AEW Dynamite Live Coverage - March 8th, 2023

https://i.imgur.com/Kfzjy0q.jpg


AEW Dynamite

This week, it's the aftermath of REVOLUTION! Newly recrowned TNT Champion Wardlow must battle Powerhouse Hobbs.


:aew:

– The post-AEW Revolution 2023 edition of Dynamite on TBS kicks off from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA. We then shoot inside the venue as Excalibur welcomes us to the show.

AEW All-Atlantic Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jay Lethal

Both men head into this one on their own as nobody else is allowed at ringside. Jay Lethal charges in to try and attack Orange Cassidy straight away, but it leads to the champion taking control straight away with some arm drags. The challenger aims for Lethal Injection after getting Cassidy to chase him around but that is countered, and when he tries it again Cassidy stops it once more by kicking Lethal as he attempts the move.

Cassidy launches himself outside the ring but gets caught, however, he is able to counter that by sending Lethal into the ring post. Lethal wastes no time responding to that though by sending Cassidy into the steel stairs as he follows it with a dragon screw into the ropes. He hangs Cassidy onto the top rope and follows with a running sweep attack on the injured leg once again.

Outside the ring, Lethal continues the attack by driving Cassidy's knee into the ring post. The duo trade blows as Cassidy then manages to hit a Brainbuster and he then heads to the top turnbuckle only for Lethal to join him, but Cassidy is able to fight back and hit a diving DDT. That is followed by a tornado DDT, but Lethal is able to kick out. Cassidy goes for the Orange Punch but his knee buckles underneath him, and that leads to Lethal putting on the Figure Four Leglock, but Cassidy makes the bottom rope.

They then brawl on the ring apron but as they get back into the ring Lethal slams him down onto his knee before running and kicking it away, nailing the Lethal Combination afterward. He then heads to the top turnbuckle for the Elbow Drop, but Cassidy counters with his knees only to be caught with a Cutter straight after as Cassidy kicks out at the last second. Once again the challenger aims for the Lethal Combination, but the damage done to his shoulder makes it impossible. He collapses down and Cassidy takes advantage by hitting the Orange Punch.

Winner and still All-Atlantic Champion: Orange Cassidy

– After the match, Lethal grabs the Golden Globe which leads to distraction for the official. That allows Jeff Jarrett to attack him from behind, slamming the guitar down to Cassidy's injured knee.

– Powerhouse Hobbs is interviewed backstage and he claims he is taking Wardlow's ability to call himself the champion, which is all he has left after Wardlow's car was broken into.

– After that we head back inside the arenawhere we hear the theme song of "Absolute" Ricky Starks. Out comes the promising AEW star to the ring in street clothes.

Ricky Starks says he is having a hell of a week, he has done it all taking out Jericho Appreciation Society. People ask him what is next for him and the answer is that he's not sure. The question that weighs on his mind isn't what he will do next, but where he is going to go next. This leads to Bullet Club's sign showing up on the titantron, and Juice Robinson appears from behind as he lays out Starks.

– Wardlow is then shown backstage and he admits he has dealt with a lot of loss lately and some buddies of his (FTR) leant him some clothes, so he suggets tonight will be falls count anywhere. He may not physically have the title, but he is the TNT Champion and nobody will take that from him.

– Renee Paquette is then shown inside the ring as she welcomes out Ruby Soho, who is flanked by Saraya and Toni Storm. She says it's obvious why she did what she did, the fans created this monster. She recalled how audiences cheered when Britt Baker beat her in her first title match, and she got booed out of the building after beating Kris Statlander. Then the same happened at Revolution and she realized nobody would be mad when she lost or would appreciate her. Storm came here and wasn't appreciated either, fans begged Saraya to come out of retirement but then they went after her. They have been outcasts despite the fact they came here to build AEW. But you can't build on something that's broken, and that is the rookies.

Ruby Soho vs. Skye Blue

Soho attacks Blue as soon as she gets into the ring, dumping her outside as she launches her into the barricade and the ring post. She rocks Blue with an enziguri, and despite Blue slapping her, Soho instantly drives her down to the mat. She follows with stomps and chops in the corner and Blue fires back with a forearm but Soho then goads her in through the ropes, connecting with a thrust kick afterward.

