AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from August 22

Pre-empted by the NBA playoffs Wednesday, AEW Dynamite exploded onto the TNT network airwaves Saturday night with a special episode featuring the company's top stars and rivalries.

The TNT Championship, Women's Tag Team Cup, bragging rights and positioning in the tag team rankings were all up for grabs as AEW continued its march to the September 5 All Out pay-per-view.

Who emerged with the gold, which team captured the coveted cup and who emerged as the greatest threat to Kenny Omega and Hangman Page's AEW Tag Team Championships?

Find out now with this recap of the August 22 show.

Previously announced for Saturday's show:

• TNT Championship Match: Cody vs. Mr. Brodie Lee
• Women's Tag Team Cup Finals: The Nightmare Sisters vs. Diamante and Ivelisse
• The Elite (Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks) vs. The Dark Order
• The Natural Nightmares and Jurassic Express vs. Lucha Bros, The Butcher and The Blade
• Darby Allin in action
• Private Party vs. FTR

Would this be the night that Cody's monumental run as champion came to a bitter end, courtesy of "The Exalted One" Lee, who was badly in need of a signature victory in AEW?

It was the most intriguing match of the night, if only because of the storytelling possibilities it had the potential to spur.

Would a loss to Lee be the spark needed for Cody to execute a heel turn that has not so subtly been in the making for weeks? What would another high-profile loss for Lee do to his status as the leader of The Dark Order?

And if not now, when and to whom would Cody drop the title?

Any match that generates that many questions is sure to capture the attention of the audience.

Tully Blanchard joined FTR at ringside, the result of last week's beatdown of The Rock 'n' Roll Express, as Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler battled Private Party's Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy.

Private Party frustrated the opposition early, using lightning-quick tags and offense to keep Harwood off guard. Some smart strategizing and a big double clothesline downed Quen, isolated him from Kassidy and allowed FTR to seize control of the bout.

Every time Quen created separation, Harwood found a way to cut him off from his partner. After a dramatic battle at ringside, Quen finally managed to make the tag to Kassidy, who exploded into the match like a ball of energy, wearing his opponents out with a barrage of kicks.

A blind tag to Quen led to a crossbody that nearly earned Private Party the upset.

Near-falls, close calls and timely saves dominated the closing moments of the match before Tully Blanchard saved Wheeler from a plancha by Kassidy. Back inside, Harwood sent Quen into the post and joined Wheeler for the Goodnight Express, which earned the heels the hard-fought victory.

Result

FTR defeated Private Party

Grade

B+

Analysis

This was a damn good match and a reminder of why Private Party was once considered the team of the future in All Elite Wrestling.

The story was easy to follow, the mat psychology from FTR in particular was fantastic and the right team went over with a little help from its newfound Hall of Fame manager.

FTR building momentum on its way up the tag team ranks was the right call, while Private Party really impressed, Quen and Kassidy's growth as in-ring performers on full display. A great taste of things to come for a division already loaded with talent.

MJF answered AEW World champion Jon Moxley's promo with one of his own while sporting a neck brace and utilizing a walker. MJF's attorney revealed the contract for the AEW title match at All Out states the Paradigm Shift is banned. If Moxley refuses, lawyer Mark Sterling will sue.

That promo gave way to a massive Eight-Man Tag Team match pitting Jurassic Express' Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy and The Natural Nightmares' Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall against The Lucha Bros' Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix, The Butcher and The Blade.

Fenix and Pentagon wiped the competition out with stereo planchas. A brief answer from the babyfaces gave way to the heels cutting the ring in half, singling out Rhodes in their attempt to earn a momentum-building victory.

During the break, the heels continued their oppressive assault of Rhodes until a snap powerslam to Butcher allowed the veteran competitor to make the tag to Luchasaurus. Jungle Boy launched himself out of the ring with a tope suicida, wiping out Butcher and then doing the same to Fenix before adding a plancha to Butcher and Blade.

As the action continued to break down, each star delivered his own signature offense. Late, dissension between the heels gave way to a shoving match and Jungle Boy rolling The Blade up for the win.

