AEW Dynamite: Wild Card Wednesday Preview and Predictions

AEW Dynamite is back this Wednesday and will be broadcast live on TBS from Houston, Texas.  We are less than two weeks away from the Double or Nothing pay-per-view and there are still many matches that need to be added to the show.  Expect this week’s episode of Dynamite to include a number of those match announcements as the card for the May 29th card comes into clearer focus.

This week’s show will include four matches in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, two of which have a mystery opponent, known as a “joker”.

The AEW Champion, “Hangman” Adam Page will also be in action, Chris Jericho and William Regal will have a face-to-face confrontation, and there will be a callback to the MJF-Cody Rhodes segment of years past when Wardlow takes ten lashes from MJF in order to get his match with MJF at Double or Nothing.

Let’s take a look at the announced matches and segments for this week’s AEW Dynamite and what to expect from each.

Adam Page vs Konosuke Takeshita

This match accomplishes two things.  It showcases both the AEW Champion, Adam Page as well as an exciting competitor in Konosuke Takeshita, who continues to receive important spots on AEW television to showcase his ample talent.

But more importantly, with CM Punk on commentary during the match, it sets up some fireworks for after the match.

As exciting as the match is going to be, it hasn’t been the most interesting build between Page and Punk.  AEW has just under two weeks to change that and they should take advantage of that starting right here.  Winner: Adam Page

Kyle O’Reilly vs Rey Fenix

Two of the top tag team wrestlers will go one-on-one to try to punch their ticket to the semi-final of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.  This is a match that which either man could come out the winner and it wouldn’t really surprise anyone.

The one factor that hangs over this contest is Death Triangle and their unfinished business with the House of Black.

This issue seems to be heading for a blowoff match at Double or Nothing and if that is the case Fenix can’t be focused on the Tournament for much longer.  O’Reilly will figure out a way to advance here, and move one match away from a finals appearance.  Winner: Kyle O’Reilly

Chris Jericho and William Regal: Face-to-face confrontation

After the Blackpool Combat Club came to the aid of Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz last Wednesday, Jericho will confront Regal this week on Dynamite.

Last week, the Blackpool Combat Club didn’t really have a meaningful feud to bring into a match at Double or Nothing.  Now, all of a sudden, they do.

This confrontation will most likely lead to some sort of ten-man, anything goes shenanigans at the upcoming pay-per-view, with Wheeler Yuta being the odd man out.

Samoa Joe vs “Joker”

There is a lot of speculation about who will fill the joker spots on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite.  And there are a lot of wrestlers on the free-agent market that would be exciting additions to the AEW roster.

The two most likely men to fill the “joker” role are Claudio Castagnoli (formerly Cesaro) and Johnny Gargano.  Both are veterans of the ring that are capable of delivering the high-quality matches that AEW has built its foundation on.

And while it is never a bad idea to add a wrestler with the pedigree of a Castagnoli or a Gargano, AEW has another supremely talented individual already on the roster that has been off of television for far too long.

That man is Miro.

This would be a great place for Miro to make his return and pick up a hard fought win over Samoa Joe after a Jay Lethal interruption causes Joe to lose focus just long enough for Miro to capitalize for the win.  Winner: Miro

Wardlow takes ten lashes from MJF

One of MJF’s stipulations for Wardlow to get a match with him at Double or Nothing will play out on Dynamite this week when Wardlow will be the recipient of ten lashes at the hands of MJF.

This is a bit disappointing on the surface as we have seen this exact same situation play out between MJF and Cody Rhodes not that long ago.

It was brilliant television and something that was hard to take your eyes off of, but the fact that we have seen it before makes it less exciting.

But odds are that Tony Khan has an idea to make this new version of an old story stand out from the original, and we will most likely see that play out on Wednesday.

Britt Baker vs “Joker”

Britt Baker will take on an unnamed joker opponent this Wednesday as she tries to advance forward in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.

There are a couple of free agents who would be great fits here.  Athena and  Nixon Newell are both very well-rounded performers that could bring another dimension to the women’s division of AEW.

But if AEW was bringing in either Athena or Newell they would want to do so with a victory.  And while Britt Baker is no longer the AEW Women’s Champion, she, along with Jade Cargill, is one of the top draws in the women’s division and will most likely advance deep in this tournament.

So the most likely female wrestler to show up as the joker in this match is Maki Itoh.

Itoh and spent some time in AEW before and has even teamed with Britt Baker.   Baker will underestimate Itoh, which will lead to a competitive match, but one that Britt Baker will win.  Winner: Britt Baker

Jeff Hardy vs Adam Cole

In what most likely will be the main event of AEW Dynamite, Jeff Hardy will look to improve to 2-0 in the AEW singles scene when he takes on Adam Cole.

Hardy looked better last week in his match with Darby Allin than he has at any time in his AEW tenure, so maybe Jeff is starting to get back in form.

And he will have to be if he wants to advance past Adam Cole.

To be honest, Hardy shouldn’t have been given the push over Darby Allin last week, and there is virtually no chance he gets past Cole this week.

Cole advancing here makes sense as he will go on to advance to the finals of the tournament, creating a spot for him on the Double or Nothing card, and if frees up Jeff to team with his brother to give us the Hardys versus the Young Bucks on that very same pay-per-view.  Winner: Adam Cole