Blue then connects with a knee to the jaw and an enziguri, taking Soho down with a diving crossbody which gets a near fall. The two then go back and forth with kicks but Soho then pulls the hair of Blue to hit Destination Uknown.

Winner: Ruby Soho

– Afterward, Saraya and Storm come down and they start to spray Blue until Willow Nightingale comes down to try and talk sense into Soho, but the other two attack her from behind.

– MJF is then shown from Sunday after he won saying his reign of terror has just begun.

– FTR make their return to "AEW Dynamite" following their appearance on Sunday and they get a huge standing ovation. Cash Wheeler says they constantly said how great 2022 was for them, but now they want to talk about how bad 2023 has been losing all their titles, then they lost one of their best friends in wrestling and in the world. They knew they needed to step away and recharge, but Wheeler can't sit at home and watch The Gunns call themselves the best team in wrestling.

He says they are good and are the future of the division, but they're also disrespectful little assh***s. Wheeler points out Billy Gunn gave them everything which his father couldn't teach him, but what his father taught him is what he will teach to them. Dax Harwood says the fans never left them and that's why he loves the industry so much, and he loves them too.

Harwood points out that the last memory he has with one of his best friends was taken away by The Gunns and he doesn't forget that. It would be easy to find them and beat their ass, but now they have to beat them and become the AEW World Tag Team Champions. They need to do it for them, for The Briscoes, and for all of the fans.

– Renee Paquette is then shown with Jade Cargill. She says she's ran through everyone in America so now they're going to Canada, they need to bring out the best that they have so they can step up and get stepped on.

Chris Jericho, Daniel Garcia, & Sammy Guevara vs. Top Flight & AR Fox

Chris Jericho starts out pushing AR Fox, but he responds with several punches as he then avoids Jericho's before nailing an enziguri. Fox follows that by diving out to Jericho and he then runs away and tags in Sammy Guevara who takes a low shot to take control as he and Jericho hit a double shoulder tackle to Fox. Darius Martin makes a blind tag and connects with a kick but Guevara runs to tag in Daniel Garcia.

Dante Martin comes in as well but he gets distracted by the rest of JAS outside the ring and that allows Garcia to take control as he takes Dante back to his corner. They make frequent tags to remain in control as Jericho hits a dropkick. Guevara returns to action and he tries to keep Dante grounded, and Jericho comes back but as they go to the top rope, Dante is more comfortable and sends Jericho down, but Guevara blocks the tag out by attacking Martin's partners.

However, Dante flips Guevara across the ring and Fox comes in and starts attacking Garcia as he drops him with a cutter, but Jericho and Guevara then try and stop him until he sends Jericho outside while hanging Guevara on the second rope. He then dives out of the ring to take out Jericho while pushing onto Guevara, and he then runs up to the top turnbuckle before bouncing back to hit a double cutter.

Darius tags in and connects with a stalling suplex, but Garcia responds by grabbing his hair so Jericho returns only to be hit with a Spanish Fly. The match then breaks down as Fox hits the implosion senton to the floor to wipe out Guevara. Meanwhile, inside the ring, Jericho gets rolled up and almost loses, but he kicks out and then eats a thrust kick. Jericho quickly grabs the official to distract her, and Jake Hager gets a cheap shot to Darius which is followed by the Judas Effect.

Winner: Jericho Appreciation Society

– After the match, Garcia claims they're the number one contenders for the trio's titles now. Jericho says that they deem themselves the contenders so House Of Black can turn out their lights and get in this ring. The lights go out, but it is The Elite who appears! Omega says they've not gotten involved in each other's business and he thinks that's down to mutual respect, but as he keeps talking Don Callis takes the microphone. Callis says The Elite established the titles, and it's obvious they're the number one contenders.

Callis says he agrees that Jericho is one of the GOATs, but unfortunately, he's only the second-best from Winnipeg. Jericho calls them out, but the lights go out again and House Of Black appears on the titantron. He says they're both deserving and next week if they want them...and then the group appears inside the building and tells them to come and get them.

