AEW Dynamite Recap: Battle Royale and Championship Matches Leave Fans Buzzing for Revolution PPV

All Elite Wrestling's (AEW) Dynamite aired on February 22, 2023, and was marked by exciting matches and riveting moments, leaving fans buzzing with anticipation for Revolution, the first pay-per-view of the year. The show featured a Battle Royale for the AEW World Tag Team Championship contenders, as well as the AEW All-Atlantic Championship match between Orange Cassidy and Wheeler Yuta. The card also included Jon Moxley's clash with Evil Uno, Skye Blue's match against Saraya, and an announcement from Tony Khan. Here's a recap of the episode, with grades and highlights.

AEW All-Atlantic Championship: Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta

Orange Cassidy has been on a roll in the last year, and his match against former Best Friends teammate Wheeler Yuta was no different. Both wrestlers put on an exciting and technically sound match, with Cassidy ultimately coming out on top. The highlight of the match was the appearance of Claudio Castagnoli, an angry mentor who slapped Yuta, fired him up, and then called him out of the ring, indicating trouble within the Blackpool Combat Club. The bout ended with Cassidy pinning Yuta, and the grade for the match was A.

Marks Top Spots:

Cassidy matched Yuta pin-for-pin early on before standing tall to the delight of the fans.

Castagnoli appeared at ringside and slapped Yuta, awakening in him a more aggressive competitor.

Yuta threw the champ over the timekeeper's table and then turned it over on him as the fans erupted into a chorus of boos.

Cassidy absorbed everything Yuta threw at him and then answered with his trademark mocking kicks.

Yuta and Cassidy utilized their signature moves against each other, putting over the familiarity that exists between them.

Yuta countered a Beach Break into a piledriver for two.

Cassidy kicked out of the seatbelt combination and rocked Yuta with an Orange Punch.

After the match, Castagnoli demanded Yuta get out of the ring, abandoning an attempt at a respectful embrace from Cassidy.

The Acclaimed vs. Big Bill and Lee Moriarty; Christian Cage Promo

The Acclaimed faced Big Bill and Lee Moriarty, hoping to fend them off and maintain their title. Anthony Bowens and Max Caster earned a significant win by delivering a Mic Drop to Moriarty. While the match was solid, the feud between The Acclaimed and The Gunns is still not clicking, and the babyfaces losing the titles two weeks ago still feels like a major creative misstep. Christian Cage, who was later attacked by "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry, made an appearance. However, the program felt a little predictable, lacking the punch it deserved. This Jungle Boy Christian thing can just end its been going on forever and it isn't good I'm not sure people care at all.

Result:

The Acclaimed defeated Moriarty and Big Bill, with a grade of C+ for the match and the post-match angle.

Marks Top Spots:

Caster made a reference to Bill's past, claiming his fiancée called him "S-A-W-F-T."

The Gunns appeared on the ramp but weren't able to affect the outcome of the match.

Ricky Starks and Chris Jericho Set Up Revolution Rematch

Ricky Starks issued an open challenge to anyone in the back for a match at Revolution after recognizing that Chris Jericho wouldn't grant him a rematch. However, Jericho interrupted, laid out Peter Avalon, and accepted the challenge. He even agreed to keep the Jericho Appreciation Society backstage and claimed that no one outsmart The Ocho. But Starks outmaneuvered Jericho, leaving fans wondering what's next for Jericho at Revolution.

Marks Top Spots:

Jericho clicked his pen which got a huge pop (sadly that's left over creative from his WWE days he needs new better stuff JAS ain't it)

There are Ricky Starks fans out there so that's cool.

Grade: B+

Love, Children, and Chaos: The Explosive Encounter between MJF and Danielson

AEW World Champion MJF once again showed how far he's willing to go to get a reaction out of Bryan Danielson, referencing his children and igniting a fiery brawl that needed multiple security guards and AEW officials to break up. MJF spoke with conviction, but his correlation between a past girlfriend leaving him and losing the AEW World Championship felt forced. However, this intense segment between the champion and the No. 1 contender 10 days before their Iron Man match at Revolution sets up an extraordinary Match of the Year candidate.

Marks Top Spots:

MJF tells the story of an old girlfriend leaving him, correlating it to the AEW World Championship being the only thing that has never left him.

Danielson reacts emphatically to MJF bringing up his children.

The brawl between the two rivals required multiple security guards and officials to break up.

Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal surprise in 10-team Battle Royale to earn spot in AEW World Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way at Revolution

In the 10-team Battle Royale, Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal joined the Fatal 4-Way match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship at Revolution. They won the match by last eliminating Beretta, thanks in part to Satnam Singh's presence at ringside. While there wasn't much of a story until the closing moments, the talent involved was immense, and Jarrett and Lethal work well in a tag team setting. They join The Acclaimed and The Gunns in the title bout, creating an exciting trio of teams for the match.

Grade: C

Marks Top Spots:

Mark Briscoe goes after "Smart" Mark Sterling at ringside.

Fenix executes a tightrope walk on the top rope, kicking Rush to the floor.

Danhausen's curse on Menard and Parker comes to fruition thanks to Best Friends.

A standoff pits babyfaces against heels.

Aussie Open vs. The Young Bucks is announced for Friday's Rampage.

The Butcher shoulder-blocks Fenix through the ropes, showing off his power.

Orange Cassidy saves Beretta from elimination.

Singh saves Jarrett again, who delivers the Stroke and eliminates Beretta for the win.

TK has a "Major announcement "

Tony Khan's major announcement on Dynamite was AEW All Access, a behind-the-scenes look at AEW's best. While it sounds intriguing, the debut was hardly worthy of the "major announcement" label. Adam Cole announced his in-ring return would take place on the first episode, but he did not provide an exact date. In the arena,

Mox goes for 100th win

Jon Moxley battled Evil Uno while "Hangman" Adam Page watched backstage. Moxley brutally choked out Uno for his 100th victory in AEW. The pictures of Moxley bleeding as the show closed overshadowed his brutalization of Uno and negated the effect of what Moxley did.

Grade: C+

Marks Top Spots:

Jon Moxley's brutalization of Evil Uno for his 100th victory in AEW.

"Hangman" Adam Page comes to the rescue with barbed wire.

Excess blood on AEW television becomes a punchline to a weekly joke.

Overall, AEW Dynamite was an exhilarating episode with top-notch matches and moments that set up the stage for the upcoming AEW World Champion MJF once again showed how far he's willing to go to get a reaction out of Bryan Danielson, referencing his children and igniting a fiery brawl that needed multiple security guards and AEW officials to break up. MJF spoke with conviction, but his correlation between a past girlfriend leaving him and losing the AEW World Championship felt forced. However, this intense segment between the champion and the No. 1 contender 10 days before their Iron Man match at Revolution sets up an extraordinary Match of the Year candidate.

Overall AEW Dynamite gets a C from us, the TK announcement was less than major and he looses credibility when he does this to a point that we almost no longer care.