AEW Dynamite Live Coverage - November 1st, 2023

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AEWDynamite

This week, Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega reunite to square off against Daddy Magic & Cool Hand Ang. Who will team with AEW World Champion MJF to face Bullet Club Gold in the massive 8-man tag team main event? Plus, Orange Cassidy defends his AEW International Championship against Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli.


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– We open the show with a detailed recap of what went down on last week's show and then we shoot live backstage to Renee Paquette, who introduces her guest at this time, AEW World Champion and one-half of the ROH World Tag-Team Champions, MJF.

Paquette brings up MJF's match tonight against Bullet Club Gold and how he must find three partners to join him. He first mentions how he wants to get some advice from his bro-chacho for life, Adam Cole, who he has on a live stream right now.

Cole appears on the monitor behind MJF and Paquette and talks about how Maxwell Jacob Friedman is the longest-reigning AEW World Champion in history and his best friend. He tells him he should consider Samoa Joe's recent offer to have his back.

MJF isn't sure about that but then mentions how he's going to defend these ROH World Tag-Team Championships for them at AEW Full Gear 2023. He walks off to handle his business for tonight. We then hear "Adam! Adam!" and up in his wheel chair comes Roderick Strong with The Kingdom duo of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett.

He asks Cole if he can't tell by now that MJF truly is "The Devil." Cole isn't in the mood. Strong yells "Adam! Adam!" and the live backstage cold open wraps up on that note.

Now we shoot live inside the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY. for the first time tonight. The "Light the fuse..." theme plays as the camera pans the crowd and fireworks explode. Excalibur welcomes us to the show and then sends it down to the ring for our opening contest.

AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (C) vs. Claudio Castagnoli

"The Dapper Yapper" Justin Roberts is shown standing in the center of the ring. He begins the formal pre-match ring introductions for the champion and the challenger for our first match of the evening, which features the AEW International Championship on-the-line.

Orange Cassidy's theme hits and out comes the "Freshly Squeezed" one for the latest defense of his title. As he settles inside the squared circle, Tony Schiavone and Taz join Excalibur on commentary to talk us through video highlights of Cassidy and Kazuchika Okada breaking Bryan Danielson's orbital bone during their tag-team match against he and Claudio Castagnoli last week.

The theme for Cassidy wraps up and now the entrance tune for Claudio Castagnoli hits. Out comes a very determined-looking former ROH World Champion accompanied by fellow Blackpool Combat Club member Wheeler Yuta. The two settle in the ring as Cassidy hangs back on the floor at ringside.

Castagnoli's tune dies down and the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. Cassidy charges at Castagnoli in the middle of the ring, but doesn't connect with anything as the BCC member side-steps him. The two continue to mix it up and Cassidy gains the early offensive upper-hand, beating down Claudio in the corner as the fans cheer him on.

Claudio starts to fight back and after hitting a modified rip-cord / back-breaker move with authority, we see the "Freshly Squeezed" one is down and out now, with the BCC member now in a comfortable offensive lead. Cassidy rolls out to the floor to try and avoid Castagnoli, who comes out after him and rolls him back in the ring. Cassidy rolls right back out and Claudio does the same.

A third time, Cassidy rolls out to the floor to avoid the fight from Castagnoli and to try and clear the cobwebs and recover as much as possible before re-engaging. Cassidy does start to fight back now and he sends Castagnoli out to the floor. He builds up a full head of steam and charges out after Claudio through the ropes.

He looks for a suicide dive into a tornado DDT on the floor, however Castagnoli catches him and muscles him high in the air for a military press, before slamming him down with authority on the unforgiving ringside barricade.

The commentators talk us through highlights of that spot, which appears to show Cassidy suffering some sort of elbow injury. Wheeler Yuta gets too-close for comfort, so HOOK comes out to make sure nothing happens. The referee of the match notices this and ends up ejecting both Yuta and HOOK from the ringside area. Castagnoli hoists a lifeless Cassidy up over his shoulders and walks up the ring steps with him like that.

