The St. Patty's Day Slam Edition of Dynamite had massive expectations. A stacked card, an important AEW in-ring debut, and a main-event a year in the making were on deck. The company delivered in a big way. The match quality was high. The storylines feel like they are in full stride despite being just two weeks removed from their last PPV. Most importantly, the night finished with a thrilling and emotional victory for the hometown hero.
Here are your winners and losers for AEW Dynamite, the St. Patty's Day Slam from March 16th, 2022.
Winners: Adam Cole and reDRagon
The night started with a "Boom!" Adam Cole and reDRagon faced three champions, Hangman Adam Page and Jurassic Express. The crowd was hot for the action, and there was plenty of it. Page, Jungle Boy, and Luchasaurus were on the offensive for much of the match, but Cole got the pinfall after lowering the Boom on Jungle Boy for the 1-2-3.
Winners: Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson Dominate
The dream team of Moxley and Danielson continued their path of destruction. For the majority of the match, the veterans were in control. However, Wheeler Yuta looked incredibly impressive, not only in the hope spots that he produced but in the amount of punishment he took. Yuta kept fighting. William Regal, who was on commentary for the match, was impressed by the young wrestler. Of course, the best wrestler and the best brawler in the game were too much. Yuta finally tapped out to Moxley's Bulldog chokehold.
Losers: The Best Friends Are Splintering
After their loss, the rest of The Best Friends helped Taylor and Yuta up the ramp. However, Yuta brushed Orange Cassidy's arm aside and returned to the ring. Yuta extended his hand towards William Regal, hoping to be inducted into their violent faction. Instead, he received a sharp slap to the face. Wheeler Yuta seemed to take it in stride and told Regal, "I'll be back." To which Regal replied, "I have no doubt you will."
Before the Best Friend's tag match, we saw a video package featuring Kris Statlander. Kris removed her gimmicked contacts, and her face paint in the video seemingly headed towards a more serious role. It was not a good night for The Best Friends, it seems the faction may have some fissures.
Winners: The Jericho Appreciation Society Claims "A New Era" Has Begun
Chris Jericho put over his new faction, The Jericho Appreciation Society. In a brilliant new heel gimmick, he claimed that he and his faction were "Sports Entertainers" and not pro wrestlers. The statement was met with a shower of jeers. For the audience that rejects the sports entertainment phrase, this was well-orchestrated heat and the perfect group of heels for AEW. "That's entertainment!"
Loser: Wardlow Gets Screwed Out Of The TNT Championship
It seemed that victory was in Wardlow's grasp. The big man executed his Power Bomb Symphony, but Dan Lambert distracted the referee, and Scorpio Sky was able to roll out of the ring. When Wardlow went after his opponent, Shawn Spears appeared at the top of the ramp, another distraction that left an opening for MJF, who pushed Wardlow into the steel pole. Sky got the roll-up back in the ring to retain his TNT Championship.
Post-match, American Top Team, Shawn Spears, and MJF took their shots on the big man. Chair shots and the Dynamite Diamond Ring strike left Wardlow a motionless mass.
Winners: The Hardys Win In Their AEW Tag Team Debut
In their AEW debut as a tag team, The Hardys gave the sold-out crowd a dose of nostalgia. They delivered some of their greatest hits. Private Party were worthy opponents, holding their own against the veterans and objectively looking better at many times throughout the match. The Hardys came out on top after Matt hit a Twist of Fate, followed by Jeff's Swanton Bomb.
Winner: Thunder Rosa Wins The AEW Women's Championship
One year removed from their Award Winning Lights Out match, Thunder Rosa would challenge Britt Baker for the Women's Championship inside a steel cage. An all-female Mariachi group introduced the hometown hero.
The match itself lived up to the hype. It featured some absolutely brutal spots and several thrilling near falls. Highlights include Baker hitting an avalanche air raid crash onto a stack of steel chairs (one-upping their superplex spot from last year). Britt took a nasty bump, falling onto a tower of steel chairs. Once again, they introduced thumbtacks. Minutes later, both women's bodies were pierced with tacks and covered in blood.
Finally, Thunder Rosa delivered a fire thunder driver onto the tacks for the pinfall victory. The crowd erupted as the emotional Rosa was showered with confetti and love.
Full Match Results & Noteworthy Moments:
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Adam Cole & reDRagon def. Hangman Adam Page & Jurassic Express via pinfall in a breathtaking opener. |
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Powerhouse Hobbs and Ricky Starks tried to intimidate Keith Lee in a backstage interview. Spoiler alert: it didn't work. |
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We saw a video package with Kris Statlander removing her makeup and contacts, teasing a new gimmick. |
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Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson def. Chuck Taylor & Wheeler Yuta via submission. Post-match, Yuta attempted to offer his hand to William Regal, hoping to join their team. Yuta got a slap to the face. |
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Backstage, FTR explained why they fired Tully Blanchard. The Young Bucks interrupted and told FTR that they'd always be the second-best tag team in the company. |
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The Jericho Appreciation Society cut their first promo. They buried professional wrestlers and labeled themselves "sports entertainers" to a chorus of jeers! |
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Serena Deeb cut an excellent promo, threatening to end Hikaru Shida's career. |
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Scorpio Sky def. Wardlow via pinfall to retain the TNT Championship after MJF pushed Wardlow into the steel pole. Post-match, MJF, Shawn Spears, and American Top Team jumped Wardlow. |
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The Hardys def. Private Party via pinfall. Post-match, the rest of the AFO came out to attack the Hardys, but Sting and Darby Allin intervened to even the odds. |
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Thunder Rosa def. Britt Baker to win the AEW Women's Championship inside the Steel Cage. The match was tremendous. |