The April 29 episode of AEW Dynamite aired live from the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, with commentary from Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone. Four championship matches were featured on the card.
Kevin Knight (c) defeated MJF to Retain the TNT Championship
The show opened with the TNT Championship match. Kevin Knight was accompanied to the stage by Speedball Mike Bailey before Bailey headed to the back. MJF interrupted Justin Roberts’ introductions and forced him to add an insult toward Fairfax. A giant MJF tapestry was lowered during his introduction.
MJF took early control, kicking Knight and working him over at ringside. He rammed Knight’s hip into the steel steps and powerbombed him onto the ringside barrier. Knight fought back with a leaping DDT to stop MJF’s momentum and followed with a springboard lariat from the top turnbuckle to the entrance ramp. MJF hit a surprise cutter for a near fall. Knight hit a leaping hurricanrana despite a compromised knee. MJF stole the Panama Sunrise and exploited Knight’s knee with a single-leg Boston Crab. Knight hit a UFO Splash.
MJF grabbed the TNT Title from ringside, but referee Bryce Remsburg took it away. While Remsburg cleared the belt, MJF pulled the Dynamite Diamond Ring from his trunks. Before he could use it, Knight hit MJF with a low blow and rolled him up for the three count to retain.
After the match, MJF chop-blocked Knight’s injured knee. Darby Allin descended from the rafters Sting-style and surprised MJF with a Scorpion Death Drop. The crowd chanted “Darby! Darby!” as MJF scrambled to the stage.
MJF grabbed a microphone and called Allin and Knight “low-life cheaters.” He said the match against Knight did not count because he was barely trying, and demanded his rematch for the AEW World Championship. Allin told MJF he would not get a rematch until he puts something on the line. Allin said if he survives Brody King tonight, he knows who deserves the next title shot, and looked at Knight.
Brody King then made his entrance and got in MJF’s face before heading to the ring. King told Allin, “I have bad news for you. You’re not going to survive tonight.” He then told Knight, “I’ve got even worse news for you. Next week, you won’t be facing Darby. You’ll be facing the new AEW World Champion, Brody King.”
Backstage: Cope and Cage Accept FTR’s “I Quit” Stipulation
Renee Paquette interviewed Adam Copeland and Christian Cage backstage. Renee asked Cage about his fractured arm, and he said he was fine. When asked about FTR wanting to add an “I Quit” stipulation to their street fight at Double or Nothing, Cage quickly accepted. Copeland noted that was quick for someone with Cage’s history of I Quit matches in AEW. Cage said he did not quit and walked away.
Brawling Birds (Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor) defeated Emily Jaye and Jordan Blade
Hayter and Blade started the match. Hayter delivered elbow strikes to both opponents and slammed Blade into the corner. Hayter and Windsor exchanged quick tags and chopped Blade in the corner. They hit a double back elbow on Jaye and then on Blade. Hayter held Blade up for Windsor’s lariat, and Windsor scored the pinfall with Two Birds, One Stone in under 90 seconds.
Backstage: Thekla and Skye Blue Promo
AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla and Skye Blue cut a backstage promo. Thekla said people keep asking why she calls everyone “dumb btches” and said it is because there are too many in AEW. Blue said what happened to Persephone was the fault of Windsor and Hayter, but getting misted in the face was the best thing that happened to her and it might be for Persephone too. Thekla told the Brawling Birds to stick to the tag team division, saying, “When it comes to singles, I am everything and you are nothing.”
Kazuchika Okada (c) defeated Ace Austin to Retain the AEW International Championship
Okada was accompanied by Don Callis and Mark Davis. Juice Robinson accompanied Ace Austin. Callis joined commentary during the match. Austin showed early fight with a drop-toe hold, a dropkick, and a Death Valley Driver. Austin hit an enzuigiri and dropkicked Okada through the ropes. Austin avoided being swept off the apron with a handstand, drawing applause from Okada.
After the break, Austin mounted a comeback with a Fosbury Flop and a jumping leg drop from the top rope to the back of Okada’s neck. Okada responded with a dropkick to the face. Okada finished the match with a Tombstone Piledriver followed by the Rainmaker for the pin.
After the match, Callis rubbed his forearm in Ace Austin’s face. Juice Robinson charged out to Austin’s aid and had words with Mark Davis. Konosuke Takeshita then appeared on the entrance ramp and motioned toward the Double or Nothing graphic, pointing at Okada ahead of their scheduled International Championship match at the pay-per-view on May 24.
Swerve Strickland Vignette
A cinematic vignette aired set in a wild west town. Patrons were thrown out of a saloon bloodied and beaten. A mysterious figure emerged and picked up a Bandido “Wanted” poster. It was revealed to be Swerve Strickland. Prince Nana handed him a pocket blowtorch, and Strickland set the poster on fire while smiling into the camera.
Death Riders and Will Ospreay Segment
Footage aired of the Death Riders training in their dojo. Daniel Garcia told the camera, “This is how they train” as Marina Shafir was shown beating someone down. Will Ospreay arrived and told Jon Moxley he was not cleared but wanted to support his boys in New Japan Pro-Wrestling for their upcoming title match at Wrestling Dontaku.
Moxley told Ospreay to drop everything in his mind, body, and soul, even his feelings about Moxley. “When I start something, I see it all the way through to the end. And I ask for the same in return,” Moxley said. Ospreay asked where the ring was. Moxley said they start from the ground up and kicked the camera crew out.
