The road to “Double or Nothing” continued last night, when AEW returned to Detroit at the Masonic Temple Theater for “Dynamite.”
HIT: New title theme
For months now, “Dynamite” has been devoid of a title theme. Last night, the show opened with a new title theme, “You Wanted War,” from legendary pop-punk band, Sum 41.
After fan’s lukewarm reaction to the last title theme, “I’m So Excited” by the Pointer Sisters, that debuted on “Fight For The Fallen” — it’s unsurprising to see AEW fall back on a rock ballad like Sum 41’s “You Wanted War.”
While the track itself is from Sum 41’s 2024 album, “HEAVEN :x: HELL,” there’s a warm familiarity that comes with the pairing of rock and wrestling — that breathes excitement and energy into the product.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of this title theme.
HIT: “Hangman” Adam Page & Will Ospreay face-to-face
The show opened with “Hangman” Adam Page, who defeated Kyle Fletcher last week to advance to the finale of the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, at “Double or Nothing.”
Page described the past two years as a “special hell.” His feud with Swerve Strickland was far more personal than he ever bargained for. So, Page responded with great vengeance and furious anger, culminating in their sanctioned light’s out match at “All Out.”
After he defeated Strickland, the “Hangman” still hadn’t found the catharsis that he desperately needed. So, he turned his anger towards everyone around him. In the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, Page found a chance at redemption, and the catharsis he desperately needed. But first, he needs to overcome one more obstacle.
Queue “Elevate” and enter Will Ospreay.
Despite the fact that Ospreay and Page have both shared locker rooms in AEW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, this is the first time they’ve ever spoken to one another on stage. Suffice to say, this is a momentous occasion.
The “Aerial Assassin” admitted that he’s admired “Hangman” from afar, for a long time, recognizing his immense talent. So, he’s excited to share the stage at “Double or Nothing” with him. Ospreay even goes as far as to recognize how special it would be for Page to defeat Jon Moxley at “All In” and recapture the AEW World Championship. The only problem is that advancing to “All In” would mean he has to defeat Ospreay, and that’s not an option.
While Page has been fighting his own demons and struggling to move forward, Ospreay has been wrestling week-in and week-out, fulfilling media obligations, and attending meet-and-greets. So, it’s not a question of who “deserves” to win at “Double or Nothing.”
Unfortunately, Page and Ospreay’s war of words was interrupted by the Don Callis Family. Before Don Callis can begin his diatribe, Ospreay meets him at the pass — challenging the Don Callis Family to a tag team match next week on “Dynamite.”
While Page seemed diametrically opposed to joining forces with Ospreay, the match was announced for next week’s “Beach Break” edition of “Dynamite.”
“Hangman” Adam Page & Will Ospreay will face the imposing tandem of Konosuke Takeshita & Josh Alexander.
As someone who unabashedly loves both Ospreay and Page, this was more than a hit; it was a homerun. No notes.
HIT: Toni Storm vs. Thunder Rosa vs. Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay
This was a “Fatal Fourway Eliminator Match” for the AEW Women’s World Championship, with the winner ostensibly earning an opportunity to face “Timeless” Toni Storm at “Double or Nothing.”
It’s worth noting that Storm was 12-0 in Eliminator matches, entering this contest. Evidently, opportunities are earned, against the four-time women’s champion.
Unfortunately, neither Thunder Rosa, Penelope Ford, nor Anna Jay were able to scar Storm’s unblemished record.
This was a fun contest, nonetheless. It was nice to see Anna Jay return to “Dynamite,” who’s been absent on Wednesday night’s since “Holiday Bash” in December. Jay has recently been paired with Harley Cameron on Saturday Night “Collision,” who have become one of Penelope Ford and Megan Bayne’s adversaries as of late.
Speaking of Bayne, the “Megasus” intervened in this match, leveling the competition on Ford’s behalf. That was, until Cameron arrived with a steel pipe, forcing Bayne to retreat.
Amidst the chaos, Storm applied a TCM Chicken Wing on Penelope Ford and forced the “Superbad Girl” to submit.
Afterwards, former tag team partners Storm and Rosa embraced, which admittedly seemed a little theatrical. Is Rosa going to betray Storm and turn heel?
Only time will tell.
Rating: ***¼
HIT: The Hurt Syndicate issues an open challenge
Lio Rush & Action Andretti are ringside, when The Hurt Syndicate makes their way to the ring. MVP and the AEW World Tag Team Champions aren’t afraid of a fight. Unfortunately, it seems like the locker room is. So, they issue an open challenge to any team who are bold enough to oppose them.
