Dynamite
Date: December 15, 2021
Location: Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s Winter Is Coming and this time there is a huge main event, as Hangman Page defends the World Title against Bryan Danielson. Other than that, we have the Dynamite Diamond match between MJF and Dante Martin, which seems primed for some interference. Odds are we’re getting some debuts tonight as well so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

AEW World Title: Bryan Danielson vs. Hangman Page

Danielson is challenging as we’re starting fast. Feeling out process to start with Page not being able to get very far, allowing Danielson to snap off some jumping jacks. Page’s wristlock is broken up with a bunch of flips and Page is frustrated in the corner. Back up and Bryan avoids some chops, allowing more corner jumping jacks. The grappling doesn’t work so well but Page gets in a boot to the chest and NOW Danielson gets more serious. Page isn’t stupid enough to take a handshake so Danielson shoves him away and hides in the ropes.

A slam and a chop rock Danielson again but he picks the ankle and cranks on the legs instead. The surfboard with a dragon sleeper has Page in even more trouble but he manages to break out. They trade shots in the corner until Danielson goes right back to the leg. Danielson hammers at the champ’s face before sending him to the apron. The Buckshot Lariat attempt is broken up so Page settles for a shot to the face instead. There’s a clothesline to put Danielson on the floor, setting up a dive to drop him again.

Back in and Page goes up, only to dive into a kick to the ribs for the crash. Danielson ties Page’s arms in the ropes and kicks at the chest, setting up a top rope knee to the back of the head for two. We take a break and come back with Page making the comeback, including a fall away slam into the nip up. Danielson is knocked outside so there’s the suicide dive to drop him again. The moonsault to the floor keeps Danielson in trouble and Page’s Death Valley Driver gets two back inside.

Danielson crotches him on top though and a cradle gets two. The Deadeye is countered into a cradle as well so Danielson grabs the ankle lock. Page breaks that up so Danielson takes him into the corner for back to back running dropkicks. Danielson’s third attempt is countered into a sitout powerbomb for two and the fans are right back into this. The threat of the Buckshot Lariat sends Danielson back to the floor but he shoves Page off the top to break up another moonsault attempt.

Page seems to have hurt his shoulder so Danielson posts the arm a few times. Danielson is rather pleased as Page is busted open and we take a break. Back with Danielson kicking him into the barricade and hitting the running knee off the apron. Another running knee on the apron lets Danielson wrap the arm around the post as Page is in big trouble. A bridging German suplex gives Danielson two and the Cattle Mutilation goes on.

Page slips up to his knees though and rolls over to the ropes for the break. Danielson goes with the kicks but hits the post by mistake to give Page a breather. The bad leg is sent into the post and the Figure Four goes on. Danielson makes it over to the ropes though and we take a third break. Back again with both guys pulling themselves up for the slugout. Danielson reverses a powerbomb attempt into a hurricanrana for two, followed by an armbar.

The triangle choke makes it worse and Page can’t even powerbomb his way to freedom. Page rolls over to the ropes for the break and Danielson is favoring his knee. Back up and Page manages a Tombstone for two and they’re both slow to get up. A superplex is broken up and Danielson’s reverse fisherman’s suplex gets the next near fall. Danielson likes the suplexes so it’s a belly to back superplex for a delayed two.

Another armbar attempt is countered and they head to the apron, where Page hits a heck of a Deadeye. Danielson is down on the floor but Page misses the big dive and goes through the ringside table. We take another break and come back again with Page hitting a German suplex of his own. Apparently Danielson hit a DDT on the exposed concrete during the break, which isn’t something that should be taking place during a commercial. Page can’t follow up though and his clotheslines barely have any effect.

Danielson takes him up top for another belly to back superplex but Page lands on his feet, setting up the discus lariat for the double knockdown. They slug it out and trade rollups for two each until Danielson kicks him in the head. Danielson stomps away but the running knee is countered into the Deadeye for another near fall. The Buckshot Lariat is loaded up but Danielson reverses into the LeBell Lock. That’s escaped as well and Page blasts him with a clothesline, setting up the Buckshot Lariat…as time expires at 59:56 (close enough).

Rating: B+. Your mileage may vary here but it was a rather action packed match. They didn’t exactly hide that the time limit was going to expire though and the last half hour didn’t have a ton of drama as a result. It was very good, but there were stretches where it felt like they were just getting stuff in to cover time rather than building towards a finish.

Now that being said, there were some awesome big moves in here and these guys beat the fire out of each other. The ending leaves the door open for a rematch which absolutely should come, though I’m not sure what kind of a stipulation they can add. What we got here was rather great, but I wouldn’t put it up to a masterpiece. It isn’t even Danielson’s best time limit draw of the year.

The Superkliq and Bobby Fish are sick of the Best Friends. They suggest an eight man tag, after which they can beat up Trent’s mom. Adam Cole has a special Christmas present for the Young Bucks next week.

Wardlow vs. Matt Sydal

Sydal kicks away but gets powerbombed down in a hurry. Another powerbomb has Shawn Spears telling Wardlow to get the pin already, but Wardlow hits another one for the win at 1:23.

Post match, Spears beats on Sydal with the chair but has to answer the phone. It’s MJF, who wants Warlow to go pick up some champagne for the post match celebration.

Tay Conti is sick of Penelope Ford and promises to finish her.

Malakai Black talks about how evil humans are. He will appreciate the teachings the house has bestowed upon him because the house always wins. Black also mentions that someone is so much more than a king. Brody King would be the likely choice, but I believe Matt Taven wore a crown as well.

Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb

Shida throws her kendo stick at Deeb’s leg to start but Deeb takes control and goes after the leg. Said leg is fine enough for Shida to miss a charge into the corner though, allowing Deeb to send it into the steps. A leglock around the post has Shida rocked and we take a break. Back with Shida striking away and hitting a suplex for two but Deeb goes back to the knee.

Something like a Muta Lock stretches Shida’s neck, followed by some rolling neckbreakers. Shida shrugs them off though and grabs a Falcon Arrow for a breather. They both offer some counters until Deeb pulls her into a half crab. That’s broken up as well so they slug it out until a turnbuckle pad is pulled off. Deeb goes back for the leg but gets kicked into the exposed buckle. Shida grabs a rollup (with the bad leg in the air) for the pin at 12:13.

Rating: C+. This feud has lost a bit of steam since the start but hopefully this wraps things up. I don’t know if it will given its ending, but it isn’t a match that needs to go again. Both of them are talented and could be used elsewhere, so maybe they can find something else to do for a change.

The Varsity Blonds are mad at Malakai Black over what he did to Julia Hart last week. Griff Garrison wants a match next week, though Brian Pillman Jr. doesn’t seem as sure. Garrison promises to break Black’s jaw.

Video on Hook’s debut from Rampage.

Eddie Kingston is done with 2.0 and Daniel Garcia, so let’s have a ten man tag. He’ll bring the Lucha Bros and Santana/Ortiz, so go find yourselves some partners.

Dynamite Diamond Ring: Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Dante Martin

Before the match, MJF insults Texas a few times before moving on to CM Punk. Last week, all Punk could do was insult the local sports team. Then he wanted to move on to the World Title, but why should he get there after some forgettable matches? All that does is make Punk the next Ryback! MJF is already a top talent and he’s 25 years old, so get Martin out here so MJF can win the ring for the third time.

MJF grabs the headlock takeover for the early two but Martin hits him in the face. The Nose Dive is loaded up but MJF bails to the floor before things can go bad. Martin tries another dive but gets sent into the barricade as we take a break. Back with Martin reversing a powerbomb into a rollup for two but getting put on top. Martin saves himself from a superplex attempt and starts scoring with the dives, including one out to the floor.

A big running moonsault to the floor (dang) drops MJF again, setting up a springboard shooting star….which Martin overshoots and kicks MJF in the face. Back in and they trade rollups for two each, then trade several more rollups for two each. MJF grabs a sitout powerbomb for two but Martin knocks him down again. The Nose Dive connects this time but here is Ricky Starks to put the foot on the ropes. MJF is back up with the Salt of the Earth for the tap and the ring at 12:55.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure what to make of this one, as it was rather different than most MJF matches. Martin was flying all over the place and MJF wanted to avoid the dives (makes sense), but then they did a straight WWE ending with a distraction into the finish. MJF winning the ring for the third straight year isn’t exactly interesting, though Martin with a big diamond ring doesn’t really suit him either. Good, athletic match, but it wasn’t what you would expect.

Post match FTR comes in for the celebration but the lights go out….and we’ve got Sting and Darby Allin. FTR and MJF beat down Sting and Allin but here is CM Punk with a baseball bat for the save. Punk says next week, it’s a six man tag, which seems to be a match Tony Khan was expected to be announced. Uh, ok then. No Wyatt or Briscoes debut, but at least we get Sting wrestling in a city he hasn’t wrestled in since the 90s, complete with someone he has no connection with whatsoever.

Overall Rating: A. More than half of the show is spent on a great match so everything else was pure gravy. I wasn’t wild on the kind of a lackluster ending, but Wardlow crushing people and a fine main event made up for any problems this might have had. They built this up as a huge show and it felt like it, though the fans were very burned out by the end of the World Title match. Makes sense of course, but it did hurt some of the rest of the show.

Results
Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson went to a time limit draw
Wardlow b. Matt Sydal – Powerbomb
Hikaru Shida b. Serena Deeb – Rollup
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Dante Martin – 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.

Dynamite
Date: December 8, 2021
Location: UBS Arena, New York City, New York
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re in New York again and this time around it’s the homecoming of MJF, which should be interesting. Other than that we have the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal as the company has some traditions going for it already. I’m not sure what to expect here, but Bryan Danielson kicking John Silver’s head in should be good. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Here is MJF…..’s music to start, but CM Punk comes out instead. The fans aren’t pleased, so Punk asks if that’s all they’ve got. Punk: “I’ve figured out why the Islanders have yet to win a game in this building.” Punk says the fans don’t disappoint, unlike their guy, MJF. It’s getting hot in here so he takes off his hoodie, revealing the AEW pillars, including Britt Baker. After explaining that he can respect Baker without trying to get in her pants, Punk says MJF was talking about being better than Roddy Piper in Portland. He’s not even better than Roddy Piper in Hell Comes To Frogtown!

The fans chant something at him but he can’t understand them, just like how the Islanders can’t understand how to put a puck in a net. Hey they beat the Ottawa Senators, which is like Punk beating QT Marshall. Punk remembers hating Dennis Rodman as a kid, because he played for the Detroit Pistons. Then Rodman came to the Chicago Bulls, and then he was Punk’s Rodman. It’s like MJF being Long Island’s guy, just because they’re stuck with him. Punk is looking at next week’s AEW World Title match and he wants next.

MJF is going to be looking at the same thing, and it’s going to be one of them going after the title. Punk knows that it looks like two people arguing and no one knows who the bigger idiot is (unless you’re from Chicago). This is between the two of them, with MJF even bringing in Punk’s dog Larry, who is neutered and still has more balls than MJF.

Punk gets it though, because MJF is the kind of guy this town would have since the Islanders haven’t won anything since 1984. He wants MJF to fight like they do in Chicago, but if MJF is the guy in Long Island, they’re all chickens***. Punk did exactly what he should have here and he was reveling in it.

We get a narrated video of MJF arriving in a rather nice car and talking about how he is a hero to the people around here. As he walks across his high school football field, we hear about some of his accomplishments, including football, acapella singing and keg standing. This man might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but around here, he is the salt of the earth.

Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal

Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Matt Hardy, Wardlow, Jay Lethal, Matt Sydal, Powerhouse Hobbs, Lio Rush, Dante Martin, Lee Moriarty, Ricky Starks, Frankie Kazarian, Lee Johnson

I think that’s everyone. The last two standing advance to next week for a singles match for the diamond ring. MJF, in his varsity football jacket, gets a hero’s welcome and even greets fans on the way to the ring. Lethal almost tosses MJF out in a hurry but he saves himself in a hurry. Another elimination attempt is broken up by Shawn Spears (on the floor) and Wardlow tosses out Moriarty.

Sydal is out as well as the Bunny slips Hardy the brass knuckles to knock Lethal silly. Hardy poses too long though and gets dumped by Sydal, setting up the showdown with Rush. That’s broken up so we get Warlow vs. Hobbs instead. They collide a few times but Hobbs saves himself on the apron, only to have Rush kick him out. Rush has to save himself from Starks and we take a break.

Back with MJF getting a cheap shot on Martin and running to the top to pose. A brawl breaks out near the ropes and MJF tosses Johnson, Rush…and Wardlow, which might not have been the best idea. Kazarian misses a charge and eliminates himself, leaving us with Starks/Martin vs. MJF. Martin doesn’t waste time in throwing Starks out, leaving MJF and Martin as the winners at 8:45.

