Tonight is headlined by Samoa Joe taking on Claudio Castagnoli to prepare for next week’s cage match against the big boss of the Death Riders. We’ll also see a Continental Championship Eliminator Match, and a 4-way Women’s Championship Eliminator Match, which I didn’t know was a thing! But it will be a thing, and it just might be a great thing!
Dynamite opens with Hangman Page hitting the ring. He says he doesn’t understand why he still gets cheered after what he’s done, but it helps. He says the past two years have been hell, and finding revenge didn’t help. He says he even considered killing Swerve after their cage match, but he couldn’t do it, and he doesn’t know why. He says he tried to find closure by going after anyone who crossed him. He says he’ll never forget what Swerve did, and he’ll probably never forgive him, but he has to put it behind him. Then he talks about his progress in the Owen so far. Ospreay comes out at the mention of his name, and says it’s surprising that this is the first time they’ve ever spoken to each other, despite being in multiple promotions at the same time throughout the years. He says he knows Hangman’s been through a lot, but he was watching for the good times too. He talks about seeing Hangman smile for the first time in a long time last week. He says that, as much as he and everyone else wants to see Hangman get back to where he was, it won’t be at his expense, because Ospreay’s been doing all the work that Hangman hasn’t been doing since he fell off. As they stare each other down, the Don Callis Family come out. Callis says Ospreay proves how stupid he is every day, but the worst was when he left the Callis Family. He says Ospreay doesn’t understand what he’s standing in the ring with. Hangman starts toward Callis, but Ospreay holds him back and issues a challenge for a tag match, before realizing his arm is still on Hangman, who doesn’t appreciate it. Callis says they can’t co-exist, which is why he’s happy to accept that challenge. Callis and his Family walk off as Ospreay and Hangman continue to bicker in the ring. Ospreay then leaves.
As commentary is running through tonight’s card, Stokely and FTR confront Tony Schiavone. Stokely asks if they have an issue with FTR, even after they issued an apology. Schiavone stands up and gets shoved back down, prompting him to get back up. Cash says this isn’t about Schiavone, it’s about responding to Danny Garcia. He says they had no choice because Garcia was the one who turned on them. Dax then tells Schiavone to tell Nigel that they’ll see him tomorrow night.
Harley Cameron and Anna Jay are getting psyched up for the upcoming match.
Match One: AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Match: Toni Storm (c) vs. Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford vs. Thunder Rosa (non-title)
Jay beats Ford to the floor, Storm and Rosa trade holds, Rosa with a dropkick, another for two as Ford breaks the count, whips Rosa, Rosa with a rollup for one, body slam, misses a running splash, Ford goes for a rollup, Rosa grabs the ropes, Ford dropkicks her for two as Jay breaks it up, drags Ford to the apron, forearm, knee, roundhouse kick, neckbreaker, cover for two as Storm breaks the count, forearms to Jay, fisherman suplex for two as Ford breaks the count with a stomp to the crotch, Jay and Storm to the floor, Ford takes them both out with a moonsault from the apron, Rosa with a corkscrew dive onto all three opponents, everyone fights on the floor, Storm and Rosa hit a backbreaker/leg drop combo on Ford in the ring, then take turns covering for two before Storm boots Rosa and tosses her to the floor, head scissors to Ford, Rosa gets back in the ring, Storm tries to convince her not to intervene, Rosa locks in a head scissors on Storm, Jay comes in and locks them all in a Boston Crab, which, despite really only being a Boston Crab on Ford, causes Rosa to mull tapping out before the whole hold breaks down, Jay and Rosa trade chops, mutual tackle, Ford and Storm trade strikes, everyone takes turns taking everyone else down, Jay ends up covering Rosa for two before brawling with Ford on the floor and hitting a snap suplex, Rosa hits Jay with a DDT on the floor, Ford with a moonsault to all three opponents, everyone fights in the ring before Rosa and Storm find a bit of an alliance, go for a double suplex to Ford, Megan Bayne comes out, attacks both of them, Jay tries to intervene and ends up brawling with Bayne and Ford, which eventually doesn’t go well for her, Bayne hits Jay with a powerbomb, Harley Cameron comes out with a pipe, clotheslines Bayne over the top rope, then beats her with the pipe all the way backstage.