He also steps through the ropes like that and sits him on the top-rope. Cassidy knocks Castagnoli down but ends up climbing back up. He muscles Cassidy up for a delayed vertical avalanche suplex off the top-rope for a huge pop. After that, Cassidy rolls out to the floor at ringside again. Excalibur then talks us into a mid-match commercial break as the action in this exciting AEW International Championship opener continues.

When we return from the break, we see Castagnoli is still dominating the action. Cassidy starts to fight back, looking for the Stundog Millionaire. Castagnoli ends up taking back over and locking Cassidy in a cross between a giant swing and a sleeper-hold.

Cassidy fades but ends up hanging on and fighting back. He hits his trademark Beach Break spot and then Castagnoli ends up on the floor with the referee counting him out. Castagnoli just makes it into the ring before the count of ten.

Moments later, Cassidy surprises Castagnoli and pulls off the win. After the match, Cassidy is savagely attacked by Jon Moxley and the rest of the BCC.

Winner and STILL AEW International Champion: Orange Cassidy

– We go backstage and we see MJF and Chris Jericho run into each other. As MJF goes to walk away, he is confronted by Wardlow, who chokes him up against a wall. Wardlow tells MJF that he took everything from him and now he's gonna do the same to him. Wardlow walks off.

MJF goes to walk off as well, he turns the corner and runs into The Acclaimed. Max Caster makes his usual socially awkward comments and MJF storms past them. We head to another commercial break on that note.

– When we return from the break, we see a worked-up Jon Moxley pacing back-and-forth backstage talking about what just went down with Orange Cassidy after his successful AEW International Championship defense over Claudio Castagnoli.

Mox goes on to challenge Cassidy for a shot at the AEW International Championship at the upcoming AEW Full Gear 2023 premium live event on November 18 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA.

ROH 6-Man Tag-Team Championships: Hangman Page & The Young Bucks (C) vs. Brian Cage & Gates Of Agony

Now we shoot back inside the KFC Yum! Center where the theme for Brian Cage and The Gates of Agony (Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun) hits. The three-man team make their way to the ring accompanied by Prince Nana. They settle in the ring and await the arrival of their opposition.

We hear The Elite theme song and out comes the reigning and defending ROH 6-Man Tag-Team Champions, "Hangman" Adam Page and The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson). Their music dies down.

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. As the teams mix it up in the early goings, we hear the commentary team of Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz talk about The Elite trio wanting revenge on anyone involved with The Mogul Embassy after Shane "Swerve" Strickland and Prince Nana broke into Hangman Page's home.

After some early back-and-forth action, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the match continues. When we return, we see the action still in progress when out of nowhere we hear, "Who's house?!?" and out comes Shane "Swerve" Strickland to distract The Elite trio.

It works, too, as Hangman Page exits the ring and charges at him. The two run off to the back and the camera pans back to show the action still ongoing in the ring. After the distraction, we see the challengers score the upset victory to recapture the ROH 6-Man Tag-Team Championships.

After the match, we see Hangman Page still going after Swerve Strickland backstage. Back in the ring, we see The Young Bucks looking dejected after losing the titles. Matt Jackson in particular loses his cool.

Matt takes a page out of Chris Jericho's book in WCW during his heel turn, as he picks up a steel chair at ringside and throws a temper tantrum, smashing the chair into the steel ring post over-and-over-and-over again. After this, we shift gears and head into another commercial break.

Winners and NEW ROH 6-Man Tag-Team Champions: Brian Cage & The Gates Of Agony

– As we settle back in from the break, we see MJF walking the hallways backstage. He stops at Samoa Joe's locker room and hesitates before thinking about knocking on the door, presumably to accept the offer Samoa Joe made in having his back. He ends up deciding against it and walks off.

He stops at the locker room door of Darby Allin. He yanks the name tag off the door and writes some insults on it and then puts it back. He goes to turn and walk away and again runs into The Acclaimed. After Max Caster tries talking, but once again MJF isn't interested in hearing anything from him. He walks off.

– Back inside the KFC Yum! Center, we see Tony Schiavone standing in the center of the ring. He introduces his guest at this time, "The Rated-R Superstar" himself, Adam Copeland. The pro wrestling legend makes his way out to the ring and settles inside to an enormous pop.

