AEW Dynamite results (4/17): Powell’s live review of Will Ospreay vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Adam Copeland and Willow Nightingale vs. Brody King and Julia Hart, the final edition before AEW Dynasty – Pro Wrestling Dot Net

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

AEW Dynamite (Episode 237)
Indianapolis, Indiana at Indianapolis Farmers Coliseum
Aired live April 17, 2024 on TBS

[Hour One] Excalibur welcomed viewers to the show and was joined on commentary by Taz and Tony Schiavone. New IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley was introduced by ring announcer Justin Roberts. Moxley made his standard entrance through the crowd on the main floor and walked up the steps to play to the fans before heading to the ring.

Moxley recalled winning the first championship he ever won in Indianapolis. Moxley said a lot of people told him then what he could and could not do. He said his message 20 years later is the same now as it was then – kiss his ass. Moxley said it’s not about what others say, it’s what a person has inside.

Moxley showed off his new championship and it drew the obligatory “you deserve it” chant. Moxley said he chased the title for five years. He said five years ago people said him holding the title and holding it on Dynamite was impossible. Moxley said it wasn’t impossible if they had known what was inside him. Moxley said it’s about how deep you can dig and how far you are willing to go to prove the doubters wrong. Moxley said that’s what AEW is all about.

Moxley turned his focus to the Don Callis Family. Moxley said Callis is a creep and he has no time for him. Moxley said Callis is feeding his guy lines and they are buying them. He said the Callis Family tried to injure his teammate Bryan Danielson. Moxley said if you put a target on Danielson’s back, you might as well put one on his.

Moxley asked if they wanted to get violent. Moxley said he would be there all night. Moxley spoke about how he hit them with tire irons or a car, but he didn’t think they would learn anything. Moxley said he would instead pick the biggest of all of them.

Moxley challenged Powerhouse Hobbs to face him next week in the main event on Dynamite. Moxley said Hobbs would find out how out of his depth he is. Moxley said he wouldn’t make it quick or easy. He said he would drag Hobbs to the deepest waters there are and then Hobbs will learn the difference between them. Moxley said there are a lot of great wrestlers in the world, but there’s only one Moxley…

Powell’s POV: A good return promo. Moxley feels fresh again after taking a little time away. It’s also nice that his character cares about titles again now that he has one. I wasn’t a fan of the Blackpool Combat Club making it seem like they care about fighting more than winning championships. I also like that they set the table for next week by announcing the show’s main event a week in advance even though they have a pay-per-view on Sunday.

Mercedes Mone spoke on the backstage interview set. She said she can’t to pay back the bitch who attacked her. Mone assumed it was Julia Hart and then said maybe it was someone who wanted her to think it was Hart. Mone said she would be watching the mixed tag team match. Mone said there’s a price to may when you mess with her…

TNT Champion Adam Copeland made his entrance for the mixed tag match. Willow Nightingale’s entrance music played. The cameras cut backstage where Willow was being tended to by Kris Statlander, Stokely Hathaway, and a trainer. The lights in the arena went out. Brody King attacked Adam Copeland from behind while Copeland was focused on Julia Hart on the entrance ramp. King set Copeland on a chair against the barricade and then hit him with a running crossbody block. Copeland crawled to the ring and the referee called for the bell to start the match after checking on him.

1. TNT Champion Adam Copeland and Willow Nightingale vs. Brody King and TBS Champion Julia Hart in a mixed tag match. King knocked Copeland down heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C] Copeland knocked King off the ropes after biting his forehead coming out of the break. Copeland jumped from the ropes and clotheslined King.

Copeland hit King with a series of strikes in the corner and was unable to put him down until he performed an Impaler DDT for a near fall. Copeland performed a Blockbuster from the middle rope. Copeland played to the crowd and then went for a spear, but King cut him off with a clothesline. King went for a cannonball in the corner that Copeland avoided.

Willow Nightingale walked out with Kris Statlander and Stokey Hathaway, who did not accompany her to the ring. King set up for a move on Copeland, who lifted his foot, which Willow used to tag in. Willow hit King with a crossbody block. Copeland speared King. Willow hit King with a cannonball in the corner. Hart wrapped a chain around her fist and hit Willow with it while the referee’s back was turned. Hart put Willow in Hartless and the referee called for the bell.

Brody King and Julia Hart defeated Adam Copeland and Willow Nightingale in 8:45.

Mercedes Mone made her entrance with a chair in hand, which caused Hart to exit the ring. Mone looked at Willow while holding the chair. Copeland returned to the ring and then Mone dropped the chair. Mone shook hands with Copeland…

Powell’s POV: An enjoyable match with Copeland and King doing the bulk of the work. Willow’s offense on King was really well received by the live crowd. My guess continues to be that Kris Statlander will be revealed as the person who attacked Mone and now Willow. I wish they were going with Copeland vs. King for the TNT Title at Dynasty as opposed to the trios match.

Renee Paquette conducted a sit-down interview with AEW World Champion Samoa Joe in a backstage area. Joe said Swerve Strickland will keep standing up after he knocks him down. Joe called him a punching bag. Paquette recalled Joe being upset when Swerve held his title belt last week while highlights were shown. Joe said he was worried that his property was in the wrong hands.

Joe said Swerve is a choke artist who has come up short in all of his title matches. Joe said he will cement his legacy as the greatest AEW World Champion. Joe said Swerve is a choke artist and he’ll be the one who chokes Swerve out on Sunday… [C]

A video package aired on the FTR vs. Young Bucks ladder match at Dynasty. Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson called for “Tony” to cut that. The Bucks and Kazuchika Okada were shown. Matthew said he was sorry they had to cut FTR’s segment and said he would make sure it ends up on social media. Okada said Pac won’t make it to Dynasty and referred to him as a dead man. The camera pulled back and showed Tony Khan was seated in front of them at the Gorilla Position.

Powell’s POV: Are they ever going to explain why Tony Khan’s television character doesn’t stand up to the EVP characters?

The Young Bucks made their entrance while Schiavone said The Elite hijacked the show. Kazuchika Okada’s entrance followed. The babyface trio made separate entrances…

2. “The Elite” AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada, Matthew Jackson, and Nicholas Jackson vs. Pac, Daniel Garcia, and Penta El Zero Miedo (w/Alex Abrahantes). All six wrestlers were fighting at ringside heading into an early PIP break. [C]