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Preview: AEW Dynamite (7/10/24) – Owen Hart Cup Finals

Preview: AEW Dynamite (7/10/24)- Owen Hart Cup Finals

So, this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite from Calgary, Alberta, Canada feels not just significant. It’s not just because the winners of the third Owen Hart Cup Tournament will be known and number one contenders for the men’s and women’s top titles decided for All In.

While my predictions for the Owen were all wrong, the underlying point I made stands true.

What matters as this year’s Owen ends, like the Continental Classic in December, is the opportunity for AEW to take a strong step back toward “the feeling”. And the scent of something familiar and thought gone for a while is in the air.

The unpredictability. The fantasy booking and guess work of what happens next? Which direction will things go?

What ripple effects will the results have across the whole promotion? How will it impact Blood and Guts, All In and All Out?

As I’ve discussed in talking about AEW’s future elsewhere, for AEW’s business they need to focus on more than the feeling. However, on an emotive week-to-week basis, this is what many fans have wanted.

In pockets it’s been here already this year, like gas in a coal mine. The explosions were at times short-lived and not always long-lasting with impact.

This week’s Dynamite offers strong action, the promise of more storyline and character development may be the secondary explosion to cause a larger chain reaction. Pop!

AEW Dynamite Announced Card Thus Far:

Matches announced:

  • Men’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament finals: “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Bryan Danielson.
  • Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament finals: Willow Nightingale vs. Mariah May
  • Stampede Street Fight: Chris Jericho vs. Samoa Joe
  • Global Four-Way Glory: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. PAC vs. Tomohiro Ishi

Other segments announced:

  • Swerve Strickland returns
  • We’ll hear from AEW International Champion, Will Ospreay

Speculation:

  • More developments heading to Blood and Guts? More men announced for Team AEW?
  • Further developments between Mercedes Moné and Dr Britt Baker, DMD?
  • Fallout from Collision after Christian Cage cost Jay White in his Owen Hart Cup semi-final?

Gamble of the Night: Stampede Street Fight

Chris Jericho’s Learning Tree persona seems as divisive and binary within the AEW fandom as the division between some AEW and WWE fans. Putting all bias on the table, I wrote recently that if AEW were to do a talent trade and excursion with its Forbidden Door partners, I’d send Jericho across the globe and away from AEW for a while.

Find out why and who else could use an excursion here. Bias aside, and despite Jericho’s age and depleting ability, the man of a thousand nicknames is a magician of the dark arts.

We’ve seen this during Jericho’s FTW street fight with Katsuyori Shibata. With some weaponry, humor, and the right opponent, Jericho is capable of entertaining and offering something different. On a card with potential bangers, variety is welcome. Not every match can or needs to be a banger.

As a palette cleanser and a bit of dumb fun, Jericho vs. Samoa Joe may prove to be one of Jericho’s most entertaining and engaging matches this year. What might be in the bag this time?

Horseshoes? Spurs? Maybe someone might bring a lasso. There is potential for unique, surprising, and ludicrous pain and laughter-filled spots with this one.

Like Shibata, Joe as an opponent is a strong no-nonsense foil for Jericho. I doubt I’m alone in wanting to see Joe beat Jericho black and blue.

On a meta-level, getting to see Jericho take some punishment may keep those disengaged with the learning tree engaged. Plus, the possibility of interference and moments involving Shibata and Big Bill could add further chaotic window dressing.

Alternatively, and pessimistically, Joe could get pulled in too deep to the Jericho vortex, and his 2024 resurgence gets diminished if played too straight. Let’s hope for plenty of creativity and outlandishness.

Owen Hart Cup Women’s Final: Four Breasts, Two Girls, One Dream

It might feel conclusive that Mariah May will go all the way. Get her shot against her mentor in her home city of London.

Student versus teacher. But don’t overlook Willow Nightingale. There are few women right now who have the potential to steal the crowd from the bosom of “Timeless” Toni Storm.

Willow, who it seems month after month since last year’s Owen Cup Tournament victory, has become more endearing. Somehow making the white meat babyface relevant with her positivity and infectious personality, Nightingale has added layers to herself.

Becoming a veteran badass in hardcore matches. Adding a nihilistic edge that’s always been there, written on the screen during her entrance.

Nothing matters. Smile Anyway. I think many fans would be happy for Willow to retain her cup.

May’s destination has been foreshadowed since her debut. The relationship with Storm has only blossomed to make the “timeless” Hollywood scarlet one of the most beloved wrestlers in AEW.

A full analysis of Storm’s character development can be found here. Over time, Toni has begun to watch Mariah in-ring.

Toni now seems to be seeing the possibility she will wrestle her protégé. Has she yet to consider that May could beat her? And yet, AEW could wait.

If Nightingale somehow pounced this dream to pieces, there’s instantly a story with Storm. Storm defending the honor of May.

Save the Kris Statlander feud for later. Give Mariah a different moment at Wembley.

This is the feeling. It’s possibilities and questions.

As for the match itself, it should be an interesting dynamic. Nightingale’s size and powerhouse style against May’s athletic and joshi-infused offense will be secondary.

Both women’s character work and personalities may outshine their in-ring work. Hopefully, Storm to join the commentary for this one!

Owen Hart Cup Men’s Final: Hangman vs. The Dragon IV

Match four is perhaps one of AEW’s most overlooked legacy feuds. Beyond the Owen Cup, the shot at All In, and both men’s personal stories of wanting to be the AEW World Champion, there is a legacy built into this match.

When wins and losses really do matter in AEW, they add layers of rich depth. Each man is 1-1-1 against the other.

The first match between “Hangman” Adam Page and Bryan Danielson at Winter is Coming was a draw. Match two saw the AEW Champion, Page retained.

In match three, Bryan leveled the series. The dynamic has shifted. Danielson is breaking down. Hangman has never been more ruthless.

In their previous encounters, Page and Danielson have engaged in psychological warfare. Danielson tried and failed to exploit Page’s insecurity in the first two.

Would any mind games work with this version of Hangman? Given the way Page dismantled and rabbit-punched Jeff Jarrett, Page doesn’t care about respect.

Page doesn’t care about anyone else’s hopes or dreams. This could be merciless.

Yet if anyone can manipulate an opponent’s momentum, redirect the flow of anger, and inflict enough pain to make someone give up or pass out, it’s Danielson.

Add to this, Jarrett who is at ringside as the enforcer. It feels fitting and masterful that Jarrett is there to ensure no inference. Not just due to his relationship with the late, great Owen Hart.

Jarrett’s desire to see the contest end clean and bitterness over his vicious defeat to Page could be key motivating factors in the finish. Like with the women’s Owen match, there are various directions for all the men involved post-Dynamite this week.

If the feeling is coming back, we’ll have time to luxuriate in the possibilities.

More From LWOS Pro Wrestling

Header photo – AEW – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.  You can catch AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their YouTube.

James Staynings

James Staynings

James is an English teacher who after seven years of dedicating himself to teaching young people how to find their voice through literature and language, is letting the multiple voices that live rent free in his head out onto paper. James has been a pro-wrestling fan since he was twelve and has been hooked ever since.

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