Rating: C-. I can go for a short battle royal, especially when it’s something to set up next week instead of having a winner here. MJF had to be one of the winners here so it was about who else was going to get into the match next week. This worked out fine enough, and they kept things moving as a bonus.

Post match Martin rips off the Team Taz armband and shakes MJF’s hand. MJF actually leaves without incident but Starks runs back in to jump Martin. After thinking about it for a bit, MJF runs back to the ring for a shove off with Starks and then double teams Martin as he should. CM Punk runs in, sending MJF running off. Starks and Punk have the showdown but Marin enziguris Starks into the GTS.

Varsity Blonds/Jurassic Express vs. Acclaimed/2.0

Julia Hart and Daniel Garcia are here too. Since that’s a lot of teams, this is Brian Pillman Jr./Griff Garrison/Jungle Boy/Luchasaurus vs. Anthony Bowens/Max Caster/Matt Lee/Jeff Parker. Jungle Boy clears the ring to start and Garrison hits a heck of a dive over the top to the floor. Back in and the Blonds take out Bowens, setting up the right hands in the corner. Bowens shoves Pillman outside though and the crash allows the villains to stomp on Pillman in the corner.

Parker comes in for a chinlock but Pillman gets away, only to get cut off by Caster. Pillman can’t even armdrag his way out of trouble and it’s Bowens kicking him in the face. A double suplex is broken up with some knees to the head though and the hot tag brings in Luchasaurus to clean house.

Everything breaks down and Luchasaurus crushes all four villains in a pair of corners. Luchasaurus chokeslams Bowens onto Caster and it’s off to Jungle to blast Parker with a clothesline. Bowens punches Garrison down but Pillman hits a fisherman’s driver. Caster high crossbodies Pillman but Jungle DDTs Caster into the Snare Trap. Cue Eddie Kingston to take out Garcia but Jungle lets Caster go. Caster misses the Mic Drop though and it’s the Snare Trap for the tap at 8:57.

Rating: C+. It was a fun match but there were a lot of people running around at the same time. I like Jungle Boy getting a win as the Express is on their way to a Tag Team Title match but it might have been better to have two teams instead of eight people plus two more at ringside. They got the ending right though and that makes up for a good bit of the problems.

Post match Kingston steals a cameraman and goes backstage to find Ortiz. Kingston goes into a speech….that we can’t hear as he seems to not have a microphone on. 2.0 and Garcia show up to beat down Kingston and Ortiz.

Tully Blanchard talks about how FTR has defeated the Lucha Bros more than once, even in Mexico. It’s time to put this to bed and now they are finishing the Bros on Rampage by winning the Tag Team Titles.

Young Bucks vs. Chuck Taylor/Rocky Romero

Brandon Cutler, Adam Cole and Orange Cassidy are here too. Romero dropkicks Nick down to start and hits an Eddie Guerrero dance for a bonus. An armdrag into an armbar has Nick in more trouble so it’s off to Chuck. Everything breaks down and the Bucks kick Chuck off the apron. Romero comes back in and hangs in the ropes, allowing him to low bridge Nick to the floor.

A dive takes Nick out again and Matt hits a dropkick through the ropes to take Romero down as well. Back in and Romero gets sent into the corner but a quick roll allows the tag off to Chuck. House is cleaned but Chuck is kicked outside so the Bucks can tease a dive but kiss Cole on the cheek instead. There’s a flip dive to take Chuck out again and it’s time to mock Cassidy. Back in and Chuck gets draped across the ropes for the top rope flip dive and we take a break.

We come back with Nick missing a kick to the face to Cassidy, allowing Taylor to get in a few shots of his own. Romero is back up with the forever clotheslines, setting up a double hurricanrana. Everything breaks down again and Chuck hits Nick with Soul Food on the floor. That leaves Matt to roll the northern lights suplexes on Romero, who counters the third into a DDT.

Cole comes in so Cassidy cuts him off with the lazy kicks, earning himself a kick to the face from Nick. The referee gets shoved down in the melee and it’s Cutler cold spraying Matt by mistake. A piledriver into a jackknife cover gets two with Nick making the save, leaving Rocky to send the Bucks together. Romero backslides Matt for two but it’s the Meltzer Driver to give Nick the pin at 15:41.

Rating: B-. Oh yeah the Bucks are back and this was a very Bucks style match. They did their flips and dives and big saves before shrugging off things at the end and finishing with one of their big moves. It was an entertaining match, but I wasn’t exactly missing the Bucks and this didn’t change that feeling. They shouldn’t be losing to the Best Friends, but it would be nice to see them mix things up a bit from their usual formula.

Post match the beatdown is on until Wheeler Yuta runs in for the save. That’s broken up as well and Cole plants Cassidy with the Panama Sunrise. Cue the Best Friends’ music and here’s Sue with the van, containing the returning (hometown boy) Trent Beretta. The real save is made and the 918 members of the Best Friends have a big hug.

Ruby Soho’s interview is cut off by the Bunny and Penelope Ford. They mock Soho for not having fans and here are Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero for the beatdown. Tay Conti and Anna Jay make the save with chairs.

Sammy Guevara is cut off on the stage by Cody Rhodes, who is getting the TNT Title shot on Rampage on Christmas Day. Cody makes sure to say it’s from one god guy to another before teasing going down the heel ramp. Hold on though as the Men of the Year pop up in the balcony to say they should get their title shot. Maybe they should be Executive Vice Presidents and then they’ll get a chance. Dan Lambert has gotten them a chance and he’s coming back! Guevara lays the title down and says bring it.

Video on Thunder Rosa vs. Jade Cargill.

Jamie Hayter vs. Riho

Britt Baker and Rebel are here with Hayter. They start fast with Hayter slamming her down for two before sending Riho into the corner for some choking. Baker adds some choking of her own but Riho runs Hayter over and hits a top rope dive for two. Hayter heads outside, where Riho’s top rope dive bounces off of her, leaving Hayter to pick her up for a posting. The chinlock goes on back inside and we take a break.

Back with Riho slugging away and rolling Hayter down to set up a double stomp. Riho avoids a charge in the corner, setting up a dragon suplex for two. Hayter is back up with a brainbuster for two, setting up a chokebreaker for the same. The half crab stays on Riho’s back but she fights up and hits a Code Red for two of her own. Riho’s top rope double stomp gets two more on Hayter so she goes up top for a super crucifix bomb. The running knees finishes Hayter at 13:13.

Rating: B. These two beat the fire out of each other and I was wondering how it was going to go, even if the ending was fairly obvious. Above all else, it was nice to have a match that was about the two women (with some occasional interference) rather than having everyone running all over the place. Riho is on a roll head into her title shot and it should feel big, though I’m not sure how much drama there is to the thing.

Post match Baker puts Riho in the Lockjaw to leave her laying.

We run down the Rampage card, including the in-ring debut of HOOK.

Video on Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb.

Malakai Black interrupts (this is getting annoying) a Varsity Blonds interview and mists Julia Hart.

John Silver vs. Bryan Danielson

Danielson tries to take him down to start but Silver runs him over. Some kicks put Danielson down against the ropes but he pulls Silver to the apron for the running knee to the head. We take a break and come back with Danielson getting kicked down but Silver can’t follow up. Silver is back up with some strikes into a kneebar of his own, with Danielson’s kicks to the head having no effect.

Danielson escapes and goes outside, where Silver is back up with a Cannonball off the apron. Back in and more kicks to the face set up a German suplex, but Danielson lands on his feet. A kick to the head rocks Silver but he’s back with another of his own, setting up a German suplex for two. The Spin Doctor is countered with a rake to Silver’s eyes and Danielson drives in elbows to the head. The Gotch style piledriver knocks Silver silly and a choke finishes for Danielson at 10:44.

Rating: C+. Silver got in more offense than the rest of the Dark Order has, but ultimately he was only going to be able to take it so far. Danielson running through the team has been a good enough way to get us to the title match, and if it means some of the Dark Order goes away for a bit, that makes things even better. This was a hard hitting fight and Silver was game as always, but there was no way this should have had any other ending.

Post match Danielson brags about taking out the Dark Order and then starts kicking Silver’s head in. Cue Hangman Page for the save and Danielson bails to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The wrestling was good but this show had way, way, way too much going on at times. Between the first three matches being a battle royal, an eight man tag (with interference) and a six man tag (with interference followed by three people getting involved after the match), there was too much stuff going on for too long. AEW has long since had trouble allowing its shows to breathe and that was the case here. It felt like one thing was immediately following another and almost nothing had the chance to sink in.

Now at the same time, this was a rather good show with some solid matches and stories being advanced to get us to the next big slate of shows. Next week should be a heck of a showdown with the World Title match plus probably one of the other big matches being added to the card. AEW is doing some very good things at the moment and if they would slow down and let them have more of an impact, we could be in a really great place.

Results
Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Dante Martin won the Dynamite Diamond battle royal last eliminating Ricky Starks
Jurassic Express/Varsity Blonds b. 2.0/Acclaimed – Snare Trap to Caster
Young Bucks b. Chuck Taylor/Rocky Romero – Meltzer Driver to Romero
Riho b. Jamie Hayter – Running knees
Bryan Danielson b. John Silver – Choke

AEW, 2021, CM Punk, MJF, Ricky Starks, Dante Martin, Dynamite, Jurassic Express, Varsity Blonds, 2.0, Eddie Kingston, Acclaimed, Young Bucks, Chuck Taylor, Rocky Romero, Riho, Jamie Hayter, Bryan Danielson, John Silver, Hangman Page, Tully Blanchard, FTR, Sammy Guevara

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: November 17, 2021
Location: Chartway Arena, Norfolk, Virginia
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

We’re done with Full Gear and Hangman Page is FINALLY the AEW World Champion. To say this is a long time coming is an understatement but now we get to see where things go from here. That could be in a variety of directions but this week is all about the big celebration. We have a long way to go before Revolution next year so let’s get to it.

Here is Full Gear if you need a recap.

We open with a Full Gear recap.

The Elite is in the back and Kenny Omega is rather sad. He hasn’t watched the match with Hangman Page back but he knows he has some things to fix. Omega wants them to hold the fort down while he’s gone and Adam Cole says they’ve got it. Omega just meant the Bucks though and they walk off. This would be the write off for Omega so he can go have shoulder surgery.

The Dark Order is in the ring and here is Hangman Page, in a Virginia Is For Lovers shirt. Fans: “YOU DESERVE IT!” Page: “I’m gonna stop you right there. I didn’t deserve it. I f’ing earned it.” Page says he doesn’t usually come out here and talk but since he’s the World Champion, he’s going to do whatever he wants. He’s still just a man with a boss to answer to and that boss is the fans.

The title means a lot and now his responsibility is Bryan Danielson….and here is Danielson to interrupt. Danielson is here to say one thing: congratulations. He’s excited for the match, but he’s a bit disappointed that it isn’t Kenny Omega standing across the ring from him. Page says it’s not Omega because he beat Omega at Full Gear…and he did it in less than 30 minutes. Danielson isn’t here to start anything but he’s here for some wrestling instead of flapping his gums.

When he won the World Title at Wrestlemania, he wrestled the very next day (Without actually doing a move!). The fans aren’t thrilled and Danielson isn’t surprised that Virginia doesn’t appreciate hard work. Danielson is here in his gear while Page is in cowboy boots and….whatever that vest is. Page says we might not have the match here in Virginia, but we can have a fight. The Dark Order breaks that up and Danielson mocks Page for hiding behind his friends. I can absolutely go for heel Danielson so this is a nice change of pace. It’s more interesting than the idea of good vs. good so well done.

Bryan Danielson vs. Evil Uno

Danielson takes him down in a hurry and grabs a half crab. Some shots to the mask and an Affirmative Kick to the chest have Uno in trouble. More kicks to the back allow Danielson to say HE HAS UNTIL FIVE. Uno tells Danielson to kick him so Danielson obliges, only to get caught with a neckbreaker. Danielson just blasts him with a shot to break up the comeback and then slaps away in the corner. There’s the running knee but Danielson would rather stomp away than cover. The triangle choke knocks Uno out at 6:24.

Rating: C+. This was exactly as it should have been, with Danielson toying with someone who was out of his league. Uno was destroyed throughout here and Danielson knows just how to come off as evil. Good stuff here, as Page is going to be angry at Danielson for hurting his friend to make the title match all the more personal.

Post match Danielson says he is going to take out the Dark Order one by one. Next week they’re in Chicago and that is the hometown of Colt Cabana. If Cabana is interested, come get your head kicked in.

MJF talks about being covered in Darby Allin’s shame. He has destroyed every wrestler who thinks he can do nothing but talk. Yeah his knee is banged up but he got every one of your little mark chants and then won anyway. He has the best right hand in wrestling and now everyone has to admit it.

We look at Eddie Kingston vs. CM Punk, with Kingston walking away from a post match handshake.

