops a knee onto Allin. Strickland delivers a shot to the midsection and slams Allin into the opposite corner. Allin spills to the floor as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Lee tags in and power bombs Strickland, who suplexes Allin. Cassidy tags in as Strickland goes after Allin on the outside. Strickland and Nana put Allin under the ring steps and stomp on him. Cassidy dives through the ropes and takes out Strickland, but then Lee blocks the Orange Punch on the outside. Cassidy applies a sleeper hold, but Lee walks up the steps, with Allin still under them, and gets Cassidy back into the ring. Cassidy goes for a DDT, but Lee blocks it. Cassidy then goes for the Stundog, but Lee blocks that as well. Lee blocks another DDT, but Cassidy delivers two Stundogs and Allin drops Lee with a Code Red. Cassidy goes for the cover, but then moves out of the way and causes Strickland to splash down onto Lee. Strickland delivers an uppercut to Cassidy in the corner, but Allin tags in. Strickland delivers a back-breaker to Allin and goes for an enzuigiri on Cassidy, but Cassidy ducks and Strickland kicks Lee.
Cassidy drops Strickland with a DDT, and then drops Lee with one on the outside as Allin gets the pin fall.
Winners: Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy
-After the match, Strickland and Nana leave ringside, but Lee shares a fist bump with Allin and Cassidy.

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A video package airs for one of AEW’s newest signees, Nick Wayne. Darby Allin talks about deciding to look over Wayne after his father passed away as footage of Nick’s career in DEFY Wrestling airs. Allin says he thinks Wayne is ready and he is looking forward to watching Wayne show the world what he can do.

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Footage of Jack Perry escaping from Hook on last week’s Dynamite airs. Schiavone is in the parking garage, and Perry arrives at the arena. Perry says last week was ridiculous and he is not some thug from New York like Hook. Perry says they are going to handle this like professionals and he is going to Tony Khan to demand an FTW Championship match. Hook attacks him before he can walk away, but Perry gets back into the car and it drives away.

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Footage of the AEW World Championship Eliminator Match between MJF and Adam Cole from a few weeks ago airs, followed by the announcement that they would be partners in the Blind Eliminator Tournament and the leaving the arena to bond last week. Finally, footage of them working out together is shown, in which MJF is shocked by how much weight Cole is able to lift.

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Match #2 – Trios Tag Team Match: Daddy Ass Billy Gunn and The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) vs. The Blade and The Bollywood Boyz (Gurv Sihra and Harv Sihra)
Gunn and Blade start the match and they lock up. Gunn applies a side-headlock, but Blade counters into a hammer-lock. Gunn turns it back into a side-headlock, and then drops Blade with a shoulder tackle. Blade comes back with a roll-up for a one count, but Gunn drops him with a right hand. Caster tags in, and he and Gunn drop Blade with a double back elbow. Caster goes for the cover, but Caster kicks out. Blade kicks Caster in the midsection, and then Gurv tags in. Caster slams all three of them down, and then Bowens hits Scissor Me Timbers on Gurv. Gunn and The Acclaimed scissor in the ring as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Bowens and Gurv tag in. Bowens drops both Boyz with shots, and then does the same to Blade. Gurv gets a roll-up for a two count, but Bowens comes back with a Famouser. Gunn tags in and slams Gurv down, and then Caster hits the Mic Drop for the pin fall.
Winners: Daddy Ass Billy Gunn and The Acclaimed
-After the match, Gunn and The Acclaimed scissor in the ring, but Harley Cameron appears on the screen. Cameron says Gunn and The Acclaimed got their asses beat after they interrupted her last week. Cameron says now it is time she gets what she deserves, and next week she has a video for everyone to see, because she is the most talented musician in AEW. Gunn says he has two words for Cameron, and it only comes in two words.

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Footage of Eddie Kingston defeating KENTA for the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship earlier today airs, and then a pre-recorded promo from Jon Moxley airs. Moxley says he and Kingston are exactly the same people that they were when they met years ago. Moxley asks what Kingston has to be mad about and then says he has always dreamed of Kingston becoming what the fans want him to be. Moxley tells Kingston to answer his phone.

Excalibur informs us that both Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston will miss the Blood and Guts Match on July 19th, and that the fifth man for both The Blackpool Combat Club and The Elite will be revealed soon.

