AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from April 12
The road to Double or Nothing continued Wednesday night in Milwaukee at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena with an episode of AEW Dynamite that saw Orange Cassidy defend the International Championship against Buddy Matthews.
The TNT title was also at stake, Chris Jericho returned to the ring, and Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa attempted to defend the honor of The Elite against the Blackpool Combat Club to round out another explosive broadcast.
Match Card
1 of 9Announced in advance for the April 12 episode is:
- Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa
- Darby Allin vs. Swerve Strickland
- AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Buddy Matthews
- Keith Lee vs. Chris Jericho
- Riho and Skye Blue vs. Ruby Soho and Toni Storm
- TNT Championship: Powerhouse Hobbs (c) vs. Silas Young
- MJF appearance
Darby Allin vs. Swerve Strickland
2 of 9
On Friday, Swerve Strickland revealed a merger between Mogul Affiliates and The Embassy moments after Brian Cage obliterated Darby Allin on the entrance ramp following a Rampage victory.
Wednesday night, familiar foes Strickland and Allin battled to kick off Dynamite.
In what was the best showcase of Strickland's talents as a singles competitors, he displayed great intensity and aggression as he sought to spoil Allin's run to the AEW World Championship.
The babyface competitor fought through interference from Prince Nana and Cage to remain alive in the match. Then, after an All Elite Wrestling official prevented Strickland from using a steel chair, Allin stacked up his opponent with the Last Supper for the pinfall victory.
This was a great match to open the night. There were risks that did not need to be taken for the match to be as good as it was, but you come to expect that with Allin.
Even with those risks, the tone was right, the action was great and the interference from the heels helped to put over the Mogul-Embassy merger.
Strickland looked great, Allin was resilient, and the fans were into all of it. Great stuff from the jump this week.
Result
Allin defeated Strickland
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- Excalibur explained that Strickland holds a 4-3 lifetime record against Allin.
- Allin launched himself at his opponent from the opening bell, and the opening moments of the match occurred on the floor as the former TNT champion avenged Friday's sneak attack.
- Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo watched from backstage.
- Strickland rocked Allin with a kick to the face and then delivered a double stomp to the floor heading into the break. But he appeared to twist his ankle in the process.
- With Strickland nursing the injury, he released the pressure on it by removing his boot. Allin proceeded to bite Swerve's foot.
- "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry also watched backstage.
- Allin delivered a poisonrana from the ring apron, driving Strickland head-first into the floor. Back in the ring, Allin hit a Coffin Drop, but Prince Nana interfered and put Swerve's foot on the ropes to break the count.
MJF Interrupts Allin
3 of 9
Ahead of what looks set to be a four-way title defense at Double or Nothing on May 28, against Allin, Guevara and Perry, AEW world champion MJF had a few things to get off his chest.
He taunted Allin by reminding him he has already beaten him before with a move as simple as a headlock. The babyface's response? One of the best and most impassioned promos of his career.
He spoke of therapy, swore never to change himself for success in wrestling and vowed to take the title off of MJF.
Throw in some great stuff from Sting, including a tease of his eventual retirement, and you had a brilliant segment that trumped anything that went down in last week's mess involving the world champ.
This was the best we have seen out of Allin from a promo perspective and almost makes the potential for a one-on-one showdown with MJF more appealing than the teased Four-Way.
Grade
A
Top Moments
- "I'm sick of you doing my catchphrase so shut up!" MJF scolded the audience.
- "With the money I made from AEW, I bought my parents a house and helped my dad retire," Allin said.
- "I'm not going to lower my morals to be somebody in this world."
- "That is the difference between me and you and the other two pillars," MJF said pointing to the AEW title. "I am willing to do whatever it takes to leave a legacy in this sport."
- "I see myself as a cheerleader. I got a fever and the only cure for my fever is more pom-poms," Sting said while throwing some at MJF.
- "I said 'Cody' and the truth hurts, doesn't it, Max?" Sting said, referencing the fact that Cody Rhodes was the world champion's greatest cheerleader at one point.
- "I'm just going to be real with everyone, and you, showtime is almost over," Sting said, hinting at eventual retirement.
