Winners And Grades As Powerhouse Hobbs Wins TNT Title

AEW Dynamite advertised Wardlow vs. Will Hobbs for the TNT Championship. Wardlow won the TNT Title at AEW Revolution, however his celebration was cut short as his rental car was broken into, with his gear and championship stolen. Staying true to form, AEW turned the real-life angle into a storyline and booked a falls count anywhere match for the TNT Championship. With assistance from QT Marshall, Hobbs defeated Wardlow in the main event.

Dynamite also advertised Orange Cassidy vs. Jay Lethal for the AEW All Atlantic Championship, Ruby Soho vs. Skye Blue, AR Fox and Top Flight vs. the Jericho Appreciation Society and Jon Silver and Alex Reynolds vs. Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli.

Last week’s broadcast of AEW Dynamite, the go-home show for AEW Revolution, garnered 833,000 viewers.

AEW Dynamite Results | March 8, 2023

• Orange Cassidy vs. Jay Lethal | AEW All-Atlantic Championship
• Ruby Soho def. Skye Blue
• Jericho Appreciation Society def. AR Fox And Top Flight
• Blackpool Combat Club def. The Dark Order
• Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Wardlow | AEW TNT Championship

AEW Dynamite Ratings

• March 1, 2023 | 833,000
• February 22, 2023 | 1.028 million
• February 15, 2023 | 824,000
• February 8, 2023 | 899,000
• February 1, 2023 | 901,000

• AEW Dynamite Venue: Golden1 Center (Sacramento, Calif.)
• AEW Dynamite Tickets Distributed: 5,407
• AEW Dynamite Tickets Available: 1,522

AEW Dynamite Winners And Grades

Orange Cassidy def. Jay Lethal

Opening-match Orange continued as he started the show defending against Jay Lethal. He’s carved out a good niche kicking off Dynamites with entertaining All-Atlantic Championship matches.

For a brief moment, AEW commentary was broadcast to the fans before production cut the feed.

Orange Cassidy hit Lethal with a pair of weak-looking chops (by design) and when Lethal challenged him to do it again, Cassidy wound up and hit a hard clothesline.

The very creative finish came when Jay Lethal was unable to perform the Lethal Injection due to his injured shoulder, leading to an Orange Punch and the win.

Jeff Jarrett appeared to hit Cassidy’s right knee with the guitar, but Cassidy sold his injured left knee.

After this match, Tony Khan announced that the “All-Atlantic” Championship would be changed to the International Championship, with Jeff Jarrett and Orange Cassidy facing off for the AEW International Championship next week.

Orange Cassidy vs. Jay Lethal Grade: B

Juice Robinson Attacks Ricky Starks

The Bullet Club logo came on the screen only for Juice Robinson to strike, which is like if the NWO logo came on the screen and Starks was laid out by Scott Norton. Having said that, fans did react to Juice like he was a star.

Juice Robinson vs. Ricky Starks has potential of being a good feud that can finally get Robinson back on track on the mainstream wrestling radar.

Backstage, poor Wardlow was sporting an FTR t-shirt he “borrowed from his buddies” and did not have the TNT Championship with him. Wardlow challenged Powerhouse Hobbs to a Falls Count Anywhere match for the absent TNT Championship.

Ricky Starks-Juice Robinson Segment Grade: C+

Ruby Soho def. Skye Blue

Ruby Soho blamed her heel turn on fans siding with homegrown talent over Soho. She even brought up getting booed after beating Kris Statlander.

Fans really took exception with Soho calling them fat, neck-bearded mouth-breathing trolls.

The heel version of Destination Unknown comes with a massive hair pull with intent to hurt.

Willow Nightingale came down to make the save for Skye Blue before getting beat down herself by Saraya, Storm and Soho.

Ruby Soho vs. Skye Blue Grade: B

FTR Challenges The Gunn Club

FTR cut a fiery an impassioned babyface promo while also eulogizing Jay Briscoe. They came off as huge babyfaces. If their contract is indeed up in a month, AEW needs to do everything in its power to re-sign them.

Backstage, Jade Cargill challenged any “wack-ass” Canadian for next week’s AEW Dynamite in Canada. One of these days, AEW will book an actual feud between Cargill and a top star.

FTR Promo Grade: A

Jericho Appreciation Society def. AR Fox and Top Flight

Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia posing during the middle of the match was a thing a of beauty.

With The Elite seemingly leaving the Trios division, the Jericho Appreciation Society can and should fill their shoes.

Right on cue, after JAS won, they declared themselves the No. 1 Contenders for the AEW World Trios Championship, effectively making House of Black babyface by default.

Cool Hand Angelo Parker demanded that the Golden1 Center “light the beam” for the Jericho Appreciation Society.

Jericho called House of Black’s entrance one of the greatest in pro wrestling history, which is high praise. Instead of House of Black however, JAS got The Elite.

Don Callis cut off Kenny Omega and cut his promo for him, which was interesting, and a possible tease of a split. House of Black challenged JAS and The Elite to a Trios Trios match.

JAS vs. AR Fox and Top Flight Grade: B-

Moxley and Castagnoli def. Reynolds and Silver

Backstage, Bryan Danielson cut an excellent, emotional promo where he explained that he tapped out after he couldn’t feel his lower extremities and wanted to put his children ahead of his dreams. He concluded that “it’s time to go home.”

Unsurprisingly The Blackpool Comeback Club won. Even less surprisingly, with Bryan Danielson out of the picture (for now) the BCC continues to be full-fledged heels.

AEW is seems to be moving forward with Evil Uno vs. Hangman Adam Page.

BCC vs. Dark Order Grade: B

Powerhouse Hobbs def. Wardlow

There was a fan with a replica TNT Championship which begged the question as to why AEW couldn’t just have Wardlow walk out with a replica himself.

This match started backstage with Hobbs pounding Wardlow with his Face of the Revolution ring.

QT Marshall massacred Wardlow, while wearing a QTV t-shirt. This was a callback to Marshall saying he’s got Hobbs’ back, which nobody remembers

Hobbs defeated Wardlow and, after a 10 count, Hobbs was awarded the TNT Championship afterall.

Wardlow vs. Powerhouse Hobbs Grade: B+