AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 16

On the heels of a physical war with Minoru Suzuki, Bryan Danielson looked to go 2-0 Saturday night on All Elite Wrestling Dynamite as he battled Bobby Fish, himself coming off an impressive victory just 24 hours earlier on Rampage.

Would Danielson continue his winning ways as he seeks a championship rematch, or did Fish knock off The American Dragon in one of the biggest upsets of the year?

That match headlined a show that also featured the Lucha Bros in action, former world champion Jon Moxley battling young Wheeler Yuta and Malakai Black's quest for his latest victim in the form of Dante Martin.

• Bryan Danielson vs. Bobby Fish
• Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta (with Orange Cassidy)
• Dante Martin vs. Malakai Black
• Kiera Hogan vs. Penelope Ford
• Lucha Bros vs. A Masked Tag Team (with Andrade El Idolo)
• Hangman Page interview

A week after answering Dante Martin's open challenge, Malakai Black squared off against the young competitor to kick off Saturday's show, moments after CM Punk made a stirring entrance and took his place at the commentary position.

Black aimed to ground Martin, negating his speed and high-flying arsenal, by working over his left leg with a single leg Boston Crab. Martin fought back, wiggled free of his opponent's grasp and delivered a reverse rana that sent Black to the entrance ramp. He followed with a springboard senton that wiped out the heel.

The combatants exchanged strikes before Black delivered a Meteora and followed with a German suplex for a near-fall. A look of disbelief painted his face as Lio Rush, Martin's new advisor, watched from ringside. Martin recovered and uncorked a super hurricanrana for two.

Martin survived another single-leg submission but went back to the ropes, springboarding off and further injuring his leg. The momentary hesitation allowed Black to deliver Black Mass for the win. After the match, Black gave his opponent a nod, a rare show of respect.

Result

Black defeated Martin.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Martin continued to look like a star here, turning in another gutsy performance in what was one of his biggest and most important matches to date. He may not have won against the more established competitors yet, but when he does, it will be more respected and appreciated by the fans.

He will be a bigger star because of the trials and tribulations.

As for Black, he is such a refreshing and compelling character. He is in AEW what he should have been from day one in WWE. The results are wholly different, and his presence is a tone-changer.

He is an attraction, a modern-day Undertaker, whose aura will make up for a lot and enhance even more. Black is ready for that main event run.

The reunited Inner Circle hit the ring to address Dan Lambert's American Top Team. 

After some insults hurled by Chris Jericho at Paige VanZant, Le Champion issued a challenge for a five-on-five tag match. Lambert said there were some stipulations and that he would wait until next week's Dynamite because he didn't want to waste another breath in Miami.

Sammy Guevara responded to a braggadocious promo from Scorpio Sky by vowing to beat all of the heels' asses.

Grade

C

Analysis

Other than the challenge from Inner Circle to the heels, this didn't serve a purpose other than getting the talent on the show. We know there is an issue, we know that American Top Team won a tainted tag match on Friday's Rampage. We did not need a recap in the form of a repetitive in-ring promo.

This could have been handled in a backstage promo or a taped segment and taken a hell of a less time up.

Andrade El Idolo promised a masked team to oppose AEW and AAA tag team champions Penta El Zero M and Rey Fenix on Saturday night. He produced FTR's Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler in cheap luchador gear, which CM Punk was quick to point out early on.

The champs unmasked their opponents early, leading to a more straightforward tag match between the tandems. FTR dominated the competition during the break, but the sibling champions fought back, with Penta launching Fenix into the air and on to the opposition.

The Lucha Bros wiped out Harwood and Wheeler at ringside but a messy finish, including interference from Tully Blanchard and a belt shot to Fenix, gave way to FTR scoring the tainted win and the AAA tag titles.

Result

FTR defeated Lucha Bros for the AAA Tag Team Championship.

Grade

B-

Analysis

This was choppier than you would have expected from the talent involved. With that said, it was still a solid tag match between two of the best in the industry, hampered only by the overbooking that surrounded Tully and the belt shot.

The biggest takeaway is that FTR is the most non-AAA team in wrestling, and they now hold that promotion's titles, with the idea being that they will have to travel to Mexico to defend the titles against wrestlers who are decidedly not of the same style or influence.

That should be fun to watch unfold if nothing else.

FTR of The Pinnacle helped Andrade, a star they have known dating back to NXT. To tie up any other loose ends, a backstage encounter between Andrade and MJF exposed a business relationship between the two, but only for one night.

It will be interesting to see whether Andrade takes MJF's condescending tone personally and a rivalry between the two ensues.

Wheeler Yuta had the opportunity to establish himself as a player in AEW as he battled former world champion Jon Moxley.

It didn't go well.

Moxley squashed him in a matter of seconds, finishing him with the Paradigm Shift. The ringside doctor, referee and Orange Cassidy all checked on a potentially injured Wheeler following the bell.

Result

Moxley obliterated Yuta.

Grade

F

Analysis

Unless the purpose of this was to demonstrate a less patient, more frustrated and angry Moxley, this had no reason to be on the show. It was a one-sided squash that bettered no one and only teased Moxley vs. Cassidy, as Freshly Squeezed removed his sunglasses and stared back in the Cincinnati native's direction.