After the match, the heels argued until Eddie Kingston interjected himself into the fray. He asked why the two teams aren't tag champions right now. "Come with me and everything we want will be ours." Kingston gave the camera a wink as they embraced.

Result

Jurassic Express and The Natural Nightmares defeated Lucha Bros, The Butcher and The Blade

Grade

C+

Analysis

There was nothing wrong with the match in particular, but it was just there to spur the heel alliance that came after.

Kingston as the master manipulator, bringing together pawns for his master class in wrestling chess, is a great role for him, and his promos alone will make it work. No matter how hodgepodge the group may appear on the surface.

Given that Pentagon, Fenix, Butcher and Blade aren't doing anything else of real significance at this point, there are far worse options.

One question, though: Where does this leave Death Triangle and Pac, who had formed a trio with the Lucha Bros prior to the coronavirus pandemic?

On the MJF-Moxley front, the idea that the undefeated No. 1 contender would be so cowardly as to strip away his opponent's finishing move is so on-brand. It is brilliant and sets the stage for Moxley to find another way to win if he wants to retain his title.

Orange Cassidy and Best Friends joined Tony Schiavone for an in-ring promo.

Before The King of Sloth Style could utter a word, Chris Jericho interrupted and challenged his rival to a rubber match. This time in the innovative, first-time-ever Mimosa Mayhem match at All Out, in which the only way to win is to throw your opponent in an 80-gallon vat of orange juice and champagne.

Cassidy accepted before The Inner Circle attacked, clearing Trent and Chuck Taylor from the ring and pouring "a little bit of the bubbly" all over Freshly Squeezed.

Grade

C

Analysis

If there's anyone whose creativity could make the Mimosa Mayhem match work, it's Chris Jericho, but that does not mean the concept isn't a bit lackluster for a feud that has grown increasingly personal with every passing week.

Jericho was his typically great self while disingenuously giving Cassidy props for his win last week, but this lacked the edge we would hope for from a segment aimed at building the concluding match of a months-long feud.

The Elite's recent rivalry with The Dark Order continued this week as Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks battled Alan "5" Angels, John Silver and Alex Reynolds in a big Six-Man Tag Team match.

The more established trio started hot, but the heels launched a steel-chair attack on Omega that allowed them to take control of the bout heading into the break. As the timeout came to an end, Nick exploded into the match, sparking the babyface comeback.

Now the aggressor, The Elite teed off on Reynolds, but a missed charge into the corner allowed The Dark Order to turn the tide back in its favor.

Later, the Bucks set up for the Meltzer Driver, but The Dark Order cut it off. Angels tried a moonsault, but the Bucks caught him mid-flight with a double superkick. Nick wiped out Silver and Reynolds at ringside, the Bucks delivered the Meltzer Driver and Omega put Angels away with the One-Winged Angel.

After the match, Omega again lost his cool, grabbing a steel chair and threatening to powerbomb Angels on it. Cooler heads prevailed, and The Elite left together.

Result

The Elite defeated The Dark Order

Grade

B

Analysis

The Bucks and Omega always show out when they get the opportunity, but this was yet another example of Angels, Silver and Reynolds seizing the moment and making the most of an opportunity. They more than held up their end of the equation in this one, and the result was a better-than-expected tag match.

Yes, The Dark Order needs a win, but this is a forgivable loss against the most storied and decorated trio in AEW.

If the Order's recent performances are any indication, the group will get its shot soon enough.

The backstage promo after the match, in which FTR gloriously manipulated Hangman Page by reminding him that a loss to The Young Bucks would put him back in their shadow, was a great bit of business and helped sell next week's Gauntlet match to determine Page and Omega's opponents at All Out.

Darby Allin battled the much larger, much less-experienced Will Hobbs in the night's next match.

Allin started hot, but Hobbs' strength advantage played into his favor as the pace slowed.

The massive, raw, athletic Hobbs pounded away at Allin in the corner and then pulled him down to the mat for a near-fall.

Hobbs set him up for a running powerslam, but Allin fought out and delivered the Coffin Drop for the win.

