AEW Dynamite Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Nov. 5

All Elite Wrestling returned to Houston, Texas for the November 5 edition of Dynamite in the Bayou Music Center, promising major hype for Blood & Guts next week.

Hangman Adam Page teamed with Eddie Kingston and Hook to contest The Opps. Could The Cowboy rally a disparate alliance against Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata and Powerhouse Hobbs?

The Women's World Tag Team Championship Tournament continued with the quarterfinal clash of Mercedes Moné and Athena against Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron.

Dynamite also featured three of the potential six Blood & Guts Advantage matches: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Orange Cassidy, Daniel Garcia vs. Darby Allin and Megan Bayne vs. Mina Shirakawa.

Who pick up momentum going into next week's cage matches? What else would AEW deliver with Full Gear also on the horizon?

Hangman Adam Page, Eddie Kingston and Hook Get The Opps To Put Titles on the Line

Tony Schiavone tried to announce the introduction of a new National Championship, but Samoa Joe interrupted with The Opps.

He threatened the announcer until security and Hangman Adam Page made the save. Eddie Kingston and Hook soon ran down to even the odds.

The Handsome Devil challenged Joe, Katsuyori Shibata and Powerhouse Hobbs to put the World Trios Championships on the line tonight. The Samoan Submission Machine accepted.

AEW usually starts with action, but this was well paced enough to keep the usual Dynamite speed. Wrestlers were flying down the ramp to make the save.

It would have been even better if Kingston got some mic time himself, but AEW is clearly testing Hook in these spots to deliver. He was solid in a short, focused promo.

Putting the World Trios Championships on the line is a great way to heighten the drama for the main event match. It suddenly feels more likely The Opps could lose and shockingly lose the gold.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

The show started with a recap of Page's deception of Joe on Dynamite dressed as Schiavone. Tony in the ring right after was a recipe for disaster.

Eddie came running down with someone's crutch.

Joe was more upset with Hook taking disrespectfully to him tonight than Hangman's sneak attack last week.

Men's Blood & Guts Advantage: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Orange Cassidy

Last Time in Action: Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin defeated Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta (Dynamite, October 29); Claudio Castagnoli, Garcia and Yuta lost to Cassidy, Mark Briscoe and Roderick Strong (Dynamite, October 22).

Orange Cassidy brought the fight to Claudio Castagnoli, who was simply too powerful for Freshly Squeezed. He sealed the win with a pop-up European uppercut.

The Swiss Superman is still one of the best big-match wrestlers in the business. He was an incredible base for Cassidy throughout this match, catching Cassidy from wherever he flew.

It was obvious that these men have history, but this was best work together, maximizing their minutes with serious highlight spots and steady pacing that kept the crowd fully invested.

The Death Riders will likely win the Advantage as Blood & Guts is best with the heels in control early, so Castagnoli needed to win.

It was also just nice to see The Swiss Superman picking up a big win against one of AEW's best.

Result

Castagnoli def. Cassidy by pinfall to earn the first fall for The Death Riders in the Best-of-Three Blood & Guts Advantage series.

Grade

A

Notable Moments and Observations

Cassidy did not wait for The Swiss Superman to get in the ring, diving onto him.

Castagnoli showed his impressive strength after snapping the fingers of Cassidy while they were grappling, effortlessly transitioning into a Giant Swing.

Backstage, Don Callis agreed to one last match between Kyle Fletcher and Mark Briscoe No Disqualification as long as Chicken agreed to join The Family if he lost.

Callis also teased The Young Bucks about joining The Family, leaving Kazuchika Okada to warn that they needed to decide soon.

Women's Tag Tournament: The Babes of Wrath vs. Mercedes Moné and Athena

Last Time in Action: Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale lost a 4-Way to name their first round opponents in the tournament (Dynamite, October 22); Mercedes Moné and Athena defeated "Timeless" Toni Storm and Alex Windsor (Dynamite, August 20).

Moné and Athena looked like a well-oiled machine throughout their match despite limited time teaming together. However, they did not have an answer for the energy of The Babes of Wrath.

Billie Starkz arrived to help, but Kris Statlander took her out and ran off The CEO, allowing Harley to hit Her Finishing Move for the victory.

This was a phenomenal match and will stand as the gold standard for this tournament. It is possible no other match will quite meet this standard.

It was a bold choice for The CEO and War Goddess to lose this early as they looked like they might just be the best women's tag team in AEW and have so much credibility behind them.

