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This week's episode of AEW Dynamite featured the promotion's newest acquisition making her debut in the Owen Hart Tournament qualifier match against The Bunny. Plus, Jon Moxley was in action on the show, taking on Jay Lethal.
CM Punk competed against Max Caster, while Darby Allin and Andrade El Idolo hoped to settle their long-standing differences.
AEW Dynamite Results (30th March 2022): CM Punk vs. Max Caster
The match on AEW Dynamite started with The Second City Saint displaying his technical superiority over Caster, targeting the latter's shoulder. The Acclaimed member finally found an opening in the match as he methodically attacked CM Punk's back. Max Caster then hit a Fishermanbuster for a close count.
Both performers went to the top rope, from where Punk delivered a Hurricanrana on his opponent and followed it with a Bulldog for a two count. Taking advantage of a distracted referee, Anthony Bowens made some timely interference, allowing Caster to go to the top rope for a Diving Elbow drop, but Punk quickly moved aside.
After this, CM Punk hit a Piledriver and followed it by locking Caster in the Anaconda Vice to secure the win on AEW Dynamite.
CM Punk defeated Max Caster
Grade: B
Post-match, Punk made his intentions of challenging for the AEW World Championship clear. He said that no matter who the champion is, whether it's Hangman Page or Adam Cole, he will be coming for the title.
In a backstage segment, MJF and FTR were being interviewed by Tony Schiavone. The Salt of the Earth tried to put over The Pinnacle as a group, but Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood didn't seem enthusiastic about it.
Jon Moxley vs. Jay Lethal on AEW Dynamite
Lethal offered a handshake before the match on AEW Dynamite, but Jon Moxley wasn't interested. The two performers started things with some quick reversals, with Mox firmly having locked Lethal in a side headlock. The former AEW Champion slapped Jay Lethal, leading to the two men exchanging brutal elbows.
They took to the top rope, where Lethal pushed Moxley, with the latter falling between the ropes. The former IMPACT star followed it up by hitting back-to-back Tope Suicidas to find his way back into the bout. Moments later, Jay Lethal hit a superplex on his opponent.
Back from the commercial break, Moxley and Lethal looked visibly exhausted as they exchanged punches. The former AEW Champion hit a brutal lariat on his opponent, turning him inside out. Jay Lethal then went to the top rope, but Moxley quickly brought him down and attempted a Paradigm Shift. The former ROH Champion then delivered a beautiful Elbow Drop for a very close call.
Moments later, after a failed cradle pinfall attempt, the former AEW Champion hit a Paradigm Shift out of nowhere to secure another win on Dynamite.
Jon Moxley defeated Jay Lethal on AEW Dynamite
Grade - A
Post-match, Jon Moxley offered a handshake to Jay Lethal, and the latter accepted it.
FTR vs. Austin and Colten Gunn on AEW Dynamite
Before the match started, MJF came out and joined the commentary team. Dax Harwood and Colten Gunn began things in the match, but the latter tagged in his brother, Austin, even before landing any offense. Harwood then tagged in Cash Wheeler, who single-handedly took down the Gunn Club.
FTR unleashed some tag team offense on Austin Gunn, but Billy Gunn then attacked Wheeler, taking advantage of a distracted referee. The Gunn Club gained an advantage in the match as they isolated Wheeler.
Back from the commercial break, The Gunn Club continued to wear down Cash Wheeler, but the latter somehow managed to tag in Harwood.
Backstage, Wardlow made his way into the arena through the crowd after laying down security on the outside. However, Mr. Mayhem was eventually stopped by the security officials at ringside.
Back in the ring, Harwood had a face-off with Billy Gunn, but Cash Wheeler took him down just in time, after which FTR hit a big rig on Colten Gunn to score the win on AEW Dynamite.
FTR defeated Gunn Club
Grade: B +
Post-match, MJF ran into the ring to celebrate with FTR, but the former AEW Tag Team Champions weren't too pleased with him.
Backstage, Chris Jericho was with his Jericho Appreciation Society stablemates as he boasted about people across the globe wanting to join the faction. However, they were soon attacked by Santana & Ortiz and Eddie Kingston. The Mad King brought Jericho into the ring, where he laid him down with a Lights Out.
Jake Hager and Daniel Garica then came out to join Jericho and 2pointO, and they collectively took out Kingston and Proud & Powerful, thanks to their numbers advantage. The first-ever AEW Champion began hitting Eddie Kingston with first a baseball bat and then a belt as the Mad King shuddered in pain. Finally, The Demo God took down Kingston with a Judas Effect.
Backstage, Mark Sterling revealed that he had chosen Leva Bates as TBS Champion Jade Cargill's 30th opponent, but the champion wasn't pleased. Sterling then said Cargill could face Marina Shafir, which the champion seemingly accepted.
