7/17/23 AEW Dynamite Recap

Join the Starman as he covers tonight’s landmark 250th episode of AEW Dynamite, live from the Simmons Bank Arena in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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MJF’s immediately kicks off the start of Dynamite as we head into the first match of the night, which has a 60 minute time limit.

Match 1: MJF vs. Will Ospreay (AEW International Championship)
The bell rings as both MJF and Ospreay stare each other down. MJF then leaves the ring and messes with the fans for a bit before returning to the ring. The two then go back and forth with a series of counters and reversals, which gets an “AEW!” chant from the live crowd. Ospreay then clotheslines MJF out to the floor and takes him out with a dive over the top rope. Back in the ring, Ospreay picks up a near fall and sets up for the Hidden Blade, but MJF rolls to the corner and then sends Ospreay face first into the turnbuckle. MJF begins to slowly and methodically wear Ospreay down with armbars and headlocks before hitting a rotating stunner for a near fall.

Ospreay is able to take MJF down with a flying forearm and follows with a series of moves that picks up a couple of near falls on MJF. The match goes out to the floor as Ospreay sets up the timekeeper’s table next to the guard railing, as MJF crawls back into the ring. Ospreay follows as Ospreay and MJF go back and forth with a series of reversals until MJF hits a piledriver for a two count. MJF begins to work on Ospreay’s legs and locks in the figure four but Ospreay refuses to tap out and is able to roll over to reverse the hold. MJF is able to roll back over but Ospreay is able to break the hold with by grabbing the ropes. MJF then tries to send Ospreay into the corner, but Ospreay collapses after the effects of the figure four.

MJF then begins to focus on the right leg until they both take each other down with running clotheslines. MJF then calls his next move of a brainbuster, but Ospreay counters with a Stundog Millionaire and a Oscutter, but MJF is able to roll out of the ring. Ospreay then tries for an Oscutter on the apron, but MJF misses and Ospreay injures his arm. The referee goes to check on Ospreay as we head into a commercial break.

The match continues as MJF connects with a shoulder breaker and follows with a pumphandle slam for a near fall. Ospreay then takes MJF down with a corkscrew kick and then connects with a series of chops before picking up a near fall with a torture rack slam. MJF again rolls out to the floor and then hops the railing. Ospreay follows as the two begin to fight on the stairs in the crowd and even a little girl gets involved with a few shots on MJF. The fight makes it back to the ringside area as Ospreay puts MJF on the table that was set up earlier. Ospreay then climbs to the top rope, but MJF rolls off the table and rolls back into the ring.

MJF and Ospreay then counter each other’s pin attempts as Ospreay connects with a reverse hurricanrana but MJF comes back with a Long Island Sunrise for another near fall. MJF then tosses Ospreay out of the ring and puts him onto the table. MJF then climbs to the top rope but Ospreay rolls off the table. MJF goes out to the floor and continues on the attack and sends Ospreay into the railing. MJF tries to send Ospreay into the railing once again, but Ospreay jumps onto the rail and takes MJF down with an Oscutter.

The match returns to the ring as MJF sets up for a Cross Rhodes, but Ospreay reverses it, winks at the camera, and takes MJF down with the Cross Rhodes for a two count. MJF is able to comeback with a hammerlock DDT for a near fall of his own. Ospreay then tries for a springboard move, but MJF knocks him off the ropes and then sends him down to the canvas with a lariat for another near fall. MJF then sets up for a Tombstone on the apron, but Ospreay is able to counter and takes MJF down with a Styles Clash on the apron. Ospreay then rolls MJF into the ring and goes for a pin fall, but MJF is able to kick out at two as we head into another commercial break.

