AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 18
AEW world champion Jon Moxley returned home to Cincinnati for a special Tuesday edition of Dynamite and a title defense against "Hangman" Adam Page.
Hovering over that colossal showdown, though, was the dark cloud of MJF and his guaranteed championship opportunity.
Did The Salt of the Earth ruin a celebratory moment for Mox or was it Page who wrecked the titleholder's homecoming? Or was Moxley able to overcome the challengers from every direction to escape Cincinnati still the undisputed face of the company?
Find out with this recap of a packed episode.
Match Card
1 of 6- AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. "Hangman" Adam Page
- AEW Interim Women's Championship: Toni Storm (c) vs. Hikaru Shida
- ROH World Championship: Dalton Castle vs. Chris Jericho (c)
- AEW Trios Championship: Best Friends vs. Death Triangle (c)
- Renee Paquette promo with Wheeler Yuta and Bryan Danielson
- MJF promo
AEW World Trios Title: Orange Cassidy and Best Friends vs. Death Triangle
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Orange Cassidy had intensified Best Friends' feud with Death Triangle six days earlier by defeating PAC to capture the AEW All-Atlantic Championship.
Tuesday, The Bastard and Lucha Bros' Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix set out to halt their rival's momentum against Freshly Squeezed, Trent Berreta and Chuck Taylor in the night's opening contest.
The action-packed opener teased discourse within Death Triangle only for PAC and the Lucha Bros to successfully retain the titles by way of a sit-out driver from Fenix to Berreta.
This was a typical party-style tag match from AEW, with lots of action and dramatic near-falls that gave way to an emphatic finish. Fenix targeting Berreta's repaired neck was a nice call and him scoring the pin fairly, after preventing PAC from using the hammer, was an effective bit of booking.
The hint of disharmony within Death Triangle was an interesting development and the start of a breakup that will restore PAC to his previous status as a top heel in the promotion while freeing all involved from the confines of trios action.
The idea of PAC vs. either Penta or Fenix is super-appealing, though, so it's a direction this writer can get behind.
Result
Death Triangle defeated Best Friends and Cassidy
Grade
B
Top Moments
- PAC's early obsession with Cassidy nearly cost him the match as Taylor rolled him up for a quick two-count.
- Death Triangle teed off on Cassidy before delivering a triple dropkick to the beloved babyface.
- PAC attempted to use the timekeeper's hammer again, but Fenix prevented him from doing so, trying to remind The Bastard that he does not need to cheat to win.
AEW Interim Women's World Championship: Toni Storm vs. Hikaru Shida
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Toni Storm defended the AEW Interim Women's World Championship Tuesday night against good friend and former tag team partner, Hikaru Shida.
The competitive contest saw Shida score several near-falls on Storm but struggle to put her away. The resilient champion fought through the challenger's arsenal, delivered Storm Zero and secured a successful title defense.
After the match, Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter and Rebel hit the ring and attacked the babyfaces, only for Saraya to make the save. She brawled with Baker, through the crowd and away from the ring. Moments later, Riho made her return and fought off the heels before standing tall alongside Storm.
The match itself was really well-wrestled and would have meant even more if there was any semblance of storytelling behind it. Tony Khan simply programmed the two together after last week's show for no particular reason, which reflects a constant issue with the booking of the women's division.
With that said, Storm and Shida rose to the occasion and delivered above-average in-ring content that reminded fans of how good both are. The post-match work enhanced the rivalry between Saraya and Baker and reintroduced Riho to the mix.
The pieces are there. Hopefully, Khan has finally figured out how to juggle them while telling interesting stories rather than focusing his attention solely on one or two different women and whoever is positioned as their challengers each week.
Result
Storm defeated Shida to retain
Grade
B-
Top Moments
- Backstage, Baker and Hayter cut a promo in which they vowed to be AEW women's world champion before the end of 2022.
- Dueling chants put over the popularity of champion and challenger.
- Storm delivered a running hip attack that took Shida off the ring apron and to the floor heading into the break.
- Shida broke up an attempted Storm Zero from the ropes and delivered the Meteora.
- The challenger struggled to get Storm up for the Falcon Arrow and scored a two-count as a result.
- Backstage, an altercation between FTR and Swerve In Our Glory led to the making of a match to determine the rightful No. 1 contenders to the AEW World Tag Team Championship.
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MJF and William Regal Verbally Spar
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William Regal joined Tony Schiavone in the ring for a promo, but MJF interrupted and drew a huge response from the fans at the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati.
The heel recalled his experience as a WWE extra and promises that were made to him by Regal that went unfulfilled. He recalled the heartbreaking response the former NXT general manager sent him upon review of his promos and work.
The Salt of the Earth cut a scathing, emotion-fueled promo that proved his entire career had been built on spite and pettiness while also putting over his growth as a professional wrestler.
