We’ve got brackets! I love a good bracket. I am lousy at predicting them -- I had Michigan going all the way in the NCAA and that didn’t exactly work out -- but I enjoy filling one out nonetheless. Between the brackets for the Owen Hart Tournament being announced yesterday, Dynasty coming up this weekend, and Project Lucha Underground Season 1 Episode one publishing Thursday, I figured it’s as good a time as any to get a Dynasty preview up before the big show on Sunday. I’ll write up my predictions for the Owen later, although 3/14ths of the matches will be decided on this very show.

Since this will drop well before Collision, and since I want to watch that spoiler-free to enjoy the madness of a Harley Cameron/Mercedes Moné/Puppet Mercedes trios match, we’ll probably end up with some matches that we’ll miss out on predicting. As of this moment, Wikipedia says that there are ten matches announced for Dynasty, and that’s around where we usually end up for an AEW PPV. There will probably be a couple Zero Hour matches announced, but the main card is probably set. So, we will head into the preview without hesitation, and when Tony Khan adds five matches, well, I’ll just post the match graphics on BlueSky and circle my winners there.

The Let’s Watch Some Wrestling AEW Dynasty Preview!

Mercedes Moné versus Julia Hart, Owen Hart Tournament First Round Match

Wow, if you consider that the Owen tournament winners get title shots at Y’all In in July, literally every announced match on Dynamite is for an AEW championship. I guess we’ll just go in reverse Wikipedia order, then. Julia hasn’t looked fantastic since she returned from injury, and her stable has been kinda lousy, too. I believe Buddy Matthews is out with an injury, and while Brody King has had some great hoss matches, he’s also lost a lot lately. Not great for a new stable…well, newish considering it’s a rebrand after Malakai Black got his release. 

Mercedes, on the other hand, has been on a roll. I think her match with Kris Statlander back at last year’s Full Gear really got her on a hot streak, and Moné has had solid matches since. She’s also clearly having fun helping younger/newer talent like Billie Starkz and Harley Cameron get over, while also cementing herself as one of AEW’s top talents. She’ll win here, although Julia will put up a good fight. This will be a good test of Mercedes ability to put over another young opponent, while also helping us get a better read on Julia’s current level of ring work. 

Mercedes wins, moves on in the tournament

Will Ospreay versus Kevin Knight, Owen Hart Tournament First Round Match

Kind of the same story here. Ospreay doesn’t take pay-per-views off. Hell, it’s not like the guy is phoning in his weekly TV matches, either. Kevin Knight only just signed with AEW, and in a week he’s gone from getting an All Elite graphic after a Collision match with Knife Pervert Jay White to replacing White in the Owen. The Dynamite match that featured Ospreay and Knight was a lot of fun, with Knight getting to show off more of his abilities in an exhibition than he did in the Switchblade match. He and Ospreay had a lot of chemistry as partners, and even though there’s no doubt Ospreay moves on in the tournament, he’ll put a lot of effort into making this a great match and putting Kevin Knight over as a superstar. Knight lucked into some incredible booking, and by all accounts he’s prepared to take advantage of that. Should be a blast.

Will Ospreay wins, moves on in the tournament

Kyle Fletcher versus Mark Briscoe, Owen Hart Tournament First Round Match

This will only be the fourth time these two meet in singles competition, at least according to Cagematch. Briscoe beat Fletcher for the Ring of Honor championship last June, and again during the Continental Classic in December. But Fletcher picked up a win over the master of Redneck Kung Fu on Collision back in February, and he’s been on a hot streak for the better part of this year. Even his loss to Will Ospreay in that bloody cage match at Revolution hasn’t slowed his momentum. I feel like Briscoe can always overcome a loss, since he’s absolutely beloved, and Fletcher needs a strong run in the Owen to continue his singles push. So…

Kyle Fletcher moves on in the tournament

The Hurt Syndicate © versus The Learning Tree for the AEW Tag Team Championship

Lots of moving parts in this match. The Learning Tree is subbing in for the Murder Machines after Brian Cage went down with an injury. Shelton Benjamin missed Dynamite, although that was a weather/travel issue. And MJF is currently gunning for a spot in the Hurt Business, despite Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin arguing against him to MVP. Max doesn’t have his own match at the show, so I think he’ll join MVP in accompanying the Hurt Business to the ring. He may even get involved to help out the Business, establishing that he’s really in it for a mutually beneficial relationship (until his sudden but inevitable betrayal.) 

