Winners And Grades With Tony Khan’s Huge Announcement

AEW Dynamite featured another huge announcement from Tony Khan. After his last major announcement did not disappoint with AEW’s Wembley Stadium debut at AEW All In, Khan followed up this week to announce the Owen Hart Cup in 2023. The Owen Hart Cup will take place at AEW Double or Nothing, including matches in Canada on TV and for AEW Forbidden Door.

The tournament final will take place in Calgary Alberta-Canada on July 15, which is a Saturday.

AEW Dynamite advertised Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie for the TBS Championship in the rare instance where AEW bothered to build an actual storyline around Cargill outside of her streak. Dynamite also advertised the finals of the AEW Pillars tournament as Sammy Guevara took on Darby Allin.

Kenny Omega and rising Internet Wrestling Darling Konosuke Takeshita faced The Butcher and The Blade; Orange Cassidy defended his AEW International Championship against Bandido and while Dax Harwood went against Jeff Jarrett in singles action.

AEW Dynamite Results | April 26, 2023

• Orange Cassidy def. Bandido | AEW International Championship
• Jeff Jarrett def. Dax Harwood
• Wardlow def. Local Competitor
• Sammy Guevara def. Darby Allin by DQ
• Jade Cargill def. Taya Valkyrie | AEW TBS Championship
• Kenny Omega and Konosuke Takeshita def. The Butcher and The Blade

AEW Dynamite Ratings

• April 19, 2023 | 830,000
• April 12, 2023 | 866,000
• April 5, 2023 | 877,000
• March 29, 2023 | 833,000
• March 22, 2023 | 954,000

• AEW Dynamite Venue: (Sunrise, Fla.)
• AEW Dynamite Tickets Distributed: 6,144
• AEW Dynamite Tickets Available: 1,497

Orange Cassidy def. Bandido

The AEW announce team once again talked up how Orange Cassidy is burning the candle at both ends as AEW International champion. This is the same storyline we’ve seen with AEW Cody Rhodes, Darby Allin and also Wes Lee. This storyline is turning into the new “can they coexist?”

Orange Cassidy should not lose the AEW International Championship until there is a story in place for the contender, but the story of Cassidy’s fatigue also sets the stage for Cassidy to get beat on any given night.

Opening-match Orange once again had a solid match, and afterwards Bandido posed with sunglasses looking like he was in witness protection.

Orange Cassidy vs. Bandido Grade: B

Jeff Jarrett def. Dax Harwood

Jeff Jarrett continued to be a tremendous heel, and Sonjay Dutt hung right there with him.

After a false finish with Dutt helping Jarrett pin Harwood for a nearfall, Jeff Jarrett went on to score the victory with The Stroke. Jarrett and Jay Lethal will likely challenge for the AEW Tag Team Championships from here.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Dax Harwood Grade: B

Tony Khan Announces Owen Hart Cup

Tony Khan announced the second annual Owen Hart Cup Tournament, which will take place on various AEW shows from now until the finals on July 15, which is a Saturday. Khan also announced matches in Hart’s hometown of Calgary Alberta-Canada and in Ontario for Forbidden Door.

Wardlow def. Local Competitor

Arn Anderson has carved out a nice little niche as a babyface manager. Wardlow already feels hotter.

AEW is going back to basics with Wardlow, as they should as this squash match was built around the Powerbomb Symphony.

Arn Anderson was dressed to the nines in Adidas with a red tracksuit and black Adidas Sambas.

Arn Anderson told Wardlow that he is the new dynasty in AEW. As Anderson was advising Wardlow to break the rules by gauging eyeballs and picking up chairs, I waited patiently for Anderson to bring up a glock. He did not.

AEW continues to tease Luchasaurus (with Christian) vs. Wardlow.

Wardlow vs. Local Competitor Grade: B-

Sammy Guevara def. Darby Allin by Disqualification

MJF and Sammy Guevara continued to display excellent chemistry as Guevara gifted MJF with a custom vest (with Burberry lining, of course) and MJF returned the favor by gifting Guevara a scarf.

MJF showed up to his guest announcing duties with a jar of Kaylin and Kaylin pickles. MJF noted he’ll have his own brand of Kaylin and Kaylin pickles coming soon.

Fans chanted “we want tables” as Sammy Guevara was setting a table up. Talk about impatient.

This was very entertaining match with several insane high spots. I can only imagine what this pillars match is going to be like.

Sammy Guevara scored the rare DQ victory over Darby Allin after MJF and Guevara duped referee Paul Turner. This led to an announcement from Tony Schiavone that there will be a pillars tag team match next week pitting MJF and Guevara vs. Allin and Jungle Boy.

After this match, MJF curved Sammy Guevara by telling Guevara his car was full.

Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara Grade: B+

Roderick Strong Debuts in AEW

Adam Cole—who received a surprisingly flat reaction—did not do his normal ring entrance to sell how angry he was with Chris Jericho and The Outcasts for taking out Britt Baker.

Chris Jericho sicced his goons on Adam Cole, bringing out Orange Cassidy, Bandido and a debuting Roderick Strong to make the save. Fans went crazy for Strong, who got a much better reaction than Cole.

In a QTV segment, an angry Will Hobbs threatened QT Marshall after losing his TNT Championship to Wardlow. QT Marshall said he’s now going with Plan B.

Adam Cole-Roderick Strong Segment Grade: B+

Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie

Jade Cargill hit an impressive Canadian Destroyer on Taya Valkyrie, who legally could not use her Road to Valhalla finisher.

This crowd had been lethargic all night, and fans did not seem to buy into the possibility that Taya would defeat Jade Cargill. Given the build for this match, it should have been much hotter.

Jade Cargill won with a rollup of all things, and Taya Valkyrie threw a tantrum after where she almost hit Road to Valhalla on Aubrey Edwards.

Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie Grade: C+

Kenny Omega and Konosuke Takeshita vs. The Butcher and The Blade

Excalibur went into overdrive promoting Rampage, and it sounded like an impression of my impression of him.

While on commentary, Bryan Danielson called The Elite “a cancer” that are destroying the world around them. Did CM Punk feed him this line?

Bryan Danielson brought up some valid points by noting Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa have (kayfabe) gotten nowhere in AEW while Wheeler Yuta’s career has grown with the Blackpool Combat Club.

Danielson accidentally referred to the BCC as The Elite and the crowd was all over him for it.

The BCC attacked Takeshita before he could really decide whether or not to join. They then jabbed his eye with the vaunted screwdriver. Expect Takeshita to wear an eyepatch until further notice.

Omega and Takeshita vs. Butcher and Blade Grade: B