AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from March 8

 

On the heels of a blockbuster Revolution pay-per-view, AEW hit the TBS airwaves with an edition of Dynamite that looked to wrap up loose threads and turn its creative attention toward Double or Nothing in May.

The TNT and All-Atlantic Championships were on the line, we heard from Ricky Starks and Hangman Page following their defining victories Sunday night and Ruby Soho competed for the first time since her shocking heel turn.

Find out what happened, if any titles switched hands and what directions top AEW stars might be headed in time for the Memorial Day weekend extravaganza with this recap of the March 8 episode.

Announced for the show in advance are:

TNT Championship Match: Wardlow vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

AEW All-Atlantic Championship Match: Orange Cassidy vs. Jay Lethal

AR Fox and Top Flight vs. Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia

Skye Blue vs. Ruby Soho

John Silver and Alex Reynolds vs. Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli

Hangman Page and Ricky Starks promos

AEW All-Atlantic Title Match: Orange Cassidy vs. Jay Lethal; Ricky Starks Promo

Jay Lethal may have targeted the injured left knee of Orange Cassidy throughout their AEW All-Atlantic Championship Match Wednesday night but it was his own injury that proved to be costly.

Lethal nursed a left shoulder injury and late, Cassidy was able to capitalize on it collapsing on the challenger and scoring the upset victory.

The match was another very good one between two guys with better in-ring chemistry than expected. They work so seamlessly together and here, they had a smart and logical match.

Cassidy failed to hit his trademark Orange Punch because of his knee, Lethal struggled with his signature stuff because of the shoulder. Those spots played on the established injuries and directly led to the finish.

The post-match, which saw Jeff Jarrett attack Cassidy and break his guitar over the knee of the champion can be seen as the start of a feud with Double J and/or an injury write-off for a few weeks.

Either way, it gives Cassidy direction and transitions the heels out of the tag team division, which is not a place they need to be, taking up spots in title matches they have no business being in.

After the opener, "Absolute" Ricky Starks hit the ring to address his plans now that he has defeated Chris Jericho. Before he could expand on that topic, Bullet Club music played and Juice Robinson attacked, laying him out.

It is nice to see Robinson back on television. Unfortunately, he has been a non-factor of late so Tony Khan has his work cut out for him if he hopes to establish himself as a real threat to Starks.

Result

Cassidy defeated Lethal to retain

Grade

B+

Top Moments

Lethal's associates were barred from ringside, ensuring a one-on-one title match to kick things off.
The challenger sent Freshly Squeezed knee-first into the ring post, targeting the left joint of the champion as he sought to dethrone him.
Cassidy tried for the Orange Punch but was unable to push off the knee, allowing Lethal to seize an opening and apply a figure four.

Skye Blue vs. Ruby Soho

Renee Paquette interviewed Ruby Soho, who arrived fresh off a shocking heel turn that saw her align herself with Toni Storm and Saraya in the battle against AEW originals Dr. Britt Baker DMD and Jamie Hayter.

After a scathing promo on those women and the AEW fans, she squared off with Skye Blue in one-on-one action.

Despite a spirited performance from Blue, Soho was able to grab an underhanded hair pull and deliver Destination Unknown for the win.

Following the bell, Storm and Saraya joined their new associate in the ring. They attempted to humiliate the young Blue but Willow Nightingale hit the ring to make save. The numbers game proved costly though as the heels beat her down, then spraypainted both women.

It was nice to see Soho take center stage and have the opportunity to cut the promo without sharing the stage with Saraya and Storm. She called out the fans' reaction to her and, while there probably could have been a more solid foundation for her heel turn, she explained her actions.

Now, it will be interesting to see if she takes on a leadership role with Storm and Saraya or if she eventually slinks into the background in favor of the former Anti-Diva.

Result

Soho defeated Blue

Grade

C+

Top Moments

Soho claimed the fans loved when Baker defeated her in New York at Grand Slam in 2021.
She claimed that the fans were quick to turn on Storm and Saraya when they arrived and referred to the "entitled rookies" in the back before calling out Blue.
Nightingale made the save, playing up her former tag team with Soho before being betrayed just as Baker and Hayter were Sunday night at Revolution.

FTR Promo: AR Fox and Top Flight vs. Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia

FTR joined Tony Khan in the ring for an emotionally-fueled promo in which they vowed to not only beat The Gunns but take the AEW World Tag Team Championship from them.

Back in the squared circle, Chris Jericho sought to shake off Sunday's loss to Ricky Starks by partnering with Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia to battle AR Fox and Top Flight's Darius and Dante Martin.

The heels worked over Dante during the commercial break but a well-timed crossbody allowed him to create separation and tease a hot tag. Garcia knocked his partners off the apron, though, leaving the young star with no one to turn to.

