A loaded episode of AEW Dynamite got things started with a battle for the AEW International Championship between two powerhouses in Will Ospreay and MJF. The two stars have had their issues with each other over the past few weeks, and much of that came to a head after MJF’s vicious attack on Daniel Garcia. A turning point in the match was when MJF was able to damage Ospreay’s knee, and it would become an issue throughout the rest of the match. Ospreay was hobbled from that point on, and yet somehow stayed in the fight despite MJF also targeting his shoulder. Throughout the course of the match they threw everything at each other, including a Cross Rhodes, but nothing stuck. After over 45 minutes, MJF was able to sneak in a punch with his ring on Ospreay while the referee was down, and that was enough to get him the win and the new title of AEW International Champion.
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An Epic Start
After an intense stare-down in the ring, MJF ran out of the ring and into the crowd, throwing bottles of water at fans and then ripping up signs by the barricade. He finally got into the ring and after dodging Ospreay’s attack taunted the crowd with an homage to Rick Rude and Ric Flair, and then Ospreay returned the favor after countering MJF’s next move. Ospreay bowed and then the two got back to the battle. Ospreay and MJF then quickly traded moves and evasions, and neither could land a hit as Ospreay landed on his feet. MJF then said Ospreay pulled his hair but it was obviously a ruse, and they locked up again as MJF accused Ospreay of more illegal moves. That got MJF thrown out of the ring and Osprey then found him and knocked him down to the floor after soaring over the top of the ropes.
Ospreay connected with a kick and a suplex, but MJF kicked out of the pin attempt. MJF then tried to get under the ropes and avoid the hidden blade, and he ended up slamming Ospreay’s face into the turnbuckle before flipping the Champion into the opposite turnbuckle as well. MJF then slowed things down with an armbar, but Ospreay fought out, only to get slammed down on the back of his head.
Ospreay then got a damaging knee to the midsection but rebounded only to get hit with an out-of-nowhere stunner. Ospreay kicked out of the ensuing pin but got hit with a cutter over the ropes into another cover, though Ospreay kicked out. MJF went for a heat seeker but got knocked in the head with Ospreay’s boot before getting hit with an elbow strike. Ospreay clotheslined MJF and then went for a gorgeous move over the ropes, knocking the challenger down to the floor.
Ospreay then hit a shooting star press and then hit another big move off the ropes before setting up for the Hidden Blade. MJF rolled out of the ring but got hit with a crossbody over the ropes, leaving MJF once again on the floor. Ospreay then found a table and set it up at ringside, but MJF crawled away back into the ring. Ospreay delivered a hard chop to the chest before hitting another one, though he got hit with a big move from MJF that broke the momentum.
A Turning Point
MJF looked hurt but then hit Ospreay with a piledriver and went for a cover, only for Ospreay to kick out. They traded more moves and ended up trying to catch their breath, with MJF back on his feet first. MJF went after the leg of Ospreay and went for a Figure Four. Ospreay turned it around and reversed it, putting the pressure on MJF’s knees instead. MJF then reversed it again, but Ospreay broke the hold by getting the bottom rope.
Ospreay’s leg was clearly damaged a bit after that exchange, and he was trying to get movement back to the knee and leg. MJF scratched Ospreay and then threw Ospreay into the ropes, where he collapsed on the hurt leg. The referee checked Ospreay and MJF pounced, hitting Ospreay in the face to keep him down. Ospreay fought back with punches and chops, but then MJF hit a chop block on the hurt knee and stopped the Champion once more. Ospreay still had enough in the tank to knock MJF down, but MJF went right back to the knee, only to get countered by Ospreay and hit with the Oscutter.
Injuries Mounting
Ospreay went for another cutter on the ring apron but MJF evaded, causing Ospreay to slam his shoulder onto the ring apron. It clearly hurt, but that was compounded when MJF threw Ospreay shoulder-first into the steel steps. MJF stayed in control for a while, wearing down the Champion. MJF then damaged the hurt shoulder and hit another slam into a cover, but Ospreay was able to kick out.