Daniel Garcia and 2.0 come up to Kingston to say they’re tired of the losses. Kingston isn’t cool with 2.0 calling Garcia their son and a fight is proposed. With them gone, Kingston goes to catering while complaining about never being able to get in one promo without being interrupted.

Butcher and the Blade vs. Tomohiro Ishii/Orange Cassidy

Matt Hardy, the Bunny and Rocky Romero are here. Ishii and Butcher start things off but it’s quickly off to Cassidy to put his hands in his pockets. That earns him a knock to the floor and we take an early break with Cassidy in trouble. Back with Ishii suplexing Blade for two so Butcher comes in for the big power brawl. Some chops in the corner just wake Ishii up and he walks through some forearms, backing Butcher (who is still firing off strikes) into the corner.

A superplex gives Ishii two with Blade making the save. It’s off to Cassidy for a Stundog Millionaire and a tornado DDT to Blade for the near fall. Butcher and Blade hit a powerbomb/neckbreaker combination for two with Ishii making a save this time. Ishii comes back in and unloads on Butcher in the corner but Matt Hardy and the Bunny offer a distraction. Bunny slips in the brass knuckles but Rocky Romero breaks it up, with Cassidy diving onto Matt and Blade. Cassidy throws Blade back in so a heck of a clothesline and the brainbuster can finish for Ishii at 11:24.

Rating: C. The Cassidy vs. Hardy N Pals feud continues, though I did miss the elbow being involved this time around. They have to be setting up the hair vs. hair match at this point and that could very easily headline the first hour of an upcoming Dynamite. Other than that, it was cool to see Ishii here, as his presence alone is worth a look.

Andrade El Idolo, with FTR, brags about beating Cody Rhodes and Pac clean. Now he’s going to show them his good size. FTR says they’re so annoyed that they’ll wave their fee, get Malakai Black in there, and make it an eight man tag against Rhodes/Pac/the Lucha Bros. Tully Blanchard even threatens Arn Anderson because he has one more fight in him.

We recap Tay Conti vs. Britt Baker at Full Gear, with Conti saying she’s coming out of her next title shot as champion.

Britt Baker can’t wait to see Jamie Hayter destroy Thunder Rosa and make her not a thing.

TBS Title Tournament Quarterfinals: Nyla Rose vs. Hikaru Shida

Vickie Guerrero is here with Rose. Shida takes her into the corner to start but gets powered over with a suplex. That earns Rose a kick to the head and it’s time for a breather on the floor. Back in and Rose drives some shoulders into the ribs before slowly starting in on the knee. They head outside with Shida sending her into the barricade and then setting up the chair. It turns out that setting up a chair and then yelling at the camera is enough for Rose to make a comeback (good, because Shida looked stupid there), only to cannonball off the apron and through the chair.

Vickie tries to take the kendo stick away and gets blasted with it instead. The delay (the second one) lets Shida get slammed off the top and we take a break. Back with Serena Deeb, who popped up during the break, jumping Shida and sending her back inside. Rose adds the top rope knee to the back for two but Shida pulls her into a triangle choke. That’s broken up with a powerbomb but Shida raises the knees to block a backsplash. Shida misses something off the top though and it’s a stretch muffler to give Rose the win at 10:59.

Rating: C. The ending surprised me a bit here and Rose moving forward makes sense. This also opens up a third match between Deeb and Shida, which should work out fine. I could see Rose making it to the finals of the tournament as the next monster for the winner to slay. That’s a classic formula and it should work fine if they do it here.

Malakai Black is ready for next week’s eight man tag.

Here is MJF, flanked by Wardlow and Shawn Spears, the latter of whom talks about how MJF can beat any hero with a headlock takeover. MJF says he’s the man who will start a bidding war in 2024. He could take your hometown horse and send him straight to the glue factory. The rankings won’t tell you this, but he deserves to be the next World Champion. There is no one in that locker room on his level….and here is CM Punk. The fans (and JR) like this while telling MJF to shut up. MJF extends his hand but Punk walks away without saying a word. Yeah I think this is going to be fine.

Darby Allin says he’ll face MJF again but for now, he wants the biggest and the baddest AEW has to offer. Cue the Gunn Club, with Billy accepting the challenge.

The Superkliq doesn’t like Jurassic Express so on Rampage it’s the two of them against Bobby Fish/Adam Cole.

Acclaimed vs. Dante Martin/Lio Rush

Stereo dives take out the Acclaimed to cut off the rap (about Martin and Rush’s issues with relationships) and Caster in trouble to start. Martin gets sent outside for a ram into the barricade, setting up a middle rope stomp back inside. It’s Martin getting stomped in the corner, setting up Caster’s neckbreaker for two.

We take a break and come back with Rush coming in to clean house, including the spinning kick to Bowens’ head. Caster gets kicked to the floor and an ax kick gives Rush two on Bowens. Rush has to bail out of the frog splash and Bowens strikes away to put him down. Martin springboards in with a missile dropkick though and everyone is down. Back up and Caster clotheslines Rush’s head off and Bowens plants him with a spinning slam. Caster drops a top rope legdrop for two but Martin makes a save. Martin plants Bowens down and a heck of a frog splash gives Rush the pin at 10:24.

Rating: B-. These guys know how to do this kind of thing and they didn’t waste time here. This was about flying around and letting Martin/Rush look good over a team with a reputation. The Acclaimed might not be the flashiest team but they know how to get the fans annoyed at them in a hurry, which is a lot more important most of the time.

Post match here is Team Taz for another sales pitch to Martin. They think Martin could be a heck of an addition to the team, but saying no might be a bad idea.

Christian Cage and Jurassic Express are ready for Adam Cole/Bobby Fish at Rampage because you don’t bring a fish to a fist fight.

Video on Red Velvet vs. Jade Cargill.

Here’s what’s coming on Rampage and Dynamite.

The Lucha Bros are ready for next week’s eight man tag.

TNT Title: Sammy Guevara vs. Jay Lethal

Lethal is challenging in his company debut. Guevara (with bad ribs) tries a quick GTH but settles for an exchange of rollups for two each into a standoff. Lethal hits his hiptoss into the basement dropkick for two and starts in on the bad ribs. A jumping knee sends Lethal outside though and there’s the big flip dive. Back in and the shooting star press hits raised knees and Guevara is in trouble.

We take a break and come back with Sammy blocking the Lethal Injection to hit a Spanish Fly. Lethal rolls outside for a breather before they change places so Lethal can try the suicide dive. That’s blocked in a hurry though and Sammy hits a brainbuster on the floor. Sammy loads up the Swanton but only hits a table at ringside for the huge crash.

Back in and Lethal’s Hail To The King elbow is countered into a cradle for two. He’s right back up with a reverse fisherman’s suplex into a faceplant, setting up the Figure Four. Sammy grabs the rope and is back with another knee but the ribs won’t let him hit the GTH. That means another jumping knee to rock Lethal and now the GTH retains the title at 12:55.

Rating: B. Lethal looked awesome in his debut but they’re not taking that title off of Guevara until they want to take away a piece of the audience’s soul. The fans know who Lethal is and what he has accomplished so he already has a leg in the door. Guevara fighting through an injury and winning with his hard hitting finisher was the right way to go here and Lethal is going to be fine going forward.

Tony Nese (in the crowd) is not impressed. The Inner Circle comes out to celebrate and Lethal shakes Sammy’s hand. Lethal gets some respect from the team to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show started off well, hit some lulls in the middle and then bounced back strong for the last thirty minutes or so. The important thing here was setting up a bunch of stuff for the future and that is looking bright. Odds are we’ll see another special Dynamite in December for some of these matches and that should be enough to get us to the Clash of Champions style show in January. Another solid week here, as they come off the pay per view looking good.

Results
Daniel Bryan b. Evil Uno – Triangle choke
Tomohiro Ishii/Orange Cassidy b. Butcher and the Blade – Brainbuster to Blade
Nyla Rose b. Hikaru Shida – Stretch muffler
Dante Martin/Lio Rush b. Acclaimed – Frog splash to Bowens
Sammy Guevara b. Jay Lethal – GTH

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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Rampage
Date: November 12, 2021
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Ricky Starks, Chris Jericho

It’s the go home show for Full Gear but we still might get some changes, or at least a hard sell, for the show. Dynamite did that very well this week but maybe a bit more could make it even better. I’m not sure what to expect here, though Matt Hardy vs. Orange Cassidy in a lumberjack match is certainly a thing. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Jungle Boy vs. Bobby Fish

Jungle takes him down to start but Fish is right back with a pull off the ropes to bang up Jungle’s arm. Back in and Jungle chops away, only to be knocked outside with the arm being banged up again. A posting gets Jungle out of trouble but Fish takes him down again as we take a break.

We come back with Fish staying on the arm but he charges into an overhead suplex into the corner. Jungle grabs a waistlock until he is sent shoulder first into the buckle. Fish grabs his own suplex for his own two in a very near fall. Somehow Jungle is able to pull him into a one armed Snare Trap for the tap at 10:18.

Rating: C+. This is where Jungle shines: fighting from underneath and overcoming the odds with his killer finisher. It has worked well for him before and that was the case again here, as they put together a good story and the dangerous Fish puts Jungle through some pain. That should play into tomorrow’s six man tag so this was well thought out.

Post match Adam Cole runs in for the double beatdown. The Conchairto is loaded up but Christian Cage and Luchasaurus run in for the save. Cole bails and it’s a Killswitch to Fish.

Video on Bryan Danielson vs. Miro in the #1 contenders match tomorrow night.

The Superkliq is bragging about tomorrow night when Hangman Page comes in. Adam Cole gets in his face but Page wants to talk to the Bucks. Page has something he has needed to say for a long time: he’s sorry for what he did to them for a long time. He cost them a Tag Team Title shot but they cost him a World Title shot. That makes him think they’re even, so if they get involved on Saturday, he’ll kill them.

Jade Cargill vs. Santana Garrett

This is Cargill’s one year anniversary and there is a cake for her at ringside. Red Velvet, who will face Cargill in the TBS Title tournament, is here too. Cargill starts fast and knocks Garrett outside, setting up a ram into the barricade. Velvet has to be held back as they head inside. Jaded finishes Garrett at 2:01.

Post match Velvet spears Cargill down and shoves the cake into Mark Sterling’s face. Cargill and Velvet brawl until referees break it up.

Video on Eddie Kingston vs. CM Punk at Full Gear. Punk says he sees similarities between them but Kingston won’t put in the work and will come up short, as always. If Punk has to hurt Kingston to teach him a lesson, so be it.

Dante Martin vs. Ariya Daivari

They’re both hometown boys. Martin starts fast and spins around into a headscissors but Daivari breaks up a springboard. A springboard legdrop knocks Martin out of the ropes and a knee to the ribs cuts him off again. Martin is back with a sunset flip for two, followed by an enziguri to put them both down. Daivari knocks Martin down again and hits a frog splash for his own near fall. That’s too much for Martin, who sends him outside for a big springboard dive. Back in and the double springboard moonsault press finishes Daivari at 5:37.

Rating: B-. As is usually the case with Martin, this was all about flying around and firing up the crowd, which works a lot better with a hometown favorite like Martin. There is something awesome about watching Martin doing his thing, as he really is that talented at everything he does. Develop him a bit more and AEW has a breakout star on their hands.

Post match Team Taz comes in to the ring, with Ricky Starks (at commentary) offers Martin a spot. Starks tells him to read it over and they’ll be waiting. Martin doesn’t say yes or no.

Full Gear rundown.

Video on Tay Conti vs. Britt Baker, with the talking heads split.

Mark Henry gives us the face to face interview for the main event between Matt Hardy and Orange Cassidy. They don’t like each other.

Matt Hardy vs. Orange Cassidy

Lumberjack match and Cassidy has bad ribs coming in. The bell rings and Hardy offers $23,000 to anyone who can take Cassidy out. The bad lumberjacks get in an immediate fight with the good ones, leaving Cassidy to jump Hardy. Cassidy wins the brawl but has to escape a Twist of Fate attempt. Hardy sends him outside, where Butcher gets in a few cheap shots to put Cassidy in trouble.

We take a break and come back with the Best Friends flipping onto a bunch of lumberjacks. Cassidy adds his own dive and Hardy is sent outside. The Best Friends give Cassidy the assist for a flip dive onto the lumberjacks, setting up a high crossbody for two on Hardy back inside. Some of the lumberjacks come in for a brawl but get cleared out, leaving Cassidy to hit the Beach Break. More lumberjacks come in and a brass knuckles shot knocks Cassidy silly, allowing Hardy to steal the pin (after dropping an elbow which was at least six inches away from Cassidy, who thankfully didn’t sell it) at 10:28.