After the match, Taz addressed Allin, feigning a new member of Team Taz. Instead, it was Ricky Starks dressed as Allin. The distraction allowed Brian Cage to come from out of nowhere and attack Allin. A two-on-one beatdown concluded with Starks delivering his own Coffin Drop to close out the segment.

Result

Allin defeated Hobbs

Grade

C+

Analysis

Hobbs got a ton more offense than you may have expected, but he's a big guy with a ton of upside (i.e., impressive look and athleticism), so it is believable someone of his size could get over on Allin for a bit.

The post-match beatdown was fine, but it does seem a bit strange that Cage has taken a backseat in this program to Starks when he was the top contender to the world title two months ago.

Sammy Guevara joined us for his typical picture-in-picture antics until Matt Hardy attacked, laying into him with a series of steel-chair shots. Guevara eventually escaped, but not before it became clear that his rival intends much more damage at a later date.

NWA Women's champion Thunder Rosa announced her arrival in AEW and immediately called out AEW titleholder Hikaru Shida.

From there, we headed to the ring for the finals of the Women's Tag Team Cup Tournament pitting The Nightmare Sisters' Brandi Rhodes and Allie against Ivelisse and Diamante.

Rhodes and Allie worked over Diamante throughout the commercial, dominating the action in a totally believable manner (cue eye-roll emoji).

A tornado suplex by Diamante on Allie turned the tide and led to a hot tag to Ivelisse. Diamante re-entered the ring and delivered a big uppercut that rocked the former Bunny. QT Marshall attempted a distraction, but Ivelisse sent Rhodes into him.

Back inside, Ivelisse pinned Allie for the win.

Result

Ivelisse and Diamante defeated Rhodes and Allie to win the cup

Grade

C

Analysis

This was, like most of the matches in the tournament, serviceable if nothing else.

The right team went over, thankfully, but it still feels hollow given how inconsistently women's wrestling in AEW has been treated.

With that said, if there were ever a silver lining, it is the influx of talent we are starting to see across the board.

Anna Jay is a young star with tons of potential, while Ivelisse, Diamante and Thunder Rosa add a wealth of experience to a division desperately in need of it. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a new and exciting era in women's wrestling in AEW.

TNT champion Cody, now appropriately dubbed "The Prince of Pro Wrestling" as he dives deeper and deeper into the black hole of heeldom, defended his title against "The Exalted One" Mr. Brodie Lee in the night's main event.

Lee exploded with a dropkick out of the gate and then fought Cody to the arena floor. Back inside, the leader of The Dark Order continued his domination of the champion, tossing him around the ring and dropping him with a powerbomb. A second powerbomb gave way to the discus clothesline as Lee claimed his first title.

After the match, Tony Schiavone interviewed Lee while the AEW doctors checked on the former champion. Bracing his neck in fear of a catastrophic injury, the medical staff placed Cody on a stretcher and had the unconscious competitor removed from the ring.

Cody gave a thumbs-up on his way out of the arena, only for The Dark Order to assault Arn Anderson and then overturn the stretcher. Referees ordered The Dark Order away, to which Lee responded by blasting Cody over the head with a loaded black bag. It was later revealed to contain the old TNT title.

The new TNT champion stood tall over his fallen foe as Evil Uno and Stu Grayson produced a beaten Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall. Brandi rushed out to check on her husband, but Anna Jay put her to sleep.

The faction stood tall to close out the show.

Result

Lee defeated Cody to win the title

Grade

A+

Analysis

That was as emphatic an announcement to the wrestling world as there could possibly be that The Dark Order is now the dominant faction in AEW.

Lee beat Cody in the most one-sided ass-kicking since Brock Lesnar decimated John Cena six years ago at SummerSlam. It was a definitive win that establishes him as the top baddie in AEW and sets up a showdown between The Nightmare Family and The Dark Order for All Out, if the company so pleases.

This was what we have needed to see from The Dark Order from the get-go. All of the growing pains, questionable booking decisions and roadblocks to this point feel worth it for the display of utter destruction and dominance we saw at the end of this show.

Here's hoping this is not fleeting for the group.