Rampage
Date: September 3, 2021
Location: Now Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Mark Henry, Taz

It’s the go home show for All Out and the big deal is that CM Punk is here in Chicago again. They’re still at the point where it feels important even though it happened two days ago, and it isn’t like they’ll be in Chicago every week. Other than that, expect a lot of hype towards the pay per view. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Lee Johnson vs. Malakai Black

Johnson grabs a headlock to start but gets shoved into the ropes. Said ropes are grabbed out of fear of Black Mass, with Jericho and Henry thinking pain is coming. Black continues to take his time before knocking Johnson into the corner as we take a break. Back with Johnson striking away to send Black outside.

The big dive drops Black again and they head back inside so Johnson can hit a frog splash for two. Black kicks him in the head but would rather hammer away in the corner instead of covering. It’s time to grab a chair but Black slowly offers it to Johnson. That’s fine with Johnson, who picks it up, earning himself Black Mass to drive the chair into his face. Black gets the easy pin at 9:56.

Rating: C. Black was playing the mind games here and while Johnson got in a bit too much offense, it was nice to see Black destroying him in the end. That kick to the chair was great and Black’s path through the upper layer of the Nightmare Family continues. I think you can guess who is next and it should be quite the match.

Post match Black stands over Johnson but Dustin Rhodes (yep that’s who was expected) runs in for the save.

Post break, Dustin challenges Black for Dynamite.

Here is Miro for a chat about Eddie Kingston. Miro talks about Kingston being a Mad King, but Miro only serves one king. His God has told him to destroy Eddie, who is nothing more than Jon Moxley’s bag boy anyway. Cue Kingston to say Miro as God’s favorite champion is BS. Kingston doesn’t care what Miro says because he is here to deal with Miro’s sins. He knows about Miro’s bad neck and is coming for it, but Miro runs from the brawl. That’s fine with Kingston, who gives chase but runs into the TNT Title to the head. They get inside where Kingston hits a spinning backfist into the DDT to drop Miro. Solid exchange here.

Jamie Hayter/Rebel vs. Kris Statlander

Britt Baker is here with Rebel and Hayter. Statlander gets driven into the corner to start and Hayter hammers away, with Rebel getting to come in for some beating of her own. There’s a toss suplex to drop Statlander for two but Rebel’s YES Kicks don’t do much good. Instead, Statlander is back up with a powerslam and takes an invading Hayter down as well.

A backsplash crushes both Hayter and Rebel for two and Hayter is low bridged to the floor. Rebel gets caught in an electric chair so Hayter charges…and gets caught in a World’s Strongest Slam at the same time. A kick to the head rocks Rebel and it’s a weird arm trap Liontamer to make Rebel tap at 4:11 as Baker and Hayter watch from ringside.

Rating: C. This is about all you could ask for here as they made Statlander look dominant on her way to the title match with Baker. Statlander is a force on her own and they have toned down the alien stuff enough to make her a more serious challenger. That’s the kind of tweak you need and it worked on most fronts here.

Post match the beatdown is teased but Red Velvet runs in for the save.

We look at the build to the Lucha Bros vs. the Young Bucks in a cage at All Out, including the big beatdown from the Elite on Dynamite.

All Out rundown. Jon Moxley and Satoshi Kojima got in a fight at the press conference for their match earlier today.

We get the split screen interview, with 2.0 saying Daniel Garcia is going to keep Darby Allin out of All Out. Allin isn’t looking past Garcia tonight because he wants to look at CM Punk one more time before All Out.

Darby Allin vs. Daniel Garcia

Sting and 2.0 are here too and CM Punk, in a Bret Hart shirt is out for commentary. Allin stars fast and takes Garcia down to hammer away. They head outside, where Allin misses a charge and falls over a table, sending himself hard into the barricade. Sting beats up 2.0 to give Allin some time but Garcia sends Allin into the steps to keep him in trouble. Back in and Allin grabs a Fujiwara armbar but Garcia is right back up. Garcia catches him on top for a superplex and a near fall as we take a break.

Back with Garcia grabbing a sleeper so Allin climbs the ropes. The big drop down onto the mat breaks things up and Allin grabs the Pepsi Twist (an old Punk move), for two and some applause from Punk. Code Red gives Allin two as Punk wants to know why so many moves are named after soda. Allin grabs the Last Supper for the pin on Garcia at 10:48.

Rating: C+. Allin continues to be at his best when he has to fight from behind and that’s what he did here. Garcia is a good choice for a match like this as he can make anyone look good before losing in the end, as he isn’t an established name just yet. Punk was good on commentary too, as he sounded like he wanted to learn about Allin on their way to the match on Sunday.

Post match 2.0 comes in for the beatdown and Punk stands up, eventually throwing down the headset. Punk stares 2.0 down and Allin hits a big suicide dive onto both of them. Allin stares Punk down to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The wrestling itself was only pretty good, but this show’s job was to set things up for the pay per view. It did a nice job of giving some of the lower level matches (plus Punk vs. Allin) some extra attention and that is what Rampage can be very good for in the future. Good show, and the kind of thing that AEW has been needing.

Results
Malakai Black b. Lee Johnson – Black Mass into a chair
Kris Statlander b. Rebel/Jamie Hayter – Arm trap Boston crab to Rebel
Darby Allin b. Daniel Garcia – Last Supper

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Dynamite
Date: September 1, 2021
Location: Now Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

It’s the go home show for All Out and that means it’s time for the big push to the show. As you might have guessed, CM Punk is back in the house and the ovation should crazy all over again. It’s also the 100th edition of Dynamite and that means we might be seeing something of a look back. AEW has always done those well so let’s get to it.

Here is Rampage if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Santana/Ortiz vs. FTR

Tully Blanchard is here with FTR, who have Bobby Eaton themed trunks for a very nice moment. Harwood headlocks Santana down to start and then shoulders him down for a bonus. They chop it out and Santana gets knocked into the ropes. Everything breaks down in a hurry with FTR being sent outside, where Wheeler holds his bad arm. The big flip dives take FTR down and the springboard flip dives do it again.

Back in and Harwood tags his way out of a belly to back suplex so Wheeler can send Ortiz into the post. Now it’s time to work on Ortiz’s arm out of the old Anderson playbook, because FTR respects the classics. The turnbuckle pad is taken off somewhere in there and the arm is wrapped around the exposed buckle. Ortiz uses the good arm to blast Wheeler for a breather and the hot tag brings in Santana to start cleaning house.

Three Amigos have Harwood in trouble and the frog splash gets two. Wheeler comes back in and knocks Ortiz into Harwood’s brainbuster (how FTR won before) for two more. Santana breaks up a double suplex so Ortiz can small package Harwood for two. Harwood shoves Santana off the top and Wheeler plants Ortiz with a Gory Bomb for his own near fall.

The PowerPlex is broken up but the Big Rig plants Ortiz….and Santana comes off the top to drive Harwood into the cover for the save. That was a heck of a great save. Santana grabs a cutter on Wheeler though and it’s a middle rope Codebreaker into a double belly to back faceplant to give Santana the pin at 13:33.

Rating: B. This was what you would expect from these two teams as they tarted a bit more slowly and then wrestled a back and forth match. It wasn’t about the flips and dives and everything else and it made for a good showcase. These guys stood out because they did something differently and it stood out, as it should have.

Daniel Garcia and 2.0 don’t like Darby Allin overlooking them for the sake of CM Punk. This week on Rampage, Garcia is going to hurt Allin and take the match away from everyone.

Here is CM Punk for a chat. Punk asks if the fans are sick of him yet, because he could do this kind of thing for months. There are people who are going to get tired of this in a hurry, but he isn’t one of them so he’ll keep at it. This could all end for him on Sunday because he hasn’t wrestled in seven years and he is a little nervous. Cue Daniel Garcia and 2.0 for the beatdown (marking Punk’s first time getting physical in AEW) but Darby Allin and Sting come in for the save. Finishers abound, including the GTS.

Punk and Allin go nose to nose but Sting separates them. Hold on though as Punk has to clear out a bit more of the ring, allowing Sting to say he always wanted to share a ring with Punk. Sting respects him and it felt good to clear things out a bit like that. It’s time to get traffic out of the way for All Out and that includes Sting himself. Therefore, you won’t be seeing him at All Out because Allin and Punk are ready for Showtime without him. They have done a great job of making this feel like an epic dream match.

Video on Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage, with various AEW names taking sides and talking about how Christian is one of the few people who can say they have beaten Omega in AEW.

We get a sitdown interview with Tony Schiavone and MJF. Tony doesn’t want to be here but MJF cuts him off and lists off most of Chris Jericho’s nicknames and ring names from over the years (including Cowboy Chris Jericho). After four decades, Jericho is on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling. When MJF’s career is said and done though, he is going to take Jericho’s place. Jericho is like Muhammad Ali, who was great once but he kept coming back for more. Then one day he had to be taken out, just like Jericho. On Sunday, Jericho’s music ends. The Ali analogy was good stuff, as is most of what MJF tends to say.

Orange Cassidy vs. Jack Evans

Matt Hardy is here with Evans and jumps Cassidy before the bell. Cassidy can go so Evans hammers away to start, including a shot to the back of the head and a kick to the chest. Cassidy makes the comeback but Evans bails to the floor before the Orange Punch. Back in and a high crossbody gives Cassidy two, followed by a Michinoku Driver for the same.

The lazy kicks abound, with Tony explaining that they aren’t supposed to hurt. We go to a standing switch (earning the boo/yay treatment) until Cassidy heads back up. Another high crossbody is broken up but Evans’ superplex attempt is blocked as well as we take a break. Back with….well Cassidy celebrating actually, as he won with a small package during the break at 6:48.

Rating: C. Totally fine way to keep Cassidy’s momentum going, though anything involving the Hardy Family Office is going to feel like a downgrade. I do like the way the ending went though, as it is enough of a twist to keep things interesting. Far too often, a show can fall into a repetitive formula so well done on mixing things up a bit for a change.

Post match here is Matt Hardy again and the beatdown is on. The Best Friends run in for the save but the rest of the Hardy Family Office runs in for the real beatdown. Cue Jurassic Express for the real save.

Eddie Kingston thinks Miro’s neck is a weak spot so he’s going after it. That strategy didn’t work when the Executioner said he was going after Tito Santana’s leg at the first Wrestlemania so I doubt it works here. Eddie is coming for the title, because that’s what makes Miro God’s favorite champion.

Miro says he only lays down for his wife after a title defense so he’s ending Kingston.

Jon Moxley has respect for Satoshi Kojima but that ends when the bell rings. He’s going back home to Cincinnati next week and he’s bringing Kojima’s scalp.

Jim Ross is in the ring and brings out Chris Jericho for a chat. Jericho says welcome to Chicago Is Jericho to (kind of) bust out one of the classics. It seems like a good time to hearken back to the past because he started his main event journey in this business here in Chicago. The man who recruited him to start that journey is the man standing in the ring with him, which earns a JR nod.