Enter Top Flight.
Dante & Darius Martin have been to the brink and back. And, while they haven’t had much luck as of late, they’re ready to test their mettle against The Hurt Syndicate. Unfortunately, their courage was for naught.
MJF blindsided Darius Martin, before turning his attention to Dante. After brutally assaulting both brothers, Friedman entered the ring and stood face-to-face with Bobby Lashley.
Last week, Lashley challenged Friedman to prove himself as an agent of destruction. Last night, Friedman did exactly that. So, Lashley relented and, with a smile on his face, told Friedman that he’d deliver his final verdict next week.
Did The Hurt Syndicate need MJF’s help to defeat Top Flight? Probably not. Did this get the job done? Sure.
Next week, we’ll see the highly anticipated conclusion to this story. Will MJF join The Hurt Syndicate or will he be their next victim? I’m excited to find out.
HIT: Nick Wayne vs. Rhyno
Earlier in the show, the commentators announced that Nick Wayne would be defending his ROH World Television Championship against an opponent from Christian Cage’s past.
Everyone loves a mystery. Admittedly, I was expecting Travis Tomko. Instead, it was none other than ECW legend and former WWE superstar, Rhyno.
Taz referred to Nick Wayne as Christian Cage’s “gimmick son,” which seems like the only appropriate way to describe their strange and uncomfortable relationship.
While it was fun seeing Rhyno make his AEW debut, it was admittedly quite jarring. Rhyno began wrestling in ECW in 1999, when I was only two-years-old. And, it shows. Fortunately, Wayne scored a decisive pinfall, continuing to build the profile of the “Prodigy.”
Afterwards, the tension between Wayne and Cage continued to build, with Cage dropping Wayne’s title on the mat, before turning his back on him.
Wayne will be heading to Japan imminently, to compete in NJPW’s “Best of the Super Juniors” tournament. It’ll be interesting to see how Cage’s relationship with his gimmick son will (d)evolve, once Wayne returns to the States.
Rating: **½
HIT: Swerve Strickland, “Speedball” Mike Bailey & Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet & The Young Bucks
This an all-star trios match, pitting Swerve Strickland, “Speedball” Mike Bailey, & Mark Briscoe against Ricochet & The Young Bucks.
Before this match, Ricochet cut a promo backstage with Matt & Nick Jackson outside their private locker room. Afterwards, the Jackson brothers opened their locker room doors, revealing that they were meeting with The Death Riders. For weeks now, The Elite have been trying to unify with Moxley and co. Have they finally formed an alliance?
None of these questions were directly addressed over the course of this match. However, this was an exceptionally well-booked and efficient piece of business, intertwining multiple angles. Here are just a few angle’s worth noting:
- “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Mark Briscoe defeated Ricochet’s team in the $400,000 Fatal Fourway match.
- “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Mark Briscoe competed against Ricochet and The Elite last week, in the All-Star Eight Man tag match.
- Swerve Strickland is still in search of some measure of revenge against The Young Bucks, for intervening in his match against Jon Moxley at “Dynasty.”
- Ricochet and Swerve Strickland’s rivalry ended two months ago at “Revolution.”
- The last time Mark Briscoe & Swerve Strickland joined forces was against The Elite at “Blood & Guts.”
This was a very enjoyable trios match, pitting six of AEW’s most electrifying in-ring performers against one another. “Speedball” Mike Bailey continues to impress me, more and more each week.
In the end, Ricochet & The Young Bucks narrowly escaped with the victory; when Matt Jackson scored a shocking pinfall on Swerve Strickland, rolling him up with an inside cradle.
All signs point to this feud culminating in an “Anarchy in the Arena” match at “Double or Nothing,” with The Young Bucks and possibly even Ricochet joining some configuration of The Death Riders. The question is, who will fight on AEW’s behalf? Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe, Kenny Omega, Mark Briscoe, and Powerhouse Hobbs would be a veritable dream team.
I’m sure we will find out over the next two and a half weeks.
Rating: ***
HIT: MJF & Will Ospreay face-to-face
Will Ospreay is backstage with Renee Paquette to discuss his face-to-face encounter with “Hangman” Adam Page, when MJF interrupts their interview.
