Hikaru Shida etched her name in the history books a week ago with her second AEW Women's Championship, joining the woman she defeated, Toni Storm, as the only women to accomplish that feat.
She wasted little time establishing herself as a fighting champion Wednesday on Dynamite, defending against Anna Jay.
That match was one of a handful on a jam-packed show that also featured the latest from AEW World champion MJF and best friend Adam Cole, as well as a mandatory meeting of the Jericho Appreciation Society as tension continued to mount.
What went down on an explosive episode of AEW's flagship show as the company continues its push for All In on August 27?
Find out with this recap of the latest episode of Dynamite.
Announced in advance of Wednesday's show were:
- The Hardys vs. The Young Bucks
- AEW World Women's Championship Match: Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Anna Jay
- FTW Championship Match: Rob Van Dam vs. Jack Perry
- Lucha Bros vs. Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli
- MJF and Adam Cole Promo
- Mandatory Jericho Appreciation Society Meeting
Wednesday's show kicked off with a Jericho Appreciation Society Mandatory Meeting that ended poorly for Chris Jericho as Daniel Garcia, Jake Hager, Tay Melo, Anna Jay, "Cool Hand" Angelo Parker, "Daddy Magic" Matt Menard and Sammy Guevara walked out on the future Hall of Famer, spelling the end of one of AEW's longest-running factions.
It was a short, succinct promo segment that did not overstay its welcome and, in the process, provided the underserved members of the faction the opportunity to express themselves on the microphone.
Parker and Menard, talented talkers who have proven it at every stop of their careers, shined brightest here with some genuinely emotional stuff. They accomplished as much as any creative decision since the start of the Jericho-Don Callis stuff to this point.
Guevara was the star here, finally standing up to a man he has been indelibly linked with since day one of AEW Dynamite and, from a position of power, teasing that he might be around if Jericho needs him.
Solid stuff with some good individual work, even if the overall story itself feels rushed.
After the break, Jericho told Callis he has an answer for him and will announce it next week.
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- "Would you please stop talking for a minute and listen to us?" Garcia cut off his mentor and leader before explaining that he chose Jericho every single time but did not understand why The Ocho never chose him.
- Garcia walked out on Jericho and Hager followed suit, but not before admitting that he liked that hat. Melo and Jay walked out too, scoffing at the idea that Jericho was responsible for their career growth.
- "I've given you everything I have, but what have you given me? Chris, I don't want to do this, but I've got nothing left to give you, man," Parker said.
- Menard emotionally told the story of Jericho bringing him into his home and getting him a job, but then admitted he knows why the guys who brought him up in wrestling (Eddie Kingston and Kevin Steen) hate him.
- Guevara concluded the exodus, claiming that he might be there for Jericho if he figures himself out.
Two of the defining tag teams of their era battled in the night's first match as The Young Bucks squared off with The Hardys.
Matt and Nick Jackson controlled the pace, Matt and Jeff Hardy fought their way back into the bout with an explosive comeback and at one point, it looked like the most beloved team of the last two decades may pull off an upset.
The Bucks fended off the onslaught and scored the win with a BTE Trigger to Matt but it was the post-match confrontation with AEW World Tag Team champions FTR, and the acceptance of the titleholders' challenge for a match at All In, that was the biggest takeaway.
That match, arguably one of the most anticipated in all of AEW, strengthens the August 27 card and gives fans the latest chapter in a rivalry it has proven to be red-hot for in its previous incarnations.
On top of that, the match is going to be hella fun and a Match of the Year candidate barring any major injury or unforeseen circumstance.
Result
The Young Bucks defeated The Hardys
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Excalibur touting The Hardys' "work smarter, not harder" is the nicest, most accurate way of saying, "These aren't the guys you remember."
- Jeff may lack the explosion he once had but his ability to pop the crowd off a hot tag and have them believing after a Swanton Bomb, even though the outcome is fairly obvious, will forever be impressive.
- The Bucks put over the Hardys, showing them respect after pinning Matt following the BTE Trigger.
Back in the arena, Jack Perry defended the FTW against Rob Van Dam.
Despite not regularly competing at this advanced point in his career, the Hall of Famer looked solid here and the match was perfectly timed and constructed not to expose any of his weakness.
Van Dam still possesses impressive athleticism and it was on display here, but this was the Perry show. He is a young performer no longer finding his feet as a heel but, rather, embracing the role.
He was great here, the crowd reacted exactly as he wanted and the result was one of those performances that will be looked back on as a defining moment.
Result
Perry defeated Van Dam to retain
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Perry entered the arena sporting a pair of tights identical to those worn by Jerry Lynn during his days in ECW and his epic series of matches with RVD.
