AEW Dynamite Live Coverage - May 15th, 2024

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AEW Dynamite

This week, Kazuchika Okada defends the Continental Championship against Dax Hardwood. Mercedes Moné and TBS Champ Willow Nightingale sign the contract to face off at DOUBLE OR NOTHING. Bryan Danielson & Jon Moxley face Jeff Cobb & Kyle Fletcher. AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland faces former ally Brian Cage.


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– We are live inside the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, WA. without the video intro or theme this week, and we get right down to business with our first match of the evening.

– "Wild Thing" plays and we see Jon Moxley backstage. He heads through the crowd to make his usual custom ring entrance as the fans in the Seattle area go wild. He makes it to the ring barricade, but is jumped by his scheduled opponents for this tag-team opener.

Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson vs. Kyle Fletcher & Jeff Cobb

Kyle Fletcher and Jeff Cobb attack Mox as we hear Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz and Don Callis welcome us to the show on commentary. As the two continue to beat down Mox, the theme for his fellow Blackpool Combat Club member Bryan Danielson hits and the crowd goes wild as "The American Dragon" heads to the ring in a hurry.

Danielson's music continues to play for the next couple of minutes as the BCC duo brawl with The Don Callis Family team. Finally the bell sounds and it is Danielson and Cobb kicking things off in the ring for their respective teams. Danielson blasts Cobb with repeated "Yes!" kicks in the corner of the ring. Mox tags in and a loud "Moxley!" chant breaks out.

We see Danielson slap Cobb in a figure-four leg lock and crank back on the wheel of the big man. He leans back and tags Mox back in. Cobb bull-rushes Mox into his corner and he and Fletcher double-team him. Fletcher tags in and goes to work on Mox in the corner, but Mox starts no-selling him.

He voluntarily walks to the other corner of the ring and gives him a free chop before turning him around and lighting him up with his own chops and strikes. Mox drops back for a straight arm bar on Fletcher, but Fletcher defends well and takes back over until Mox blasts him in the gut and tags in Danielson.

Bryan lays Fletcher across the top-rope and climbs to the top in the corner. He plays to the crowd and then leaps off and connects with a big knee drop to the back of Fletcher's head. As the crowd reacts to the high spot, we shift gears and head into our first mid-match commercial break of the evening.

When we return from the break, we see the Don Callis Family duo in the offensive lead. Cobb hits a wild turning German suplex. He and Fletcher go for a modified Doomsday Device, but the BCC duo avoid it and take over. Danielson hits his knee finisher and a roundhouse kick and Mox follows up with a Death Rider for the win. After the match, Konosuke Takeshita attacks Mox with a foreign object. Claudio Castagnoli runs him off.

Winners: Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson

– A video package airs showing how much Swerve Strickland has gotten over as a top guy now that he is the AEW World Champion. It's actually really well done. After this wraps up, we return inside the arena where Adam Copeland's theme music hits.

Out comes the TNT Champion, but he is immediately attacked from behind by The House of Black. They beat him all the way down to the ring. The House of Black members hold a lifeless Copeland as Malakai Black gets on the mic. He begins but is immediately cut off by a loud "Shut the f*ck up!" chant.

Malakai tells Mr. Matthews to take off Copeland's wedding ring while Brody King chokes him out. They lean Copeland in the corner and Brody starts circling like he's about to do something when Kyle O'Reilly tries running out to make the save, only to be savagely taken out by Brody King and Malakai Black.

All three House of Black members run from the ring apron and kick a chair into Copeland's face at the same time. They walk off as Copeland is slumped over in the ring and O'Reilly is slumped over on the floor. Excalibur points out that Malakai Black still technically didn't give an answer to Copeland's Barbed Wire Steel Cage match request.

The Young Bucks vs. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal

When that segment wraps up, we shoot over to the commentary table and hear Excalibur wrap up what we just saw in a semi-serious voice. He then puts his real serious voice on as he introduces a video package from NJPW Resurgence while explaining that Eddie Kingston may have suffered a bad injury at the hands of The Elite.

After it wraps up, we see The Elite standing by live. They sarcastically talk about how Kingston appears to have been bitten by the injury bug and as a result, Anarchy in the Arena might be four against three. They gloat about their attacks of Tony Khan, Kenny Omega and Eddie Kingston. Kazuchika Okada vows to destroy "b*tch" Dax Harwood tonight. We head to a break.