Hurt Business will win this match, and big meaty Bob and big meaty Bill should have a fun meat-off in the process. I do think Max successfully interferes on the Hurt Business’ behalf, and the story will progress from there.

Hurt Business retain thanks in part to MJF

Daniel Garcia © versus Adam Cole for the TNT Championship

This interminable feud will, I assume, terminate here. There’s no time limit and no outside interference, meaning Cole’s buddies Kyle O’Reilly and Roddy Strong won’t be at ringside, and Garcia won’t benefit from a time stoppage. I have literally forgotten that Daniel Garcia both a) has the TNT title and b) exists multiple times during this championship reign. I’ve also been pretty unimpressed with Adam Cole of late. I guess Cole should win, as maybe he’ll breathe some life back into the TNT title picture, but right now I’m not invested enough in either guy, or the TNT title, to really care.

Adam Cole takes the TNT Championship, does something with it

Death Riders versus Rated FTR for the AEW Trios Championship

Speaking of interminable feuds…it’s the Death Riders vs Cope and pals! I’m being a little harsh, though, especially since there’s some interesting directions this one could go in. Two weeks ago, I would have said it’s a lock that Rated FTR were gonna take the Trios belts as a “we’re sorry, we know” to the fans before another “Mox so cool” title defense. But with the developments between Hanger and Swerve on Dynamite, as well as the growing rift between FTR Bald, FTR Gun, and the former Edge, this might be interesting.

And, I mean, these guys will all work to put on a great match. FTR and Copeland love them some drama, so it’ll go like twenty minutes and there will be a few of those spots where they almost hit a teammate before pulling up at the last second. I don’t think the Riders will lose here, because an FTR split and/or a match between Uncle Dax and Cope will depend on the good guys eating yet another loss. In my little brain, that will eventually lead to FTR making up, Cope going heel, and if things play out the way I hope, FTR versus a reunited Edge and Christian at Y’all In. A man can dream. But to get us on the road to the return of the Five Second Pose, we’ll need…

The Death Riders to retain via a lack of coexisting between the goodies.

Chris Jericho © versus Bandido in a Title vs Mask match for the Ring of Honor World Championship

This feud, and Chris Jericho, have improved lately. I don’t understand why Ring of Honor continues to exist if its biggest title is defended on a different brand, but that’s neither here nor there. Bandido’s mask is one of the most unique luchador masks out there, and there’s no way he’s losing that thing. So that means Bandido will win the Ring of Honor championship, and maybe Jericho turns on his Learning Tree pals and sets them free. He’s already been pretty annoyed with them, and it’s not like they’re winning the championship tonight.

Bandido wins the Ring of Honor championship, and we don’t see him on Dynamite for months

Kenny Omega © versus Ricochet versus “Speedball” Mike Bailey for the International Championship

There’s like an 80% chance this match steals the show, and I think every other match on the card is going to step up to meet the potential of this triple header. I know this isn’t “peak” Omega, but even just a healthy, fine Kenny matched with this iteration of Pretty Ricky and the recently-signed Speedball is…man, it’s exciting. This is one of those matches you put your pizza and your phone down for and just witness things as they happen. BlueSky will be fine without you for 15 minutes as these guys try their best to create magic. And what’s great is that all three know what they are capable of, and aren’t afraid to go all out to make something amazing happen. Hold your breath for this one.