- "This plastic world is not taking me alive, Max. I am leaving the same person I came in and I'm also leaving as the AEW world champion!" Allin put a nice bow on the promo.
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Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Silas Young
4 of 9
TNT champion "Powerhouse" Will Hobbs made short work of Silas Young, squashing the former Ring of Honor fighter in a one-sided match that was never in doubt.
After the match, the celebration came to an abrupt end when Wardlow returned and destroyed the tricked-out car gifted to him by QT Marshall.
Back in the arena, Hobbs threatened to powerbomb Young off the stage, but Wardlow interrupted. He wiped out the heels, including a powerbomb to Aaron Solo off the stage and through a table, before standing tall with the title that was stolen from him after Revolution.
The use of Wardlow since last year's split from MJF makes it difficult to get excited about anything he does because there is no reason to believe this push will be any different.
He has been so hurt by the inconsistent booking and baffling creative that even the prospects of a hoss fight with Hobbs are rather "meh" at this point. That' a shame, because few were hotter than The War Dog this time a year ago.
Result
Hobbs defeated Young
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- The powerbomb on Solo was scary as he completely missed the second table, except for maybe the back of his head.
AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy vs. Buddy Matthews
5 of 9
The rivalry between The House of Black, Orange Cassidy and Best Friends continued Wednesday when Freshly Squeezed defended the AEW International Championship against one-third of the world trios champs, Buddy Matthews.
The always-dangerous Julia Hart accompanied the challenger.
Hart may not have gotten involved, but she didn't have to for much of the match. Matthews focused on the injured right hand of his opponent, taking away both his dominant fist and his ability to deliver the Orange Punch.
Cassidy fought through the pain and found a way to win, though, when he scored a tight pin on the Mouse Trap.
This was a fantastic match with some great psychology and selling from Cassidy. Murphy was great, but that is no surprise to anyone who has followed him in recent years, and he likely earned some new fans Wednesday night.
There are a lot of Cassidy detractors who dismiss him because of his character/gimmick, but he has regularly had good-to-great matches against wrestlers of different styles and backgrounds.
He is a resilient babyface who fights from underneath, which is an evergreen trait in an industry that continues to evolve. He has been the workhorse of AEW and a guy who has been a highlight in even its not-so-great days.
Result
Cassidy defeated Matthews
Grade
A
Top Moments
- Cassidy uncharacteristically entered the match with his hand taped, a recall to an injury he suffered a week ago.
- The champion rocked Matthews with the Orange Punch but immediately nursed his hand. Doc Sampson checked on him at ringside entering the break.
- Matthews mocked his opponent by lightly and arrogantly kicking him. Cassidy responded, sliding his injured hand into his pocket. The heel answered with a knee to the face.
- Cassidy played possum and tried for the Orange Punch, but Matthews evaded and delivered a stomp for a great near-fall.
'All Ego' Ethan Page is Upset
6 of 9
Ethan Page cut a promo detailing the hardships he has experienced following Matt Hardy's betrayal a week ago.
The veteran interrupted and challenged All Ego to a match in which a victory would free Hardy and Private Party from their contract with The Firm.
Big Bill and Lee Moriarty attacked the babyfaces until Hook hit the ring for the save. When the numbers still proved to be too great, Jeff Hardy returned from his hiatus and cleared the ring of the heels.
The Hardy return will make headlines and generate excitement, but this is very much a midcard program that has gone on too long. Tony Khan will likely try to stretch things out to Double or Nothing, but it doesn't have to go that far. Blow it off and let everyone move on.
Jeff is generally likable, and having him back will benefit AEW from a star-power perspective. Hopefully, he can make the most of this last opportunity.
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Page claiming he has been too distraught to cut his hair or tan was funny stuff.
- The pop for Jeff's return was enormous. It never gets old.
Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa vs. Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley
7 of 9
Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa attempted to avenge their friends, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks, by battling Blackpool Combat Club's Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli.
It was a decision that was noble but unwise.
The aggressive heels brutalized the competition before Moxley secured the victory with the bulldog choke on Cutler.
After the match, Omega appeared despite a pre-taped video suggesting he was not in the building, providing a distraction that allowed the Bucks to sneak in and level Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta with superkicks.
