AEW Dynamite Results & Review (7/13/22): Titles Change Hands
AEW Dynamite was the first show for the Fyter Fest lineup. Fyter Fest spans over two weeks and has four total shows with Dynamite and Rampage. The show is meant to have a pay-per-view quality to it, and it does every year. AEW Dynamite was a good show with a lot of great action. In case you didn’t get to watch it, here’s everything that happened.
*TNT Championship Match*
Orange Cassidy vs Wardlow (c)
This was the first time these two have faced off in an AEW ring. They have a contrast of styles, which made this contest intriguing. This was Wardlow’s first title defense since winning the belt from Scorpio Sky. Cassidy has been having a great run since he returned from injury, so it is nice to see him get a title shot. Prior to the match, the best friends said the only way Cassidy had a chance was if they cheated. The match started and, in typical Cassidy fashion, he went to put his hands in his pockets. Wardlow stopped him and ripped the pockets out of Cassidy’s pants. Wardlow pulled his straps down and flexed, and Cassidy put his straps back on him. The two started to fight after that. Cassidy did everything he could to try to beat Wardlow.
Trent Beretta went to take the turnbuckle pad off and the ref went over to him. While that was happening, Chuck Taylor threw a chainsaw in the ring. The ref immediately caught them and tossed them from ringside. Cassidy gave it his all, but came up short. Wardlow retained in a very entertaining match. The two have completely opposite styles of wrestling, so I wasn’t sure how this one was going to play out. I thought it was a great match and hit on multiple levels. Cassidy proved he can wrestle with anyone and make his character work.
Winner: Wardlow (c)
Chris Jericho Promo
Chris Jericho is set to face Eddi Kingston in a barbed wire everywhere match, with the Jericho Appreciation Society suspended above the ring in a shark cage. The catch is taking place next Wednesday during Week two of Fyter Fest. Jericho went on to say that Kingston isn’t facing the sports entertainer Chris Jericho, he is facing the Painmaker Chris Jericho. Painmaker is a nickname that Jericho used when he was wrestling in Japan for the last couple of years. He also said this was going to be the last match between them, the end of the saga.
Jericho is always good on the mic, but he usually takes a more light-hearted and comedic stance. This one he was serious: there were no jokes, and he was all business. Even with this style of promo, Jericho proved he is still one of the best in the world on the mic. The promo got me even more excited to watch the match, and it helped build up to it.
*AEW Interim World Championship Eliminator Match*
Konosuke Takeshita vs Jon Moxley (c)
Tony Khan announced in the days leading up to Wednesday, that Takeshita was going to face Jon Moxley. He was so impressed with Takeshita’s match against Kingston on Rampage, that he granted him a shot against Jon Moxley. It was a non-title match, but if Takeshita won, he would have received a future title opportunity. Takeshita is a young rising star in the wrestling world, and he showed everyone why. He is big and fast, going toe-to-toe with Jon Moxley, who is one of the heavy hitters in AEW. Takeshita has been wrestling on AEW Dark, AEW Dark Elevation, Rampage, and Dynamite over the past couple of weeks. He has impressed every time he steps in the ring and this fight was no different.
Takeshita is a future world champion, and he showed he can hang with the best of them. This match was really good. Takeshita got to expose himself to a lot of wrestling fans who might not know who he is. Facing Moxley is no easy task, and Takeshita really showed up in the match. I can’t wait to see him grow and evolve as a professional wrestler.
Winner: Jon Moxley (c)
We Hear From Luchasaurus and Christian Cage
Cage and Luchasaurus came out and Cage cut his usual personal attack promo. The Varsity Blonds were in the ring and Cage took shots at Brian Pillman Jr. After the promo, Cage said told Luchasaurus that Griff Garrison looked like Jungle Boy. Luchasaurus headed to the ring to have a match against Garrison. He had no problem beating Garrison and after the match, he attacked Pillman Jr. and Garrison.
Cage and Luchasaurus continued with their despicable actions this week. Cage got personal during his promo and Luchasaurus just destroyed Griff Garrison. Jungle Boy needs to return to help put an end to this streak of cruelty at the hands of Christian Cage and Luchasaurus.
Winner: Luchasaurus
Claudio Castagnoli vs Jake Hager
Claudio and Hager got their match against each other on last week’s episode of Dynamite. These two are no strangers to each other. They have faced each other over ten times throughout their careers, with Claudio winning the majority of them. It was a physical match with both men going back and forth with their offense. Since they knew each other so well, they knew what the other was going to do. It was a pretty fair fight, but Claudio edged out Hager and picked up the win.
I loved this match. I have been saying for years that Claudio is severely underrated and I believe the same for Hager. It was nice to see Hager in singles action and facing his former friend Claudio. It seems like Claudio is building up some wins before he gets into a serious feud, so it will be interesting to see who the first person he feuds with is.
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
Thunder Storm Interview
Tony Schiavone was backstage interviewing Thunder Rosa and Toni Storm. The two are newly acquainted tag-team. They said they were willing to face anyone who wanted to fight. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter interrupted them. They said they knew how to beat Thunder Storm. They are likely going to be in tag-team action facing off against each other.
Anna Jay vs Serena Deeb
Deeb and Jay faced off in, what was a momentum builder for Deeb. Deeb and Mercedes Martinez have been tag-teaming as of late. They have been having a lot of success, but on Rampage, Deeb turned on Martinez. She proved she was after the Ring of Honor Women’s World Championship. Deeb and Martinez are now facing off at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view. She was looking to get a warm-up match since she has been competing in a tag-team competition as of late.
Deeb made fairly quick work of Jay and had no problem picking up the victory on AEW Dynamite. She made Jay tap out to her Serenity Lock, but would not release the hold. Martinez came down to fend off Deeb and Deeb retreated when Martinez got to the ring.
Winner: Serena Deeb
*AEW World Tag-Team Championship Match*
Ricky Starks (c) & Powerhouse Hobbs vs Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee vs The Young Bucks (c)
Starks and Hobbs have been having issues with Lee and Strickland as of late. After Lee and Strickland’s victory on AEW Dynamite last week, Starks and Hobbs came out to ruin their celebration. Starks said they weren’t on their level and started going off. The Bucks came out and interrupted Starks and said they wanted to fight them both for the tag titles at Fyter Fest. This match was hard-hitting and had a lot of incredible spots. These men did a great job at putting on an entertaining match and told a great story during the process. It really felt like each team had a moment when you thought they were going to win.
AEW always puts on incredible tag-team matches, so it was no surprise this one was amazing. All six men put on a great performance. There were so many different times when you thought someone was going to win, and they didn’t. Ultimately, Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee won, becoming new tag-team champions. I love both of these men, so it is nice to see them get success as a tag team. The future is bright for Swerve and Strickland and the entire AEW tag-team division.
Winner: Swerve Strickland & Keith Lee
