Winners, News And Notes On August 31, 2022

AEW Dynamite’s go-home show for AEW All Out 2022 advertised comments from new Undisputed AEW world champion Jon Moxley; Bryan Danielson vs. Jake Hager; The Elite vs. The United Empire (and a heavily anticipated showdown between Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay); Toni Storm and Hikaru Shida vs. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter; and Wheeler Yuta vs. Dante Martin, RUSH and Rey Fenix.

In addition to teasing a “historic week” beginning with tonight’s AEW Dynamite, AEW President Tony Khan hyped the go-home show for AEW All Out.

“Tonight is going to be the most eventful go-home show I’ve ever been a part of,” AEW CEO Tony Khan said on “Busted Open,” (h/t Wrestling Inc).

“This will be the 15th AEW pay-per-view, including Forbidden Door, and we’ve had this amazing run of shows and I believe never has the go-home TV been so important as tonight. There’s so many implications, so many stakes still out there for this pay-per-view and I think that’s what makes this week so exciting.”

Last week’s broadcast of AEW Dynamite were up big as the show garnered 1.049 million viewers for Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk in a Undisputed AEW World Championship match.

AEW Dynamite Results

• Bryan Danielson def. Jake Hager
• Toni Storm and Hikaru Shida def. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter
• FTR and Wardlow def. Rhett Jones, Vic Capri and Silas Young
• Wheeler Yuta def. Rey Fenix, RUSH and Dante Martin

AEW Dynamite Ratings

• August 24, 2022 | 1.049 million
• August 17, 2022 | 957,000
• August 10, 2022 | 972,000
• August 3, 2022 | 938,000
• July 27, 2022 | 976,000

• AEW Dynamite Venue: NOW Arena (Hoffman Estates, Ill.)
• AEW Tickets Distributed: 6,033
• AEW Tickets Available: 1,958

AEW Dynamite Highlights | August 31, 2022

Jon Moxley Calls Out CM Punk

Jon Moxley played to his heel reaction as fans booed him and chanted for CM Punk, but by the end of this promo, they were applauding him.

Jon Moxley announced an open contract for the AEW World Championship, and fans immediately moved on from CM Punk and began chanting for MJF. Moxley even teased the challenger could cross the forbidden door.

Clearly, Jon Moxley has been watching my recent Pro Wrestling Bits to rip into CM Punk’s fragile ego.

Moxley literally left a golden ticket in the middle of the ring, and it wasn’t mobbed by the AEW locker room like the Running of the Bulls. Instead, CM Punk’s longtime friend Ace Steel picked up the contract as the plot thickened.

Bryan Danielson def. Jake Hager

Excalibur pointed out that Bryan Danielson and Jake Hager have had five matches against each other (in WWE), with Danielson prevailing in four of them.

Hager had an awesome spinebuster through a table that elicited chants of “holy [expletive]!”

Bryan Danielson and Jake Hager had a different type of match where they used MMA submissions and ground-and-pound in one of the best examples of a hybrid pro wrestling match you’ll see.

W. Morrissey Debuts

W. Morrissey laid out the workhorsemen, and of course, Stokely Hathaway gave Morrissey one of his business cards. I feel like Hathaway will stop giving out these business cards to various members of the AEW locker room whenever he finally runs out.

Stokely Hathaway became incensed with Tony Schiavone’s line of questioning about his mysterious stable, even grabbing Tony Schiavone by the coat. I maintain this group is being built to invade WWE NXT when they go head-to-head with Dynamite on October 18.

So far, recruits for Stokely Hathaway’s Stable consist of

• Lee Moriarty
• The Gunn Club
• Ethan Page
• W. Morrissey

Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter def. Toni Storm, Hikaru Shida

Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter put in so much effort into coordinating, I wouldn’t be surprised if Tony Khan adds women’s tag team titles to his endless litany of belts.

Surprisingly, the finish came when Hikaru Shida beat Britt Baker clean. I still expect Toni Storm to win the AEW Women’s World Championship.

CM Punk vs. Jon Moxley Official for AEW All Out

After a mixed reaction toward Jon Moxley, this Chicago crowd was united in cheering for CM Punk.

The question of if CM Punk came back too soon was asked all night. The answer? CM Punk said his foot is feeling fine, but it’s a “new 100%.” A very interesting spin on why he’ll be able to come back so soon at AEW All Out.

CM Punk took a shot at a “fat guy” who had to have been heckling him in the front row, and this crowd went crazy for it. Apparently, the fan screamed “Colt Cabana!”

CM Punk said last week wasn’t the first time he was beaten up in Cleveland, a nod to his disastrous UFC debut, however I don’t think most of this crowd picked up on that reference.

Ace Steel returned, finally introduced himself, and gave a tearful CM Punk a very good pep talk just when it seemed Punk was at his lowest point in AEW.

CM Punk cut a great, impassioned promo in the crowd before signing the contract. Unless MJF gets involved, I’d be shocked if Punk didn’t beat Moxley.

Jon Moxley later walked out in another segment and confirmed that the main event at AEW All Out will be CM Punk vs. Jon Moxley. Moxley’s seemed like he had more to say, as was pointed out by Jim Ross, but he was cut off by his music.

Christian Cage and Jungle Boy Face-to-Face

Christian Cage told Jungle Boy he’s going to be a has-been at 25 years of age.

Jungle Boy, who referred to himself as “Jack Perry,” was excellent in his role as he continues to develop as a speaker during this feud.

FTR and Wardlow def. Rhett Jones, Vic Capri and Silas Young

The Goldberg gimmick has been cut, copied and pasted for Hook, Jade Cargill and now Wardlow.

AEW saw the six-woman tag team squash match from WWE Raw and raised them this six-man squash match. Over one hour into this show, and it really doesn’t feel like the “most eventful Dynamite” that Tony Khan promised on Busted Open radio.

Backstage, Preston Vance revealed an injured knee before Andrade attacked Evil Uno. With both injured, Hangman Adam Page will likely step in as the third competitor, setting the stage for a finals match against The Elite at AEW All Out. Hangman later made this official as The Dark Order (with Hangman Adam Page) will take on The Best Friends this Friday on AEW Rampage.

Wheeler Yuta def. Rey Fenix, RUSH and Dante Martin

Unsurprisingly, this match immediately had the crowd out of their seats with a buffet of high-flying moves from all involved.

The announcers spent the majority of this match promoting the AEW Casino Battle Royale this Sunday at AEW All Out.

This was a very good match, but much like most of this show outside of Moxley and Punk, it did nothing to make me more excited for AEW All Out.

The Elite def. The United Empire

Calling them the “Dynamite” finals and the “Rampage” finals is confusing because I’m sure a lot of people are going to think tonight’s match is for the AEW Trios Championship.

Kenny Omega has shed his shoulder brace, but he remains “Compression Kenny.”

Surprisingly, AEW abruptly started this match with Ospreay and Omega and didn’t even build up for both to tag in and face off, which would have led to one of the biggest pops of the night.

Will Ospreay tore off Kenny Omega’s compression shirt to reveal bandages around his ribs and throughout the rest of his body. R.I.P. Compression Kenny.

This was a great main event but, as a whole, it wasn’t the type of blow-away show that I think will convince an undecided fan to buy All Out.