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Matt Hardy is backstage with Renee Paquette and RJ City, and he finds out that his partner in the Blind Eliminator Tournament will be Jeff Jarrett.

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The video package for tonight’s match between Kenny Omega and Wheeler Yuta airs.

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Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring. Jericho says he has had a lot of big losses to his name in the last few months, so maybe it is time to re-evaluate some things and make some changes. Jericho says he started his career in Alberta by training with Stu Hart, and then says he got to Alberta a few days early this time and just drove around to the different towns. Jericho says it made him realize that wrestling is still everything to him and he is feeling resurrected. Jericho says it is time to become the best version of Chris Jericho ever, but then he is interrupted by Don Callis.

Callis says if he heard correctly, it sounds like Jericho needs a change. Callis says he called Jericho six years ago and asked him to main event in the Tokyo Dome against Kenny Omega. Callis says they changed the course of professional wrestling history with that match. Callis says without his idea to do that, AEW and Jericho wouldn’t be here today. Jericho says he helped Callis get back into professional wrestling in 2015, and now Callis is more powerful than he’s every been. Jericho says if it wasn’t for him, Callis wouldn’t be here.

Callis says he agrees, and when he and Jericho get together they make history. Callis says he was recently betrayed by Omega and he has had to build a new family. Callis says his new family is going to be built on trust, and when he thinks about trust he thinks about Jericho. Callis says if Jericho is ready to make history one more time, then he can join the Don Callis Family. Jericho asks if Callis is serious and says he doesn’t join factions. Jericho says he creates factions, but then says if Callis wants an answer his answer is maybe. Jericho leaves the ring as Callis looks on.

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The video package for the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament semifinal matches of CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks airs. The semifinals will take place this Saturday night on Collision.

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Renee Paquette is backstage with Roderick Strong. The doctor says Strong is making progress, but as much time as necessary will be taken before he is cleared. Strong says he feels great, and then Adam Cole walks in. Cole asks him how he is doing, and then Strong asks Cole what is up with he and MJF. Cole says don’t worry about it and then says he knows what he is doing. Cole walks away as Strong looks on.

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Match #3 – #1 Contender’s (AEW World Tag Team Championship) Blind Eliminator Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Adam Cole and MJF vs. Matt Menard and The Butcher
Menard and Butcher attack Cole and MJF in the corner and stomp them down. Cole gets sent to the outside and Butcher leaves the ring. Menard delivers a few shots to MJF, but MJF comes back with a thumb to the eye. MJF applies an abdominal stretch and asks Cole for some help, but Cole doesn’t do it at first, but MJF and the crowd get him to help out. Menard counters with a hip toss and stomps MJF down. Menard slams MJF into the corner and delivers a few shoulders to the midsection. Menard chokes MJF on the mat, and then Butcher clubs MJF a few times behind the referee’s back. Menard knocks Cole to the floor and chokes MJF with his boot. Butcher tags in and delivers a headbutt to MJF as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Butcher has MJF in an abdominal stretch while Menard helps from the apron. MJF delivers a low-blow behind the referee’s back, and then Menard tags in. Menard stops MJF from making the tag and applies an abdominal stretch. MJF counters with a hip-toss, but Butcher tags in. MJF sends Butcher into the corner and Menard tags back in. MJF pokes Menard in the eye and tags Cole in. Cole drops Butcher to the floor and then follows with a few shots to Menard. Cole delivers a pump kick and follows with a neck-breaker over his knee. Butcher comes back, but Cole delivers an enzuigiri and sends him to the floor. Cole delivers an enzuigiri to Menard and then knocks Butcher to the floor again. Cole goes for the Panama Sunrise, but Menard dodges it. Cole delivers a superkick and follows with the Boom, while ignoring MJF wanting the tag, and gets the pin fall.
Winners: Adam Cole and MJF
-After the match, asks if there are any Devil worshipers in the house. MJF then asks if there are any fans of a certain individual with a super cool, over name. MJF then tells Cole to do the thing, and Cole needs the crowd in his name taunt. MJF says they would have done better if they did the double clothesline, and then Cole tells him to shut up and tells him to remember the boundaries. MJF says they should have another bro session this weekend, and Cole agrees to it. Cole goes to leave, but MJF stops him and tells him happy birthday.

