AEW Dynamite Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Aug. 13

The Andrew J Brady Music Center in Cincinnati hosted the August 13 edition of AEW Dynamite, featuring high-paced action and multiple world champions on the road to Forbidden Door.

"Hangman" Adam Page and MJF met face-to-face after last week's show-ending brawl. Could The Salt of the Earth convince the AEW world champion to put his gold on the line?

Jon Moxley returned to his hometown for a match with Kevin Knight. The Jet looked to deliver a massive upset while Darby Allin watched closely.

Kyle Fletcher put out an open challenge to meet New Japan Pro-Wrestling's best at Forbidden Door on August 24. Who would answer the call and team with The Conglomeration against The Don Callis Family?

Stokely Hathaway was just hoping to survive a match with Cope. Would FTR come to his aid and nullify their restraining order against The Rated-R Superstar?

Mercedes Moné aligned with Thekla and Skye Blue to deliver a message at the expense of Alex Windsor, Willow Nightingale and Queen Aminata. Who would pick up momentum?

All of this and more highlighted a night certain to deliver major action and announcements.

'Hangman' Adam Page Convinces MJF to Use Guaranteed World Title Shot

MJF and "Hangman" Adam Page met in the ring where The Salt of the Earth tried to goad The Cowboy into giving him a shot at the AEW World Championship.

Instead, The Cowboy turned the mocking tone around and convinced MJF to use his guaranteed title shot for a match at Forbidden Door.

This was another fantastic exchange between the two. They have plenty of chemistry in the ring and on the microphone, and this played like a competition of its own.

Each man threw verbal shots at the other to get what they wanted out of the exchange. By the end, The Salt of the Earth was the one to falter and use his guaranteed title shot contract.

This is the best path forward for MJF and Hangman. The former is not going to ruin the latter's reign by stealing the title from him when he is vulnerable.

MJF will need to beat The Cowboy in the ring on pay-per-view. That is the money match for Forbidden Door.

MJF could still have a hidden plan (either involving The Hurt Syndicate or some loophole in how the contract works) to take it all from Page, but it will all play out on a massive stage in the O2 Arena in London.

Grade

A

Notable Moments and Observations

• Page started his response by calling MJF an "edgelord, B-level movie incel villain."
• After MJF's repeated mocking line, Hangman reminded him that Seabiscuit won.
• The crowd called out The Salt of the Earth as a coward.
• MJF labelled Hangman a "god" to the All Elite Wrestling fans before saying he was a false god.

Jon Moxley vs. Kevin Knight

While Kevin Knight pushed Jon Moxley with his unique blend of athleticism and strength, The Death Rider still managed to catch him with a lying sleeper, forcing the submission.

Afterward, Wheeler Yuta and Marina Shafir tried to beat down Knight and "Speedball" Mike Bailey until Darby Allin came out to make the save.

The Daredevil ran off Mox and Shafir before trying to trap Yuta in a body bag. Claudio Castagnoli turned the tables on Allin and trapped him in the bag instead.

Will Ospreay made a shock return to save Allin and challenged The Death Riders to a Lights Out Steel Cage match in London.

Mox vs. Knight did not play out quite as dramatically as Bailey's challenge of The Death Rider, but that was understandable with so much planned after the bell.

The action was solid and especially showed why The Jet has so much long-term upside in AEW while stating that he is not quite ready to match Mox right now.

Allin's return was expected. Castagnoli's appearance was almost a jump-scare in his sudden arrival.

Ospreay's return was the biggest shock, though. Just three weeks ago, he clarified his health status but promised to make it back for Forbidden Door.

It would have made more sense for him to stay in the United Kingdom until AEW traveled over, but The Aerial Assassin appeared a week early to set the stage for Forbidden Door.

Mox vs. Allin will happen at some point, but Forbidden Door will benefit from a wild multi-man match.

The competitors in the Steel Cage match promise a major show-stealer in London, possibly even closing out the show.