Schiavone introduces him and then Copeland tells the fans that they'd be cheering even louder for Schiavone than they already are right now if they knew all of the hats he wears behind-the-scenes in AEW. He then talks about how he has a long history with Sting. He also credits Darby Allin for being one of the foundations for the future.

He goes on to talk about AEW Full Gear 2023 coming up in a couple of weeks and mentions how everyone wants to know if he's going to team up with Darby Allin and Sting at the show. Before he can say anything else, Christian Cage's theme interrupts him. Out comes the TNT Champion with Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne to a ton of boos.

Christian Cage tells the Louisville crowd to shut up and then boasts about how he's going to retire Sting at AEW Full Gear 2023 whether he wants to or not. He then mentions how we haven't seen much from Darby Allin lately because of the beating he put on him.

He brings up Adam Copeland's serious neck problems over the years and suggests Copeland back down from him right now, or else he's gonna snap his neck all the way and retire him for good. He promises to leave him in a wheelchair to live the rest of his life while his kids wipe the drool off of his face.

As he continues threatening his longtime former friend, he, Luchasaurus and Wayne walk closer and closer to the ring. As they near the ringside area, Cage tells Luchasaurus and Wayne to give Copeland a preview of what is to come. They surround the ring and attack Copeland from behind.

After that, we see them ganging up on him and hitting all of their trademark spots on him and focusing on his neck while continuing a prolonged three-on-one beat down. They grab some chairs, presumably for a con-chair-to, but before they can do it, Sting's theme hits. "The Icon" emerges, as does Darby Allin, and the two rush to the ring to help Copeland take out Cage, Luchasaurus and Wayne.

Copeland measures up Cage for his trademark Spear. Cage turns and Copeland turns him inside-out with a huge Spear that pops the crowd. Copeland gets on the mic. "You wanna snap my neck? I'm gonna beat your ass!" He tells Sting and Darby Allin that they were right and if they want a partner for AEW Full Gear 2023, he's their man. His theme ends and the three hug to end the segment.

– We shoot backstage and we see Tony Khan standing by. He talks about AEW's debut in England earlier this year. He mentions how tonight is the start of the holiday season. He says he can't think of a better gift for the wrestling fans to give their loved ones than tickets for their U.K. return.

Khan goes on to reveal that tickets for AEW ALL IN 2024, which takes place at Wembley Stadium in London, England on August 25, will begin going on sale one month from now on December 1. You can also sign up now for a pre-sale at Ticketmaster.co.uk/AEWWembley2024 on November 27.

Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega vs. Matt Menard & Angelo Parker

Now we return inside the KFC Yum! Center where the former J.A.S. tag-team duo of "Daddy Magic" Matt Menard and "Cool Hand" Angelo Parker make their way out to the ring for our next match of the evening. The two settle in the ring accompanied by Jake Hager to a bunch of boos.

The theme for Chris Jericho hits and out comes the wrestling legend as fans in Louisville sing along with his hit theme song "Judas in my Mind" by Fozzy. He settles in the ring with Floyd the baseball bat in his hands as Excalibur informs us that The Don Callis Family have made their way over to the commentary area.

We are informed that Don Callis, Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs have joined them at the commentary area for the call of our next match. Don Callis is on a headset for special commentary, and the rest of The Don Callis Family guys are standing behind them.

Jericho's theme dies down and then we hear the familiar sounds of Kenny Omega's theme music. "The Dapper Yapper" Justin Roberts gives his usual extended ring introduction as "The Cleaner" emerges and heads to the ring to revive The Golden Jets duo with his fellow Canadian wrestling legend for our next bout of the evening.

Omega and Jericho are settled in the ring on their side, and the duo of Menard and Parker are ready to rock and roll on the other end of the squared circle. Menard and Parker yell off-mic at Jericho about how he didn't realize what he had in them. They attack him from behind as he goes to turn his back on them.

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Menard and Parker work over Jericho, who ends up fighting back with chops to both guys. He knocks one out of the ring and continues to work over Menard. He tags in Omega, who enters the ring and helps Jericho with a tandem suplex on "Daddy Magic" for a big pop.