Kenny Omega retains and we all remember to breathe once he raises that belt above his head

“Timeless” Toni Storm © versus Megan Bayne for the AEW Women’s World Championship

This should be cut and dry, right? Toni just won her title back in Australia and defended it in an all-timer at Revolution. I know there’s some folks out there who already want newcomer Megan Bayne to both win the belt and step on them, but I don’t think she’s there yet. It always seems like the first thing that pops into a fantasy booker’s brain when anyone wins a title is picking who will take the strap off of them, but it’s way too soon to give in to that. Mariah May held that title for around six months before Toni got it back, after all. It’s not like it’s been this super long Storm championship run.

Taking the belt off Storm and slapping it on a woman who hasn’t even cut a good promo yet would be to the detriment of both women, and to the division as a whole. 

Toni will eat a lot of power offense in this one, but she’ll come out on top. 

Jon Moxley © versus Swerve Strickland for the AEW Men’s World Championship

So let’s say I’ve been right so far, and that Rated FTR lose to the Death Riders trio of Claudio Castignoli, Wheeler Yuta, and PAC. That promo from Wednesday…you know the one….

Man, that’s a win for mental health if I’ve ever seen one. Growth as people? In a wrestling storyline? Wonderful stuff. Just tremendous.

But I’m gushing here. This all means something, but we’re not gonna know what just yet, I don’t think. Maybe Hangman will forgive himself and go full good guy. Maybe he can’t forgive himself yet and goes all in on being EVIL. Maybe Swerve was arguing with Prince Nana because he can’t focus on the championship without making every single rivalry he’s in so personal. Who’s to say? 

Me, since I’m the one at the keyboard. I don’t want Hanger to show up just yet. I also can’t say I want Swerve to begin his next championship run in what feels like a transitional role. Y’all In feels like the place to end the Death Riders run. I know a lot of fans are tired of it; believe me, I know, I’m right there with you. But Swerve/ Mox has had very little build, and while the shock and relief of a Swerve win on Sunday night would have me screaming, I just don’t think the immediate joy is worth throwing out this long, depressing storyline. The ‘Mania of AEW just feels like the right place for the company to depose this vile monarch, and while Swerve is incredibly worthy of the honor, he’s also a great guy to have lose here.

I don’t think anyone thought Cope was going to defeat Mox at Revolution, but a lot of us talked ourselves into it on the night because we’re tired of the Death Riders routine. The same could be said for any of the other challengers, albeit for different reasons. It was too soon for Orange Cassidy, Knife Pervert Jay White, or Hangman Adam Page at Full Gear and World’s End. Powerhouse Hobbs isn’t ready yet, and Christian Cage only felt like he might win if Cope pulled off the upset and Cage cashed in his Clipboard From The Bank contract. 

This is different. Swerve is a former World Champ; the champ before Brian Danielson, who Moxley beat for the title (and possibly murdered) back in October. If Strickland wins, while it’s not expected, it shouldn’t feel shocking. But if Swerve loses…if the Death Riders pull the same shit they always do, with interference and weapons and a twenty minute beatdown after Mox slithers away with Marina Shafir and his briefcase…then we’re in uncharted territory. Then we need a hero.

If we can’t count on Swerve (whether or not Hanger tries to help) it feels to me like Y’all In will be a coronation moment. Whether that’s Will Ospreay, Darby Allin, or someone else who steps up, that will be a helluva moment, made even more important now that the company has embraced All In as its biggest show of the year. So, while I really, really want to be wrong…

Jon Moxley retains, we hopefully endure the last show-ending Death Riders beatdown at a pay per view.

So Long For Now

Follow me on BlueSky for updates and live watch-along commentary for AEW Dynamite and Collision (occasionally). And, if you’re looking into purchasing anything from a smart fridge to a new drill, check out the tech writing I do over at SlashGear -- my lists are heavily researched, and ranked after thorough aggregation of expert opinions, reviews, and my own experience as a professional auto mechanic, an unprofessional handyman and a somehow even less professional homeowner. Enjoy the show Sunday, and hopefully I find time to talk about it with you after!

Until next time…Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!

A little bit about AEW Dynasty

 

Good Morning!