Jericho remembers signing the contract with JR, but now he wants to say that MJF is a piece of s***. He’s also diabolical and calculated, just like Jericho. They’re both button pushers and confident, so the only thing MJF has over him are three victories, and Jericho lists off the dates. Jericho doesn’t want it to be the end of his in-ring career and the fans certainly agree. He has to know he can beat MJF but if something goes wrong and he does lose, he is going to go to that commentary desk and do his best. Jericho has to know if he can win though and he’ll see what he can do on Sunday. Oh and MJF is a little p****. More good here.

Darby Allin will die to beat CM Punk in Chicago.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Brian Cage

Hook is here with Hobbs and Taz is on commentary. Cage jumps Hobbs in the aisle before the bell and whips him hard into the barricade. They head inside to officially start and a Hook distraction lets lets Hobbs get in some shots from behind. Cage gets knocked into the corner and we take a break.

Back with Hobbs firing off shoulders in the corner and Schiavone saying Britt Baker has some major free agent news. Cage makes the comeback and sends Hobbs flying with an exploder suplex. The Drill Claw is countered so Cage misses a discus lariat, allowing Hobbs to plant him with a spinebuster for two. A knee to the face staggers Hobbs though and Cage grabs an F5. Another Drill Claw is loaded up but Hook offers a distraction. Cue Ricky Starks to hit Cage with the FTW Title so Hobbs can grab Town Business for the pin at 7:23.

Rating: C+. Nice power match here and that’s what you need to see from these two. I’m not wild on the Cage vs. Hobbs feud as it has taken far too long to set things up, but at least there is even more of a reason for Cage to take off a few of Hobbs’ limbs. Good enough of a way to move things forward though, and that’s all it needed to be.

Malakai Black says he has given Lee Johnson a week to atone for his sins, but Johnson has been silent. Therefore, Black will take Johnson out and put two coins over his eyes so Johnson can pay the boatman’s toll in Hades.

Here is the Factory to call out Paul Wight, so here he is in a hurry. The swarm is on in a hurry but Wight cleans house….and the Gunn Club runs in after the ring is already empty. Marshall’s attempt to bring in a chair doesn’t work, so Billy Gunn hits Wight in the bad hip with the chair. Wight gets up so Billy chairs him in the head. Now the Factory comes back in for a cutter from Marshall. Billy Gunn being needed to boost a story is not a good sign.

Britt Baker announces that Jamie Hayter and Reba will be in the Casino Battle Royal. As for her free agent news, a top name has indeed signed with AEW. That would be….Baker herself!

Penelope Ford vs. Tay Conti

Bunny is here with Ford and Conti dives onto both of them before the bell. Conti grabs something like a dragon sleeper to hammer away with forearms to the chest and a pump kick gets two. We take a break and come back with Ford missing the handspring elbow into the corner and missing a running boot as well.

Conti scores with a high crossbody but Ford sends her throat first into the bottom rope. The Muta Lock is escaped and Conti grabs a leg crank of her own. That’s broken up so Conti hits some running boots in the corner. A fireman’s carry gutbuster plants Conti for two, with the bad leg slowing down the near fall. Bunny’s trip fails so Conti sends Ford into Bunny and grabs the rollup pin at 8:28.

Rating: C+. These two have gotten better in the ring with Conti being one of the best success stories in a long time around here. What matters here is that the two of them have gotten so much more comfortable in the ring and can have a good match like this one. The fans are into Conti as well and that’s a positive sign for her in-ring future.

Post match the double beatdown is on but Anna Jay makes the return for the save. She’s in the Casino Battle Royal too.

Thunder Rosa gets interrupted before she can talk about the battle royal so Nyla Rose and Jade Cargill beat her down. Mark Sterling breaks up the fight.

All Out rundown, including a special look at MJF vs. Chris Jericho.

Jurassic Express/Lucha Bros vs. Young Bucks/Good Brothers

Marko Stunt and Brandon Cutler are here too, with Don Callis joining commentary. Gallows and Luchasaurus start with the big showdown with Gallows driving him into the corner. The suplex is reversed into one from Luchasaurus though and it’s off to Fenix vs. Nick. The pace picks up and the Lucha Bros and Bucks come in for a superkick off. Matt knocks Penta down and some pelvic thrusting takes us to a break. Back with Jungle blasting Anderson with a clothesline on the floor and bringing in Fenix to pick the pace way up.

House is cleaned, including the very springboardy armdrag to Nick. A Death Valley Driver sets up the Lucha version of What’s Up for two more. Another Bucks vs. Bros kickoff gives us a four way knockdown and it’s back to Luchasaurus to clean house. Nick is shoved off the top and onto the Good Brothers. Back in and Anderson gets chokeslammed for two but Cutler offers a distraction, setting up a Magic Killer for two on Fenix. The BTE Trigger only has the Bucks’ knees clashing together but they counter Fenix’s springboard into the Meltzer Driver for the pin at 10:11.

Rating: B-. It was fun while it lasted but this was shorter than the usual wild tag matches. The Bucks got in their big beatdown on Fenix, which makes me think that the title change on Sunday is that much more likely. That is certainly the way things should go, as there is no reason for the Bucks to hold onto the belts any longer. Good match, but not as wild and crazy as you would have expected.

Post match here are Kenny Omega and Don Callis to lead the beatdown on the Bros and the Express. A Magic Killer puts Luchasaurus through a table and Omega tells Jungle that he isn’t in contention anymore. Christian Cage runs in but the beatdown is on again. Omega tells Callis to lower the cage so everyone is locked in (minus the top). Dante Martin and Frankie Kazarian come in but get knocked down, mainly via sprays to the face. The big group beatdown is on and the BTE Trigger knocks Christian silly to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. They did a very nice job of making me want to see the pay per view and that was the point of the entire show. It was a good use of two hours and the action was working as well. If they can raise their game up for the pay per view even more, then everything should work out well in the end. Nice show here, and better than last week by a pretty wide margin.

Results
Santana/Ortiz b. FTR – Double spinning belly to back slam
Orange Cassidy b. Jack Evans – Small package
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Brian Cage – Town Business
Tay Conti b. Penelope Ford – Rollup
Young Bucks/Good Brothers b. Jurassic Express/Lucha Bros – Meltzer Driver to Fenix

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Rampage
Date: August 27, 2021
Location: UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Mark Henry, Taz, Excalibur, Chris Jericho

We’re on to week #3 and they might have a bit of a hard time beating out last week’s show. Rampage has become a lot of fun in a hurry though as the hour run time is a great change of pace over the full two hours of Dynamite. I’m not sure how a taped show is going to work but I doubt it matters that much. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles #1 Contenders Tournament Finals: Jurassic Express vs. Lucha Bros

The winners get the Young Bucks, who come out to watch, at All Out. Jungle and Fenix run the ropes to start until Fenix gets onto the ropes for his nutty bouncing into an armdrag. Jungle isn’t sure what to do so it’s off to Luchasaurus vs. Penta. After taking a long time to take the glove off, Penta tries a charge at Luchasaurus and gets kicked in the head. Everyone gets knocked down for a breather as NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is watching in the front row.

We take a break and come back with Luchasaurus and Penta coming back in with the former getting to clean house. A double clothesline drops the Bros and the standing moonsault gets two on Penta. Fenix is back up and kicks Luchasaurus down, setting up the frog splash (complete with Eddie dance). Jungle comes back in with a clothesline into a poisonrana on Fenix and it’s a tiger driver into the Snare Trap.

Penta breaks it up and hits a backbreaker for two on Jungle. Penta is taken outside where Marko Stunt and Luchasaurus hold him in place, only to have Fenix walk the ropes to hurricanrana Jungle onto the pile. There’s the Canadian Destroyer to drop Jungle onto the apron, followed by Fenix hitting one of his own for one on Luchasaurus. The Bros hit the series of superkick to Luchasaurus and the assisted wheelbarrow splash gets two. The assisted Fear Factor finally finishes Luchasaurus at 12:15.

Rating: B-. Another nutty tag match with one crazy spot after another, as has become the tradition around here. The Bros are LONG overdue for another title program and I’m wanting to see what they can do with the Bucks in the cage. It is high time for the Bucks to drop the titles and this should be a good place to do just that.

Post match the Young Bucks come out for the staredown but the Lucha Bros and Jurassic Express clear the ring.

We get a video on CM Punk’s debut, leading into a look at Punk vs. Darby Allin at All Out.

Miro comes to the ring, though he comes out by kicking Fuego del Sol down the ramp. T
hey get inside, with Miro demanding that Fuego show his face to the Lord. The mask is ripped off, and here is Eddie Kingston for the brawl with Miro. The brawl is on and referees break it up, though Miro seems very pleased by the challenge.

Tay Conti vs. The Bunny

Bunny jumps her before the bell and hits a sliding forearm in the corner for a slightly delayed two. Back up and Conti unloads with some chops in the corner but Bunny knocks her into the ropes. We hear about Conti’s martial arts background, allowing Henry to say “it doesn’t matter if you know karate if someone know ka-razy.” Conti is back up with a belly to back swinging faceplant into a swinging Boss Man Slam. A knee to the face connects and the Tay-KO rocks Bunny as Penelope Ford comes out. The distraction lets Blade slip Bunny the brass knuckles for the knockout pin at 4:33.

Rating: C. The action was moving out there and the ending worked well as Conti seems to need an ally. Bunny and Ford make sense as a team in the Casino Battle Royal, which is one of those ideas that is suitable for villains in such a match. Conti should be a dark horse favorite in the match and it wouldn’t stun me to see her win the whole thing.

All Out rundown, now including Miro defending the TNT Title against Eddie Kingston.

We get the weekly split screen interview between Christian Cage/Frankie Kazarian vs. Kenny Omega/Brandon Cutler. Omega can’t wait to drop Christian on his head with the One Winged Angle and send the fans home happy. Christian knows he has already hurt Omega and now he wants the big one at All Out. Tonight, make sure you get in the ring because they don’t want any of this Cutler stooge stuff.

Kenny Omega/Brandon Cutler vs. Christian Cage/Frankie Kazarian

Don Callis is here with Omega and Cutler. Kazarian throws Cutler around with ease, which shouldn’t be the biggest surprise. Omega comes in and chokes Kazarian in the corner but misses a charge. A Russian legsweep drops Omega and it’s back to Cutler so Christian can choke away on the ropes. Kazarian drops Cutler on the top rope for a kick to the face so Michael Nakazawa gets in a laptop shot tot he back. This has a grand total of no effect, allowing Omega to clothesline Kazarian down.

Back in and Cutler misses a dancing elbow, setting up the hot tag to Christian. Some chops have Cutler cringing in the corner but Omega breaks up the right hands. Christian slips out of the One Winged Angle and hammers on both of them at once. The reverse DDT lays out both villains but Omega crotches Christian against the post. Omega V Triggers Cutler by mistake and walks out, leaving Cutler to get speared and Killswitched for the pin at 8:27.

Rating: C+. This was mainly a storytelling match as there was no way two stars like Cage and Kazarian were losing to Omega and his lackey. They got the ending right too as Omega bailing on Cutler fits him perfectly and leaves Cutler to take the fall. It was a perfectly fine match and the did what they needed to do to keep up the All Out build.

