AEW Dynamite: Big Business Results 3/13: Samoa Joe Defends Against Wardlow, Kazuchika Okada In Action
This is Wrestling INC.'s live coverage of "AEW Dynamite: Big Business" for March 13, 2024!
Tonight's show has been heavily promoted by Tony Khan, and while not confirmed it is expected to feature the highly-anticipated debut of Mercedes Mone in AEW.
Something that is announced is the fact that there will be an AEW World Championship match as Samoa Joe defends his title for the third time since winning the gold. He will go one-on-one against a former foe in Wardlow, who became the number one contender at AEW Revolution.
Kazuchika Okada will also be in action tonight as he teams with The Young Bucks to compete against the team of Penta El Zero Miedo, Eddie Kingston, and PAC as the newly formed Elite looks to make their impact.
HOOK and Chris Jericho showed each other respect last week and have since had each other's backs, and now they will get to team with each other to compete against The Gates Of Agony.
Riho will be back in action on this show after securing a victory over Kris Statlander last week. While she didn't cheat like Stokely Hathaway wanted, he has now secured a match for his other client Willow Nightingale as she and Riho are attempting to push themselves to be the number one contender for the TBS Championship.
Finally, Darby Allin is set for singles action on the show in what will be his final match before heading to climb Mount Everest. He will be competing against Jay White.
Mercedes Mone Is All Elite
The show kickstarts with Renee Paquette backstage talking through what is happening tonight, but then a car speeds into the arena behind her, the door opens but nobody is shown.
The "CEO" then makes her debut in AEW, Mercedes Mone is All Elite! Money receives a huge reaction as she tells Boston she's home. She admits her heart is beating out of her chest, but then she thanks the fans for having her back for the past two years and for giving her the courage and strength to be here. She thanks them for sticking with her for her lows, highs, titles, and moments.
She says they will be creating so much magic together here. Mone says the fans are the reason she is here. She says if people only knew how much tonight, and wrestling means to her. Wrestling has changed and saved her life, it has given her hope and a place to dream and legendary people like Eddie Guerrero gave her a place where she could believe that she could do it too.
Her dreams allowed her to lead a revolution and become the first woman to main event a PPV. Mone says that if she can do it, then everyone else can follow their dreams too. She says it's time to get down to business. She's here because she needs to be here, and she wants to be here. AEW is the only place where the revolution can be global and she's about to make it happen.
Mone says she watches every week, and she can't wait to tear it up with everone in the locker room. She points out that she and Willow Nightingale have a lot of unfinished business, but right now, Mercedes Mone is All Elite. She tells everyone to say hellow to the new "CEO."
Samoa Joe is then shown backstage and he says it feels like money tonight. But he says Wardlow has debts that need to be paid, and he doesn't lose titles at The Garden.
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Wardlow (AEW World Championship Match)
Wardlow immediately attacks Samoa Joe as he enters the ring, taking the fight out of the ring as he slams him repeatedly into the barricade and the LED board. He sends him into the stairs and then rips up a fan sign about Joe. However, back inside the ring, Joe starts unloading with chops until Wardlow nails a spinebuster and then starts charging into Joe in the corner of the ring.
The champion responds with some trademark jabs and then a running back elbow to drop the Undisputed Kingdom star. Joe then connects with a back elbow in the corner which he follows with an enziguri as he takes control. Joe places Wardlow on the top turnbuckle but he fights his way out and then nails a Whisper In The Wind to take Joe down.
The two big men then trade blows until Wardlow busts out a dropkick, which he follows up with a body slam. Wardlow then continues to dominate, and while Joe tries his classic walk-off to avoid the top rope move of Wardlow, he doesn't jump and the move doesn't work for Joe as Wardlow leaps and takes him out. The champion responds in a flurry though with a big boot and then a senton.
Both men then exchange big shots at each other, but Joe comes back with a power slam and Wardlow kicks out of the pinfall attempt. Joe then lifts Wardlow but drops him down and he pretends to tweak his knee and that allows him to lure Joe in as he rakes his eyes. Wardlow sets Joe on the top turnbuckle and drops him down to connect with a knee strike, but Joe then kicks out.
Wardlow then misses with a top-rope senton, but as Joe hammers some punches in at the corner Wardlow lifts Joe and powerbombs him. However, as he goes for another, Joe reverses and sets in the Coquina Clutch.
Winner (and still AEW World Champion): Samoa Joe
Post-match, Swerve Strickland makes his way down to the ring, fighting away security to get into the ring but Joe walks away.
