Dynamite
Date: March 9, 2022
Location: Hertz Arena, Fort Myers, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

We’re fresh off of Revolution and that means it is time to start setting up some new things going forward. We have about two and a half months before Double Or Nothing though and that means we are probably going to need some smaller stories to bridge the gap. Those could start this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Revolution if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Here is Chris Jericho, now with his hair down for a different look, to get things going. Jericho talks about how his neck is still sore from his match with Eddie Kingston but it was one of the best matches he has ever had. After the match he refused to shake his hand but now he would like Kingston to come out here right now. Cue Kingston, who says we are going to get real deep.

On the Friday night before the biggest match of his career, he didn’t want to show up. After telling the fans that Steve Austin isn’t here tonight (in response to the WHAT chants), Kingston talks about how four people came up and said they didn’t kill themselves for his Players Tribune piece. He went to his hotel room (“And you can make fun of me if you want. I’ll still beat you up.”) and cried after the match and it was the biggest night of his career.

The match was what mattered instead of the handshake because that was a Chris Jericho thing. Kingston wanted the Jericho who was in the Super J Cup (as Lionheart, as a fan shouts) and he wants to know how Jericho can fill in the hole in his chest that wouldn’t let him shake his hand. Jericho thanks him for the match and shake his hand but here are 2.0 and Daniel Garcia to take Kingston down.

Santana and Ortiz run in for the save, with Jericho being handed a bat as Ortiz holds Garcia. As expected, Jericho then beats down Santana and Ortiz with the bat. 2.0 comes back in and helps Jericho with the beatdown. Jake Hager comes in to beat on Santana and Ortiz as well as Jericho beats on Kingston with the bat. Hager powerbombs Kingston off the apron and through the table (in a scary landing) and Jericho dubs the team the Jericho Appreciation Society. Jericho: “That’s entertainment.”

CM Punk is happy with the dog collar match and says this is a new version of him.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page vs. Dante Martin

Martin is challenging and gets shouldered down to start but comes right back with a springboard crossbody. That’s pulled out of the air though and Page rolls into a fall away slam to send Martin to the apron. A springboard clothesline knocks Martin to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Martin hitting a missile dropkick for two and a moonsault connects to rock the champ again. They head back inside though and Page counters a moonsault into a powerbomb. The Buckshot Lariat is broken up though and they head back outside. Martin has to duck a forearm though and his springboard is broken up, allowing Page to hit the Buckshot Lariat to retain at 7:27.

Rating: C. It was fun while it lasted but you can only get so much out of a match that lasts about seven and a half minutes including a break. Martin was in a bit over his head here but did get a nice rub in the main event scene. I’m not sure if it needed to be a title match, though with Page winning without much effort, it didn’t hurt anything.

Post match Page calls Martin back to the ring and says that he knows Top Flight is back, but if Martin makes it back to the title scene, he would love to do it again. They shake hands and here is Adam Cole to interrupt. Cole isn’t happy with Page, who is ready to go right now. That’s not good for Cole, but he is challenging Page to a six man tag next week. Page can pick any two partners he wants but Cole has one of the best tag teams in the world as his partners (though he doesn’t say who). He promises to make Page’s life a nightmare until he is the new champion.

Brian Danielson/Jon Moxley vs. Work Horsemen

William Regal is here with Moxley and Danielson while the Work Horsemen are JD Drake and Anthony Henry. Danielson is kicking away at Drake to start so Henry comes in to kick at Danielson instead. That’s fine with Danielson, who takes Henry down into a surfboard, allowing the tag to Moxley. A Crash Landing (vertical suplex released into a powerbomb) drops Henry again as everything breaks down. Danielson’s running knee hits Drake as Moxley Paradigm Shifts Henry on the floor. That leaves Danielson to stomp Drake, setting up the LeBell Lock for the tap at 4:00.

Rating: C. Just a squash to start the new team and that is the right way to go. Regal is already adding something with those great facial expressions of his and it is great to see. I could go for a lot more of these three together, though I’m curious to see where they are going. They are going to need some major opponents for a feud and I’m not sure who that is going to be.

Post match Tony Schiavone talks to the winners plus Regal, the latter of whom says it has been 29 years since he came to America. He is 53 years old now and knows he doesn’t have much time left in the ring due to a lot of empty bottles and a few broken hearts. Regal: “I see you haven’t found a decent tailor in all that time Tony.” Regal thanks Tony for helping him get into the wrestling business in America before moving on to something more important. He has been checked out of wrestling for two months but then someone told him that Danielson mentioned him on Dynamite.

Then he heard that Danielson was going to fight Moxley. For the last several years, Danielson has been mentioned with Regal, who loves sitting down with wrestlers willing to sit down and learn. That can add ten years to your career, and Danielson is the perfect wrestler. They would train for hours a day and Danielson became everything that Regal couldn’t be.

Then, eleven years ago, Regal met Moxley and they went to mental and physical war for a year. He heard that they were going to fight on Sunday so it was time for him to finally get involved. What better way for the younger generation to learn than from the perfect wrestler and the perfect sadistic man who will take things to another level. That is why this team is together and just a warning: anyone who steps in the ring with them will regret it. Either step up or get stepped on. Regal got a little wordy here but he got the point across.

Hangman Page comes in to see the Dark Order, who asks him who he’ll be picking to team with them next week. Actually Page ran into the Jurassic Express, who wanted to fight the Young Bucks anyway. The Dark Order doesn’t seem pleased but they’ll catch up with him later.

Wheeler Yuta vs. Pac

Yuta knocks Pac down and we take a very early break. Back with Pac kicking away but Yuta gets up top for a high crossbody. Pac German suplexes him for two and hits the top rope superplex. The Brutalizer finishes Yuta at 5:40. Not enough shown to rate but Pac didn’t seem to break that much of a sweat.

The Young Bucks and ReDRagon continue arguing until Adam Cole cuts them off. Cole talks about the six man next week and picks ReDRagon for the tag match, which doesn’t sit well with the Bucks. Cole leaves and Brandon Cutler says he would pick the Bucks as his partners. Matt: “Shut up.” Cole: “I HEARD THAT BRANDON!”

FTR talks about how much they want to get their hands on the Bucks and ReDRagon but Tully Blanchard tells them to focus on the Tag Team Titles. That doesn’t work for Cash Wheeler, who fires Tully from the team.

It’s time for an emergency board meeting of the AHFO. Matt Hardy doesn’t like Andrade trying to kick him out of the team he founded and he just wants to make this right. Andrade says the team can take a vote, which works for Matt because Private Party will never vote him out.