Superkliq's Adam Cole and The Young Bucks battled Dark Order's Alexa Reynolds, John Silver and Evil Uno in trios action.

A red-hot start, with action all over the place, settled down as the heels earned control of the bout during the commercial break. They isolated Silver, cutting him off from his partners and making him go across the ring to make the tag if the babyfaces had any chance of earning the victory.

He finally made the tag and the action broke down, with Dark Order momentarily getting the best of Superkliq when Reynolds nearly pinned Cole off Something Evil by Evil Uno. A superkick by Cole and the Panama Sunrise ended the spirited comeback.

The Bucks delivered the BTE Trigger, and Cole finished Reynolds with the Boom for the win.

After the match, Jungle Boy hit the ring and chased off the victors with a steel chair. He pummeled Brandon Cutler and stood tall to close the segment.

Result

Superkliq defeated Dark Order.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Dark Order is such a great, energetic babyface squad. They have excelled in these multi-man tag matches every time they have had the opportunity. The crowd loves Silver, Reynolds is the glue that holds everything together and Uno is an athletic big man with a ton of experience. They work well together, and when you add in opposition like the all-world Young Bucks and Cole, you're destined to have a fun, high-quality match on your hands.

That was the case here.

The heels picked up the win to further establish the Superkliq trio, but Dark Order benefited by hanging with them all the way to the end. 

Jungle Boy taking up the fight against The Elite is a great role for him and will only serve to heighten his role on the show. He is great, has been for the last year and will thrive working with the top stars in the company.

MJF made his way to the ring and after insulting Miami and insinuated that he had a nonexistent match with Darby Allin. When the face-painted antihero no-showed, he ordered Wardlow to the ring. He brought with him referee Bryce Remsburg and ordered a count so that he could claim a forfeit win.

Instead, Sting made his way to the ring and blasted Wardlow with a baseball bat before chasing off MJF.

Grade

C+

Analysis

MJF was great, Sting standing up for Allin made sense and the heel throwing his enforcer to the wolves continues the slow burn to Wardlow's eventual breakup with the scarf-wearing loudmouth. 

All things considered, this was a more effective use of television time than the Inner Circle-ATT stuff from earlier, which accomplished nothing new.

Kiera Hogan battled Penelope Ford in singles competition in a teaser for the upcoming TBS Championship Tournament.

Ford dominated the action early and often, controlling the pace throughout the commercial. A superplex from Hogan sparked her comeback and allowed the former Impact Wrestling Knockouts tag team champion to fight her way back into the match.

Ford absorbed it all, downed her opponent and applied the Muta Lock for the submission win.

After the match, Ruby Soho hit the ring and fought off Ford, sending her crashing on to the entrance ramp. 

Result

Ford defeated Hogan.

Grade

C

Analysis

Ford was always going to win this, if only because she is embroiled in a rivalry with Ruby Soho. Hogan, though, starred here, showing off the spark and fire that has defined her in-ring ability dating back to her time in Impact Wrestling. She looked like a star who will one day see her role expanded as AEW figures out exactly what its long-term plans are for the women's division.

Soho hitting the ring and sending a physical message to Ford, and staring down The Bunny, continues that rivalry. Love it or hate it, at least the company has developed a couple of secondary programs in its women's division, an area of the roster that especially needed it.

Tony Schiavone introduced Casino Ladder match winner, "Hangman" Adam Page.

Page caught up the audience on his story, reliving the trials and tribulations that have led him to November 13 and his showdown with Kenny Omega for the AEW World Championship. Through everything, he has promised cowboy s--t.

He's confident in himself, but at Full Gear, he might fail to win the title. What he can guarantee, though, is that same cowboy s--t mentality.

Grade

A+

Analysis

This was the best promo of Page's career. He was passionate, told his story and set up the big PPV match. It allowed the audience to feel something for him, creating an ever-important connection and putting him in a position where he almost has to capture the gold November 13.

Page has been the heart and soul of AEW since its inception in 2019. It is time to crown him and let him run as the top dog on a roster full of them.

Bryan Danielson survived an encounter with Minoru Suzuki Friday night. Just 24 hours later, he battled Bobby Fish in the night's main event, looking to make his record 3-0-1 in AEW. 

He was in the driver's seat early, controlling the match until Fish took his legs out from underneath him, sending The American Dragon's knee crashing into the ring apron. He seized control and worked over his opponent's injured joint during the break.

Danielson returned the favor, targeting Fish's left knee. He repeatedly wrapped it around the ring post and set him up for a kick, but Fish ducked and delivered a backdrop driver for two. Bryan recovered, applied a heel hook and forced the tap out for the hard-fought victory.

Result

Danielson defeated Fish.

Grade

B+

Analysis

If you see Danielson's and Fish's names next to each other on a card, you can probably expect a technical wrestling clinic, and that's what we got here. The strikes were on point, each man tested the other's pain tolerance with grueling submission work, and in the end, it was the wrestler who could trap his opponent who earned the victory.

With Kenny Omega preoccupied by Hangman Page at Full Gear, simply letting Danielson earn wins in great wrestling matches is easily the best use of him.

Friday's near-classic against Suzuki and this quite good match with Fish proves as much.