Tonight’s AEW Dynamite featured a competitive 12-man battle royal to determine the finalist that will compete for MJF’s Dynamite Diamond Ring next week. Instead of a singular winner, the battle royal narrows the field down to two men that will compete next week at the Winter Is Coming episode of Dynamite.
Before the action got underway, MJF had a vignette that showed him driving to his high school football field in a sports car. The narrator of the video listed his accomplishments in sports, choir, academics, and also partying before the Long Island native entered the arena. His hometown was cheering loudly for MJF and chanting his name.
The order of the ten men eliminated was as follows:
- Lee Moriarty
- Jay Lethal
- Matt Hardy
- Powerhouse Hobbs
- Matt Sydal
- Lio Rush
- Lee Johnson
- Wardlow
- Kazarian
- Ricky Starks
MJF was guarded by Wardlow at the corner turnbuckle for the majority of the match, only sometimes making his presence known to pose and get a pop from the crowd. As the field cleared out more and more, Wardlow was attempting to eliminate Lio Rush and Lee Johnson at the same time. This is when MJF would turn on Wardlow when he had the advantage, pushing all three men over the top rope at once.
The final three men are MJF, Ricky Starks, and Dante Martin, but Dante turns on his fellow Team Taz member and rips the “FTW” armband off. He eliminates Starks to go on to Dynamite: Winter Is Coming in Garland, Texas next week.
After all was said and done, MJF actually raised Dante’s hand in victory and shook it in what looked like a sign of respect. Ricky Starks, now fueled by betrayal, comes back into the ring and attacks Dante Martin. MJF stops from walking up the ramp and hesitates momentarily, making expressions of indecisiveness at the top of the entrance ramp. He ultimately runs down to the ring and pushes Ricky Starks. However, it was all a swerve and the two men group up and attack Dante together.
CM Punk runs out and MJF flees, leaving Ricky Starks to receive and enziguri from Dante Martin followed by a GTS finisher from CM Punk.
