AEW Rebel Heart Dynamite Review: One of AEW’s Most Emotional Shows

This was a difficult review to write. There are emotions hovering like a shadow, and a feeling of somber reality hitting hard. We try our best to do our jobs, to do what we love, but there are times one takes a step back and accepts the reality, to use the cliche, to be OK with not being OK. The wrestling world is not OK. One life was lost while another fights like hell. We come together to enjoy wrestling, to enjoy something which brings escape and relief, joy and excitement. Tonight, these feelings sit on the sidelines as we honor a fighter and pay respect to one who we lost. 

The Pop Break family sends condolences on the loss of Andy “The Butcher” Williams. Not just a great wrestling personality, but an individual who was beloved in and out of the ring. 

We’ve got a very special episode of AEW Dynamite tonight. In support of Rebel, tonight’s episode, dubbed, Rebel Heart. We’ve got a huge lineup tonight, all beginning with Rebel introducing Dr. Britt Baker, DMD. We got a nice callback to when Britt calls her Reba. They bring out Persephone and Hikaru Shida to hype up their trios women’s match tonight.

Very classy having Rebel in the opening segment. Dr. Baker and Shida had some interesting banter calling back to their past. 

An emotionally difficult night. Both celebrating Rebel, but also a tribute to The Butcher. While the night probably felt awkward at times, AEW continued to present a show in which fans of all pro wrestling can feel connected with. 

Swerve Strickland and The New Level defeated Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly

Fun match. Roddy brought out his vicious side once again. Good opener, although it seemed the live crowd needed a bit to get into it. Given the circumstances, it is understandable. OC got to do some shtick with New Level. After the match, The Demand comes out threatening the AEW World Trios Champions until Hangman, Brody King, and Bandido come out to even the odds. As Brody and Bandido hand over the belts to Kofi and Creed, Hangman and Swerve have a tense staredown. 

Swerve and Hangman may collide in the near future, but will it cost their team the championships? 

The announce team pay respects to Andy “The Butcher” Williams who tragically passed over the weekend. Excalibur eulogises Williams, and in moments breaks down as he struggles to get through his words of respect. I can’t imagine what he is going through. They announce Collision will be a tribute show to The Butcher.

Backstage promos from Darby and Steve Borden, hyping Borden’s in-ring debut. Good promo about fearing his father’s shadow. Felt there was something real behind it. 

In return, The Don Callis Family responds promising a short-lived career. Okada interrupts and Kyle Fletcher is not happy. Can’t wait for the DCF to implode again. 

Dr. Britt Baker, DMD, Hikaru Shida, with TBS and CMLL Champion, Persephone, defeated Hyan, Maya World, and Mexican National Champion Thunder Rosa

This match is all about Rebel. All six women put on a great match. The highlight took place when Rebel came to the ring, with a chair reading “Roll Model” on the back, giving our favorite dentist her special gloves for her finishing submission, Lockjaw on Hyan. After the match Baker embraces with Rebel and everyone cries. They’re crying, the announce team crying, the fans crying, we’re crying. 

Rebel, just by being there must be mustering up such strength and stamina. There’s your role model. 

AEW then airs a video package, with Rebel narrating about ALS and her story of being diagnosed. She also shares the importance of supporting the organizations who help fund the research to develop the medical tools to defeat this horrible, debilitating disease. 

I can’t imagine how the wrestlers, announcers, staff, and more manage to put on the show tonight. It has to be so difficult, so all the more praise for their work. 

Andrade El Idolo defeated The Beast, Mortos to retain the AEW National Championship

Very good match. It wasn’t long ago Beast Mortos was on TV weekly. Here’s yet another reminder why. The big man can go. After the excellent match, Andrade’s promo is interrupted by The Dogs who are then confronted by Moxley and Marina. This leads right into our next match…

AEW World Champion Will Ospreay defeated David Finaly

A very good match. The bell rings and Finlay immediately chooses violence. He lobs Ospreay around the ring until the pace picks up speed. Ospreay manages to outpace and outwrestle Finlay, countering into the Styles Clash for the pinfall victory. 

After the match, Ospreay and Mox confront each other, intensifying their clash at All Out.

Backstage: Brody King questions if Hangman still has his heart set on the World Trios Championships. Page admits being Trios champion was not on his to-do list, but since holding the championships he feels he needs it again. Perhaps due to Swerve being one of the title holders? 

Darby Allin & Steve Borden defeat “Dunkzilla” Mark Davis & “The Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander

Steve Borden delivers! If there was doubt Steve can hang on his own and out of his father’s shadow, those doubts were dispelled. It’s fairly visible he’s got his own personality and charisma in the ring. Deceptively strong too. The finish was perfect. Darby and Steve hit a tandem Scorpion Death and Coffin Drop so perfectly. 

Thekla promo: This got strange real fast. After talking about how she was inspired to become a wrestler after watching someone get beaten up with a chicken carcass. Mercedes Mone interrupts and appears to brandish a more hardcore-style of persona to combat the crazy of Thekla. They both pivot to trashing Willow, which bring out the former champion to chase away Thekla while the CEO gloats from the crowd. 

That segment was weird. 

Backstage: Mox is confronted by PAC about Ospreay. He tells Mox he should never have trusted him. Danny Garcia says he “kinda liked him.” Ospreay rolls up and lets Mox know he was the one who asked Tony Khan for the match at All Out. His reasoning is sound. Mox has wins over him, Mox and the Death Riders put him out. But also wants to prove he doesn’t owe them anything. 

Ospreay leaves, Mox throws a tantrum. PAC seems disgruntled, but yet, smugly satisfied. 

Could this be the beginning of the end of the Death Riders?

Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight defeated The Young Bucks in a Tables Match

A good match to close the show in overtime. Being a tables match, a lot of wild spots were expected and they didn’t disappoint. It should be pointed out, it sounded as though Kyle Fletcher was the most over wrestler in the match. At first it appeared the Bucks had the advantage, planting Knight through one table, eliminating him. Kyle evened the field by throwing Matt Jackson through a table as well. As it appeared Nick would win, FTR ran down and cost Nick the match, allowing Fletcher to plant him through a table. After the match, the DCF and FTR beat up the Bucks until, surprisingly, Darby Allin and Steve Borden made the save. They reluctantly shook hands to close the show. 

This was a difficult night. The crowd was quiet, maybe because of the circumstances, maybe the acoustics of the venue, it could be for any reason. There is no question putting on a show with heavy hearts and souls is no easy task. Times like these, it is a helpful reminder that both wrestlers and fans are all human. We feel. We hurt. We experience joy, and experience pain. It’s challenging to enjoy a show while Rebel fights for her life and we paid tribute to The Butcher who lost his. 

Hug someone close to you after reading this. You deserve it. 

AEW Rebel Heart Dynamite is now streaming on HBO MAX. Click here to donate to AEW’s Rebel Hart Charity to help the fight against ALS