AEW Dynamite Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights After WrestleDream

The October 22 edition of AEW Dynamite headed to the Boeing Center in San Antonio for all of the fallout from WrestleDream.

After Bandido pinned Kazuchika Okada to successfully defend his and Brody King's AEW World Tag Team Championship, the luchador faced The Rainmaker one-on-one for the Unified Championship.

The Hurt Syndicate successfully put The Demand behind them and earned a shot at The Opps. Would Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin and MVP be ready for a newly turned heel Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs and Katsuyori Shibata?

Mercedes Moné captured three more titles over the past week to reach 12 and decided to throw another celebration. AEW women's world champion Kris Statlander was likely to attend after she and The CEO collided at WrestleDream.

All Elite Wrestling promised to reveal the brackets to crown the first-ever women's world tag team champions, setting the stage for an exciting tournament.

Four of those teams would face off on Dynamite in a preview 4-Way tag match as Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford fought the tandems of Jamie Hayter and Queen Aminata, Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale, and Skye Blue and Julia Hart.

Who would emerge victorious, and how would AEW begin the push toward Blood & Guts?

World Trios Championships: The Opps (c) vs. The Hurt Syndicate

Last Time in Action: The Opps successfully defended the World Trios Championships against LFI (Dynamite, October 15); The Hurt Syndicate defeated The Demand to earn this title opportunity (WrestleDream, October 19).

After a physical battle between The Opps and The Hurt Syndicate, MVP had Samoa Joe in position for the Playmaker. Ricochet distracted MVP, allowing The Samoan Submission Machine to reverse into a Coquina Clutch for the submission.

Afterward, The Hurt Syndicate ran after The Demand while Tony Schiavone asked Joe why he turned on Hangman Adam Page. Joe made clear that he considered every championship his to take.

This was a great mix of styles that would make for an exciting series of matches of the course of the coming months and years.

This did not reach the lofty heights this pairing promised, but this was a rushed title clash coming right off The Hurt Syndicate winning the opportunity.

It makes sense that everyone involved would want to wait to deliver their best with more hype and build.

This gives The Opps another needed title defense and gave Joe the ring in order to give his first explanation for The Opps' heel turn.

MVP's loss at the end shows again that The Hurt Syndicate need another member, particularly someone that can cover for Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin's deficiencies, likely a younger high flier.

The One and Only's interference was an unnecessary wrinkle as WrestleDream should have ended this rivalry at least for a while.

Hopefully, The Hurt Syndicate and The Demand have a strong idea of where this feud can go that is still fresh.

Joe's promo was not about explaining anything. It was about reinforcing he is a bad man now. He does not need justification, and that is a refreshing change from most wrestling heels.

Result

Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs and Katsuyori Shibata def. MVP, Benjamin and Lashley by submission.

Grade

C

Notable Moments and Observations

• After WrestleDream highlights, AEW showed a heated "Hangman" Adam Page warning Joe he would ruin his life.
• Joe intentionally kept Hobbs away from Lashley, leaving that "meat match" as an intriguing option for the future.
• The AEW fans have consistently popped the Ballin' Elbow without any need for it to be explained to those who never saw his earlier wrestling work.

Darby Allin Promises to Protect AEW Forever From The Death Riders

With the AEW flag in hand, Darby Allin said he would die for the company, and he would keep fighting The Death Riders as long as they still stood.

This was a shorter promo than expected based on the hype coming out of WrestleDream, but The Daredevil has never been a wordsmith.

Allin said what he needed to say and established his goal for the future: to keep protecting AEW.

The crowd is completely behind him, and he still has unresolved issues every Death Rider not named Jon Moxley. There is no reason to move away from this angle yet.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments and Observations

• In a pre-taped promo, Jack Perry clearly stated his and Luchasaurus' goal was to get back the AEW World Tag Team Championship.

Bayne/Ford vs. Hayter/Aminata vs. Willow/Harley vs. Blue/Hart

Last Time in Action: Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron defeated Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford (WrestleDream Tailgate Brawl, October 19); Julia Hart, Skye Blue and Thekla defeated "Timeless" Toni Storm, Kris Statlander and Harley (Collision, October 11); Jamie Hayter and Queen Aminata's first tag team match together.

While this was the first time Jamie Hayter and Queen Aminata had teamed together, they looked unstoppable, sealing the win with a headbutt and Hayterade on Ford.

This victory allowed Hayter and Aminata to choose their first-round tournament opponents, and they wanted to take on The Sisters of Sin.

This was a blast of energy from start to finish, highlighting the incredible talent in the women's tag division.

