Dynamite – July 29, 2020: The Bag Of Emotions

Dynamite
Date: July 29, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Taz

Things are starting to get into a groove around here again and that can make for some very good television. The last few shows have been rather entertaining and the build for All Out should be starting to come together. This week we get another TNT Title match plus a Tag Team Title match and more. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Inner Circle vs. Best Friends/Orange Cassidy/Jurassic Express

They’re starting big this week. Jericho and Cassidy start things off but it’s off to Hager before anything happens. Cassidy does the slow motion kicks to the legs and then claps the ears to get out of a double leg. Jericho tags himself in and forearms Cassidy from the apron though and everything breaks down in a hurry. The Inner Circle is sent outside for a series of dives, including Marko Stunt being tossed onto the pile and then being tossed back, because MARKO STUNT WILL BE INVOLVED IN YOUR MATCH EVERY SINGLE TIME NO MATTER WHAT!

The good guys have the big five way hug and Sammy dives in, only to get quintuple stomped. We settle back down and this time it’s Trent getting beaten down, including a double suplex from Santana and Ortiz. An assisted standing moonsault gives Santana two and Hager’s hard forearm is good for the same. Sammy adds the fireman’s carry with squats before Hager grabs the chinlock. That lets JR talk about the time Hager gave him an ankle lock, which commentary finds funny.

Trent finally manages a suplex to put Hager down and the hot tag brings in Luchasaurus to clean house. Everything breaks down and the fans…well they aren’t there so ignore that. Hager and Luchasaurus slug it out until Cassidy comes in with a Superman punch to put Hager down. We hit the parade of finishers and it’s down to Sammy vs. Luchasaurus. With Sammy going up top, here’s Matt Hardy to shove him into a chokeslam. A spinning kick to the face gives Luchasaurus the pin at 12:08.

Rating: C+. They’re still running with Cassidy vs. Jericho and while that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, they had a lot more going on here and that’s a good thing. I’m curious to see where some of these feuds go and the match certainly felt big, though it never hit that next level that something like this can do.

Jon Moxley says if you leave him alone, he’ll leave you alone. That brings him to Brian Cage, who had to jump Darby Allin from behind. Then Ricky Starks had to get involved too. So let’s see what happens when the odds are even.

Taz thinks Moxley is terrified.

TNT Title: Cody vs. Warhorse

Cody is defending and has Arn Anderson in his corner. They lock up to start until Cody works on a wristlock. Warhorse gets taken into the corner for a clean yet cocky break, meaning it’s a chop to the back of Cody’s neck. An armdrag into an armbar has Cody in some trouble and a big clothesline puts him on the floor as we take a break. Back with Cody holding a half crab before switching to a Figure Four, which is reversed in about two seconds.

A limping Warhorse gets up for a corner clothesline and he goes up top, sending Cody bailing outside for some safety. Back in and Warhorse puts him down to set up a top rope elbow for two. Cody’s Alabama Slam gets two and the Figure Four retains the title at 10:33 in a pretty sudden ending.

Rating: C+. They have something with Cody trying to do too much as champion and getting worn down, though you can all but guarantee that it’s going to be an AEW regular taking the title. The match was good and Warhorse made an impression, but it’s going to take something good to top Eddie Kingston’s debut last week. Still though, good enough stuff here and that’s all it needed to be.

Post match the Dark Order comes in to beat on Cody with Arn Anderson getting inside to load up a save. Cue Matthew Cardona (Zack Ryder) for the real save and Cody is rather pleased.

Tony Schiavone talks about All Out but here’s the Inner Circle to interrupt. They aren’t happy with anything that happened tonight, with Sammy Guevara yelling about Matt Hardy costing him the match. Chris Jericho isn’t happy with Orange Cassidy either and wants him in a rematch on August 12, where Cassidy will give him $7000 for the jacket. Next week though, Jericho wants Cassidy in a debate. Oh and his jacket now smells like cat urine.

Earlier today, FTR was ready to sign their official AEW deals but wanted their official tag team representative. That would be Arn Anderson, who goes over the contract and makes sure they got their signing bonus. They also want their guarantee of Tag Team Appreciation Night on August 12. With that guaranteed, the contracts are signed and here’s Hangman Page with a bottle of whiskey to celebrate. Everyone (save Arn, who says “not anymore”) drinks and seems happy.

Tag Team Titles: Kenny Omega/Hangman Page vs. Dark Order

The Dark Order (Evil Uno/Stu Grayson) is challenging and Colt Cabana is on commentary. Page (who didn’t like the white wrist tape last week) goes after Dark Order before the bell and Omega doesn’t seem happy with having to make the save so we can get going. An early side slam/elbow combination gets an early two on Omega, who comes back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

It’s off to Page for a running shooting star press for two and the champs take turns chopping away at Uno. Omega gets caught in the corner for all of two seconds before rolling over to Page for the tag to clean house. Grayson kicks Page in the face for two to slow things down and a running forearm does the same. Back from a break with Kenny cleaning house as everything breaks down.

Grayson takes Page down for a Swanton from Uno and a toss sitout powerbomb gets two. Page gets knocked down in the corner and Omega is suplexed into him, setting up a 450 for two. Page is back up for another save and there’s a V Trigger to Uno’s back for two more. The Last Call retains the titles at 13:54, with Grayson seeming to miss what was supposed to be a save.

