Two title matches headline tonight’s post-WrestleDream edition of AEW Dynamite.
AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada will put his title on the line against Bandido. The ROH World Champion pinned Okada at WrestleDream in Okada & Konosuke Takeshita’s challenge of AEW Tag Team Champions Brodido.
The AEW Trios Championship will also be up for grabs as The Opps (Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs & Katsuyori Shibata) defend against The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin & MVP). The Hurt Syndicate earned the title shot with a win over The Demand at WrestleDream. The Opps turned heel at the pay-per-view by attacking AEW World Champion Hangman Page after Joe failed to defeat him.
The bracket for the tournament to crown the inaugural AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions will also be revealed on tonight’s episode.
After winning her eleventh and twelfth championships over the weekend, 12 Belts Mercedes “Ultimo” Mone will hold a celebration on tonight’s show.
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AEW Dynamite comes on the air with Excalibur welcoming us along with Bryan Danielson, as they run down tonightâ€s card. Weâ€re told the AEW Unified Title match between Kazuchika Okada & Bandido will main event the show. They then go to a great video package highlighting everything that went down at WrestleDream. After the PPV, cameras caught up with Hangman Adam Page being checked on by doctors. Page screamed, asking Joe if heâ€s lost his damn mind after Page gave him a title shot. When he finds Joe, he is going to ruin his damn life.
The Opps (Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs & Katsuyori Shibata) vs. The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin & MVP) for the AEW Trios Titles
(Good opening contest, as this felt like a preview of a rematch we could get down the line, as they held back on a lot of the interactions with guys like Hobbs & Lashley, so hopefully thatâ€s a singles eventually. The result, though, makes me think the never-ending Syndicate vs. Demand feud is going to continue. With The Opps freshly heels, it certainly makes sense for them to retain, as Joe laying into the San Antonio fans in the post-match was great. Welcome back, killer heel Samoa Joe.)
Danielson said he wasnâ€t surprised Hobbs & Shibata joined Joe in the beatdown of Page at WrestleDream, but was when Joe opted to take that route to begin with. Shibata & Benjamin kick things off, trading headlocks and submission attempts until Benjamin popped up and ran through Shibata with a clothesline. Lashley & Hobbs tag in and the crowd starts immediately chanting Meat, but Joe tagged himself in and covered Hobbs up with a towel to cut the chants off. Lashley fired off strikes on Joe, planting him with a Flatliner before going back to Benjamin. Joe tried his walk off when Benjamin dove off the top, but Benjamin landed on his feet, so Joe just tagged out to Hobbs. Everyone took turns sending each other to the outside, leaving Joe standing tall, until Benjamin met him with a corner pump knee. Hobbs was in with a running powerslam, as Joe followed up with a charging senton to stay in control during break.
Things return with Benjamin still isolated, until he managed a leaping desperation DDT on Joe for the double down. Lashley makes the tag and rag dolls Shibata all over the ring, clearing Hobbs from the apron before driving Shibata down with a Dominator for two. Hobbs made the save and we finally get the Meat slugfest until Hobbs went to the windpipe, but Lashley floated over a powerslam, tried The Hurt Lock, but Hobbs broke free. Both men got a head of steam and collided like two trains, allowing Shibata to fly in with a PK on Lashley for two. MVP makes his first tag into the match, as Joe goes right for the eyes, but MVP responded with a jawbreaker and Ballin†elbow.
Hobbs made the save, planted Benjamin with a spinebuster, as Lashley dished one out to Hobbs as well. Joe sank in a Coquina Clutch briefly on MVP, who hit a jawbreaker to escape. Looking for the Play of the Day, MVP was distracted by Ricochet, who ran distraction on the apron. That hesistation allowed Joe to sink back in the Coquina Clutch for the submission win. Ricochet joined G.O.A. on the aisle and went to the back, as The Hurt Syndicate recovered and went after them to the back.
Post-match, Tony Schiavone came to the ring and asked Joe to explain his actions at WrestleDream. Joe said itâ€s good to be in San Antonio, a place where Powerhouse Hobbs can keep all the big old women there occupied. As long as Joe is on planet earth and you call yourself a champion, Joe comes hunting for you. As long as you think youâ€re the best that can be, just know, Joe is waiting to show you that youâ€re not that man. Much like the fans say, Hangman Adam Page, you might think this is Cowboy Sh*t, but everyone of the slap jawed Texans who chant that, Joe will make you his b*tch like everyone sports team has made Texas teams theirs. The Opps are never lacking.
Match Result: The Opps defeated The Hurt Syndicate to retain the AEW Trios Titles when Joe submitted MVP
-Earlier today, Mercedes Mone was shown arriving slowly in a luxury ride, that was being walked backstage with fellas holding all her gold. We then go backstage to Renee Paquette with Kris Statlander, who said if there were anyone sheâ€d want to strip with, beat the hell out of and defend her title against, sheâ€s glad it was with Toni Storm. Statlander said sheâ€s beaten Storm twice, has Mone? Statlander is taking the title to heights itâ€s never been seen before and officially accepts Moneâ€s challenge for an AEW Womenâ€s Title match at Full Gear and wishes Mone a good celebration tonight.
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Darby Allin’s Comments on WrestleDream Main Event
Darby Allin made his entrance carrying the AEW flag he brought to Mount Everest and also used to choke Jon Moxley last weekend, as he placed it in the center of the ring. Bryan Danielson on commentary said the I Quit match was all about who blinked first and it was Moxley. Allin said before he climbed Everest, many said he was irresponsible and could never be the face of this company, if heâ€d get killed, itâ€d be bad PR, but heâ€s willing to die for this place. The marks on his body from Saturday tells a story, he was never going to say I Quit, but he wears the scars from that match. Knowing the Death Riders wonâ€t go away, as long as they are breathing, Allin isnâ€t far behind. Allinâ€s music hit and that was it. Short and sweet promo.
-Highlights from Jurassic Express vs. The Young Bucks from Saturday was shown, as Jack Perry said they beat the greatest tag team of their generation and whatâ€s next is reclamation, theyâ€re coming for their World Tag Team Titles.
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