All Elite Wrestling will deliver a special episode of AEW Dynamite on August 17.
The show will be presented by the new Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, and it will feature the beginning of the AEW World Trios Championship Tournament. The Young Bucks and a mystery partner will face Andrade El Idolo, RUSH, and Dragon Lee. Plus, Bryan Danielson will battle Daniel Garcia in a Best 2 out of 3 Falls match, Toni Storm will face KiLynn King, and the Varsity Blonds will clash with the Gunn Club.
In-Ring Segment: CM Punk
AEW World Champion CM Punk opens the show and says he has business to attend to. He brings up Hangman Page and says he’ll give Hangman Page a rematch, but when Page doesn’t come out, he calls him a coward and says the apology must be as loud as the disrespect. Punk says everyone wants to be the champion until it’s time do do “champ s—“. He brings up AEW Interim World Champion Jon Moxley and says he might have a lot of fans, but Punk himself is the best in the ring. He says Moxley has always been number two; someone always has his number, and that’s him. He says Moxley is the third-best member of his own group, and that seems to be a recurring theme in his career. Punk says he’s been here working hard and proving himself, so much so that he broke his foot.
He brings up Moxley’s best friend, Eddie Kingston and says he’s the third-best Eddie he’s been in the ring with. Punk says he’s looking forward to facing Moxley at All Out, but he won’t be the first John he’ll beat for a title in Chicago. Moxley’s music plays, and Punk starts doing snow angels while he walks to the ring. Moxley says Punk is dropping pipebombs, but he’s writing checks with his mouth that his bodies can’t cash. He says Punk might think he’s the best wrestler in the world, but he’s not even the best wrestler in catering. Moxley says Punk’s title doesn’t mean anything, and neither does his, until he beats him. Punk says Moxley can be the heart and soul because he’ll be the dollars and centers. Moxley says Punk only came to AEW because he ran out of money. He tells Punk he ran of fighting spirit a long time ago. He dares him to do something about it and gets in his face. Punk says he will beat him, and if he touches him now, he’ll start bleeding. They start trading blows until officials break them up. They keep brawling as the officials struggle to maintain order.
In a backstage interview, Powerhouse Hobbs is asked why he betrayed Ricky Starks. He says Starks showed his okay with losing, but he’s not. Hobbs says Starks hid behind him, and he still couldn’t hold onto the title. He says he breaks backs and necks and notes that he also has something for The Factory.
Best 2 out of 3 Falls: Bryan Danielson vs. Daniel Garcia
Danielson takes Garcia to the mat, and the two men feel each other out. The match is a stalemate early on as the two foes are evenly matched. Danielson suplexes Garcia and grounds him. Both men get back to their feet, and Garcia disrespectfully kicks Danielson. “The American Dragon” fires up with a flurry of kicks. Garcia briefly gains the upper hand, but Danielson takes control again and locks him a Regal Stretch-like hold. He hits a baseball slide dropkick. Garcia suplexes him on the floor and rolls him back into the ring. He elbows Danielson repeatedly. Danielson escapes a Sharpshooter attempt and locks in a triangle choke. Garcia spikes him on his head with a piledriver and locks in a modified Dragon sleeper, and Danielson is out, so the referee calls for the bell.
Daniel Garcia wins the first fall.
After a brief pause, Garcia takes the fight to Danielson and strikes him in the corner, turning his chest beet red. After a commercial, Garcia is still in control. He continues to ground Danielson, but “The American Dragon” rolls him up for the
Bryan Danielson wins the second fall.
Danielson keeps rallying and hits a missile dropkick, sending Garcia out of the ring. Outside of the ring, Danielson kicks Garcia. Danielson nearly gets counted out, but he gets back into the ring. Both men are busted open. Back in the ring, Danielson drills Garcia with a stiff shot to the face. He kicks Garcia several more times. “The Dragon Garcia” wrenches Danielson’s legs, but the veteran rolls through and goes for the LeBell Lock, which Garcia turns into a pin attempt. Garcia hits Danielson’s signature running knee for a two count. Danielson drills Garcia with several stiff elbows. He kicks Garcia and elbows him some more. Danielson and Garcia trade blows, and “The American Dragon” traps him in the LeBell Lock. Danielson elbows Garcia’s head and locks in the LeBell Lock. The referee calls for the bell because Garcia is out.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
Danielson gives Garcia a round of applause after the match. Chris Jericho attacks Danielson after the bell, and Garcia pulls him off. They argue, and Jericho leaves without Garcia.