Andrade votes no, Matt votes yes, Jose votes no, Private Party votes yes to start and then changes to no’s behind Matt’s back. Andrade tells him to watch his back and the beatdown is on. Sting and Darby Allin come in for the failed save but cue the debuting Jeff Hardy (to the classic Hardys theme) to make the real save for another Hardys reunion. Until Jeff gets bored and walks out again.

Tony Nese interrupts Swerve Strickland’s interview and challenges him to a match on Rampage, since they have a history on Friday nights.

Here is Wardlow for a chat. He has spent a lot of his life trying to make MJF’s life better and he hopes you can forgive him for associating with such trash. Wardlow grew up very poor and he had to watch his mother work hard to raise himself and his sisters. Therefore, he took MJF’s money to build a better life for his family and he used it as a foot in the door. He is thankful to MJF for the start but one day money isn’t enough to let MJF treat so badly.

Yes he is still under contract with MJF, but he doesn’t care. Wardlow is no longer MJF’s bodyguard and he is no longer part of the Pinnacle. He hopes that MJF will let him out of his contract and they can go their separate ways. All that matters now is that he wins the TNT Title and then the World Title. From now on, AEW is Wardlow’s World. Good speech here, as he got his point across and showed why he was on the bad side for so long in a way that people can accept.

QT Marshall talks to Keith Lee, saying that they have a shared enemy in Team Taz. Marshall and the Factory have his back. Lee says he has his own large back and leaves, with Marshall not being happy.

Tag Team Titles: Acclaimed vs. Jurassic Express

The Express is defending and Caster’s rap is about how much of a loser Jungle Boy is. Jungle Boy gets double teamed to but hands it off to Luchasaurus to clean house. Jungle Boy gets knocked outside for a cheap shot though and we take a break. Back with Luchasaurus sending the Acclaimed to the floor so Jungle Boy can hit a big dive.

A springboard is broken up and the Mic Drop gets two on Jungle Boy. There’s a combination powerbomb for two on Jungle Boy so Luchasaurus takes Caster outside. Jungle Boy small packages Bowens for two and Luchasaurus adds a headbutt. A Doomsday Device drops Bowens and the Tail Whip retains the titles at 9:26.

Rating: B-. Solid match here as the Express continues to get better every single week. Having them go over one team after another is going to make them feel that much bigger and that is a great thing to see. Good stuff here, as the Acclaimed is getting better in the ring to back up the cool entrance.

Jade Cargill wants to know who is going to step up to be her 30th victim.

Leyla Hirsch vs. Thunder Rosa

The winner gets a Women’s Title shot next week. They go to the mat to start with neither getting very far so they try it again. Rosa hits a dropkick and a running forearm in the corner but Hirsch knocks her back down and we take a break. Back with Rosa hitting a northern lights suplex for two but Hirsch grabs a German suplex.

Rosa catches her on top though and grabs a fireman’s carry spun into a faceplant. A sliding forearm gets two and Hirsch goes outside to grab the spare turnbuckle. That’s broken up by Red Velvet so Rosa loads up the fire thunder driver, which is reversed into a cross armbreaker. Rosa gets to the ropes to escape and now the fire thunder driver can finish Hirsch at 8:51.

Rating: C+. The entire point of this was getting Rosa the pin to set up her title match next week and they accomplished that perfectly well. Hirsch is someone who makes for a good roadblock on the way to Rosa’s next big showdown with Baker and she was hardly beaten up badly here. They did what they needed to do here so call it a success.

Post match Tony Schiavone (get that man a raise) announces that Rosa’s title shot will be inside a steel cage next week.

Britt Baker laughs at the idea of Rosa getting her shot because she is going to show just why she was the real winner of the Lights Out match.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

TNT Title: Sammy Guevara vs. Scorpio Sky

Sammy is defending and some forearms to the face rock Sky to start. A dropkick sends Sky outside and it’s time to set up a table at ringside. Sammy knocks him onto said table but the 630 only hits table (which EXPLODES on impact) to put himself in a lot of trouble. Cue Tay Conti to check on Sammy and we take a break. Back with Sammy slugging away but getting knocked outside again. Conti checks on him again but has to get into Paige Van Zant’s face at ringside.

A backbreaker puts Guevara down again back inside and we hit a reverse chinlock. Guevara fights up and starts chopping away, setting up a top rope cutter for two. Sky’s TKO is broken up and it’s the GTH to knock him out to the apron. Instead of covering, Sammy loads up the shooting star press but only hits raised knees. Cue Ethan Page for a distraction so Conti goes after her, only to have Van Zant send her into the steps. The distraction lets Sky hit a heck of a TKO to win the title at 11:50.

Rating: B. Another good match here and it should set up Sky as the sacrificial lamb to Wardlow next week. It makes sense with Sammy having been banged up in so many title defenses as of late and eventually was going to get caught. The title change closing the show makes it feel a bit bigger and it is likely a step in what feels like a bigger story.

Post match Sky hits Sammy with the title and Conti gets thrown inside. Van Zant kicks Conti in the head and signs her AEW contract on the back of Conti’s jeans to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. AEW puts on another pretty strong show this week, though you could feel that a little bit of the energy was gone after Revolution. That’s completely fine as you are only going to be able to do so much after that kind of a pay per view and they have stuff set up for the future. Another good effort though, with some big talking segments and action to back it up.

Results
Hangman Page b. Dante Martin – Buckshot Lariat
Bryan Danielson/Jon Moxley b. Work Horsemen – LeBell Lock to Drake
Pac b. Wheeler Yuta – Brutalizer
Jurassic Express b. Acclaimed – Tail Whip to Bowens
Thunder Rosa b. Leyla Hirsch – Fire thunder driver
Scorpio Sky b. Sammy Guevara – TKO

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Revolution 2022
Date: March 6, 2022
Location: Addition Financial Arena, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

We’re back on pay per view and that is usually a pretty good thing for AEW. This is an absolutely packed show with a twelve match (counting the Buy In) card, featuring a double main event of Hangman Page defending the World Title against Adam Cole and a dog collar match between CM Punk and MJF. Let’s get to it.

Buy-In: Leyla Hirsch vs. Kris Statlander

Grudge match. Leyla wastes no time in hammering away and taking Statlander down. They head outside, with Hirsch tying the arm up in the steps and crushing it hard for a nasty visual. Back in and Statlander gets in a shot of her own, only to get tied in the Tree of Woe. The arm is tied in the ropes again and there’s a running dropkick to said arm, knocking Statlander back to the mat.

Statlander avoids a shot though and it’s a bodyscissors to keep Hirsch down. That’s broken up and they slug it out until Statlander grabs a backbreaker for a breather. Hirsch gets sent into the corner for a running kick to the face and it’s time to head to the apron. A running hurricanrana sends Statlander crashing to the floor, though Hirsch’s back is banged up too. Back in and the cross armbreaker has Statlander in trouble until she gets a leg on the rope.