We’ve got this dog, Zelda. Well, actually, we’ve got two dogs, Ditka and Zelda. Zelda is our lovable, neurotic “replacement” dog. That is to say, when our beloved semi-foster dog, Frank the Pug, passed away during a routine surgery several years ago, we were heartbroken. We went to Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue the next day and got her. Needless to say, it was a knee jerk reaction, but one that gave us the weirdest addition to our weird pack. 

Zelda is a terrier mix, but that’s about as far as we can figure on her lineage. She’s wiry, hairy, overly cuddly, and goes absolutely insane when people come into, or anywhere near, the house – not in an aggressive way, just in a “happy to see you” way. We love her, and despite the occasional diva attitude towards food, she loves us back. 

A strange thing has happened over the past few months, though. As we discussed, my little sidekick Mudge the Pug passed away on Christmas, and we have yet to decide if we want to take in another pup, especially since the other two dogs are getting older too. But Zelda has decided to take on more of a “dog” role in the house, as opposed to “weird overly cuddly child.” She’s bringing toys to me for the first 15-20 minutes I’m in the office, she plays fetch, she barks and plays – all things she never really did before. I wonder if she is trying to fill the void that the dumb little sister left. Of course, more often than not she decides to go full cute pupper right when I’m sitting down to work on something for the blog or SlashGear, which means I’m kind of an asshole in her eyes. That’s not fair! Be a pup when we’re hanging out!

It's a terrible thing, this dog owning. You know when you get into it you're going to outlive the things. You know you're going to love them, because they're willing to love you unconditionally. And you know the heartache you'll feel when they pass on. But you're still willing to risk it, because it's one of the best relationships you'll ever know. It's heartbreaking but in a way that reminds you that life is worth living, and that love is worth sharing, even if it's just with some dumb little furball that licks your face and sheds on your furniture.

Zelda is just so empathetic. On some level, she probably knows she's our "replacement," a mutt that was brought in to fill a pug-sized void in our hearts. My wife has been thinking about getting another pug, because we've kind of accepted that we're pug people. But while Ditka is our old guy, and our pugs are beloved memories, Zelda will always be special because of what she represents to me -- a little ball of fur that knows what our family needs, and is more than happy to change for the betterment of us all. That's a rare trait in any friendship, and one I don't think many of us have.

“It’s A Soap Opera With More Suplexes and Less Violence”

…in which I discuss the storylines that keep us watching week to week

I wanted to write about AEW Dynasty because I didn’t write about WrestleMania (I still might) but also because it was a fantastic show! There was maybe one match I didn’t love, and one story beat I could have done without, but otherwise it was a lot of fun! In keeping with the “untitled blog” theme, we’ll do more of a chat than a structured match-by-match recap.

The decision to start the show proper with Pac and Kazuchika Okada was interesting, because AEW has a tendency to want to kick things off with a high-energy banger. I was thinking maybe the ladder match with the Young Bucks and FTR, or maybe the Copeland-and-pals versus House of Black match. But Pac and Okada put on a master class in pacing, keeping things slow to start but unleashing devastating attacks to keep things exciting, but even-keeled until the finish. The outcome was predictable – Okada isn’t about to drop his new championship while the new Elite is still being established – but I still had my doubts a few times. And the audience’s reassurance of Pac after the loss was kinda heartwarming; the “he’s our bastard” chants seemed to really affect the guy.

Actually, a lot of the outcomes on Dynasty were predictable, but that didn’t make them any less interesting. Of the 12 announced matches, we were right on 11 of them. And in hindsight, it makes sense that House of Black FINALLY picked up a win on a pay-per-view, adding fuel to the rivalry between Adam Copeland and Malachai Black and hopefully getting us a singles match between the two at Double or Nothing with Cope’s TNT championship on the line.

I was hoping for Willow Nightingale to win, and when I heard that TBS champ Julia Hart was working through a shoulder injury, I figured it was even more likely to happen at Dynasty. Sure enough, the match was basically an extended squash, and Willow got her moment. Unfortunately, it was literally just a moment, because Mercedes Moné was there to interrupt her celebration to reiterate that she’d be challenging for the TBS Championship at Double or Nothing. 

