3/13/24 AEW Dynamite: Big Business Recap

The show opens with Renee Paquette in the parking garage. She hypes up the show and a car pulls up. The door opens, but the shot changes to inside the arena before anyone gets out.

Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone are on commentary from Boston, Massachusetts.

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Mercedes Mone’s music hits, and she makes her way to the ring. Mone says she is home, and then thanks the fans for having her back for the last two years and sticking with her through everything. Mone says the fans are the reason she is here and says just how much wrestling means to her. Mone says her dream started when she was very young, when she had to drop out of school to take care of her brother, and then carried over into Chaotic Wrestling. Mone says if she can do it, then anyone can too.

Mone says she is in AEW because she wants and needs to be here and because AEW is the only place where a women’s revolution can be global. Mone says she cannot wait to tear it up with the locker room, and then beings up tonight’s match between Riho and Willow Nightingale. Money says she has unfinished business with Nightingale, and then officially announces that she is All Elite as the graphic appears on the screen. Mone tells everyone to officially say hello to their new CEO.

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Renee interviews Samoa Joe backstage. Joe says he remembers what happened the last time he and Wardlow were in the ring together, and then tells Wardlow that he doesn’t take quarter and he doesn’t lose titles in Boston.

A vignette airs for Wardlow, narrated by Adam Cole. Cole reads a story about a warrior who found brotherhood through hatred and ended up slaying the beast before presenting the prize to the king.

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Match #1 – AEW World Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Wardlow
Wardlow beats Joe into the corner, and then sends him to the outside. Wardlow delivers shots against the barricade, and then slams Joe into the barricade on the other side of the ring. Wardlow slams Joe into the ring steps and rips up a fan’s sign at ringside. Wardlow gets Joe back into the ring, but Joe comes back with a few chops. Joe runs the ropes, but Wardlow drops him with a spine-buster for a one count. Wardlow delivers a knee strike and stomps on Joe’s head. Wardlow backs Joe into the corner and drives his shoulder into his midsection a few times. Joe comes back with chops and jabs, but Wardlow delivers a knee strike and runs the ropes. Joe drops him with a back elbow and follows with more jabs. Joe sends Wardlow to the corner and delivers a back elbow and an enzuigiri. Joe delivers a headbutt and follows with a chop in the corner.  Joe puts Wardlow up top and climbs, but Wardlow counters with right hands and a back elbow. Wardlow drops Joe with a corkscrew senton as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Joe attempts to come back but Wardlow sends him away with a back elbow. Wardlow comes off the ropes and takes Joe down for a two count. Wardlow sets up for a powerbomb, but Joe comes back with a few jabs. Joe delivers a Manhattan Drop and a boot to the face, and then connects with a running senton. They exchange shots and Joe delivers a powerslam for a two count. Joe sets up for the Stampede, but Wardlow gets free and tweaks his knee. Joe comes to the corner, but Wardlow gouges his eyes and puts Joe up top. Wardlow delivers the knee strike in the corner and goes for the cover, but Joe kicks out. Wardlow goes for a senton, but Joe dodges and delivers right hands in the corner. Wardlow counters with a powerbomb and sets up for the Symphony, but Joe counters. Wardlow shoves him away, but Joe comes back and locks in the Coquina Clutch, and Wardlow passes out.
Winner and still AEW World Champion: Samoa Joe
-After the match, Swerve Strickland fights off security and makes his way to the ring. Joe ducks out of the ring as Strickland enters and smirks as he walks up the ramp.

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Earlier today, Alex Marvez interviewed Kazuchika Okada and The Young Bucks. Marvez asks Okada why he joined The Elite, and Nicholas Jackson interrupts and tells Marvez to show more respect next time. Matthew says Okada joined The Elite due to the synergy of the best three wrestlers in the world being together. Matthew says he can probably name about 14 million other reasons why, and then Okada tells Eddie Kingston, PAC, and Penta El Zero Miedo that he is coming for them. Okada tells Marvez to sing “Happy Birthday” to Matthew, and Marvez does.

