AEW returned to Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for a special edition of Wednesday Night “Dynamite” — the fourth annual “Blood & Guts.” 

“Dynamite” has been riding a tidal wave of momentum over the last few weeks. While this episode was built around the spectacle of its main event, the preliminary segments and matches were equally as entertaining — continuing the trend of great episodes.

Hits and Misses 

HIT: The Opening Segment 

Maxwell Jacob Friedman has caustically said in the past that he bats one thousand. I’m inclined to believe him.

After defeating Will Ospreay last week on “Dynamite,” the newly crowned AEW International Champion kicked off this week’s episode in Nashville with a celebration. MJF’s itinerary was as follows: (1) bask in his own glory, (2) insult Will Ospreay, (3) insult the city of Nashville, and (4) insult the International Championship and its lineage. After MJF finished denigrating the championship, he dropped the belt in a garbage can and unveiled its successor; the AEW American Championship. Will Ospreay interrupted MJF’s patriotic celebration to announce that their rematch has been scheduled on “home soil;” at “All In” in London.

What a tour de force from both performers. Last week, they proved they can walk the walk. This week, they proved (yet again) they can talk the talk, too. “Dynamite” is an exponentially better show when MJF works as a heel. There are very few lines he won’t cross and his command over the crowd is unparalleled.

Discarding the International title in favor of a new American Championship just adds another interesting wrinkle to this rivalry. MJF has always excelled at referencing wrestling history with subtlety. In this instance, after Will Ospreay won the IWGP United States Championship from Kenny Omega at “Forbidden Door” last year, Ospreay changed the title’s name to the IWGP United Kingdom Championship — to insult New Japan’s American fans. I greatly appreciate the symmetry.

MISS: Chris Jericho v. Minoru Suzuki

This match was a bit better than I expected it to be, but that’s not saying much. If you personally enjoy dueling exchanges of chops, then you might enjoy this match. Minoru Suzuki’s rope-assisted Juji-Gatame was an enjoyable spot. That is the only nice thing I have to say about this match. It’s unfortunate, too, because I enjoy Suzuki. For the umpteenth week in a row, Chris Jericho has been a sore spot on this program. At what point does AEW scrap “The Learning Tree,” as both a character and faction, and move on? This show has been firing on all cylinders for over a month now, save for Jericho’s segments. Fans and pundits alike have been vocal about their fatigue with Jericho for two years now. Even broaching the subject feels like I’m kicking a dead horse

Like Taz, I digress.

HIT: Hikaru Shida v. Britt Baker and Kamille’s Debut 

This was Dr. Britt Baker DMD’s first match in over 10 months, and she couldn’t have picked a better opponent to wrestle than Hikaru Shida. This was the fourth time that both women have met in singles competition and their familiarity was evident.

It was the aftermath of the match that really sold this segment. Mercedes Moné made her way down the entranceway to respond to Baker’s challenge. The “CEO”’s answer was still no, but while Baker’s attention was focused on Moné, the “Brickhouse” Kamille made her highly anticipated debut; attacking Baker on Moné’s behalf.

This is a brilliant way to introduce Kamille, who previously worked for the National Wrestling Alliance — holding the NWA World Women’s Championship for a staggering 812 days. Kamille is the ideal enforcer for Moné, who has previously expressed interest in forming a women’s faction. It’ll be interesting to see how Kamille is incorporated in this feud going forward.

HIT: Toni Storm’s Return 

This segment was billed as the debut of the “Glamour,” Mariah May, who wrestled a local enhancement talent named Kaitland Alexis. However, “Timeless” Toni Storm’s surprise return stole the show, earning her a raucous reaction from the crowd. Storm’s scream was guttural, asking May if she’s “prepared to die” at “All In.”

I can’t wait to see how this feud continues to unfold next week. In many ways, that is the ultimate compliment.

HIT: Blood & Guts

Similar to WarGames, “Blood & Guts” is violent spectacle; complete with ten wrestlers and two wrestling rings enclosed in eight tons of steel. The rules are very simple: a team can only lose by submission or by surrendering. For the last three years, “Blood & Guts” has served as a rematch for the participants in “Anarchy in the Arena.” In 2022, the Inner Circle and Blackpool Combat Club traded wins in their series. In 2023, the Elite and Blackpool Combat Club traded wins. At “Double or Nothing,” the Elite defeated “Team AEW” in “Anarchy in the Arena;” a roster consisting of Bryan Danielson, Dax Hardwood, Cash Wheeler, and Darby Allin. Over the last month, a new roster has been assembled to represent “Team AEW” in “Blood & Guts,” centered around the talent of AEW’s World Champion, Swerve Strickland.

Strickland was joined by Mark Briscoe (Ring of Honor Champion), Darby Allin, Max Caster, and Anthony Bowens of the Acclaimed. Historically, the winner of “Anarchy in the Arena” has ultimately lost in the rematch at “Blood & Guts.” While the roster may have changed, it was clear that “Team AEW” would stand victorious over the Elite. Even though the destination was obvious, the pure chaos of “Blood & Guts” meant that the journey was unpredictable.

Two weeks ago on Saturday Night “Collision,” Mark Briscoe warned the Young Bucks that blood and guts were his “currency.” Fortunately, Briscoe wasn’t the only wrestler with a penchant for gratuitous violence. “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland are no stranger to death matches. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson have been in their fair share of multi-man bloodbaths. Darby Allin is… a veritable masochist.

Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry, Max Caster and Anthony Bowens were all relative newcomers to the “Blood & Guts” format. However, that didn’t stop Caster and Bowens from enduring extraordinarily grueling punishment. For Caster, it was having his mouth filled with thumbtacks and then being superkicked. For Bowens, it was falling off one of the cage’s support structures onto a tower of tables. Jack Perry’s torment included, but was certainly not limited to being shot with a staple gun, and being handcuffed to the cage and hit directly in the head by a steel chair. Then, Darby Allin doused Perry in gasoline and threatened to set him on fire, unless he agreed to Allin’s challenge for his TNT Championship at “All In” and surrendered. While Perry refused, Matthew Jackson intervened — accepting Allin’s challenge and surrendering on Perry’s behalf.

All in all, “Blood & Guts” was entertaining — which is the primary goal of these multi-man matches. Will it have any long-term effect on the way the Elite, and more specifically the Young Bucks, subvert AEW’s corporate hierarchy? Probably not. My biggest takeaway from the main event was how invested the audience was in Strickland and Page’s personal feud. Page’s affiliation with the Elite was tenuous and I can only imagine that he’ll collide with Okada down the line. However, it’s clear that his vendetta against Strickland is far from over.

The rest of the week’s programming includes:

Friday Night “Rampage” 

• “Royal Rampage” 
• The Outrunners vs. Private Party vs. The Righteous vs. Kyle Fletcher & Rush
• Leila Grey vs. Kris Statlander
• Lance Archer in action

Battle of the Belts XI 

• “Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Taya Valkyrie