AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from May 28
With Double or Nothing just 48 hours away, All Elite Wrestling hit the TNT airwaves for a special Friday night edition of Dynamite, headlined by all of the final hype and storyline advancement for Sunday's pay-per-view extravaganza.
Did Orange Cassidy accept Kenny Omega's offer to defer his shot at the world title? What went down when Cody Rhodes and Anthony Ogogo shared the same ring for a weigh-in ahead of their intensely personal showdown?
Were Darby Allin, Miro, Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page able to build momentum ahead of their respective matches Sunday?
Find out the answers to those questions and more with this recap of the May 28 broadcast.
Darby Allin vs. Cezar Bononi
Fueled by a red-hot crowd, Darby Allin (accompanied by Sting) hit the ring and took the fight to Cezar Bononi in the night's opening match.
Bononi eventually overpowered Allin, ragdolling the former TNT champion and seizing control of the match. Allin slithered his way out of the grasp of his opponent and applied a sleeper. Moments later, he floated over the top with a stunner and rocked Bononi with a shotgun dropkick.
The Coffin Drop followed, and Allin picked up the win on his way to Double Nothing, where he teams with Sting to battle Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page.
After the match, Allin called his PPV opponents out, only to have the heels appear and refuse his challenge. Instead, they waited until Bononi, Ryan Nemeth and "Pretty" Peter Avalon jumped the face-painted antiheroes. The Dark Order made the save.
Result
Allin defeated Bononi
Grade
C+
Analysis
This was an energetic opener featuring one of the truly beloved AEW stars. He was absolutely the right guy to put out in front of fans ahead of such a significant pay-per-view, generating a loud reaction and setting the tone for the rest of the show.
Not only that, but it added some heat to what should be one of the most fun matches on the Double or Nothing card. Page and Sky are such detestable bad guys, and their freshness creates legitimate questions as to who might emerge victoriously from that contest.
The Dark Order making the save made sense in that they have had Allin and Sting's back before, and Stu Grayson and Evil Uno will battle them later in the show.
All in all, a solid start to this go-home show.
Double or Nothing Weigh in with Cody Rhodes and Anthony Ogogo
Paul Wight made his way to the ring to oversee the weigh-in for Cody Rhodes' Double or Nothing match with The Factory's Anthony Ogogo.
QT Marshall, Nick Comoroto and Aaron Solow accompanied the Brit to the ring while the entire Nightmare Family seconded Rhodes.
The babyface weighed in at 218 pounds first as fireworks exploded into the night sky. Ogogo weighed in one pound heavier, which Marshall said meant his teammate had victory in-hand at Double or Nothing.
Marshall talked some more, Rhodes sent his tracksuit into the crowd and the whole thing just...ended.
Grade
F
Analysis
This was true to the storyline in that it was underwhelming, lackluster, and totally uneventful.
There was no reason this could not have been saved for a pre-tape. It did nothing to create any more buzz for Rhodes vs. Ogogo, nor did it make anyone want to see it any more than they already do.
Which they don't.
This was a rare misstep for Rhodes, as has been this entire storyline. It's unfortunate because Cody is a founding father of the company and has made Double or Nothing his event dating back to the 2019 instant classic with brother Dustin.
He really deserves better, at least from a creative perspective.
Hangman Page vs. Joey Janela
In a rematch of their encounter at All In on September 1, 2018, Hangman Page battled Joey Janela in singles competition just days before the former is set to square off with Team Taz's Brian Cage.
Hangman controlled early, but The Bad Boy seized control of the match entering the commercial break. Janela delivered a big fist to the face of his opponent and targeted the head, neck, and upper body of his opponent.
Back from the break, Page lit up Janela with a hard shot then followed up with a springboard clothesline that sent Janela to the floor. A plancha wiped Janela out at the ringside area. Back inside, Page caught him with a single-arm spinebuster ala Ron Simmons.
The Bad Boy recovered and delivered a top-rope elbow drop for two.
A bloodied Page, busted open hard-way following an intensely physical match, recovered and obliterated Janela with the Buckshot Lariat for the win.