Overall Rating: C+. Much more down to earth show this week and while Rampage is more or less the third hour of Dynamite, it serves a nice purpose. I would much, much rather have it be a show like this than a place to put the Gunn Club and the Factory and the Wingmen. The show wasn’t must see, but for an hour of television where two new All Out matches were set, it worked out just fine.

Results
Lucha Bros b. Jurassic Express – Spike Fear Factor to Luchasaurus
Bunny b. Tay Conti – Brass knuckles punch
Christian Cage/Frankie Kazarian b. Kenny Omega/Brandon Cutler – Killswitch to Cutler

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Dynamite
Date: August 25, 2021
Location: UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

Then everything changed. CM Punk made his, ahem, surprise debut last week on Rampage in what might be the greatest moment AEW has had in its history. Other than that….I mean does anything else really matter? All Out is in a week and a half and most of the card seems to be set but there are still some spots available. Let’s get to it.

Here is Rampage if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We get a quick clip from Punk’s debut on Rampage.

Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Hardy

No seconds here for a change. We open with the DELETE vs. lazy kicks, which I think we’ve seen before. Matt breaks up the lazy superkick though and reaches into his own pockets to pull out money. Cassidy hits the dropkick into the nipup, complete with hands in his pockets. Then he picks up the money and put it into his pocket. Well some of it at least, as he would rather dive onto Matt, who catches him with the Side Effect on the floor.

Cassidy’s ribs are wrapped around the post and it’s back inside (with a bunch of money on the mat) for some belly to back suplexes. Matt stops to pick up a bunch of money and even steals the money back from Cassidy (as he should, since Cassidy is a thief). Cassidy tries to fight back but Beach Break is countered into a nasty Splash Mountain for two. The Twist of Fate is blocked though and Cassidy takes him down.

A high crossbody lands on Hardy’s face and Hardy is busted open. Cassidy goes up, hits the Jeff Hardy pose, and puts his hands in his pockets for the Swanton. Hardy blocks a Twist of Fate and a top rope elbow hits Cassidy’s back again. Then Cassidy grabs his own Twist of Fate for two as Matt’s blood is all over Cassidy. Hardy tries a guillotine choke but Cassidy reverses into a cradle with his hands in the pockets for the pin at 10:08.

Rating: C+. The match was good enough, despite it having a lot of comedy and being two guys I’m not fond of most of the time. Cassidy should be beating Hardy, who doesn’t need to be going over just about anyone at this point. Also, it was very, very refreshing to have a straight match without 437 people getting involved at the same time.

Aleister Black is ready to destroy Arn Anderson’s son, plus the rest of the Nightmare Family. That could take a whole lot of destructing.

Here is Chris Jericho to talk about tapping out to MJF last week. Jericho talks about the Labors of Jericho and how he came up short in the grand finale. It has become a mantra for him: “BEAT MJF! BEAT MJF! BEAT MJF!” Jericho has an idea for a final match between them but MJF won’t come out. His idea is one more match at All Out, where he will put his career on the line.

Cue MJF with a “MJF – 3, Jeriblow – 0” shirt, to say this is getting a little embarrassing. He knows Jericho needed a rub from the fastest rising star in the history of professional wrestling, but the cash cow’s udders are sore. Last week, MJF made him tap out faster than someone listening to a Fozzy CD, but the idea of Jericho never wrestling again is too much to pass up so the match is on. That was about the only way they could go after last week.

The Varsity Blonds say they’re a real family and they’re ready to beat the Lucha Bros.

Tag Team Title #1 Contenders Tournament First Round: Varsity Blonds vs. Lucha Bros

Julia Hart is here with the Blonds and the Elite comes out to watch. Garrison can’t get very far with Fenix so it’s off to Pillman to superkick Penta. A running hurricanrana takes Penta down but he is right back with a Sling Blade. Back from a break with Penta taking down both Blonds and handing it back to Fenix for a bunch of kicks.

The rolling cutter gets two on Pillman and everything breaks down, including Fenix hitting a very fast suicide dive onto the Blonds. Back in and Pillman hits a heck of a powerbomb for two on Fenix. Garrison adds a springboard elbow but Penta makes the save this time. The Bros send Garrison outside and it’s an assisted Fear Factor for the pin at 8:23.

Rating: C+. It was fun while it lasted and the right team won in the end. The Lucha Bros are about as awesome of a team as you’re going to find when they are on a roll and that was the case there. What mattered here was getting the right team moving forward, and the Varsity Blonds will have their day (eventually).

Post match Jurassic Express joins the Lucha Bros in the ring. The Elite tries to come in and are knocked off the apron in a hurry.

Video on Pac vs. Andrade.

All Out rundown, now including Britt Baker defending the Women’s Title against Kris Statlander.

Jamie Hayter vs. Red Velvet

Hayter has Britt Baker and Rebel in her corner. Hayter wastes no time in throwing Velvet into the corner for the choking. Velvet manages to send her to the floor for back to back suicide dives (with Hayter going flat down for a different kind of selling). A hard posting drops Velvet and Baker gets in a few cheap shots as we take a break. Back with Velvet winning a slugout and hitting a running elbow against the ropes. Some running knees connect on the ropes but Baker offers a distraction, allowing Hayter to hit a hard lariat for the pin at 6:53.

Rating: C. Velvet got in some offense here and that should have been the case when she was getting the title shot just two weeks ago. Hayter needs to get a few wins to establish herself as someone to beat and this was a good step. Put her over someone Baker beat so that Hayter looks like she is on a higher level.

Post match the beatdown is on but Kris Statlander makes the save.

The Dark Order doesn’t seem to be on the same page over, uh, Page. Alex Reynolds doesn’t like what Evil Uno has been saying and walks out, with John Silver going with him. Uno tries to apologize but the rest of the team isn’t thrilled either.

Tony Schiavone brings out CM Punk for a chat. Punk is asked what one thing brought him back to wrestling, but Punk can’t hear over all of the people. Punk lists off some of the younger wrestlers who he wants to face, but there is one guy who has gotten his attention first. He’s going to retire the nickname Voice of the Voiceless because there are people who have a voice and there are people who listen.

Punk has been looking at someone like Darby Allin who looks like he is willing to kill himself. There are people asking if Punk can still go and if he still has it to be the best in the world. He looks at Allin and sees someone who would have been Punk’s favorite wrestler at 15 years old. Allin isn’t the biggest or the strongest but he has heart.

Can Punk still do it? Fans: “YES! YES! YES!” Punk: “That’s someone else’s thing and you just have to wait a little longer.” He’ll see Allin in Chicago and loves his wife April. Punk gets a very strong sendoff. This was a straight promo from Punk and it was a good way to set up the Darby match at All Out.

Miro talks about how he will forgive Fuego del Sol but he is going to drag Eddie Kingston under the water because he is the Redeemer. Bring him the Mad King before he burns this place to the ground.

Eddie Kingston/Jon Moxley/Darby Allin vs. Wingmen

Sting and Peter Avalon are here too. Allin chokes the much bigger JD Drake to start and sends him outside. The big dive has to be canceled so Ryan Nemeth swivels his hips at Kingston. A single chop gets rid of him so Cezar Bononi comes in to shrug off Kingston’s chops. Moxley tags himself in and a double shoulder clears the ring.

We take a break and come back with Moxley suplexing Bononi and it’s Kingston coming in to strike away on Drake. Moxley has to save Kingston from a Vader Bomb with a bite to Drake’s face, allowing Allin to hit a super Code Red. Avalon gets beaten up on the floor as Nemeth tries to bring in a chair. That goes horrible, and it’s a flipping Stunner into the Coffin Drop to finish Drake at 7:40.

Rating: C. This was a total weekend show main event and that’s all it needed to be. I was worried about the Wingmen giving three much bigger names too much of a problem but they got out of there just in time. Good enough match here, even if it was just a workout for the openers.

Post match everyone else is brawling on the floor so here is Daniel Garcia to jump Allin from behind.

Tay Conti is ready for the Casino Battle Royal but the Bunny comes in to offer her a spot in the Hardy Family Office. The contract is ripped up with a NO and the fight is on.

FTR wants one more match with Santana and Ortiz.

Here is the Elite to promise to take out Christian Cage. Cue Cage, to show a video of Don Callis hyping up the ten year old Kenny Omega, which is why he fired Christian. Back in the ring, Omega says that makes him like Vince McMahon, Verne Gagne or Eddie Graham, but this isn’t Greg Gagne or Eric Watts. Christian accuses Callis of manipulating Omega, who asks Christian “You think you know me?” Callis takes off his pink suit and the group beatdown is on until Frankie Kazarian runs in for the save with a lead pipe.

Jon Moxley sent a contract to New Japan and got it sent back with one signature. Satoshi Kojima has signed the deal and Moxley is ready to send him out in a blaze of glory. Moxley wants to do some horrible things to Kojima and he’ll see him at All Out.

Gunn Club vs. The Factory

Paul Wight is on commentary. Comoroto gets sent outside to start and it’s off to Solow, who gets taken down by Austin. Marshall gets in a cheap shot though and we take a break. Back with Colton coming in to clean house as everything breaks down. Marshall stops to yell at Wight though and the distraction lets Colton grab the small package win at 5:51. Not enough shown to rate, but it was just a way to mess with Marshall.

Dan Lambert, with the Men of the Year, rants about wrestling fans being soft and how they all want their safe spaces. Those people need to believe in men like these two, and there may be hope for them yet.

Arn Anderson knows that his son Brock is in over his head and he’s probably going to lose to Malaki Black. He’ll be there with his son though.

Brock Anderson vs. Malakai Black

Brock takes him down and hammers away but Black unloads with strikes in the corner. Hold on though as Black yells at Arn, allowing Brock to get in a few shots to the leg. That earns Brock a suplex and Black Mass, making Arn cringe. The delayed pin finishes Brock at 2:29.

Post match Arn comes in to check on Brock but Black has a chair. Arn is ready to fight and blocks a kick to the head. He can’t block a low blow though and then the kick to the head drops Arn. Lee Johnson runs in for the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This wasn’t the must see episode as it was much more about having the people involved in the bigger stories talking rather than wrestling. That being said, this is the show that All Out has been needing as everything else has been cleared out and the pay per view could get some focus. It’s not a show you need to watch, but there was some good storyline advancement and nothing bad up and down the show.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Matt Hardy – Rollup
Lucha Bros b. Varsity Blonds – Assisted Fear Factor to Pillman
Jamie Hayter b. Red Velvet – Lariat
Eddie Kingston/Darby Allin/Jon Moxley b. Wingmen – Coffin Drop to Drake
Gunn Club b. The Factory – Small package to Marshall
Malaki Black b. Brock Anderson – Black Mass

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Rampage
Date: August 20, 2021
Location: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Jim Ross, Mark Henry, Excalibur, Taz

So this is a weird show as there is a big surprise, but everyone knows exactly what it is going to be. AEW has all but said what is going to happen here and that just leaves the question of how it goes down. There are a few ways to do that and I’m rather excited about what is going to happen. Let’s get to it.

