AEW Dynamite Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights From Aug. 12

Welcome to Bleacher Report's live coverage of AEW Dynamite on August 12.

All In is coming up fast on August 30, but until then, it's all about the Continental Challenge Cup.

Two matches in the tournament took place this week in addition to the rest of the action. We also saw Kevin Knight defend his TNT Championship against Chris Jericho.

Let's take a look at what went down on Wednesday's episode of Dynamite.

The Billy Goat

As soon as the show went live in the arena, Will Ospreay came out to talk about his match against Kenny Omega at All In.

He talked about performing in Arena Mexico last week and how great an experience it was, and he shared a story about the first time he worked there and how he found out that same day that his grandfather passed away.

He said he is going to leave everything in the ring for the fans because that is what his grandpa would have wanted. He also called out Omega to join him in the ring with some insults, but he was greeted by the music of The Don Callis Family instead.

As Don was talking trash, RPG Vice attacked him from behind with Mark Davis and Jake Doyle. All four men stomped him into the mat until Omega showed up to make the save with a metal pipe.

One of the smartest things AEW did in this feud was having Omega take Ospreay out when he had the chance, so saving him from an attack feels like a step backwards, even if Omega still showed some animosity toward him after.

Everything in this segment was entertaining, but it felt a bit like filler. Nothing new was added to their story with this interaction, but it gave the fans a chance to see both men, which is part of what they paid for.

The best part was Omega saying this would be the only time he helps Ospreay, because that opens the door for more people to go after Billy Goat between now and the PPV, such as The Death Riders.

Grade: B

MJF vs. Nick Wayne vs. Mike Bailey

Last time in action: MJF lost to Omega (Dynamite, July 8), Wayne lost to Andrade (Dynamite, July 29), Bailey defeated Myron Reed (Collision, August 8)

The first match of the night was a Triple Threat to determine who enters the Casino Gauntlet at No. 2 at All In. MJF, Nick Wayne and "Speedball" Mike Bailey were the competitors.

MJF rolled out of the ring and joined the commentary team while Wayne and Bailey started the match in the ring. They quickly realized they should be going after MJF, so Speedball kicked him off the apron.

MJF is a very versatile performer who is capable of working with any style, but there was something fun about seeing Wayne and Bailey mix their different kinds of high-flying offense together whenever they had an exchange.

They produced almost all of the most exciting spots, but MJF did a great job making sure he wasn't forgotten. His villainous antics were a nice contrast to Wayne's flashier heel style. He even worked with Wayne temporarily to take advantage of his naivety.

This match illustrated how AEW can practically pick random names out of a hat and throw them together for a fun contest. All three stars worked hard to make this a great opener. After a few close calls, MJF got the win with an armbar on Wayne.

Result: MJF defeated Wayne and Bailey

Grade: B+

Notable Moments and Observations

• Mother Wayne's presence is missed. She was a great addition to Nick's character.
• MJF wore a shirt with his catchphrase in Spanish to taunt Andrade, who was not cleared to be at the show this week.
• The way MJF and Wayne interacted was perfect. It felt like the kid was learning a lesson about not trusting anyone right in front of our eyes.
• Speedball's missile dropkick looked clean.

Jay White vs. David Finlay

Last time in action: The Dogs defeated The Bang Bang Gang (AEW Redemption)

The Continental Challenge Cup continued this week with Jay White taking on one of his biggest rivals, David Finlay. The rules of the tournament prohibited anyone from joining them at ringside, so it was designed to be a fair contest.

Switchblade countered an attack right after the bell to take control. Dueling chants broke out in the crowd as they traded strikes.

These two have made their story feel personal, so it was no surprise when the match was more of a fight than a grappling clinic. They sold the intensity well, but it felt like an odd time for their first big singles encounter in AEW.

This is the kind of grudge match that would have been a great addition to All In, but getting it on a regular episode of Dynamite is part of AEW's appeal. The company doesn't always wait for a big event to give fans an anticipated showdown, even if it makes more sense to do it from a business standpoint.

White hit a German suplex and immediately started selling as if he had injured his neck. Finlay pounced on the injury immediately. Switchblade was able to make a comeback and hit his finisher to get the win and move on in the tournament.

Result: White defeated Finlay

Grade: B+

Notable Moments and Observations

• Mick Foley's interview with Bang Bang Gang could have been far more entertaining if he had leaned into his catchphrase more.
• The chants were limited to small groups, so it sounded a little weird compared to when an entire arena is chanting something.
• There has been a lot of chatter on social media about White's decision to switch from tights to baggier pants.

A Rivalry Renewed

Adam Page, Bandido and Brody King came out to celebrate winning the trios titles last week at Grand Slam Mexico. It didn't take long for Swerve Strickland's music to hit. As soon as he appeared, Hangman was staring daggers at him.

Swerve recounted his history with all three men over the last few years and talked about how he has beaten all of them. Hangman said he has watched Swerve do some terrible things and he has nothing to show for it.

This is when Ricochet, The Demand and Lethal Swirl came out to stake their claim at a rematch.

Ricochet brought up how Swerve doesn't have a trio to watch his back and told him to leave. Surprisingly, he did but not without insulting Ricochet first.

The segment ended without a fight, but it did a good job of making the trios titles feel important again. The belts have often felt less consequential than AEW's other championships, so it was encouraging to see so many teams express interest in them.

