AEW Dynamite: Beach Break is upon us! Too bad the weather here in Toronto hasn’t been beach-friendly today.
We’ve got a loaded card tonight so let’s get right into it all! A new theme song that slaps. Off to a great start already!
1. Will Ospreay and “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Konosuke Takeshita and Josh Alexander
Ospreay and Takeshita start things off for their respective sides. Ospreay gets a heat check and Takeshita tags in Alexander.
Page gets a cover off a Death Valley Driver on Takeshita but only gets two on the count.
He gets a Sit-Out Powerbomb and again only gets two. Ospreay tags in and continues working on Takeshita. The momentum shifts quick as Page tags in but the two don’t seem to be on the same page. They will face off in the final of the Men’s Owen at Double or Nothing May 25th. Alexander and Takeshita take advantage and “The Alpha” nails both opponents with his full weight outside the ring, assisted nicely by “The Walking Weapon”.
Ospreay gets caught in the ring by himself with both opponents and lands a beautiful double kick to both opponents’ heads in the air. Page and Ospreay get on the same page and Ospreay nails a Sky Twister Press onto Alexander. Ospreay impressively kicks out of the Stereo Elbows.
He nails both opponents with Os-Cutters and Alexander kicks out of the pinfall. Page tags himself in but Ospreay doesn’t like that despite Page urging some unity.
A Buckshot Lariat and Hidden Blade combo keeps Alexander down.
Winners: Will Ospreay and “Hangman” Adam Page
Takeshita attacks the victors after and the Don Callis Family exacts some revenge. Ospreay fights out of it and errantly elbows Page in the chest. The two need to be separated and they don’t seem to be on the same page anymore.
I said page a lot there.
A promo video airs for tonight’s main event, the Steel Cage match between AEW Men’s World Champ Jon Moxley and Samoa Joe.
Top Flight call out MJF and The Hurt Syndicate. Dustin Rhodes comes out in support of them as they’re backstage with Alicia Atout and Leila Grey.
2. Ricochet vs. Zach Gowen
Ricochet has the prosthetic leg. Classless but that’s no surprise.
Gowen takes Ricochet down quite easily at the start and Ricochet looks shocked. Gowen gets some moves together and forces Ricochet out of the ring.
He later baits Ricochet and knocks him back down to the outside of the ring.
Ricochet hits a 450 Splash off the ropes but Gowen kicks out, his son at ringside encouraging him to keep going. He again kicks out of a Shooting Star Press.
Gowen hits Ricochet with the prosthetic leg behind the ref’s back.
Winner: Ricochet
The victor rubs it in and continues the assault after but Mark Briscoe rushes out to make the save.
Renee Paquette is backstage with MJF. He’s still insistent on joining The Hurt Syndicate. Renee asks him what they’ll do to him if they don’t accept him. MVP says MJF needs to join them in the ring after their match. “Bob” says it’s going to be fun.
3. The Hurt Syndicate vs. Top Flight in an Eliminator match
Shelton Benjamin gets hits with an early DDT by the Martin brothers. Some impressive moves by Top Flight take Bobby Lashley off his feet. This makes him “lean forward in his seat” to borrow a videogame term. Leila Grey and MVP exchange words outside the ring.
Dante gets put in the Hurt lock and taps.
Winners: The Hurt Syndicate.
Lashley keeps the Hurt Lock and the Sons of Texas show up. The Hurt Syndicate ask them to join them in the ring. The CRU show up to get their hands dirty as well. The CRU have also beaten Top Flight. Lio Rush asks Bobby if The Cru can get a shot. Dustin Rhodes cuts that off really quick.
MVP gives MJF a commercial break to get in the ring.
Shelton goes up the ramp and finds MJF behind Tony Khan at the producers’ table. They come back to the ring and MJF looks timid and unwilling to enter the ring but he does.
MVP and Shelton Benjamin are still on-board. Bobby Lashley teases MJF for a while and GIVES HIM THE THUMBS UP. MVP says the official contract signing will be next week on Dynamite.
4. “Timeless” Toni Storm vs. AZM vs. Mina Shirakawa vs. Skye Blue in an Eliminator match
After many months (July 2024) on the shelf due to a broken fibula, Skye Blue makes her return to an AEW ring in her hometown of Chicago.