The Megasus continues to thrive in spot-focused matches where she produces incredible feats of athleticism and strength with many bodies to throw around.

It was always a smart way to highlight Hayter and Aminata, who work well together because they both hit so hard.

Any of these four teams could win the Women's World Tag Team Championships Tournament, though AEW has done an incredible job of selling all of them as threats, including ones not featured in this match.

Result

Hayter and Aminata def. Ford and Bayne, Blue and Hart, and Willow and Harley by pinfall to earn the right to choose their first opponents in the Women's World Tag Team Championship Tournament.

Grade

A

Notable Moments and Observations

• Ford hit a moonsault to everyone on the outside alongside a tope from Bayne onto the field, almost causing a wardrobe malfunction.
• The Sister of Sins tried to isolate Ford, who hit them both with stunners followed by Bayne suplexing them both.
• The Young Bucks demanded a money match from Tony Khan, who booked a $400K match of The Bucks and FTR against JetSpeed and Jurassic Express.

Kris Statlander and Harley Cameron Ruin Mercedes Moné's Title Celebration

Renee Paquette announced Mercedes Moné with big hype only to find herself speaking to Mini Moné instead. The CEO arrived, aggravated by the puppet mockery.

When Moné pulled Harley Cameron out from under the ring, though, Kris Statlander popped out as well and sent The CEO face-first into her celebration cake.

The weakest part of this segment was Moné's promo work. Her repeat complaints about the marks came off forced.

However, the emotion of the segment superseded the champion's response as this was a perfect chance to get some comeuppance on her.

The CEO shined in her non-verbal acting, from enjoying a puppet's humiliation to dealing with her own.

The discourse around her 12 titles has entirely missed the point that she is a heel trying to frustrate the audience.

Her over-the-top bravado allows moments like this to land, especially following up on the first awkward championship celebration.

This is just the first step in what could be a gratifying fall from grace for the heel champion.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

• Kris promised to beat Moné at Full Gear in an interview before this segment.
• The CEO arrived in style flanked by men wearing all her championships.
• Paquette's whole hype speech was on cue cards, clearly approved by Moné.
• The camera angles lingered on Mini Moné to sell her emotion at multiple points in this segment.

Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O'Reilly

Last Time in Action: Jon Moxley verbally quit against Darby Allin (WrestleDream, October 19); Kyle O'Reilly, Orange Cassidy, Tomohiro Ishii and Roderick Strong lost to The Death Riders (WrestleDream Tailgate Brawl, October 19).

The Death Rider looked out of sorts throughout this match, terrified of every submission. Kyle O'Reilly leaned into this fear until Moxley punched out the referee to save himself.

Officials ran into check on the official and disqualify The Death Rider. The Conglomeration and Death Riders arrived, nearly coming to blows.

AEW so rarely has DQ finishes that this felt more embarrassing for Mox than actually tapping out to KOR.

He took the coward's way out after O'Reilly consistently outwrestled him. The Death Rider simply never looked comfortable in this match, which is a stark difference from his usual stature.

That was what made this contest good. It was not the type of bout someone would watch repeatedly, but the story continues to highlight the effect of the loss on The Death Rider.

O'Reilly looked better here than he has in most recent matches, and it could be the first step in elevating him back to title contention.

Meanwhile, Mox's crash-out is signaling a change could be coming for The Death Riders. The group could well lose faith in its vaunted leader.

Result

O'Reilly def. Moxley by disqualification.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

• The Death Rider explained in a solo pre-taped promo that he underestimated Darby Allin and needed to refocus on what comes next.
• The crowd chanted "He's a quitter" at Mox to start the match.
• Bryan Danielson was great on commentary, selling how Mox was wrestling scared.
• The post-match arrival of stablemates seamlessly transitioned right into the next match for the night.

The Death Riders vs. Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong

Last Time in Action: Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia and Pac defeated Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly and Tomohiro Ishii (WrestleDream Tailgate Brawl, October 19); Mark Briscoe lost in his bid for the TNT Championship against Kyle Fletcher (WrestleDream, October 19).

Briscoe led a confident effort against a shaken Death Riders, winning with a Jay Driller on Yuta.

After the bell, Pac attacked Briscoe until Ishii arrived followed by Kyle O'Reilly, but The Death Riders continued to attack. Darby Allin made the save with his bat and stood tall.

This was a solid continuation from Jon Moxley vs. KOR where The Death Riders all looked out of sorts against The Conglomeration.

The action was also quality throughout. Garcia and Yuta were especially delightful minions in this one, bumping for everyone.

The Conglomeration has turned the tide over The Death Riders, and this could be leading to Blood & Guts with Allin working with them.

