AEW Dynamite preview (July 17, 2024): Tony Khan tries to score the big one by loading up Dynamite 250

Dynamite airs tonight (July 17) with a live show from Simmons Bank Arena in Little Rock, Arkansas. This is the third episode of Dynamite during the eight week build towards All In, which takes place on August 25 at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Tony Khan tries to score the big one by loading up Dynamite 250

AEW reaches a milestone tonight with the 250th episode of Dynamite. Tony Khan is trying to score the big touchdown on AEW’s next TV deal by loading up this show with a couple of matches that could normally headline a pay-per-view. The idea is to maximize TV ratings while negotiating with Warner Bros. Discovery for the new deal, as this is the most important driver of revenue for the company.

To that end, Dynamite 250 kicks off with Will Ospreay defending the AEW International championship against MJF in a match that many fans expected to see at Wembley Stadium rather than Dynamite. MJF recently turned heel and promised to take away everything the fans love about AEW, because the fans have garbage taste. Ospreay is simply the latest flippy guy who the fans think is the best wrestler in the world, and MJF plans to pop a big rating while beating him just like he beat all the rest. Speaking of ratings, can Ospreay pull off a seven star match en route to shutting up MJF for good?

Dynamite 250 also features AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland vs. AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada, but I don’t think the belts are on the line. AEW doesn’t book a lot of disqualification finishes, but this match seems ripe for one given that it’s part of the build for Blood & Guts and both wrestlers are super protected right now. So don’t be surprised if Hangman Page runs in looking to get a piece of Swerve, leading to a giant brawl between The Elite, Mark Briscoe, Swerve, and any other babyfaces who plan to officially join the Blood & Guts match.

I don’t know if these two mega matches will help Tony Khan with his goal of landing a big money TV deal for AEW, but I do know that they make for a must-watch episode of Dynamite 250. So be sure to tune in tonight to see a potential title change at the very beginning of the show, and maybe pure chaos later on.

The rest of tonight’s lineup

TBS Champion Mercedes Moné issued an open challenge for a title match tonight against anyone not named Britt Baker. Former AEW women’s world champion Nyla Rose answered the call by saying she has never driven a Mercedes before but she’s damn sure going to wreck one. I don’t think Nyla has much of a chance to win here, so my eyes are looking ahead to whatever Britt Baker plans to do in the post-match angle to secure a title shot against Moné at Wembley Stadium.

Mariah May won the Owen Hart Tournament last week and earned a title shot against AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm at Wembley Stadium. Mariah shocked the world after her big win by turning on her mentor with a violent and bloody beatdown. Was this Mariah’s plan all along while pretending to adore Toni since late last year? May will have the mic in her hands to explain her heinous actions tonight on Dynamite.

“The Learning Tree” Chris Jericho will also get more TV Time on Dynamite 250 to teach his branches more valuable life lessons. What a stupid sentence. Anyway, after throwing a fireball in HOOK’s face and sending Samoa Joe to the hospital, is there anyone else in AEW who is willing to pick a fight with the delusional FTW champion? What about “Murder Grandpa” Minoru Suzuki?

Other stuff to keep an eye

- Darby Allin is back in AEW and he’s gunning for The Elite. Does that mean he plans to officially join Team AEW in the Blood & Guts match? The babyface squad (Strickland & Briscoe) needs three more names announced by the end of tonight’s episode, because Blood & Guts takes place next week.

- One glaring omission from this loaded episode of Dynamite 250 is the presence of top star Jon Moxley. He will surely have to make an appearance at some point tonight, no?

- Bryan Danielson won the men’s Owen Hart Tournament and will challenge Swerve Strickland for the AEW world title in the main event of All In at Wembley Stadium. Does the American Dragon plan to scout his opponent tonight by joining the commentary team during Swerve’s match with Okada?

- PAC is coming for the International championship and has promised to have his moment at Wembley Stadium. Will the Bastard confront or attack the winner of the Ospreay vs. MJF title match?

- Babyface authority figure Christopher Daniels was understandably booed when he stripped Jay White and The Gunns of the AEW Unified Trios Championship. Will AEW announce an official date for the match for the vacant title between The Patriarchy and Juice Robinson & The Gunns?

- Will anyone else fuck with Orange Cassidy after he took out former best friend Trent Beretta with a huge wrench?

- It looks like Hologram and his giant glowing letter H are coming to AEW Collision later this week. Will there be one final teaser video on tonight’s broadcast that reveals more information about this new gimmick that Tony Khan is very excited about and may have even created?

- The Collision lineup also features two women’s matches; Thunder Rosa vs. Deonna Purrazzo in a lumberjack match and Skye Blue vs. Hikaru Shida. There could be some promos or backstage angles tonight to hype up these bouts.

- Where the f*** are Sammy Guevara and Ricky Starks?

What will you be looking for on Dynamite?