Streamers explode into the ring and MJF leads the crowd in a “happy birthday” chant. MJF tells some guys to bring the birthday stuff out, and then some guys bring out one balloon and a small cake. MJF puts on a birthday hat, and then puts one on Cole as well. Cole goes to talk, but MJF puts a birthday whistle in his mouth. MJF says this is all about Cole and then sings “Happy Birthday” to Cole. Cole says he appreciates it all and that MJF has done more than enough, but then MJF tells him to make a wish. Cole turns his back on MJF and MJF tells the camera he is going to shove Cole’s face in the cake. Cole goes to blow out the candle and MJF goes to shove his face in the cake, but Cole turns it around and shoves MJF’s face into it. Cole says it was nice of MJF to do all of this for his birthday, and then thanks him before leaving the ring.

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Renee Paquette interviews Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. backstage. Baker says Ruby Soho has a lot to say these days with her new friends and new attitude. Baker says she doesn’t care what Soho or anyone says about her. Baker says Soho has taken a lot from her, but she cannot take her pride from her. Baker says she will always be the face of the AEW Women’s Division. Baker says Soho also cannot take the fact that she is the first winner of the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, and she feels like winning the entire thing again this year.

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Renee Paquette is backstage with Chris Jericho, Daniel Garcia, and Sammy Guevara. Garcia says they are supposed to be his family and they need him, Jericho says ‘maybe’ doesn’t mean yes, but they can’t be under his wing forever. Renee tells Garcia and Guevara have been drawn together in the Blind Eliminator Tournament, and Jericho says that is perfect. Jericho says they will go win the tournament and the tag titles without him.

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Match #4 – Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Ruby Soho (w/Saraya and Toni Storm)
They lock up and Soho applies a wrist-lock. Baker turns it around and gets a quick one count. Baker applies a wrist-lock, but Soho turns it into a side-headlock. Baker counters and takes Soho down, but Soho escapes and goes to the floor. Soho gets back into the ring and they exchange waist-locks. Soho backs Baker into the ropes and drops her with an arm-drag. Baker comes back with a hammer-lock, and then goes into a side-headlock. Baker drops Soho with a shoulder tackle and then follows with a Slingblade. Baker drops Soho with a DDT, but Soho rolls to the floor again. Soho trips Baker up, but baker delivers an elbow strike. Saraya and Storm get in Baker’s face, and then Soho slams her down as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Soho delivers a back elbow to Baker, but Baker comes back with a few forearm shots. Baker drops Soho with a clothesline and follows with a neck-breaker. Baker goes for a DDT, but Soho counters with an elbow strike. Baker comes back with a swinging neck-breaker and goes for the cover, but Soho kicks out. Baker puts on her glove, but Soho goes for No Future. Baker blocks it and delivers a thrust kick. Soho comes back with a roll-up for a two count, but Soho sends her to the ropes. Storm trips Baker up and Soho drops her with a side suplex. Soho goes for the cover, but Baker kicks out. Soho goes up top and dives, but Baker dodges and delivers a thrust kick. Baker gets a back-slide for a two count, and then goes for the Lockjaw. Saraya gets on the apron as Soho counters Baker, and then Storm puts the Owen Hart Tournament title belt on the turnbuckle.
Soho slams Baker’s face into the title belt and delivers No Future. Soho goes for the cover, but Baker kicks out. Soho applies the Lockjaw to Baker and then turns it into a cross-face. Baker pushes off the ropes and turns the hold into the Lockjaw. Storm and Saraya pull Soho to the floor, and then Baker lays them out with kicks and shots. Baker gets Soho back into the ring and stomps Storm’s head onto the apron. Baker picks Soho up, but Soho rolls through and gets the pin fall with help from Saraya and Storm.
Winner: Ruby Soho
-After the match, Skye Blue comes to the stage and stares down Soho. They will meet in the semifinals next Wednesday.

