Welcome to Fightful's live coverage of AEW Dynamite for February 8, 2023.
Here is what's on tap for the show:
AEW Dynamite: Championship Fight Night (2/8)
- AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator Match: Jamie Hayter (c) vs. The Bunny
- AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: The Acclaimed (c) vs. The Gunns (Colten & Austin Gunn)
- AEW World Championship Eliminator Match: MJF (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita
- AEW World Trios Championship Match: The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) (c) vs. AR Fox & Top Flight
- Bryan Danielson vs. RUSH
- Ricky Starks runs The Garcia-Guevara Gauntlet
AEW World Championship Eliminator Match: MJF (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita
A back-and-forth match. Takeshita dropped Maxwell with a Jumping Knee. Maxwell Jacob Friedman then has to go on the defensive as Takeshita is able to hit a Frog Splash and a Modified Tombstone, which he follows up with a Wheelbarrow Suplex.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman targets Takeshita's arm. Takeshita goes a Hurricanrana but gets dropped with MJF's Powerbomb Backbreaker. Takeshita gets a near fall with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Ultimately, MJF gets the submission win with Salt of the Earth.
Winner: MJF by submission.
- After the match, MJF cracks Takeshita with the Dynamite Diamond Ring and Takeshita begins to bleed as Bryan Danielson comes down to make the save.
- A Samoa Joe vignette runs where he addresses the return of Wardlow
AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator Match: Jamie Hayter (c) vs. The Bunny
Jamie Hayter has control early on, but Bunny is able to get a Tarantula-type Headscissors in the ropes. The Bunny Suplexes Hayter on the outside, and her leg hits the steel steps. Hayter is able to take control and drives The Bunny into the ring post and the barricade. In the end, Hayter hits a Superplex from the apron to the ring and defeats Bunny with Hayterade.
Winner: Jamie Hayter by pinfall.
After the match, Saraya and Toni Storm can be seen on the video wall interacting with Leva Bates. They attack Leva and spray-paint an "L" on her.
- Backstage, Maxwell Jacob Friedman tells Lexy Nair a story about getting into a car accident when he was younger and framing the girl he was in the car with, who he claims was lifeless, as the driver of the wreck.
The Garcia-Guevara Gauntlet
Ricky Starks is quickly able to defeat Angelo Parker with a Spear. Matt Menard immediately comes into the ring and is immediately rolled up. Daniel Garcia will be the third opponent and if Garcia loses, Ricky Starks has an opportunity to face Chris Jericho tonight.
A brief competitive matchup is highlighted by Ricky Starks getting a near fall with a Northern Lights Bomb. Ricky also hits a spear on the apron and as both men are on the outside, Chris Jericho dressed as a fan in the crowd with a mask on hits the Judas Effect on Ricky allowing Daniel Garcia to get the win.
Ricky Starks fails to run the Gauntlet.
- Backstage, Billy Gunn and The Acclaimed say that they came to a group decision and Billy Gunn will be staying in the back during tonight's Tag Team Championship, which which will be the main event.
- Back from commercial, Bryan Danielson is being interviewed by Renee Paquette as he is in the trainer's room with Takeshita, Jose the Assistant comes from behind and locks them all in the room. RUSH makes his entrance for his match with Danielson, MJF tells Aubrey Edwards that she has to count Danielson out. The footage is shown of Danielson breaking the door down with his injured shoulder. Danielson runs down to the ring and the match begins.
Bryan Danielson vs. RUSH
RUSH takes advantage of the injured Danielson and controls the early portion of the match.
RUSH busted Danielson open while on the outside and continued to pound on him, giving him a belly-to-belly suplex off the apron to the ringside floor, going into a commercial break. Danielson is bleeding so severely that blood splatters all over the camera. RUSH continues to have control over this match, but Bryan Danielson eventually fights his way back with a series of strikes. RUSH gets a two-count with a Piledriver. RUSH nails Danielson with some forearms and goes for the Bull’s Horns, but Danielson hits the Running Knee for two. Both men continue to trade shots until Brian Danielson rolls through a suplex attempt and hits the Running Knee for the victory.
Winner: Bryan Danielson by pinfall.
- With the Iron Man Match official for AEW Revolution, MJF hits the ring and nails Danielson with the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Max locks Salt of the Earth, and security has to come down to get him off of Danielson
- Murray and Quinn of the Impractical Jokers are backstage. They say they found Chris Jericho’s bat, Floyd, and knocked Jericho for his time on their show previously. they call him a primadonna and say that he has an invitation to appear on the premiere of Impractical Jokers to respond to their comments and get his baseball bat back
AEW World Trios Championship Match: The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) (c) vs. AR Fox & Top Flight
A high-impact match, with The Elite isolating Darius Martin early on. Eventually, AR Fox gets tagged in and takes control, dropping Kenny Omega with a Cutter. Fox dives onto The Young Bucks on the floor. Dante Martin tags in and continues the offense. eventually, Matt Jackson is able to take control and hit his Northern Lights Suplex combo on Top Flight while pinning Fox for two.
Eventually, Kenny Omega tags in. he tries to hit Fox with One-Winged Angel, but Fox rolls him up for two. Omega eventually gets the win with a cradle pin.
Winners and still champions: The Elite by pinfall.
- Stokely Hathaway is talking crap about HOOK backstage, but HOOK confronts him.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) (c) vs. The Gunns (Austin & Colten Gunn)
The match goes back and forth early on. Bowens hit Scissor Me Timbers early on. The Gunns gain control. Caster eventually tags Bowens. Bowens hits Austin with a Super Kick. Everyone eventually goes down after a Double Clothesline. Austin is able to floor Bowens with The Quick Draw. A ref bump occurs, sending Stephon Smith to the floor. Billy Gunn comes down after saying he wouldn't. Billy teases, turning on The Acclaimed but eventually stops his kids from using the Tag Team Championship belt on Caster, so they use it on him instead. Anthony Bowens almost gets to win with a roll-up, but Colten is able to hit him with the Tag Team Championship belt behind the referee's back, allowing Austin to roll up Bowens for the victory.
Winner and new champions: The Gunns (Austin & Colten Gunn)