Hirsch changes plans by trying a rollup out of the corner, only to get caught in an electric chair faceplant. Something like a Michinoku Driver gives Statlander two so Hirsch rolls outside. That lets her pull out a spare turnbuckle, which goes upside Statlander’s head, because the referee isn’t very good at his job. The moonsault gives Hirsch the pin at 9:51.

Rating: C. I’m not sure why this needed to be on the card tonight as it felt more like something you put on Dynamite. Hirsch continues to impress as there is always a place for a wrestler/grappler like her. Statlander even got cheated out of the match so they can go to a rematch if they want, which is not the worst idea.

Buy-In: Hook vs. QT Marshall

Hook starts fast and throws him down, setting up something like an STF to send Marshall out to the floor. Marshall tries to get in a few shots but gets sent outside for a suplex (Taz: “POP THOSE HIPS!”) on the floor. Back in and Marshall manages to send him face first into the buckle, setting up a jumping elbow for two. Marshall goes up top but gets suplexed back down for a big crash. Another suplex sets up Redrum to finish Marshall at 5:01.

Rating: C. I believe that is Hook’s longest match to date and he continues to do his thing very well. He doesn’t have the most impressive look but there is something to be said for the idea of having someone with a unique presentation who is a killer once the bell rings. At some point he will have to move up to better competition, but for now, things are working well for him in these short bursts. Plus, who doesn’t love to see Marshall get beaten up?

Buy-In: House of Black vs. Penta Obscuro/Erick Redbeard/Pac

Matthews and Obscuro start things off and stare at each other for a long time. Penta does the CERO MIEDO and gets his fingers bent backwards. Matthews gets taken down but neither can hit a low superkick. A rollup gives Penta two and they both flip up to their feet. King and Redbeard come in to exchange a bunch of shoulders, setting up the slugout. Everything breaks down with the other four brawling on the floor, leaving Redbeard to dropkick King to the floor.

Redbeard follows to take out the rest of the House, including a running crossbody to King. Back in and Black hits a Cannonball in the corner for tow on Penta as we settle down again. Penta gets over for the tag to Pac, who fires off some kicks. Matthews catches him with a hanging DDT though and now it’s Pac being caught in the corner for the rotating beatdown. Black grabs a headscissors to keep Pac in trouble, with Matthews distraction the referee so he doesn’t see Pac make the rope.

The beating continues but Pac finally gets in a shot of his own, allowing the hot tag to Penta. That means house can really be cleaned, including a catapult sending Penta into a Canadian Destroyer to Matthews. A low superkick rocks King and we slow down a bit with Matthews mostly done. Redbeard manages a slingshot hilo to crush Matthews but Black comes in off a blind tag.

Some kicks rock Redbeard but he muscles Black up for the suplex into the corner. Pac comes back in with a springboard missile dropkick and the poisonrana to drop Black on his head. Everything breaks down and it’s Redbeard vs. King in the big forearm slugout. Redbeard kicks him in the face but gets picked up for Death Valley Driver. Redbeard and King head outside, leaving the other four to pull themselves to their feet for the slugout.

The House gets taken down, including a snap German suplex to Black and a big running flip dive to Matthews. Penta can’t hit Made In Japan on the apron as Black slips out and hits his own kick. That earns Penta kicks Black right back, setting up the Fear Factor on the apron. Back in and Matthews stomps Pac and Black kicks Pac in the face (What Fear Factor?), only to have Redbeard come back in for the staredown.

Redbeard grabs Matthews by the throat but Black kicks him in the face. That doesn’t bother Redbeard, who grabs Black by the throat for the chokeslam, only to get misted in the face. A running knee from Matthews sets up the over the shoulder piledriver to give King the pin at 17:22.

Rating: B. This felt like it belonged on a fairly big show, or as a really featured Rampage main event. Redbeard did feel like he was there to take the pin until Fenix gets back for the real showdown and that isn’t a bad idea. This feud has some legs, even if Black’s creepy/evil stuff might start getting a little tiresome. Adding in Matthews helps keep thing fresh too, and the quality of the match makes up for most of the issues from the buildup.

A video from Draft Kings tells us how to gamble on the show and we’re ready to go.

Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston

They’re starting big and Eddie goes right to it with a half and half to rock Jericho early. A neckbreaker gives Kingston two and we’re off to the early chinlock. Jericho breaks that up and takes him to the floor for a rake to the eye to take over. Back in and an enziguri staggers Eddie but he pops up to chop it out. Kingston goes with the Kenta Kobashi chops and then bites Jericho’s head in the corner.

Jericho slips out and hits some corner clotheslines, setting up the top rope hurricanrana for two. With that not working, Jericho unhooks a turnbuckle pad but doesn’t seem to like his decision. They fight to the apron with Jericho suplexing him down to the floor in a big crash. Back in and Jericho hits a German suplex and gives us a big evil grin. The Lionsault (with Eddie having to slide over) sets up a Lionsault without too much spring to Kingston’s face for two. Kingston gets in a desperation lariat but Jericho pulls him into the Walls.

The rope is eventually reached and it’s Kingston coming back with a Saito suplex. The spinning backfist gives Kingston two and he can’t believe the kickout. Kingston’s northern lights bomb is countered into a Codebreaker for two and now Jericho cant believe it. Kingston gets up and gets caught with another suplex, only to pop up. Jericho cuts him off with another Codebreaker but the Judas Effect misses. A pair of spinning backfists drop Jericho and the Stretch Plum makes Jericho tap at 12:19.

Rating: B. This is a good example of how to put someone over and it was long overdue. Kingston has been knocking at the door of success for a long time now and Jericho is the kind of person to put him over. They beat each other up well and Kingston got the win that he has been needing for a very long time now. Hard hitting opener with the feel good ending.

Eddie looking shocked that he won and even checking with the referee is a great touch. Jericho won’t shake hands, even after he promised to do so.

Here’s the card you already paid to see.

Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks vs. ReDRagon vs. Jurassic Express

The Express is defending and this is one fall to a finish. Jungle Boy gets taken into the Bucks’ corner to start as Bobby Fish will not stop running his mouth. A double slam of some kind is escaped and it’s Luchasaurus coming in to chop away at Matt Jackson. ReDRagon gets chopped down too but all four challengers bail before Luchasaurus can dive. They don’t get away from Jungle Boy’s dive though and the champs are in control early.

