Dynamite – October 10, 2023 (Title Tuesday): The Long One

Dynamite
Date: October 10, 2023
Location: Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s a big night as this show is going up against NXT for the first time in a good while. Therefore it’s a Title Tuesday with a bunch of championships on the line, plus a big time #1 contenders match with Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland for a TNT Title shot. Also, Adam Copeland makes his AEW in-ring debut. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Buy-In: Ring Of Honor World Title/New Japan Strong Openweight Title: Eddie Kingston vs. Minoru Suzuki

Kingston is defending both titles and they trade chops to start as I try to figure out what I’m buying into on a free show. Suzuki gets the better of things and knocks Kingston down before a forearm knocks him down again. Back up and Kingston chops away before dropping down to a seated position. Suzuki cranks on the hand but Kingston rapid fire chops him into the corner.

That’s broken up as Suzuki walks out of the corner, only to get exploder suplexed for two. The spinning backfist is blocked and Suzuki’s running kick to the chest gets two. Back up and, say it with me, they chop it out before Kingston lets him strike away for a knockdown. Suzuki grabs a chinlock but can’t hit the Gotch style piledriver. Instead Kingston is up with the spinning backfist for two, followed by a second for one. A third doesn’t even put Suzuki down so it’s an enziguri into the northern lights bomb to retain the titles at 10:38.

Rating: C. I get the concept, I get what they’re going for here, I get the style and all that and it is just not for me. This was two guys standing there trading strikes to the face for the better part of ten minutes with some screaming thrown in. I’m sure Kingston found it to be the greatest honor of his life of the week, but this as some big bonus match wasn’t quite working.

Christian Cage is in the production truck to start and proclaims his greatness. Tonight has some implications for his TNT Title and he doesn’t care who wins the #1 contenders match. He’s still not happy with Swerve Strickland for losing their match in London, but a little Birdie told him that Bryan Danielson still thinks he’s the best in the world. Cage is the face of TNT and Warner Brothers Discovery and as such, he has secured the first half hour of this show to be commercial free. Now open things up.

Opening sequence.

Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland

For a TNT Title shot and Prince Nana is here with Strickland. They fight over a test of strength to start with Strickland not being able to get anywhere. Strickland takes it to the mat (that might not be the best idea) but has to block a kneebar. A battle over a small package goes nowhere so the fans declare this awesome a little over three minutes in. They head to the apron for a chop off until Swerve backbreakers him down hard.

Back in and Strickland starts cranking on the arm to little avail but another backbreaker works just fine. A 450 hits raised knees though and Danielson scores with a top rope missile dropkick. Danielson kicks away a suicide dive is cut off. The Swerve Stomp misses as well and Danielson gets to strike away. Swerve goes up but gets pulled down into a belly to back superplex, only to land on Danielson’s bad arm.

Danielson is fine enough to get in the stomps before getting the double arm crank, sending Swerve’s legs to the rope. Swerve’s arms are fine enough to hit the House Call into the Swerve Stomp for a rather close two. A flipping slam out of the corner gives Swerve two so Nana gets on the apron. Swerve grabs Nana’s crown but cue Hangman Page to take it away. Danielson nails the running knee for the pin at 16:06.

Rating: B+. In other news, Bryan Danielson has an awesome match against another awesome opponent. This is just what he does these days and it’s a treat to watch every single time. He doesn’t need to win the title on Saturday but putting him out there every week in a John Cena Open Challenge deal (hopefully minus the Open Challenge part) would be a heck of a weekly feature.

Samoa Joe will be AEW World Champion and this Saturday will be the beginning of his ascension.

Chris Jericho vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Hobbs stars fast and hits the spinebuster for an early two. Hobbs hits a second one but doesn’t cover as Don Callis approves on the floor. The slow beating is on as Callis keeps shouting at Jericho. More spinebustering ensues as it’s all Hobbs so far. A missed charge in the corner lets Jericho hit a Codebreaker for two. Another spinebuster connects but Hobbs still won’t cover. The Walls go on out of nowhere but Hobbs turns him back over and grabs Jericho by the throat. A World’s Strongest Slam gives Hobbs another near fall, followed by another World’s Strongest Slam to finish Jericho at 7:20.

Rating: C+. Well, that’s what it should have been. This was pretty much a squash in the vein of John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar and that’s a great way to go. What matters more here though is Hobbs is someone who could be a breakout star in short order. Not much in the way of a match here, but it boosted the heck out of Hobbs.

Post match, Hobbs hits another World’s Strongest Slam.

