This was the landmark 289th episode of AEW’s flagship television program, making “Dynamite” the longest running wrestling program in Turner Broadcasting history — surpassing “WCW Monday Nitro.”
To commemorate the watershed moment, this was a special edition of “Dynamite,” entitled “Spring Break Thru” and complete with a PPV caliber card.
The real question is whether or not this week’s episode lived up to the excitement?
Let’s dive in.
HIT: Mercedes Moné vs. Athena
Last night’s opening contest was the first match in the semi-finals of the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.
Last weekend on Saturday Night “Collision,” both Jamie Hayter and Athena won their respective quarter-final matches, defeating Billie Starkz and Harley Cameron respectively. Next week on “Dynamite,” Hayter will face Kris Statlander. Last night, it was Mercedes Moné who faced Athena.
The “Fallen Goddess” has not competed on Wednesday Night “Dynamite” since October 2022. For Athena, this was more than just an opportunity to advance in the Owen Hart Cup; it was a chance to prove herself against the “CEO.”
Athena did just that.
Both women have become synonymous with the championship’s they hold. For Athena, it’s the ROH Women’s World Championship, which she’s held for a staggering 859 days and counting. For Moné, it’s the TBS Women’s Championship, which she’s held for 326 days and counting; as well as the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship and the RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Championship. So, having their first meeting be in a non-title scenario was a wise decision.
This was more than a run-of-the-mill tournament match. This was a war, and after 21 minutes, it was Moné who stood victorious. However, it was far from a triumphant victory.
The contest was highly competitive, with both women exhausting their arsenals in desperation. In the end, Moné countered Athena’s finishing maneuver, the O-Face, rolling her up into a jack-knife for the three-count.
This was glorious. What a phenomenal way to kick off an episode of “Dynamite.”
Rating: ****¼
HIT: “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Wild Card
The quarter-finals of the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament continued last night, when “Hangman” Adam Page squared off against his mysterious “wild card” opponent.
That opponent proved to be none-other than the former two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Josh Alexander.
While Alexander doesn’t have a prolific background in amateur wrestling, he’s a wrestling machine; in the same mold as Kurt Angle or Chad Gable. Known as the “Walking Weapon,” Alexander excels in the squared circle — dangerous on the mat or on his feet, with a physique that belies his speed and strength.
I’ve admired Alexander’s work, from afar, for years now — so I was thrilled to see him finally make his AEW debut. Unfortunately, it happened to be against a former AEW World Champion, “Hangman” Adam Page.
This was a highly entertaining affair and a great stage for Alexander to make his grand introduction. Of course, though, it was Page who stood victorious. Like Moné in the previous contest, though, Page’s victory was far from emphatic; swiftly pinning Alexander inside-cradle.
Excalibur poignantly said that Page “[pulled] out a victory from the jaws of defeat.”
With this victory, Page will advance to the semi-finals and face Kyle Fletcher — who made his presence felt after this match.
Fletcher and Don Callis approached the ring, initiating a skirmish with Page. While Fletcher and Page were brawling, Callis whispered something in Alexander’s ear; convincing himself to help Fletcher get the better of Page.
This was a terrific post-match segment, building even more excitement for Page’s match against Fletcher.
Rating: ***3/4
HIT: The Hurt Syndicate [c] vs. The Gates of Agony
The third contest saw The Hurt Syndicate defend their AEW World Tag Team Championships against the Gates of Agony.
It’s been quite a while since the Gates of Agony have competed on “Dynamite.” Since then, the duo have become fan favorites in Ring of Honor, becoming legitimate babyfaces in recent months.
While Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun are physically imposing figures in their own right, they were no match for Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin.
The Hurt Syndicate prevailed once again, facing little adversity against the Gates of Agony.
Rating: **¾
HIT: MJF tries to court the tag team champions
After The Hurt Syndicate’s match, MJF interrupted their post-match celebration to continue courting Lashley and Benjamin.
This week, MJF took a wildly different approach; hiring a myriad of escorts and even giving Benjamin the watch off his wrist.
While Lashley is still vehemently against MJF joining The Hurt Syndicate; it’s clear that Benjamin is beginning to reconsider.
This segment was a home run on two fronts:
- It continued to advance this story in a positive direction.
- It was genuinely hilarious. MVP, Lashley, and Benjamin all had wildly different reactions to MJF’s bribe, but they all felt organic and unique.
Week after week, this angle has consistently produced some of the most entertaining segments in pro-wrestling. What’s really fascinating though, is that for the second straight week, the crowd seems to be cheering for MJF again.
We have five more episodes of “Dynamite” between now and “Double or Nothing.” I can’t wait to see where this leads both MJF and The Hurt Syndicate, and, more importantly, what ramifications it has for “All In.”
HIT: Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita
The Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament continued last night, with the commencement of the semi-finals.
Last year at “Revolution,” Will Ospreay faced Konosuke Takeshita in one of the greatest PPV bouts in AEW history. Last night, their rivalry was renewed, with both men squaring off in the first men’s semi-finals match.
We rarely see matches as superb as Mercedes Moné and Athena’s on “Dynamite.” It’s even rarer to see two matches of that caliber. Then, there are matches like this.
This was an instant classic and easily one of the 10 or 15 best matches in “Dynamite” history.
There’s a legitimate argument to be made that Ospreay and Takeshita are the two most gifted performers in all of pro-wrestling. So, it’s only natural that these two went to hell and back. In the end, it was the “Aerial Assassin” who was victorious, punctuating the affair with an emphatic Storm Breaker.
With this victory, Ospreay has successfully advanced to the finale of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, at “Double or Nothing;” where he’ll either face “Hangman” Adam Page or Kyle Fletcher.
Rating: ****½
HIT: The Death Riders [c] vs. The Opps
The main event saw The Death Riders defend their AEW World Trios Championship against The Opps — sort of.
Last week, PAC suffered a severe and legitimate ankle injury against Swerve Strickland, forcing Jon Moxley to take his place as one-third of the trios champions.
On the other hand, there’s HOOK, who seemingly suffered a concussion last week; during his tag match against Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta.
So, this match was billed as a handicap match, with The Death Riders outnumbering Samoa Joe & Katsuyori Shibata. That was, until The Opps’ third man joined the fray: Powerhouse Hobbs.
With HOOK absent, it seemed like The Opps were destined to lose this match and reconvene at a later date. What ultimately transpired defied my wildest expectations.
After nearly 14 minutes and interference from multiple third-parties, The Opps were triumphant; defeating The Death Riders for the AEW World Trios Championships and scoring AEW’s first, decisive victory against The Death Riders. However, it wasn’t Wheeler Yuta or Claudio Castagnoli who suffered at the hand’s of Samoa Joe’s Coquina Clutch: it was the AEW World Champion, Jon Moxley.
After the match, Will Ospreay led a contingent of the AEW lockeroom to the ring, to celebrate The Opps victory over The Death Riders. This feels like an inflection point, both for AEW and the ongoing saga of The Death Riders.
Rating: ****
Final Verdict
For over two months now, AEW has been riding a tidal wave of momentum. Last month’s “Revolution” was a high-mark for the company. This week’s episode of “Dynamite” delivered in a similar fashion. “Spring Break Thru” celebrated AEW’s record-breaking 289th edition in dramatic fashion, delivering one of the greatest episodes in “Dynamite” history. From beginning to end, this was utterly perfect.
Rating: *****
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Chris Graham