Dante finally made the tag to Darius, who exploded into the match. He took the fight to the heels but had his momentum halted following interference from Jake Hager, who loves his hat and used a baseball bat to set Martin up for the Judas Effect from Jericho for the win.

After the match, the Jericho Appreciation Society attempted to position itself as the No. 1 contender to the AEW Trios Championship and ordered The House of Black to the ring. Instead of that trio, The Elite interrupted proceedings.

A promo from Don Callis gave way to The House of Black interjecting itself and issuing a challenge for a title defense next week.

The match was good but was clearly secondary to the events after the bell.

The House of Black is about to take a significant jump up the card by battling The Elite and the Jericho Appreciation Society. One can only hope that Tony Khan does not make the asinine booking decision to take the titles off of them after only a week to give Jericho or Omega a hometown win.

Result

Jericho, Guevara, and Garcia defeated Top Flight and Fox

Grade

C+

Top Moments

The arena broke out in a deafening chant of "FTR" in response to Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler hitting the ring.
"You're also spoiled, entitled, disrespectful little a**holes," Wheeler said of The Gunns.
"At a time when I felt I was incapable of being loved, wrestling never left me," Harwood said.
"One of the last memories I have with one of my best friends in this industry was taken away by you," Harwood said of The Gunns ruining FTR's moment with the late Jay Briscoe.
"He is a desperate man. This is when he gets devious," Taz warned Jericho detractors on commentary.
"Unfortunately, Chris, you're only the second-best wrestler from Winnipeg," Callis said, referring to Omega.
Backstage, Tony Khan revealed the AEW All-Atlantic Championship is being renamed the AEW International Championship, starting with next week's match between Orange Cassidy and Jeff Jarrett.

The Dark Order vs. The Blackpool Combat Club

Two weeks ago, Jon Moxley brutalized Evil Uno. Wednesday, the masked big man's teammates in The Dark Order, John Silver and Alex Reynolds, battled the former world champion and Claudio Castagnoli in tag team action.

The Blackpool Combat Club dominated the action, wearing down each of their opponents at different points.

Silver exploded into the ring late but it was for naught as Moxley ultimately choked out Reynolds for the referee stoppage. After the match, Moxley and his teammates beat down Dark Order until Hangman Page rushed the ring.

Another brawl ensued, prompting referees to rush the ring and break the teams up despite chants of "let them fight."

It was nice to see Reynolds and Silver back on television. They were once incredibly over and backed up that popularity with their in-ring performances but, ultimately fell into the background.

Unfortunately, they were never really presented as a threat to the heels and were predictably beaten.

BCC vs. Dark Order and Page is certainly a direction to head in but it is impossible not to think that Page vs. Moxley really should have ended Sunday at Revolution.

Result

Moxley and Castagnoli defeated Reynolds and Silver

Grade

C+

Top Moments

The BCC attacked Silver and Reynolds at the bell and proceeded to dominate the action through the commercial, despite a momentary spark from Reynolds.
Silver exploded into the ring off a hot tag and peppered Moxley with a series of corner kicks.
After the match, Moxley, Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta beat down Dark Order, seemingly establishing themselves as heels. 
Page made the save but a brawl erupted and referees separated them.

TNT Championship Match: Wardlow vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

After having his rental car broken into and his gear stolen, TNT champion Wardlow challenged top contender Powerhouse Hobbs to a Falls Count Anywhere match and wasted little time in taking advantage of those rules right from the get-go.

The competitors battled in the parking lot, where Wardlow seized control by back body dropping Hobbs on a rental car, shattering the windshield. They battled throughout the backstage area before entering the arena as the show returned from the break.

The action intensified, including a Swanton bomb from the top rope by Wardlow, but it was the sudden and unexpected presence of QT Marshall that led to the conclusion of the bout.

After blasting Wardlow with multiple chair shots, he joined Hobbs in slamming the champion through part of the stage, then stood guard as the referee counted to 10 and awarded the Casino Ladder Match winner his first title in the company.

It was a nice bit of continuity to pay off Marshall owing Hobbs one by booking him to help the challenger win the title. Of course, it can be argued that it was a small part o the creative that next to no one remembered, but it was paid off regardless and in the process, saw Hobbs strike gold.

Hardly what anyone would call a great match, this was still shlocky fun even if the idea of Wardlow losing a title he worked so hard to regain, just three days later, does him no favor.

Result

Hobbs defeated Wardlow to win the title

Grade

B-

Top Moments

The windshield spot was great, even if Hobbs looked to be having less-than-zero fun at that particular moment.
Wardlow delivered a massive Swanton Bomb from the top rope, onto Hobbs and through a table at ringside. 
QT Marshall came from out of nowhere and blasted Wardlow with a steel chair, leaving him with unconscious. He joined Hobbs in slamming him through part of the stage.

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