- The heel heat is off the charts for Perry, proof that this persona has connected with audiences in rather short order.
After pelting kids with dodgeballs earlier in the night, AEW World champion MJF and Adam Cole hit the ring for a promo.
Cole shut down MJF's silliness and pitched an idea for a Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship match against Aussie Open as part of All In's Zero Hour pre-show.
MJF accepted the challenge as the people's scumbag and in the name of the cheap pop.
Roderick Strong, fed up with fighting for his friend's attention, sided with The Kingdom. Cole's reaction created tension with MJF but the two hugged it out to close out the segment.
It is going to be incredibly difficult to turn MJF totally heel, no matter how much he may try after the inevitable split between him and his best friend. Assuming, of course, that is the direction this story is heading.
It could always prove to be the opposite, with Cole suckering his partner into a grueling match on Zero Hero, exhausting MJF and picking him apart for the title, but it would seem more likely that The Devil perpetrates the betrayal.
The crowd in Wembley will explode either way, genuinely heartbroken by the end of what has been the most unexpectedly great storyline in recent AEW memory.
Grade
A
Top Moments and Takeaways
- The look on MJF's face when Cole shoved him out of frustration, then explained that Strong is his friend, too, was virtuoso stuff. Facial expressions and body language will always sell what physicality cannot.
- MJF's gleeful exuberance as someone with his first real friend is fantastic. Cole flashing a big grin in response to the new Max is a nice addition and, could prove double-sided if he is the one that actually turns.
The Blackpool Combat Club continued its revenge tour following its loss to The Elite in Blood & Guts, following up a dominant victory in a Parking Lot Brawl over Best Friends with Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli's win over Lucha Bros' Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix.
A good, physical match, it saw the heels use punishing strikes to counter the speed and agility of their opponents. Then, when they needed it, they resorted to the demasking of Penta to steal a win.
Moxley and Castagnoli are more intense and physical than ever, quite the statement considering their previous work, and it will be interesting to see where their story is going ahead of All In.
Who steps up to them? What match on the Wembley card awaits?
Result
Blackpool Combat Club defeated Lucha Bros
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Lucha Bros fought fire with fire, attacking Castagnoli and Moxley from behind to start the match.
- The heels unmasked Penta, making it easier for Moxley to score the win with a rollup.
- Fenix delivered a moonsault plancha to the floor and immediately grasped his knee.
A week ago, cameras followed Swerve Strickland and AR Fox to the Buddy Wayne Wrestling Academy, where they attacked young Nick Wayne and left him bloodied.
Wednesday, Darby Allin sought to avenge his protege and did so with a little help from his friend.
Sting blasted Strickland and the rest of the Mogul Embassy, all while Fox watched on in disbelief from the crowd, seemingly understanding that he may have chosen the wrong side in this battle.
This was a solid follow-up to what we saw last week and logical progression to a feud that will likely continue Friday on Rampage when Allin battles the Mogul Embassy's resident Machine, Brian Cage.
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Sting appearing from out of nowhere and blasting guys with a baseball bat on a Ted Turner-original cable network will never get old. Never.
- The look on Fox's face, as he watched Sting wreak havoc, is going to be a GIF before this show is over.
Hikaru Shida cashed her ticket to All In and the newly announced four-way match for the AEW World Women's Championship by way of a win over Anna Jay in the night's main event.
The match was solid enough but the commercial break right in the heart of it hurt it significantly.
Both women worked hard, the commentary did a strong job of putting over the champion in particular, but the finish was awkward and left even Excalibur searching for an explanation as to what Angelo Parker and Matt Menard were attempting to do during the deciding pin.
Shida now heads to All In, where she will defend against Toni Storm and two other women determined in upcoming qualifiers. Those matches include Saraya vs. Skye Blue on Rampage and Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Penelope Ford on next week's Dynamite.
Result
Shida defeated Jay to retain
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Two weeks in a row, two women's main events. It is a welcome change, but it would have been nice to have this organically and originally without it being the response to online criticisms about the company's use of its talented women's division.
- Jay, Daddy Magic and Cool Hand Ang may not be part of the Jericho Appreciation Society anymore but their loyalty to each other is a nice touch.
This was a solid show with some quality promo segments, none more impressive or as hot as the one featuring Adam Cole and MJF.
That storyline has been head and shoulders above everything else AEW has produced of late and this week was no different, though the feud between Darby Allin and Mogul Embassy is one that should challenge it if the story can sustain the edge and emotion it has to this point.
The in-ring was weaker than most episodes but Lucha Bros vs. Blackpool Combat Club stood out as a banger of a match, so there was that.
We have a clearer idea of what the All In card might look like, though, and for that reason and those above, this earns an above-average grade.
Grade: B
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