It's hard to say if that is the best option when the women are finally getting their first shot in the cage, but what matters most is to ensure the women's B&G match gets the biggest spotlight.

Result

Briscoe, Cassidy and Strong def. Yuta, Garcia and Castagnoli by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments and Observations

• The Death Riders nearly picked up the win after a Yuta Buisaku Knee. After the pin break-up, he looked at Bryan Danielson and went for the signature elbow strikes.
• Castagnoli threatened to throw Cassidy like he has Allin twice. It sets the question of who else The Swiss Superman may be willing to throw like that soon.

Mark Briscoe Wants One More Match; Women's World Tag Championship Tournament Bracket

Mark Briscoe interrupted Kyle Fletcher, who was mocking Chicken, to ask him for one more match for the TNT Championship. Don Callis refused on behalf of The Protostar.

AEW revealed the Women's World Tag Team Championship Tournament bracket. The following matchups were confirmed:

• Jamie Hayter and Queen Aminata vs. Julia Hart and Skye Blue.
• Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron vs. Mercedes Moné and Athena
• Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay and Tay Conti.
• "Timeless" Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa vs. Alex Windsor and Riho.

AEW rarely does rematches as frequently as Fletcher vs. Briscoe. Even if The Protostar cheated to win the fifth, it makes little sense to do a sixth contest this quickly.

Chicken is already caught up with The Death Riders, and The Conglomeration needs his help in that fight right now.

Fletcher has plenty of other potential challengers who are far fresher options. The only reason to do a sixth match is if Briscoe does win the TNT Championship, and it still feels like the wrong time for Fletcher to lose.

The tag team bracket is excellent. It's focused on teams AEW has already built up beyond The CEO and War Goddess' unexpected alliance.

This is an unpredictable tournament that just needs time between each match to shine.

Grade

C- (for Fletcher and Briscoe's promo); A (for a great tournament bracket)

Notable Moments and Observations

• Before the bracket reveal, Moné complained about her treatment. Athena arrived to offer to back up The CEO in pursuit of the Women's World Tag Team Championships.
• After the reveal, Mina called her team The Timeless Lovebombs. Thekla mocked Mina followed by a match challenge for Collision.

Unified Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Bandido

Last Time in Action: Bandido alongside Brody King pinned Kazuchika Okada (who was teaming with Konosuke Takeshita) to retain the World Tag Team Championships (WrestleDream, October 19).

Kazuchika Okada was overwhelmed in moments by Bandido, but he always found a way to survive. He reversed a second 21 Plex attempt into a Rainmaker to win.

The whole Don Callis Family arrived to celebrate with Okada except Takeshita, who came out late to stare down The Rainmaker. Kyle Fletcher and Don Callis calmed down The Alpha.

This was an electric end to the show where The Rainmaker and Bandido worked like two of the best in the world throughout.

Bandido did just enough to tease the major upset, even though it did not make sense for Okada to lose the Unified Championship before the Continental Classic.

The ending of the show highlighted AEW's best feud right now, further teasing that we are closing in on Okada vs. Takeshita one-on-one.

The best option would be to delay just a bit longer and let these two finally fight at Worlds End (in the main event) in the Continental Classic final.

Result

Okada def. Bandido by pinfall to retain the Unified Championship.

Grade

A+

Notable Moments and Observations

• Don Callis on commentary said that Okada explained his and Takeshita's loss was because it was their first time teaming. Exclaibur pointed out it was not.
• Bandido caught The Rainmaker with the 21 Plex but was too slow to get the cover, setting up a pin.
• The luchador reversed the Rainmaker into a small package for a near-fall.
• Bandido reversed another Rainmaker into one of his own.

Overall Show

WrestleDream was a massive show, and it did not feel like Dynamite could quite live up to following up on that event.

Some strong individual matches and moments highlighted a rushed night. At times, AEW was cramming too much in rather than letting the action or promos breathe.

The highs of the night though rivaled the pay-per-view, particularly the main event of Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita.

The Women's World Tag Team Championships scene was also a major highlight, establishing a strong bracket that does not need surprise additions to sell the action.

The early build for Kris Statlander vs. Mercedes Moné is also intriguing, putting The CEO on the backfoot against an opponent for the first time in AEW (even more so than with "Timeless" Toni Storm).

A lack of Hangman Adam Page was expected given his "injuries", but his feud with Samoa Joe will not reignite until they are in the same building again.

The Death Riders drama and struggles are intriguing, but it was a building night, highlighting something bigger is on the horizon.

As a whole, Dynamite was engaging once again, even if the biggest moments were left for future weeks.

Overall Grade: B-