Rating: D+. That’s certainly one way to go, just in case building this feud up for about two months wasn’t enough for you. I can almost guarantee this isn’t the ending, as the hair has been too much of a focus to not have it be a factor somehow. There was way too much going on here though and the match was an afterthought to all of the shenanigans going on.

Post match the Hardy Family Office cleans house with the brass knuckles and stands tall to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Kind of a bizarre choice for an ending aside, this was a pretty solid final push towards Full Gear. Those videos with the talking heads make the pay per view matches feel that much more important and I want to see some of the card more than I did coming in. There was some good action to go with it so this was a completely fine use of an hour.

Results
Jungle Boy b. Bobby Fish – Snare Trap
Jade Cargill b. Santana Garrett – Jaded
Dante Martin b. Ariya Daivari – Double springboard moonsault press
Matt Hardy b. Orange Cassidy – Brass knuckles to the head

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: November 10, 2021
Location: Indianapolis Farmers Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

It’s the go home show for Full Gear and that means things might actually be interesting around here. AEW knows how to stick the landing on their way to a pay per view and there is still some stuff that they need to cover. Odds are they’ll hit a lot of those points this week so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Bryan Danielson vs. Rocky Romero

Orange Cassidy is here with Romero. They go technical to start and the fans are behind Danielson as he grabs a headlock. The threat of an armbar sends Danielson over to the ropes so Romero elbows him in the face. Danielson flips over Romero in the corner but misses the running clothesline. Instead, Romero sends him outside, where Cassidy gives Danielson the hands in the pockets.

The delay lets Romero score with a suicide dive but Danielson is back with the kicks and chops in the corner. A kick to the back sets up a knee to Romero’s face but Romero is back with a springboard tornado DDT. Romero drapes him over the ropes and hits a dropkick to the side of the head. There’s a running Sliced Bread for two and it’s off to a triangle choke.

Danielson stacks him up for two and then grabs a sitout powerbomb for the real break. Another cross armbreaker is broken up and Danielson kicks him in the face for a breather. Romero tries another Sliced Bread but gets countered into the stomps to the face. The LeBell Lock is blocked so Danielson switches to something like a Tequila Sunrise for the tap at 10:53.

Rating: B. This was the match that you would have expected from these two as they both know how to work this exact style. Danielson continues to be a wrestling machine on this show as he will fight anyone, often in a match that gets some time. That is a great thing to see and fits Danielson so well, which is all you can ask for from him.

Commentary runs down the card.

Tony Schiavone brings out the Inner Circle for a chat but American Top Team jumps them and lays everyone out, including sending them into various things. Dan Lambert gives Chris Jericho an assisted powerbomb through a table and gets to brag a lot. The Men of the Year promise to destroy the Inner Circle at Full Gear, where Lambert will pin Jericho. Tonight though, they’re going to make Lambert tap Jericho out, so put him in the Walls! Lambert puts it on and shouts about it being a Boston crab. Scorpio Sky grabs Jericho’s hand and slaps the mat to really rub it in. Classic heel stuff here and it worked as a result.

Tay Conti/Anna Jay/Thunder Rosa vs. Rebel/Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter

Rosa and Baker start things off and you can see Baker getting more serious about this one. Rosa can’t hit a quick Fire Thunder Driver and the fans are split. Baker bails over to Rebel to hammer on Rosa but it’s off to Anna. Rosa whips Anna into Rebel in the corner but it’s Anna being knocked outside for the double teaming.

We take a break with Anna in trouble and come back with her suplexing her way to freedom. The hot tag brings in Conti to clean house until the numbers game gets the better of her. Rosa comes in and gets to run some people over as everything breaks down. Rosa dives onto Hayter and CRUSHES HER with a high crossbody to the floor (with Rosa immediately checking on her). Conti loads up the TayKO, glares at Baker, and plants Rebel for the pin at 7:58.

Rating: C. Not much of a match here, but again it was about building things up for Sunday. I don’t know if Conti has the greatest chance of winning the title at Full Gear but you have to do something like this to set her up as a potential threat. Just Baker looking scared of her at the end is enough to get her somewhere, so this worked out perfectly well given what they were trying to do.

Video on Ruby Soho vs. Kris Statlander.

Anthony Bowens vs. Jungle Boy

Max Caster’s rap insults Jungle Boy’s physique and wonders why he leaves his girlfriend (Anna Jay) alone with seven guys. Feeling out process to start until Bowens takes him down and poses. Bowens chops away in the corner but Jungle is right back with his own set of chops to take over.

Caster offers a distraction though and Bowens hits a Codebreaker over the ropes as we take a break. Back with Jungle striking away and grabbing the Snare Trap but Caster offers a distraction. That earns Caster a suicide dive but Bowens gets in a kick to the head and a twisting hanging DDT for a near fall. That’s about it for Bowens, as Jungle pulls him into the Snare Trap for the win at 10:07.

Rating: C. This is what the match should have been, as it was the same thing that happened with Bowens vs. Bryan Danielson on Rampage: Bowens can only get the advantage over a bigger star when his partner is helping him, which makes perfect sense for a tag team wrestler. Bowens has a lot of the tools but needs to be built up a little more, which can happen in the future. Jungle gets to overcome some odds and win though, which is what he should be doing.

Post match here is Bobby Fish to take out Jungle Boy, with Luchasaurus and Christian Cage making the save.

We get a video on Hangman Page vs. Kenny Omega, with both guys plus some talking heads going into what it means for Page. Omega says he never loses big matches and Page never wins them, so Page doesn’t have a chance.

Adam Cole introduces Bobby Fish to the Young Bucks, who the Bucks know very well. There is no dispute around here though, because this era is about the Elite. Cole has an idea: Fish vs. Jungle Boy on Rampage, but he’d like Fish to leave just a little piece for Cole on Saturday. Deal.

We get a video on CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston, featuring a bunch of clips from their time on the independent scene, cut together with clips from their epic argument on Rampage.

Wheeler Yuta vs. Wardlow

The Best Friends are here too. Yuta starts fast and kicks away, only to miss a dropkick. Wardlow hits a heck of a powerbomb and then does it again. Two more powerbombs set up the knee to the face in the corner to finish Yuta at 2:18. Total dominance.

Post match the Hardy Family Office jumps the Best Friends. Matt Hardy wraps a chair around Orange Cassidy’s neck and hits the Twist of Fate to leave Cassidy writhing in pain. Can we please just get to the match already? This is reaching Brian Cage vs. Ricky Starks levels of GET ON WITH IT.

CM Punk and Eddie Kingston have to be held apart in the parking lot. Those are always cool to see.

Lio Rush/Dante Martin vs. Lee Moriarty/Matt Sydal

Moriarty works on Martin’s arm to start but they trade leg sweeps for no counts each. Martin rolls him up for two and then Moriarty rolls him up for two as they’re flying through this stuff. They go to a standoff and the fans give them a standing ovation. It’s off to Rush vs. Sydal, with Rush dodging around to avoid anything from Sydal.

Moriarty gets in a shot from the apron but Rush dodges more right hands. A springboard hurricanrana takes Sydal down and Moriarty gets knocked off the apron, setting up a big showdown. We take a break and come back with Rush and Moriarty coming in off the double tag to pick the pace right back up.

Everything breaks down again and Rush nails Sydal with a sinning kick to the face. Moriarty gets kicked to the floor as well and the fans seem very pleased with him. A double handspring elbow drops Sydal and Moriarty again, setting up back to back suicide dives. Sydal loads up something on top but gets pulled down, leaving Moriarty to hit a running uppercut for two on Martin. Rush enziguris Sydal and kicks Moriarty in the head again, setting up the double springboard moonsault press to finish Moriarty at 10:18.

Rating: B. Yeah this worked and a lot of that was due to Rush going insane to hit everything he could think of in a pretty short amount of time. The rest of the people involved were holding up their ends as well, as this was all about getting in as much as they could. It might have been a total spotfest, but dang it was a fun one.

Miro asks if Bryan Danielson thinks his God is messing with him. Would he trade Miro’s bad neck for Danielson’s bad neck? Danielson should fear him because this is going to hurt.

Dax Harwood vs. Pac

Tully Blanchard is here with Harwood. A lockup doesn’t go anywhere so Harwood cranks on the arm instead. Pac shoulders him down and starts taking over, including a bunch of chops in the corner. They forearm it out in the corner until ac sends him into the ropes for a German suplex. A clothesline puts Harwood on the floor and Pac nails a big running flip dive as we take a break.

Back with Harwood on top and getting kicked in the head to stagger him again. The top rope brainbuster (geez) connects and they’re both down in quite the heap. Pac knocks him into the corner again but Harwood rolls away before the Black Arrow can launch. Instead, Tully pulls Harwood out of the corner to avoid a charge, allowing Harwood to hit a brainbuster of his own for two.

Pac superkicks him out of the corner but the Black Arrow is broken up again. Harwood’s belly to back superplex drops Pac but he can’t follow up. Pac is back up but can’t hit a German suplex. Instead Harwood elbows him in the face, setting up a Liger Bomb for two. A backslide gives Pac two before he grabs the Brutalizer for the very fast tap (with commentary making it clear that Harwood doesn’t want to be hurt for Full Gear) at 13:47.

Rating: B. This was another hard hitting match with both guys doing everything they could. It helped that they got some extra time and they had a rather clever way out of either of them taking a definitive loss. Harwood tapping so fast made a lot of sense and it came after a heck of a fight.

Post match Cash Wheeler runs in for the beatdown and the lights go out. Cue Malakai Black and Andrade to help stomp Pac, drawing out Cody Rhodes and the Lucha Bros for the big brawl.

Here’s what’s coming on Rampage and at Full Gear.

Video on MJF vs. Darby Allin, which is a battle of two of the pillars of AEW.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring for the contract signing between Hangman Page and Kenny Omega. Before he signs, Page says that he can’t wait to get his hands on Omega and win the World Title. Page signs but Omega talks about how this could have all been for Page in the first place. Then Page had to deal with his insecurities and failures and it was always the Elite helping him up to do his cowboy s***.

Omega did it because he saw himself in Page but how wrong he was. Page brings up Omega’s former (unnamed partner) and maybe he didn’t live up to that partner either. Last year, Omega said that he was proud of Page, but the truth is Omega was scared. Omega didn’t want Page to become what he could become, which he will do at Full Gear.

They shake hands and Omega says he’s proud of Page before leaving (without signing)….and the cameraman jumps Page. It’s Don Callis and the beating is on, with Page being busted open. Omega signs the contract in blood to end the show. The Callis deal was a nice surprise, until you remember that it’s Don Callis.

Overall Rating: B+. This show did a rather good job of hyping up Full Gear, as they were in full on final push mode. I want to see the show more than I did coming in so at least they are on the right path with most of this stuff. They had some rather entertaining wrestling to go with it so it was a very well put together use of two hours. Now keep up their regular work on pay per view and they’ll be in better shape than usual.

Results
Bryan Danielson b. Rocky Romero – Tequila Sunrise
Tay Conti/Anna Jay/Thunder Rosa b. Rebel/Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter – TayKO to Hayter
Jungle Boy b. Anthony Bowens – Snare Trap
Wardlow b. Wheeler Yuta – Knee to the face
Lio Rush/Dante Martin b. Matt Sydal/Lee Moriarty – Double springboard moonsault press to Moriarty
Pac b. Dax Harwood – Brutalizer

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: October 29, 2021
Location: Agganis Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Ricky Starks, Taz

It’s another big night as we have a potential classic on our hands with Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston. If that isn’t enough, we also have Britt Baker vs. Abadon in a street fight and Dante Martin vs. Matt Sydal Part III. Rampage benefits a lot from the shorter time frame so they should be good to go again here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

World Title Eliminator Tournament Semifinals: Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston

Kingston drives him up against the ropes to start and fires off a hard chop. More chops in the corner rock Danielson but he moonsaults over Kingston to set up the running clothesline. Kingston needs a breather on the floor but comes back in and blocks a single leg. Instead it’s Danielson being taken into the corner for more hard chops and a running knee to the ribs.

Danielson staggers around with his chest getting very red until Kingston pulls him down into a chinlock. More chops have Danielson’s chest looking BAD as we take a break. Back with Danielson kicking Kingston down on the floor but walking into a Saito suplex. Danielson beats the count so Kingston suplexes him again for two more, setting up something like a dragon sleeper. Kingston puts Danielson (whose chest is somehow looking worse) on top but a top rope superplex is broken up with a headbutt.

Danielson crotches him on top and hits the belly to back superplex to put them both down. Some AFFIRMATIVE Kicks have Kingston rocked and a big kick to the head puts him down again. Danielson goes for the arm but Kingston slips out, setting up the backfist to the head. They’re both down so the fans give them a standing ovation. Kingston goes to pick him up but gets pulled into the triangle choke. Danielson elbows away so Kingston flips him off and passes out at 16:24.