However, it feels like the right choice for this tournament. Willow and Harley are finding themselves as a team and got better even over the course of this match.

They will be a great pairing for The Sisters of Sin, and either team could conceivably win in the semifinals and even win the gold at the end.

Harley pinning Athena could also earn her a future ROH Women's World Championship match, which is a massive spotlight for Harley.

Result

Willow and Harley def. Athena and Mercedes Moné by pinfall to advance in the Women's World Tag Team Championships Tournament.

Grade

A

Notable Moments and Observations

The War Goddess was not ready for The CEO's excitement about the Women's World Tag Team Championships.

This was the first time Willow and Harley were officially announces as The Babes of Wrath.

The tag team synergy of Athena and Moné was on another level, selling their connection that extends far beyond their AEW interactions.

The Hurt Syndicate and Demand Call Their Shot for the National Championship

Tony Schiavone finally got his opportunity to talk about the National Championship, confirming a Casino Gauntlet for Full Gear to crown the new champion.

He brought out The Hurt Syndicate as both Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin were entering the match. The Demand arrived as well where Ricochet promised he would win the gold at Full Gear.

This was a fine segment to begin building the hype for this new championship. The Hurt Syndicate sold why they want the gold, and Ricochet promised again to take that gold from them.

This is a better way to use this rivalry than deliver any more trios matches between these groups any time soon.

It does feel a bit sudden to introduce another men's championship while the women are fighting to win just the third women's titles introduced in AEW.

It also just shows there was little need to merge the International and Continental Championships at All In.

This will serve as the International Championship replacement. Hopefully, it will be defined with a unique gimmick separate from the TNT Championship.

The best option would be to open this up to all wrestlers across promotions, defended regularly in NJPW, CMLL, and DDT in the future.

Who will win? The roster is loaded with talent ready for that shot, so the opportunity to give someone a fresh spotlight is exciting.

Grade

C-

Notable Moments and Observations

MVP had to check if Schiavone was real before they started talking.

Schiavone and MVP highlighted the National Championship as carrying on the legacy of the old NWA title.

"Jungle" Jack Perry left a $100 bill for The Young Bucks with a knife on it while hyping the Million Dollar Money Match at Full Gear.

Men's Blood & Guts Advantage: Daniel Garcia vs. Darby Allin

Last Time in Action: Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy defeated Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta in a Trick-or-Treat Tornado Tag (Dynamite, October 29).

Daniel Garcia bruised and beat down Darby Allin throughout their fight, but The Daredevil never gave up. He reversed the Dragon Slayer into the Scorpion Deathlock to force a submission.

Afterward, The Death Riders struck, beating down Allin and The Conglomeration.

This was another strong match in this Advantage series, helped by the personal story of Allin vs. Garcia.

Red Death turned on The Daredevil first and made it to a point to destroy him for Jon Moxley.

Allin got a degree of revenge while also making sure his team still had a chance at the Advantage for Blood & Guts.

The Death Riders got a bit of momentum back by taking down their rivals on Dynamite. It still feels like they have little chance to win at Blood & Guts.

Result

Allin def. Garcia by pinfall to force a deciding match in the Men's Blood & Guts Advantage series.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

Before Garcia headed to the ring, Mox gave him a pep talk.

Garcia smashed Allin's head between the steps and post. He nearly got a count-out, but Red Death interfered with referee Bryce Remsburg's count.

While Garcia distracted Bryce, Pac clotheslined a bleeding Allin, nearly causing the count-out.

When Red Death went for the Dragon Slayer, he mocked Sting, selling that he knew his move was similar to the Scorpion Deathlock.

Many competitors do a version of a Sharpshooter. Allin may have the best one in modern wrestling.

FTR Embarrass Bandido's Family

FTR called out Brodido for a friendly face-off, but it was revealed that Stokely Hathaway had locked Brody King and Bandido in their locker room.

Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler mocked Bandido's family and began to brawl with his brother Gravity until Brodido got free and ran them off.

This was a great way to quickly build heat between these teams, playing off how much Bandido's family has sat ringside to support him.

Dax especially showed he truly has no respect for anyone and has set himself up for a beat-down at the hands of Bandido in the coming weeks, maybe even before Full Gear.

The crowd gave this one good heat. Hopefully, that heat continues to build to sell Brodido vs. FTR as must-see action beyond all of the champions' previous title defenses.

Grade

B

Notable Moments and Observations

Dax got slapped for insulting Bandido's abuela.

