AEW Dynamite results (11/22): Powell’s live review of Rush vs. Jay White, Swerve Strickland vs. Jay Lethal, and Jon Moxley vs. Mark Briscoe in Continental Classic tournament matches – Pro Wrestling Dot Net

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

AEW Dynamite (Episode 216)
Chicago, Illinois at Wintrust Arena
Aired live November 22, 2023 on TBS

[Hour One] The Dynamite opening aired… The broadcast team of Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone checked in from their desk. The big screen displayed Ric Flair energy drink logos, and there were four cans of it sitting on the broadcast desk. Excalibur hyped the Continental Classic and spoke about the scoring. He added to the rules by saying there would be point deductions for outside interference…

Ring announcer Justin Roberts delivered the introductions for the opening match. Swerve Strickland made his entrance while highlights of his Full Gear win over Hangman Page were shown. Jay Lethal’s entrance followed…

1. Swerve Strickland vs. Jay Lethal in a Continental Classic Gold League tournament match. Swerve had tape on his right shoulder. There were loud chants of “Swerve’s house.” Lethal targeted Swerve’s bad arm. Swerve kicked Lethal’s left knee and then taunted him. Swerve applied a leg lock and then flexed for the crowd.

Excalibur noted the signing of Will Ospreay and plugged the on-sale date for AEW All In. Lethal came back with a shoulder breaker. Both men were down heading into the first picture-in-picture break. [C]

Powell’s POV: The broadcast team has already pushed everything from the Continental Classic scoring to the All In on-sale date to Rampage airing on Saturday before Collision. They throw so much at viewers that it’s hard to imagine it all actually sticking. Of course it all needs to be mentioned, but I think they are being asked to lump too much in at once.

Swerve executed a superplex coming out of the break. Swerve kicked Lethal’s bad leg out from under him and then followed up with a series of punches and a Flatliner. Swerve followed up with what Excalibur called a brainbuster (it looked more like a suplex). Lethal came back and hit a top rope elbow drop for a near fall.

A short time later, Swerve applied a stretch muffler that Lethal broke by reaching the ropes. Lethal rolled Swerve into a pin for a two count. Lethal followed up with a crossface that Swerve rolled out of. Lethal blasted Swerve with a pump kick. Lethal set up for his Lethal Injection, but Swerve dropkicked him. Swerve followed up with a House Call and then hit a top rope double stomp and scored the clean pin…

Swerve Strickland defeated Jay Lethal in 13:45 to earn three points in the Continental Classic tournament.

Powell’s POV: A good match. It wasn’t the hottest match to open the tournament with, as I think most viewers see Lethal as a throwaway entrant. Yes, he can have good matches, but he’s been involved in so much campy comedy that no one sees him as a threat to win the tournament.

The Continental Classic’s Gold League leaderboard was shown…

Orange Cassidy, Hook, and Katsuyori Shibata were on the interview set with Renee Paquette, who noted that Cassidy had an announcement. Wheeler Yuta showed up and mockingly applauded Cassidy for beating Jon Moxley at Full Gear and then pointed out that it took 17 Orange Punches, a Beach Break, and an exposed turnbuckle. Yuta took a verbal jab at Hook and then told Shibata that he would take his (ROH Pure Rules) championship back. Once Yuta walked away, Cassidy he did have an announcement, but they were out of time…

MJF and Adam Cole made their entrance. Cole sat on a chair once he was inside the ring. MJF limped while using a cane, and Cole used crutches and had his left foot in a walking boot. MJF boasted that he beat the previously unbeaten Jay White on one leg. He praised White for being one of the best wrestlers and said no one is on the level of the devil.

MJF boasted that he the greatest AEW World Champion of all-time. MJF said none of that is possible without his “brochacho for life.” Cole asked who was ready for story time. He said it was great to be back in Chicago and to still be one half of the ROH Tag Team Titles “with a little bit of help from Samoa Joe.”

Cole said that with the good news comes the bad news. He said he’s not ready to walk let alone wrestle yet. He said he would work his ass off every single day to get back in the ring. Cole said he would come back at 100 percent and be the best he’s ever been.

Cole told MJF that he’s worried about him. He said he wanted to be by his side every week, but he can’t do that. Cole mentioned so many people were coming after MJF, who then said he was coming after the Devil Mask character. They cut to the Devil Mask, who laughed before they cut back to the ring.

Samoa Joe made his entrance.