Backstage Kazuchika Okada is asked why he joined The Elite. The Young Bucks then tag in and Matthew says the three best professional athletes in the world are elite. They've helped each other out in the past, and he could also give 14 million other reasons. Okada then tells Alex to say happy birthday to Matthew...no, sing it.
The Elite vs. PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo, & Eddie Kingston
Kazuchika Okada and Eddie Kingston square up, but he tags out to Matthew Jackson straight away. Jackson wants a fist bump but instead gets chopped as PAC gets tagged in. Jackson again wants a fist bump, this time he eats a kick to the chest as the Englishman dominates early on with a backbreaker. Matthew takes a shot to the windpipe, so Nicholas Jackson tags in and so does Penta El Zero Miedo.
Penta gives Nicholas a big boot and he then slams him down to the mat for a near fall. PAC returns with a high boot and he and Penta hit tandem dropkicks and then tandem superkicks to Matthew. PAC then holds Matthew's legs open as Penta comes down from the top rope to nail him. Kingston comes in but Nicholas hits a jawbreaker and Okada then tags in as Kingston chops him several times but then eats a dropkick.
The Elite then nail triple kicks to the head of Kingston as Nicholas then rakes the eyes of Kingston with his feet before tagging in his brother. Matthew isolates Kingston in the corner as Okada then tags in and does the same. Kingston begins to fight back and takes out Nicholas and Okada, but Matthew drags him back to the corner, but Kingston then catches him and suplexes Matthew across the ring. However, as he crawls to the corner Okada and Nicholas pull his partners from the apron.
Despite that, Kingston throws Matthew with a belly-to-belly suplex, and Penta tags in and hits a double crossbody to The Young Bucks. Both of them eat slingblades and he then rolls Okada and jumps into double DDTs to the tag team. Okada eats a thrust kick as PAC comes in with a shotgun dropkick. They then dive outside the ring and wipe out The Young Bucks.
Okada tags in but eats a snap German suplex from PAC and Kingston then unloads chops to Okada, but he responds with a DDT. PAC tries to help but gets driven face-first into the mat by Matthew who is taken out with a Canadian Destroyer, but Nicholas wipes out Penta until Kingston drops him on the top rope. However, the official gets distracted and Nicholas hits a low blow to Kingston which sets up The Rainmaker.
Winners: The Elite
Let's Hear From Will Ospreay
Will Ospreay says he turned up and they asked what he wanted to do and he said send Tony Schiavone out there as he wants to talk to the people. This match means so much to him as he always wanted his career to follow Bryan Danielson, as he always left it all in the ring. He's glad that Danielson is a fan of his work. He says after his match against Kenny Omega everyone was talking about his Tiger Driver.
He was asked if it was worth it, as the guy who had blood coming out of his head...it was worth it. Ospreay says he respects Danielson, but this match means a lot to him and people around the world. The moment he stepped foot in AEW a phrase has followed him, and that's "Restore the feeling," and he says he is the feeling. Ospreay says this match is about reminding people what AEW is.
The best wrestler in the world against the best of the 21st century, and only one walks out a winner. Ospreay says he learned from Danielson that he can respect the man in the ring, but when the bell rings it's your life or his and he doesn't plan on dying. Ospreay says this is about finding out who is the best in the world, and he is on another level.
Deonna Purrazzo is shown backstage and says if it's a numbers game that Toni Storm wants to play, then let's do it. She can find a partner for next week in Toronto, and she suggests Storm watches for the shoe as it's headed straight up her ass.
Darby Allin vs. Jay White
Jay White immediately starts attacking the back and ribs of Darby Allin which are heavily taped after the glass spot at AEW Revolution. White nails a few big chops, but he responds with a shotgun dropkick, and he then launches himself out of the ring several times to attack White. However, he suplexes Allin and he smashes into a chair which breaks it, and he is then sent toward the stairs, and he flips to avoid it but crashes into the barricade instead.
Inside the ring, Allin manages to hit a crossbody, but White immediately regains control with some chops. He then mocks Sting but misses with the Stinger Splash as Allin starts unloading several strikes and then a stunner. Allin then goes for the Last Supper, but White just manages to kick out. Allin comes in with a big elbow strike, but as he attempts a springboard Coffin Splash, White uses his momentum and turns it into a German suplex in mid-air.