As we settle back in from the break, we see a commercial for The Young Bucks' new Reebok pumps sneakers. After that, we shoot to FTR backstage with Renee Paquette. They tease possibly finding a fourth member for Anarchy in the Arena to replace the injured Eddie Kingston. Back inside the arena, The Young Bucks' theme hits and out they come as Jack Perry settles in on commentary.

The theme for their opponents hits and out comes Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Sydal and Nicholas Jackson kick things off for their respective teams. After a few minutes, we head into a mid-match break. When we return, The Young Bucks get the win.

After the match, they cut a post-match promo firing Christopher Daniels for putting his hands on Jackson last week. Jack Perry stands up and toasts the Bucks for making the tough decisions and then dumps his drink over Schiavone's head.

Winners: The Young Bucks

– We see Renee Paquette backstage with "Timeless" Toni Storm, Mariah May and Luther the Butler. We learn that May, Luther and Saraya have been banned from ringside for Storm's match tonight. Storm reacts to this in typical "Timeless" Toni-fashion and then we head to another commercial break.

– As we return from the break, we see Malakai Black backstage holding Adam Copeland's wedding ring as he cuts a promo accepting his challenge for a Barbed Wire Steel Cage match for the TNT Championship at the upcoming AEW Double Or Nothing 2024 pay-per-view. If Black wins, Copeland must bend a knee to The House of Black.

HOOK vs. Sebastian Wolfee

Back inside the arena, HOOK's theme hits and out comes "The Cold-hearted Handsome Devil" for our next match of the evening. Already in the ring is his scheduled opponent for tonight, Sebastian Wolfee. Taz points out that HOOK is not in a good mood tonight. HOOK dumps Wolfee on his dome with a suplex and slaps in Red Rum for the win in mere seconds.

After the match, HOOK gets on the mic and calls out Chris Jericho. Out comes "The Learning Tree" with Big Bill. He heads to the ring and in smiling fashion, offers HOOK the opportunity to be in a qualification match on AEW Collision to possibly earn a shot at the FTW Championship. HOOK slaps Jericho. Jericho and Bill attack him until Katsuyori Shibata runs out to make the save. Jericho is shown bleeding afterwards.

Winner: HOOK

– We shoot backstage where AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland congratulates Washington on one of their own bringing home a world title. He talks about Christian Cage and vows to put him in his coffin at AEW Double Or Nothing. He sends a message to Brian Cage and tells everyone to welcome him to "Who's House?" The crowd responds, "Swerve's House!"

AEW World Championship Eliminator: Swerve Strickland (C) vs. Brian Cage

Inside the arena, Swerve's theme hits and out he comes for an AEW World Championship Eliminator match against his former fellow member of The Mogul Embassy, "The Machine" Brian Cage. Swerve comes out Prince Nana-less once again. Swerve attacks Cage as soon as the match begins and immediately starts focusing his offensive attack on the arm of "The Machine."

Cage fights back and hits a big slam on Swerve into the turnbuckles in the corner of the ring. On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this title eliminator bout continues. When we return, Swerve hits the House Call and the Swerve Stomp for the win. After the match, he continues the attack on Cage. Christian Cage's theme hits and out he comes smiling with Nick Wayne's mom.

From behind, Nick Wayne blasts Swerve with a low-blow, which Taz refers to as "Yam-bag Yahtzee!" (Gotta love "The Human Suplex Machine" on the headset.) Cage takes shots at Swerve being a bad father and busts him open above his eye. Last week he took The Mogul Embassy from him. This week, his blood. He's delivering on his promise to take something from him every week ahead of AEW DoN. We head to another break.

Winner: Swerve Strickland

– When we return from the break, we see HOOK backstage when he is approached by Samoa Joe. After their brief interaction, we return inside the arena where the screen goes black-and-white as AEW Women's World Champion "Timeless" Toni Storm makes her way down to the ring for our next match of the evening. She settles inside the ring and a Wizard of Oz-we-go as color returns as her theme dies down.

"Timeless" Toni Storm vs. Harley Cameron

Harley Cameron makes her way out and heads to the ring alone, as Saraya, Luther the Butler and Mariah May have all been banned from ringside for this one. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Storm gets the early offensive lead. She hits a big Lou Thesz Press and then a Hip-Attack to the back of Cameron's head sends her out to the floor. Serena Deeb appears on stage with a flag on a pole in her hands.

The distraction allows Harley to take over, as she bashes Storm's head into the ring apron from the floor as we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break. As we return, we see much of the same going on and then Storm takes over as Deeb is shown still watching on from the stage. Storm ends up pulling off the win moments later and stares down Deeb from the stage.