Grade: B

Kevin Knight vs. Chris Jericho (TNT Championship)

Last time in action: Jericho won a six-man tag match over Knight's team (Dynamite, August 5)

The TNT Championship was up for grabs when Kevin Knight put the title on the line against Chris Jericho in the next match. Don Callis accompanied his client, but he didn't join the commentary team like he usually would.

The Jet tried to get an early advantage, but the veteran was able to take control and hit a nice vertical suplex. After taking out Knight at ringside, he took a moment to sit with Paul Wight at the commentary table.

Jericho has looked better in this most recent run than he has in years, and working with guys like Knight definitely helps. He is one of AEW's best young talents to be signed in recent memory, and he is quickly earning the reputation of being capable of putting on a great match with anyone.

It never felt like the title was going to change hands, but having The Jet successfully retain over someone with the legacy of Jericho is always going to be valuable for an up-and-coming star.

They did a good job making this feel competitive, but it felt like they never quite hit that top gear we know both men have. Don used a screwdriver to attack Jericho behind the ref's back, which allowed Knight to escape The Liontamer.

Lionheart came close to winning despite the attack, but a low blow followed by a Crash Landing gave Knight the win.

Result: Knight defeated Jericho

Grade: B

Notable Moments and Observations

• Wight called Jericho his favorite tag team partner.
• Knight sold the hurricanrana from Jericho perfectly.
• Say what you will about Jericho, but the fact that he can still do a dive from the top rope to the floor will never stop being impressive.

Kris Statlander vs. Viva Van

Last time in action: Statlander lost to Persephone (Dynamite, August 5)

Kris Statlander was in action this week against Viva Van, who did not have a televised entrance, so we knew this one was going to be quick.

Statlander had control for a few moments, but Van made a brief comeback. They did their best to make this feel like a competitive fight without having a lot of time to work.

If they had more time, it feels like these two could have delivered a great performance, but they did decent work before Stat got the victory.

Foley came out to interview Statlander and informed her that she will be in a Fatal 4-Way for the TBS title next week with Persephone, Hikaru Shida and Maya World.

Result: Statlander defeated Van

Grade: C+

Notable Moments and Observations

• Van's rolling kick looked good.
• Statlander's music is so simple but so perfect for her.

Thunder Rosa and Maya World vs. Persephone and Hikaru Shida

Persephone and Shida came out looking like they might attack Stat, but Maya World and Thunder Rosa showed up for their tag match before anything could happen.

Shida and Rosa had a nice sequence at the start. Both women have been in AEW for years and know each other well, and you could see that chemistry on display.

They were given a little more time than Stat and Van, but some of it was taken up by a break, so it still felt like the women were being shortchanged a bit.

The second half was harder fought than the first and gave all four women a chance to stand out. Maya got the win for her team by pinning Shida.

Result: Maya and Rosa defeated Persephone and Shida

Grade: B-

Notable Moments and Observations

• It felt like AEW might have been running short on time, so they kind of pushed the two women's matches together.
• It's always cool to see AEW stars bringing belts from other promotions to the ring. It gives the show a more international feel.
• The way Rosa took down Persephone and Shida at the same time looked implausible given Persephone's size and strength.
• Maya's double-pin fallaway slam was cool.

Jack Perry vs. Jon Moxley

Last time in action: Death Riders defeated Bang Bang Gang and Perry (Collision, August 8)

The Continental Challenge Cup continued in the main event when Jack Perry took on current continental champion Jon Moxley.

The rules state that whoever wins the tournament wins the title, so for Mox to remain champion, he has to be successful in every single match, which puts more pressure on him than on anyone else in the tournament.

They started with some simple grappling. Mox even made a clean break when Perry backed him to the ropes. Jungle Jack seemed to have the upper hand until Moxley knocked him out of the air during a suicide dive with a single punch.

By the time we returned from a break, Moxley had busted Perry open and was still firmly in control of the pace. This ended up feeling very different from everything else we saw on the show, but that is a good thing.

Perry was the valiant underdog who gave the crowd hope, and Moxley expertly played the main-event heel who dominated him most of the time.

The ref almost called the match off because Perry was having trouble continuing, but he allowed it to carry on. The way they told this story was great, and it made the final few minutes of the match the best part of the show.

After a long struggle, Perry finally succumbed to a sleeper, giving Mox the win.

Result: Moxley defeated Perry

Grade: B+

Notable Moments and Observations

• It feels like AEW still doesn't quite know what to do with Perry sometimes. He has a special connection to the crowd, but he hasn't felt like an important character in a while.
• The way Moxley countered the suicide dive looked great from the camera angle they used.
• Mox is one of the few people to successfully use a noogie in a pro wrestling match.

The Final Word

Wednesday's Dynamite was a solid show from top to bottom, but it wasn't without its flaws.

The two women's matches that were late additions to the card felt crammed together toward the end of the show, but at least AEW found a good way to connect them through current feuds.

The TBS title bout was enjoyable, but the two Continental Challenge Cup matches were the biggest highlights of the show.

Finlay and White put on a fun showing early in the night, and Moxley and Perry closed the show with a battle of wills.

All In is shaping up to be one of the more interesting events of the year for AEW. Let's hope it can keep the momentum high heading into the PPV.

Grade: B