Result

Mox def. Knight by submission.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

• Mox made clear in his entrance that he would not give Allin anything for Forbidden Door.
• Knight responded to The Death Rider with his own vicious bite to his forearm.
• Allin did not look happy with Ospreay at first but showed respect to him in the end.
• Backstage, The Aerial Assassin announced Hiroshi Tanahashi would team with him and Allin against The Death Riders. He also asked Renee Paquette for a sit-down with Mox.
• Later, The Death Rider was not pleased about Tanahashi's involvement and found The Young Bucks in the Extras room.
• Tony Schiavone announced it would be Mox, Castagnoli, Gabe Kidd and The Young Bucks vs. Ospreay, Allin, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi and Tanahashi.

Mercedes Moné, Thekla and Skye Blue vs. Alex Windsor, Queen Aminata and Willow

Mercedes Moné found herself overwhelmed by the combined strength of Alex Windsor, Queen Aminata and Willow Nightingale.

After The CEO was taken out, Skye Blue was left to take the Sharpshooter from Windsor and tapped out.

Afterward, "Timeless" Toni Storm and Windsor cleared the ring together. The Timeless One then challenged The CEO and Athena to face them in Scotland next week.

This could have used more time, but everyone made the most of the spotlight. Windsor especially continued to shine.

It was a genuine shock that Moné lost this match, even if she was not pinned, but it benefited Windsor in a big way. She looks like a real threat going into Forbidden Door.

Aminata and Thekla also continued to show why they need plenty more opportunities in matches like this. Their physicality jumps off the screen.

If all the recent teases of multi-woman intensity are anything to go by, we are rapidly approaching the first women's Blood & Guts match, and it's going to be special.

First though, the big question lingers: Will Athena dethrone Storm as AEW women's world champion? It could go either way at this point.

Result

Windsor, Aminata and Willow def. Moné, Thekla and Blue by submission.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments and Observations

• The CEO joined hands with The Triangle of Madness during their entrance.
• Storm and Athena both watched in the crowd. They brawled all the way down to the stage afterward.
• Willow Pounced Moné out of the ring to set up the finish.

'The Rated-R Superstar' Cope vs. Stokely

Cope ran over Stokely with ease. Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler came out to try to save him, eventually starting a brawl.

The referee had to call for the bell after Stokely threw powder into the face of The Rated-R Superstar.

Christian Cage made a shocking save on behalf of Cope, and they sent FTR running and fought off The Patriarchy together. They then hugged it out.

It was a surprising that this was the night when AEW truly pushed Christian and Cope back together, but the expected reunion is still very welcome.

Obviously, this was never going to be a real match, but it was a fun segment that highlighted what the veterans could do if they truly are ready.

There will likely be more bumps in the road to the two men actually getting fully on the same page, but this was a massive moment for fans eagerly awaiting this reunion.

Result

Cope def. Stokely by disqualification.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments and Observations

• Security had to drag Big Stoke to the ring.
• Cope surveyed audience members about what they thought of Stokely, and they all mocked him.
• Big Stoke got a "No Hoes Stoke" chant.
• Christian came out with "Spike" and handed it back to Cope.
• Tony Schiavone announced Cope and Christian vs. Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian for Forbidden Door.

Don Callis Family and Young Bucks vs. Conglomeration and Hiromu Takahashi

Hiromu Takahashi arrived as the surprise fourth man to help Tomohiro Ishii, Hologram and Brody King.

Matt and Nick Jackson were repeatedly distracted while Kyle Fletcher and Josh Alexander could not keep the wild babyface team down.

Takahashi sealed the win with a Time Bomb to Alexander. Excalibur confirmed Takahashi would challenge Fletcher at Forbidden Door for the TNT Championship.

This was a great match. Everyone involved delivered, and the spotlight was placed firmly on the man who needed the strongest introduction for the AEW audience.