Here are Dynamite’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

The crowd is already changing for CM PUNK…..and here he is to open the show. Punk takes his time getting to the ring and is clearly shaken up by this. Punk even dives over the barricade into the crowd and hugs a lot of people at ringside. After a break, Punk says you know how to make a guy feel like Britt Baker in Pittsburgh. Punk says he’s winging this and while he can’t get to everything tonight, he has a lot of time on Wednesdays, Fridays and four Saturdays/Sundays a year.

One important thing: if any of his decisions have ever made anyone feel disappointed or let down, he had to leave because he needed to get out of there so he can feel healthy. After taking off his jacket to reveal the CM PUNK: I WAS THERE shirt, Punk sits down Pipebomb style to talk about how he left Ring of Honor with tears in his eyes. He knew that he was leaving a place where wrestlers could learn their craft and love professional wrestling. While he was leaving Ring of Honor, he also left professional wrestling.

On August 20, 2021, he is back in professional wrestling because he wants to work with that same talent that he wishes he could have faced before. He is here to settle some scores and for some young guys, so he calls out Darby Allin…..who is in the rafters with Sting. Punk knows Allin is good and he’s seen him do some crazy things in and out of the ring. Punk knows Allin is crazy and there is nothing crazier than facing Punk in Chicago on pay per view on September 5 at All Out. Oh and one more thing: seven years is a long time, and on your way out, enjoy a free ice cream bar on him. And commentary actually has ice cream!

Christian Cage is fired up for Kenny Omega and tells Jurassic Express to go get the Tag Team Titles.

#1 Contenders Tag Team Tournament First Round: Private Party vs. Jurassic Express

Matt Hardy and Marko Stunt are both here too and the Young Bucks come out to watch. Kassidy takes Jungle down to start and it’s quickly off to Quen, who is armdragged in a hurry. Jungle takes Kassidy down as well but a distraction lets Private Party get in a quick double team to take over.

Back with Jungle hitting a clothesline and bringing in Luchasaurus (But…..he wasn’t even fighting out of a chinlock!), who puts Boy on his shoulders for some reason. That lets Quen hit a super Canadian Destroyer (with Jungle landing on his face because THAT’S A REALLY SCARY MOVE), followed by a springboard shooting star….well it’s a shove because only his hands graze Luchasaurus but at least he made contact. Back in and the Silly String is countered into the Extinction Level Event for two, followed by the Throwassic Express for the pin on Quen at 10:21.

Rating: C+. Private Party is like the Hardys if the Hardys weren’t very good. They can do the flips and dives and such and every now and then, one of them will actually work. This had the right ending and it would not surprise me a bit to see Jurassic Express get to the title match at All Out. That seems to be the story they are telling and that is more than a good enough idea.

Jade Cargill vs. Kiera Hogan

Hogan goes right at her but walks into Jaded (with some walking around) for the pin at 1:07.

Daniel Garcia, with 2.0, and Jon Moxley get this week’s split screen interview. 2.0 talks about how ready they are for this, with Moxley speaking really fast about how he isn’t going down tonight.

Daniel Garcia vs. Jon Moxley

2.0 is here with Garcia. Moxley doesn’t waste time in starting but Garcia takes him down by the leg. The leglock is countered into a cross armbreaker, followed by some rolling German suplexes. Garcia picks the ankle for an ankle lock but Moxley is in the ropes in a hurry. A heck of a clothesline blasts Garcia but the Paradigm Shift is countered into something like a nasty Sharpshooter. Moxley is fine enough to reverse into a bulldog choke for the tap at 4:06.

Rating: C+. They didn’t have much time here but I continue to like Garcia. Moxley wasn’t really in danger but it was nice to see him have to figure Garcia out and then make him tap. That’s about all you could get out of this one but Garcia could be good with a little more polish and a few wins.

Post match 2.0 comes in but Eddie Kingston comes in for the failed save attempt. Sting and Darby Allin come in for the real save. The beatdown is on and it’s a double Coffin Drop onto 2.0. Posing ends the show.

Overall Rating: B+. The best description I’ve heard of this show was “it’s a one thing show, but it’s a BIG thing”. This was all about Punk’s debut and that worked as well as you could have expected. I don’t know what else you could ask for here and the wrestling being pretty good was just a bonus. This was a pretty special event and that’s what it was supposed to be. Total success.

Results
Jurassic Express b. Private Party – Throwassic Express to Quen
Jade Cargill b. Kiera Hogan – Jaded
Jon Moxley b. Daniel Garcia – Bulldog choke

Dynamite
Date: August 18, 2021
Location: Fertitta Center, Houston, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

We’re still on the way to both All Out and the First Dance, meaning we could be in for an interesting night. AEW knows how to put on a good show out of nowhere and things were a little bit flat last week. There is a good chance that they can come up with something big here, as Kenny Omega is not going to be happy with losing to Christian Cage last week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Commentary previews the card.

Here are Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston but 2.0 and Daniel Garcia jump them in the crowd. 2.0 wants Sting and Darby Allin right now.

Sting/Darby Allin vs. 2.0

Texas Tornado rules and Allin jumps 2.0 from behind with the skateboard. The running charges in the corner rock 2.0 and it’s time for the brawl to head into the crowd. They make it up to what looks like a VIP area with Daniel Garcia getting in on the beating. 2.0 lifts Allin up into a piece of the ceiling and Sting is sent into a wall.

Sting is taken back to ringside but Allin runs down the barricade to break it up. Eddie Kingston comes back in to make the save as a table is thrown in. Kingston and Garcia fight off as Allin is suplexed onto his skateboard. Sting is powerbombed through a table and pops back up, setting up the double Scorpion Death Drop and the double Deathlock makes 2.0 tap at 6:15.

Rating: C-. This is a match where the wrestling wasn’t the point and that’s fine. The lack of any semblance of rules was the fight call for Sting and beating up a couple of goons like this doesn’t hurt anyone. I’m not sure how wise it was to burn through a Sting match on free TV, but at least it was a fun one.

Earlier tonight, Sammy Guevara proposed to his girlfriend in the ring, getting a yes.

Shawn Spears and Tully Blanchard are happy for Sammy (Shawn: “Slim pickings in Houston.”) and promise to let the girlfriend be in the Pinnacle. For tonight, she can be on top for once.

Sammy Guevara vs. Shawn Spears

Sammy is the hometown boy but Spears jumps him from behind on the ramp. That’s fine with Sammy, who tosses him down for the big running flip dive. A missed charge sends Sammy knees first into the steps though and Tully Blanchard joins in on a spike piledriver on the floor. Now we get the opening bell so Tully loads up another spike, only to get ejected in a hurry. Back in and Sammy grabs a rollup for two but the chop off sends us to a break.

We come back with both guys on top and a piece of barricade loaded up between the ring and the barricade. Guevara busts out a jumping super cutter for two but Spears hits a super C4 for the same. They head to the apron and Sammy hits a C4 (not a Death Valley Driver Excalibur, you proper name psycho) onto the barricade. The 630 (What spike piledriver onto the floor?) gets two (good grief) and the GTH finally puts Spears away at 9:59.

Rating: C+. It was certainly high energy, but dang there was a lot going on here and not in the best way. There were far too many finishers being burned through, meaning I was left sitting here with a “REALLY?” look on my face a few too many times. This needs to be the end of the feud too, as there is nothing left for these two to do against each other. Good action, horrible use of finishers, which tends to be the case around here a lot of the time.

Post match a bleeding Guevara kisses his fiance.

Don Callis talks to Christian Cage about how he got Christian into wrestling 25 years ago. Now Callis is on top of the wrestling world and Cage is….well he’s here too. Cage calls him some rather unpleasant names.

Here is Dan Lambert to rant about how AEW is on the cancel culture train. The people around here got triggered and AEW sent out Lance Archer out here to hit a 52 year old main the place. Lambert has former UFC Heavyweight Champions Andre Arlovski and Junior Dos Santos and if you’re feeling froggy, come out here and jump.

Lambert keeps going and talking about how AEW fans are all pathetic and have nothing better to do than play Dungeons and Dragons and look up creepy stuff on the dark web. Cue Lance Archer but the Men of the Year jump him from behind. Lambert is a better talker than 90% of the roster. Also, the Men of the Year can beat down Lance Archer?

Chris Jericho talks about all of the Labors he has had to go through to get here. Tonight, he has no Judas Effect and no Judas theme song, but the Friends of Jericho will sing it for him.

Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks vs. Jurassic Express

The Bucks are defending and have Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa, Don Callis and the Good Brothers with them, while Marko Stunt is with the Express. Callis goes to commentary to clear things out a bit. Nick is sent outside and busts out the cold spray so Jungle dives onto him.

Back in and it’s off to Luchasaurus to throw mat around and chop both Bucks down. It’s back to Jungle, who sends Matt to the apron for a running hurricanrana over the top to the floor. We come back from a break with Luchasaurus coming in to clean house. The Tail Whip sets up the Extinction Level Event for a delayed two on Matt. Back up and a double superkick drops Luchasaurus and it’s the Indytaker on Jungle with a backsplash to Luchasaurus at the same time for a near fall.

Cue Kenny Omega to hit Marko Stunt with a chair so here is Christian Cage to take care of Omega. The rest of the Elite gets on the apron but Jungle hits a brainbuster onto the chair for a VERY delayed two on Matt. Thurassic Express gets two on Matt with Nick making another save. Nakazawa offers a distraction so Luchasaurus dives onto everyone outside. The BTE Trigger finishes Jungle at 11:45.

Rating: C+. It was another fun match from the Bucks, even with them surviving everything. That’s a big AEW problem and it’s worse with the Bucks than anyone else. I can go with them not losing the titles on Dynamite, but did they really have to pin Jungle Boy to retain here?

Post match Christian is dragged back to the ring and the huge beatdown is on, with Callis getting in a few shots of his own. The One Winged Angel connects and Callis counts the pin. This was the latest Elite beatdown.

Britt Baker brags about her win on Rampage and introduces Jamie Hayter. Jamie is friends with Baker from way back and was glad to come in and help her out.

Video on Matt Hardy vs. Orange Cassidy.

Here is Paul Wight for a chat about how great it was to be back in the ring last week. QT Marshall and company interrupt and say they would get in here and take him out but Marshall knows something. We see x-rays of Wight’s hip with a bunch of metal in it, meaning he can’t do much. Wight says it doesn’t matter, because he is facing Marshall at All Out. Marshall gives a great shocked face. It’s almost as shocking as AEW still trying to make Marshall a thing.

The Elite celebrates, but Tony Schiavone announces a tournament for a future Tag Team Title shot at All Out……inside a cage.

Taz brings out Ricky Starks, who wants to bring out Brian Cage. We cut to the back where Powerhouse Hobbs is standing over Cage…..who stands up and fights back. That’s too much for Starks so cut the feed.

Death Triangle is ready for All Out but Chavo Guerrero and Andrade come in. Chavo has some terms for the All Out match and hands Pac a phone book sized contract. Point for a funny visual.

Thunder Rosa vs. Penelope Ford

Ford doesn’t seem to be in her regular gear. Rosa wastes no time in sending her into the corner for the rapid fire stomping. They head outside in a hurry with Ford nailing a cutter to take us to a break. Back with Ford missing a running boot in the corner and getting caught with a running clothesline. The slingshot knees rock Ford in the corner again but the Fire Thunder Driver is countered into a rollup for two on Rosa. The Muta Lock has Rosa in trouble but she is back up with the Death Valley Driver for two. Ford goes for the legs again but gets pulled down into something like an STF for the tap at 7:59.