After the match, Taz called out Brian Cage. The FTW champion answered, and Page said he knew what this was all about, correctly stating Hook and Ricky Starks would be jumping him shortly.
Page told Cage he knew he expected more out of him, telling him to leave the rest of Team Taz backstage and fight like a man. The Machine accepted.
Result
Page defeated Janela
Grade
B
Analysis
Page and Janela beat the unholy hell out of each other here, recapturing the brutality of their All In match and bringing some hard-way blood to boot. That Buckshot lariat looked like it hurt, and the image of a bloodied Page, his head opened up by his opponent, defiantly addressing Taz through the blood pouring down his face was killer.
Cage's subtle turn continued here, denouncing the idea that he needed backup to beat Page and allowing himself to be suckered into leaving Team Taz backstage for their showdown Sunday night. That will certainly draw the ire of the heels and leave The Machine one-step closer to expulsion from a group he's grown more distant from in recent months.
Orange Cassidy's Answer
Tony Schiavone was set to introduce Orange Cassidy in hopes of getting his answer to Kenny Omega and Don Callis' offer to defer his title opportunity. Instead, PAC made his way to the ring and took exception to the attention on Cassidy because Sunday, he's irrelevant.
He called Omega out but ended up beaten down by the AEW world champion and The Good Brothers. Omega stood tall just in time for Cassidy, accompanied by Best Friends and Kris Statlander, to arrive.
Cassidy handed Omega an envelope, which contained the deferment offer shredded. Freshly Squeezed rocked Omega, laying him out and adding a second Orange Punch to PAC. The lackadaisical babyface stood tall, the AEW world title in hand, as the show headed to break.
Grade
A
Analysis
Omega and PAC have completely overlooked Cassidy from the outset, and here, he delivered another emphatic statement that he should not be counted out when discussing potential winners Sunday night.
This was a great segment that put an exclamation point on the build to the Double or Nothing main event, presenting all three in a manner that suggests any of them could leave with the title.
Not bad considering the title match at the pay-per-view was nowhere near obvious just a month ago.
Jade Cargill vs. Kylinn King
Accompanied by new manager "Smart" Mark Sterling, Jade Cargill made her way to the ring for her open challenge match against Kylinn King.
Cargill, in only her fifth match, dominated the action throughout the commercial break, wearing her opponent down and working a headlock. The aggressor halted a comeback attempt and sent King crashing to the floor.
Back inside, she delivered her version of Beth Phoenix's Glam Slam, entitled Jaded, for the pinfall victory.
Result
Cargill defeated King
Grade
C-
Analysis
This was little more than an extended squash, one that was probably a bit too long at that.
Cargill took center stage and looked like an absolute star as she dominated the competition. It was a wholly one-sided match that was never in doubt, and that is probably for the best given how much time and attention is being paid to Cargill.
She probably shouldn't be in too many of these longer squash matches where she is expected to carry things, especially given her inexperience. This was fine for what it was, but too many more of them will expose her weaknesses at this point in the game.
Dante Martin vs. Miro
New TNT champion Miro battled Top Flight's Dante Martin in singles competition Friday, looking to send a message to Double or Nothing opponent Lance Archer in the process.
He dominated the action early and often, only to fall victim to Martin's unbridled athleticism and speed. The young tag team specialist caught Miro off-guard with a springboard moonsault. He took to the air once more to moderate success, but Miro ultimately downed him with a kick and forced the submission with the Accolade.
After the match, Jake Roberts appeared and cut a promo on the champion, only for Miro to call for him to let Archer loose. The Murderhawk Monster hit the ring and sent Miro to the floor, getting the best of their brief encounter.
Result
Miro defeated Martin
Grade
C+
Analysis
Martin was the right opponent for Miro in this match. He bumped his ass off to make Miro look like a dominant force. The overall quality of the squash match can be traced right back to his willingness and ability to put over the champion's offense.
The post-match exchange between Roberts and Miro lacked a spark, and Archer coming down and raising hell was fine for what it was, but none of it really escalated the rivalry and made it any more interesting. It was such a disappointment because Miro's work over the last month with smaller opponents has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Hikaru Shida's Championship Celebration
AEW women's champion Hikaru Shida made her way to the ring for a special celebration of her one-year anniversary as the top star in the women's division. Tony Schiavone and referee Bryce Remsburg presented her with the brand-new, diamond-encrusted women's title.
