AEW Dynamite Preview (4/9/24): Swerve Strickland in Action

AEW Dynamite returns to Baltimore following a controversial weekend. Specifically, the outcome of the AEW Dynasty main event and Swerve Strickland’s post-show words proved emotive.

The Death Riders saga continues. Open loops will be revisited and closed with the return of Matthew and Nicholas Jackson. The Young Bucks came back to work to cost their old adversary, Strickland, the AEW World Championship. Will they address their actions tonight?

AEW Dynamite airs live from the Chesapeake Arena in Baltimore, MA at 8/7c on TBS and Max.

With three contests announced at the time of writing, expect plenty of AEW Dynasty fallout and new beginnings as AEW looks ahead to Double or Nothing.

Let’s focus on the here and now with our AEW Dynamite preview.

AEW Dynamite Match Card (4/9/25)

• Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarter-final: Kris Statlander vs. Thunder Rosa. “Timeless” Toni Storm joins commentary.
• Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Opps (Samoa Joe and HOOK).
• Swerve Strickland vs. PAC

First-Time Encounter: Statlander vs. Rosa

Compared to the men’s brackets, the women’s brackets in this year’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament feel more unpredictable.

Case in point, this first-time-ever encounter between two fan favourites, Kris Statlander and Thunder Rosa.

Over the last few weeks, AEW’s women have been showing up and showing out. Putting two of the division’s workhorses against each other, we are going to see and feel what makes this tournament so important.

In-ring, Rosa is at her most confident. Statlander elevates everyone she faces to their best.

With the addition of “Timeless” Toni Storm on commentary to watch her Thunder Tit’s partner and a foreshadowed dream match opponent in Statlander, we have potential gold. Banger of the night?

Strickland in Action, Plus Elite Overlap

I’m burning with excitement to see Swerve Strickland’s hybrid offense clash with “The Bastard” PAC’s frantic intensity. It’s going to be brutal, and intense and could allow Strickland’s viciousness to be displayed at its best.

However, the match might prove to be just the sizzle. The aftermath of what Strickland, The Young Bucks and/or Hangman Adam Page have to say is the steak.

Where does Page stand after Strickland’s admittance of fault last week?

How will The Young Bucks try to play this? And can/will this connect to the wider Elite Saga? Importantly also, how’s Strickland going to get revenge?

That’s not considering whether Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada may slot into things now or as the weeks go by. Or how it will feed into the larger Death Riders story.