Ospreay hit a slick counter and then lifted MJF into a spin and a slam, but MJF was able to kick out of the pin attempt. The fight would then move to the stands as Ospreay chased MJF and then even got a fan to throw some punches against Maxwell. Ospreay connected with more strikes in the crowd before MJF started crawling down the stairs, but he was able to throw someone’s beer in Ospreay’s eyes. Ospreay then threw MJF’s face into the trash can and kicked it.
Ospreay then finally got MJF onto the table he set up earlier and went up top, but MJF rolled off the table and went back into the ring. Osprey got down and the two countered each other’s cover attempts. Ospreay then hit the reverse hurricanrana but got rocked with a kick to the jaw. MJF hit the sunrise off the top rope and went for a pin, only for Ospreay to kick out at the last second.
MJF then put Ospreay on the table and went up top, though he looked a little shaky up there. Ospreay rolled off the table and MJF got down and then bit Ospreay’s arm. MJF taunted Garcia for a minute before moving back to Ospreay, who got driven into the barricade. MJF then raked the eyes and charged forward with a heavy kick to Ospreay’s face. MJF then threw Ospreay towards the barricade but Ospreay jumped off the barricade and hit the cutter on MJF, slamming him to the floor. Ospreay hit the Cross Rhodes on MJF but the challenger kicked out.
MJF stomped on Ospreay’s left arm and then hit the DDT for a cover, but Ospreay kicked out. MJF then hit a monster lariat off the ropes and went for a cover, but Ospreay managed to kick out once again at the last minute. MJF then picked up Ospreay and went for a Tombstone, but Ospreay was able to break it up. Ospreay hit a super kick and then hit a styles clash on MJF on the apron. More pin attempts followed but neither could keep their opponent down long enough. MJF then reversed a cutter into a Piledriver, but Ospreay still kicked out.
A Painful Moment
It was also revealed during the break that Ospreay had to pop his shoulder back into the socket, and then MJF choked Ospreay with a cord before the referee spotted it. Ospreay then got slammed into the turnbuckle at breakneck speed, and Ospreay returned the favor. MJF then slammed the hurt arm down but right after got thrown over the ropes to the floor. Ospreay then hit a hidden blade through the ropes as MJF taunted the camera, calling himself the smartest wrestler.
Ospreay got MJF in the ring and then hit a forearm shot off the top rope, but MJF kicked out of the pin attempt that followed. MJF then knocked Ospreay off his feet, but he caught MJF and hit the Styles Clash off the ropes. Ospreay then covered MJF but MJF grabbed the bottom rope to break the count. MJF then hit a Heatseeker on Ospreay through the ropes, and MJF put Ospreay on the table once again. MJF went up top and connected, smashing Ospreay through the table. Back from break, MJF was putting more pressure on the hurt shoulder of Ospreay, but he was holding the rope, and after a warning from the referee the ref kicked MJF’s arm to release the rope.
Ospreay and MJF traded near-falls but MJF hit a huge hurricanrana on Ospreay for a close call pin, but Ospreay was able to kick out. MJF then signaled for the Kangaroo Kick, but Ospreay reversed it. MJF landed on his feet but got hit with a super kick to the head. Ospreay went up top and sent MJF down but he landed on his feet and came right back with a lariat. MJF then taunted Ospreay with Garcia’s famous move, only for Ospreay to land on his feet after MJF’s throw. They traded more moves but then Ospreay rocked MJF with a kick to the face. Another one followed and then they traded pin attempts. Ospreay hit the Spanish Fly but it still wasn’t enough to keep MJF down.
Ospreay hit an Oscutter and then a Hidden Blade on MJF, only for Maxwell to somehow kick out of the pin. Ospreay went for another Hidden Blade but MJF ducked the move. Ospreay connected with a headbutt and then went for the Tiger Driver with one minute left. Ospreay was conflicted though, as he vowed never to use it again. Ospreay was then pushed into the referee by MJF, and MJF then hit Ospreay with his ring giving the punch some extra power. By the time the referee was up, MJF pinned Ospreay and got the win, becoming the new International Champion.
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