The February 22nd edition of AEW Dynamite saw former friends Orange Cassidy and Wheeler Yuta battle for the AEW All Atlantic Championship, John Moxley versus Evil Uno, Skye Blue versus Saraya, the announcement of a new AEW TV-show to follow Dynamite, and a tag team battle royal for a place at AEW Revolution.
Highlights:
- The show opened with an AEW All Atlantic title defense by Orange Cassidy against former Best Friends member Wheeler Yuta. With help from the commentating team, the match played on the pair’s familiarity with each other and Yuta’s new vicious nature as part of the Blackpool Combat Club (which was further emphasized by Claudio Castagnoli showing up at ringside to light a fire under Yuta). Great match really putting over Yuta in the loss with Orange having to use multiple Orange Punches to put down his former protégé.
- MJF interrupted Bryan Danielson‘s in-ring promo segment that got personal quick with the champ talking about, and even to, Danielson’s children promising to give Danielson brain damage in their match at AEW Revolution.
- The latest chapter in the Ricky Starks vs. Chris Jericho feud set up a match between the two at AEW Revolution in a fun segment (which included a cameo by Peter Avalon) beginning with Starks offering an open contract for the Pay-Per-View and ending with Jericho signing for the match and promising JAS wouldn’t be at ringside.
- In a backstage promo segment Tony Khan and Adam Cole revealed AEW’s new show AEW All Access to follow AEW Dynamite. While it might not be the in-ring announcement some were hoping for, another show for AEW (and one that offers backstage access to their wrestlers) is big news for the brand that continues to prosper and make more inroads non-wrestling content similar to what WWE has done in the past ten years. As for Cole, he also had a note about his in-ring return.
- The Acclaimed arrived with Max Caster‘s rap making reference to Big Bill‘s WWE run prior to the team’s match against Bill and Lee Moriarty. The Acclaimed take the victory despite some interference from the Ass Boys.
- The House of Black promo confirmed their interest in the AEW Trios Championship and set up an in-face confrontation with The Elite on AEW Rampage.
- Planned interview segment on the ramp went off the rails quickly when Christian Cage was jumped by Jungle Boy but ended with Cage standing over a bloodied Jungle Boy after a dick punch and several chair shots.
- Chaotic tag-team battle royal for a spot at AEW Revolution was won by Jeff Jarrett. Memorable spots including Mark Briscoe arriving to further his rivalry with Josh Woods, the Butcher and the Blade eliminating Aussie Open and Dark Order, a Danhausen curse, and plenty of Team TNA’s shenanigans.
- Saraya beat Skye Blue in a short, but solid, match (with no commercial interruptions) that succeeded on several fronts (despite Saraya’s notable ring rust) including giving Blue some nice spots, continuing building the heel brand of Saraya and Toni Storm (who attacked Blue and distracted the ref from a pin attempt), and, in post-match scrum and later interview with Jamie Hayter, setting up an AEW Women’s Championship triple-threat match between Hayter, Saraya, and Ruby Soho.
- Jon Moxley defeated Evil Uno in a short but physcial match that saw the Dark Order and the Blackpool Combat Club come to the ring for a brawl to end the show.
Lows:
- None. The pacing of the show continues to improve with no dead spots or never-ending entrance segments (unlike that other wrestling company). Everything here served a purpose and some segments moved multiple storylines forward. Evil Uno may have had his ring entrance during the picture-in-picture commercial but the entire match was broadcast without a break.
Less Notable:
- Renee Paquette‘s backstage interview with Evil Uno and “Hangman” Adam Page.
- Backstage segment with Team TNA and the Ass Boys.
- Announcement of Hook‘s reinstatement.