Rating: C. This was a good way to have Rosa come back and get a win as she is likely heading for the big showdown against Britt Baker. Ford is perfectly fine in a midcard role like this as she has just enough credibility to make Rosa break a sweat and that’s about all she needs to do. They understood their roles here and the match worked as a result.

We look back at Malakai Black’s debut.

Arn Anderson is a bit scared of Black and next week, his son Brock gets to face Black.

Here’s what’s coming this/next week.

Miro liked hurting Fuego del Sol last week and now he wants Eddie Kingston.

Jon Moxley is sick of all the teams running around here, either in basketball jerseys or Hangman Page not being able to get over his high school drama. Moxley would run through Christian because he is the guy who carried the World Title on his shoulder during dark days around here. It is time to show what it takes to be the top guy around here and if Daniel Garcia wants a taste of the main event, come get it on Rampage. Just make sure that is what you want before you need the ringside doctor checking on you.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Chris Jericho

Jericho can’t use the Judas Effect (leaving him with only three finishers). As expected, the fans sing Judas a cappella, complete with some fans holding up signs with lyrics for a pretty cool moment. The fans are all over MJF and it’s an early Walls attempt to send him outside. Jericho follows him out with a dive but MJF takes Jericho down and steals the camera (ala Jericho). That earns him a big right hand and Jericho grabs the camera to flip it off.

Back in and MJF goes after Jericho’s bad arm to take over. We take a break and come back with Jericho slugging away until another shot to the arm takes him down. Jericho gets in a shot to the face to set up the Lionsault for two though, meaning it’s a surprised kickout. Some clotheslines and right hands in the corner set up a super hurricanrana but MJF reverses into the Salt of the Earth.

That is countered into the Walls but MJF goes for the bad arm to escape. They slug it out until Jericho is sent to the apron for the Heatseeker and another near fall. MJF gets creative by kicking him low (the referees get distracted really easily around here) and grabbing his own Walls of Jericho. The rope grab breaks that up so it’s time for the diamond ring. That’s taken away so Jericho gets in the Floyd shot. Instead of covering, Jericho loads up the Judas Effect but can’t do it. MJF hits one of his own though and it’s the Salt of the Earth to (eventually) make Jericho tap at 15:53.

Rating: B. Good match, with the weird stipulation making Jericho look like a complete buffoon. I would assume this set up either a rematch at All Out or Jericho going on tour with Fozzy, as it was a pretty flat way to end the show Labors story. MJF winning is smart, but it was more a “that’s it?” moment than anything else.

Overall Rating: C+. I wasn’t entirely feeling this one as the show felt a step off. While not complete dominance, it was a pretty heel beatdown heavy show as both the Young Bucks and MJF get big wins. All Out is coming up in about two weeks and the little amount of the card that we have is not thrilling me so far. That is a lot of time, but this show was pretty lacking from a story perspective. The good action brings it up and it’s nowhere near a bad show, but I could go for moving things forward a bit. Kind of like say in Chicago on Friday.

Results
Sting/Darby Allin b. 2.0 – Double Scorpion Deathlock
Sammy Guevara b. Shawn Spears – GTH
Young Bucks b. Jurassic Express – BTE Trigger to Jungle Boy
Thunder Rosa b. Penelope Ford – STF
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Chris Jericho – Salt of the Earth

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Rampage
Date: April 13, 2021
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Mark Henry, Taz

It’s the debut of the secondary show which is actually on television and not full of squashes. I’m not sure what this is going to mean for the company as a whole, but if they can put some stuff on here instead of cramming it all onto Dynamite, we could be in for something good. The card is pretty stacked tonight too so let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage

Omega, with Don Callis, is defending. They go with the feeling out process to start and Christian flips him off in the corner to start the mind games. It’s too early for both guys to hit their finisher and Omega bails to the floor for an early breather. Back in and Omega chops away but Christian knocks him to the apron for the dropkick back to the floor. Hold on though as Callis offers a distraction, allowing Omega to shove Christian down in the big crash.

We take a break and come back with Christian snapping off a snap suplex but Omega catches him on top. The superplex is broken up with a heck of a sunset bomb and Christian hammers away, setting up the stand on the back while Omega is in the ropes. There’s the right hand to the face but Omega is right back with YOU CAN’T ESCAPE into the moonsault for two. Omega knees him in the face, hits a powerbomb and nails the V Trigger for two more. Henry: “That was a heel factor like Wolverine.”

Christian grabs the rope to counter a German suplex out of the corner and avoids another V Trigger, sending Omega knee first into the buckle. The spear gives Christian two but Omega is back with a pair of snapdragons. Christian manages to snap the throat across the top though and a frog splash gets two (and I bought it). Callis gets on the apron for the distraction so the Young Bucks can bring in a chair. The One Winged Angel onto the chair is countered into the Killswitch onto the chair to give Christian the pin and the title at 15:25.

Rating: B. I was surprised by the title change and that’s a nice feeling to have. I’ve spent weeks saying that Omega wasn’t losing anything until he lost the AEW World Title, though having an AEW wrestler beat an AEW wrestler for the Impact World Title is a heck of a way to go. Either way, they had a good match and that’s what matters most here as the new show kicks off.

Post break, Christian, with Jurassic Express and Orange Cassidy, is happy with his win but knows what it is going to take to beat Omega for the AEW World Title. He’s in Omega’s head though and that’s all that matters.

Fuego del Sol is ready to beat Miro.

Miro is ready to beat Fuego del Sol.

TNT Title: Fuego del Sol vs. Miro

Del Sol, with a 1-38 record, is challenging and gets a full time contract if he can pull off the upset. Fuego tornado DDTs Miro before the bell and then does it again after the bell, sending Miro to the floor as Jericho wants to know how a luchador is from Mobile, Alabama. Miro beats the count back in and another tornado DDT gets a close two. Del Sol goes up top again but this time he dives into the Samoan drop. The jumping superkick sets up Game Over to retain the title at 1:59. Exciting while it lasted but this was the only way it was going to go.

Post match, Miro rips up the contract and holds up the title.

Post break, Fuego gets up but Tony Khan (his first time ever on AEW TV outside of being seen in passing in the background) and Sammy Guevara come out. Khan hands Guevara a contract, which he brings to Fuego. Yes Fuego has been around for a long time and is like 1-50, but the people love him and now he is All Elite.

Sting and Darby Allin brood in the rafters.

Mark Henry runs a split screen interview with Red Velvet and Britt Baker. Velvet doesn’t think much of Baker attacking her with a crutch but Baker says she’ll retain the title even with a broken wrist.

Women’s Title: Britt Baker vs. Red Velvet

Baker, with Rebel, is defending and is crazy over in her hometown. They fight over the wrist control to start, which is not a great idea when Baker has a bad wrist. Velvet takes her down but won’t stomp on the arm, which has Jericho and Taz going nuts. Back up and Velvet hits a leg lariat into a moonsault press for two as we take a break. Back with Baker going for Lockjaw but the band hand won’t let her get it in.

Velvet goes after the glove so Rebel offers a distraction, earning an ejection. A moonsault gives Velvet two but Baker is back with a curb stomp (Jericho: “That’s a real curb stomp!”). The Lockjaw is loaded up so Velvet goes for the hand. That’s fine with Baker, who goes with a reverse Lockjaw for the tap to retain at 10:33.

Rating: C+. Velvet was doing everything she could here but the complete lack of drama hurt things. Baker is the most over woman that AEW has ever seen by about ten miles and this was her big homecoming. The match wasn’t great but the crowd reaction lifted it up and that’s ok in a spot like this.

Post match, Baker lays out Velvet again but Kris Statlander makes the save by dropping Baker. Cue Jamie Hayter (who wrestled here way back in 2019 and looks like a discount Becky Lynch) to jump Statlander and pose with Baker to end the show. That was a really questionable choice as Baker was the biggest face in the world on this show and they end it was a virtual unknown returning as her new enforcer to beef up the heel stuff. That’s a weird way to go and I’m really not seeing why they had to do this here in front of this crowd.

Overall Rating: B. This worked really well, with the title change at the beginning making the show feel important and the big Baker entrance feeling special. The Fuego thing probably gets a lot better if you watch Dark/Elevation, though it’s not like a sub two minute match is going to drag a show down that much. The ending…..yeah still not feeling it in that spot, as AEW still needs to learn the concept of enough is enough. Overall, the show felt like a short form Dynamite and that is a rather appealing idea, especially since it’s not tacked on to Dynamite in the first place.

Results
Christian Cage b. Kenny Omega – Killswitch onto a chair
Miro b. Fuego del Sol – Game Over
Britt Baker b. Red Velvet – Lockjaw

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Dynamite
Date: August 11, 2021
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

It’s the Britt Baker Show this week and that is pretty long overdue. Baker has been the best thing about the women’s division, if not the entire company, for a long time now and deserves a big hometown night like this. Other than that, we are getting ready for both All Out and this week Rampage debut. Let’s get to it.

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

MJF, with Wardlow, talk about how Chris Jericho is trying to make his way through the Labors of Jericho, but tonight he is running into a monster. Jericho needs to defeat MJF because he never has before and he can’t handle that. Somehow though, let’s say that he makes it through Wardlow, what do you think is waiting on him? MJF brings up Wardlow losing to Cody Rhodes in the cage last year though and tells him not to mess up again. Wardlow destroys the apple MJF hands him.

Elite vs. Mike Sydal/Matt Sydal/Dante Martin

Don Callis is on commentary and during the entrances, we’re told that Kenny Omega will defend against Christian Cage at All Out. That’s going to get some people talking. Mike gets sent into the corner by Matt Jackson to start but comes back with a rollup for two. Nick comes in and rakes Martin’s eyes but a rather spinning headscissors takes Nick down. Omega comes in to take Martin down and is booed out of the building.

The Sydals come in for double enziguris to Omega, followed by the double baseball slides. Dante is launches out onto them, with Mike joining in but Matt Sydal hanging back. They head back inside with Martin hitting a high crossbody on Matt Jackson (who thankfully is fine after having his leg go underneath him on the landing). Omega comes in to shove Mike down and the Elite starts taking their turns.

The Kitaro Crusher gets two but Mike slips away and gets the hot tag to Matt Sydal. Everything breaks down and the Sydals grab a Muta Lock/Crossface combination on Matt Jackson. That’s broken up by Omega who snaps off some snapdragons. Martin comes in to clean house and then gets the hot tag to clean house again. A running springboard hurricanrana to the floor drops Omega and a moonsault gets two on Matt Jackson.

We hit the parade of shots to the face, capped off by Omega hitting a heck of a V Trigger to Martin. The One Winged Angel is countered though and Martin hits a Pele. Another V Trigger cuts that off but Martin counters a Tiger Driver 98 into a rollup. A third V Trigger and the One Winged Angel plant Martin as the Bucks superkick the Sydals. The BTE V Trigger finishes Martin at 12:18.