Rating: B-. Good enough match here, though the Dark Order wasn’t going to be any kind of a serious threat to the titles. The Dark Order is as midcard of a gimmick as you can get and the champs are going to be moving on to more important things. Page and Omega continue to be on different pages outside the ring but make for a great team, which is an interesting way to go.

Post match Brody Lee sends Colt Cabana and Anna Jay to the back so they don’t see what is about to happen. Lee yells at Grayson and Uno before asking Page if he finds it funny. Cue the Young Bucks from the crowd as Lee thanks Kenny for bothering to show up for a change. Lee says this isn’t all of the Dark Order and they have strength in numbers. A bunch of masked members of the Dark Order surround the ring but here’s FTR with the cooler to Lee and the save is on. I use save in the loosest sense of the word in this case.

Britt Baker knows Big Swole is obsessed with her so Swole can have a shot, if she beats an opponent of Baker’s choice.

Video on Diamante.

Diamante vs. Hikaru Shida

This was announced as a title match last night on Dark but not here. Shida is defending and forearms Diamante down to start. Diamante gets knocked outside for a running knee lift and they head back inside. They slug it out with Diamante getting knocked down by a running knee to the face. Diamante chops her down in the corner and a wheelbarrow Stunner gets two on Shida. A sloppy Code Red gets no count as Shida is rolled into the ropes so Shida hits a Falcon Arrow. The running knee finishes Diamante at 6:14.

Rating: D+. Diamante is not very good and that is the kind of thing that you can’t get around that easily. This was a rather sloppy loss and it is pretty clear that she is not ready for this spot. Shida needs some fresh opponents and this is the best they could do, while Ivelisse sits on the sidelines. Lucky us.

We go over the rules of the Deadly Draw tournament, which is under Lethal Lottery rules.

Nyla Rose draws her color for the tournament and gets purple, which has already been drawn by someone else. That would be Ariane, better known as Cameron (yes THAT Cameron), who is happy to be back.

Here is MJF for his State of the Industry address. He has all the time he wants to tell the fans what they need to hear like a child being force fed macaroni and cheese. MJF can’t believe he is here two weeks in a row because he is always being held down by someone who came from the land of the Titans. That would be Jon Moxley, who is trying to hold down talent, which isn’t what we’re supposed to do anymore, brother.

Moxley is a great wrestler, but let’s see what has happened since he took over. First of all, where is the wrestling? This is a bunch of flipping and gymnastics while Moxley is cosplaying as a certain wrestler, and that is a Stone Cold fact. Everyone wants to talk about the ratings but do you know who draws bigger ratings than Moxley?

The old guard has been running this world for centuries and look where we are. MJF’s talent exceeds Moxley’s tenure and it is time for him to take over right now. He will not stop until this brand is transformed into the pinnacle of professional wrestling. The talent is officially on and MJF is announcing his candidacy to become the new World Champion at All Out. This was masterful and one of the best things AEW has ever done, as MJF can look into a camera and make you believe in him like no one else.

Darby Allin/Jon Moxley vs. Brian Cage/Ricky Starks

Anything goes tornado tag….and there is no Allin. We cut to Taz and company on the stage, where he brags about how awesome Cage is (Taz: “He’s got triceps like pistons Moxley! LIKE PISTONS!”). Starks says he’s everything Moxley’s baby mama wishes he was and brags about how great he is….until Allin Coffin Drops off the set to start things in a hurry. Taz is back on commentary as the fight begins without a bell as far as I could hear. The brawl is on outside with Moxley hitting a suicide dive onto Cage. Moxley goes searching for some weapons and we take a break.

Back with Allin in trouble until Moxley comes back in for the save. Allin hits the flipping Stunner on Cage but Starks spears Allin down. Moxley cutters Stars but Cage hits a clothesline to drop everyone. It’s Moxley back up for a piledriver on Cage and a Coffin Drop/DDT combination hits Cage for two more. Allin crushes Cage’s arm with a trashcan and pulls out a skateboard with thumbtacks on the bottom. Moxley armbars Cage and Allin drives the skateboard into Starks’ back for the pin at we’ll say 10:00. Starks’ back is VERY torn up after that finish.

Rating: C-. This didn’t feel like much as they seem to have one of these wild brawls almost every week. Couple that with a scary looking finish (the blood was flowing down Starks’ back) and this didn’t do much for me. Moxley certainly seems to have moved on from Cage and I’m not sure where that leaves him. Cage vs. Cody for the TNT Title could be interesting, but I don’t really need to see Cody slay ANOTHER monster.

Allin vs. Moxley for the title next week is announced to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This wasn’t their best effort, though as usual their worst shows are still completely watchable. Maybe it was just an off night for them and AEW has earned the credibility that one bad show isn’t a sign of things to come. MJF’s promo was excellent and the Cardona debut worked, though the main event and freaking CAMERON debuting didn’t help things. Not a bad show or anything, but for AEW, it was a step down.

Results

Orange Cassidy/Best Friends/Jurassic Express b. Inner Circle – Spinning kick to Cassidy’s head

Cody b. Warhorse – Figure Four

Hangman Page/Kenny Omega b. Dark Order – Last Call to Uno

Hikaru Shida b. Diamante – Running knee

Jon Moxley/Darby Allin b. Ricky Starks/Brian Cage – Skateboard to Starks’ back

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