AEW Dynamite Live Coverage - March 20th, 2024
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AEW Dynamite
This week, newest AEW star Mercedes Mone speaks live to crowd in Toronto. Longtime friends turned bitter enemies Christian Cage and Rated R Superstar Adam Copeland battle over the TNT Championship in an I Quit Match. Rainmaker Kazuchika Okada challenges Eddie Kingston for the Continental Crown Championship. Plus, Timeless Toni Storm & Mariah May take on Deonna Purazzo & Thunder Rosa.
:aew:
– This week's show kicks off with a live shot of Adam Copeland and TNT Champion Christian Cage arriving to the building earlier today for their "I Quit" title match. We also see Kazuchika Okada arriving for his title bout against Eddie Kingston.
– The new weekly intro video and theme plays and then we shoot live inside the Coca Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ONT., CN., where Excalibur welcomes us to tonight's show. We head to the ring, where Tony Schiavone introduces his guest at this time, Mercedes Mone.
With that said, "The CEO" makes her way out to a big pop to kick off this week's show. She says she missed all of this. All of the fans. She is so excited to be here in AEW.
She says we don't know this, but all of this almost got taken away from her ten months ago with a near career-ending injury for the NJPW STRONG Women's Championship against Willow Nightingale. She says she had a package put together so those unaware can become more familiar with Mercedes Mone. The video airs.
Mone says minor setbacks are only the start of major comebacks. She says "The CEO" is here. She's here to lead a women's global revolution. She came to face the very best in AEW and all over the globe.
She mentions what happened with Julia Hart and Skye Blue was her showing what happens when anyone happens with her business, because Willow Nightingale is hers. The lights go out.
When the lights come back on, we see Julia Hart in the aisle smiling. In the ring, Skye Blue attacks Mone. Mone beats her down. Julia tries hitting the ring, but Mone nearly takes her out until Blue pulls her out of the ring. They grab chairs but Willow Nightingale runs out with Kris Statlander and chairs to stop them.
The lights go out again and when they come back on, Hart and Blue are gone. Willow is behind Mone getting ready to hit her with the chair. Mone turns and sees her. Willow drops the chair and decides against it. Mone jaws back-and-forth with her off-mic. She walks off as her theme hits again to end the segment.
– Backstage, we see The Young Bucks bullying Alex Marvez for not knowing Japanese after he asks Kazuchika Okada for a comment ahead of his AEW Continental Crown Championship shot against Eddie Kingston. After this wraps up, "The Rainmaker's" theme hits and out he comes for our first match of the evening.
AEW Continental Crown Championship Match: Eddie Kingston (C) vs. Kazuchika Okada
Renee Paquette checks in from the ringside area like Megan Olivi before a UFC fighter walks out, giving some information about this match as Eddie Kingston's theme hits and "The Mad King" comes out. He makes his way to the ring to "Eddie! Eddie!" chants and looks all business. The bell sounds and off we go.
The two lock up to get this one started and then Kingston jumps into the early offensive lead with his trademark stiff chops. The fight spills out to the floor where Kingston chases Okada around, but when sliding back into the ring after him, Okada jumps down and smashes "The Mad King" to turn the offensive tide in his favor.
As the action spills out to the floor again, we see Kingston walk right into a big DDT from Okada. As the action continues, we randomly cut to AEW EVPs The Young Bucks laughing it up while watching the match on headsets alongside AEW President Tony Khan. We hear dueling chants from the crowd as Okada goes to work on Eddie in the ring.
We shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this title tilt continues in Toronto. When we return, we see some back-and-forth action and then Kingston hits his spinning back fist but can't make the pin in time. Okada connects with a Rainmaker but Kingston partially blocks it.
We see Kingston going for something, but Okada grabs the referee's shirt to distract him. In the chaos, Okada takes over and ultimately connects with his Rainmaker clean this time for the pin fall victory. We have a new AEW Continental Champion.
Winner and NEW AEW Continental Champion: Kazuchika Okada
– Once the match wraps up, we see The Young Bucks reacting to Okada's title win from their position. Back live, Okada celebrates with his new title and an elaborate fireworks display goes off on the stage thanks to the aforementioned AEW EVPs. Okada smirks. PAC's theme hits and out comes "The Bastad" to let Okada know he's coming for him.
– We see Renee Paquette backstage with Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana. Swerve says we're in her hometown of Toronto and he talks about being inspired by Mike Tyson's training footage for his upcoming boxing match against Jake Paul.
He wants to have a sparring session in the ring with someone tonight as he works towards the AEW Championship. I guess that means someone 30 years different in age is coming out to let Swerve look like a killer for a 10 second clip?
– When we return, we see Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale with Stokely Hathaway talking about their street fight on AEW Rampage later tonight against Julia Hart and Skye Blue. In comes Mercedes Mone, who thanks Kris Statlander for having her back. Willow tries talking friendly, too, but Mone doesn't want to hear it.
