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AEW Dynamite Review 12/13/23: Droste’s Hits & Misses

by Ryan Droste

This week’s AEW Dynamite from Arlington, Texas is in the can. What was good? What was bad? What worked? What didn’t?

Let’s dive into Wednesday night’s show.

They started the show off hot with a Samoa Joe coming out for a promo right off the bat, even skipping the Dynamite show intro. The segment quickly evolved into including Hangman Adam Page and Roderick Strong as well. Joe accused Page of being the Devil, while Strong said it was obvious that MJF is.

This flowed right into the first match, featuring Page vs. Strong. They had an excellent match, maybe a little too competitive for my taste considering they teased Page getting into a world title feud with MJF recently and…Strong isn’t exactly on that level. However, the story was that Page was outnumbered by Strong’s crew outside the ring. In the end, Page got the victory. Hot way to start the show.

The Continental Classic Doesn’t Let Up. Good. 

The Continental Classic continued with Brody King and Andrade absolutely tearing it up with an outstanding match. I am a bit surprised that Andrade continues to go over in some of these contests given his recently teasing he could be interested in a return to WWE. He went over King here, using an exposed turnbuckle to his advantage.

The Von Erichs (Kevin, Marshall, and Ross) were backstage with an interview with Renee Paquette. Orange Cassidy came in with the Best Friends and said he needs two partners for a match on Rampage and asked the Von Erichs (Marshall and Ross) to team with him. They obliged. Felt like a bit of false advertising to not put the Von Erichs out in front of the crowd on Dynamite since they advertised it in advance, though the live crowd will see them when they tape Rampage later on after Dynamite. 

Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho Have An Off Night

The Golden Jets, Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, came out for a promo in the ring. They explained their lengthy absence was due to getting attacked backstage by Big Bill and Ricky Starks at Full Gear. They were eventually interrupted by Starks and Bill and the segment turned into a back and forth of insults between the teams. Jericho and Omega were a bit off, with Omega even calling the team the Winnipeg Jets at one time (but quickly corrected himself). Omega’s big line was talking about how nobody remembered the storyline with Bill and The Firm, but said that he was more flacid and “sawft.” There was even a mention of Enzo Amore. 

They officially announced that Jericho and Omega will challenge for the tag titles against Bill and Starks at Worlds End. Starks came off very well by the end, showing a lot of fire on the microphone. I still have zero interest in seeing Omega and Jericho continue to team as it feels like a waste of Omega.

Riho and Ruby Soho wrestled while Toni Storm did guest commentary with Mariah May at her side. I’ve said it before here in this column, but man, this character with Storm is really flatlining. They need to kick this storyline with May into high gear as it still hasn’t even really begun. Way too slow of a burn here, in my opinion.

Jay Lethal and Rush wrestled in a Continental Classic bout. They mentioned that Lethal would be mathematically eliminated with a loss as he has zero points so far (Rush has 3, though he’s really shined in each match). Maybe surprisingly, Lethal was mathematically eliminated as Rush won with a sleeper hold tap out very quickly. Match only went a few minutes (the fastest of the whole tournament). Lethal was consoled by Jeff and Karen Jarrett, and Sonjay Dutt after the match as he looked frustrated. Rush celebrated with a dude’s beer at ringside and high fived another crowd member so hard I was worried they might have fractured their hand. 

Mark Briscoe and Jay White Have A Good One

Mark Briscoe and Jay White wrestled in a Continental Classic tournament match. The announcers did a good job going over the different scenarios for each man to make it to the finals. Crowd was really into this one, with several “Dem Boys” chants. 

Very back and forth, with Briscoe charging in right away and hitting the Froggie Bow early. Briscoe took a crazy toss to the outside and also hit an elbow to the outside late. In the end, Briscoe dodged a second Froggie Bow and hit the Blade Runner to get the victory. Excellent match.

The previous result eliminated Rush mathematically from the tournament since White holds a tiebreaking victory over him. 

Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland Delivered

In the main event, Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland wrestled a Continental Classic match that was my most anticipated television match in quite some time. Strickland is one of the hottest names in all of wrestling right, so I was intrigued with how they’d book this one against one of Moxley’s core main eventers.

Crowd was super hot early until they worked a slow style at the start. If they brawled and started out quick, the place would have been unglued. Each guy tried to get into each other’s head as they struggled for position, with Mox giving Swerve a brief peck of a kiss in the corner, and Swerve returning the favor moments later. 

Mox took an early advantage brawling but Swerve then hit a brutal looking DDT to Mox off the second rope. Swerve worked him over on the outside of the ring, but Mox came back with a clothesline out of the corner back in the ring and hit a piledriver for two. Moments later, he trapped Swerve in the ring apron on the outside, then tossed him into the ring steps as they went to commercial.

Mox was still in control throughout the commercial and after until Swerve came roaring back with a backbreaker and some back elbows. Mox reversed a rolling offensive maneuver into a cutter for two, then hit a Gotch-style piledriver for two. They exchanged headbutts and Swerve then hit the Flatliner, a suplex and big boot for two. Strickland then used Moxley’s move, with the continued stomps and back elbows. He then hit his running kick and went up top for the Swerve Stomp but Mox knocked him to the outside. 

Mox hit a Stomp and locked in an armbar when Swerve made it back into the ring. Swerve made the ropes for the break. Moxley then went to get a chair, which would have been a DQ loss, but Swerve hit a crossbody over the top to the outside. Back in the ring, Strickland hit the Swerve Stomp off the top for two. Strickland then went for the JML Driver, but Moxley rolled through for the pinfall while holding the tights. Taz sold that Strickland may have had a shoulder up, too. Stricland looked stunned in the ring. Feels like we’re destined for a rematch in the Gold League finals in two weeks. 

The show ended with Hangman Adam Page being attacked in the parking lot by the four masked men. The Devil was sitting a car and nodded at his men, who then slammed Page on the windshield of the car. 

For more from Ryan Droste, check out the Top Rope Nation podcast. New episodes drop weekly on YouTube, Apple, Spotify and everywhere else podcasts are found. 

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