Dynamite – November 25, 2020: Thanks For The Show
IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling
Dynamite
Date: November 25, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone
We are a week away from the big Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega showdown for the World Title and that means we still need to get Moxley to sign the contract. Someone jumped Moxley when we tried this last time so now we need to see what we can do again. Hopefully they can get it right this time. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
John Silver vs. Hangman Page
Page counters a headlock to start but Silver is right back up with a dropkick into the double bicep pose. Silver mocks Page’s lack of arm development so it’s a few chops to put Silver in the corner. A few hard shots put Page down though and Silver kicks him in the chest, only for Page to come back with another chop. Silver gets in a snap German suplex but Page sends him over the top in a heap.
The slingshot dive misses but Page gets back in before Silver can hit his own dive. Now the slingshot dive connects and the sliding lariat gives Page two. A fall away slam into a running shooting star gives Page two more and Silver is in trouble. The Buckshot lariat is countered with a hurricanrana for two and Silver’s brainbuster gets the same. Silver strikes away until Page hits a low superkick into a sitout powerbomb for two more. The Buckshot lariat finishes Silver at 9:45.
Rating: C+. Now that’s how you give someone a rub as Silver got a lot out of this, even as he lost. Silver looked like someone who could be a big deal in the future because he has that fire in his eyes and you either have that or you don’t. Good stuff here, with Page looking sharp, partially due to the lack of booze for a change.
Post match here’s the Dark Order to suggest that the Elite was the cult Page was trying to escape. Page doesn’t have many people to rely on but the Dark Order is here for him.
Here’s what’s coming tonight.
Kenny Omega says the more things change, the more they stay the same. A year ago, he was banged up at Jon Moxley’s hands because he lost. Now they’re about to do this again but this time, Moxley is being called the best in the world. Then Omega won the tournament though and now the people are talking about who the best in the world really is.
All Omega needs is to get the belt though, and that means Moxley should try to beat him without all of the garbage wrestling. Pin him, make him submit or even choke him out, but just beat him. Oh and he heard Moxley’s story about his childhood and can only come to one conclusion: his dad could beat the s*** out of Moxley’s dad.
Darby Allin video, this time writing Taz’s “Survive If I Let You” on top of the already destroyed car and lighting it on fire.
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Lee Johnson
Taz joins commentary as Hobbs powers Johnson out to the floor to start. The big running clothesline connects on the floor and Hobbs whips him hard into the barricade. Back in and a World’s Strongest Slam finishes Johnson at 1:40. Short and to the point here.
Post match Taz gets in the ring and congratulates Hobbs, who is sent to the back. Taz says the problem is about the FTW Title. AEW is not acknowledging what the title means. He is sick of how the title is not recognized so he isn’t leaving until someone from management comes out and makes this title mean something. Taz’s mic is cut so he gets Justin Roberts’ mic, and says if you do that again, he’ll go take one of the announcers’ headsets. The mic is cut again so here’s Cody to ask what we’re doing here.
Cody says Taz is done so Taz says Team Taz is going to destroy Cody and Darby Allin next week. Already annoyed, Cody promises to run the FTW Title up the flag pole. Taz asks if he’s going to be future endeavored, so Cody asks why Taz’s son is training with him instead of with his dad. That’s WAY too far for Taz, who busts out the Tazmission to choke Cody out until the Gunn Club comes in to make the save. Taz’s son (Hook?) comes over the barricade and carries the FTW Title. Taz can talk so this worked, but I’m not sure where this is going.
Eddie Kingston isn’t upset about the Death Triangle reforming because he kind of expected it. Things have changed since Bing Bong or whatever his name is has been gone and Pac only won a battle last week. Cue Jon Moxley to stare Kingston down. Kingston smiles and says Moxley knows it wasn’t him but Moxley does know who it was. Moxley has his own things to handle without worrying about Kingston. Moxley leaves and Kingston accuses him of messing up his feng shui.
Top Flight vs. Hybrid 2
Angelico takes Darius down into an armbar to start until it’s a cartwheel to get Darius a breather. The threat of a right hand in the corner doesn’t get Angelico very far as Darius armdrags him into an armbar. Dante comes in to jump onto Angelico’s arm and a running basement dropkick gets two.