HOOK vs. "Lionheart" Chris Jericho
Back live, HOOK's theme hits and out comes the FTW Champion for our next match of the evening. He settles into the ring and the sounds of Action Bronson wraps up. Out next is his opponent for this evening, "Lionheart" Chris Jericho. He comes out to his White Zombie theme. The bell sounds and off we go.
HOOK immediately scoops Jericho up and dumps him on the back of his head with a vicious suplex. We see HOOK proceed to suplex Jericho right on his head literally eight more times. He eventually catches Jericho in his Red Rum finisher but Jericho escapes. HOOK rolls him up seconds later for the win. The two shake hands after the match.
Winner: HOOK
– We shoot to Adam Cole sitting in a fancy chair talking into the camera. He is upset that Wardlow came up short in his attempt to capture the AEW Championship from Samoa Joe. He says he had one job to do and failed. He says now his goal is to make sure Taven and Bennett keep the ROH tag titles and Strong keeps the International title. Then, maybe they'll forgive him.
– We head to a commercial break after the Adam Cole segment. When we return, Renee Paquette catches up with Chris Jericho. He says HOOK earned his respect tonight and next week on Dynamite, he's got a proposition for him.
– Back inside the arena, Tony Schiavone is standing in the ring. He introduces his guest at this time, "The Aerial Assassin" Will Ospreay. Out comes the BRUV himself. Ospreay says he apologizes to Canada for what he did last time, and swears he's here for the betterment of AEW.
Ospreay talks about Bryan Danielson and their match coming up at AEW Dynasty. He talks about what an incredibly Bryan Danielson had with Katsuyori Shibata last week. He then brings up Danielson's comments about Ospreay from Collision about how he couldn't walk in his shoes.
He says he was a big star in Japan, somewhere Danielson always wanted to be a big star. He agrees he can't fit in Danielson's shoes because, "They're too small for me, bruv!" He says what Danielson did in Japan was great, but what he did was elavate pro wrestling. He lists off his many accomplishments in Japan.
Will Ospreay says he'll prove he can walk in Danielson's shoes. He calls out Katsuyori Shibata for next week on Dynamite and wraps up the segment. Tony Khan confirms Ospreay vs. Shibata for next week's Dynamite immediately after this wraps up.
– We see a special video package looking at Adam Copeland's build to the "I Quit" match against Christian Cage later tonight for the TNT Championship (..on TBS, of course) in our main event. After it wraps up, we return inside the building where "Timeless" Toni Storm and Mariah May make their way out.
"Timeless" Toni Storm & Mariah May vs. Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa
After they settle in the ring, the theme for Deonna Purrazzo hits and out she comes. Thunder Rosa comes out as well and the two sprint down to the ring. All four women brawl from the start, and then Rosa and Storm fall to the floor. The bell rings as May and Purrazzo are in the ring, and Purrazzo delivers a few shots and kicks May in the face.
Rosa and Storm brawl on the outside as Purrazzo goes for the cover, but May kicks out. May slams Purrazzo down by her hair and follows with a dropkick. Storm tags in, but Purrazzo drops both of them with a clothesline. Rosa kicks Storm in the corner and tags in. Rosa knocks May to the floor, and then delivers a clothesline to Storm in the corner.
Rosa follows with a chop and follows with a back elbow. Rosa delivers a sliding clothesline and goes for the cover, but Storm kicks out. Rosa trips Storm into the ropes and sits down onto Storm in the ropes. Luther distracts Rosa, and Storm sends her to the floor with a shot as the show heads to a commercial.
When we return from the break, we see some more back-and-forth action. Purrazzo seems upset about Rosa tagging herself in, however things ultimately work out for the duo as moments later, Rosa picks up the pin fall for her team. Purrazzo still isn't happy despite the win. After the match, we head to another commercial.
Winners: Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa
Swerve Strickland vs. The Butcher
When we return from the break, the theme for Swerve Strickland hits and out he comes with Prince Nana doing his goofy-ass (but always entertaining) dance as they head to the ring. He settles in the ring with a big chain in his hand. The music dies down and he awaits to see who will come out to fight him.
The theme for The Butcher and The Blade hits and out comes The Butcher as Swerve's opponent. The bell sounds and we hear the "Who's House?!" "Swerve's House!" call-and-response routine as Swerve takes it to the much larger Butcher in the early goings. After a couple of minutes, Swerve picks up the win via submission.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
– After the match, Swerve gets on the mic and talks about his hatred for Samoa Joe and how he wants to take the chain in his hands and wrap it around his big ass neck. He says he's gonna take out his security one by one week after week until he gives him exactly what he wants. With that said, Samoa Joe's theme hits.