Back in and some double teaming puts Luchasaurus down on the floor, meaning the big group beatdown is on. Back in and a running neckbreaker onto a knee puts Jungle Boy down for two, with Fish making a save to annoy Matt. ReDRagon’s double belly to back suplex is escaped and Nick tags himself in. Jungle Boy gets sent outside but blocks Nick’s apron kick, leaving ReDRagon and the Bucks to argue some more.

That’s enough to allow the hot tag to Luchasaurus so house can be cleaned, including some kicks to the Bucks. A moonsault off the apron takes out ReDRagon but the Bucks are back up to kick Luchasaurus down. Luchasaurus is fine enough to plant Matt for two, leaving Matt holding his back. Matt winds up on Luchasaurus’ shoulders, allowing Jungle Boy to run the corner and hit a top rope clothesline for two.

Luchasaurus gets kicked down but O’Reilly is back in to kick away at Matt. Jungle Boy goes to the apron to kick Matt in the back but ReDRagon grabs a DDT, which is kicked into a wheelbarrow suplex for two. O’Reilly hits the top rope knee to Jungle Boy’s leg and the kneebar goes on. That’s broken up as well and Luchasaurus chokeslams Nick off the top. O’Reilly comes in with a front chancery to Luchasaurus but Jungle Boy comes off the top with a shooting star to the two of them for the break.

ReDRagon goes high/low on Jungle Boy for two but it’s Matt coming back in to go after Jungle Boy this time. O’Reilly has to make a save of his own and Matt is annoyed, only to miss More Bang For Your Buck. A hurricanrana into a German suplex takes the Bucks down and it’s Luchasaurus hitting his big dive to the floor. Back in and the Throwassic Express finishes Matt to retain the titles at 18:36.

Rating: B+. This was the wild spotfest that it needed to be, as you know what you are getting with the Bucks in a three way match. The Express needed to win here to give them a fall over the Bucks to establish themselves as more of a dominant team, but it won’t matter if the focus shifts to the Bucks’ issues with ReDRagon. Hopefully that isn’t the case, but there is a bit of a precedent of things going in that direction.

Video on the Face of the Revolution ladder match.

Keith Lee vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Wardlow vs. Ricky Starks vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Christian Cage

Ladder match for a future TNT Title shot. The three monsters clear the ring to start so Cassidy comes back in for the lazy kicks. Cassidy tries to climb up the people to get to the brass ring, only to be sent outside. The others come back in and it’s Starks getting up and climbing the ladder. Cassidy breaks that up and tries the very slow climb, allowing Christian to make the save.

With Cassidy sent outside, Christian puts a ladder in the corner but Lee does his rise up spot and crossbodies Christian and Starks at the same time. Cassidy’s attempt at a hurricanrana is blocked so Lee can swing him into the others. Lee goes for the ladder but Wardlow is here for the staredown. That lets Hobbs run the two of them over with the ladder but here is Starks for the Team Taz double run up the ladder. Cassidy makes the save this time and puts the ladder around his head for the helicopter.

Hobbs and Lee grab the ladder though (giving us a great “uh oh” face from Cassidy) and Cassidy is in trouble. They lift it into the air….so Cassidy skins the cat to land on the raised ladder and stands up to get a hand on the ring, only to get crotched back down (that was one of the most creative ladder match spots I’ve seen in a long time). The ladder is laid in the corner and Hobbs superplexes Cassidy back down for the huge crash.

Christian is back in now but Starks pulls the ladder away and dives through it with a spar to cut Christian down. Wardlow and Hobbs go up the ladder, with Starks and Cassidy climbing on Wardlow’s back…but not being able to stop them. Everyone winds up on the pair of ladders until Christian and Cassidy crash down. Starks and Lee go down too so it’s Hobbs and Wardlow fighting on top until the both fall too, leaving everyone down. The three monsters are back up and Lee Uncle Phil Biels Cassidy to the floor in a nasty crash. Everyone else winds up on the floor too so Wardlow and Hobbs go after a ladder on the stage.

They actually rip it in two with Hobbs knocking him down, as JR suggests they GO BACK TO THE RING. Lee and Hobbs wind up by the announcers’ desk, with Wardlow coming in to shove them both off the stage and through a table. Back in and Starks takes Christian down but it’s Danhausen to curse Starks, allowing Christian to make the save. Christian goes up but Starks makes another save, leaving Wardlow to powerbomb Christian hard. Wardlow powerbombs Starks off the ladder onto a bridged ladder and pulls down the ring for the win at 17:08.

Rating: B. It’s another spot fest with one big crash after another. Sometimes you need a car crash match like this one and the hosses getting to throw people around was a change of pace. Wardlow winning makes sense and we should be in for a good match when he faces (likely) Sammy Guevara. That Cassidy spot was a great bonus and I had another good time here.

Tony Schiavone brings out Shane Strickland to officially sign his AEW contract. Swerve is happy to be here and could tell us about the titles he is going to win, but first he needs to ask: who’s house? The fans say Swerve’s house and he loves them too. This was expected and is still an awesome sight.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. Tay Conti

Cargill, with Mark Sterling, is defending and gets played to the ring. Conti tries to take it the mat to start but Cargill powers her way out. That means it’s time to mock Conti’s martial arts again so Conti sends her into the corner for some running shots to the face. A swinging DDT connects but Cargill’s feet are under the rope. Cargill heads outside so Conti goes up for a big flip dive, which takes Sterling out.

That lets Cargill kick Conti in the face to take over but Conti kicks her down back inside. Jaded and the DDTay are broken up so Cargill grabs a rollup, only to be kicked off into a chair as held up by an appearing Anna Jay. A DDT gives Conti two but Cargill is back with the Eye of the Storm for two of her own. Jade hits a frog splash of all things for two more so Conti comes back with a piledriver for the save. Cargill kicks her off and Conti might hit a camera in the corner. That’s enough to set up Jaded to retain the title at 6:50.

Rating: C+. Cargill continues to wrestle beyond her experience and Conti was a good challenger here. There might not have been the most drama as Conti felt like the challenger of the week, but she got in some good stuff of her own here. Cargill is going to need a big challenger coming up, but Conti did rather well for a spot like this.

Video on CM Punk vs. MJF. They started off with a war of words but MJF keeps getting the better of him, meaning it is time to get bloody and violent in a dog collar match.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. CM Punk

MJF wears a robe to the ring but Punk comes out to Misaria Cantare, his old Ring of Honor theme. They pull each other closer by the chain with Punk missing a big swing. Punk chokes in the ropes before raining down rights and lefts. A big chain shot is broken up and MJF gets two off a Cheeky Nandos kick. Punk is back up with a running knee in the corner but the bulldog is countered with a pull of the chain. Punk’s back already has chain marks across it and there’s a chain shot to the head.