The match continues with Ospreay taking MJF down with a reverse elbow for a near fall as the announce team tell us that the ringside doctor reset Ospreay’s shoulder during the commercial break. MJF then connects with a Tombstone piledriver and picks up a near fall of his own as we see the footage of the doctor working on Ospreay during the break. Ospreay sends MJF out to the floor and MJF takes his eyes off Ospreay long enough for Ospreay to connect with the Hidden Blade through the ropes. Ospreay picks up a near fall and then heads to the top rope, but MJF knocks him down. The two then fight in the corner until Ospreay is able to take MJF down with a Styles Clash from the middle rope. Ospreay goes for a cover, but MJF is able to grab the bottom rope. MJF then hits Ospreay with a Heatseeker on the apron and puts Ospreay on the table. MJF again goes to the top rope and hits a flying elbow, which sends Ospreay through the table and we head into another commercial break.

We return to the match as MJF has Ospreay locked in an abdominal stretch and uses the top rope for leverage. The referee finally catches him and kicks his arm off and Ospreay sends MJF down to the canvas with a hip toss. The two then go into a series of quick near falls and counters. Ospreay then counters an attempt at a Kangaroo Kick and tries to take MJF off the ropes with a reverse hurricanrana, but MJF is able to land on his feet. MJF then tries to do a hurricanrana off the ropes, but Ospreay lands on his feet. The two then hit a series of strikes and kicks on each other and counter each other with a long series of sunset flips. Ospreay then hits the Spanish Fly and picks up yet another near fall as we are nearing the time limit of this match.

The two begin fighting on the turnbuckle and Ospreay connects with a Oscutter and follows with a Hidden Blade, but MJF is able to kick out of the pin attempt. Ospreay then tries for another Hidden Blade, but MJF is able to duck out of the way as Ospreay crashes to the mat. MJF then spits on Ospreay, which sets him off and he sets up for the Tiger Driver and the timekeeper announces there is one minute remaining. Ospreay refuses to use the move as MJF sends Ospreay into the referee and then connects with a hard right and knocks out Ospreay. MJF then covers Ospreay and pins the champion with two seconds left to become the new AEW International Champion.

After the match, the Dynamite Diamond Ring is seen outside of the ring as it is what MJF had on his hand to knock out Ospreay. Medics then tend to the wrestlers in the ring and puts an oxygen mask on MJF and he celebrates his championship victory.

Winner: MJF defeated Will Ospreay by pin fall to become the new AEW International Champion.

The Acclaimed and Mark Briscoe are backstage where the Acclaimed plead their case to become their partners for Blood and Guts. Briscoe says that they had his back a few weeks ago and says they are in. Briscoe then says his isn’t the only one calling the shots as Swerve Strickland enters with Prince Nana. Swerve says there are no better people to go to war with than those they have been in battle with. Swerve then asks the Acclaimed if they are ready to get violent. The announce team then hypes tonight’s main event featuring Swerve Strickland against Kazuchika Okada.

The Redwood Big Bill is in the ring and announces The Learning Tree, Chris Jericho, who comes out to the ring with Bryan Keith. Jericho talks about the 250th episodes and says he was on the first episode and says he will be on every episode until episode 500. Jericho then says people getting hurt has to stop and he shows footage of Hook and Samoa Joe getting hurt at the hands of the Learning Tree. He is then interrupted by Minoru Suzuki’s music, who comes out to the ring with a piece of paper. Suzuki stares down Jericho and then tells him next week. Keith grabs the paper and reads it, which says it’s an official order where both Redwood and Bad Apple are banned from ringside next week for the FTW Championship match at Blood and Guts. Suzuki then drops Jericho with a headbutt and leaves the ring.

The Elite are backstage as they respond to the announcement of the Acclaimed and Swerve Strickland joining Mark Briscoe. The Young Bucks say after next week they will hold all the gold and all the power and may make the AEW Championship vacant after taking out Swerve. Mercedes Mone comes in and thanks for the EVPs on banning Britt Baker from Dynamite 250. Okada then asks to see Mone’s CEO dance and it makes him get a little hot under the collar as we head into a commercial break.