Rating: B+. This was a heck of a beating with Danielson’s chest alone making it worth a look. They didn’t bother with a ton of traditional wrestling here and just went with hitting each other really hard for a long time. Danielson was fighting from beneath here and Kingston continues to look like a star. You feel like he could win a big match and it would be cool to see him do so at some point. The reaction alone would be worth it.

Post match, Kingston walked away from the offer of a handshake.

CM Punk is having a good week but a ranting and raving Eddie Kingston comes in. Some wrestlers break it up and Punk offers to put Kingston to sleep again.

Matt Sydal vs. Dante Martin

It’s part three of a trilogy and Lio Rush is here with Martin. They stare each other down to start and take their time, with commentary thinking they’re off to a classic. Neither can hit a snapmare but Martin sends him outside for the middle rope moonsault to drop Sydal one more time.

We take a break and come back with Sydal kicking at the legs to slow Martin down but Martin goes after the knee as well. Sydal goes up but gets shoved off the top, only to avoid Martin coming off the top. The Lightning Spiral is blocked as well and Martin hits the double springboard moonsault press for the pin at 10:59.

Rating: B. Sometimes you find someone who can take an art form to another level and that is what Martin has been doing. Those flips are so smooth that you can’t help but watch, which can make it hard to keep track of in a match that moves so fast. Sydal kept up with him well enough, but this was about showcasing Martin and it did so rather well.

We get the face to face with Abadon and Britt Baker. Abadon can’t talk but Baker says she has some tricks for her. Then Abadon disappears so let’s move on to the main event.

Abadon vs. Britt Baker

Non-title and anything goes, with Abadon getting a title shot if she can win. Jamie Hayter and Rebel, as zombies, are here too. Feeling out process to start with Baker bailing out to the floor in a hurry. Rebel and Hayter grab a table and we take an early break. Back with Abadon putting a chair on Baker and hitting a running backsplash.

Baker sends her face first into a chair in the corner and they head to the apron. The swinging neckbreaker sends them both onto (not through) the table and a suplex doesn’t put Abadon through it either. Abadon does the zombie situp and pulls out the thumbtacks, which has Baker panicking. A Rock Bottom onto the tacks gives Abadon two but Baker pelts a chair at her head.

Baker wraps a chair around Abadon’s neck for the running stomp but Abadon gets back up. Baker puts tacks in Abadon’s mouth and superkicks her, setting up Lockjaw. Abadon bites her way to freedom so Hayter comes in to deck Abadon. That doesn’t work so Abadon grabs Rebel, allowing Baker to roll her into the tacks for the pin at 11:18.

Rating: C+. I wasn’t feeling this one as much but it still told a story. Abadon continues to be the other world monster and Baker survived rather than beating her. This was all about the Halloween feeling and while some of the stuff they were doing was a bit excessive for a match in this setting, it did at least have some logic behind the setup.

Overall Rating: B+. They went with a formula that has worked well for AEW for a long time now: have some awesome matches and let the fans go nuts. That’s all you need to do sometimes and when AEW gets it right, they have something special. This was a very enjoyable show, though I have no idea how many people actually saw it with the World Series on at the same time.

Results
Bryan Danielson b. Eddie Kingston – Triangle choke
Dante Martin b. Matt Sydal – Double springboard moonsault
Britt Baker b. Abadon – Rollup into tacks

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.

Dynamite
Date: October 23, 2021
Location: Addition Financial Arena, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

It’s another tournament focused show as we continue the World Title Eliminator Tournament and begin the TBS Title Tournament. We are also less than a month away from Full Gear and that show is going to need some more attention sooner than later. The card is being set up, but it rarely feels like something that is receiving focus. AEW knows how to pull these things off though so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

World Title Eliminator Tournament First Round: Bryan Danielson vs. Dustin Rhodes

Feeling out process to start with Rhodes seeming to be a bit nervous to go after him. Danielson takes him down by the legs and ties them up in kind of an Indian deathlock. Back up and Rhodes hits the drop down uppercut but gets knocked to the floor, setting up the suicide dive.

Dustin is right back up with a flip dive off the apron and scores with a belly to back suplex for two. Danielson pulls him down by the arm though and it’s a short armscissors, setting up the stomp on the arm. They go up top with a superplex bringing Danielson back down, setting up Dustin’s snap powerslam.

Danielson kicks away in the corner but gets caught with the jumping clothesline. Dustin has to block the LeBell Lock and it’s time for some more kicks. A big one to the chest makes Dustin Hulk Up and it’s a piledriver to plant Danielson for two. Dustin is back up but Danielson slaps on the guillotine to finish at 15:24.

Rating: B. I’m not a big Dustin fan but he was going hard here and the match got a lot better as a result. This was about the old gunslinger taking one more shot but running into the buzzsaw that is Danielson. I don’t know how much reason there was to believe in an upset here, but they absolutely made it interesting on the way there. Very good stuff, with Rhodes pulling his weight and then some.

Kenny Omega and the Elite are ready for the Superkliq to face the Dark Order next week. Omega saw Hangman Page being all tough last week but he knows the man behind the mask. He knows Page’s weaknesses and at Full Gear, it’s going to be COWARD S*** instead of COWBOY S***! The Bucks compliment him on the last line.

FTR brags about winning the AAA Tag Team Titles last week. They have been waiting on the sidelines for over a year now and it is time to complete their return by winning the AEW Tag Team Titles.

Penta El Zero Miedo and Alex Abrahantes swear revenge on FTR for hurting Fenix last week.

FTR says bring it.

Tony Schiavone brings out Sting for an update on Darby Allin. Before he can say anything though, here is MJF to interrupt. After asking Florida to try and have some class, MJF talks about how Sting needs to tell these people that their little hero is a coward. Sting can paint his face, swing a bat, or even have your leftover stash from the 80s rain down on the, but you can’t fool MJF: Sting isn’t a good guy.

MJF talks about how all of Sting’s fans stick by them and then he leaves them, like he left Lex Luger in a wheelchair. The fight is on and here is the Pinnacle to beat Sting down, despite Sting swinging MJF’s jacket at them. MJF picks up Sting’s head and asks if he has broken Darby Allin’s mind this time. Allin can listen to these people all he wants, but this is what is waiting on him, because MJF is just that much better. The Pinnacle gets ready to leave but MJF hits Sting with the Dynamite Diamond.

Britt Baker isn’t happy with Tay Conti sticking her nose in the title picture. If Conti had worked hard to get to the main event, they could have had a nice title match. Now though, since Conti put her hands on something that didn’t belong to her, Baker is going to kick that a** that Conti loves showing everyone (her words) and keep her title. Baker continues to come off like she believes every word she says and that is why she is one of the best talkers in wrestling today.

TBS Title Tournament First Round: Penelope Ford vs. Ruby Soho

Ford takes her into the corner and starts the stomping but a running boot is blocked. They fight to the apron and slug it out but here is the Bunny for a distraction. That’s enough for Ford to get in a kick to the face and we take a break. Back with Soho striking away for two but missing a charge into the corner. Ford catches her with a jumping cutter for a close two so Soho gives her an STO out of the corner. Another kick to the head rocks Soho though and it’s the fireman’s carry gutbuster for two. Bunny tries to throw in the brass knuckles but the referee sees what’s going on, allowing Soho to grab an O’Connor roll for the pin at 8:30.

Rating: C-. Another not very long match here as Soho doesn’t quite impress. She is a weird case where she has all of the tools on the surface and seems to have a mind for wrestling but for some reason it hasn’t exactly clicked in the ring. Maybe that can be changed with just a few tweaks, but it isn’t working out perfectly.

Post match the Bunny goes after Soho but Red Velvet runs in for the save.

MJF says he sent Darby Allin a message this week but Wardlow interrupts. Wardlow wants to know why MJF shoved him in front of Sting last week. MJF says it was just fight or flight and tries to talk his way out of it. He sees that Wardlow has been working hard and that’s too much pressure. Therefore, he is assigning Shawn Spears (here as well) to be his account-abili-buddy. Wardlow and Spears are confused but MJF has to leave for a meeting. That was a little weird.

Bobby Fish vs. Anthony Greene

Green grabs a rollup for an early two but Fish is right back with the kicks to the knee. A hard suplex sets up a big kick to the head to end Green at 1:48.

Post match Fish kicks Greene down again to turn heel. The beating is on but CM Punk runs in for the save. So Fish vs. Punk? Well if it’s all you have.

Lio Rush still tries to tell Dante Martin that they’re going to be a great team. Martin still isn’t sure but Rush has already gotten them a match against the Sydal Brothers next week. Dante does not look happy.

World Title Eliminator Tournament First Round: Eddie Kingston vs. Lance Archer

Kingston jumps him in the aisle to start and the brawl is on outside the ring. Archer gets the better of things and pulls a plant over the barricade to slam onto Kingston. A chokeslam off the apron plants said plant onto Kingston and we head inside for the opening bell. Archer chops away but Kingston slips out of the Black Out. The chinlock goes on to put Archer in trouble and we take a break.

Back with Archer choking away in the corner but missing a running shoulder. Instead he gets a boot up to Kingston’s face so Archer tries a moonsault and lands ON THE TOP OF HIS HEAD. Thing stop pretty soon and Archer rolls outside, only to go back in where Kingston rolls him up for the pin at 8:12.

Rating: C. I’m going with right in the middle because I’m a bit shaken up after that landing. It isn’t often that I get scared watching wrestling but seeing a giant like that landing on the top of his head is one way to make it happen. That looked horrible and the best thing to see is that Archer was walking around. Hopefully he is on his way to the hospital though, because that was a scary situation.

Of note: former WWE star Tony Nese was shown in the crowd just after Archer’s crash.

Here are Dan Lambert and the Men of the Year for a chat. They aren’t impressed by the Inner Circle, because the team has been beaten down time after time. Yeah Jake Hager has an undefeated MMA record but no one has ever seen it. Santana and Ortiz are from the streets, but the Men of the Year treat the streets like a runway. As for Chris Jericho, why is AEW paying him to come to the ring and flirt with Paige Vanzant?

Cue Sammy Guevara to quote Jericho, by asking them to shut the h*** up. Sammy remembers hearing that they had some stipulations so let’s have them. Dan Lambert cuts them off and says that Sammy doesn’t suck on the stick as much as he thought he did. The Inner Circle can have their big team match at Full Gear, but only if Sammy defends the title against Ethan Page next week.

WHEN Sammy loses though, he’s also out of the Inner Circle forever. Sammy says it’s on, but if he wins, he gets to pick the members of American Top Team. That’s a deal, but Scorpio Sky is ready to fight right now. Cue the rest of the Inner Circle to chase the villains off in a hurry.

Jon Moxley knows he is supposed to be talking trash and yelling about how he’s going to take out everyone in the tournament. He’ll be doing that, but right now, all he can think about is his baby daughter. His daughter squeezes his finger (which is a little messed up) for all she’s got and all he can think about is her looking up at him. Winning this tournament will let him do more for her, and it’s time so smash everyone.

The Dark Order is ready for the Superkliq when Hangman Page comes in. Page is sorry for not getting back with them sooner. If they are going back after the Elite, and so close to Halloween, it might be time for some costumes. The Dark Order seems interested, with John Silver mentioning Bambi.

Jungle Boy vs. Brandon Cutler

Jungle sends him outside for an early suicide dive and throws him back in for a backdrop. The Snare Trap finishes Cutler at 1:02.

Post match Jungle Boy says he’s still feeling good and wants another member of the Elite. Since no one comes out, the Snare Trap goes on again so Cole screams for someone to help him. Cue Adam Cole to say we can do this right now but it’s a ruse so the Young Bucks can run in for the beatdown. Jungle gets beaten up the ramp and then throw off the stage through some tables in a huge crash.

Miro wants to know why his God has forsaken him. Now he will hurt everyone in front of him and become the favorite champion again. Therefore he can return to his wife, with blood on his hands, which is on us.

Malakai Black vs. Cody Rhodes

Black has beaten Rhodes twice before but now Cody is being more serious. Arn Anderson is back with Cody, who charges into the ring and we get the opening bell in a hurry. Cody goes straight for the knee but can’t get the Figure Four. Back up and they strike it out as the fans chant CODY SUCKS. A shot to the knee has Cody in trouble but he knocks Black away for a breather. Cody is right back on the knee and we hit the Figure Four as the fans seem to be paying attention to something else. Black bails to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Black in trouble after Cody hit Cross Rhodes through a table at ringside. Black manages to post Cody and they’re both busted open. The fans want Anderson to GET THE GLOCK as Andrade comes out for a distraction. Anderson cuts off Andrade’s assistant with the spinebuster and here is Pac to take out Andrade. Black mists Anderson but walks into the Cross Rhodes for two (and A LOT of booing).

