AEW Dynamite results, highlights (Nov. 6): Will Ospreay and Powerhouse Hobbs return, Adam Cole nears MJF

Tag team wrestling stole the show last week with the AEW title match between the now-former champions The Young Bucks dropping the titles to Private Party. That trend of excitement continued in the ring tonight. Unfortunately, the results — or how we finished the matches — were kind of ehhhh.

Most importantly though, we saw some nice returns!

THEY'RE BAAAAAACK

AEW always does a wrestler's comeback or debut pretty damn well. Even if it's hilariously on-brand for someone like Jeff Hardy dancing his way to the ring as his brother Matt gets beat on.

Ricochet started the night essentially in a handicap match ahead of his main event vs. Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita. That was, until he revealed his partner post-entrance: A returning Powerhouse Hobbs!

It'd been six months since Hobbs last appeared in the AEW ring.

I've never been too big on the guy as a character. In the ring, however, he's a monstrous force (as anyone would expect just by looking at the human meat mountain).

(Yes, we did get a "meat" chant for him and Takeshita tonight so don't call me weird for that description.)

Hobbs was great in the match and looked like he didn't miss a beat. Ricochet's tie-in for the choice made plenty of sense as well. Last seen with the Don Callis family, Hobbs' contract under the manager expired last month, according to Ricochet. Getting chucked to the side for these new guys didn't sit well with the big man. Fair enough reasoning. No one likes to be forgotten.

The clashes between Hobbs and Takeshita were the highlights of the match, but Ricochet and Hobbs gelled well as a small guy/big guy tag team. Great tag moves and overall flow for a main event of this caliber. In the end, Ricochet and Hobbs got the win and Fletcher couldn't handle it, releasing his frustrations with Mr. Steel Chair in hand.

Here came the overbooking!

Fletcher's assault drew out a save from his former United Empire and Aussie Open tag partner Mark Davis. The two didn't necessarily come to blows, but Fletcher didn't stop Lance Archer and Brian Cage from attacking Davis in defense. Then out came Adam Cole, who was intercepted by Takeshita. Last but not least to appear was one Will Ospreay.

A lot was going on, and the boys were all ready to destroy Fletcher. Unfortunately for ol' Will, he just missed on the Hidden Blade as Fletcher escaped out of the ring, teasing their future match.

Everything here was fun and a solid progression. The problem? Ricochet got the pin on Takeshita, who literally right before the match was booked against Cole next week as the big final test for Cole to get to MJF.

We know Cole is going to win no matter the opponent. However, Takeshita is a champion and is supposed to be this tough enforcer-type roadblock. I think we can call this "booking into a corner," because Fletcher is supposed to look strong too. Rough.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING!

Speaking of the Cole happenings, the bringer of booms finally — and I mean finally — got his first win over Malakai Black, who he was 0-6 against throughout their singles match history.

AEW is doing something interesting with Black here and the spooky dark overlord character is turning over a new leaf. The injured ankle mini-story continued for Cole early, but Black openly denied targeting the limb. That gave us plenty of fun technical exchanges. These two have great chemistry, which educated viewers all were aware of.

Don't get me wrong, it was a very good match. I'm still feeling weird about Cole and he's being made out to be invincible under these circumstances. I mean, the guy survived The End and Black essentially quit after that. Sat down, Boom Knee, 1-2-3.

The elements of respect were a big highlight of this whole thing and it shows Black needs some evolution in the ring. What does he do when The End doesn't work? Hopefully we'll get the answer, and if the numbers game overwhelms Cole in the future with MJF, Black could surely be at his side. He declined Cole's handshake post-match and instead pulled him in for the bro hug.

I think I'm actually more compelled by Black after all this than anything.

⚠️ DISORDER, DISORDER, DISORDER, AND MORE DISORDER...

OK, I had some pretty good backhanded compliments for BCC last week, if I do say so myself.

Wheeler Yuta, you're still not my friend, though.

Claudio Castagnoli and Pac had a match against Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin. Once again, Allin showed off his mastery of the absurd entrance. One week he'll descend from the rafters into action and the next he's diving off the entrance tunnel onto his opponents. Cassidy taunted Claudio and Pac into the trap, which was just a brilliant little setup for these guys, who look like the big brainless brutes.

This match started in a chaotic disorderly fashion outside the ring with no bell before it bled into the ring and ended similarly. That didn't work for me.

Cassidy and Allin won by DQ thanks to interferences from Yuta, who still sucks, and Jon Moxley. I'll admit that Marina Shafir swinging the briefcase at Allin into a massive Claudio uppercut was epic. Smooth and vicious. Then Allin got violently tossed into the ringpost as he typically does, effectively taking him out.

Where this pulls on the wrong strings is these guys who are such forces and superior overall wrestlers needing help and interference. I get they're careless and trying to prove a point with said carelessness, but then what's the point of having any matches?