Back with Darius getting two on Evans off a shotgun dropkick but taking a bit too long to cover. Dante makes a blind tag but gets suplexed for his efforts. Everything breaks down and Darius hits a big suicide dive, followed by Dante’s running flip dive to take both of them down. Back in and a frog splash gives Dante two but Evans’ assisted 450 gets his own two. Darius hits a dive to take out Evans but Angelico kneebars Dante for the tap at 10:35.
Rating: C. They told a nice story here as Top Flight can do all of the high flying and athletic stuff but the Hybrid 2 have the experience to cut them off. That’s a good enough way to go and if this leads to Top Flight winning a rematch, they’ll be fine. I can’t imagine you have Top Flight have a competitive match with the Young Bucks and then waste them, so this isn’t some crippling loss.
Post match Angelico won’t let go so here are the Young Bucks for the save.
Vickie Guerrero and Nyla Rose want to teach us about nepotism, which is where we need to talk about Brandi Rhodes. Brandi’s business plan involved her getting her arm injured by Jade Cargill so if Brandi needs business advice, call Vickie.
FTR talks about how hard it is to recover from their loss to the Young Bucks, who were better than they were for three seconds. The Tag Team Titles are their life and Tully Blanchard says it is their destiny to coach them. Fear the revelation.
Jake Hager/Chris Jericho vs. SCU
Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian for SCU. Jericho takes Daniels down to start and slaps the bald head, earning himself a trip into the corner so Kazarian can come in. Hager comes in as well so this time it’s Kazarian taking a corner beating of his own. A shoulder to the ribs allows Jericho to choke away, putting Kazarian in even more trouble. Kazarian manages to get over for the tag to Daniels, who is quickly knocked outside. The Inner Circle gets in their beating as we take a break.
Back with Daniels getting in a shot to Jericho but being cut off by Hager. Some shots to the ribs let Jericho come back in, only to walk into a Downward Spiral. The hot tag brings in Kazarian to clean house and everything breaks down. Kazarian has to take out the Inner Circle on the floor, leaving Daniels to hit his middle rope stomp to Daniels’ chest.
A high crossbody hits Jericho but Hager makes the save. Daniels knocks him down as well and the BME connects with Jericho making the save this time around. The referee has to get rid of Kazarian, allowing MJF to get in a cheap shot with the diamond ring. Jericho adds the Judas Effect and Hager gets the pin at 10:57.
Rating: C+. The wrestling wasn’t the point here but rather showcasing what the newly enhanced Inner Circle can do. MJF with the ring and likely Wardlow as another monster can make the team that much better, but at the same time you can see MJF taking over the team (albeit maybe down the line) from here. I like how they’re setting it up though and the Inner Circle hasn’t looked so powerful in a long time.
Post match the beatdown stays on until Scorpio Sky makes the save with a chair. One guy with a chair can chase off like seven people? Really?
Kip Sabian, Miro and Penelope Ford are ready for a new segment involving a stream of some sort but here are the Best Friends to start a brawl. Orange Cassidy looks on from the back as everyone brawls, with Miro and Sabian getting the better of things as the cameraman is knocked down.
It’s time for the World Title contract signing take two, now with three references to the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame in Omega’s entrance. Omega stands behind the entrance in silhouette but Jon Moxley jumps him from behind (also in silhouette) and takes him into the ring for the beatdown.
The Paradigm Shift leaves Omega laying and Moxley says that Omega’s guys did a horrible job of taking him out last week. Moxley: “Next time you want to put a hit on on someone, give me a call.” Omega has ticked him off and this is serious business. We aren’t talking about jokes on BTE because Omega has to climb a mountain that no one has conquered in eighteen months. Omega better bring it because Moxley is ready for him. The silhouette thing was awesome and Moxley sold it well with the promo.
The Inner Circle isn’t happy with Kazarian punching MJF in the fracas and swear revenge. Jericho promises to take care of Kazarian next week, while threatening with the baseball bat. Of note: Hager and Wardlow stare each other down the whole time.