Back up and Black kicks him down, setting up a bridging German suplex for two. Black Mass connects but Cody falls into the ropes to avoid the cover. Cody is back up and gets backdropped out and onto the apron. Black misses the middle rope moonsault and gets taken down by Cody’s suicide dive. The Cody Cutter drops Black back inside and it’s Cross Rhodes into a double underhook piledriver for the pin at 11:44.

Rating: B-. Is it really a surprise that Cody got his win back here? This whole thing has been a Cody story since the beginning with Black getting in some good shows and moments, but ultimately this was about Cody rediscovering the eye of the tiger. This isn’t the end of Black and this isn’t some horrible moment, but it isn’t something that needed to happen. Black is a potential breakout star and the fans do not seem to like Cody very much. Unless this is leading to something down the road with Cody turning, I’m really not feeling this move.

Overall Rating: B-. This was an interesting one as it certainly didn’t hit the heights that some of their shows did, though there was enough to make it worth watching. What interested me the most here is just how much energy there was to the show and how far it took everything else. The fans were into everything they were seeing here (even if they weren’t happy with Cody at any point) and that is going to make a show so much more fun. AEW might be a lot of things and there are criticisms to be made about it, but they know how to make their fans care about everything they are doing and that is huge.

Results
Bryan Danielson b. Dustin Rhodes – Guillotine
Ruby Soho b. Penelope Ford – Rollup
Bobby Fish b. Anthony Greene – Kick to the head
Eddie Kingston b. Lance Archer – Rollup
Jungle Boy b. Brandon Cutler – Snare Trap
Cody Rhodes b. Malakai Black – Tiger Driver 98

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.

Dynamite
Date: October 16, 2021
Location: James L. Knight Center, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, CM Punk

We’re on a rare Saturday night due to the MLB playoffs and they are going to have a hard time topping what they did last night with Rampage. Tonight we see the brackets for the #1 contenders tournament, as Full Gear is less than a month away. Add in a AAA Tag Team Titles match and we should be good to go. Let’s get to it.

Here is Rampage if you need a recap.

Guest commentator CM Punk gets his big entrance.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Malakai Black vs. Dante Martin

Lio Rush is here with Black. Some armdrags put Martin down to start but he sends Black outside. It’s too early for a dive though as Black comes back in and elbows him in the face. A powerbomb sets up a half crab to put Martin in trouble but he slips out in a hurry. That earns Martin and STO and shinbreaker, setting up a kneebar. Martin makes the ropes to escape and goes up top, only to have his springboard blocked. A sunset flip gives Martin two and a poisonrana out of the corner staggers Black.

With Black out on the ramp, Martin hits a springboard flip dive (with a bit of a slip) to drop him again. Back in and a double springboard moonsault misses for Martin, setting up a slugout. Black kicks him down and scores with a top rope double stomp, setting up a kick to the head. There’s a hard German suplex to drop Martin hard so he heads up top. That’s broken up with a super hurricanrana but Black is right back with a half crab. Martin escapes again and tries to go up again, only to get caught with Black Mass (Rush is NOT pleased) for the pin at 9:37.

Rating: B. They pulled me into this one as I wasn’t exactly thinking that it was great at the start. That was all changed by the end as these guys were beating the heck out of each other, with one big spot after another. I didn’t buy Martin as possibly winning, but it would have been too much of a stretch to have that take place anyway. Rather good match here as Black continues to prove that WWE was totally wrong about him every single week.

Post match Black goes to leave but stops to nod at Martin in respect.

The Jurassic Express talks about being banged up but the Elite comes in to beat them down. Kenny Omega manages to powerbomb Luchasaurus through the table to show that he can do it.

Here is the Inner Circle, fresh off their loss last night, to quite the reception. Santana isn’t happy about American Top Team, which brings them out with Dan Lambert to brag about their MMA success. Jericho tells us to welcome the “fat faced dip****” and yes the fans chant the name. Jericho accuses Paige Vanzant of having a thing for him, but he wouldn’t touch her with her husband’s genitalia. Punk: “I don’t believe him. I think he would.”

The challenge is on for the ten man tag but Lambert insults the team, including talking about the size of Jake Hager’s head. Lambert is down if the Inner Circle will accept their challenge, but he’ll give them the terms next week. Scorpio Sky says he has pinned Chris Jericho twice, but the fans think he still sucks. Sammy Guevara is ready to fight right now and he’ll see them next week. Vanzant continues to look like a star every time she’s on camera.

AAA Tag Team Titles: Lucha Bros vs. Las Super Ranas

The Ranas (the Super Frogs) are two guys in green suits with masks and challenging. Punk: “I don’t know if the Lucha Bros care, but that’s clearly FTR.” We’ll say #1 starts with Fenix, who spins the arm around to start until #1 takes him down and goes for the mask. A victory roll faceplant takes #1 down and everything breaks down, with the Bros going for the masks. Commentary confirms that it’s FTR, mainly due to the lack of flips. The masks come off and FTR clotheslines the Bros down to take over as we go to a break.

Back with Fenix getting dropped ribs first on top but Penta is back in for the brawl. Fenix gets a running start to springboard onto both of them, setting up the Lucha version of What’s Up. Everything breaks down and FTR tries to bring in the belts, only to get kicked down in a hurry. Cue Tully Blanchard (in matching green) for a distraction though, allowing Harwood to belt Fenix out of the air. A brainbuster gives Harwood the pin and the titles at 8:14.

Rating: C+. The frogs deal was weird but points for a surprise title change. FTR getting some gold is certainly a nice thing to see and I could go for another match between these two. The AAA Tag Team Titles have enough meaning for this to be an important win so nice job in a surprise, even if it doesn’t last long. It was also nice for commentary to sound smart, as they weren’t exactly fooled by the disguises.

Lio Rush says Dante Martin failed because he screwed up but Martin can be successful if he just listens. From this point forward, they’re tag partners, though Martin doesn’t seem convinced.

Andrade and FTR celebrate the win. MJF comes in to celebrate with them and gets paid by Andrade, seemingly to rent FTR for the night. MJF’s horrible Spanish is that much better.

Wheeler Yuta vs. Jon Moxley

Moxley jumps him to start, puts Yuta down, and finishes with the Paradigm Shift at 1:11. Well that worked, though Orange Cassidy staring down at Moxley as Yuta is checked on by the medics seems to give us a future.

Serena Deeb beat Hikaru Shida last week but she’s not happy with how the division has been since she went on sabbatical. It was time to drag the division back up but here is Shida to jump her from behind.

Dark Order vs. Superkliq

It’s Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds and John Silver for the team here but the Superkliq jump them before the bell. Silver escapes the TripleBomb (because the Elite is the Shield these days) on the ramp with Reynolds coming in to help out. They get back inside for the opening bell and Cole gets triple dropkicked to the floor. We settle down to Silver having to kick all three of them away but a Don Callis distraction lets Matt kick him down.

Cole cuts off Reynolds’ dive with an enziguri and it’s a double superkick into a brainbuster onto the knee on the floor to drop him again. JR: “You might want to bother counting.” More kicks and shots to the face have Silver in trouble and we take a break. Back with Nick losing a shoe as Silver makes the comeback, allowing the tag to Uno. That means a full on Mr. Socko return, because AEW doesn’t like to put together the most unique stuff. Uno runs wild for a bit until a few more shots cut him (and the crowd) off.

Cole gets Uno in a camel clutch and the Bucks load up the double kiss, but the rest of the Order takes their place for the kiss instead. A double backdrop puts Cole on the floor and the Order gets to pose for a change. Something Evil gets two on Cole as everything breaks down again. The Order is sent outside and get take out by dives, leaving Cole to kick Reynolds down. A rollup gives Reynolds two and he knees Cole in the face for a bonus. The Bucks are back in with superkicks and the Panama Sunrise into the BTE Trigger into the Boom finishes for Cole at 10:48.

Rating: C+. I can forgive the Superkliq for not exactly taking the Dark Order seriously but they ultimately had to put in some effort to win. Cole getting the pin works as well as he continues to pad his resume while the Bucks take a bit of a step back from him. Silver continues to look like a star, though I’m not sure how much of a future he has in this 837 member group.

Post match here is Jungle Boy to go after the Superkliq, who run off because he grabs a chair. Brandon Cutler is left alone to try the cold spray, which is blocked by the chair. The Snare Trap has Cutler in trouble, with Boy adding the spray to Cutler’s eyes. Now see how easy it is to make Jungle Boy look good? Get rid of the freak show and he’s a star. It’s not that hard.

Cody Rhodes appears at his wrestling academy, where his fellow coaches (or maybe students) aren’t happy with him. Arn Anderson puts him through a drill where everyone goes after him one at a time. Cody wants to know what this is supposed to teach him so Anderson pulls out a photo of Dusty Rhodes beating him up back in the day. Arn talks about how Cody never wanted to disappoint kids, but would kids have thought Dusty was bad for busting Arn open that night? Of course not, because Arn had it coming. Malakai Black has it coming too.

Here is MJF to say he is stuck in a place that smells like hookers and gasoline. He doesn’t like not being announced for his match, even though there is no match scheduled. Punk: “You know how I can tell? No Wardlow.” MJF doesn’t think Darby Allin is ready to fight him so maybe he did break Allin mentally. After telling a fat guy to shut up, MJF feigns shock over hearing about Allin being attacked last week. MJF: “TONY SCHIAVONE! DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS???”

MJF is going to give us a match with Allin, so Wardlow brings out a referee to count the ten. The count is on….and here’s Sting to answer. A baseball bat shot to the ribs drops Wardlow and MJF runs into the snow. MJF teases running back in but runs despite Sting dropping the bat, much to commentary’s disgust.

Britt Baker interrupts Anna Jay’s interview and talks about how the Superkliq beat the Dark Order. Anna: “They are not losers!” Baker talks more trash and the fight is on with referees breaking it up in a hurry.

Kiera Hogan vs. Penelope Ford

The Bunny is here with Ford. Hogan grabs a headlock to start as Punk wants to know if there is any relation, though commentary isn’t sure which Hogan he could possibly mean. Tony is right there to bring them back to focus on the TBS Title as Ford misses a running boot in the corner, setting up a takedown to give Hogan two. Ford bulldogs her into the corner to take over again though and we go to a break. Back with Hogan hitting a superplex but not being able to follow up. A sliding kick to the face in the corner rocks Ford for two more but Ford hits a running cutter. The Muta Lock finishes Hogan at 7:53.

Rating: D+. Not the best match here, but neither of these two are exactly known as a ring general. They were both trying but ultimately you’re only going to be able to get so much out of them. Hogan is someone who has potential due to her amazing charisma and it’s clear that AEW sees a lot in Ford. Keeping it short was the right call here, and it’s not like this dragged down the show.

Post match here is Ruby Soho to jump Ford in revenge from last night. The beating is on but the Bunny comes out to….do nothing actually.

Miro isn’t sure what happened that caused him to lose the TNT Title. He thinks his God has turned on him because he was given a body of granite and a neck of sand. Miro will either be a champion or an enemy and it is time to destroy. He hasn’t seen his wife since losing the title and he will not again until he is God’s favorite champion again.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat. Tony Schiavone recaps Page’s feud with Kenny Omega, leaving Page to talk about how the Elite left their home in Ring of Honor in 2019. Their world changed and then he lost his big matches on the way. It felt like he started to lose a bit more, including his confidence. The one thing that it felt like he never lost was the fans chanting COWBOY S***, which means we have to pause for a chant.

That meant taking his shot on day one and learning to let the past live in the past and accept new friends in his life. It meant taking his chance to stick his neck out like his friends did so many times. It means having the guts to go back home for the birth of his son, but last week he finally picked up the phone and took a shot.

Page feels the people still believe in him though, and for the first time in his life, he does too. The promise he can make is that he will give us everything at Full Gear, including COWBOY S***! This was a heck of a promo and it was nice to have Page finally say these things instead of having to figure out the big story for ourselves. It wasn’t hard to figure out, but it’s nice to hear it from the source for a change.

Here’s what’s coming next week, including Malakai Black vs. Cody Rhodes III and tournament matches.

Bryan Danielson vs. Bobby Fish

Feeling out process to start with Fish’s headlock not working, as Danielson kicks him into the corner. Back up and Fish strikes away, only to get knocked outside. Fish gets posted but is fine enough to cut off the running knee from the apron as we take a break. Back with Fish working on the knee and hitting a sliding lariat for two more.

The half crab goes on but Danielson is back up with a suplex to send Fish flying. Danielson evens things up by wrapping the knee around the post but Fish is back in with a backdrop driver. Fish takes him up top for a super Falcon Arrow and starts tying up the knee. They both get kneebars until Danielson kicks him in the head for the break. A heel hook makes Fish tap at 12:28.