White nails a urinagi, but once again Allin kicks out of the pinfall attempt. Allin then nails a Scorpion Death Drop, but White has his foot on the ropes to ensure he doesn't get beaten. With White dangling on the ring apron, Allin attempts a Coffin Drop but the Bullet Club Gold star moves just in time and Allin bounces off the apron. Allin just manages to beat the 10 count, but he is immediately dropped with the Bladerunner.
Winner: Jay White
Post-match White offers his hand to Allin, but as Allin goes to shake it he changes it to a gun and The Gunns then attack him. They trap one of his legs in a chair as they get the baseball bat, but The Acclaimed come and stop them from inflicting damage. However, White then nails Billy Gunn with a chair shot. The Acclaimed then get left laying as well with shots from the baseball bat and the titles.
Allin then gets dragged back into the ring as they put his ankle back into the chair as White slams down the baseball bat onto it.
Chris Jericho & HOOK vs. Gates Of Agony
Bishop Kaun and HOOK kickstart the match as HOOK immediately gets thrown across the ring. However, LionHook works together and suplex Kaun, and then does the same to Toa Liona as they showcase their teamwork early on. Chris Jericho then isolates Kaun and nails several chops but ends up running into a big boot as Kaun runs him over with a lariat. He hangs Jericho on the top rope as Liona simply charges into him and sends him to the floor.
Liona nails a splash inside the ring and they continue to isolate the veteran. Kaun places him on the top turnbuckle and connects with a chop, but Jericho fights back with a headbutt and then a diving forearm. Jericho looks for a tag but Liona stops him and they work together beating him down in the corner. Jericho continues to fight back and tries to make a tag, but Liona charges into him.
Jericho and Kaun then trade blows until Jericho hits a big boot and then the lionsault and he finally tags in HOOK. He comes in with some big lariats to Kaun and then a t-bone suplex, as he pulls down the rope to send Liona out of the ring with his momentum. However, Liona is back in to break up the pinfall attempt on his partner only for Jericho to send him out of the ring.
HOOK then manages to hit a German suplex to Liona, but Kaun then drives his knees into HOOK after dropping him from his shoulders. While HOOK kicks out, Gates Of Agony then works together, but HOOK reverses and locks in Red Rum. He pushes Kaun into Liona as Jericho pulls him out and into the ring post while Jericho and HOOK both lock in their submission finishers.
Winners: HOOK & Chris Jericho
Kyle O'Reilly is then shown backstage as he admits that the thought of not wrestling again was the least of his problems as there was a period when he couldn't pick up his daughter. However, now he's here he wonders if he can still hang as it's the most competitive roster in the history of the sport. He's impressed with Bryan Keith, and he says they have a bout this weekend.
Roderick Strong then turns up and says he has respect for Kyle and if he wants to do this on his own, then he should.
Jericho and HOOK are then shown backstage, and Jerico says he needs to know more about him. So next week he's challenging him to a match.
Mercedes Mone vs. Willow Nightingale
Willow Nightingale drops Riho with a shoulder tackle to start before hitting her crossbody, but Riho bridges out of the pinfall attempt and then hits a dropkick. She charges in with several knee strikes to Nightingale, but the third is one too many and Nightingale reverses it and then hits a shotgun dropkick that sends Riho flying across the ring. Nightingale slames Riho to the mat, but a second attempt is too many and Riho reverses into a pinfall attempt.
Nightingale is too strong for Riho though, and she kicks out and then delivers a clubbing blow before a short-arm lariat. She locks in a bear hug and then slams Riho down to the mat again as she continues to dominate. Riho fights back with several lariats and eventually she sends Nightingale into the ropes and follows it with a 619 and then a diving crossbody as Riho then hits a running knee strike.
Riho then manages a Northern Lights suplex, but Nightingale kicks out! She misses with a foot stomp attempt and that allows Nightingale to pounce her, however, as she looks for a cannonball off the ring apron Riho moves out of the way and Nightingale lands on the floor. Riho adds further damage with a foot stomp from the apron. Back in the ring she delivers another foot stomp, but Nightingale kicks out to keep the match alive.
Riho tries to hit a few more shots but Nightingale just drops her with a clothesline. She then takes down the straps and delivers a huge Doctor Bomb for the victory.
Winner: Willow Nightingale
Nightingale then celebrates, but the lights the go out and Julia Hart is stood with the title. Skye Blue then pops up from behind and attacks Nightingale and the two of them then jump Nightingale until Mercedes Mone makes her way out, this time dressed to fight. She drops Blue with a right hand, and hits Hart with a boot to the head as she then nails her finisher to the TBS Champion. Mone then turns her attention to Nightingale who lifts Mone's arm and gives her the moment.