We see the two hitting the ropes and blasting into Parker with a double flying shoulder-tackle just as Excalibur talks us into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see Jericho fall victim to his own Floyd the baseball bat, as the former J.A.S. duo use it as a weapon on him in an attempt to steal the win, however Jericho hangs on.

Moments later, he uses it to finish them off for the win. After the match, Don Callis gets on the mic and tells Jericho and Omega if they have the guts to face the greatest family in pro wrestling, The Don Callis Family, to meet them in a Street Fight at AEW Full Gear 2023. Jericho and Omega get on the mic in the ring and accept.

Omega tells him they accept and that they have a spot open for Kota Ibushi. Callis says by his math, they're still out-numbered by one. Omega says he's all out of ideas and asks Jericho if he can help him come up with something. Jericho brings up Powerhouse Hobbs savagely attacking him a few weeks ago. He says he mentioned before how Hobbs is a big, big man, but he's got a friend who's even bigger.

Callis fires back at Jericho and says no one is bigger than Will Hobbs. Jericho says maybe not a normal man. He says as big as Hobbs is, he's not a giant. The crowd pops and then Paul Wight's theme hits and out comes former WWE legend Big Show -- in his ring gear -- and with a dead-serious look in his eyes.

He begins walking down the ramp and as Kyle Fletcher charges at him, he blasts him with a knockout shot that leaves him laying. The rest of The Don Callis Family leave through the crowd to avoid having to walk past Wight. The Street Fight is official for Full Gear. On that note, we shift gears and head into another commercial break.

Winners: Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega

– When we return from the break, we see Renee Paquette in the locker room with Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega. They talk about Kota Ibushi and Paul Wight being on their team for the Street Fight against The Don Callis Family at AEW Full Gear 2023. As they continue to talk, in comes The Young Bucks.

Matt Jackson is worked up and asked what the point of reforming The Elite was if they aren't going to have each others backs. He then asks what Chris Jericho, who he calls a prick, is doing in their locker room.

Jericho tells him to watch his mouth when he talks to him and says not to be mat at him just because they lost their ROH 6-Man Tag-Team Championships. Omega tells the Bucks just to look at it this way, they have a common interest in taking out The Don Callis Family. The Young Bucks aren't pleased with this response and leave still upset.

AEW Women's Championship: Hikaru Shida (C) vs. Willow Nightingale

We return inside the KFC Yum! Center where we hear the upbeat sounds of Willow Nightingale's theme music. Out she comes for our next match of the evening. She heads to the ring for her title opportunity in what is our third championship contest of the evening thus far.

The theme for Hikaru Shida hits and out comes the reigning and defending AEW Women's Champion to make the third straight defense of her newly won AEW Women's Championship in a span of seven days. She settles inside the squared circle and her entrance tune dies down.

Now the bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. We see Shida doing well early on, but Nightingale ends up settling into the early offensive lead. Shida begins fighting back, tieing up Willow in the ropes and then launching into her with a big knee that sends her to the floor.

After that, Shida leaps off the ropes and dives onto Willow on the floor with a big splash. The crowd gives her a big reaction for that high spot and then Excalibur talks us into a mid-match commercial break as this championship contest continues. When we return, we see some more back-and-forth action, with Willow largely in the offensive driver's seat.

Things continue this way until Willow hoists Shida over her shoulders and climbs to the top-rope. Things don't work out as she planned, and Shida takes back over, finishing her off with her big kick for the pin fall victory. With the win, Shida retains the AEW Women's Championship. After the match, "Timeless" Toni Storm comes out. Shida beats her down. The lights go out and Julia Hart appears. Skye Blue also comes out.

Winner and STILL AEW Women's Champion: Hikaru Shida

– We shoot backstage where we see Renee Paquette standing by with Roderick Strong in his wheelchair and The Kingdom by his side. Strong calls Adam Cole and yells "Adam!" Cole tells him he doesn't have to yell because he can hear him. Strong annoys Cole some more, and Cole eventually hangs up on him.