With so many of NJPW's top names still involved with the G1 Climax, the options to appear on Dynamite were limited.

Takahashi is far from a slouch in this spot, though, as he proved throughout this match. The five-time IWGP junior heavyweight champion looked great against an all-star heel line-up.

It is great to know he will get a major Forbidden Door spotlight this year against Fletcher as he has often been forgotten on this show.

Result

Hiromu, King, Hologram and Ishii def. Alexander, Fletcher and Young Bucks by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments and Observations

• The Young Bucks got wild pyro before they appeared but no music or pyro for their entrance.
• Justin Roberts called Matt and Nick "these guys," causing the Bucks to threaten him.
• During the match, The Young Bucks superkicked Roberts and were fined $10,000 each by Tony Khan.
• This left Tony Schiavone to announce the rest of the show.
• King took a vicious TK Driver on the stage to eliminate him from the action for a while.

Swerve Strickland Reveals Lingering Knee Injury But Refuses to Step Down

Renee Paquette questioned Swerve Strickland on a possible knee injury he picked up recently. The Mogul promised he would still bring his all to his fight for the AEW Unified Championship.

Kazuchika Okada told Swerve he had no chance to beat him while hurt. A brawl broke out between the two men, but security quickly intervened.

Hopefully, Swerve's knee injury is either a story element for this rivalry or nothing too serious as it would be a shame for him to lose out on this big match.

As a story element, it adds extra drama. Okada knows about The Mogul's injury and will go after it in London.

Since Don Callis cannot interfere in the match, this is a good way to build heat for The Rainmaker.

Grade

C+ (with the hope this is a kayfabe injury)

Notable Moments and Observations

• The first mic was not working for Renee, so Excalibur and Tony had to improvise.
• A vignette played in which the Hook symbol shined above a city.

The Opps vs. La Facción Ingobernable

Samoa Joe returned to action in dominant fashion as he, Katsuyori Shibata and Powerhouse Hobbs overwhelmed La Facción Ingobernable.

While Shibata and Hobbs kept Rush and The Beast Mortos out of the way, The Samoan Submission Machine made Dralístico pass out to a Coquina Clutch.

It is great to see Joe back in action in time for Forbidden Door, but this felt like an anticlimactic end to a night driven by strong action.

This was short, perhaps due to Joe working a bit banged up, and there was no surprise appearance or challenge made to the Trios champions with implications for Forbidden Door.

It just felt like The Opps getting back to business as usual, which is not really a strong finish, even with a post-match angle between Adam Page and MJF.

It would have been better to give this spot to the 8-Man All-Star Tag featuring Hiromu Takahashi as that had wider implications for Forbidden Door.

If this was going to be the big finish to the night, AEW could have at least kept Joe's return a surprise for a bigger feel-good finish.

Result

Joe, Hobbs and Shibata def. Dralístico, Mortos and Rush by technical knockout.

Grade

D+

Notable Moments and Observations

• Joe sported tape on his right shoulder while Excalibur made clear he was still hurting.
• Afterward, MJF attacked Hangman in the parking lot and promised to make his life hell going into Forbidden Door.

Overall Show

While nothing on Wednesday's Dynamite was bad, this was a disappointing night of action so close to Forbidden Door.

This was the time to ramp up the build and start delivering some major surprises.

While multiple big matches were announced for the pay-per-view in London, the actual Forbidden Door element of this card is massively lacking.

The best part of this time of the year is the rising focus on AEW's partnerships. Even if NJPW's stars are still busy with the G1 Climax, CMLL stars have also been underused, even more so than in recent months.

The tag team action throughout the show was engaging. "Hangman" Adam Page and MJF sold their upcoming battle for the AEW World Championship as must-watch.

The pacing just never felt as urgent as Forbidden Door season deserves. This is not the time for a regular night of action in AEW.

Hopefully, Dynamite in Scotland next week will raise the excitement to another level with more surprises to come.

Overall Grade: C-