House of the Dragon - Dynamite recap for August 17, 2022

CM Punk heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Punk says he has not been here in some time and has some business to attend to. He then says there is somebody from around these parts that he would like a rematch with, and tells "Hangman" Adam Page he has a rematch right here, right now. When Adam Page fails to show up and calls it "coward shit," Punk says that anyone who has a problem with him being champion needs to come down to the ring right now. He says that Jon Moxley can have a lot of fans and be number one in their hearts, he is not number one in the ring; he is, and while he knows how to breathe that into existence and knows how it feels to lose, Moxley is "number two." He also says that Moxley is "number three in his own group," saying it is a recurring theme in his career, and while Moxley is not a bad guy, he is only an interim champion. Punk says he is willing to test himself against Moxley, but Moxley is not willing to test himself against him and is friends with "the third-best Eddie and the second-best Kingston he has ever been in the ring with," Eddie Kingston. Punk admits he has missed the fans and competing in the ring, and promises he will defend the AEW World Championship at All Out and test himself against Moxley. He says that Moxley "will not be the first John he beats for a championship," then Moxley shows up and Punk pretends to make snow angels as Moxley heads to the ring. Moxley says Punk is dropping pipebombs and writing checks his body can't catch, and says Punk is not even the best wrestler in catering and that the AEW Championship, the microphone and the words he speaks into it mean nothing. He also says that his interim world title means nothing until he beats Punk, then says that he is the heart and soul of AEW and that being called interim champ makes him think of Punk. Punk says Moxley can be the heart and soul while he can be the dollars and cents, and Moxley says Punk is here because he ran out of money and that he ran out of fighting spirit a long time ago. He then dares Punk to do something about if he doesn't like what he hears, but Punk says they have a match and that if they go at it now, Moxley will bleed all over him. Nevertheless, both men brawl in the ring. Officials and security get in the ring to separate both men. Moxley throws a chair in the ring, and Punk opens it and sits in it. When Moxley goes after Punk, his attempts to get his hands on him are promptly shut down. Punk gets a few shots to the back when Moxley tries to get in the ring again.

Backstage, Tony Schiavone interviews Powerhouse Hobbs, who says that he does not need friend and that Ricky Starks told the world that he is okay with losing, while he is not. He says that Starks got to parade around and strut his stuff for the next week, and says that he tried to ensure Starks stayed champion and Starks could not do it. He says that he breaks backs as well as necks, and that he has something for The Factory.

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat is guest timekeeper for the next match. Chris Jericho guests on commentary for the next match.

"The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson beats Daniel Garcia two falls to one (2-1) in a two-out-of-three falls match. Daniel Garcia wins the first fall with a modified Dragon Sleeper after countering a triangle hold with a piledriver. Bryan Danielson wins the second fall after rolling Garcia up as Garcia hits him with multiple elbow strikes. Danielson wins the third and deciding fall with the LeBell Lock following multiple elbow strikes. After the match, Danielson is attacked from behind by Chris Jericho, but Daniel Garcia shoves Jericho away, much to the surprise of Jericho. Garcia then slaps Jericho's hand away when Jericho points at him. This leads to the crowd chanting "You're a wrestler!"

Backstage, Tony Schiavone interviews Swerve In Our Glory (Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland) and Private Party (Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy). Marq Quen says Swerve In Our Glory disrespected them, but they are now #5 in the ranking. Swerve says this is the closest they will get to the tag titles and that they could learn something from them. Keith Lee says Private Party will go to the back of the line afterwards.

Jon Moxley attacks "The Premier Athlete" Tony Nese before the next match, then gets in the ring and says he has been waiting too long for CM Punk to return, and tells him that if they want to unify their world titles, they can do it now. CM Punk shows up, but once again, officials and security stop him. Moxley and Punk have to be separated again, and this time, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta also have to hold Moxley back. Moxley leaves through the crowd while Punk heads back to the back from the stage.