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Match #2 – Trios Tag Team Match: Eddie Kingston, PAC, and Penta El Zero Miedo (w/Alex Abrahantes) vs. The Elite (Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson)
Kingston and Okada start the match, but Okada immediately tags out to Matthew. Matthew asks for a fist-bump, but Kingston delivers a chop and tags in PAC. Matthew asks for a fist-bump from him, but PAC kicks him in the midsection and follows with a shoulder tackle. PAC delivers another shoulder tackle and follows with a hurricanrana and a back-breaker. Matthew comes back with a throat punch, and then Nicholas and Penta tag in. Nicholas takes Penta down, but Penta comes back with a thrust kick to the throat. Penta kicks Nicholas in the face and slams him down for a two count. PAC tags in and Penta delivers an enzuigiri to Nicholas. PAC kicks Nicholas in the face, and then he and Penta drop Nicholas with a double dropkick. Penta delivers a few kicks to Matthew, and then Penta delivers a stomp from the top. Kingston tags in, but Nicholas delivers a jaw-breaker.
Okada tags in, and they exchange chops and elbow strikes. Kingston gains the advantage with a few hard chops, but Okada comes back with a dropkick. Okada knocks Penta and PAC to the floor, and then The Elite deliver a triple enzuigiri to Kingston in the corner as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Kingston delivers a few elbow strikes to Matthew, but Matthew backs him into the corner and drives his elbow into his midsection a few times. Matthew comes off the ropes, but Kingston drops him with an exploder suplex. Kingston goes for the tag, but Okada and Nicholas pull PAC and Penta to the floor. Matthew drops Kingston with a lariat, and then delivers right hands to him in the corner. Kingston comes back with a belly-to-belly suplex and tags in Penta. Nicholas tags in as well, and Penta drops The Bucks with a double cross-body and a pair of Slingblades. Penta drops The Bucks with a double DDT as Okada comes in. Penta delivers a thrust kick and tags in PAC, who drops Okada with a dropkick. PAC and Penta take out The Bucks with dives over the top rope, and then PAC tosses Nicholas back into the ring.
Penta delivers a diving foot stomp and PAC connects with a 450 splash for a two count as Okada breaks it up. Okada tags in, but PAC drops him with a snap suplex. Kingston tags in and delivers a few chops to Okada. Kingston goes for the Uraken, but Okada ducks and drops Kingston with a DDT. PAC comes in and drops Okada, Matthew drops PAC, Penta drops Matthew, Nicholas drops Penta, and then Kingston drops Nicholas. Everything breaks down even more, and Nicholas comes back with a low-blow to Kingston. Okada delivers the Rainmaker and gets the pin fall.
Winners: The Elite
-After the match, Okada holds the AEW Continental Crown Championship in the air before throwing it down on Kingston’s chest.

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The video package for the feud between Adam Copeland and Christian Cage airs. They will face off in an “I Quit” Match for the AEW TNT Championship next week on Dynamite.

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Tony Schiavone introduces Will Ospreay. Ospreay says his match against Bryan Danielson at Dynasty means so much to him, because he has always wanted to model his career after him. Ospreay says he has been calling himself the best wrestler in the world, and Danielson told him to prove it. Ospreay says Danielson asked him if doing a Tiger Driver 91 in his match against Kenny Omega was worth it, and Ospreay says it was. Ospreay says every since he stepped into AEW, the phrase “restore the feeling” has been following him around.

Ospreay says he is the feeling, and his match against Danielson is all about reminding people what AEW is. Ospreay says he can have respect for Danielson, but when the bell rings it’s his life or Danielson’s and he doesn’t plan on dying. Ospreay says they will find out who the best wrestler in the world is at Dynasty, but his name is Will Ospreay and he is on another level.

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Deonna Purrazzo cuts a promo backstage. Purrazzo says she is not done with Toni Storm and Mariah May, and says she does not have a problem finding a partner to face them next week in Toronto.

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Match #3 – Singles Match: Darby Allin vs. Jay White
White takes Allin down with a side-headlock take down, and then follows with a few chops in the corner. Allin comes back with right hands and kicks White in the face. Allin delivers a shotgun dropkick and drops White with a senton on the outside. Allin slams White into the barricade, but White comes back and slams Allin on the outside as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Allin tries to come back and goes up top, but White pulls him back to the mat. White delivers a few shots to Allin’s back and goes for a Stinger Splash, but Allin dodges it and delivers a few elbow strikes. White comes back for the Bladerunner, but Allin counters with a stunner. Allin gets a sunset flip for a two count, but White comes back with a few shots. White gets Allin to the apron, but Allin comes back with a Scorpion Death Drop for a two count. Allin gets White on the apron and goes for a Coffin Drop, but White dodges it and Allin crashes to the floor. Allin gets back into the ring at the nine count, but White drops him with the Bladerunner for the pin fall.
Winner: Jay White
-After the match, Austin and Colten Gunn join White in the ring, and then they beat Allin down as White puts chairs in the ring. They wrap a chair around Allin’s ankle, and then White goes to hit the chair with a baseball bat. The Acclaimed’s music hits and they come to the ring. They ask White and the Gunns what they are doing, and then Anthony Bowens and Max Caster help Allin out of the ring as Billy Gunn talks to White. Billy throws the bat down, but White hits him with a chair. Caster and Bowens come back, but The Gunns beat them down. White lays Billy out with the Bladerunner, and then The Gunns get Allin back in the ring. They beat him down, and then White puts his ankle in the chair and hits it with the bat.