Roderick Strong has Adam Cole, on his scooter, mow his lawn. Strong even gives him a NECK STRONG shirt. Cole asks why there is no cell service or TV at Strong’s house, with Strong calling TV THE DEVIL. With Cole saying he’s off to get ankle surgery, Strong says he needs ONE MORE THING.

TNT Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Rey Fenix

Fenix is defending as Cassidy is taking the place of an injured Jon Moxley. Fenix strikes away to start and manages a rope walk kick, which doesn’t quite work out. A slam attempt hurts Fenix’s back so Cassidy knocks him outside for a whip over the barricade. Fenix is able to get in a kick of his own but Cassidy drops him on the apron. Cassidy cuts him off on the top and hits the middle rope DDT, followed by the satellite DDT for two. Fenix’s back gives out on the rolling cutter attempt so Cassidy grabs the Beach Break for two more. The Orange Punch into the Mouse Trap gives Cassidy the title back at 4:42.

Rating: C+. That’s quite the surprise, as it makes me wonder how long Moxley is going to be out of action. Fenix was never going to be the long term champion but losing here is a bit of a surprise. Cassidy got a big reaction though and that’s what matters in this situation, as a title themed show needed a title change.

Post match the Best Friends come out to celebrate with Cassidy, who looks rather serious.

We get a Toni Storm silent film….which gets the picture in picture treatment as we have our first commercial.

Wardlow vs. Matt Sydal

Four movement Powerbomb Symphony gives Wardlow the referee stoppage win at 58 seconds.

Wardlow leaves through the crowd again.

Matt Menard and Daniel Garcia argue over checking on the injured Chris Jericho.

Hangman Page vs. Jay White

The Gunns and Juice Robinson (on Big Wheels, one of which includes Cardblade) are in White’s corner. White bails to the floor to start so Page takes him out with a dive and yells at the rest of the Club. We take a break and come back with White scoring with a dragon screw legwhip. The leg is fine enough to snap off a Death Valley Driver though and they’re both down. White is sent outside so Page dives at him, only to bang up his knee again.

A powerbomb onto the apron cuts White off but he’s able to grab a sitout powerbomb for two back inside. White comes back with a shinbreaker onto the apron as we take a break. Back with Page hitting a super fall away slam but the knee is banged up again. White grabs the swinging Rock Bottom for two and we hit the chinlock.

That’s broken up and Page knocks him silly again but it’s too early for the Buckshot Lariat. Instead White grabs a Downward Spiral into a German suplex for two. The Deadeye connects but the Club offers a distraction. Cue Prince Nana with the crown but Page cuts him off, allowing White to grab a rollup (with tights) pin at 18:22.

Rating: B. This match got time and turned into a heck of a fight, though the ending keeps Page vs. Swerve Strickland going more than anything else. It was a back and forth match as it needed to be, with White getting the win that he needed on the way to the World Title match. Page continues to be on a bit of a hamster wheel, but things are trending down for him in recent weeks.

Post match Page chases Nana off but here is MJF to face White. MJF wants the Triple B back (Taz explains that’s the World Title belt, which covers a possible hole for non-regulars. That’s such a nice little cover that you don’t get nearly often enough.) but White says not so fast. MJF isn’t getting the Bang Bang Belt back, which MJF says is straight out of his own playbook. They aren’t that far apart but for the first time, MJF isn’t hating what he sees in the mirror.

White doesn’t care about the rest of the Club but MJF hates him. That belts means you’re the best in the world while White sees it as a joke. MJF knows White will get to that level one day but for now, do the right thing and give it back. White says he thought MJF said he had to earn it, which he can do at Full Gear. The challenge is thrown out for an eight man tag and if MJF wins, he might get the title back. Juice Robinson says he’ll be in the battle royal for the diamond ring next week and whips out a roll of coins with MJF’s name on it. MJF freaks out over the whole history of coins being thrown at him as a kid and threatens violence.

We get part two of Toni Storm’s movie, again in picture in picture. I get the joke, but not giving the best thing in AEW today the full screen is a bit odd.

Women’s Title: Saraya vs. Hikaru Shida

Saraya is defending and gets knocked into the corner to start. They take a break on the floor before coming back inside for a catfight. The fight heads outside again and Ruby Soho pops up as a production worker. Cue Toni Storm to beat her with a shoe and chase her into the crowd as we take a break.