That leaves Punk VERY busted open so MJF asks for a censored mic. He tells Punk to quit on the people like Punk quick on him but Punk tell him what he can eat. Punk uses the chain to pull MJF off the middle rope and there’s a Russian legsweep with the chain. MJF is back up with a sleeper using the chain but Punk slips out, only to get caught in the Salt of the Earth. That’s broken up as well and Punk grabs the Anaconda Vice, which is escaped as well.

MJF sends him to the apron but the Heatseeker is countered to leave them both down again. A chained knee shot to MJF’s face busts him open too and it’s time to wrap the chain around said bleeding face. They head outside with Punk pounding away against the barricade. A crash into the steps bangs up Punk’s leg though and they’re both down. Back in and Punk loads up the GTS but the leg gives out to give MJF a breather.

MJF hits the knee with a chained fist and they go to the apron, where Punk hits a Tombstone piledriver to knock MJF silly. Punk’s knee is further banged up though and they’re both down again. MJF gets in another shot of his own and it’s time to bring in the thumbtacks. The running knee in the corner hits Punk this time but he bites the hand to get out of the bulldog.

Punk’s suplex onto the tacks is blocked and the Pepsi Plunge is as well so MJF superplexes him near the tacks (fair enough as they’re on the other side of the ring) for two. MJF has come unhooked from the chain so he calls Wardlow in as the chain is linked up again. Wardlow comes down but can’t find the ring, allowing Punk to hit the GTS, with MJF falling into the tacks. Punk looks at Wardlow, who puts the ring (which was in the other pocket) down on the apron and walks off. Punk pulls MJF up so MJF spits at him, earning a ring shot to the face for the pin at 26:22.

Rating: A-. In the words of Stu Nahan from Rocky, “they look like they’ve been in a war, these two.” That’s the feeling I got from Punk as he was sitting there after the win and that is how it was supposed to feel. I don’t know if they are going to have another match out of this as it felt like a blowoff, but one more time could be rather great. Above all else, this felt like two people out to hut each other and Punk survived in the end, which is all you could ask for. Awesome match and almost as great as it was hyped up as being.

Punk motions he wants the title.

We recap Thunder Rosa vs. Britt Baker for the Women’s Title. Baker says she is the women’s division and Rosa says she wants to be champion.

Women’s Title: Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa

Baker, with Jamie Hayter and Rebel, is defending. They fight over a lockup to start and go to the mat before fighting into the corner. Baker grabs a hammerlock but Rosa fights up, only to be driven up against the ropes. A neckbreaker drops Rosa and Jamie/Rebel mock her from the floor.

Rosa fights up again but Baker hammers her down into a rather appropriate hammerlock. Back up and Rosa hits a running kick into a northern lights suplex for two as the fans are trying to get into this. Rosa fights up with some elbows in the corner but gets butterfly suplexed for two. A superplex drops Baker again but Rosa holds on and lifts her up into a fireman’s carry swung into a faceplant.

The sliding lariat gets two on Baker but she’s back with a knockdown of her own. Lockjaw doesn’t work though and Baker goes to the corner, where a super Air Raid Crash gets two more. Rosa is back up with a Tombstone but Rebel has the referee to prevent a count. That means a choke to make Baker tap, but Rebel has the referee again. This time Rosa spears Rebel through the ropes, allowing Baker to hit the Stomp on the way back in for the pin to retain at 17:19.

Rating: C+. These two were in a terrible spot as there was no way to follow that dog collar match. It also doesn’t help that this was a pretty straight match as the followup to their all time brawl last year. It’s a weirdly built feud and this felt like a big time TV match instead of some major pay per view war. Not bad, but the fans weren’t into it and the ending was flat.

We recap Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson. Moxley is back after rehab and Danielson wants the two of them to join forces and raise up the next generation. That’s a possibility, but Moxley can’t stand next to someone until he bleeds with them.

Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson

Danielson wrestles him down to start so Moxley gets up for a breather. Then it’s Moxley driving him to the ropes so Danielson goes to the apron for a breather of his own. Moxley wins a slugout and drops Danielson with an elbow before firing off some YES Kicks. Danielson reverses one of them into a dragon screw legwhip though and now it’s time for the REAL YES Kicks.

More kicks have Moxley bailing to the floor before he comes back in and gets kicked in the corner. A shot to the ribs slows Moxley down and the running kick in the corner makes it worse. Danielson: “HOW’S THAT MOX?” We hit the guillotine but Moxley gets out and sends him outside for the suicide dive. Danielson is ready though and goes back inside, leaving Moxley to stick the landing.

That means Danielson can try a dive but Moxley blocks that too, setting up the slugout on the floor. The exchange of elbows busts Moxley open hard and Danielson starts striking away at the body. Moxley fights up and gets in a shot of his own though to put them both down. Danielson takes him to the corner and rakes the back, setting up a big superplex for two. Moxley is back up with a sleeper but Danielson backflips into a dragon sleeper, which is reversed into some elbows to the head.

A cross armbreaker has Danielson in trouble but he reverses into an armbar of his own, sending Moxley to the ropes. Danielson’s stomps are loaded up but Moxley ties up the legs so they can kick each other in the face. Moxley gets the better of it and puts on the bulldog choke, only to have Danielson roll out for a change.

The running knee gives Danielson two so he stomps on Moxley’s head. Now it’s a triangle choke to Moxley, complete with elbows to the head. Moxley gets creative by grabbing the beard but Danielson punches him in the face over and over. Somehow Moxley manages to flip over into a cradle though and Danielson is pinned at 21:02.

Rating: B. This was another bloody, violent fight with those shots to Moxley’s eyes being a nearly scary visual. What mattered here was letting both guys beat on each other until Moxley stole the win, as this was almost all about Danielson. Heck of a fight, but it was the secondary bloody war of the night.

Post match the fight stays on so referees come out. William Regal of all people debuts and gets in between them, but Moxley goes after Danielson again. Regal headbutts Moxley and slaps Danielson, which is enough to get them to shake hands. Well yeah that certainly worked.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

Darby Allin/Sting/Sammy Guevara vs. Andrade El Idolo/Isiah Kassidy/Matt Hardy

Texas Tornado match in Florida. Allin gets in another mini movie, showing the AHFO’s funeral and asking if he is crazy. It’s a brawl to start with Sting and Allin putting Andrade’s manager Jose in a trashcan so Allin can take him out with a suicide dive. Andrade makes the save though and hits a running suplex drop to send Sammy ribs first onto the barricade.

House is cleaned and Andrade rolls Allin up before tossing him into the corner in a kind of one armed buckle bomb. Sting and Hardy fight on the floor and Andrade misses a charge into the barricade. Cue Marq Quen to uneven the odds, setting up Silly String to plant Sammy on the floor. The fight heads into the crowd with Sting sending Hardy into the barricade. Butcher and Blade run in to jump Sting as Sammy fights Private Party on the stage.