Ospreay and MJF haven’t interacted much, if at all, since their match at last year’s “All In” in Wembley Stadium. MJF admits that he’s happy to see Ospreay in the finale of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. In fact, he hopes that the “Aerial Assassin” succeeds in knocking off the “One, True King” at “All In.” That way, MJF just needs one more “easy dub” to recapture the AEW World Championship, because nobody is on “the level of the Devil.”
Ospreay reminded MJF what happened last year at “All In,” assuring him that, when they do inevitably face each other once again, the result will be no different. Ospreay is going to drop MJF on his neck, because he’s “on another level.”
Ospreay and MJF have a certain level of chemistry that is reserved for rivals in a Shonen manga. They’re polar opposites, both in the ring and out of it. Their only commonality is their undeniable talent.
Over the six months, AEW has successfully reinvented their men’s singles division — building around their incredible bullpen of young, rising stars. MJF, Will Ospreay, “Hangman” Adam Page, and Swerve Strickland have been at the forefront of that movement; with Jay White, Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, and Darby Allin following suit.
There’s a reason why, in this week’s episode alone, Will Ospreay interacted with both Page and MJF. The landscape is shifting and when Jon Moxley’s reign as champion ends, a new era will begin in AEW.
HIT: Jamie Hayter sits down with Renee Paquette
Jamie Hayter sat down with Renee Paquette to discuss her upcoming match with Mercedes Moné at “Double or Nothing,” in the finale of the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Match.
This is a veritable dream match for AEW fans, pitting one of AEW’s original talents against the world-renowned phenomenon that is Moné.
Hayter knows how to handle herself with the microphone, affording little grace to her opponent. That was, until Moné intervened — blindsiding Hayter mid-interview.
The fight spilled out into the entranceway and ended with Moné applying the Statement Maker to Hayter — wrenching her supposedly-injured back.
Oftentimes, when backstage fights bleed into the concourse or entranceway, they feel somewhat forced. This seemed natural, in a way that is difficult to describe or articulate.
HIT: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kevin Knight
This was an Eliminator match for Kazuchika Okada’s AEW Continental Championship. Like Nick Wayne, the “Jet” Kevin Knight will be participating in the “Best of the Super Juniors” tournament. So, if he would have won this match, his match for the Continental Championship would have taken place upon his return to the States.
Unfortunately, Knight failed to capitalize on his staggering opportunity. Much of that can be attributed to RUSH, who attacked Knight shortly before the match.
“El Toro Blanco’s” grievance with Knight dates back to last Saturday’s “Collision,” when Knight cost RUSH an opportunity to win a fatal fourway match for $100,000.
Before RUSH could seriously injure Knight, “Speedball” Mike Bailey intervened; forcing RUSH to retreat.
While Knight had the option to postpone his match, he instead opted to compete. Despite his obvious disadvantage, the “Jet’s” effort was valiant. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to defeat the “Rainmaker.” To Knight’s credit though, he did a great job of selling his injuries, which only added to the match’s intrigue.
Rating: ***¼
HIT: Samoa Joe vs. Claudio Castagnoli
The main event saw Samoa Joe square off against The Death Riders’ own Claudio Castagnoli, ahead of Joe’s match against Jon Moxley next week at “Beach Break.”
Joe is no stranger to Castagnoli. Their first encounter was nearly 20 years ago, when they faced off in Ring of Honor. They renewed their rivalry nearly a decade ago in WWE, meeting in a variety of single’s matches from 2017 to 2019.
This was a strong main event, that saw Joe ultimately get the better of Castagnoli — finishing the affair with his patented Coquina Clutch.
After the match, The Death Riders tried to intervene, but were met with the arrival of Powerhouse Hobbs. The Death Riders were too afraid to enter the ring, leaving Castagnoli to The Opps’ devices. Samoa Joe crushed Castagnoli’s ribs, in similar fashion to the way The Death Riders disposed of both HOOK & Katsuyori Shibata.
Next week at “Beach Break,” Joe will continue to wage war against The Death Riders, when he faces Jon Moxley in a steel cage for the AEW World Championship.
While I don’t think Joe will be the one to deliver the coup de grace to Moxley’s reign of terror, I’m very excited for this title match.
Rating: ***¼
Final Verdict
AEW’s hot streak continued last night, with another solid installment of Wednesday Night “Dynamite.” I loved the new title theme and the show’s opening segment, as well as MJF’s backstage segment with Will Ospreay. The Masonic Temple Theater was a phenomenal venue that I hope AEW returns to in the future.
Rating: ***¼
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