Oct.18, brought a very special episode of “All Elite Wrestling Dynamite,” (AEW) not only because it aired on a Tuesday when it typically airs on a Wednesday, but because it featured four title matches in one night. As “Jane” by Jefferson Starship begins to play, viewers get to see their first matchup of the night.
Orange Cassidy had escalated the Best Friends’ feud with Death Triangle last Dynamite by defeating PAC to capture the AEW All-Atlantic Championship. PAC and Lucha Brothers Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix set out to halt their rival’s momentum against Cassidy, Trent Beretta and Chuck Taylor in the opening contest. The opener implied there was conflict within Death Triangle only for PAC and the Lucha Bros to successfully retain the titles due to a sit-out driver from Fenix to Beretta.
This was a typical party-style tag match from AEW, with lots of action and dramatic falls that gave way to an emphatic finish. Fenix targeting Beretta’s injured neck was a nice call and his fair pin, after preventing PAC from using the bell hammer, was effective. The hint of disharmony within Death Triangle was an interesting development and the start of a breakup that will restore PAC to his previous status as a top heel in the promotion while freeing all involved from the confines of trios action. The idea of PAC vs. either Penta or Fenix is super appealing – a match we haven’t seen in a very long time.
Toni Storm defended the AEW Interim Women’s World Championship on Tuesday night against her former tag team partner, Hikaru Shida. The competitive contest saw Shida score several near-falls on Storm, but she struggle to get the pinfall.
The resilient champion fought through everything thrown at her, delivered Storm Zero and secured the defense of her title. After the match, Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter and Rebel attacked both competitors, only for Saraya to even the odds as she fought with Baker through the crowd. Moments later, Riho returned and fought off Hayter and Rebel before standing with Storm in triumph. The match was very fun to watch and would have meant even more if there was any story behind it.
This is a constant issue with the booking of the women’s division, as there was no reason for this match to happen in the first place. With that said, Storm and Shida rose to the occasion and delivered above-average in-ring content that reminded fans of how good they both are. The post-match brawl intensified the rivalry between Saraya and Baker and reintroduced Riho to the division.
Jon Moxley defended his AEW World Championship against “Hangman Adam Page” in a brutal match that prematurely ended because of its highly physical nature. It began with a brawl in the crowd, which ended up spilling into the ring with the usually bloodied champion urging his opponent to fight him. As the intensity ramped up, a wicked clothesline from Moxley left Page motionless, and the ringside physician called the match as a result.
As this was most definitely not how the match was supposed to end and there were eight minutes of programming left, Moxley cut to a promo wishing the best for Page and called MJF out. The Devil made his way to the ring with a referee and his poker chip, only to roll out and reveal he will cash in his championship opportunity at Full Gear.
The champion ended the show by vowing to prove getting in the ring with him is as dangerous as it gets for anyone. When all is said and done, Page was injured in a freak accident, and AEW managed to ad-lib a conclusion to the show.
It was an unfortunate conclusion to what was built up to be the match of the night and a situation those involved tried to make the most of.