Rating: B. Now this was more like it, as the Elite shouldn’t have been sweating these guys and then had to turn it up to pull off the win. Martin’s comebacks against Omega at the win made for a good sequence and more than one of the counters surprised me. Good stuff here and the kind of Elite swagger I can go for on occasion. That being said, this was a breakout performance from Martin, whose high flying stuff looked great and had the fans going nuts.

Post match Callis gets in the ring for a chat but here is Christian Cage to cut them off. The Jurassic Express comes in to even things up a bit and we take a break. Back with Callis taking the mic from Christian, who does get a bit of praise. It’s true that Christian has a great finisher and Omega can’t wait to kick out of it. Christian calls Callis a piece of s*** and then uses….whatever Pittsburgh term he uses for a bad person. Callis says of course Christian isn’t getting his title shot in Pittsburgh, but Christian has heard something else.

See, Omega has a lot of titles, and according to Tony Khan, he’ll be defending the Impact Wrestling World Title on Friday, in the first match of Rampage. The music plays but Jungle Boy says hang on a second. It turns out that he has been talking to Khan as well, so next week on Dynamite, the Jurassic Express gets a shot at the Young Bucks. Omega is so annoyed that he has nothing to say after cutting the music.

We look back at Malakai Black laying out Cody Rhodes last week while talking about how he has one foot on Cody and one foot in the grave.

Cody and Brandi Rhodes have a new reality show starting September 29.

Miro is ready to destroy Fuego del Sol.

Daniel Garcia vs. Darby Allin

Garcia has 2.0 (formerly Ever-Rise) and Allin has Sting. Allin grabs a headlock to start but Garcia shoves him off and shoulders him into an armbar. Garcia takes him into the ropes as one of 2.0 offers a distraction, allowing Garcia to send Allin arm first into the buckle. We take a break and come back with Garcia pulling him off the ropes.

A double arm lock allows Garcia to kick Allin in the head until he can reach the rope with a boot. Garcia slaps him in the back, which just seems to bring Allin back to live. A rear naked choke out of nowhere has Allin in trouble but he flips backwards for two and the break. The flipping Stunner plants Garcia and the Coffin Drop is enough for the pin on Garcia at 10:39.

Rating: C+. I remember seeing a lot of Garcia over Wrestlemania weekend and being impressed. I’m glad to see him getting a chance here and that is a good thing. The same is true of 2.0, who are great at being the goofy lackeys. Allin continues to be built up for something big, and they are certainly teasing the huge showdown in Chicago.

Post match 2.0 goes after Allin but Sting takes them out. Allin gets back up and 2.0 is cleared out in a hurry.

Death Triangle doesn’t like what Andrade El Idolo has been doing to mess with them. Pac says the Lucha Bros are the best and deserve gold. As for Andrade, if he wants some of Pac, come find him.

Orange Cassidy/Chuck Taylor/Wheeler Yuta vs. Matt Hardy/Private Party

Kris Statlander and the rest of the Hardy Family Office are here too. Hardy and Cassidy have the DELETE vs. Pockets staredown to start, with Cassidy putting Hardy’s hand in his own pocket to start. That’s enough for two off a rollup but Hardy is back up with the Side Effect for two. Cassidy rolls away before Matt can launch the middle rope elbow and avoids a charge in the corner.

The falling middle rope splash gets two and it’s Marq Quen coming in to set up a missed Poetry In Motion. Cassidy slow motion kicks Quen in the knee and drops low to set up Yuta’s running charge. Taylor adds Soul Food and Yuta hits something like an Angle Slam for two. The Silly String plants Yuta though and the near fall sends us to a break. Back with everything breaking down and the women getting in an argument on the floor.

Cue Nyla Rose to run Statlander over and Jack Evans to take out Yuta. Everything breaks down and it’s a parade of secondary finishers until Yuta hits a top rope splash for two on Kassidy. Matt sends Taylor into the barricade (and nearly runs a referee over on the way). Gin and Juice hits Yuta but Cassidy makes the save and hits an Orange Punch on Kassidy. Hardy sends Quen into Kassidy and the Twist of Fate finishes Yuta at 9:53.

Rating: C. The action was certainly energized but there were WAY too many people involved in this match. You had all seven members of the Hardy Family Office, Cassidy, Taylor, Statlander, Rose and Yuta. That’s double the amount of people actually in the match and it was way too much going on to keep track of what was happening. Just keep some of them in the back or break it up a bit because a lot of the fun was lost due to the calamity.

Chavo Guerrero is offended by the Death Triangle’s comments but thinks Andrade El Idolo vs. Pac sounds good for All Out.

Santana and Ortiz want to hurt FTR even more because it isn’t over.

Nyla Rose vs. Kris Statlander

Great. Nyla Rose is here twice. Vickie Guerrero and Orange Cassidy are here too. Rose runs her over to start but Statlander gets in a shot of her own. Vickie screams at Cassidy to mess him up, allowing Rose to hit a chokeslam onto the apron for two. Statlander handstands her way to freedom but gets speared down, allowing Rose to load up a superplex. That’s countered into a powerbomb out of the corner and Area 451 finishes Rose at 2:59.

The Young Bucks are back at the basketball and say that beating the Jurassic Express will be like a layup. Cue Luchasaurus to block it and say not in his house. Nick calls it a foul but Brandon Cutler says it was all ball. When AEW gets a theme going, they run with it until the bitter end. That being said, it was a funny segment.

Video on Britt Baker vs. Red Velvet in the main event of the first Rampage. Velvet is on a roll and gets a title shot against Baker in Baker’s hometown.

Tony Schiavone brings out Britt Baker for a chat, meaning the fans get to wave the yellow towels (Pittsburgh Steelers tradition). Baker can’t really comment on Red Velvet’s rise because she is on the top of AEW. She wasn’t afraid to step up when this city needed a champion and holds up the title, because it means hope. Speaking of hope, Red Velvet might have a glimmer of it if the match wasn’t taking place in Pittsburgh. With that out of the way, Baker needs Tony to practice his DMD, which seems to go well. Cue Red Velvet for the brawl before the title match.

Ricky Starks says he is a man instead of a machine and is ready for Brian Cage.

Impact Tag Team Titles: Dark Order vs. Good Brothers

The Brothers are defending and Impact’s Scott D’Amore is on commentary. The Order jumps them to start and it’s Anderson in trouble in a hurry. Brandon Cutler offers a distraction so here is Frankie Kazarian to take care of him. We take a break and come back with Grayson getting the hot tag and cleaning house. A 450 gives Grayson two and the Fatality is loaded up. Cutler breaks that up and it’s a Gun Stun to Grayson, setting up the Magic Killer to retain at 7:39.

Rating: C-. This didn’t have time to get very far, but at the same time, that is a lot better than having the Good Brothers out there for a long match. I don’t know if there was any drama about the Dark Order actually winning here, but if they ever actually do, the pop is going to be other worldly.

NWA Women’s Champion Kamille is ready for Leylah Hirsch.

Here is QT Marshall and the Nightmare Factory to get the apology from Tony Schiavone. Therefore, they grab Tony’s son from the crowd and beat him up, despite Tony apologizing (and calling Marshall a son of a b****). Cue Paul Wight to wreck everyone.

Here’s what’s coming next week, including Sting/Darby Allin vs. 2.0 in a Texas Tornado match.

Chris Jericho vs. Wardlow

This is the fourth Labor of Jericho and MJF is at ringside. Jericho starts fast and hits a Codebreaker for one, which just seems to annoy Wardlow. They head outside with Jericho being sent into the barricade and post as the dominance is on. Back in and Wardlow hits a pair of powerbombs to send us to a break.

We come back with Wardlow hitting another powerbomb but Jericho chops away. That just earns him the F10 but MJF says keep going instead of covering. Jericho grabs the legs and puts on the Walls but MJF rakes the eyes for the break. MJF tries to slip Wardlow the Dynamite Diamond but gets caught, meaning it’s an elimination. Jericho uses the distraction to get in a shot with Floyd, setting up the Judas Effect for the pin at 10:07.

Rating: C. First off: am I crazy or was MJF announced as guest referee coming into this? Anyway, the match was mostly a squash until the wacky finish and that’s how you get Wardlow to look like a monster. Jericho had to hit him in the face with a baseball bat to win so it isn’t like he beat him clean. This was little more than a means to an end though and there was little drama as a result. In this case, that’s how the match should go.

Post match Shawn Spears runs in to jump Jericho, which draws in Sammy Guevara for the save. Wardlow and MJF run back in to beat on Jericho, including the Salt of the Earth on the bad arm, but Jake Hager makes the real save. MJF grabs the mic and says the match is on for next week, but there will be no Judas Effect or Judas music. That’s a pretty lame way to go, especially since Jericho used his other two (and more famous) finishers in the match, with commentary bragging about how awesome the Codebreaker has been over the years.

Overall Rating: B. I’m not sure where to start here as this was a PACKED show with all kinds of things going on throughout the night. The first thing I would say is that I was entertained though, as they threw in so much stuff that it was never once boring. This was the kind of energized show that WWE has not had in years and only NXT has had in a long time. That part was very fun and is the kind of thing that AEW has focused on over its existence.

That being said, there are still quite a few issues here, with the biggest being the amount of people running around. There were multiple matches here with WAY too many people involved and it dragged things down almost every time. AEW’s roster is far, far too big for one show and having everyone running around all the time keeps things from leaving as much of an impact as they should. In the same vein, it felt like nothing had a chance to breathe because they were building up Rampage, Dynamite and All Out at the same time, while also focusing on titles from three different promotions (with AAA there as well).

Overall, I liked the show a lot but there were times where I was getting frustrated by how many things were going on. That has been an issue with AEW for a long time, as they try to pack in way too much stuff. I’m half hopeful that Rampage will help, but at the same time I’m worried that they will keep Dynamite the same and add even more in on Rampage. Maybe not, but they need to find a way to pace things a bit better. Still though, heck of a fun show.

Results
Elite b. Mike Sydal/Matt Sydal/Dante Martin – One Winged Angel to Martin
Darby Allin b. Daniel Garcia – Coffin Drop
Matt Hardy/Private Party b. Wheeler Yuta/Orange Cassidy/Chuck Taylor – Twist of Fate to Yuta
Kris Statlander b. Nyla Rose – Area 451
Good Brothers b. Dark Order – Magic Killer to Grayson
Chris Jericho b. Wardlow – Judas Effect

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite
Date: August 4, 2021
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

We’re back in Jacksonville for Homecoming as we have the fifth week in a row with some kind of a special themed show. That could include a lot of different things, including Chris Jericho vs. Juventud Guerrera of all people. Why? Well he wrestled in WCW in the 90s so he’s fair game. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Juventud Guerrera vs. Chris Jericho

MJF is on commentary and Jericho has to hit a move off the top to win. The once again masked Juvy chops away to start and grabs a headscissors to send Jericho outside. Air Juvy takes Jericho down again and but he slips out of the Juvy Driver back inside. Jericho takes him outside and chops away, followed by a high crossbody for two back inside. Jericho forearms him down but runs into a superkick (MJF: “I taught him that.”). A low kick to the face sets up the Rings of Saturn to Jericho, who powers up with ease.