So either the rankings don’t matter, don’t count towards mid-level championships, or don’t apply towards Mercedes, who hasn’t wrestled a match in over a year. Honestly, I’m already getting tired of her. She hasn’t done anything but wear some stylish outfits and have a theme song that instructs the audience to chant, and she either can’t or won’t do anything physical yet. Also, about that chant – in a promotion where the EVPs are actively involved in storylines, does it make sense to claim another wrestler is CEO, but not as a title, just as a gimmick? Maybe I’m just nitpicking here, but it’s a miss in presentation for me.

She’s going to take that TBS title from Willow in about a month, and hopefully she reminds me why she’s considered one of the best in the world in the ring, because AEW has given her plenty of chances to remind me that she’s not on that level on the microphone. I liked Sasha Banks, and I’m looking forward to liking Mercedes Mone, I’m just not there yet. I’m all in on Willow Nightingale, though. She’s a peach!

Roddy Strong and Kyle O’Reilly (Kylo Reilly to me and my household) had a solid match, but nothing that couldn’t have headlined a Dynamite. And then Chris Jericho did the one thing nobody wanted and defeated HOOK for the FTW Championship. I had this feeling in my gut that Jericho was going to talk his way into forcing the audience’s rejection of him into an angle, but he’s not getting regular boos here, he’s getting “go home heat,” that rare flavor of vitriol where the crowd just does its best to get someone out of the ring and off their TVs. 

Jericho has reinvented himself more times than I can count, and many of those reinventions have been successful. But he’s also done those things while taking breaks from TV, and it really feels like he’s just unwilling to go away for a while. Maybe he’s afraid of losing his spot, or facing the very relatable fear of being replaced by younger, more popular wrestlers. Whatever it is, taking the FTR title while also forcing this program with HOOK feels desperate, like he’s hanging on to a popular young performer just to take credit for that popularity. Hopefully it’s a short program, one that ends with HOOK getting his family’s title back and Jericho going on a cruise or a Fozzy tour.

Toni Storm and Thunder Rosa switched this show into overdrive, and the last four matches were all certified main event level performances. These two women beat the hell out of each other, and even though I was pretty sure Mariah May is the one who will eventually relieve Storm of her AEW Women’s Championship, I talked myself into the makeup-less Thunder Rosa getting back the title she never lost, but had to relinquish due to injuries. 

Seriously, if you somehow have access to the whole show but are wondering what’s really worth the time, watch the opener and the final four and you’ll be impressed. There was a bit of shmozz in the back half of Rosa/Toni when Deonna Purrazzo, frenemy of Rosa, dealt with the distraction of May, but that means we’ve got four women involved in the main title picture, which is never a bad thing. I’ll be interested to see what direction they head in for next month’s Double or Nothing PPV, whether it’s a rematch between Thunder Rosa and Toni Storm, or whether Purrazzo and/or May get involved.

That Will Ospreay match with Bryan Danielson was something else. I’m literally watching it a third time on my second monitor while I’m writing this. Folks are already calling it a contender for best of the year, or even best of all time, and I’m inclined to agree with at least the former statement. Incredible pacing, amazing moves including a few that we rarely see, an incredible anime-looking finishing sequence, and an interesting angle after the match all added up to one of the best bits of storytelling in a wrestling ring. 

And for those folks who are adamant that we aren’t allowed to fully appreciate the match because Ospreay was a jerk in his younger days, maybe remember that the guy seems genuinely contrite, was young, and also deals with some mental health issues every day of his life. And even if that’s not enough for you, personally, sometimes you gotta be able to separate art from the artist. It’s true in music, in cinema, and in professional wrestling. 

The example that many people from my generation of wrestling enthusiasts point to is Chris Benoit. What he did as a person was reprehensible, regardless of what led to it. However, watching his matches in a bubble, the guy was an incredible performer, and his win at WrestleMania 20 was one a lot of us won’t ever forget, especially when he and Eddie Guerrero celebrated with their championships to close out the show. 