Back in the ring, Ford locks Jay in an Indian Deathlock, Storm stomps Ford in the labia, TCM Chicken Wing for the tapout.
Winner: Toni Storm
Storm and Rosa celebrate after the match.
After a commercial, The Hurt Syndicate hit the ring. MVP hypes up his guys, then asks where the competition is. Top Flight come out, admit they haven’t been on their game lately, but that’s why they need to see this as an opportunity. MJF then attacks them from behind and takes them out. After powerbombing Darius on the ramp, he gets in Lashley’s face and yells that he hurts people. Lashley says he’ll have an answer for him next week.
The Elite talk about their matches tonight. Ricochet walks in and the Bucks ask why he wanted to team with them, he says because he knows how to beat Swerve. The Bucks then head back into their locker room, where Death Riders are waiting to speak.
Match Two: ROH Television Championship: Nick Wayne (c) vs. Rhino
So this is where Rhino shows up.
Wayne tries to figure out a way to go at Rhino, finally takes him off his feet with a dropkick, stomps in the corner, body slam, suplex, Rhino with punches, lariat, elbow, whip to the corner, shoulder tackle, belly to belly suplex, spinebuster for two, Christian with a distraction, Wayne hits the Killswitch for three.
Winner and STILL ROH Television Champion: Nick Wayne
Wayne and Christian tussle over the championship belt, before Christian puts it around Wayne’s waste, but then takes it back and drops it on the canvas.
Rush says that Kevin Knight will pay for costing him the $10,000 4-way.
Match Three: Mark Briscoe, “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet and The Young Bucks
Swerve and Ricochet start off, Swerve with a volley of stomps, big boot, Briscoe in, Bailey hits Ricochet with a hurricanrana, Briscoe with a clothesline, Bailey covers for two, I think he tagged in right after Briscoe did, Bailey tussles with all three opponents, Ricochet hits a chop block, Swerve runs in but Ricochet tosses him into the Bucks, who also dropkick Briscoe, the good guys then reclaim the ring and hit trio suicide dives, Briscoe in, he and Bailey beat down Ricochet, the Bucks come in and help regain control for the bad guys, it ends up falling on Briscoe, Briscoe finally manages to clothesline Nicholas, but Matthew clears the opposing corner, Ricochet in, stomps, punches, knees, Briscoe hits an enziguri, Bailey in, cleans house, goes up top, Nicholas tries to pull him off but just ends up getting hurricanranaed into Matthew on the floor, Bailey rolls Matthew in the ring, goes up top, misses a shooting star press, but hits a Spanish Fly for two as Ricochet breaks the count, then brawls with Swerve, which ends in Swerve hitting a House Call, Bailey goes to tag Swerve in, the Bucks block the tag and punch Swerve, go for a double superkick to Bailey, but he ends up kicking them both in a dazzling number of ways, Swerve in, cleans house, Bailey and Briscoe eventually come in to help, Briscoe hits Matthew with Froggy Bow for Swerve to cover for two as Nicholas breaks the count up, Briscoe tosses him to the floor, everyone ends up taking shots on everyone, and Matthew sneaks in a rollup for three.
Winners: The Young Bucks and Ricochet
Renee asks Will Ospreay about next week’s tag match. MJF then comes in and says he hopes Ospreay wins the whole Owen, so that he can win the belt from him. Ospreay asks why MJF wasn’t in the Owen, then suggests it’s fear. The segment ends with them in each other’s faces arguing about who’s on a different level.