Jericho hits a top rope ax handle for two, with frustration setting in. Jericho knocks him down and goes for a cover, which isn’t how this match works. With that not working, Jericho goes up again but Juvy catches him with the right hands to the head. The super hurricanrana is countered into the Walls but Juvy grabs the rope. Another kick to the face gives Juvy two more and the Juvy Driver gets the same. MJR wants Aubrey fired for the slow count as Juvy takes Jericho up top. That’s fine with Jericho, who shoves him down and hits a top rope Judas Effect for the pin at 9:49.

Rating: C. This was a lot better than I was expecting, but it was another legends match which didn’t exactly blow the roof off. It also didn’t exactly feel like a bit followup to the Nick Gage match last week, but they probably should have taken a step back as you can only go so far. Juvy looked like an older version of himself here but that’s exactly how is should have been.

Post match here is Wardlow to wreck both of them, allowing MJF to announce that Labor #4 is Jericho vs. Wardlow. That match needs a special referee, and MJF will be the perfect choice.

The Lucha Bros are here sans Pac. Andrade El Idolo comes up with his entourage, with Chavo Guerrero offering money, cars etc. That’s going to be a no, with the Lucha Bros leaving because Death Triangle is family.

The Dark Order is ready for a chat but Hangman Page shows up, drink in hand. Page takes blame for the loss last week and says he can’t keep blaming himself. For now, it is time to go their separate ways, even though he still loves them. They agree to let him have his space.

Daniel Garcia/2.0 vs. Darby Allin/Jon Moxley/Eddie Kingston

Sting is with the good guys. Before the match, 2.0 (formerly Ever-Rise in NXT) says it is time to show what they can do. During Moxley’s entrance, JR talks about how great it is going to be in Cincinnati. He quotes Major League (and gets the first word wrong), which is about the Cleveland Indians. Anyway we start fast with Garcia getting some early near falls on Allin. A blind tag brings in Matt Lee to send Allin into the corner but a quick roll into the corner allows the tag to Kingston.

The chop off goes to Kingston and it’s time to stomp Lee down in the corner. A chop block cuts Moxley down though and we take a break. Back with Kingston and Garcia hitting a double clothesline but Garcia cuts off the tag. Moxley has had it and comes in to wreck everyone, allowing Allin to hit the dive to the floor. Back in and Moxley this a clothesline into a neckbreaker to drop Garcia. The Paradigm Shift sets up a Coffin Drop to put Garcia away at 7:20.

Rating: C. This could have been worse and I could see 2.0 being on Dark or Dark Elevation. I’m not sure if they need to do anything more than that as this tag division is completely bloated already, but I can see why they are getting a chance. Garcia was the star of the team and will likely get at least another look, which he should.

Video on Brian Cage vs. Ricky Starks, with Starks knowing that the FTW Title is his ticket to the top. Cage says he’s going to bring the intensity because who’s better than him?

The Elite is still having fun with a basketball, with the Young Bucks asking if there is anyone left to come after their Tag Team Titles. That would be no, because they are going to have to be buried with their belts. Kenny Omega talks about how Hangman Page blew it at the buzzer and now the fans don’t care about him anymore. Brandon Cutler goes up and cuts down the net. Note that Omega was wearing a Cookie Monster shirt. As in CM.

Christian Cage vs. Blade

Bunny is here with Blade, who gets in a fight with Christian on the ramp. Christian hammers him down to the floor but Bunny gets in Christian’s face. That doesn’t quite work as Christian decks Blade again and goes back inside. Bunny grabs the foot again but here is Leylah Hirsch (her opponent tonight) to fight her to the back. Christian grabs the reverse DDT for two but Blade drops him ribs first across the top as we take a break.

Back with Blade stomping on Christian but missing a charge into the post to send Blade outside. Christian hits the big dive but is too banged up to do anything about it. Back in and Christian wins a slugout, allowing him to stand on Blade back for the middle rope choking. There’s the middle rope elbow but Blade is right back with a powerslam. Blade teases going after the turnbuckle but it is a ruse so brass knuckles can be grabbed. Not that it matters as Christian spears him down for the pin at 9:50.

Rating: C+. This was another nice match, even if it didn’t hit that next level. Christian is piling up wins and I’m curious to see where that is going. Cage getting a pay per view title shot is hard to imagine but it is the kind of thing that we might be seeing. It isn’t the worst idea, but it seems like there might be better options.

Dax Harwood goes on a heck of a rant about how Santana and Ortiz watched Cash Wheeler’s arm be busted open so badly that he nearly lost it. This isn’t funny and it isn’t over between them.

Here are Britt Baker and Rebel for a chat, but since chats don’t last long without being interrupted around here, it’s Red Velvet to interrupt. Velvet says Baker doesn’t look good in red but Baker says she beat Velvet in three minutes last time. That was when Velvet was an enhancement talent (Velvet’s words) but now she is 22-4 with 7 straight wins.

Baker says the match is on if it’s Tony Khan approved, which it will be because she’s the golden girl. We’ll do it on the big stage in her hometown of Pittsburgh next Friday. Rebel tries to get in a crutch shot but Velvet knocks her away, only to get jumped by Baker. This is just a one off match and that’s fine, because Baker’s reception next week is going to be other worldly.

Chavo Guerrero has gotten Fuego del Sol to work for Andrade El Idolo, but del Sol isn’t happy with being told to shine shoes. Andrade destroys him.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat but he only gets out a “well” before the Elite interrupts him. Page says he has something to say to them, so the Elite joins him in the ring. Kenny Omega sees this as a plea to rejoin the Elite, but Page says not quite. Omega thinks Page is a try hard just like all of these people. They have been thinking about accepting Page’s faults, but they don’t have failures in their group. Page slaps him in the face but the beatdown is on in a hurry.

Cue the Dark Order but Evil Uno and Stu Grayson holds them back. A Magic Killer and some BTE Triggers have Page rocked but it’s Frankie Kazarian running in to take out some of them. The beatdown is on though, with Michael Nakazawa even throwing in the basketball. Omega belt shots Page to leave him laying.

We look back at Lance Archer destroying Dan Lambert.

TNT Title: Lee Johnson vs. Miro

Johnson, with Dustin Rhodes, is challenging and gets powered around to start. The driving shoulders in the corner have Johnson in more trouble. Johnson jumps over him out of the corner and strikes away, only to get tossed with a belly to belly. Game Over sends Johnson bailing to the floor though and we take a break. Back with Miro holding a bearhug but Johnson slips out and slugs away as well as he can. A dropkick puts Miro outside and Johnson hits back to back suicide dives, followed by a big running flip dive.

Miro tries to catch Johnson but falls over, allowing Johnson to throw him back inside. A high crossbody gets one on Miro and Johnson kicks him in the head again. More superkicks rock Miro but he catches the fifth (yes fifth) superkick. Johnson slips away again though and hits the big superkick, setting up a frog splash for two. Miro escapes the fireman’s carry though and kicks Johnson in the face instead. Game Over retains Miro’s title at 9:28.

Rating: C+. This was a good example of giving it everything you have in a rough spot. It worked out pretty well too, with Johnson doing more than I would have expected here. At the end of the day though, Miro should be holding that title for a long time to come and it seems like he will be. Good enough match here, which was a nice surprise.

Christian Cage thanks Leylah Hirsch for the save (while singing the Golden Girls theme) but he has some friends. Best Friends. Next week on the debut of Rampage though, he is ready to be #1 contender.

Bunny vs. Leylah Hirsch

The winner gets an NWA Women’s Title match. The Hardy Family Office and the Best Friends are all here too. Hirsch tries an armbar and Bunny bails to the floor. Back in and Hirsch works on the arm a bit until Bunny sends her outside. Bunny runs into Kamille (the NWA Women’s Champion) in the front row though and we take a break.

Back with more of the women’s division watching at ringside as Hirsch fights up. Hirsch knocks her into the corner for two but COMPLETELY misses a moonsault. Bunny is right back with a Death Valley Driver for two but Down The Rabbit Hole is broken up. Hirsch gets the cross armbreaker for the tap at 8:15.

Rating: C. I don’t think there was much drama to this one as Bunny isn’t going to get a major title match against Kamille. Hirsch getting a one off title shot will work well and it took a nice performance here to get her there. Just don’t let her try any more moonsaults, because that really didn’t work.

Post match, Hirsch and Kamille have a staredown, with Kamille being more than a foot taller.

Mark Sterling says Jade Cargill hasn’t been wrestling because it has been all about growing their brand. Cargill will be back on Dark Elevation next week and the sky is the limit, because she is that b****.

Malakai Black vs. Cody Rhodes

Black has a skull mask with horns for his entrance and it works rather well. Cody isn’t sure what to do to start so Black goes after the leg. That’s reversed into a Figure Four attempt until Black rakes the eyes to escape. A legsweep takes Cody down and we hit the half crab to keep him in trouble. The rope is grabbed and Cody is right back with the Cross Rhodes attempt, which is broken up with ease. Cody goes up and is kicked right back down, sending him through a ringside table. Back in and Black Mass knocks Cody silly for the pin with a boot on the chest at 4:43.

Rating: C+. Yeah that worked and it’s how this should have gone. Black Mass is one of the best finishers in wrestling today because it’s a really obvious idea: kick the other guy in the head really hard. Black ran through Cody here and even though this is for the sake of filming the Big Show, he put Black over perfectly here. Nice job.

Post match Black leaves and Cody talks about legacy. He got into the business at fifteen as a referee and he wanted to win the title that they stole from his daddy in the Garden. Time flies and goals change though and it takes Cody a second to get up. The fans are already singing the GOODBYE Song as Cody uses a crutch to get to his feet. Cody talks about how he fired them instead of them firing him (meaning WWE) and then he met Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks.

Now this isn’t just an alternative because they’re competition. They set this table and now it’s time for someone new to eat. He has been around everywhere and has been so lucky. There have been some outside people and maybe there has been some in-fighting with the other Executive Vice Presidents but they are here. For him, this is the AEW Amphitheater and he thanks the fans.

Cody takes off his boot (a sign of retiring)….and Malakai Black breaks the crutch over his back. Black steals the boot and glares a lot to end the show. I’m glad they didn’t tease the full on retirement angle here as AEW fans are smart enough to know why Cody is going to be gone. Also, well done on bringing Black back in, because it would have been annoying to have him get that kind of a win and then just leave while Cody did his thing.

Overall Rating: C+. This felt like they were taking their foot off the gas a bit and that’s ok. We’ve had four weeks of major shows and what we got here still worked. They kept advancing the stories forward and with All Out in about a month, it means they can set up the actual matches in the next week or two. What we got here was fine enough, but it was one of the slower paced shows they’ve had in a bit.

Results
Chris Jericho b. Juventud Guerrera – Top rope Judas Effect
Jon Moxley/Darby Allin/Eddie Kingston b. 2.0/Daniel Garcia – Coffin Drop to Garcia
Christian Cage b. Blade – Spear
Miro b. Lee Johnson – Game Over
Leylah Hirsch b. The Bunny – Cross armbreaker
Malakai Black b. Cody Rhodes – Black Mass

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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Dynamite
Date: July 28, 2021
Location: Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

It’s another huge show with Fight For The Fallen. The card is stacked again, including the IWGP US Title, the ten man elimination match, and the mainstream debut of Nick Gage. The latter is going to get the most attention for the sake of freak show appeal, which may or may not be a disaster. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Commentary runs down the card.