Sammy goes onto a piece of the set with Kassidy, setting up a super Spanish Fly onto a pair of tables (with only one breaking). Butcher and Blade set up a bunch of tables but Sting fights up and hammers on the two of them. Sting takes Andrade back to the tables and hits a splash off the balcony to drive Andrade through all four of them in the HE’S 62 YEARS OLD spot of the match. Back in and Matt beats on Allin with a chair, only to have Sting make the save with a Scorpion Death Drop. Allin goes up and misses the Coffin Drop but gets the pin anyway at 13:12.

Rating: C+. I’m not big on the wild brawls and that was the case again here. Sting can still do all of those big dives, though I cringe a bit more every time he does one. Throw in Sammy and Kassidy’s scary landing on the stage and this felt like hoping no one was injured rather than an entertaining match, which is not a good sign. The action was fun and it was a crazy fight, but I could have done without it.

We recap Hangman Page vs. Adam Cole for the World Title. Page is champion, Cole wants to be World Champion. They came up in wrestling together and now Cole wants to be where Page is.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page vs. Adam Cole

Cole is challenging and comes out in Halo themed gear, though JR one ups him by not recognizing the AEW World Title (JR: “Is that a new title belt?”). Fans: “LET’S GO ADAM/ADAM SUCKS!” Ok that’s a great one. Page chops him up against the ropes as the fans want Adam to f*** him up. More chops in the corner set up a short arm lariat to put Cole down and Page adds a running boot to the head from the floor.

Cole manages to send him into the steps a few times though and it’s time to start on Page’s arm. Back in and we hit the arm crank before Cole starts talking about how Page will never be him. Page slaps him in the face and blocks a Panama Sunrise to put them both down. Cole gets sent to the apron so Page clotheslines him down, only to hurt the arm again. An apron powerbomb sets up a moonsault to the floor but the Buckshot doesn’t work for Page.

Instead Cole hits a Liger Bomb (with JR testing Excalibur about the difference between a powerbomb and a Liger Bomb and sounding defeated when Excalibur got it right) and goes up, only to get shoved back. Cole superkicks him out of the air but Page is back with the Deadeye for two. Fans: “THIS IS ADAM!” That’s somehow even better than the first. Back up and they trade shots to the face until Cole pulls him into a crossface. Page is right there for the rope so Cole slams him arm first onto the apron.

Back in and a Tombstone gets two (and JR is NOT happy with the kickout) but Page is back up with some shots to the face. Cole reverses a suplex into the brainbuster onto the knee for two and is frustrated at the kickout. Fans: “FIGHT FOR ADAM!” The go up top again with Page hitting a backflip World’s Strongest Slam for two more but here is ReDRagon to break up the Buckshot. Cole superkicks Page to the floor and it’s a Panama Sunrise on the floor, drawing what sounded like a HOLY ADAM chant.

Back in and Cole can’t believe another kickout so ReDRagon offers a distraction, allowing Cole to kick Page low. Another Panama Sunrise sets up the Boom for two but Page is back up again. The Buckshot is countered with a superkick but Page drops down to avoid another Boom. ReDRagon puts a table at ringside, only to have Page hit the Deadeye off the apron to put Cole through it instead.

Cue the Dark Order to check on Page and brawl off with ReDRagon, leaving Page to hit the Buckshot for two, as Cole gets his hand on the ropes. With nothing else working, Page uses his belt to tie Cole to the rope and fires off some superkicks (with Cole losing a tooth). Cole gets loose but Page knocks him down again, setting up his own Boom. Another Buckshot retains the title at 25:41.

Rating: B-. This was a pay per view main event, but it was a pay per view main event at the end of a VERY long show. The crowd chants were great and it certainly wasn’t bad, but this wasn’t exactly going out on a high note. Page does get a good win though and moves on to something bigger, though I wasn’t jazzed with this match coming in and they didn’t do anything to make it better here.

Page shows respect and celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. Another excellent AEW show, but the crowd was starting to get worn down in the middle. I can absolutely sympathize with them on that as counting the Buy-In, this was about five hours with very few chances to breathe in the middle. AEW really could use a lesson in less is more, as there was a lot that could have been cut, or at least trimmed, on here to get done at least half an hour earlier.

Now that being said, this was another great AEW pay per view, with no bad matches, an instant classic in the dog collar match and an awesome moment with Regal debuting. AEW knows how to put together the action on these big shows, but they do need to learn how to present them a bit better. Fix some of those problems and this is a masterpiece, but for now I’ll settle for just a classic.

Results
Leyla Hirsch b. Kris Statlander – Moonsault
Hook b. QT Marshall – Redrum
House Of Black b. Erick Redbeard/Penta Obscuro/Pac – Over the shoulder piledriver to Redbeard
Eddie Kingston b. Chris Jericho – Stretch Plum
Jurassic Express b. Young Bucks and ReDRagon – Throwassic Express to Matt Jackson
Wardlow won the Face of the Revolution ladder match
Jade Cargill b. Tay Conti – Jaded
CM Punk b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman – Punch with the Dynamite Diamond Ring
Britt Baker b. Thunder Rosa – Curb stomp
Jon Moxley b Bryan Danielson – Rollup
Sting/Darby Allin/Sammy Guevara b. Matt Hardy/Isiah Kassidy/Andrade El Idolo – Coffin Drop to Hardy
Hangman Page b. Adam Cole – Buckshot Lariat

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It’s back to the pay per view schedule for AEW and that is a great thing to hear. AEW has a pretty awesome track record for pay per views and there is a good chance that it will do the same here. This time is a bit different though as there is a staggering twelve match card with three matches taking place on the Buy In. The positive thing is that the matches look good, but dang that is a lot. Let’s get to it.

Buy-In: QT Marshall vs. Hook

We’ll start off with one of the fun ones here as Hook has taken AEW by storm in his still short career. What seemed to start off as little more than a big joke has turned into a pretty great run from Hook, who has smashed a variety of people without overstaying his welcome once. I believe this will be his first live match though and that could make for a new challenge.

I mean, I say challenge as seriously as it can be meant as it’s Marshall across the ring from him, meaning Hook wins this in a walk. There is no reason to expect this match to go longer than about four minutes, with Hook grabbing Redrum for the win. Marshall should be good for helping Hook get to an ok match, but that’s about the extent of his usefulness in this spot.

Buy-In: Leyla Hirsch vs. Kris Statlander

This one is already more interesting as you have two such different styles. Statlander has taken the gloves off to insult her former friend while Hirsch continues to look ready to maul various humans at any given time. That should make for a showdown, though I’m not entirely sure how well these two are going to work together. Statlander can do well, but there are also times where she doesn’t quite click.

