All Elite Wrestling presented a true milestone — AEW Dynamite 200 (aka the 200th episode of their original weekly series). It’s been a hell of a run, so kudos and Mazel Tov to everyone in AEW, from Tony Khan and his managerial crew, to the wrestlers, trainers, writers, ring crew, and the many staff who are a big part of the promotion. The 200th episode has its share of surprises and shockers, but notably this was a fun show. It was enjoyable. Plenty of wrestling matches, suitably timed promos. A pleasant reminder of what AEW started out with and continued during the pandemic.
Before we get to the complete recap, congratulations to Hikaru Shida on becoming the new AEW Women’s World Champion, defeating Toni Storm.
The show kicks off with a fun tag team opener, Chris Jericho and Konosuke Takeshita defeated Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia. Solid start to the show and more drama with the dissolution of the J.A.S. as Don Callis interferes with a foreign object, allowing Jericho to gain the pinfall. Jericho is unhappy with this. Backstage, Renee Paquette catches up with a dejected Jericho, who is informed by “Daddy Magic” of a mandatory JAS meeting next week.
Uh oh. Jericho’s being called into the principal’s office.
One must be wondering the fate of stables in AEW. I Every-so-often we see a shift in groups, team members, pairs splitting or individuals partnering up. I have the feeling the JAS may be ending, but something else starting in a way we might not expect.
It’s insane to me how over Daniel Garcia’s dancing is.
Evil Jack Perry comes to the ring, taunting Hook, Taz, and gloating about elevating a title which lost meaning around 1998. You can hear Taz seething on commentary. Perry calls out Jerry Lynn in a continuation from last week, however Mr. JL, despite his desire to pummel the brat but fears for someone calling child abuse on him, brings out someone else… one ROB! VAN! DAM!
With Pantera’s “Walk” playing, RVD marches into the ring but Perry bails, but tries to sneak back with a chair and nearly eats it as RVD swings but misses a spinning kick as Perry aptly dodges and ducks away. In a shameful heel move, Perry grabs a kid at ringside for protection. That was pretty brilliant if you ask me.
Next week we get RVD vs. Jack Perry for the FTW Championship. Let’s not talk about RVD’s backstage promo. If you saw it, you know.
Trent Barretta defeated Jon Moxley and Penta El Zero M in a triple threat No Rules Match
Fun to watch, but again, a playground for Mox to go bloody. Is it bad to think anything with Mox in it is starting to lose novelty? I won’t say boring, because this match was fun to watch, regardless of weapon usage and blood. However, we had Blood and Guts just weeks ago, so while the thumbtacks and barbed-wire earns immediate pops from the live crowd and fans watching at home, it’s the long-term I wonder about. We have become too used to Mox going violent, I fear these matches will lose the novelty and unique feeling they are supposed to have.
Trent got busted open hardway early, I believe with the piledriver onto barbed wire. Trent was the MVP, and deserved the pinfall win. Believe me or not, I called and wanted Trent to win this one. Like Mox and Penta, has been with AEW since day one, win or lose, competes like every match is a main event. Trent deserves the win in a big match like this. He’s 100% earned it.
Guys like Trent get can go overlooked, when they aren’t showcased in high profile matches. However, tonight’s showing once again is a reminder of how damn good he is. He doesn’t need a championship, but give this guy a push, please.
They showed clips of the parking lot brawl with Best Friends vs. Santana and Ortiz, which was a fantastic fight. We’re getting Best Friends vs. BCC on Rampage, while likely not seeing lightning strike twice, we’ll get something close.
MJF Promo
Please watch this. Some of what he said hit home, discussing his fights with anti-semitism and mental battle with ADD. If Bobby Heenan were alive he would be in this man’s corner for sure. He brings up intentionally becoming a “scumbag” in order to fight those who bullied him and to protect himself. He has a point. Many of us do become the thing we hate in order to defend and fight off those who try to hurt us.
This was a stellar promo. Turning heel behaviors into justifiable babyface actions.
He got the crowd chanting “ADD” and “You’re Our Scumbag” within minutes. He broke the glass, making heel actions into babyface behavior. Adam Cole comes out and praises MJF for seeing the light. MJF tells Cole he will get the match at AEW All In at Wembley Stadium, the match for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship.
The build for this has been incredible. I am so glad they didn’t go the typical heel-turn breakup we all expected. MJF, while a heel, is playing the babyface role.
Watch the promo. Watch it.
Backstage, Roderick Strong is seen losing his marbles and The Kingdom (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) stroll up to pester Roddy.
In a match no one asked for, but somehow was fun to watch, The Elite defeated Team Jarrett.
I was astonished how much ringtime Satnam Singh got. I think this was the longest he physically competed outside of battle royals. Comedy spots from Elite, no one wanted to deal with the giant. We almost saw a One-Winged Angel on Satnam, but instead Kenny crushed Lethal with it. I really wanted Jarrett to eat it, but I doubt he’s willing to take those bumps at his age.
Lots of interference, culminating with Hangman Adam Page buckshotting Jarrett. The Elite announce they have re-signed with AEW and plan on being everywhere, Dynamite, ROH, Rampage, and maybe on Collision too. This got a reaction. Oh boy.
Pre-tape with Mogul Embassy, where AR Fox explains aligning with Swerve and Prince Nana. Has to do with feeling left out, Darby Allin being ungrateful to the man who trained him, and so on. Later shows them invading Nick Wayne’s training gym, they beat some randoms up, then bust Wayne open, desecrating his father’s gym.
I get this is to make us care and to make this feud personal, but I tire of the heel turn “because my protege didn’t thank me.” Shouldn’t that make Darby the bad guy if true?
The end result will be a spectacular match, but I wasn’t a fan of the pre-tape segment.
Aussie Open retain the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championships against Vikingo and Komander w/ Alex Abrahantes
Based on the matching attire, I am excited at the prospect of Vikingo and Komander teaming up long-term. Phenomenal match. Aussie Open is one of the top tag teams, wrestling pretty much everywhere around the globe, having them on AEW and ROH more often gives more national exposure which they deserve. I hope they will still participate in NJPW alongside Will Ospreay.
Fletcher and Davis use both ground wrestling and agility to combat against the primarily high-risk taking duo, the combination gave us another enjoyable tag team match.
Main Event: Hikaru Shida defeated Toni Storm to become a Two-time AEW Women’s World Champion.
About time! Shida is awesome. It’s easy to see why putting the belt back around her waist was the right call.
I am not knocking Toni Storm at all. She’s a fantastic wrestler, however her championship reign was lackluster since defeating an injured Jamie Hayter. The Outcast stable/angle felt as though it never truly took off, whether due to injuries or bad storytelling. Combinations of injuries and at the time, a sparse women’s roster didn’t help. The stable then resorted to repetitive interference to win matches, matches Storm didn’t need it, which then devalued the title reign.
I do not like heel Ruby Soho. Saraya should take a break from TV and return after everyone has forgotten this gimmick.
Shida as champion opens a lot of doors. She can have matches against both faces and heels. Not limited to angles or gimmicks, she can have a long reign as champion, plus in past her matches always felt important.
Shida kicking off the next saga for the women’s division was the right call.
I enjoyed Dynamite 200, and here’s hoping for 200 more!