Renee sits down with Jamie Hayter, who says this tournament means more to her than it does to Mone, because it also means Owen Hart’s legacy to her. She says she wants to get to know the real Mercedes Mone. She says she’s insulted by Mone’s insinuation that they’re alike, and she wants to take the shine off of Mone. Renee asks about her injury, and Hayter says she doesn’t want to talk about it. Mone then attacks, and they brawl out of the room. The brawl then spills to the balcony, then tumbles over, but, thankfully, it’s not a particularly elevated balcony, so they end up fighting on the stage until Mone runs off. But then she runs back in when Hayter isn’t expecting it, tackles her, and locks in the Mone Maker.
Alicia Atout asks Willow Nightingale about her recent success and issues with the Death Riders. She says the whole locker room wants to get their hands on the Death Riders. Kris Statlander then comes in and asks if they can talk. Willow says there’s nothing to talk about, and challenges her to a match, which they shake on.
Match Four: Continental Championship Eliminator Match: Okada Kazuchika (c) vs. Kevin Knight
Rush attacks Knight during his entrance, and tosses him around ringside before choking him with a production cable. Speedball runs out, dispatches of Rush’s backup in Dralistico, and chases Rush off.
Bell rings, Okada hits a running dropkick in the corner, DDT, Alabama Slam, reversed into a rollup for two, Okada with elbows, lariat for two, Knight rallies with some kicks, goes up top, Okada dropkicks him to the floor, tosses him into the barricade, then again, there is a mother and daughter in the crowd who find this hilarious, both men back in the ring, Okada with a body slam, Knight with chops to little effect, Okada with forearms, foot choke in the corner, Knight with punches, Okada with a forearm, Knight runs up the turnbuckle and hits a rolling clothesline, mixed strikes in the corner, Okada with an eye poke, Knight with a spinebuster for two, Okada with a boot from the corner, goes up top, Knight with a hurricanrana, running splash for two, goes for a DDT, reversed into a shoulder breaker, body slam, Okada goes up top, elbow drop, Rainmaker, reversed into a rollup for two, Knight with a backslide for two, ducks a lariat, hits a Pele kick, goes up top, splash, blocked by knees, Okada with a whip, misses a dropkick, hits a boot, European uppercut, Knight with a dropkick, springboard, Okada catches him with a dropkick, Rainmaker for three.
Winner: Okada Kazuchika
Okada hits a second and third Rainmaker after the bell, goes for a fourth, Speedball makes the save.
Backstage, Don Callis responds to the Outrunners’ challenge by proposing an 8-man instead.
Alicia Atout tries to get an early answer on MJF from the Hurt Syndicate. Their lawyer advises Lashley not to answer.
Main Event: Samoa Joe vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Lockup, break in the corner, lockup, break in the corner, Claudio with punches, punches in the corner, break, Joe tosses Claudio to the corner, Coquina Clutch, rope break, Joe clotheslines him to the floor, toss into the barricade, toss into a different part of the barricade, then into a third part, chop, breaks the count, Claudio drops Joe across the barricade, then tosses him into it, European uppercut, charges, Joe catches him with an uranage, running boot, rolls Claudio into the ring, Claudio to the apron, shoulder tackles, mixed strikes in the corner, Joe with chops, whip, running elbow, Pele kick, sets Claudio up top, chop, muscle buster, blocked, Claudio with an eye gouge, drops Joe’s arm across the top rope, running knee, stomp, chinlock, transitions to a bulldog choke, then back to a chinlock, Joe finally escapes with a headbutt, chop, Claudio with a boot, goes up top, elbow drop for one, running double stomp for one, a volley of running double stomps, Cobra Clutch, Joe eventually punches his way out, Claudio with knees, Joe with a powerslam for two, whip to the corner, Manhattan Drop, hip check, running senton for two, Claudio with a body slam, blocked, eye poke, lariat for two, Neutralizer, reversed into a back body drop, Claudio lands on his feet and hits a springboard European uppercut, Giant Swing, reversed into a Coquina Clutch for an instant tapout.
Winner: Samoa Joe
The rest of Death Riders circle, but Powerhouse Hobbs holds the ring with a chair, before clubbing Claudio in the back with a chair. He then hits him again, and then Joe hits an exploder suplex on the set-up chair. Dynamite goes off the air with Joe and Hobbs holding the ring.