I’ll take Hirsch here, as she is rather perfect in her role as the tiny killing machine who could pull Statlander into a variety of knots. Statlander has promised a new version of herself, but that does not necessarily mean she is going to win. Neither would seem likely for a future title shot, but a Hirsch push sounds like the better option of the two. Either way I would expect at least one rematch, but Hirsch takes the first one.

Buy-In: House of Black vs. Pac/Penta Obscuro/Erick Redbeard

I’m not sure why this match is on the Buy-in, as it feels like it could headline either a Dynamite or Rampage and get more attention. Redbeard is substituting for the injured Rey Fenix, so while I can understand wanting to keep the feud warm until Fenix is back, it would seem that there are some better options than going this way. Still though, it should be a heck of a fight.

There is no reason for the newly expanded House of Black to lose here so we’ll say they make up for their loss in the recent tag match. If nothing else, Redbeard can be there to take a fall while keeping Pac and Obscuro strong on the way to Fenix’s return. This should be a wild brawl if they stick to what works best for them, but hopefully it gets the time that it needs and deserves.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill(c) vs. Tay Conti

The Cargill express continues as she mows down one challenger after another. That is going to make for a special moment when someone finally dethrones her and the question becomes who gets be the giant slayer. Conti is certainly a popular star and needs to win something big at some point, but I’m not sure if this is the spot where she finally breaks through.

I’ll take Cargill to retain here, as that is the more logical result. While I could see Conti being the one, Cargill seems more destined to eventually win the Women’s Title. I don’t know if she drops this title first, but she needs to be kept strong on the way there. At this point that means defeating Conti, who continues to be able to stay crazy popular despite rarely wining anything important.

Face Of The Revolution Ladder Match

Well of course it’s a ladder match and this time the winner gets a shot at the TNT Title. The appeal here is the amount of hosses involved in the thing, which should serve for some interesting options. For once I don’t think there are any names who can be immediately eliminated, which makes this all the more interesting. It’s the sign of a well put together match and AEW has set this up well.

I think I’ll take…Christian Cage to win here actually, as he really needs something to do. Keith Lee is a viable option as well as he came in with such fanfare, but he hasn’t exactly done much since his big debut toss of Isiah Kassidy. Neither of the Team Taz members make the most sense and Wardlow already has a story with MJF. Orange Cassidy….please no, so that leaves Cage in a prediction that is likely to go wrong.

AHFO vs. Sting/Darby Allin/Sammy Guevara

There is something very telling about this match. Earlier tonight I watched Andrade El Idolo, Sammy Guevara and Darby Allin tear the house down in an amazing triple threat that served as the main final push towards this match. That was great, but the idea of Matt Hardy being involved drags the rest of it down. His recent Jeff Hardy teases make it even worse and I’m not exactly interested in seeing the match.

The good thing is that it shouldn’t be a hard pick as I’ll take Sting and company for the win. You don’t have someone like Kassidy involved here to have his team win, so I’ll go with Allin pinning Kassidy so Sting can celebrate his first match in Orlando in however many years it is since he left Impact. This is another match that feels like it could be on Dynamite though and that isn’t a good sign for the show.

Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson

This was all but set for Full Gear last year when Moxley had to step away for rehab. That was far more important, but I still want to see what these two can do. Moxley may be a brawler most of the time, but he knows how to make a match feel big. They have done that here, as there is almost a will they or won’t they vibe to the whole thing. The question is can Danielson get Moxley to join up with him, and we probably find that out here.

I think they do get to that point eventually, so we’ll go with Danielson winning here, likely through cheating. I’m not sure if they are going to be able to come up with a way to get the fans to boo Moxley, but it might work out if he gets to cut the right kind of promo. As much as I don’t want some new heel power alliance, it might be the best thing for everyone with Danielson having already run through his World Title shots and Moxley needing something to do.

Women’s Title: Britt Baker(c) vs. Thunder Rosa

We’ve been waiting for this one for about a year now, as these two went to war against each other back at St. Patrick’s Slam. Rosa won there, which should mean that she is able to do it again and get the title that she never picked up before. This is the match that has been set up for so long now that it has kind of hurt Baker’s reign, as you knew the rematch with Rosa was hanging over everything.

Despite an instinct to say otherwise, I’ll go with Rosa winning the title here. It’s kind of interesting that the match feels like it is coming in cold despite the history, as Rosa hasn’t done much lately. Other than pinning Baker this week on Dynamite, I can’t think of any major win that she has had in recent weeks. Then again I’ve never quite gotten how the rankings work, but Rosa’s 4-0 is better than Hirsch’s and Deeb’s because…well because she’s Rosa and is winning the title here.

Tag Team Titles: Jurassic Express(c) vs. Young Bucks vs. ReDRagon

I’m not sure what to think of this one but the Bucks getting another title shot is one of those things that shouldn’t be a big surprise. At the same time, it doesn’t feel like it is soon enough to put the titles back on them, making them more of a possible spoiler or road block than anything else. That leaves you with two potential winners, either of whom could leave with the titles.

I think I’m going to go with Jurassic Express retaining here, as they just haven’t held the titles for very long yet. If they lost here, they would have the shortest reign in the history of the titles to date and that is not something you want to see. ReDRagon will probably get the championships one day, but for now I think Jurassic Express retains. They can even do so with the Bucks costing ReDRagon the fall to continue the Bucks’ emotional issues that are oh so interesting.

Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston

Here we have another grudge match for Jericho, who thankfully has turned heel after so many weeks of seemingly being ready to make the jump. That should make for an interesting showdown, as Kingston can bring it on the mic and does well enough in the ring to back it up. At some point he has to win something though, and that seems to be the point we are reaching now.

I’ll go out on a limb here and say they give Kingston the win here, as it is LONG overdue to give him a big victory, which has even been the story of the feud. At the end of the day, Jericho does not need to win another match in his career and will not lose a step, so have him put Kingston over and give him his big win merit badge. It needs to happen and this is as good of a time as any.

World Title: Hangman Page(c) vs. Adam Cole

I know the tradition is that the World Title headlines the show, but come on in this case. There are only so many ways you can present Page vs. Cole as the biggest match on the card and it seems to be the case. This just does not feel like a main event match, as Cole has felt like just the next challenger instead of some big moment. Maybe it was having him lose to Orange Cassidy and then moving into the title feud?

Page retains here and I don’t think there is all that much drama. There is almost no reason to believe that Cole is taking the title here as Page gets to retain the title on pay per view. The match is probably going to be a good one, assuming they don’t go all the way with one of Cole’s ridiculous long matches. I really hope this doesn’t headline, because there is something that is just flat out better.