Back with Shida hammering away in the corner and hitting a middle rope missile dropkick for two. Saraya manages to pull her off the top but Shida grabs a German suplex onto the apron. Shida’s Meteora off the apron connects for two back inside and frustration sets in. Saraya is back with a quick Nightcap for two so she grabs the kendo stick. That’s but a ruse so she can spray Shida with the spray paint, meaning another Nightcap can get two more. Shida scores with the Falcon Arrow for two before an exchange of rollups gives Shida the pin and the title back at 11:15.

Rating: C+. This got a little more time than the usual women’s matches and the title is right back where it was about two months ago. I’m not sure Shida was expected to be a long term champion and it’s nice to see Shida getting the belt back, though the title scene could use a bit more fresh blood. Maybe Shida drops it soon, but for now she continues to add to her records.

Chris Jericho has been taken to the hospital.

AEW is donating 50,000 AEW toys to Toys For Tots. That’s great.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Don Callis has a surprise, which involves doing Sammy Guevara’s sign deal during picture in picture.

MJF calls Adam Cole to come back and lists off all of his problems. Cole can’t hear him though and the call cuts out. The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn come in and offer to be his partner, but Gunn isn’t sure. Max Caster talks about how MJF is his friend and he’ll be there for him. As a bonus: Caster: “I love it when he plays hard to get.”

Here is Christian Cage, with Luchasaurus, to talk about how Adam Copeland tried to be people’s friend (sounds like a shot at Judgment Day), but Cage wants to be Nick Wayne and Luchasaurus’ father. Copeland wants to reform the team with Cage and end their careers together, but where was that a few years ago? He was the more talented one while Copeland was getting pushed to the moon.

Cage has a lot of fans around the world, like Copeland’s wife Beth. For now though, don’t worry, because after Luchasaurus wrecks Copeland, his daughters will have a father. Cage: “Put some clean sheets on the bed.” The girls’ new daddy is coming home but here is Copeland for the fight.

Luchasaurus vs. Adam Copeland

Nick Wayne pops up to grab Copeland’s leg and Luchasaurus hits a hard lariat before we get started. Copeland says ring the bell anyway so Luchasaurus tombstones him for two. Luchasaurus slowly beats him down and hits a hard slam but Copeland is back up with a right hand. A superkick cuts Copeland off again and we take a break.

Back with Copeland being sent outside but a chokeslam on the knee is broken up. Copeland kicks him in the knee and hits a DDT off the apron to put them both down. Back in and the Impaler gives Copeland a delayed two and they go up top. Copeland forearms him in the back and hits a top rope superplex to leave them both laying. The spear is loaded up but Wayne wedges a chair into the corner.

The spear hits said chair and Luchasaurus hits a chokeslam for two. They head to the apron where Luchasaurus loads up a chokeslam onto the steps but gets caught with the Edge-O-Matic. A spear off the apron drops Luchasaurus again so cue Cage and Wayne. The referee is distracted so Copeland takes the TNT Title from Cage, blasts Luchasaurs with it and throws it back to Cage.  Luchasaurus isn’t happy and the spear from Copeland for the pin at 15:20 makes it worse..

Rating: B-. This wasn’t exactly a great in-ring debut for Copeland, as he was beaten down for most of the match and it went long. The stuff with Cage screwing up and Copeland getting the big win worked, but this would have been better served by being about five minutes shorter. Cage vs. Copeland is going to be a huge pay per view match, but this part didn’t give me the greatest hope.

Post match the beatdown is on but the Blackpool Combat Club runs in for the save. The Gates of Agony and Swerve Strickland come in as well, followed by Hangman Page. Danielson makes Cage tap to the LeBell Lock as Copeland spears Wayne to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The show was pretty strong, with good to very good matches throughout. The ending got us a step closer to Copeland vs. Cage and Hobbs got the biggest win of his career over Jericho. On the other hand you have the title changes, which felt like they took us back in time a bit. It was certainly a show that felt big, but AEW has had quite a few of those as of late and they might be starting to run out of some steam. For now though, just keep putting Danielson out there to tear the house down every week or two and things should be fine.

Results
Eddie Kingston b. Minoru Suzuki – Northern Lights Bomb
Bryan Danielson b. Swerve Strickland – Running knee
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Chris Jericho – World’s Strongest Slam
Orange Cassidy b. Rey Fenix – Mouse Trap
Wardlow b. Matt Sydal via referee stoppage
Jay White b. Hangman Page – Rollup with tights
Hikaru Shida b. Saraya – Rollup
Adam Copeland b. Luchasaurus – Spear

 

 

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