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Match #4 – Tag Team Match: Chris Jericho and Hook vs. Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona) (w/Prince Nana)
Hook and Kaun start the match. Hook goes behind with a waist-lock, but Kaun delivers a back elbow. Jericho tags in, and he and Hook drop Kaun with a double suplex. Jericho and Hook do the same to Liona, and then Kaun gets back into the ring. Jericho delivers a knee strike and follows with chops in the corner. Kaun comes back with a boot to the face, and then drops Jericho with a clothesline. Kaun drapes Jericho over the top rope, and then Liona delivers a shoulder tackle that sends Jericho into the announcers’ table. Liona chops Jericho and gets him into the ring. Liona splashes Jericho in the corner and drives his shoulder into Jericho’s midsection a few times. Liona drops Jericho with a right hand and sends him across, but Jericho dodges a splash and delivers a chop. Liona sends Jericho to the apron after dodging a splash, and then knocks Hook to the floor. Liona sends Jericho into the announcers’ table as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Jericho delivers a few chops to Kaun. Kaun comes back with a strike, but Jericho drops him with a kick to the face and connects with the Lionsault. Hook tags in and knocks Liona to the floor. Hook drops Kaun with a few clotheslines and follows with a T-bone suplex. Hook low-bridges Liona back to the floor and drops Kaun with a Northern Lights suplex for a two count as Liona comes back in. Jericho takes Liona down, and then Kaun drops Jericho with a pump kick. Hook sends Kaun to the corner and drops Liona with a German suplex. Kaun delivers a gut-buster to Hook and goes for the cover, but Hook kicks out. Gates of Agony try to double-team Hook, but he gets free and cause them to collide heads. Jericho pulls Liona to the floor as Hook takes Kaun down. Hook applies the Redrum and Jericho applies the Liontamer to Kaun. Jericho lets go and dropkicks Liona back to the floor as Kaun taps out to Hook.
Winners: Chris Jericho and Hook

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Renee interviews Kyle O’Reilly, who will take on Bryan Keith this Saturday on Collision. O’Reilly says there was a time when wrestling wasn’t even on his mind, because his neck injury caused him to not even be able to pick up his kids. O’Reilly says he thinks Keith can be the guy to bring out the old Kyle O’Reilly, and he is looking forward to the match. Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett walk up. Strong says if O’Reilly wants to do it on his own, he respects it. Strong and O’Reilly share a hug, and then he shares fist-bumps with Taven and Bennett before they walk away. O’Reilly says it’s his first match back and he does have to do it on his own.

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The video package for tonight’s main event between Riho and Willow Nightingale airs. Riho is shown warming up backstage, and then Mone walks up and introduces herself. Mone tells Riho she is looking forward to her match and then walks away.

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Renee interviews Jericho and Hook. Jericho says Hook showed him a lot tonight, but Jericho says he needs to know what it’s like to stand across from Hook in the ring. Jericho challenges Hook to a singles match next week, and Hook accepts with a fist-bump.

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Match #5 – Singles Match: Riho vs. Willow Nightingale
Riho goes behind for a waist-lock, but Nightingale gets free. Nightingale takes Riho down with a cross-body, but Riho bridges out of the cover. Riho sends Nightingale to the corner and delivers a couple of knee strikes. Nightingale comes back with a kick to the face and follows with a dropkick as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Riho sends Nightingale into the ropes with a hurricanrana. Riho delivers a Tiger Feint Kick and drops Nightingale with a diving cross-body for a two count. Nightingale comes back and they exchange shots. Nightingale goes for the Doctor Bomb, but Riho rolls through for a two count. Riho delivers a Northern Lights suplex and goes up top for a double stomp. Nightingale dodges it and sends Riho to the outside with the Pounce. Nightingale goes for a running senton from the apron, but Riho dodges and and connects with the double stomp from the apron. Riho gets Nightingale back to the apron and drops her with a dragon suplex. Riho delivers another double stomp in the ring and goes for the cover, but Nightingale kicks out. Riho goes for a running knee strike, but Nightingale dodges it. Riho delivers a few shots and a jumping knee strike, but Nightingale comes back with a clothesline.  Nightingale picks Riho up, but Riho rolls through and gets a two count. Nightingale comes back and delivers the Doctor Bomb for the pin fall.
Winner: Willow Nightingale
-After the match, Nightingale and Riho share a hug. The lights go out as Nightingale celebrates, and then they come back on with Julia Hart standing at the bottom of the ramp. Skye Blue attacks Nightingale from behind, and then they double-team Nightingale in the ring. Hart goes to hit Nightingale with the AEW TBS Championship belt, but Mone’s music hits. Mone decks Blue on the ramp and gets into the ring. Mone delivers a knee strike to Hart and slams her to the mat. Mone turns toward Nightingale, and Nightingale raises her arm in the air. Nightingale leaves the ring and the crowd chants “CEO” for Mone as the show comes to a close.

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Announced for this Friday’s Rampage:
-Trios Tag Team Match: Action Andretti and Top Flight vs. Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, and Roderick Strong
-Evil Uno and John Silver vs. Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta
-Mariah May and Toni Storm in action
-The brackets for the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament will be revealed

Announced for this Saturday’s Collision:
-Bryan Keith vs. Kyle O’Reilly

Announced for next Wednesday’s Dynamite:
-AEW TNT Championship – “I Quit” Match: Christian Cage (c) vs. Adam Copeland
-AEW Continental Crown Championship Match: Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada
-Deonna Purrazzo and TBA vs. Mariah May and Toni Storm
-Chris Jericho vs. Hook
-We will hear from Mercedes Mone