King punched through the door to get to Stokely and open the door.

Women's Blood & Guts Advantage: Megan Bayne vs. Mina Shirakawa

Last Time in Action: Megan Bayne and Marina Shafir made quick work of Nixon Newell and Miranda Alize (Collision, November 1); Mina Shirakawa lost Thekla (Collision, October 25).

The Megasus threw around The Venus with ease throughout this match, but Mina stayed in the action. As she prepared for the Glamourous Driver, Shafir choked out "Timeless" Toni Storm on commentary.

The distraction allowed Bayne to hit a jumping clothesline and Liger Bomb to win.

Afterward, The Triangle of Madness struck followed by the rest of the Blood & Guts field. The faces stood tall in the end.

This was a fun contest though more about the Timeless antics at ringside than the in-ring action.

Mina and Bayne will likely have better matches together in the future with less distractions outside the ring.

The goal was reached, and fans got to see the whole Blood & Guts field in the ring together as a preview.

It was a repetitive spot from The Death Riders vs. Conglomeration brawl earlier, but this was the easiest way to get everyone in the ring.

Hopefully, on Collision with possibly two more Advantage matches, the women will deliver a more unique final hype spot for Blood & Guts.

Result

Bayne def. Mina by pinfall to earn the first fall for the heel alliance in the Best-of-Three Blood & Guts Advantage series.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments and Observations

Storm was a hit on commentary with some great lines including:

Calling Mina her "wife" and Schiavone giving them congratulations.

"Excalibur, what about this; why don't you come and do commentary on one of my orgies some time?"

"Get that big bitch! She is quite big, though, isn't she???"

Wondering why Excalibur thought he had offended her before telling him to shut up again.

Saying she could not watch violence while Schiavone tried to encourage her to watch.

The CEO changed her mind about getting into the action until Stat arrived to attack her again.

World Trios Championships: The Opps (c) vs. Hangman Adam Page, Eddie Kingston and Hook

Last Time in Action: The Opps successfully defended the World Trios Championships against The Hurt Syndicate (Dynamite, October 22); this was the first time Hangman Adam Page, Eddie Kingston and Hook have teamed together.

While Hook wanted this match more than anyone, he got hurt early.

Hangman and Kingston kept fighting, but it got even worse when Hobbs sent The Cowboy through a table off the stage.

The Opps beat down The Mad King then an injured Handsome Devil tagged back in only to be forced to tap out to a Torture Rack from Powerhouse.

For the second week in a row, Hook had tapped out. This is clearly becoming a story for The Handsome Devil, who was nearly impossible to tap out before.

It gave an extra weight to the result as Hook wanted this match then was the one most overwhelmed when contesting The Opps.

While Hook has long been the indomitable and aloof competitor, this gives him sympathy and could be the catalyst to Hook finally winning true AEW gold.

This also gave Joe a win over The Cowboy, who is set to face the man that wiped him out this week in a Falls Count Anywhere match next week.

The Opps are setting the stage for Joe to beat Hangman at Full Gear, creating a much more difficult second encounter between champion and challenger.

This was a good bit of storytelling mixed with solid in-ring action. The match itself may be forgotten with time, but the story highlights for those involved will serve as major spotlights in video packages in the future.

Result

The Opps def. Hook, Kingston and Hangman by submission to retain the World Trios Championships.

Grade

B-

Notable Moments and Observations

The Cowboy and Mad King teased a Buckshot Lariat/Uraken combination, showing more synergy than expected, but Hobbs pulled out Hangman.

Joe's look of sheer glee after the victory continues to sell why he is so much better as a heel.

Overall Show

This was a signature Dynamite, building up stories and delivering action that furthered those stories throughout the night.

Multiple contests would be TV match of the year contender for AEW if the competition was not so fierce already.

In particular, Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Moné and Athena stole the show and has continued to make this tag tournament special.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Orange Cassidy was also fantastic and sold why The Swiss Superman should be used in more singles matches.

The National Championship reveal was overshadowed by the AEW Men's World Championship match build, which has truly kicked into high gear recently.

Hopefully, AEW has strong plans for the build and execution for introducing this new championship because it felt like the odd segment out for this night.

Some repetition in the story beats between the men's and women's Blood & Guts matches let the show down.

It would have been best to spread out these Advantage matches and the match build over at least one more week.

As a whole though, AEW delivered a memorable Dynamite that made clear that Blood & Guts and Full Gear matter for this company's future.

Overall Grade: B