Backstage, Tony Schiavone interviews Chris Jericho, "Magic Daddy" Matt Menard and Angelo Parker. Jericho gives Daniel Garcia a pass for confronting him earlier, but next week, he wants to know whose side Garcia is on, and tells him to make the right choice. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat shows up and says he has seen Garcia come into his own, and says that Jericho is the same guy that he wrestled fifteen years ago. He then says Bryan Danielson would make for a better mentor. Jericho tells Steamboat that he has hated him from the last fifteen years and tells him to stay out of his business. Steamboat goes after Jericho as he, Menard and Parker leave, and Parker grabs Steamboat and tells him to stay out of his business. When Parker grabs him by the throat afterwards, Steamboat responds by hitting him with a karate chop, taking Parker out.

The Gunn Club (Austin and Colten Gunn) quickly beat The Varsity Blonds (Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr.). The Gunn Club (Austin and Colten Gunn) The Gunn Club hug, then Stokely Hathaway shows up. All of a sudden, Austin and Colten attack Billy Gunn from behind as Stokely Hathaway approaches the ring. Suddenly, The Acclaimed ("Platinum" Max Caster and Anthony Bowens) rush the ring, and Austin and Colten flee through the crowd as they get in the ring to make the save for Billy Gunn. Billy Gunn and The Acclaimed then make up.

We hear from Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh. Sonjay challenges FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) and Wardlow to a trios match at All Out, and Lethal says FTR felt pity for Wardlow only to make an enemy out of them. Satnam dares Wardlow to powerbomb him if he is that strong.

We hear from Death Triangle (PAC, Penta Oscura, Rey Fenix) backstage. PAC calls out The United Empire (Will Ospreay, Kyle Flethcer, Mark Davis), saying they have unfinished business and that he is looking forward to next week when they prove they are an unstoppable force.

Jungle Boy heads to the ring. Jungle Boy says that he wore a shirt saying "Christian is a pussy" last week and that he was told never to wear that shirt on television again, then says the shirt hit the nail on the head. He then says he has hit Christian Cage with everything he had - including a car - and so far, Christian has done nothing. The way he sees it, he can either continue to chase Christian until he gets his hands on him, or Christian can man up and face him at All Out. Christian shows up and declines Jungle Boys' challenge, saying that things are getting out of hand, especially with Luchasaurus getting suspended for headbutting official Pat Buck backstage. He says that he is proud of Jungle Boy, saying that he "couldn't even formulate a sentence like someone from Charleston, West Virginia," then says he has done some reflection and says frustration boiled over after losing the tag titles. He says he does not want to fight or wrestle Jungle Boy, and instead, he wants to fix this and take Jungle Boy to the promised land, for at the end of the day, they are family, and he loves him. Christian says Jungle Boy is like a son to him, and asks him to come back home. Jungle Boy goes for a hug at first, but instead goes for a double leg takedown and goes to town on Christian. This leads to a brawl on the outside where Jungle Boy sends Christian into the ring steps as he tells him that they were never family, then stands on his hand and stomps the elbow on the ring steps. Officials and security have to step in soon after.

Backstage, we hear from FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) and Wardlow. Wheeler says Wardlow did not ask for their help, but they would not let Wardlow get beaten down. Wardlow tells Satnam Singh that anybody and everybody gets powerbombed. Harwood tells Jay Lethal that if he has a problem with any of them, they can have a match.

Toni Storm beats KiLynn King.

We see a video package for The Trust Busters (Ari Daivari, Slim J, Parker Bordreaux, Sonny Kiss) vs. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor, Trent Beretta, Orange Cassidy) in the Trios Championship Tournament this week on Rampage.

We see a video package for Hook vs. "The Reality" Zack Clayton this week on Rampage.

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat is guest timekeeper for the next match.

Before the next match, The Young Bucks' (Matt and Nick Jackson) tag team partner is revealed to be Kenny Omega, who is wrestling his first match in over nine months. Don Callis guests on commentary for the next match.

The Elite (Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, Kenny Omega) beat La Faccion Ingobernable (Andrade el Idolo, Rush, Dragon Lee) to advance in the Trios Championship Tournament. After the match, Andrade hits Dragon Lee with a Hammerlock DDT that knocks Dragon Lee's mask off.