Winners, News And Notes As CM Punk Returns

CM Punk returned at AEW Dynamite Quake by the Lake following the main event where Jon MOxley defeated Chris Jericho. As the Blackpool Combat Club was outnumbered by the Jericho Appreciation Society in a post-match beatdown, CM Punk made the save, clearing the ring of the JAS.

Punk’s return from injury sets up a one-on-one showdown between CM Punk and Jon Moxley for the Undisputed AEW World Championship, presumably at AEW All Out.

AEW Dynamite Quake by the Lake advertised Chris Jericho challenging Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship. Dynamite also advertised Madison Rayne’s AEW Dynamite debut as she challenges Jade Cargill for the AEW TBS Title. Dynamite also advertised Ricky Starks vs. Aaron Solo, Darby Allin vs. Brody King in a Coffin Match and the Lucha Brothers vs. Andrade El Idolo and Rush.

Last week’s broadcast of AEW Dynamite garnered 938,000.

AEW Dynamite Quake by the Lake 2022 Results

• Darby Allin def. Brody King | Coffin Match
• Andrade el Idolo and Rush def. The Lucha Brothers
• Luchasaurus def. Anthony Henry
• Ricky Starks def. Aaron Solow
• Jade Cargill def. Madison Rayne | AEW TBS Championship
• Jon Moxley def. Chris Jericho | AEW World Championship

AEW Dynamite Ratings

• August 3, 2022 | 938,000
• July 27, 2022 | 976,000
• July 20, 2022 | 910,000
• July 13, 2022 | 942,000
• July 6, 2022 | 970,000

AEW Dynamite Quake by the Lake Ticket Sales

• AEW Dynamite Quake by the Lake Venue: Target Center (Minneapolis, Minn.)
• AEW Tickets Distributed: 5,557
• AEW Tickets Available: 1,499

AEW Dynamite Quake by the Lake 2022 Notes

Darby Allin def. Brody King

Darby Allin helped jumpstart this match by attacking Brody King out of nowhere during King’s entrance.

Not even three minutes into this match, and Darby Allin was already showing bloody scars on his body. By the time Quake by the Lake came back from commercial, King’s face was covered in blood.

This feud was built up with attacks at AEW Meet and Greets, which is creative, but AEW didn’t do a good enough job putting over these attacks on TV.

Sting, who wore facepaint spread over his eye like Malakai Black, made an awesome save from the coffin before Darby Allin choked out Brody King with a chain and yeeted him into the empty coffin for the win.

Andrade El Idolo and Rush def. The Lucha Brothers

Predictably, this match wasted no time getting the crowd revved up with a series of impressive Lucha spots and double-team moves.

Andrade accidentally super kicked Rush toward the end of the match, and I truly hope AEW isn’t already teasing another split for Andrade, who might be nearing the world record for most different alliances in AEW.

In a surprise to nobody, the finish came when AEW booked yet another unmasking spot when Penta unmasked himself to save Rey Fenix. Fans even chanted “throw it back” in reference to Penta getting his mask back from the crowd. He didn’t. Andrade and Rush won and received massive heat for it.

Luchasaurus def. Anthony Henry

Backstage, the Young Bucks tried to reconcile with Hangman Adam Page by asking him to reunite the Hung Bucks, but Page declined. The tease continues.

Luchasaurus mauled Anthony Henry in seconds, then during a backstage confrontation between Christian and Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus accidentally struck new AEW executive Pat Buck.

Wardlow and FTR Confront Jay Lethal and Co.

AEW continues to do a good job with Wardlow as a credible babyface champion. Wardlow accepted a challenge from Jay Lethal, then threatened to take on his whole crew.

FTR always knows which babyfaces to align with to get the biggest pop. Having said that, FTR was much more over than Wardlow, who already received a strong reaction to begin with.

Ricky Starks def. Aaron Solow

During a vignette where Julia Hart tried to convince Miro to join the House of Black, Miro remarked that “only one woman” can touch the Redeemer, and “you are not her.”

During a backstage promo, Ricky Starks said he was going to do this alone, like he has “since Day 1.” Problem is, Ricky Starks has been joined at the hip with Team Taz in AEW, almost since Day 1.

Starks picked up a relatively easy victory over Solow, and he was so over with this crowd they cheered him even as he fled into the crowd from the entire Nightmare Factory. Powerhouse Hobbs seemed none-too-pleased.

Jade Cargill def. Madison Rayne

There was still no real introduction of Madison Rayne to this audience, and therefore there was a tepid reaction to her as a performer, let alone a potential threat to Jade Cargill.

Despite trying to recruit every underutilized talent under the sun, Stokely Hathaway remains aligned with Jade Cargill—though he did leave her side before she even got to the ring. Presumably for more recruiting.

Rayne was very competitive with Cargill early in this match, and even did a decent job getting parts of this crowd on her side.

Rayne and Cargill had a couple rough spots and “didn’t get all of it” moments as AEW’s newest coach worked with her prized pupil. The lack of crowd heat also hurt this match, which did have a good finish.

Jon Moxley def. Chris Jericho; CM Punk Returns

Chris Jericho walked out to vintage Lionheart theme music wearing old-school Lionheart gear. This was a great excuse to not play “Judas.”

AEW began introductions for its main event around 6:25 PST.

Jericho looked 10 years younger in his Lionheart gear, with a clean-shaven face, and even worked an Arena Mexico style, which is when his age started to show.

Shades of Triple H and Batista at WrestleMania 35, Chris Jericho brutally tore off Jon Moxley’s ear piercing, eliciting chants of “you sick f—k!”

Jon Moxley bled yet again, and he might be on a streak of bleeding in Interim AEW World Title matches.

In an almost mandatory spot, Chris Jericho hit a picture-perfect Lionsault.

In a peculiar move, Dynamite went to a picture-in-picture commercial break during a climactic moment when Jon Moxley was trapped in the Boston Crab.

Sammy Guevara overthrew Chris Jericho with the bat, and Jericho had to scramble outside to get it. He shrewdly threw the turnbuckle pads to the floor to “distract” Edwards.

Jon Moxley took a Judas Effect after hitting his head on an exposed turnbuckle, only to become the first person to ever kick out of the Judas Effect.

Jericho—who lost via tapout—ultimately bled in a double-juice main event, and his blood was far bloodier than Moxley’s.

When the main event finished at 6:55 p.m. PST, I knew AEW had to be setting up a big post-match angle. They delivered with the return of CM Punk.

Jon Moxley flipped off CM Punk and blew right by him, setting up what should be a great feud between these two at a time when AEW needs it the most.