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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….
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!