Rating: B. Fish got in a lot here, which is the kind of thing that makes AEW work so well. They know how to make someone look good in defeat, albeit in a match they had no business winning. There is nothing wrong with Fish losing to a much bigger star and Danielson gets a win over someone with some name value. AEW has figured out that formula and that is a great thing to see.

With less than a minute to go in the show, here is the bracket for the #1 contenders tournament:

10
Jon Moxley

Orange Cassidy
Powerhouse Hobbs

Dustin Rhodes
Bryan Danielson

Lance Archer
Eddie Kingston

That’s….interesting. I guess?

Overall Rating: B. Not so great brackets aside, this was another good show from AEW, who don’t seem to know how to had a bad one these days. They throw in at least two exciting matches to keep you hooked and the rest is all gravy. The title change was a nice surprise too, though I’m not completely sure why the frog suits were included. Anyway, another good night here, as AEW is on fire (again).

Results
Malakai Black b. Dante Martin – Black Mass
Las Super Ranas b. Lucha Bros – Brainbuster to Fenix
Jon Moxley b. Wheeler Yuta – Paradigm Shift
Superkliq b. Dark Order – Boom to Reynolds
Penelope Ford b. Kiera Hogan – Muta Lock
Bryan Danielson b. Bobby Fish – Heel hook

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: October 6, 2021
Location: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

Believe it or not, there is a big match this week as it’s time for the return of the Casino Ladder Match. That means another Joker entry, which could be a nice surprise. Other than that, we slowly continue on the way to Full Gear, which is going to need some match announcements. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Super Elite vs. Christian Cage/Jungle Boy/Luchasaurus/Bryan Danielson

That would be Kenny Omega/Adam Cole/Young Bucks. Jungle springboard armdrags Nick into a dropkick to start and then hands it off to Cage. Some right hands in the corner have Cole in trouble and it’s back to Jungle for a sliding kick to the face. Cole takes over on Jungle though and hands it back to Omega for a springboard elbow to the back. Jungle manages to crotch Nick on top and holds onto Matt’s arm while bouncing on the top to crotch Nick even more.

Danielson comes in to kick and chop away at Matt’s chest, followed by Luchasaurus getting in kicks of his own. Everything breaks down with Jungle missing a slingshot dive to the floor. Brandon Cutler sprays Cage in the eye though and it’s an Indytaker to Cage outside. That’s going to be it for Cage, who has to be taken out, leaving this as a handicap match. Back in and the Bucks give Cole the double kiss but Jungle gets in a shot to Omega for a breather. Danielson comes in for the big slugout with Omega, with the latter being taken into the corner for the kicks to the chest.

There’s the super hurricanrana for two on Omega with a bunch of saves being made. Everything breaks down and it’s a parade of secondary finishers until Danielson gets Omega in the Cattle Mutilation. Nick breaks that up with a Swanton but it’s Luchasaurus firing off kicks. The series of dives tot he floor is capped off by Omega, with Cole teasing a dive but posing instead. Luchasaurus chokeslams him to set up the standing moonsault but Cole hits Luchasaurus low.

The Elite tries a quadruple powerbomb on Luchasaurus but falls down, leaving everyone to stand around until Jungle hits all of them. A double superkick into the Panama Sunrise gets two, with Danielson making the save (read as Matt throws Danielson into the cover for the save). The Affirmative Kicks rock Omega until Danielson is kicked to the floor. The four man BTE Trigger finishes Jungle at 17:58, with JR complaining about all four being in the ring at the same time.

Rating: B. It was action packed and rather exciting, though there were some spots in there that didn’t exactly look great. That is probably because, as tends to be the case, they tried to pack in too many things. This is a match that could have been a bit better if they hadn’t crammed as much in,

Jon Moxley says no one can pin him or make him submit so now it’s time to put ladders in the ring. He’s used to the crazy though, because he has a three month old at home and she’s nuts too. This is his city and that is his belt so he’s winning tonight.

Here’s CM Punk to a huge reaction for a chat. Punk asks if anyone around here is tired yet and can’t believe he has Michael Jordan shoes. He talks about how he moved to Philadelphia in 2002, wrestled part of the week and trained wrestlers the rest of the week because he loved wrestling. Using the money he made in Philadelphia, he bought an iPod and a laptop because he was rich. He wasn’t rich because of the money but because he was in a wrestling culture.

Now he is back and he isn’t tired of how he is feeling. He wanted to give it back, so you can have your pick: he’ll wrestle tonight or he’ll buy everyone cheese steaks (Punk: “Is it cheese steak or cheesecake?”). The fans pick wrestle so if Daniel Garcia has the fortitude, he can meet Punk on Rampage. Punk goes to leave….and gives his Jordans to a fan dressed as Orange Cassidy. JR: “Don’t worry kid. You’ll grow into them.”

Arn Anderson is outside Cody Rhodes’ house and is burning something in a barrel. Cody comes out and talks about how Arn turned his back on him but Arn cuts him off to say that Cody turned on them. Cody can have his multi million dollar houses and his reality TV shows, but he might as well just paint a star on his face. Arn slaps him in the face to prove his point.

TNT Title: Sammy Guevara vs. Bobby Fish

Fish is challenging in his debut. Some kicks to the chest have Guevara in early trouble but Guevara flips over him and hits his own kick to the face. An enziguri in the corner sets up a springboard, which is broken up as well. Back up and they slug it out with Fish kicking him down as we take a break.

We come back with Guevara hitting a running elbow to the face but Fish kicks him down again. Sammy kicks him off the top but gets crotched down, setting up Fish’s super Falcon Arrow for a delayed two. A suplex into the corner gives Fish two more but Guevara kicks him away and hits the GTH to retain at 9:17.

Rating: C+. Not a classic match here but Fish looked good in his debut and was a smart first title defense for Guevara. I’d rather they bring in someone with some name status who can work well with anyone rather than having a regular star take a loss. Good match here and they didn’t go too long either.

Post match here is American Top Team to surround the ring and beat Sammy down. Fuego del Sold runs in for the save but gets beaten down so here are Chris Jericho and Jake Hager for the real save. Jericho manages to knock Junior Dos Santos (former UFC Heavyweight Champion) to the floor so he and Hager can stand tall.

Dan Lambert says cut the music but has to wait for the fans to finish Judas. Lambert talks about how Jericho has been around for a long time but this isn’t his time. AEW is heading to Miami on October 15, the home of American Top Team and Jorge Mazvidal. So how about a six man tag with the Men of the Year and Junior Dos Santos vs. the Inner Circle? Jericho says he didn’t hear a thing Lambert said….and then Jericho’s mic gives out. Jericho gets another mic and he promises to beat the living s*** out of Lambert and his team. Very nice save there if Lambert couldn’t be heard in the arena.

The Acclaimed raps about their Tag Team Title shot on Rampage.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring for a special announcement. Dynamite is moving to TBS on January 5 and that means we are going to have something special. Tony shows us the new TBS Title, which will be in the Women’s division, starting with a tournament to crown the first champion. As long as the NWA Women’s Title is gone, that should be fine.

Jim Ross sits down with Darby Allin, who talks about how MJF got to him last week. Yes he was there when his uncle drove drunk and got killed and that’s why he paints half of his face. Allin faced death that night but lived to talk about it and MJF isn’t going to break him.

Darby Allin vs. Nick Comoroto

Allin dives on the rest of the Factor to start and strikes away in the corner. We take an early break and come back with….Allin hitting the Coffin Drop for the pin at 4:43. Well that happened.

Post match QT Marshall comes in with a cutter to Sting, who pops up for the Scorpion Death Drop.

The Dark Order is back together, with Evil Uno saying the team can make the decisions. They agree to start voting as a family, with the first vote being about where Alan Angels has to wear a mask again. Anna Jay breaks up another fight and they’re good again.

Here is Dante Martin for a chat. He has proven he can hang with anyone and now he wants to fight anyone willing to get in the ring with him. The lights go out and here is Malakai Black (JR: “He kicks people’s heads off for a living!”) to spray black mist and hit Black Mass. The lights go out again and come back with Martin gone. Black says the House of Black accepts and then leaves.

Here is Ricky Starks to talk about how the FTW Title was defended right here in this very city. He’s more of a champion than the previous champion Brian Cage, who isn’t here tonight. That’s a shame as Starks was going to challenge him to a Philly street fight….and here is Cage to start the brawl. Team Taz pulls Starks to safety.

Various women say they’re winning the TBS Title.

Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb

If Shida wins, she gets a trophy for winning 50 matches. They take turns throwing each other down to start before trading wristlocks. Shida flips away though and it’s a standoff until she kicks Deeb down. The right hands in the corner set up a dropkick in the corner (as in Shida is hammering away on the middle rope and then jumps up for the middle rope dropkick). They head outside with Shida loading up the chair but Deeb throws it underneath the ring. A neckbreaker over the ropes rocks Shida and we take a quick break.

Back with Shida grabbing a front facelock and swinging Deeb around for a painful look. Shida hits a missile dropkick for two but the Octopus is countered. The Deebtox is countered as well and Shida hits a running knee. Shida dives onto the rocked Deeb, who comes back with a running knee of her own. Deeb goes after the leg but misses a chop block, allowing Shida to hit a sitout Dominator for two. A Falcon Arrow gives Shida the same but Deeb is right back with the Deebtox for two of her own. The Serenity Lock finishes Shida at 10:19.

Rating: B-. Good stuff here, as I like the idea of making Shida work for the 50th win. That could take her awhile to accomplish and it could make for something interesting, though I wouldn’t stretch it out that long. It’s great to have Deeb back too, as she really is one of the best around these days.

Post match, Deeb hits Shida in the head with the trophy.

MJF has challenged Darby Allin to a match on Dynamite next week. Allin accepts and looks at a limo, seemingly thinking MJF is inside. Instead a masked man jumps him and another takes the camera. More masked men come in and beat him down, including an F10 onto a bunch of barricades. Another masked man (clearly MJF) gets out of the limo to choke Allin with the skateboard. The Pinnacle (with Schiavone saying that’s who it is) leaves in the limo. Commentary is DISGUSTED by these developments.

Lio Rush talks about how much he likes Dante Martin but he’s also a businessman. Rush thinks Martin needs to rush towards Malakai Black’s challenge and they should talk soon.

Britt Baker likes the idea of the TBS Title tournament (though she was hoping for the Cartoon Network Title) because some of these b****** might leave her alone. Go have your tournament and she’ll be sitting here on top.

Casino Ladder Match

The entrants are coming in intervals and there is another Joker, though you can win at any time, even before all of the entrants are in. First up we have Orange Cassidy at #1 (with the Philadelphia 76ers mascot) and Pac at #2, with Cassidy taking the sunglasses off early. Pac knocks him down to start so Cassidy puts his hands behind his back and crosses his legs. The ladder is brought in but Pac stops to plant him with a brainbuster.

Andrade El Idolo is in at #3 but Pac dropkicks a ladder into him before Andrade can get in. Pac goes up but Andrade jumps up to cut him off, setting up a sunset bomb. Cassidy is back up with the lazy kicks and a headscissors but Matt Hardy is in at #4. The Side Effect drops Cassidy, who is back up to prevent Matt from climbing.

We take a break and come back with Lance Archer in at #5 and splashing Cassidy on a ladder bridged into another one. Archer teases going up but Jon Moxley is in at #6, with Moxley meeting him in the crowd. Moxley pelts a chair at Archer’s head and they fight to ringside, where Archer hits Moxley with the chair as well. Back in and Cassidy Orange Punches Archer to slow him down but Moxley takes Cassidy down.

A running dropkick into the ladder into Archer sends him into the corner and it’s……Hangman Page in at #7 as the Joker. Page goes right at Moxley for the slugout and cleans house until Pac gets in a chair shot. Pac puts Page on a table and goes up the ladder but has to deal with Andrade. A headbutt drops Andrade off the top onto a chair onto a ladder at ringside, allowing Page to go up and slug it out with Pac. The super Deadeye off the ladder drives Pac through a table (that was terrifying) but Page comes up favoring his knee.

Moxley takes Page out with the Paradigm Shift but Cassidy meets him on top of the ladder. Hardy shoves the ladder over to break up the fight and legdrops Cassidy through a table. Archer cleans house again but Page is back up with the Buckshot Lariat (thankfully the knee seems ok). The climb is on until Moxley chairs Page in the back. Moxley goes up with Page but gets knocked down, allowing Page to pull down the poker chip (because it’s a poker chip) to win at 17:08.