Regal undermined MJF, though, by telling him he still has plenty to learn.
This was a fantastic and compelling bit of business. This was, arguably, MJF's best promo to date. He completely won over Cincinnati fans while telling the story of a young performer shaped by the heartbreak and frustration of an early disappointment in his career.
Regal came across as a seasoned wrestler who has been there, done that many times over and was unimpressed that a man he sees himself in was so adversely affected by a single obstacle.
Not only did Regal come across as somewhat unlikeable as he shrugged at the most human side of MJF we have seen, but the top heel in the company also came as close as he has to being a babyface. So much so that it is almost impossible to go back now.
MJF is fixing to be the biggest face in the industry and it's time for Tony Khan and Co. to embrace it. Pull the trigger and give the people what they want because the 26-year-old is a runaway train and there is no slowing him down.
Grade
A+
Top Moments
- Backstage, Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt attacked Darby Allin, bringing a garage door down on his ribs before the former applied the Figure Four for good measure. This was in addition to Lethal demanding a rematch against the former TNT champion.
- "I was gonna be a Superstar!" MJF said, telling his story about his tryout with WWE and Regal promising to get him a job that day.
- "I'm a generational talent! I'm the guy your former employers would be willing to take several human lives to have put pen to paper," The Salt of the Earth told Regal.
- "If a bloody email is what it took, and you held onto it for seven years, then you've had it easy," Regal said in response.
ROH World Championship: Dalton Castle vs. Chris Jericho
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Chris Jericho continued his march through the parade of former Ring of Honor world champions by defending his title against Dalton Castle in the night's next high-stakes match.
An aggressive Jericho took the fight to Castle, but The Peacock stayed in the fight, giving The Ocho a tougher battle than some may have imagined. Late on, though, neither his German suplex nor his finisher were able to put Jericho down.
The champion rebounded, delivered the Judas Effect and retained the title. When he attempted to attack commentator Ian Riccaboni, former ROH world champion and AEW coach Jerry Lynn came to the rescue.
He ate a tombstone piledriver on the ROH title for his troubles as the Jericho Appreciation Society stood tall.
The match itself offered solid wrestling that served as a nice showcase for the underappreciated Castle. The post-match was more of the same from Jericho and company as their crusade against ROH continued, but it's a crusade that is not particularly interesting or effective in building interest in the brand.
Next week's match with Daniel Garcia against Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta is unlikely to reverse that trend.
Result
Jericho defeated Castle to retain
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Backstage, Yuta used an interview with Renee Paquette and Bryan Danielson to scold the latter for buying into Garcia's deception and falling for the betrayal a week ago. "He literally has 'Dragon Slayer' in his entrance video." He's got a point.
- Riccaboni put over the toughness of extravagant babyface Castle, revealing he won the ROH world title with a broken back and then defended it for months.
- Jericho extended his hand for the Code of Honor, only for Castle to dig deep in his tights and pull out a...middle finger.
- Castle delivered Bang-a-Rang but Jericho kicked out at two, to the surprise of Riccaboni.
- The commentary team put over Jericho's clean win, pointing out that he did not cheat to retain.
AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Hangman Page
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Hometown hero Jon Moxley defended his AEW World Championship against "Hangman2 Adam Page in a brutal match that unfortunately ended as a result of its physical nature.
The contest started with a brawl in the crowd, spilled into the ring and featured the bloodied champion defiantly urging his opponent to fight him.
As the intensity ramped up late, a clothesline from Moxley left Page motionless and led ringside physician Doc Samson to call the match.
Moxley cut a promo wishing the best for Page and called MJF out. The Salt of the Earth made his way to the ring with referee Bryce Remsburg and his poker chip, only to roll out and reveal he will cash in at Full Gear on November 19.
The champion ended the show by vowing to prove getting in the ring with him is as dangerous as it gets for anyone.
Critiquing this or grading it feels wrong. Page was injured in a scary moment, and AEW managed to ad-lib a conclusion to the show. It was an unfortunate conclusion to the match and a situation those involved tried to make the most of.
Kudos to MJF and Moxley for carrying the end of the show and setting up a huge pay-per-view main event, which was the only positive to come from this.
Result
Moxley defeated Page via referee stoppage
Top Moments
- There was considerable heat for Page beforehand. The crowd was split approximately 85-15 against him.
- MJF watched from the stands, embracing his Casino ladder match chip.
- Egged on by the jeers of the crowd, Page leveled Moxley entering the break.
- A bloodied Moxley dared Page to bring the fight.
- Excalibur and Tony Schiavone pointed out that MJF was no longer in the skybox.
- Moxley turned Page inside out with a clothesline that would, unfortunately, prove to be the final move of the match.
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