Match 2: Mercedes Mone vs. Nyla Rose (AEW TBS Championship)
The match starts as Nyla Rose uses her size to her advantage and hangs Mercedes Mone on the ropes and connects with a knee drop from the top rope for a near fall as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match as Mone has Rose in a rear choke, but Rose is able to reverse it and takes Mone down with a suplex. Rose then connects with a cannon ball and picks up another near fall. Mone is able to kick Rose off the middle rope and follows up with a Meteora for a near fall of her own. Mone then pulls out a glove to mock Britt Baker and locks Rose in the Lock Jaw, but Rose bites her hand. Mone then rams Rose’s head into the mat a few times before locking in the Statement Maker to pick up the submission victory to retain the AEW TBS Championship.

A fan wearing a Sting mask and holding a “DMD > CEO” sign is standing ringside as Mone grabs it and tears it up. The fan takes off the mask to reveal that it is Britt Baker and she charges at Mone, but security separate the two from making contact.

Winner: Mercedes Mone defeated Nyla Rose by submission to retain the AEW TBS Championship.

A recap of last week’s Dynamite is aired where Mariah May won the Owen Hart Cup finals and then turned Toni Storm into a bloody mess and we head into a commercial break.

Jack Perry is backstage and says Darby Allin has his attention and wonders if Darby thinks he gives a shit about Brandon Cutler. Cutler is seen laying at Perry’s feet and sends him into a boiler and tells Allin to find him tonight so he can see what a real sacrifice looks like.

Toni Storm’s music hits but it is Mariah May dressed up as Storm and she heads to the ring. May says everyone saw it coming, except for Toni Storm, as she was too desperate for the spotlight. May says she was having so much fun stringing her along and decided it was time to take her out in front of many people at Wembley Stadium. A “We want Toni!” chant begins as May says her greatest performance will be at All In.

A recap of the Bang Bang Gang being stripped of the Unified World Trios Championships on Collision. The Bang Bang Gang will face off against The Patriarchy this Saturday for the vacant AEW Trios Championship.

Match 3: Kazuchika Okada vs. Swerve Strickland
The bell rings as both Strickland and Okada go back and forth with a series of counters as the announce team say that they will stick with this match until the end. Strickland and Okada begin trading blows in the middle of the ring until Okada slams Strickland down to the mat and Strickland rolls out to the floor. Okada follows and takes Strickland down with a DDT on the mat as we head into a commercial break.

We return to the match to see Okada dropkicking Strickland off the ropes, which sends him crashing to the ring apron. The two fight on the apron with Swerve hanging Okada on the top rope. Swerve then hits the Flatliner and follows with a suplex for a near fall. Okada is able to recover and takes Strickland down with a neckbreaker for a near fall of his own. Okada heads to the top rope and hits a elbow drop and gives Strickland the finger, but Swerve rolls Okada up for a near fall. Strickland then connects with a series of strikes, but Okada takes him down with a dropkick.

Strickland is able to recover and takes Okada down with a slam and goes for the Swerve Stomp, but Okada rolls out of the way. Okada then hits a Tombstone piledriver and sets up for the Rainmaker, but Strickland counters with a Swerve Stomp. The Young Bucks then run into the ring and attack Strickland as the referee calls for the bell. The Acclaimed then run in and attack the Young Bucks, but Jack Perry comes in to give the Elite the advantage. Mark Briscoe then comes out and takes out the Young Bucks, but is quickly taken out with a DDT from Perry. Swerve then connects with the House Call on Perry as the ring is cleared.

Adam Page’s music hits as the Hangman comes down to the ring and stares at Strickland from the apron. Okada then pulls Strickland out of the ring as both sides begin to brawl in the ringside area. Security comes out to break them apart and Darby Allin’s music hits. Nobody knows where Allin is as he is lowered down from the rafters and the two begin to brawl once again as the announce team hypes Blood and Guts next week and Dynamite comes to a close.

Winner: Swerve Strickland defeated Kazuchika Okada by disqualification.

Quick Results
– MJF defeated Will Ospreay by pin fall to become the new AEW International Champion.
– Mercedes Mone defeated Nyla Rose by submission to retain the AEW TBS Championship.
– Swerve Strickland defeated Kazuchika Okada by disqualification.