Rating: B. They had the high spots and they had the big pop. I’m still not sure if I like the idea of the staggered entrances but it’s certainly different than what everyone else does, which can be a positive. This was the stunt show you were expecting and it’s certainly interesting to see Page get the title shot. I’m not sure how that is going to go, but they couldn’t just leave that unresolved.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a show that felt designed for Philadelphia and that is not a bad thing. They had an action packed card with a bunch of fan favorites and pandering to the crowd, which kept things from possibly getting ugly in a hurry. It was another very fun night and that’s what AEW does best. They need to start building up Full Gear, but at this point that just means announcing what should be a pretty clear card. Another strong night this week, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

Results
Super Elite b. Christian Cage/Bryan Danielson/Luchasaurus/Jungle Boy – BTE Trigger to Jungle Boy
Sammy Guevara b. Bobby Fish – GTH
Darby Allin b. Nick Comoroto – Coffin Drop
Serena Deeb b. Hikaru Shida – Serenity Lock
Hangman Page won the Casino Ladder Match

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: September 15, 2021
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, CM Punk

Things have been getting big in a hurry around here and that is going to be the case again this week. This time around we have the in-ring debut of Adam Cole, which should make for quite the moment. Other than that, Grand Slam is on the horizon and that should be an even bigger show. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

CM Punk, on commentary tonight, gets a big introduction and dives into the crowd again.

Adam Cole vs. Frankie Kazarian

The fans are behind Cole as Kazarian takes him over a few times. Cole flips out of a headlock and backdrops Kazarian over the top and onto the apron for a nasty crash. Back in and Cole takes some bows but Kazarian hits the slingshot Fameasser over the ropes. That doesn’t seem to do much to Cole, who is back with right hands into the chinlock. That’s broken up as well and Kazarian grabs a leglock while cranking on the arms at the same time.

Cole fights up and hits the fireman’s carry backbreaker for two more. Kazarian is back up as well and grabs a Rolling Chaos Theory out of the corner. The running knees in the corner connect but Cole is right back with a superkick. The Panama Sunrise is countered into an Alabama Slam and the springboard spinning legdrop leaves them both down. They forearm it out from their knees with Kazarian getting the better of things until a brainbuster onto the knee gives Cole two. Kazarian sends him to the apron but misses another Fameasser. The Panama Sunrise into the Last Shot finishes for Cole at 8:04.

Rating: C+. That’s all you could have asked for here as they gave Cole a win over a name after he had to work a bit to get there. I don’t think there was any doubt about the winner here but this was a much better way to debut Cole than having him win a squash match. Good stuff here and Cole was absolutely a star.

Post match, it’s time for Storytime with Adam Cole. He hasn’t been around long but there are three people who have gotten under his nerves. That would be Christian Cage, Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy, so how about next week it’s Cole and the Young Bucks vs. those three at Rampage Grand Slam. I think Cole might have meant Dynamite, but either way, the Superkliq is back.

The Lucha Bros are ready for Butcher and Blade on Rampage.

Fuego del Sol has a new car but he would give it up for the TNT Title. Actually let’s make that a challenge: title vs. car on Rampage.

Here is MJF for a chat. He doesn’t like being in New Jersey because this place is horrible. We hear about how various famous people from New Jersey suck harder than….and we’ll move on. The fans tell him to shut the f*** up but MJF doesn’t care. He is the salt of the earth and a very religious man. Therefore, he is going to have a conversation with the late great Brian Pillman. MJF looks down at the mat and says he and Pillman need to talk.

Next week, he is going to go to the horrible town of Queens and beat up the worst second generation wrestler of all time. The catchphrase is cut off by Brian Pillman Jr.’s music so MJF sends Wardlow to deal with him….and Pillman comes in through the crowd with a chair. Wardlow cuts that off so Pillman slaps him in the face and low bridges him outside. The threat of a chair shot sends MJF and Wardlow running. Good for them for trying to build someone up, because that’s what needs to happen.

Earlier today, Jim Ross sat down with Brian Pillman Jr. and talked about Pillman Sr. calling to say he had a son. Next week, Pillman Jr. has a chance to redeem himself against MJF and that’s what he wants to do to fulfill his father’s legacy. When MJF was being fed with a silver spoon, he was growing up fighting to survive. Next week, MJF is stepping in the ring with a Pillman.

Christian Cage and the Jurassic Express accept the challenge for Rampage (which is also called Grand Slam).

Dante Martin/Matt Sydal vs. FTR

Sydal armdrags Harwood down to start but he drives Martin into the corner without much effort. Martin is sent outside for some hard shots from Wheeler, including quite the posting. Back in and a headbutt rocks Martin and we hit the chinlock. Martin slips out and dives over for the tag to Sydal so the strikes can clear the ring. A double dive takes FTR down on the floor as we take a break.

Back with Sydal flipping out of an abdominal stretch but his crossbody is caught. That’s fine with Martin, who comes in off a blind tag and springboard missile dropkicks everyone down. The pace picks up and Martin hits a running Swanton, setting up a rollup for two. Stereo hurricanranas get two on FTR but Sydal is sent outside. That leaves Martin to walk into the Big Rig for the pin at 8:59.

Rating: C+. I can go for seeing FTR getting a nice win because it just does not happen very often. They had to break a sweat to win but then got the win in the end. That’s all you can ask for and I’m hoping to see a little bit more from them in the future. FTR just doesn’t get to wrestle regular tag matches very often and I don’t get why as they’re really good at it.

Commentary talks about the Suzuki Incident, meaning Minoru Suzuki isn’t happy that his music was cut off early last week.

Lance Archer and Minoru Suzuki (stable mates in New Japan) aren’t happy with Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston so the tag match is on for next week.

Here is Malakai Black for a chat (with commentary being silent to make it that much better). The House of Black has an enemy and we cut to actress Rosario Dawson in a Nightmare Family shirt. Black goes over to glare at her but here is the returning Cody Rhodes (Dawson’s fellow judge on the Go Big Show) as Dawson jumps on Black’s back. That’s broken up and the guys fight into the crowd until we take a break. Good brawl here and Dawson was a nice addition.

The Bunny isn’t happy with Anna Jay being back because Jay can’t just leave her alone.

The Dark Order is ready for Anna’s Rampage debut but here are Alex Reynolds and 10 to argue with Evil Uno. Anna doesn’t want to hear any of this and says if this is what is going on, none of the Dark Order needs to be here for Rampage. She and Tay Conti leave together.

Here is Dan Lambert, with the Men of the Year and others, to complain about AEW fans being small men and large women. These fans will cheer for a wrestler throwing six superkicks, climbing three floors and diving through a bunch of tables onto a lifeless body. Cue Chris Jericho and Jake Hager, with Lambert complaining about the fans singing Judas.

The fans sing it sans music as Excalibur lists off all of the MMA fighters here with Lambert. Jericho calls Lambert a “fat faced dips***” and sings a song of his own about it. Lambert can’t believe Jericho is out here to defend the fans, but he is the master manipulator around this company. He insults Jericho and the Fozzy fans, who use their allowance to buy their records. Jericho: “You guys get an allowance?”

Jericho sees Lambert and American Top Team but wants to know which one is on top. Hager and Jericho aren’t going to be intimidated because Hager is undefeated and Jericho has been fighting with MMA guys backstage for years. Lambert issues the challenge for next week and Jericho and Hager say it’s on, because there will be no escape from New York.

The Gunn Club talks about why they attacked Paul Wight. They are undefeated around here but now wins and losses don’t matter. Respect will be earned one way or another and if anyone has a problem with that, do something about it. Makes sense. Still the Gunn Club.

Jade Cargill vs. Leyla Hirsch

Leyla, billed from New Jersey, sends her outside to start and then dives onto Mark Sterling. Back in and Leyla hits some knees in the corner, setting up a slingshot dropkick. Cargill has to counter a cross armbreaker into a powerbomb and we take a break. Back with Jade fighting out of a choke but getting German suplexed down for two. Cargill bails to the floor and gets taken down again by a dive. A running knee to the face gives Leyla two but Cargill gets in her own shot to the face. Jaded finishes Leyla at 6:07.

Rating: C. Cargill is still a physical marvel but you’re only going to get so much out of her in the ring at this point. Hirsch put her in trouble for the first time though and there was a point where I thought they might go with the big upset. That’s a good sign for the match and while it wasn’t great, it was Jade’s best match by far.

Andrade El Idolo isn’t happy with Chavo Guerrero interfering with his match last week, which is why he took Chavo out. He can beat anyone he wants whenever he wants.

Taz and Hook interrupt commentary to accuse Punk of trying to take Taz’s jobs. It’s a ruse though and Powerhouse Hobbs jumps Punk from behind. Punk tries to fight back but Hook hooks a dragon sleeper. Hobbs slams Punk onto the announcers’ table for the big crash.

Shawn Spears doesn’t like Darby Allin calling him generic and brings up giving Allin his first AEW loss.

Shawn Spears vs. Darby Allin

Spears has Tully Blanchard and his chair while Allin has Sting. Allin sits in the corner to start so Spears hits a running knee to his face. After that far too logical opening, Spears drops him ribs first onto the top to take things outside. A whip sends Allin into the steps but he avoids a running knee to the face against said steps. Back in and Allin’s dive is cut off by Blanchard getting in the way so Sting offers a well timed glare. Spears gets in a cheap shot though and grabs a bottle of water and a towel, which he uses to rub the paint off of Allin’s face.

We take a break and come back with Allin crawling to the ropes to escape the Scorpion Deathlock. Spears takes him up top but Allin catches him in the Tree of Woe and hammers at the bad knee to put Spears in trouble. They head to the apron with Spears trying the C4 onto the steps but getting countered into the flipping Stunner. The big flip dive sends Spears into the steps instead and it’s the Coffin Drop to give Allin the pin at 8:20.

Rating: C. Every time I see Spears, the more I agree with what Allin said about him: he really is generic and it gets to be a bit difficult to find a reason to care about his matches. Spears is far from bad, but egads I could go for something a little more interesting from him. Allin continues to feel like a star and that’s what AEW has been going for with him since the beginning.

Post match here is FTR for the brawl with Sting and Allin. Blanchard’s chair shot to Sting does nothing but the numbers game has Sting down for the beating. Allin gets the same treatment, leaving Sting to take the spike piledriver. Then Blanchard goes huge by wiping off Sting’s face paint (or at least some of it). I’m sure this is going to mean violence and it should after a good angle.

Bryan Danielson thinks the Elite acts like people who are insecure so he is going after Kenny Omega. He is excited to get in the ring and he would love for Omega to be his first match. He’s here and he is game so let’s go. This was the same promo from Rampage.

Tony Schiavone brings out Bryan Danielson for a chat. Danielson is glad to be here but here are Don Callis and Kenny Omega to interrupt. Callis calls Danielson a hippie millionaire who thinks that he is here to jump into the title match. Callis: “And people call me a carny piece of s***”.

Danielson finally cuts him off and says he is here to talk to Omega. This might be about the title one day but for now, let’s give the people what they want. The match is teased but Callis says no way. Danielson talks about how he came here to face the Best Bout Machine but all he sees is someone hiding behind a bunch of goons. Maybe Omega has lost his testicular fortitude, so is it yes or no? Omega says he’s in and the fans approve. This was a formality but something they had to get out of the way.

Miro promises to bash Fuego del Sol’s brains and his car.

Matt Hardy wants to shave Orange Cassidy’s head.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite and Rampage, including Bryan Danielson vs. Kenny Omega on Dynamite.

Jon Moxley/Eddie Kingston vs. 2.0

2.0 and Daniel Garcia jump them on the floor before the bell but Moxley takes over inside as we officially get going. 2.0 is sent outside in a hurry and Garcia gets whipped into the barricade. That’s enough of a distraction for Moxley to get beaten down and we take a break. Back with Moxley still in trouble but he fights them off like they/re 2.0 and brings Kingston back in. Everything breaks down and the spinning backfist sets up the DDT. Moxley comes back in for a clothesline/half and half combination for the pin on Lee at 6:38.

Rating: C-. Not much of a main event as this was little more than a glorified workout for Moxley and Kingston. I was wondering what would headline the show and it was kind of a disappointment when I saw what they were doing. I’m sure there will be something after the match ends, but it’s not much of a match for the main event.

Post match here is Minoru Suzuki, who gets the full version of his theme song this time. Cue Lance Archer to pull Kingston to the floor for the brawl into the crowd. Moxley and Suzuki fight at ringside, where Moxley has to save himself from a piledriver through the table. They fight into the crowd as well to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Not so great main event aside, this was a good example of fitting a lot of stuff into two hours. Several stories were covered and they set up all kinds of stuff for next week’s two special shows. This week’s show might not have been great, but it got things ready for the next great show and that is very important in its own right. Good show here, which shouldn’t surprise you.

Results
Adam Cole b. Frankie Kazarian – Last Shot
FTR b. Matt Sydal/Dante Martin – Big Rig to Martin
Jade Cargill b. Leyla Hirsch – Jaded
Darby Allin b. Shawn Spears – Coffin Drop
Eddie Kingston/Jon Moxley b. 2.0 – Clothesline/half and half suplex combination to Lee

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.