Winner: "Timeless" Toni Storm

– The new female member of the AEW broadcast team is standing by with AEW International Champion Roderick Strong and The Undisputed Kingdom, as well as Will Ospreay for their scheduled face-to-face ahead of their title tilt at AEW Double Or Nothing 2024. Ospreay begins and talks about Strong ever respecting him. He says he has none for him either. Strong says much of the same and then this wraps up.

– Back inside the arena, the ring is set up with a table and chairs for a contract signing segment. Renee Paquette introduces first the challenger, Mercedes Mone. Out comes "The CEO" to the ring. She settles inside and her music dies down. The theme for the champ plays and out comes TBS Women's Champion Willow Nightingale with Kris Statlander and Stokely Hathaway. She stops them and says she's got this and heads to the ring alone.

She takes a seat across from Mone. Nightingale starts and begins by bringing up the lack of respect Mone might have for her. She asks if she does, however, respect the TBS Women's Championship they will be fighting for at AEW Double Or Nothing. Mone takes her turn on the mic and says Willow might be the best woman on TBS right now, but she's the best of all-time. She tries to hit Willow with the belt, but Willow avoids it and power bombs Mone through the table. We head to another commercial.

AEW Continental Championship: Kazuchika Okada vs. Dax Harwood

When we return from the break, we hear the coin drop and then "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada makes his way out for our final match of the evening. He settles inside the ring to loud chants of "Okada! Okada!" as Justin Roberts introduces him. His music dies down and he awaits the arrival of his challenger for this week's AEW Dynamite main event.

The Midnight Express-sounding entrance tune for FTR plays and out comes Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. Harwood continues to the ring alone as Wheeler heads to the back. He settles inside the squared circle and his music cuts off. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with our final match of the evening.

Excalibur and company remind us on commentary that there is a special overrun this week, so we will be going past the 10 o'clock hour. 9:55pm EST. as this one gets started. Okada avoids the onslaught from Harwood early on, rolling out to the floor as Dax was attempting a submission.

Okada returns to the ring and starts to take over. We head to a mid-match commercial break on that note. When we return, we see Okada slam Harwood into the ring post. The commentators point out how Harwood was already not 100% coming into this match, noting his arm is heavily taped up. Harwood hits a big spine buster but can't follow up.

Okada gets back up first and sends Harwood out to the floor. He hits him with a big boot to the dome. Okada follows that up with a big DDT as Dax is draped off the barricade. This spikes Dax head-first into the floor, so the referee stops things to check on him. Harwood barely makes it into the ring before the referee's count of ten. He goes to stand up but collapses. Moments later, Dax springs to life and fires up for a big offensive comeback.

Harwood folds Okada in half with a huge Dragon suplex. The crowd starts to come to life. A loud "This is Awesome!" chant spreads throughout the Angel of the Winds Arena as the two slowly return to their feet and begin trading chops, and then punches. Harwood gets the better of the exchange. Harwood looks for a Sharpshooter but Okada kicks him back so hard the back of his head smacks on the mat.

We see Okada look to hoist Harwood up for a Tombstone pile driver, but Harwood avoids it. Harwood goes for a regular pile driver of his own, but Okada avoids it and counters with a modified neck breaker for a close two count. The two head to the top-rope and Dax hits a super-plex. Harwood and Okada each go for back-to-back roll-ups. Harwood hits a Tombstone pile driver for a super close near fall attempt. Harwood goes for a diving head butt off the ropes but Okada moves.

Okada looks for the Rainmaker, but Harwood ducks it and counters. He locks Okada in a Sharpshooter. Okada quickly escapes. Okada heads out to the ringside area on the floor. He grabs his belt and it looks like he's gonna leave, but Harwood rolls him into the ring. As the ref gets rid of the title belt, Okada blasts Dax with a blatant low blow and follows up with the Rainmaker for the win.

Winner and STILL AEW Continental Champion: Kazuchika Okada

– After the match, The Elite members of The Young Bucks and Jack Perry hit the ring and attack Dax Harwood. We see Cash Wheeler and Bryan Danielson run down to try and make the save, but they fall victims of the numbers disadvantage. The theme for Darby Allin hits and he makes his way down to the ring to help out FTR and Bryan Danielson. Excalibur confirms him to be the fourth men for Anarchy in the Arena. They send The Elite retreating as we head off the air.