Backstage, Private Party and Swerve in our Glory hype up their tag title match on Rampage. Swerve Strickland says this is the closest they’ll get to the titles. Kassidy says Lee embarrassed him once, and he won’t do it again.
Tony Nese comes to the stage, and Jon Moxley attacks him. He gets in the ring and says he’s tired of waiting for Punk. He says let’s get this over with. Punk comes out, but security officials and the Blackpool Combat Club separate them.
Backstage, Chris Jericho says he’ll give Daniel Garcia a pass for his actions. He says he wants to talk to him one-on-one next week because he needs to know whose side he’s on. Ricky Steamboat walks up and says Garcia doesn’t need Jericho. He says if anyone should mentor Garcia, Danielson would be the better choice. Jericho tells him to stay out of his business. Angelo Parker grabs Steamboat and tells him to stay out of his business. “The Dragon” punches him.
The Gunn Club (Austin and Colten Gunn) vs. The Varsity Blondes (Brian Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison)
Austin and Colten quickly work together to gain the upper hand. Colten hits the Colt 45 for a dominant win.
Winners: The Gunn Club (Austin and Colten Gunn)
After the match, Billy says he’s proud of his sons, and he hugs them. Stokely Hathaway comes out to the stage, and the Gunns attack their father. The Acclaimed make the save, and Anthony Bowens says, “Scissor me, Daddy Ass!” He does.
In a taped message, Sonay Dutt, alongside Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh, challenges Wardlow and FTR to a trios match at AEW All Out. Lethal says they beat Wardlow so bad that FTR felt bad for him.
Backstage, Death Triangle discuss their upcoming tournament match against Aussie Open. PAC says he has unfinished business with Ospreay. He says Death Triangle is an unstoppable unit that was built for this tournament.
In-Ring Segment: Jungle Boy
Jungle Boy says he got in trouble for the shirt he wore a few weeks ago. He notes that he’s done everything he can to hit Christian Cage, while Cage has done nothing. He says he can continue to chase Christian as long as he has to, or Cage can man up and face him at All Out. Cage comes to the stage and says his answer is no. He notes that Luchasaurus got suspended for headbutting an official. Cage says he’s proud of Jungle Boy for speaking for himself. He gets in the ring and says they both said some things they didn’t mean. Cage says he doesn’t want to fight Jungle Boy; he wants to fix this and take him to the promise land.
He says they’re a family, he loves him, and Jungle Boy is like a son to him. Jungle Boy attacks Cage and sends him scurrying out of the ring. Cage takes a cheap shot by hitting Jungle Boy below the belt. They keep brawling, and Jungle Boy stomps Cage’s hand on the steel steps. He slams his head into the steel steps until officials separate them.
Backstage, FTR and Wardlow are standing by. Cash Wheeler says nobody messes with The Pinnacle, which is why they helped Wardlow. The TNT Champion says everybody gets power bombed. Dax Harwood challenges Jay Lethal to a match next week.
Toni Storm vs. KiLynn King
Storm and King feel each other out early on. King sends Storm to the outside and slams her back-first into the apron and the barricade. She continues to control the bout by suplexing her. Storm rallies by turning a back superplex into a cross body, leaving both women down. King slams Storm to the mat for a two count. Storm hits a hip attack and drops King with a DDT for the win.
Winner: Toni Storm
In a video package, the TrustBusters and the Best Friends hype up their trios match on Friday. Daivari says the TrustBusters will take one step closer to becoming the first trios champions.
AEW World Trios Championship: The Young Bucks and ??? vs. RUSH, Dragon Lee, and Andrade El Idolo
Kenny Omega, with Don Callis by his side, makes his long-awaited return as the Bucks’ partner. Dragon Lee shakes Omega’s hand once the bell rings. The Bucks gain the early advantage, and Omega tags in. He punches Lee in the corner and slams him to the mat. He tags Nick, and the Bucks triple-team Lee with Omega. Andrade tags in and squares off with Omega. La Faccion Ingobernable takes control and isolates Omega. Matt Jackson tags in, and The Elite trio takes control with a flurry of offense. LFI fires back with some running strikes in the corner. Dragon Lee gets a two count on Matt Jackson. Andrade grounds Matt. LFI continues to gang up on Matt. He rallies and tags Omega, who clears house with a flurry of offense. Omega and the Bucks hit running strikes on their opponents. They gang up on Lee. Nick sends Andrade to the outside, and the Bucks dive onto LFI.
Omega tweaks his knee, and Jose the Assistant trips him up. Lee sends Omega over the barricade with a dive to the outside. Back in the ring, Omega rallies drills Lee with a V-trigger and hits the One-Winged Angel for the win.
Winners: The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega