Dynamite – December 20, 2023: Three For Two

Dynamite
Date: December 20, 2023
Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

Things are finally coming to a head in the Continental Classic as we will ind out the semifinalists in the Gold League. That alone should be a big deal, but we also have the Devil stuff going on. What we don’t have is a ton set up for Worlds End, which could use a good bit of building. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Continental Classic Gold League: Rush vs. Swerve Strickland

Swerve takes him down with a headscissors to start but Rush is back up with some chops. Rush avoids a dropkick and it’s a staredown for a breather. Swerve is sent outside for a big flip dive, followed by the stomping in the corner back inside. Back up and Swerve kicks away at the leg in the corner but that’s too much defense for Rush and they head outside. Rush whips him into the barricade over and over and we take a break.

We come back with stereo big boots leaving both of them down. Rush knocks him into the corner but the knee gives out on the charge, allowing Swerve to grab a Stretch Muffler. That’s broken up so Rush goes to the apron for a chop off. Swerve charges into a belly to belly to the floor, only to avoid a backsplash back inside. A 450 gives Swerve…one, and Rush is up to his feet before Swerve. Swerve’s brainbuster gets two and the Swerve Stomp finishes Rush at 14:53.

Rating: C+. There was only so much drama in this match, but Rush did manage to get in his ridiculous kickout because he must have one of those in every match to show his awesomeness. Swerve seems to be on the way back to a rematch with Jon Moxley in the semifinals, or at least that’s how things should be going. He had a nice match here though and beating Rush does feel a bit special.

Gold League Standings
Jon Moxley – 12 points (1 match remaining)
Swerve Strickland – 12 points (0 matches remaining)
Jay White – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Rush – 6 points (0 matches remaining, eliminated)
Mark Briscoe – 0 points (1 match remaining, eliminated)
Jay Lethal – 0 points (1 match remaining, eliminated)

We look back at Collision’s Blue League matches.

Chris Jericho talks about Kenny Omega having diverticulitis, meaning the Golden Jets’ Tag Team Title shot is off. Omega’s health is what matters most though and everyone is pulling for him.

Continental Classic Gold League: Jay Lethal vs. Mark Briscoe

They fight over a lockup to start until Lethal takes him down into an armbar. With that broken up, Briscoe chops away in the corner until Lethal wins a fight over a suplex. Briscoe is sent outside for the suicide dive from Lethal, who gets in the strut on the apron. Another dive is broken up and we take a break.

Back with the Lethal Combination putting Briscoe down but he breaks up Hail To The King. Lethal knocks him back and grabs a torture rack slam for two as frustration sets in. The Lethal Injection is blocked as we talk about ticket sales for Revolution. A fisherman’s buster gives Briscoe two but the Froggy Bow hits raised knees. Lethal’s Jay Driller gets two as Briscoe is back with a Burning Hammer of all things. The Jay Driller finishes Lethal at 13:55.

Rating: B-. This was a weird one as they had no actual stakes and were only fighting for the sake of pride. That is only going to get you so far but the talent here helped a bit. At the same time, Briscoe needed to win here more than Lethal as he still feels like someone who could be a star if given the slightest push. Lethal might be breaking away from his friends and that should help him a lot as well.

Gold League Standings
Jon Moxley – 12 points (1 match remaining)
Swerve Strickland – 12 points (0 matches remaining)
Jay White – 9 points (1 match remaining)
Rush – 6 points (0 matches remaining, eliminated)
Mark Briscoe – 3 points (0 matches remaining, eliminated)
Jay Lethal – 0 points (0 matches remaining, eliminated)

Respect is shown post match.

MJF was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall Of Fame.

Wardlow still wants to hurt MJF.

Here is Samoa Joe, who wants answers about the Devil. He finds it interesting that we’ve never seen MJF laid out and wants him out here right now for some answers. Cue MJF, who says he remembers Joe promising to protect him on the way to Worlds End. MJF doesn’t remember the Devil’s Henchmen touching Joe last week, so MJF wants to fight right now.

Cue a bunch of masked men but Joe and MJF clear them out rather quickly. The lights go out and we see the Devil on screen. Text saying “Where Can You Go? Who Can You Trust” appears, followed by a challenge for the ROH Tag Team Titles next week. MJF starts to talk Joe into it but Joe immediately accepts, promising violence.

The Best Friends aren’t sure what’s next, with Rocky Romero saying he wants gold. Orange Cassidy says he’ll see Romero on Rampage.

Riho vs. Saraya

For the Women’s Title shot against Toni Storm (on commentary) at Worlds End. Ruby Soho is watching in the back as Riho takes over but Saraya bails away from a running knee. Riho snaps off a headscissors on the floor but Saraya hides behind a security guard. That’s enough for Riho to be swung into the barricade and we take a break. Back with Saraya getting in some mocking but being pulled into a headlock. A northern lights suplex gives Riho two and a top rope double stomp into a running knee finishes Saraya at 9:40.

Rating: C. Riho, who has been teased to get the title match for weeks now, is getting the title match. She has a history of being gone for months and then coming back to get into the title picture and that is what we’re seeing again here. It’s nice to see her getting a win, but it doesn’t exactly feel like a top title match.

Post match Storm comes in for the staredown (with opera glasses) but Riho beats her down. Mariah May makes the save with a belt shot.

Tony Schiavone has a prepared statement from Christian Cage, including threats to Tony if he doesn’t do things properly. He’ll be back to address Adam Copeland on Collision and expects a hero’s welcome.

MJF finds a Devil’s henchman mask outside the Mogul Embassy’s locker room. A knock brings out Swerve Strickland, who MJF seems to know from their independent days. Swerve calls him the best chauffeur he ever had. Threats are made over MJF’s lack of respect, but MJF says show some respect to the champ. MJF accuses Swerve of being the Devil and violence is teased, with the rest of the Mogul Embassy comes in. Samoa Joe comes in as well to get MJF out of there.

Roderick Strong vs. Komander

The Kingdom is here with Strong. They fight over a lockup to start so Komander flips away, earning a running knee to the face. Back up and a headscissors into a dropkick has Strong down but he’s right back with a backbreaker. Komander knocks him to the floor though and we take a break.

We come back with Komander avoiding a charge into the corner and hitting a kick to the face. A springboard crossbody gives Komander two and he kicks Strong face first into the turnbuckle. Komander hits a phoenix splash for two so the Kingdom pulls Strong outside. That earns them all a big moonsault to the floor but Strong knees him out of the air back inside. End Of Heartache (to the chest instead of the back) finishes for Strong at 9:58.

Rating: B-. Pretty good stuff here with Strong picking up a win over someone who is around a good deal of the time. Komander might not be the biggest star in AEW but at least he has been active and a danger to some bigger stars. I’m not sure where Strong is going, but at least he got a win here.

Post match the Kingdom gives out MJF IS THE DEVIL signs and Strong doesn’t like the accusations that Samoa Joe had anything to do with it. That’s his best friend by proxy!

Jim Ross joins commentary for the main event.

Continental Classic Gold League: Jon Moxley vs. Jay White

White goes to the floor to start but has to escape the rear naked choke back inside. A piledriver gives Moxley an early two so White has to bail outside from another choke. Back in and Moxley punches him out to the floor again, where they fight up the ramp. This time White reverses a piledriver into a backdrop but Moxley hammers away back inside. White gets in a shot to the knee though and sends Moxley outside again as we take a break.

Back with White holding a Muta Lock but Moxley fights up. White gets knocked into the corner and stomped a bunch before a clothesline sends him outside. Moxley hits a suicide dive but White gets in a shot of his own, setting up a chop block to the bad knee. The count is beaten and Moxley grabs a Paradigm Shift for two.

A running knee gives Moxley two but White snaps off a sleeper suplex and swinging Rock Bottom for two of his own. The Kiwi Crusher gets two more but the Blade Runner is countered into a King Kong lariat. The Death Rider is countered into a Blade Runner out of nowhere though and Moxley is done at 15:09.

Rating: B. That would appear to make the semifinal a triple threat because you can never have enough of those. This felt something like a Rush match, as Moxley cut White off time after time, though it didn’t get to quite those extremes. White did get the win to keep Moxley from being perfect, so we should have some drama next week.

Gold League Standings
Jon Moxley – 12 points (0 matches remaining)
Swerve Strickland – 12 points (0 matches remaining)
Jay White – 12 points (0 matches remaining)
Rush – 6 points (0 matches remaining, eliminated)
Mark Briscoe – 3 points (0 matches remaining, eliminated)
Jay Lethal – 0 points (0 matches remaining, eliminated)

So yeah, it’s a triple threat.

Post match Swerve Strickland comes out to stare at Moxley, allowing White to take out Moxley’s knee to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Good enough show this week, though it only did so much for Worlds End. We’re at least a step closer to the end of the Continental Classic and we’ll be half done by this time next week. Other than that, the Devil stuff seems like it might be in for a big moment next week, though I’m getting more and more scared of who might be revealed as the Devil. Not a great show here, though it did move the biggest stories forward. It just needs something else besides those stories.

Results
Swerve Strickland b. Rush – Swerve Stomp
Mark Briscoe b. Jay Lethal – Jay Driller
Riho b. Saraya – Running knee
Roderick Strong b. Komander – End Of Heartache
Jay White b. Jon Moxley – Blade Runner

 

 

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