Adam Copeland and Christian Cage defeated RPG Vice (Rocky Romero and Trent Beretta)
FTR and Stokely Hathaway came to ringside, with Hathaway joining commentary. Romero and Cage started the match. Romero targeted Cage’s injured arm. Cage hit an inverted DDT for a near fall.
The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly) appeared at ringside. Hathaway swung at Cassidy, who blocked him and smashed Hathaway with a popcorn bucket. FTR and the Conglomeration brawled through the crowd. Cash Wheeler got involved at ringside, and Beretta slammed Cage’s forearm into the ring post.
After the break, RPG Vice controlled the match, with Romero applying a cross arm-breaker on Cage’s injured arm. Cage fought back with a spinning DDT. Copeland tagged in and hit a back-body drop, a flapjack, and an Impaler DDT. Beretta tried a pin with his boots on the ropes, but the referee caught him. Copeland hit a spear, and Cage followed with a spear of his own for the pin.
After the match, Copeland applied a crossface on Beretta using a piece of a broken steel chair wedged against Beretta’s open mouth. Cage told Beretta to say it. Beretta said “I quit” as Copeland kept the hold applied. Cage then called Beretta “a little btch.”
FTR and Tommaso Ciampa Promo
FTR cut a backstage promo announcing they would face the Conglomeration in a trios match. Stokely Hathaway introduced Tommaso Ciampa as their partner. Ciampa said the last time they teamed together, they put Mark Briscoe on the shelf indefinitely, and this time they are taking the tag titles.
Backstage: Chris Jericho Attacked by The Demand
Renee Paquette interviewed Chris Jericho backstage. Jericho said imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and that Ricochet had been following his career closely, “but not close enough.” The Demand attacked Jericho from behind. Ricochet asked Jericho, “Is this what you wanted?” Jericho told him to “eat sht.” The Demand continued beating Jericho down and slammed him into a table. Ricochet faked a RicoSault, landing on his feet, and told Jericho, “You’re not even worth it.”
Divine Dominion (c) defeated Hikaru Shida and Kris Statlander to Retain the AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship
Shida and Statlander came in as an undefeated team. Bayne and Kross used their size and power advantage throughout. Shida grabbed her kendo stick at one point, but Statlander stopped her from using it. Statlander suplexed Shida into Bayne in a creative double-team spot. Statlander hit a 450 splash on both members of Divine Dominion for a near fall. Shida hit a diving meteora on Kross followed by a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Shida went for the Katana, but Bayne dropped her with a suplex. Kross hit a suplex on Statlander, and Bayne kicked Statlander in the face. Kross pinned Shida after slamming her to the mat for the victory.
Backstage: Andrade El Idolo, MJF, and Don Callis
Renee Paquette interviewed Andrade El Idolo and Don Callis backstage. MJF interrupted and told Idolo he had ruined the company. Idolo asked how MJF would know. MJF said Idolo lost the match against Allin at Dynasty that led to Allin becoming AEW World Champion. The two argued before Callis calmed them down and said they needed to focus on business.
Rush defeated Steven Fuerte
Fuerte offered a handshake, but Rush delivered an elbow strike. Rush slammed Fuerte into the LED board and stomped him down. Rush got Fuerte back into the ring, chopped him into the corner, delivered elbow strikes, stomped on his chest, and hit the running dropkick in the corner for the pin. After the match, Rush grabbed a microphone and said, “When you mess with the bull, you get the horns.”
Backstage: The Opps Promo
Renee Paquette spoke with the Opps backstage. Samoa Joe said they intend to reassert their dominance in AEW. Joe hyped Katsuyori Shibata, Anthony Bowens, and Hook, saying their path to the top deals with strategic acquisition. Joe said he hopes Will Ospreay is not suffering from Stockholm Syndrome with the Death Riders, noting the Opps had previously saved Ospreay from the Riders. Joe said if Ospreay is looking, he has a spot waiting for him in the Opps.
Darby Allin (c) defeated Brody King to Retain the AEW World Championship
The main event opened with a show of sportsmanship as the two shook hands. Allin charged King in the corner and hit a Code Red from the turnbuckle for a two count. King dropped Allin to the floor off a dive attempt. King set Allin up on a chair at the guardrail, but Allin caught him with a drop-toe hold, sending King face-first into the chair. Allin set up the chair, sat King on it, and hit strikes before going up top for a missile dropkick that knocked King off the chair to the floor.
After the break, King hit a uranage on the floor and cleared off the announce table. Kevin Knight was shown watching from the crowd. Allin applied a sleeper hold, but King sent both men crashing through the table cover propped against the barricade. MJF was shown watching backstage.
King caught Allin in a sleeper hold at the announce desk area. Allin broke free with a Code Red that drove King onto the table, which did not break. Allin made it back to the ring, and King got to his feet only to be sent back into the desk with a dive by Allin. Allin climbed the turnbuckle, but King intercepted and dropped him into a tree of woe for a cannonball senton.
King hit a massive lariat for a near fall. Another lariat connected, but Allin kicked out again. King pulled the mat off the floor to expose the concrete. Allin hit a powerbomb on King onto the exposed concrete. Allin followed with a Coffin Drop off the second rope to the floor. Referee Paul Turner began his count. King got to his knees at seven and made it back in the ring at nine.
Allin immediately hit the Shadows Over Hell Coffin Drop, then a second Coffin Drop for the pinfall to retain the AEW World Championship.
After the match, Allin climbed the turnbuckles and stared down Kevin Knight, who was watching from the crowd. Next week’s AEW World Championship match between Allin and Knight was confirmed regardless of tonight’s result.
AEW Dynamite airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on TBS and HBO Max.