We get a video on what it means to be a cowboy, which seems to mean being loyal to your friends and ready to fight.

Elite vs. Dark Order/Hangman Page

After hearing about how serious this is and seeing how Omega and company looked scared of facing Page, the Elite has a full on Space Jam theme, complete with music, basketballs and Elite Squad jerseys. It does seem to be a sponsored deal though, which makes things a bit better. At least they’re getting paid for turning another big match into a joke of some kind. Anderson and Page start but everything breaks down in a hurry, with a superplex from the top taking down the pile on the floor.

Back in and the Good Brothers get caught in the corner until a Stunner/running clothesline combination gets two on Anderson. A rollup with trunks gets rid of Alex Reynolds at 3:53. The rest of the Dark Order and Page surround Anderson and a quick Fatality evens things up at 4:50. We take a break and come back with Grayson enziguring Gallows with Omega having to make a save. A bunch of people go outside and Grayson tries a skytwister press to take everyone down, though they didn’t exactly catch him. Gallows kicks Grayson over the barricade but gets taken down as both guys are counted out at 11:15.

Back in and Uno’s Downward Spiral gets two on Omega but the Swanton only hits knees. The V Trigger into the One Winged Angel gets rid of Uno at 12:30, leaving us with Page/Silver vs. Omega/Young Bucks. Silver spears Matt and hammers away until Matt pokes him in the eye. A bulldog plants Silver again and a leg lariat drops him as well as we take a break. Back with Silver getting to clean house until Omega is back in to take him down.

Silver is sent outside as the basketball goal is loaded up. The Indytaker, with a missed dunk, plants Silver on the floor and the academic pin gets rid of him at 19:05. Page is left on his own and Omega takes off the jersey to make it serious. They slug it out until a V Trigger into a pair of superkicks rocks Page. There’s the Snapdragon into a triple superkick for two. Page gets draped in the ropes for the 450 but he is back with a double clothesline to the Bucks.

The moonsault onto the floor takes out all of the Elite and Nick is grabbing his knee. Back in and the Buckshot Lariat is broken up, as is the Indytaker. A double Buckshot Lariat gets rid of Matt at 23:58 so Omega grabs the belt. That’s countered into the Deadeye for two but Nick grabs the leg so Omega can get in the belt shot….for two. A pair of V Triggers get two and the One Winged Angel finishes Page at 25:37.

Rating: B. I love the Survivor Series and it was so nice to have something on the line in one of these things for a change. The action was good and there was little reason for the Elite to have trouble against the Dark Order. The end result is not likely to be permanent and that’s fine, as Page can still get the shot and the title at All Out somehow. Good match, and if AEW can make some money off of the Space Jam deal, so be it.

Pac isn’t worried about the Lucha Bros not being here so here are Chavo Guerrero, Andrade and the interpreter to say the Bros are coming in a limo. Chavo explains the idea of a limo and Andrade says (I think) that they better be ready to fight.

Taz introduces Ricky Starks for his FTW Championship Celebration. A band plays Starks to the ring, where he talks about how worthless Brian Cage has been. Cage never even checked on him when he had a broken neck because Cage is a selfish guy. Starks is a star, which Cage didn’t figure out in seventeen years. Cue Cage to beat up the band and chase Starks off.

Hiroshi Tanahashi wants to be the IWGP US Champion and is challenging the winner of tonight’s match. That’s a big cameo.

Santana/Ortiz vs. FTR

This should be great with Konnan and Tully Blanchard at ringside. Ortiz and Wheeler feel each other out to start until it’s off to Santana and Harwood for the slugout. A few Amigos give Santana two and everything breaks down, with a powerbomb/neckbreaker combination dropping Harwood. We take a break and come back with Ortiz getting the tag to clean house, including a powerbomb to Harwood out of the corner.

An O’Connor roll gets two on Harwood but the kickout sends Ortiz onto Wheeler on the floor. Back in and a powerbomb into a frog splash gets two on Harwood. A forearm just angers Santana, who snaps off a German suplex. Everything breaks down and Wheeler springboard tornado DDTs Ortiz. Santana powerbombs Harwood for two and they’re both down.

Back up and Harwood superplexes Ortiz, who reverses the landing into a small package for two. As the cover goes down, you can see Wheeler grabbing his arm and walking towards the back, which does not seem to be a good sign. Harwood is back up with a kick to the ribs and the brainbuster to finish Ortiz at 11:05. That felt really sudden and the injury might be a reason.

Rating: B-. This was the good, hard hitting match that you would expect with the arm injury likely cutting things short. Fair enough if that’s the case and hopefully it is a bad cut instead of a major injury. What we got here was good and I can’t blame them a bit for having a sudden ending if someone got hurt. Just bad luck and hopefully Wheeler is ok.

Post match Harwood goes over to check on Wheeler, who is surrounded by medics and is bleeding from the arm.

Britt Baker knows Nyla Rose is tough but she made Rose tap out last week with a broken wrist. She’s awesome, because she’s Britt Baker DMD.

Tony Schiavone announces that the second Rampage (August 20) will take place in the United Center in Chicago for the First Dance. Fans: “CM PUNK!”

Darby Allin says he’ll be in Chicago. He has heard people talking about being the greatest, and you can prove that in AEW. Come prove that you are the…..best in the world.

IWGP US Title: Hikuleo vs. Lance Archer

Hikuleo is challenging and has his father, Haku, in his corner. Archer hammers away on the taller Hikuleo but gets clotheslined out to the floor. We take a break and come back with Archer in trouble after Haku used the Tongan Death Grip during the break. Archer fights back with the Old School moonsault to rock Hikuleo again. A top rope superplex connects for two, setting up the Blackout to retain at 7:14.

Rating: C-. This didn’t have time to go anywhere but it was more about the spectacle than anything else. Haku was a fine legend appearance and it was nice to have them show the Tongan Death Grip….eventually. Archer vs. Tanahashi (confirmed to be in Japan rather than here) will be good and this was a nice way to set that up.

Cody Rhodes is in the back for an interview but Malakai Black jumps him from behind. They fight into the arena with Black kicking him in the face. Some other wrestlers come out to check on him but Black kicks Fuego del Sol out as well.

Miro is ready for next week’s open challenge for the TNT Title, but no one is going to be taking the title from him. He is blessed with this title and a double joined wife, so come get it.

Hardy Family Office vs. Christian Cage/Luchasaurus/Jungle Boy

That would be Angelico/Private Party for the Office, the rest of whom is at ringside along with Marko Stunt. Boy and Angelico start things off with Angelico sending him outside. Hardy hits him in the face, so Christian and Stunt chase Hardy to the back. That leaves it 3-2 so Boy brings in Luchasaurus to clean house. Private Party flips out of a double chokeslam but Christian is back…and gets kicked outside. Boy dives onto Angelico and Kassidy, leaving Quen to get chokeslammed. Christian’s frog splash is good for the pin at 4:41.

Rating: C-. Not much to this one, as the Christian vs. Hardy feud isn’t doing anything for me. I’ll take bringing in other people to spice it up a bit though, especially if that doesn’t involve Stunt in the ring. It’s quite the downgrade for Boy after his World Title feud, but Christian is looking better week to week.

Post match, the Blade sneaks in to deck Christian with the brass knuckles.

Julia Hart vs. Thunder Rosa

Big reaction for Rosa in her first match as an official member of the roster. Rosa takes her down with ease to start but Hart pops up to wave at the fans. That earns her another takedown, meaning Hart needs a rope break. A running clothesline knocks Hart down in the corner and the slingshot knees make it worse. Rosa misses a charge but is fine enough to grab a kneebar. Hart makes the rope again so it’s a Fire Thunder Driver to give Rosa the pin at 4:02.

Rating: D+. This was a squash and not the most interesting one. Hart is very, very green but she plays the cheerleader well. Rosa getting to maul someone that innocent and sweet is a good idea and made her look like a monster all over again. Not a competitive match or anything, but it didn’t need to be.

Jon Moxley talks about how everything changed when he lost the IWGP US Title last week. No one seems to be caring about him anymore, but no matter because he wants Hiroshi Tanahashi. Moxley will be waiting on the other side of the Forbidden Door.

Nick Gage vs. Chris Jericho

No rules and Jericho is the Painmaker. MJF, with popcorn, joins commentary. Gage wastes no time in cutting Jericho’s arm open with the pizza cutter and the slugout is on. A spinebuster puts Jericho down and they head outside to slug it out. Back in and Gage hits a superplex, followed by a Falcon Arrow for two. Jericho gets the Walls out of nowhere so Gage grabs the rope….which has no effect so he has to crawl out of the ring to escape instead.

They go outside with Gage grabbing the light tubes but Jericho has Floyd the baseball bat. Jericho bats him down but Gage hits a chokebreaker. The pizza cutter is out again and Jericho’s head is carved up. We take a break and come back with Gage bridging a pane of glass between two chairs. The Vader Bomb takes too long though and Jericho hurricanranas him through the glass for two instead.

The Codebreaker is countered into a spinebuster onto the glass and Jericho screams a lot. Back to back light tube shots have Jericho in trouble and it’s time to stab Jericho in the head with the broken tubes. Gage grabs another one, but Jericho hits him with the mist. Tubes to the head rock Gage and the Judas Effect gives Jericho the pin at 12:45.

Rating: D. Your tastes may vary here (and I’m sure they will) but deathmatches are not my thing. Hey look he’s using light tubes! Well now he’s using MORE light tubes! I’m a bit conflicted here though, because on one hand, the light tubes are stupid. On the other hand, my dad worked in a light bulb factory for 45 years so……this kind of thing paid for me to go to college so I have to feel a bit guilty about part of it. The match was still bad though so it makes up for a bit of the trouble.

Post match MJF says that the next labor is going to involve Jericho hitting a move off the top. We see a clip of Jericho and MJF arguing in 2019, with Juventud Guerrera being referenced. Next week it’s Jericho vs. Guerrera, in Guerrera’s first appearance on TNT in fifteen years. Not exactly, but math isn’t AEW’s deal. They didn’t say it, but I’m guessing Jericho has to hit a 450?

Overall Rating: B. The best thing I can say about this show is it flew by. Dynamite is not a boring show and even the main event felt fast. There is something very positive to be said about seeing that it is 9:15 and wondering where the show has gone. Stories were advanced, the opener was good and we’re done with Gage (in theory). What more can you ask for in two hours? Other than less Gage and a healthy Wheeler of course.

Results
Elite b. Hangman Page/Dark Order last eliminating Page
FTR b. Santana/Ortiz – Brainbuster to Ortiz
Lance Archer b. Hikuleo – Black Out
Christian Cage/Luchasaurus/Jungle Boy b. Hardy Family Office – Frog splash to Quen
Thunder Rosa b. Julia Hart – Fire Thunder Driver
Chris Jericho b. Nick Gage – Judas Effect

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