Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Best Dynamite of 2023. Easily. From start to finish, best AEW Dynamite 6/13 was the best episode this year. The closing minutes took me time traveling back to 2019 and early-2020 with the level of awesome. Unexpected appearances and returns, even a Match of the Year Candidate shocked all watching. So with this in mind…
…Here we go! Adam Cole faces Maxwell Jacob Friedman in a blockbuster opening for AEW Dynamite! I would have thought this could main event, but my guess is the spot is reserved for BCC vs. The Elite. Internet is going to have some feelings about it. This live crowd in Washington, DC is fire tonight! MJF uses it to his advantage goading the crowd, riling them up, even going into the stands, smacking a fan’s hat off! Great match, both busting out an incredible move set of backbreakers, piledrivers, and enough to keep both live crowd and fans at home on their feet. If this is a preview of a possible championship match in the future, then make it happen Tony! The wrestling, great, but their mannerisms, ring presence, and facial expressions do what wrestlers are supposed to do, tell a damn good story in the ring.
30 minutes of back and forth, non-stop action. So many close calls, leaving us all at the edge of our seats. The closing minutes of the match were intense, and when the bell rang, no, not for a three count, as Cole hit both Panama Sunrise and the Boom, covered Max, but as referee Bryce Remsburg counted two, the bell rang out for a time limit draw!! The crowd, despite being disappointed Cole couldn’t get the win, gave the two a standing ovation.
MJF and Cole are two of the best in the business, this match should silence any doubters. This match, is 100% a Match of the Year Candidate.
Video Package promo for CM Punk – Ho boy. We got hype for Saturday, AEW Collision, and Punk is going have a few things to say. Can. Not. Wait.
In the ring: Sammy Guevara is interviewed by Renee Paquette, he’s on a high, and says change is going to take place sooner rather than later. However, before we go further, Darby Allin comes out and questions whether Sammy has the guts to go solo. Chris Jericho arrives and doesn’t like this one bit. Jericho harshly reminds Sammy from his point of view how Sammy owes all he has to him. Things get heated to a point where Jericho demands Sammy team with him as a reminder of his place. Darby enjoys the strife and adds gasoline to the fire, to which Jericho suggests they just beat him now. Darby… didn’t come alone. Sting comes to the ring, and baseball bats are drawn and Jericho and Sting face off, something which never happened in WCW. Jericho and Sammy back off.
SANADA makes an open challenge to anyone on the AEW roster to face him for the IWGP World Championship at Forbidden Door.
Sting, Darby Allin, Keith Lee, and AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defeated The Embassy
Fun match! A bit chaotic at times, but enjoyable. I do love Keith Lee landing on his feet (mostly) off a Brian Cage monkey flip. Sting gets the pin and win following a Cassidy-assisted Scorpion Death Drop.
Backstage, Daniel Garcia looks on. I enjoy matches like these. A ‘story’ is not needed, just give me a multi-man match which are fun.
Wardlow retains the TNT Championship against Jake Hager
Good match for two big dudes. Minard and Parker attempted to interfere, but Arn and his fictional glock, along with Brock Anderson fought them backstage as Wardlow would hit a swanton and two consecutive powerbombs for the win.
It turns out, the interference was a trap for Christian Cage and Dark Luchasaurus to maul Arn in the back.
Hiroshi Tanahashi challenges MJF for the AEW World Championship via video. Backstage in the trainers room, MJF dismisses it in comedic fashion, even slipping in a warning to Tony Khan how he’s been known to “no-show” stuff he doesn’t want to do.
Backstage: Renee asks AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy what is next, but is interrupted by Zack Sabre Jr! He challenges Cassidy. Daniel Garcia interrupts awkwardly, and this segment ends with a tag team match for Dynamite next week, ZSJ and Garcia vs. Orange Cassidy and Shibata!
Toni Storm retains the AEW Women’s Championship against Sky Blue
Very good match. Skye Blue, with more TV time will be a solid mainstay in the women’s division. Thanks to a hot live crowd, it felt like Skye had a legit chance of winning, kicking out of Storm Zero drove them insane. Even I was flabbergasted. They let her showcase all her skills, but inevitably, thanks to Soho’s outside interference, Storm would gain a submission victory.
Women’s wrestling in AEW is gradually improving. We’re not quite there yet, but it’s a smart move to keep the main stars out of the title hunt for now, and give time to potential future challengers. Skye Blue has a solid future ahead of her.
Backstage: JungleHook interviewed by Renee, with Jack Perry accepting the open challenge by Sanada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. However, he seems to change tone when addressing his “best friend” and asks Hook to be in his corner. Perry appears distracted, shooting glances at the FTW Championship. I believe the heel turn is imminent.
AEW Dynamite 6/14 Main Event: The Elite defeated The BCC
What a damn fun match. Non-stop, hard-hitting and striking. Plenty of wrestling in there too. All six do what they do best and that’s go crazy in these scenarios. A match like this, no way to predict the winner. Danielson on commentary is always awesome. The end came when the Bucks and Hangman triple team Yuta with the BTE Trigger followed by the Buckshot Lariat.
However… It didn’t end there. Despite the loss, the BCC continued to rampage until EDDIE FRICKEN KINGSTON hit the ring and cleared house, mauling Claudio, but stops in front of his friend Jon Moxley. The Bucks try to fight, but Eddie breaks it up, but Mox is still pissed off. Just then, KONOSUKE TAKESHITA runs in and attacks Eddie! But wait! There’s more! KENNY OMEGA ARRIVES and takes out Takeshita! The Elite stand tall until… the BCC returns and WILL OSPREAY ATTACKS OMEGA FROM BEHIND! HOLY CRAP!
Ospreay stands tall while Bryan Danielson applauds form the top of the ramp!
This was one hell of an old school AEW closer! As I said earlier, this Dynamite is very reminiscent of Dynamite episodes from 2019 and 2020 pre-pandemic. This easily is the best Dynamite of 2023. I don’t know how they’ll top it next week for the go-home shows prior to Forbidden Door. This, plus CM Punk coming up this Saturday on the debut episode of AEW Collison, it certainly seems AEW stock is on the rise!
Incredible episode.
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