– Now we see The Acclaimed approach MJF, who is upset and sitting on the floor, with a bag. The bag has their ring gear in it that he has to wear if they're going to team up. MJF looks annoyed. The Acclaimed walk off. MJF stands up and turns and sees Jeff Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh and Karen Jarrett.

They laugh and tell MJF to come on and get ready, because they'll be his partners. MJF looks at them with disgust, looks down at the bag with The Acclaimed's ring gear for him in it, and shakes his head, presumably because he's going to hesitantly accept The Acclaimed's offer. We head to another commercial break after this.

Bullet Club Gold vs. MJF & TBA

When we return from the break, we shoot inside the KFC Yum! Center where we see the always cool ring entrance of the four-man team of Bullet Club Gold. The team consisting of Jay White, Juice Robinson and The Gunns (Colten & Austin Gunn) head to the ring for our final match of the evening.

After they settle in the ring and their music dies down, we await the arrival of MJF and the decision on who he will be teaming with. Instead of MJF's theme, however, we hear the familiar sounds of The Acclaimed's entrance tune. Max Caster does a freestyle rap on the way to the ring, where a few things he says has to be bleeped off the broadcast.

The fan-favorite trio of AEW Trios Champions The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) and "Daddy Ass" Billy Gunn settle in the ring. Their music dies down and then the theme for MJF hits and the crowd explodes as the AEW World and ROH Tag-Team Champion emerges and makes his way down to the ring for our headline bout of this week's show.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman comes out wearing pink and a "Scissor Me" shirt like The Acclaimed. He settles in the ring to loud chants of "MJF! MJF!" from the Louisville crowd. Max Caster already gets on his nerves before the match begins, as he's trying too hard to be overly friendly with him.

The fans chant "Oh scissor me daddy!" as they get ready to get this one started. The bell sounds and now we're officially off-and-running with this one. We see MJF wanting to start for his team. He calls for Jay White to start of his as well. White tags in and he and MJF stare each other down.

When MJF charges at him, White runs and hides and then tags right back out. When Juice Robinson tags in to start things off for his team instead, we see MJF walk over and tag out. In comes Anthony Bowens, who works over Juice as fans cheer him on. Billy Gunn tags in for his team and Austin Gunn tags in for his.

We see the father and son stare each other down and then begin getting after it. Billy Gunn out-works his son early on, but ends up hurting his leg. He limps and struggles to move, and eats an elbow from his son. Billy Gunn fires back up and takes Austin out, who runs over to tag Jay White. White comes in and gets in Billy Gunn's face.

He challenges him to a test of strength, but when Billy goes to oblige, he kicks him low and continues his sneak attack on the wrestling veteran. MJF tags in and he charges at White, who again runs away from him and slides out to the floor. The Acclaimed come in and stand with MJF trying to offer a scissor-me handshake. The crowd pops.

MJF looks around at them but opts against it. We head into a mid-match commercial break on that note. When we return from the break, we see Bullet Club Gold as taken over and settled into a comfortable offensive lead. One-by-one we see Bullet Club Gold take out Caster, Bowens and Gunn, leaving MJF to essentially fight all of them by himself anyways.

"The Devil" does exactly that, but then finds himself on the short end of the stick from an offensive perspective. Bullet Club Gold ends up finishing him off for the victory.

Winners: Bullet Club Gold

– After the match, we see Bullet Club Gold grab the AEW Championship and look to blind-side MJF with it, but Max Caster "dives in front of the bullet" and took the shot for him.

Bullet Club Gold retreat to the back as fans give them a ton of heat. They talk trash from the top of the stage as MJF stares them down from the ring. MJF turns his attention to Max Caster, who is still down and out. He gives him a wimpy handshake and goes to walk off, but Billy Gunn stops him and yells in his face not to walk away after what Caster did for him.

Gunn demands MJF "scissor them." MJF holds his scissor high in the air, as do Gunn, Caster and Bowens in all four corners of the ring. They close-in at the center of the ring and do a four-way "scissor me" handshake for an enormous pop. The Acclaimed's theme hits and they all celebrate.

Max Caster goes too far, crawling over on his knees and hugging MJF around the waist. MJF pushes him off. They continue playing to the crowd as Excalibur takes us off the air. That's how this week's show wraps up.