The bell rings and AZM (Azumi) and Mina get tangled in the ring as Storm and Blue lock up on the outside. Shirakawa hits a spinning DDT on AZM outside the ring. Skye Blue and AZM exchange hits before getting pulled out by Storm and Mina.
Storm and Mina bump into each other and tease some friendship before exchanging elbows. Azumi gets hit with a DDT as Mina simultaneously has a Figure Four lock on Storm. Mina drops onto Storm on the outside but gets taken out by AZM. Skye Blue gets her shot and drops on all 3 opponents.
Shirakawa and Blue exchange massive elbows in the ring. Storm hits Blue and Shirakawa with two each hip attacks. AZM avoids the attack and counters.
A Sky High from Storm takes down Blue but she doesn’t go for the pinfall. Skye Blue looks for Code Blue on AZM but she avoids it again. She gets a pinfall attempt but Storm breaks it up.
Mina stuns the champion.
Winner: Mina Shirakawa via pinfall on “Timeless” Toni Storm.
The two will face each other at Double or Nothing.
AZM is being helped to the back and gets gets attacked by Mercedes Mone. She locks in a submission on the ramp but here comes Jamie Hayter to stop her Double or Nothing opponent.
A tribute video airs for the late Terrance Michael Brunk, better known in the (squared) circle as the one and only Sabu, who passed away Sunday.
Renee is backstage with MJF and MVP. MJF is still in shock about the acceptance. He brings out “Smart” Mark Sterling and MVP is cautious.
Toni Schivaone and Nigel McGuinness are in the ring. Nigel calls Daniel Garcia into the ring for an apology. Nigel accepts that announcers shouldn’t be in the ring and the apology seems heartfelt.
The crowd boos and Garcia doesn’t accept the apology. He said FTR disrespected Nigel and he stood up for himself. Garcia asks McGuinness to join him for a tag match. “Big Stoke” interrupts and Nigel apologizes to “Strokely” but Hathaway says his punishment should be an official match so FTR cannot be held responsible for what happens in the ring. Nigel declines but Garcia urges him.
FTR – who weren’t supposed to be – attack Nigel and Garcia from behind. “Daddy Magic” shows up with a crowbar.
5. AEW Men’s World Champion Jon Moxley vs. Samoa Joe in a Steel Cage match
Samoa Joe looks almost bored as Moxley makes his entrance with Marina Shafir, who holds the briefcase. As Ian Riccaboni points out, this is the first time the AEW Men’s World Championship is being defended in a Steel Cage.
Samoa Joe uses the ring to his advantage early and Jon Moxley takes a while before he gains control. The two heavyweights keep going, exchanging their trademark heavy hits.
As most may have predicted, it doesn’t take long for Moxley to start bleeding, sustaining a cut on his head. The Death Riders and The Opps are outside the ring just to ensure that things DO get out of hand if given the chance.
Moxley pokes Joe’s eyes but the challenger pulls him back down as he tries to climb the cage. Jow locks in the Cross Face and Moxley almost taps but reaches for the ropes.
Moxley lands a huge Cutter but is slow to build on it. He connects with a Juji Gatame. Wearing a crimson mask, he tries choking out his challenger. He hits a Paradigm Shift but Samoa Joe kicks out again.
Joe gets to his feet and locks in the Coquina Clutch. Claudio Castagnoli tries climbing the cage but Willow interrupts. Powerhouse Hobbs takes out Wheeler Yuta.
Gabe Kidd wears a hoodie and slides the briefcase into the cage.
Winner: Jon Moxley retains.
Hobbs goes up to Kidd and Claudio attacks him from behind. Marina Shafir sends Willow Nightingale into the barricade.
The Young Bucks come out and join the Death Riders in the ring. Kenny Omega clears out some opponents before Kazuchika Okada jumps him from behind and sends him into the ring.
The ring is lowered again with Samoa Joe and Kenny Omega at the mercy of the Death Riders and The Elite. “Speedball” Mike Bailey chases Okada away but that’s not going to help much.
Swerve’s music hits and he’s ready to join to fray. He drops onto all the heels from the top of the cage, forcing the EVPs and Death Riders to flee. He says his last time in a steel cage match in Chicago involved a cinder block.
He calls out the Death Riders for Anarchy in the Arena at Double or Nothing May 25th.