The babyface beatdown of the heels ended prematurely, with Moxley being saved from a screwdriver assault by his teammates.
Fans of The Elite are likely overjoyed at the return of their favorites, but this was an example of what Tony Khan has never really grasped with his booking style: The need to let things breathe.
Omega and the Bucks should have been off of television for another week or two at least before making the comeback to set up the inevitable pay-per-view match.
Instead, the return was rushed and, worse yet, Omega and the Bucks look like the worst friends ever for letting Nakazawa and Cutler take an ass-kicking just so they could have their surprise comeback.
It may not be popular, but this segment did not hit.
Result
Moxley and Castagnoli defeated Cutler and Nakazawa
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Omega delivered a pre-recorded message to Blackpool Combat Club following their assaults on The Young Bucks and Don Callis.
- The heels bloodied Nakazawa and Cutler before the bell even rang.
- "We put the 'elite' in All Elite Wrestling!" Moxley exclaimed during a post-match attack.
- Matt Jackson produced a screwdriver for Omega to use on Moxley, a throwback to the assault on "Hangman" Adam Page a week ago. Castagnoli and Yuta saved their teammate from punishment, though, as the babyfaces stood tall.
Riho and Skye Blue vs. The Outcasts
8 of 9
Riho and Skye Blue have spent weeks taking the fight to the disrespectful Outcasts, and they battled Ruby Soho and Toni Storm in tag team action Wednesday.
Despite a spirited effort by the babyfaces, though, Storm and Soho were able to secure the victory via Storm Zero to Blue.
After the match, the heels further attacked their opposition, spraypainting a big "L" on Riho. AEW world women's champion Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker rushed the ring, fending off the heels and standing tall to close the segment.
Next week's show is in Pittsburgh, so it makes sense that AEW would highlight Baker here, allowing her to provide the spark that powered the babyfaces past the heels in the post-match brawl.
The bout itself was a good little sprint, with Blue looking particularly good as she benefits from working alongside the workhorse Storm, veteran Soho and former champion Riho.
The 23-year-old Blue is going to be a star sooner rather than later, and surrounding her with that much talent will only serve to expedite that journey.
Result
Storm and Soho defeated Blue and Riho
Grade
B-
Top Moments
- The chants of "DMD" in anticipation of Baker's arrival were proof that the AEW fans have been waiting to root for her for some time now.
- The Outcasts broke out a triple powerbomb that may have had some thinking back to another iconic trio. Sierra, Hotel, India, Echo, Lima, Delta, indeed.
Keith Lee vs. Chris Jericho
9 of 9
After a backstage confrontation a week ago over comments made about Adam Cole, Keith Lee looked to teach some respect to Chris Jericho in Wednesday's main event.
However, the back-and-forth match was ultimately decided by an intruder with a long and storied history with Lee.
After promising to settle some scores in a backstage promo earlier in the show, Swerve Strickland blasted Lee in the face with the bell to set up a tainted Jericho win.
After the match, Adam Cole appeared and helped Lee to the back to end the show, interrupting Jericho's celebration in the process.
Nothing about this feud has been remarkably effective so far.
The premise that Jericho is upset over the celebration Cole received following his return win feels lazy, especially when there is so much potential given the abilities of both men on the mic.
This match was acceptable but did not hit quite the way one would have expected given the talent in the ring. Even the post-match events, with Cole helping Lee, was not met with the excitement one would hope for given those involved.
There is still plenty of time for AEW to heat this thing up before Double or Nothing, but everything about the Cole-Jericho program up to now has not been particularly interesting, which is the last description anyone expected given the main characters.
Strickland going back to the Lee feud at least makes sense, even if it feels like we are going backward instead of forward. At least it keeps both on television doing something of note.
Result
Jericho pinned Lee
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Lee patted Jericho on the top of the head following an early exchange, leaving The Ocho in disbelief.
- Jericho escaped a popup Spirit Bomb attempt and rolled Lee up for a two-count.
- Daniel Garcia attempted to interfere but ate a big back elbow by Lee. He then found himself on the receiving end of a clothesline.
- Lee neared a win but Garcia provided a distraction for referee Aubrey Edwards that allowed Strickland to settle one of the scores he mentioned earlier by blasting his former tag team partner.
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