AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from March 16
Almost one year to the day of their epic, Match of the Year candidate Lights Out match, AEW women's champion Dr. Britt Baker DMD defended her title against Thunder Rosa in the main event of a special St. Patty's Day Slam edition of Dynamite.
The Steel Cage match, intended to keep out Baker's cohorts Rebel and Jamie Hayter, headlined a show that also featured a blockbuster six-man tag team match featuring world champion "Hangman" Adam Page, a TNT title defense by new champion Scorpio Sky and the commencement of the Jericho Appreciation Society.
What went down, did any title changes happen and how did it affect the company as it set its sights on building to the Double or Nothing pay-per-view?
Find out with this recap of the March 16 episode.
Hangman Page and Jurassic Express vs. Adam Cole and Red Dragon
The rivalry over AEW world champion Hangman Page and top contender Adam Cole continued in the night’s opener as the former teamed with AEW tag champions Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus) to face Cole and Red Dragon’s Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish.
The match took its time heating up but once it did, with Jungle Boy tagging in Luchasaurus and Page confronting Cole, it escalated quickly. The crowd came alive and the spots built on the previous one until Cole lowered the Boom on Jungle Boy for the hard-fought victory while Red Dragon prevented Page from making the save.
A solid way to kick off a show that figures to have its fair share of superb in-ring offerings, at least based on its stacked card.
Grade
B
Top Moments
- The triple moonsault was a great spot that popped the crowd after an uncharacteristically quiet few minutes in the night’s opener.
- Red Dragon is great at isolating a babyface and picking them apart. O’Reilly and Fish really starred here
- The power-based offense of Luchasaurus, mixed with his athleticism, has him firmly in the discussion for best big man in the business.
- Jim Ross openly criticized the officiating for failing to adhere to basic tag team rules. It has long been a weakness of the officiating team, particularly Rick Knox.
- The double Doomsday Device was a great spot and a classy tribute to the iconic Road Warriors.
- Backstage, Keith Lee vowed to see Powerhouse Hobbs and FTW champion Ricky Starks Friday night on Rampage.
Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson vs. Wheeler Yuta and Chuck Taylor
The dominant, devastating team of Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley squared off with Best Friends' Wheeler Yuta and Chuck Taylor, the latter two accompanied by Orange Cassidy and Danhausen while William Regal watched from the commentary position.
Moxley and Danielson were oppressive, overwhelming and outclassing their opponents while Regal appeared to be having the time of his life with Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur on the headset.
A performance defined by quick tags, targeted attacks and a clinical approach concluded with the dream team of Moxley and Danielson scoring the victory in the extended squash.
Grade
B
Top Moments
- Prior to the match, a video package promised the evolution of Kris Statlander. That will do her wonders as she attempts to stay fresh, interesting and in the AEW women's title hunt. She's really good at this grappling thing.
- Regal, Cassidy and Danhausen were involved in the same segment on professional wrestling television and if that is not the coolest thing on the planet, what is?
- Ross compared Moxley and Danielson to Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. It's a hell of a comparison, not only based on in-ring style but because of their status as two accomplished singles stars.
- Yuta firing up in the face of a relentless barrage earned him the support of fans, really for the first time in AEW.
- Yuta leaving Best Friends behind after the match and extending his hand to Regal was great, as was the wicked slap from the Brit that acted as a sign of respect. That potential pairing bears watching in the coming weeks.
Jericho Appreciation Society Commencement
A week after stunning the world by betraying Santana and Ortiz and forming the Jericho Appreciation Society, Chris Jericho led 2point0, Daniel Garcia and Jake Hager to the ring for a formal commencement.
Jericho cut a woe-is-me promo where he whined about not being appreciated by the fans and drew great heel heat by calling himself a sports entertainer. He denounced the "stupid name from bad creative" 2point0, renamed its participants (Matt Manard and Angelo Parker), and dealt nicknames to Garcia (The Masque of the Red Death) and Hager (Hand of the King) before ushering in the era of the sports entertainer in AEW in a segment that was infinitely better than it had any right to be.