Samoa Joe goes on to give his response and nearly comes to the ring to get things started tonight until Don Callis comes out and runs his mouth. He eventually gets to the point and extends a challenge to Swerve Strickland.
Callis challenges Swerve to fight Konosuke Takeshita. Swerve agrees and says after he's done with "The Alpha," he's coming for Samoa Joe. After the segment wraps up, Excalibur informs us Swerve vs. Takeshita is official for next week's Dynamite. We head to another commercial break.
– When we return, "The Dapper Yapper" Justin Roberts is in the ring and he begins the formal introductions for our main event of the evening, the "I Quit" match for the TNT Championship between Adam Copeland and Christian Cage.
"I Quit" TNT Championship Match: Christian Cage (C) vs. Adam Copeland
The theme for Adam Copeland hits and out comes "The Rated-R Superstar" to a roar from his hometown Toronto crowd. He makes his way to the ring for his big showdown against longtime friend turned bitter rival, TNT Champion Christian Cage.
Copeland settles into the ring in attire the colors of the Toronto Maple Leafs. When his music wraps up, the fans are singing, loudly, word-for-word, every single word of his theme. Copeland seemed to dig that a lot. Unfortunately it was cut short by Cage's theme starting.
Christian Cage makes his way out to the ring wearing the TNT Championship. He is by himself, with no members of The Patriarchy by his side, looking confident. He settles in the ring and it's time for our final match of the evening here on this week's loaded episode of AEW Dynamite.
After the bell sounds, these two immediately get after it. Cage delivers right hands into the corner, but Copeland comes back and slams him into the opposite corner. Copeland sets up for the Spear, but Cage ducks to the floor. Copeland follows with a dropkick through the ropes, and then they brawl into the crowd.
Copeland puts Cage into one of the hockey penalty boxes, and then puts a Boston Bruins jersey onto Cage. Copeland puts a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey on himself, and they exchange shots in the penalty box. Copeland follows Cage up the stairs and slams him into a guardrail as the show heads to a commercial.
As we settle back in from the commercial time out, we see Cage and Copeland are back at ringside. Copeland props a ladder against the apron and delivers a right hand to Cage. Copeland lays the ladder between the timekeeper’s area and the announcers’ table, and then delivers right hands to Cage on the ladder.
Copeland delivers a reverse neck-breaker on the ladder, and then gets Cage and the ladder into the ring. Copeland sets the ladder up inverted and puts it in the corner. Copeland slams Cage down onto the ladder, but Cage doesn’t quit. Copeland slams Cage into the ring post and grabs a table from under the ring.
Copeland props the table against the barricade and puts Cage by it. Copeland goes for a Spear, but Cage leapfrogs him and slams him into the ring post. Cage moves the ring steps and goes up top. Cage dives onto Copeland, who is busted open, and they crash through the table, but Copeland does not quit.
Cage gets Copeland back into the ring and wedges the ladder in the ropes. Cage catapults Copeland into the ladder, but Copeland doesn’t quit. Cage goes for a frogsplash, but Copeland dodges it and locks in a cross-face submission. Cage doesn’t quit and gouges Copeland’s eyes.
Both men back into the ropes and collide as they both go for Spears, and the show heads to a commercial break. This time when we return, we see Copeland nearly finishing Christian off when out comes Nick Wayne's mom with a hockey stick. She hits Copeland with it low. Cage breaks it in half over a bloody Copeland.
Christian goes out and grabs steel chairs. He lays Copeland's head on one and raises the other for a con-chair-to, but Copeland thankfully moves his head in time. Cage goes for the Killswitch on Copeland on a chair, but Copeland avoids it. He hits Cage with a hockey stick and chokes him with it in a crossface.
Now we see Copeland choking Cage with a cord around his throat. Cage is asked if he quits, but before he can say anything, Killswitch and Nick Wayne hit the ring to interfere. Nick Wayne's mom comes in as well. "Daddy Magic" Matt Menard and Daniel Garcia run down to make the save. Copeland hits Killswitch with an Impaler on the barbed wire chair.
Garcia and Menard throw Wayne over the top and out to the floor. Copeland climbs a massive ladder and leaps off onto everyone on the floor. They all handcuff Killswitch and Nick Wayne to the ropes so they can't interfere. Nick's mom runs away. Cage gets up and sees all three guys staring at him. They all punch him and Copeland spears him.
"Daddy Magic" and Garcia now cuff Cage to the corner on the ropes as well. Copeland goes out and gets Spikey. He brings the derranged looking weapon in the ring. Copeland hits Cage over and over again with vicious low blow kicks. He pulls out Spike and Cage freaks out as Copeland bashes him with it. The show goes off the air and comes right back on and Excalibur welcomes us to Rampage. Cage quits.
Winner and NEW TNT Champion: Adam Copeland