Shida applauded the fans for being there since they were not a year ago when she won the title. Before she could go on, Dr. Britt Baker DMD interrupted. She cut a promo, concluding with her insistence that she will be AEW women's champion by the time Double or Nothing is over Sunday night.
Grade
C
Analysis
Short, sweet, and to the point, this one did not overstay its welcome. Instead, it shined a light on a program that didn't need any overproduced angle or creative.
Baker, the best heel in AEW this side of MJF, ruining the moment to put herself over was very much in-character and sets the stage for her to ascend the throne and win a title many expected her to have held by now.
Kudos to Shida for a hell of a year as champion and a moment she absolutely deserved in front of a live crowd that appreciated her talent.
The Dark Order vs. Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page
Their issues intensified by what went down earlier in the night, The Dark Order's Stu Grayson and Evil Uno battled Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page in tag team action.
During the commercial break, Sky and Page worked over Grayson, cutting him off from his partner. Grayson finally created some separation and delivered a uranage suplex to Sky. He rocked the opposition with a kick and tagged Uno into the match.
The masked man delivered a step-up hurricanrana to All Ego, then added a flatliner to Sky. Grayson sent Page into the corner with an overhead throw, then delivered a 450 splash to the Canadian competitor while Uno added a corner cannonball to Sky.
Despite the late surge by the babyfaces, Sky was able to apply the heel hook to Grayson while Page delivered the Ego's Edge to Uno for the win.
After the match, Page issued a warning to Sting and Darby Allin, only to have the former TNT champion lead a number of masked Sting lookalikes to the ring. An overzealous Sky threw a right hand at one of the clones, only to realize it was the real Sting. The Icon scared The Face of the Rebellion from the ring, joining his partner on the floor as the babyfaces stood tall.
Result
Sky and Page defeated Dark Order
Grade
B+
Analysis
Dark Order, Sky, and Page tore the house down with a tag match that struggled to captivate the audience early but sucked them in after the hot tag to Uno. That is a testament to the masked man and his in-ring charisma.
Page and Sky looked mighty impressive entering Double or Nothing, so much so that it would not at all be surprising were they to knock off Allin and Sting. The babyfaces got the upper hand Friday night, which may tip the scales in their favor.
The Sting reveal was cool, but it still felt a bit overproduced when he easily could have just shown up and kicked ass.
Inner Circle Celebration
Eric Bischoff returned to AEW and introduced The Inner Circle for a special celebration ahead of what may be their final match together Sunday night at Double or Nothing.
After a video package recapping their history, Ortiz cut an emotional promo about their first night back on October 2, 2019, while Jake Hager talked about the hard times that defined Inner Circle.
Sammy Guevara discussed what the group means to him and his career in AEW while Jericho expressed his love for his brothers.
MJF appeared on the video screen, emanating from the Jacksonville Jaguars stadium next door to Daily's Place. With Dean Malenko in duress, Jericho and Co. ran out of the arena and toward the stadium. On their way there, Shawn Spears and FTR attacked.
The Pinnacle delivered stereo piledrivers to each member of Inner Circle, leaving them lying in a heap to close out the show and wrap up the hype for Stadium Stampede.
Grade
B
Analysis
This was a strong conclusion to this week's show, particularly with the heartfelt promos from Inner Circle, but the trap set by The Pinnacle left created one big question: Why is Jericho suddenly gullible now that he's a babyface?
Le Champion should have known that the MJF was luring him right into a trap, a beating that would leave him and his partners lying ahead of the most important match of their careers. Jericho should have seen it coming and called The Pinnacle's bluff. Instead, he allowed himself to fall right into the hands of MJF and Co., raising the question: Was this the first time Jericho had ever watched pro wrestling?
That criticism aside, Pinnacle continued to get the upper hand over the babyfaces ahead of Sunday's match and certainly appears poised to retire Inner Circle for good.
Or so you would think.
Don't let the celebration of Inner Circle fool you; a video package and some promos do not mark the conclusion of AEW's first faction.