AEW Dynamite preview (Aug. 2, 2023): MJF needs to push back on CM Punk’s nonsense

Dynamite airs tonight (Aug. 2) with a live show from Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. This is the sixth episode of Dynamite during the nine week build towards All In, which takes place on August 27.

MJF needs to push back on CM Punk’s nonsense

AEW World Champion MJF is scheduled to grab a microphone tonight and let us know what’s on his mind. Given the fact that AEW has two pay-per-view events coming up very soon, it’s important for the top wrestler in the company to indicate which wrestlers he’ll be fighting on those cards.

First up is MJF’s best friend, Adam Cole. Max promised that he will give Adam a shot at the world title, even if they failed to beat FTR this past Saturday at Collision. Better Than You Bay Bay did indeed lose that match, but MJF chose friendship over championships after the loss when he hugged it out with Cole. Is MJF now ready to be a man of his word and give Cole a shot at his belt (at All In?), or will Cole pass up on that match because he’d rather go after the tag team belts one more time with his best friend?

The second item MJF needs to address is Collision Guy CM Punk. CM is now carrying around the AEW world championship belt that he won last year at All Out and is referring to himself as the Real World Champion. MJF can’t just let that go without taking a shot at Punk and his outrageous claim. CM is undermining MJF’s status and legitimacy as the AEW world champion, so Max needs to push back before everyone starts believing Punk’s nonsense.

It’s not clear if MJF vs. Punk is the planned main event for All Out in Chicago in early September, or if AEW plans for this story to go on for several more months before that match happens. MJF’s promo tonight should give us a clue as to how quickly AEW intends to resolve the now-disputed nature of the world championship.

The rest of tonight’s lineup

Tonight marks the 200th episode of Dynamite, and AEW is celebrating the occasion by booking an Anything Goes match between three AEW originals - Jon Moxley, Trent Beretta, and Penta El Zero Miedo. These men all fought each other last week as part of a tag team match where Penta walked out as the winner. However, the bigger story involved Moxley and Blackpool Combat Club picking a fight with AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy. Is Moxley vs. Cassidy the plan for All In?

AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm puts the gold on the line tonight against Hikaru Shida. Does Shida have a plan for dealing with that damn numbers game of The Outcasts? She should probably ask Britt Baker to watch her back during this match.

The Elite followed up their victory at Blood & Guts by not appearing on Dynamite last week, but they are back in action tonight. It will be Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks in a trios match against Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, and Satnam Singh. I’m pretty sure the Bucks will win this match by hitting Singh with the Meltzer Driver. Regardless, with All In just a few weeks away, there should probably be some kind of post-match angle that teases a PPV direction for The Elite.

FTW Champion Jack Perry has agreed to a face-to-face confrontation with former ECW star Jerry Lynn. Perry shit all over ECW as a second-class wrestling promotion full of scumbags and dirtbags, so Jerry intends to teach him a lesson about respect. Good luck with that, pal.

Chris Jericho & Konosuke Takeshita vs. Daniel Garcia & Sammy Guevara is booked for tonight. Why is Chris fighting two members of his own stable? It’s because Don Callis manipulated this whole thing into happening as part of his quest to lure Chris into the Callis Family. Don’s plan seems to be working so far, as every member of the Jericho Appreciation Society is increasingly fed up with their leader and giving him the cold shoulder.

ROH Tag Team Champions Aussie Open defend the belts tonight against El Hijo del Vikingo & Komander. Sure, why not?

Other stuff to keep an eye on

- AR Fox turned his back on Darby Allin last week and joined up with Swerve Strickland’s Mogul Embassy. It looks like we’re headed towards a tag team match of Darby & Nick Wayne vs. Strickland & Fox. Will Keith Lee Sting join the mix too just in time for a trios match at All In?

- There was no follow-up last week on Daddy Ass’ decision to leave his wrestling boots in the middle of the ring after his latest defeat. The Acclaimed better figure out how to get Ass to change his mind about retirement ASAP if they want to have an 80,000+ person scissoring party at Wembley Stadium.

- Is there any update on Scorpio Sky’s status after he was pulled from last week’s Rampage due to not being medically cleared?

- Jeff Hardy returned to action last week on Rampage in a Battle Royal. Now that Jeff is back, how long will it be until The Hardys are pushed up the card for an eventual tag team title shot?

- There are three title matches this Saturday on Collision, including CM Punk vs. Ricky Starks for the Real World Championship, Kris Statlander vs. Mercedes Martinez for the TBS championship, and FTR vs. Big Bill & Brian Cage for the AEW world tag team titles. There could be some pre-taped promos on Dynamite tonight hyping up these bouts.

- Where the f*** is Wardlow?

What will you be looking for on Dynamite?