Sports-entertainer Jericho, in a company that champions pro wrestling, may generate the most heat of his career and that is a hell of a statement.
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- Jericho calling himself a sports entertainer to get massive heat was great, manipulative heel heat.
- "We use our real names. Daniel Garcia, Jake Hager, Chris Jericho..."
- Jericho embracing sports entertainment and immediately issuing new names for existing talent was a bit on-the-nose and absolutely perfect.
TNT Championship Match: Wardlow vs. Scorpio Sky
Wardlow has been an unstoppable force in AEW of late and Wednesday night, throughout most of his TNT Championship match against Scorpio Sky, it appeared as though he would capture his first championship.
Instead, in a great bit of storytelling, the young star allowed his emotions and fury to get the best of him, taking his focus off the beaten and battered champion.
The insufferable Dan Lambert and "Chairman" Shawn Spears suckered him in, allowing MJF to strike and cost his former bodyguard the win in what was an otherwise one-sided squash match that did no favors to the overshadowed Sky and his efforts to be taken seriously as champion.
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Lambert wearing the second TNT Championship around his waist is a great bit of insufferable heel work and a nod to his real-life belt collecting.
- The look on MJF's face when he thought he was going to be Wardlow's next prey is exactly what will make this feud, and the babyface's push, work so well.
- The crowd chanting for CM Punk, only for him not to appear, was a nice callback to Wardlow standing by (and even participating) in his assault at the hands of MJF and The Pinnacle.
The Hardys vs. Private Party
The Hardys made their first appearance in tag team action in AEW, squaring off with Private Party in a match that may have been a generational dream match of sorts before creative extinguished any momentum the young heels had two years ago.
Despite their creative shortcomings, Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy were allowed to hang with Matt and Jeff Hardy, besting the future Hall of Famers throughout the commercial.
The hot tag to Jeff drew one of the loudest reactions of the night and moments later, The Charismatic Enigma paid their love and support off with a Swanton Bomb for the win in a match that may not have lived up to expectations but was still a strong AEW introduction to one of the best teams of all time.
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- The pop that accompanies the open seconds of the Hardys' music is special and indicative of the connection the team has with fans, not to mention the influence they have had on the industry over the last two decades.
- Jeff recognizing that Kassidy was too close to the ropes for his finisher and audibling to a standard splash was an underrated veteran move from a guy synonymous with giving into instinct rather than logic.
- Darby Allin and Sting made the save for the victors after Andrade, The Butcher, The Blade and The Bunny made their presence felt.
Steel Cage Match for the AEW Women's Championship: Thunder Rosa vs. Britt Baker
Steel chairs, bloodied foreheads, and thumbtacks served as callbacks to the previous Lights Out contest between Thunder Rosa and AEW women's champion Dr. Britt Baker DMD. The implementation of those instruments of agony, coupled with an escalation in intensity, made for another extraordinary encounter between two of the most talented women's wrestlers in the world.
It was Rosa's Thunder Fire Driver into the tacks that concluded an emotion-filled contest and gave fans the happy ending they sought. Not even a full face of paint could hide the emotions that painted Rosa's face following her victory.
The confetti raining on the San Antonians in the new champion's adopted hometown put an exclamation point on a near-perfectly executed main event presentation.
Grade
A
Top Moments
- The band playing prior to Rosa's entrance added to the enormity of the main event.
- Big thumbs up to Baker paying homage to the late Scott Hall with her Outsiders-themed gear.
- Paul Thomas' referee bump teased chicanery in a great spot, hinting that Rosa might be screwed out of the title for the second, consecutive time.
- A nasty, "ouch"-inducing bump by Baker into a tower of steel chairs further proved Baker's underrated toughness.
- Dustin Rhodes joining the openly weeping winner was a nice touch, one Texan embracing the other.