It’s a rough business, and always has been, and there will always be people whose personalities or politics aren’t the same as yours. That’s fair, and if you can’t square those things away in a healthy way, maybe it's best to just not watch them. I know a lot of people have been actively avoiding MLW because they signed Matt Riddle, and I understand that. Actually, I’m just incurious and not-online enough to not know why, but one can glean from the occasional visit to BlueSky or Twitter that he’s not the best guy. 

Regardless, you can’t say that a match isn’t good simply because you don’t like one of the participants – I’ll admit that Logan Paul is a good wrestler while also acknowledging that he’s kind of a turd, but that WrestleMania 40 match with Kevin Owens and Randy Orton was still a blast.

But I digress! My point is, even if one doesn’t like Ospreay (or Danielson, for that matter) one has to admit that their match was fantastic.

And then the Young Bucks, who I’ll say right off the bat aren’t my favorite, met FTR for the AEW Tag Team Championships and had to follow the aforementioned match of the year candidate, and somehow managed to keep the crowd interested and put on a hell of a match in their own right! I’ve seen some talk that this match wasn’t anticipated for much more than the expected Jack Perry interference, but I thought the Bucks and FTR understood their place on the card and added the ladder stipulation to keep things as intense as possible. There were some intense spots, a lot of blood from Uncle Dax’s forehead, and a terrific “Please be careful” chant from the St. Louis crowd, which was incredible all night long. When a masked fan ran in to knock Dax off the ladder, we all knew it was Jack Perry, but the reveal was well done and Perry must have practiced what version of “smug prick smile” he would use, because it was perfect.

So Jack Perry is back, meaning my least favorite storyline in AEW must continue – the CM Punk backstage kerfuffle fallout. Part of why I don’t like the Young Bucks’ shtick is because of all the little “too cute” meta storylines they love. A lot of people like it! It’s just not for me. I do like a lot of their in-ring work, and as champs we’ll likely get some good matches down the line, especially since they have rebuilt the Elite with Okada and, I would assume, Perry. It’s fine, though. Bad guys get to do bad guy stuff, I’ll cringe at the “clever” promos, and eventually the Bucks will get their comeuppance.

I will also admit that I had my doubts going into the main event. My worry was that the moment might have been dulled because Swerve Strickland wasn’t facing his rival Hangman Adam Page. Or that Swerve might already be considered a transitional champion, since Will Ospreay fighting for that championship at All In in the UK seems to be a given. But Samoa Joe was also called a transitional champ, and I think he’s done a fantastic job as the tweener tough guy champ, being cheered when the match called for it or respectfully booed when he was the baddie. 

When Swerve hit the stomp and got the pinfall, I felt like his long, long journey had finally paid off. I’ve been following his career since Lucha Underground, where he performed under a mask as Killshot, and during his NXT run where he was honestly terribly booked and never really got the shot he should have. But in AEW he’s been able to work his way into the main event, and in the process has built a rival in Hangman that might be the Rock/Stone Cold of this promotion. 

The fact that Swerve managed to do a home invasion – in which he literally threatened a man’s baby – and worked himself into the good guy role against Joe in a matter of months is something of a miracle, and I think a lot of that has to do with AEW’s audience being able to keep kayfabe separate from real life. Swerve has earned our respect, and he earned that belt. Even if a long title run isn’t to be, he will always be a champion – the first Black AEW World Heavyweight Champion – and nobody can take that away from him. 

Closing Up Shop

…in which I say goodbye for now

Thank you so much for reading. If you have questions, concerns, or comments, drop 'em in the comments section below! And follow me on Twitter (X), Facebook, BlueSky and/or Instagram using the links on the right.

If you liked what you saw, consider telling your friends, mentioning Let’s Watch Some Wrestling on social media, or even buying me a hot cup of coffee using the Ko-Fi button. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next time, dear reader. Until then, Let’s Watch Some Wrestling!