– Tony Khan is then shown backstage and he reveals Orange Cassidy has asked to defend his title against Jeff Jarrett next week, which he has agreed. Next week marks the final defense of the All-Atlantic Championship as next week it will become the AEW International Championship.

– Bryan Danielson is then shown after Revolution and admits he thought he was doing this for his kids. But he realized tonight MJF was right, he always thought it was best to fight, and when he was in the Lebell Lock his first instant was to fight. But then he couldn't feel his arms, his leg didn't have strength. When MJF said he wouldn't be able to play with his kids he knew MJF was right, he was putting himself before his family and that made him more ashamed than anything. It's time for him to go home.

Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. John Silver & Alex Reynolds

The Blackpool Combat Club jump their opponents immediately with Reynolds being launched into the barricade. Silver attempts to fight back inside the ring, but Castagnoli drops him with a shoulder attack. Silver responds with a suplex but Moxley tags in straight away and stops Silver from tagging with a gator roll and then some stomps. Silver ends Castagnoli into the turnbuckles and tags out as Reynolds wipes out both of his opponents with big boots.

He then dives out to Moxley before kicking Castagnoli again inside the ring, but when he goes to the top turnbuckle he just gets swatted down to the floor. A bodyslam from Castagnoli regains full control but Reynolds hits a stomp and tags out. Silver immediately stars nailing kicks to Moxley and then a pump kick and a German suplex but Moxley kicks out. Silver hammers knee strikes at Silver but Castagnoli then comes in and breaks it up, but Dark Order get rid of him. Reynolds comes in with a double team to Moxley, but he reverses Reynolds submission by throwing him across the ring. Moxley then locks in a submission and secures the win.

Winners: Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli

– After the bell Moxley locks in the submission again until Silver breaks it up, but Castagnoli dumps him outside the ring. Evil Uno hits the ring to help out his friends, but Wheeler Yuta helps the BCC and they keep dominating until Adam Page charges down to the ring. He drops Castagnoli, but that leads to him snapping and BCC just attack Page three on one.

– We shoot backstage with Renee Paquette when we return from the break. The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn are being interviewed about their goal of recapturing the AEW Tag-Team Championships. They talk about being the people's choice.

– In walks Angelo Parker and Matt Menard of the Jericho Appreciation Society. They claim to be rap fans as well. They mention that they're sports entertainers and point out that The Acclaimed are also entertaining. They suggest they join up, which Max Caster, Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn laugh off.

TNT Championship (Falls Count Anywhere): Wardlow (c) vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

– Powerhouse Hobbs and Wardlow are shown fighting in the parking lot as the TNT Champion gets launched into an open door of a car that almost snaps it off. Hobbs then launches a keg at him which Wardlow narrowly avoids, but he does then get suplexed onto the hood of a car. Wardlow responds with a back body drop which sees Hobbs smash the windshield, but he is able to kick out.

They then continue to brawl as Hobbs grabs a 2x4 to hit Wardlow with, and the two men then end up inside a steel truck going back and forth as Hobbs is then slammed through some plywood. They keep fighting with Hobbs using a chair to the spine of the champion, but he responds with one of his own. They take the fight through the fans as Wardlow dumps Hobbs over the barricade and into the ring.

Inside the ring, Hobbs hits a spinebuster but Wardlow gets back up and they then start throwing right hands until Wardlow hits a headbutt and then a big lariat and an F10, but Hobbs kicks out. The challenger fights back with several spinebusters, and this time it is up to the champion to kick out of the pinfall attempt. He then launches Wardlow through the barricade which crashes open while Hobbs sets up a table.

Wardlow spits water in Hobbs' face though and that allows him to set Hobbs onto a table as Wardlow hits a Senton from the top rope to the outside, crashing Hobbs through but he still manages to kick out. Wardlow then hits a Powerbomb on Hobbs, driving him down onto the ramp. They fight to the top of the ramp until QT Marshall appears as he attacks Wardlow with a steel chair, nailing him with a shot to the head. The two of them then lift Wardlow and throw him off the stage as he crashes through the set below, and he is unable to answer the count of 10.

Winner and new TNT Champion: Powerhouse Hobbs

– Hobbs celebrates with the title as the crowd reacts. That's how this week's show goes off the air.