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Match #5 – Singles Match: Kenny Omega vs. Wheeler Yuta
Yuta attacks Omega from behind and then beats him in the corner. Yuta delivers a few chops and follows with right hands. Omega turns it around with chops of his own. Omega beats Yuta down in the corner, and then follows with some stomps to the face. Yuta bites Omega’s head and delivers shots in the corner, but Omega sends him across the ring and drops him with a back body drop. Omega delivers a back-breaker and goes for the cover, but Yuta kicks out. Yuta comes back and takes Omega to the corner. Yuta delivers a few shots, but Omega kicks him in the face and drops him with a Famouser. Omega drops Yuta with a rolling senton, but grabs his neck after. Omega goes to the ropes, but Yuta gets his knees up to block a moonsault. Yuta drops Omega with a dropkick and sends him into the barricade with a dive through the ropes. Yuta slams Omega into the barricade a few times.
Yuta drops Omega with a neck-breaker and gets back into the ring. Omega gets to the apron and they exchange shots. Yuta delivers an elbow strike to Omega’s neck and guillotines him over the top rope. Yuta pulls one of the turnbuckle covers off and stands on Omega’s face on the exposed steel as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Yuta works over Omega and goes for a senton, but Omega gets his knees up. Omega delivers a series of shots to Garcia and follows with an elbow strike. Omega slams Yuta with a fisherman’s buster and goes for the cover, but Yuta kicks out. Omega goes for the V Trigger, but Yuta dodges and delivers a shot to Omega’s head. Yuta slams Omega down and goes for the cover, but Omega kicks out. Yuta goes up top, but Omega knocks him down and delivers a chop. Omega drops Yuta with a superplex and goes for the cover, but Yuta kicks out. Omega picks Yuta up and they exchange forearm shots. Yuta pokes Omega in the eye and comes off the ropes, but Omega delivers a chop. Yuta comes back with a German suplex for a two count, but Omega backs him into the corner. Omega delivers back elbows, but Yuta comes back with chops.
Omega kicks Yuta into the corner and goes for a back elbow, but Yuta catches him. Omega escapes and delivers a knee strike. Omega follows with a pair of snap=dragon suplexes. Yuta blocks a third and gets a roll-up for a two count, and then Omega delivers the V Trigger. Omega goes for the One Winged Angel, but Yuta counters out and gets the seat-belt pinning combination for a two count. Omega comes back with a power bomb and delivers the V Trigger for a two count. Omega sets up for the V Trigger, but Callis comes to ringside. Security runs out to back him away, and then Konosuke Takeshita gets in the ring and drops Omega with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Yuta connects with a splash from the top and goes for the cover, but Omega kicks out at two. Yuta goes up top, but Omega stops him and delivers a shot to the face. Omega delivers the One Winged Angel and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Kenny Omega
-After the match, Claudio Castagnoli and Takeshita get in the ring and beat Omega down. Adam Page and The Young Bucks rush the ring with chairs and attack Castagnoli and Takeshita. The Bucks lay Takeshita out with a BTE Trigger, and then Dark Order rushes the ring and stop Page from hitting Castagnoli with a chair as the show comes to a close.

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Announced for this Friday’s Rampage:
-Trios Tag Team Match: Adam Page and The Young Bucks vs. Dark Order
-#1 Contender’s (AEW World Tag Team Championship) Blind Eliminator Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Big Bill and Brian Cage vs. Matt Sydal and Trent Beretta
-#1 Contender’s (AEW World Tag Team Championship) Blind Eliminator Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara vs. Jeff Jarrett and Matt Hardy
-Hikaru Shida vs. Marina Shafir

Announced for this Saturday’s Collision:
-AEW World Tag Team Championship Eliminator Match: FTR vs. Jay White and Juice Robinson
-Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Semifinal Match: CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe
-Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Semifinal Match: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks
-Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Semifinal Match: Athena vs. Willow Nightingale

Announced for next Wednesday’s Dynamite:
-#1 Contender’s (AEW World Tag Team Championship) Blind Eliminator Tournament – Semifinal Match: Adam Cole and MJF vs. Big Bill and Brian Cage or Matt Sydal and Trent Beretta
-#1 Contender’s (AEW World Tag Team Championship) Blind Eliminator Tournament – Semifinal Match: Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy vs. Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara or Jeff Jarrett and Matt Hardy
-Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Semifinal Match: Ruby Soho vs. Skye Blue
-Chris Jericho vs. Komander
-Nick Wayne vs. Swerve Strickland