The Conglomeration wound up coming out for the save.

But Pac and Cassidy are always magic. They deserve props and recognition every time they're put in there together because it's just a magnificent combo. Cassidy's DDTs on Pac legitimately hit different.

Cassidy and Allin make a good team. More of them, please.

🤯 CAR CRASH OF THE NIGHT

I love violent, spotty, absurd wrestling. It's not always good, and it doesn't always have to be in a general wrestling sense. I'm not sure where The Learning Tree vs. The Conglomeration falls along these lines, but it was a fun time.

People went through tables and ladders, nasty chair shots were delivered by Mark Briscoe, and Chris Jericho was nearly murdered.

No, like, seriously. He was treated like Roman Reigns toward the end of his last title reign in this match and it was hilariously brutal.

Briscoe and Tomohiro Ishii just killed Y2J to end the match. J-Driller, Froggy Bo off a ladder through a table, and then Ishii slamming Jericho and nailing a Brainbuster to get the win. It felt like a nod to Jericho haters, that's for sure.

On a very serious note, I've never been fond of using the deceased in storylines. That's obviously happening with Briscoe's late brother Jay in all of this and it's just a weird thing. I felt the same way with Eddie Guerrero and his post-death angles involving Vicki Guerrero, and of course, Randy Orton's Rey Mysterio feud.

🚘 LITERAL CAR CRASH OF THE NIGHT

There wasn't a car crash on "AEW Dynamite" but the off-camera insinuation was that Kris Statlander was nearly run over by Kamille and Mercedes Moné as they drove into the arena.

This. Was. Awful.

I'm a big Stat fan, I think she's great and the Kamille match was great last week. This whole thing just felt like a seriously bad horror-action movie hybrid scene. That doesn't even sound like it makes sense or exists, right? Well, it does now!

Stat understandably went on the attack and pulled them both out of the car, smashing Kamille's arm in the door and slamming Moné on the hood. Moné's belt went flying as she made contact, and that was the best part.

This was amazing in that funny-bad way. I hate to say it, but the buildup to what will be a great Stat vs. Moné match just hasn't been good.

👍 NOW THAT'S DYNAMITE 👍

1. The Hurt Syndicate opened the show and they looked great. Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP feel like a big deal. I was never a fan of the latter growing up. The MVP gimmick was goofy, but in this stage of his career, he's great.

An angry Swerve Strickland walked out with a chain when mentioned, looking nice and pissed. All he said was Lashley's name and "Full Gear." MVP accepts on his behalf. Simple yet effective.

Ricochet in a suit was confronted later on backstage to give us a nice tease.

2. Big Bill was a loser in his match but he's great. I'm starting to get those Wardlow vibes on his come-up. Now, that very unfortunately didn't work out as hoped, but Big Bill needs a chance at a good singles run like Wardlow.

I miss that guy, man. Damn.

3. Christian Cage is viciously wonderful on the mic. Manipulative in a way that Moxley seems to wish he was.

Kip Sabian formally joined The Patriarchy and got roasted as a fatherless loser. At the same time, Christian credited him for saving his cash-in title attempt and said he loved him. Snakey perfection. Give me Mox vs. Christian.

In the meantime, Christian wants Hook to join The Patriarchy and that isn't happening. Props to Hook for taking out the pointless security guards.

4. Thanks to Juice Robinson, Jay White saved his ankle from getting crushed by "Hangman" Adam Page. It was a fairly creative way to try and break Jay's ankle, but we could clearly see how easy it was to escape. Avoiding such a predicament is always a plus, though. That match will rule.

👎 EMBARRASSING 👎

1. Poor Nick Wayne is losing the love of his daddy Christian and he's showing visible frustration from it. It's time for the guy to get away as Christian praises everyone but him. Sad and embarrassing times.

That goes for you too, Yuta.

2. Penelope Ford is excellent. But she lost her match with Jamie Hayter tonight. She feels like she's gotten to a point where she deserves better booking and treatment. Let's get her on a roll. No more Ls for a while.

3. Lashley. MVP introduced Hurt Syndicate and listed off their accomplishments. For Big Bob? He's apparently 19-0 in MMA.

Nice try, pal. Everyone around these parts saw Chad Griggs lay the bricks in Strikeforce. 15-2 in reality.

👑 Uncrowned Gem of the Night 👑

Ford gets double honors this week! While this is mostly a shout to our Uncrowned gem Jamie Hayter, Ford gets flowers too.

This was my favorite match of the night and both were excellent. Instant aggression with a hot start and big energy from Hayter that Ford matched physically. The reversals were particularly fun and the finish was beautiful. A fun time overall and it's so great to have both back.

Hayter needs to get back in that title mix because she is infectious with that energy and looks like a champ without a crown. Not here at Uncrowned, though. Well done, Miss Hayter.

👑 I give this show 8/10 Crowns. 👑