Bryan Danielson vs. Wheeler Yuta on AEW Dynamite
Danielson and Yuta began things with some old-school grappling and reversals, with William Regal praising the Best Friends member on commentary. Wheeler Yuta hit a stunning dropkick on The American Dragon to finally find an opening in the match. Yuta then locked in the Inverted Figure Four.
Bryan Danielson gained back control of the match during the commercial break as he methodically wore down Wheeler Yuta. The American Dragon and Yuta were trading some brutal chops as we returned from a commercial break on AEW Dynamite. The Best Friends member was then kicked out of a Full Nelson Dragonsuplex.
Danielson then unleashed multiple elbow shots and attempted to lock in the Cattle Mutilation on Yuta, but the latter reversed it into a quick pinfall. The former WWE Champion then hit a running knee, after which he hit a Gotch-Style Piledriver and then locked in the LaBell Lock on Yuta for the win on AEW Dynamite.
Bryan Danielson defeated Wheeler Yuta
Grade: A-
Adam Cole, with Hangman Page's AEW Championship, and reDRagon, with Jurassic Express's AEW Tag Team Championship, addressed the fans. The Panama City Playboy said Page, Jungle Boy, and Luchasaurus were not present as they were embarrassed their titles were taken away from them.
Moments later, Hangman Page's music hit as he came out. He entered the ring and fought off all three performers in the ring. When he was about to hit the Buckshot Lariat on Adam Cole, reDRagon pulled their stablemate out of ring.
However, Jurassic Express, along with Christian Cage, then came out to dish out some punishment of their own as the three titles were recovered.
Next, AEW Women's Champion Thunder Rosa addressed the fans, saying that she was the first-ever Mexican-origin women's champion and praised AEW for putting women's wrestling on the map. She next called out Nyla Rosa, terming her a bully, and urged her to step up to her.
Backstage, Cash Wheeler made FTR's intentions about winning the ROH and AEW Tag Team titles clear. Dax Harwood then officially laid down a challenge to The Young Bucks to determine the best tag team in the world.
Toni Storm vs. The Bunny on AEW Dynamite (Owen Hart Tournament qualifier)
The former NXT UK Champion was the surprise debutant as she came out to a loud pop from those in attendance. Though Storm was firmly in control of the match in the opening moments, The Bunny gained an advantage after she sent Toni Storm face-first into the ring post.
After a commercial break, Storm and The Bunny were trading punches, after which the former hit a Lariat to find her way back into the match. The former SmackDown star then hit a boot and followed it with a Fisherman Suplex for a close count. The Bunny then hit the Death Valley Driver on Storm for another near pinfall.
After a few more quick reversals, Toni Storm hit the Storm Zero on The Bunny to secure a decisive win on AEW Dynamite.
Toni Storm defeated The Bunny
Grade: C
Backstage, Nyla Rosa, alongside Vickie Guerrero, sent a warning to Thunder Rosa, seemingly accepting her challenge.
Darby Allin vs. Andrade El Idolo on AEW Dynamite
Even before the match officially started, Andrade El Idolo hit a top rope Tornado on Darby Allin to gain an early advantage. The Andrade Family Office leader then dropped the former TNT Champion face-first onto the timekeeper's table.
Allin then brought out his skateboard to attack the former NXT Champion as they continued brawling on the outside. Andrade then dropped Darby Allin on top of the steel steps. The former NXT Champion finally entered the ring. Allin also somehow made his way into the squared circle as the match started.
The Mexican star dominated the proceedings on AEW Dynamite as he continued to attack the 29-year old performer. Andrade El Idolo then unleashed multiple elbows on Allin as the latter struggled to fight back as we headed into a commercial break.
Back from the break on AEW Dynamite, the former TNT Champion delivered a Code Red on his opponent out of nowhere for a close count.
Darby Allin and Andrade then began trading slaps, but the latter took him down with a fierce shot. The former NXT Champion tried using a belt to attack Darby Allin, but the referee took it away just in time.
The two performers went to the top rope, from where Allin delivered a jaw-dropping Crucifix, after which he locked in the Fujiwara armbar.
The Andrade Family Office then made an interference, allowing the former WWE star to execute a Hammerlock DDT on his opponent for the win on AEW Dynamite.
Andrade El Idolo defeated Darby Allin
Grade: B+
Post-match, Andrade Family Office attacked Sting and Allin. The Hardys came out to their rescue. Jeff Hardy took to the top rope, from where he hit a Swanton Bomb on Isiah Kassidy.
This week's AEW Dynamite was a great show from top to bottom, featuring several memorable matches and Toni Storm's debut. The standout match of the night was Bryan Danielson vs. Wheeler Yuta. Other matches on AEW Dynamite were also captivating as the promotion slowly builds towards another pay-per-view.
Episode Rating- Grade: B +
Bayley gives us a HUGE update on a top Superstar's upcoming return RIGHT HERE.