We recap Anna Jay vs. Hikaru Shida. Anna talks about their first match against each other, when she didn’t have ten matches under her belt first. Now she has an army behind her, Shida has a bad knee, and Tay Conti has been teaching Anna even more. Shida insists her knee is fine but Conti says the title is the last piece for Anna.
Women’s Title: Anna Jay vs. Hikaru Shida
Shida is defending and Conti is here with Anna. The Dark Order comes out to watch on the stage as Anna shoves Shida to start. The sleeper doesn’t work to start so Shida hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. A running dropkick has Anna in trouble but a running knee to the face is cut off. Anna whips her into the barricade and strikes the Dark Order pose as we take a break. Back with Jay hitting a kick to the head for two and putting on the rear naked choke. Shida flips out and suplexes Anna down, setting up a sliding forearm for a close two. The running knee retains the title at 7:45.
Rating: C. They were in and out fast and Jay still has a long way to go but they had a short stretch there where there was a little bit of drama in there and things got rolling. For someone with as little experience as Anna has, that is quite the accomplishment and I could go for more of it once Anna gets more time under her belt. Shida really needs a big challenger though and I’m not sure who that is.
Post match Shida goes to leave but here’s Abadon to crawl onto the stage and lick the title after Shida drops it.
Matt Hardy talks about how innovative he is and about how hard 2020 has been. He was victorious over Sammy Guevara though, and if he can do that, you can overcome your pedestrian challenges. If he can do that, just ask what Hardy would do: survive, thrive and win. Heel Hardy is….another thing that exists around here.
Here’s what’s coming next week.
Team Taz loves how insecure Cody is and promise to take it to Cody and Darby Allin next week.
Rey Fenix/Pac vs. Butcher and Blade
Penta and the Bunny are ringside while Eddie Kingston is on commentary and it’s a brawl before the bell with Butcher and Blade jumping them early. They get in the ring for the bell with Pac and Fenix knocking the two of them outside for the stereo dives. Back in and Butcher suplexes Pac while Blade hits a dropkick to the back of the head for a bonus. Fenix gets the tag and goes after Blade’s arm but can’t get very far.
Instead it’s already back to Pac, who gets forearmed by Blade. Pac hits his own forearm, earning himself a heck of a clothesline. Fenix comes in sans tag for a kick to Butcher’s head, only to….I guess miss the springboard cutter as Butcher just stands there. Pac superkicks him down instead and we take a break.
Back with Pac kicking away at Blade before Butcher comes in to plant Fenix hard. Fenix scores with a springboard cutter though and it’s back to Pac for more kicks. A bridging northern lights suplex gets two on Blade but it’s too early for the shooting star press. Blade is back with the scoop powerslam and it’s back to an angry Butcher.
One heck of a lariat gets two on Pac and a fireman’s carry toss into a gutbuster keeps him down. The doctor bomb gives Blade two and everything breaks down. Kingston runs down and knocks Fenix off the top, allowing Butcher and Blade to hit a powerbomb/neckbreaker combination for the pin on Fenix at 12:57.
Rating: C+. The tag format worked a little bit better for Pac here as he got to showcase himself without having all of the pressure that comes with it. This seems like it is going to be a long form feud between the groups and I could certainly go for more than that. The Lucha Bros would have seemed like the more logical fit here but at the same time, Pac needs to get into the ring more and more so this is what makes the most sense.
Post match the beatdown is on, with Kingston DDTing Pac onto a chair twice in a row. Kingston loads up another but Lance Archer of all people comes in for the save. House is cleaned and Kingston and company leave. Archer shouts a lot to end the show.
Overall Rating: B. Good show here and they did a lot of the smaller things to make the show work much better. What matters the most here is that they are setting things up for the future. Omega seems destined to win the title next week but there is always the chance of some form of a swerve. I’m curious to see what we are going to see going forward and when you have that kind of feeling to go with some good wrestling, they had a positive night.
Results
Hangman Page b. John Silver – Buckshot Lariat
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Lee Johnson – World’s Strongest Slam
Hybrid 2 b. Top Flight – Kneebar to Darius
Chris Jericho/Jake Hager b. SCU – Judas Effect to Daniels
Hikaru Shida b. Anna Jay – Running knee
Butcher and Blade b. Rey Fenix/Pac – Powerbomb/neckbreaker combination to Fenix
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