CM Punk vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Like this could have been anything else. This has been one of the best feuds AEW has presented yet (if not its best in history) and I want to see these two get so violence that they cannot go much further. Some of the angles that have taken place have been nothing short of amazing and now they need to stick the landing (or at least this part of the landing) to set up the big blowoff match. That means this needs to have a winner and I’m not sure where to go.

I’ll flip a coin here and go with Punk, as his win sets up the big blowoff, unless they have some other way for MJF to cheat and steal another win. What matters here is the violence and blood that need to come with a dog collar match and we should be in for a great one. Every important step in this feud has been pure gold and if they can find that again on the big stage, we are in for a treat.

Overall Thoughts

There is a lot of potential on this card, but it might be a hair too long. AEW has a tendency to try and cram in too much and that might be the case again here. That being said, the top part of this show is looking pretty awesome and there are several matches that could be nothing short of great. The dog collar match seems to be the big feature attraction, and if that works out, this show is going to be the latest on AEW’s incredible list.

Rampage
Date: March 4, 2022
Location: Addition Financial Arena, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Ricky Starks, Taz

It’s a rare live edition this week as it is also the go home show for this weekend’s Revolution pay per view. That could make things a bit more interesting, as we also have a title match. Sammy Guevara will be defending the TNT Title against Darby Allin and Andrade El Idolo, which should be a good one. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

TNT Title: Andrade El Idolo vs. Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara

Guevara is defending. Andrade bails out to the floor to start before being chased back inside. Allin hits a high angle springboard armdrag to take Andrade down but Sammy takes Allin down as well. Sammy loads up a superplex but Andrade turns it into a Tower of Doom, albeit after walking forward while holding both of them up at once (geez).

We take a break and come back with Andrade suplexing Sammy into the corner and a moonsault press connects to give Andrade two. Allin gets back up and helps double team Andrade, meaning it’s a superkick to send Andrade into the corner. Sammy charges at Allin but gets sent into the corner, leaving Andrade to knee Allin in the back.

Andrade gets crotched on top and Allin whips him with a belt, setting up Sammy’s Coast to Coast (over Allin in the process) to nail Andrade hard. Allin and Sammy trade rollups for two each until Andrade comes back in to kick Andrade in the face. A lifting powerbomb gets two on Guevara with Allin diving in to make a save. Guevara gives Andrade the GTH but Allin sends Guevara to the floor. The Coffin Drop connects but Sammy Swantons in for the save and pins Andrade to retain at 12:05.

Rating: B+. Aside from Allin looking a bit dumb by not going for the cover off the GTH, this was an outstanding match with three guys going nuts throughout and hitting one big spot after another. Guevara continues to remind me of the good parts of Jeff Hardy and that is some rather high praise. Allin has long since proven what he can do, and Andrade is always so much more interesting when Matt Hardy is nowhere to be seen. Awesome match here, as they packed in some amazing stuff.

Pac and Penta Obscura are in the ring with Alex Abrahantes as the Dark Priest. They want to face the House of Black on Sunday for revenge, so here is the House of Black to pop up on screen and say they are ready to fight. The House of Black pops up on the apron and seems ready, but Abrahantes says that they may be down one Lucha Bro, but they have someone else. Cue Erick Redbeard (Rowan) and the big brawl is on, with security failing to make the save. Penta breaks a security guard’s arm to prove his point. The match is official for Revolution.

Dan Lambert has gotten Scorpio Sky a TNT Title shot next week on Dynamite in exchange for bringing Paige VanZant to Revolution to sign her AEW contract.

Keith Lee vs. JD Drake

They trade chops to start with Drake getting knocked into the corner. Drake jumps over him out of the corner so Lee blasts him with the Pounce as we take a break. Back with Drake hitting a Cannonball and adding a moonsault for one. Lee runs him over again and muscles him up into the Big Bang Catastrophe for the pin at 6:48.

Rating: C+. The match didn’t get much time, but there is something to be said about watching people of this size throw each other around. Lee getting to show off that power of his is something else and it was a heck of a spectacle. It wasn’t exactly great, but dang it’s fun to watch Lee do scary impressive things.

Post match the rest of the Wingmen come in but get beaten down by Lee in short order. Team Taz comes to the ramp to stare at Lee, with Orange Cassidy showing up to stare at everyone.

After the attack on Dynamite, a bloody CM Punk applauds MJF, saying that this kind of blood makes certain people feel alive. MJF is going to learn that Punk is the master and Punk knows who the **** he is. Punk knows that MJF isn’t ready and he’s going to beat MJF until his mother doesn’t recognize him. On March 6, he is becoming a monster to fight the monsters of the world. He is CM Punk (wink) and he is better than you. This match should rock.

Jade Cargill is ready for Revolution, with Mark Sterling saying there could be no contact between Tay Conti and Cargill until 48 hours before the match. Anna Jay pops up for a distraction and Conti jumps Cargill from behind. Sterling brought that on himself.

Serena Deeb vs. Leila Grey

Grey bails to the floor to start but gets caught with a neckbreaker over the ropes. The front chancery finishes Grey at 55 seconds.

Post match the Serenity Lock goes on but Hikaru Shida returns to club Deeb with a kendo stick for the save.

Eddie Kingston has a promo (because Chris Jericho has to use insider terms, but Eddie says kayfabe may be dead but we don’t have to desecrate its grave) for Chris Jericho, who he’s ready to fight. As for now, they have that Reese’s peanut butter pie at catering so he and Tony Schiavone have somewhere to go.

Ethan Page is ready for the main event, with Christian Cage promising to make Scorpio Sky a transitional champion next week.

Face of the Revolution Ladder Match Qualifying Match: Christian Cage vs. Ethan Page

They start fast with an exchange of shots in the corner until Christian tosses him over the top. The dropkick through the ropes connects with Page and we take a break. Back with Christian throwing him back inside and raining down the right hands in the corner. Page gets in an elbow to the face but Christian’s reverse DDT gets two.

A cutter gives Page two but Christian snaps the back of his neck across the top rope. The top rope headbutt gives Christian two more, only to miss a charge into the corner. Ego’s Edge is countered and Christian hits the spear for two. Back up and Christian is sent shoulder first into the post but he’s still able to counter Ego’s Edge. The Killswitch is good for the pin on Page at 8:55.

Rating: C. There wasn’t much to this one as Page didn’t get in a ton of offense before losing in the end. Cage moving on to the ladder match makes sense for the sake of his history in such matches, but it isn’t like he has done much of anything on his own in the last few months. This felt like “we need someone else so here’s Christian”, which may be efficient but isn’t that exciting.

Post match the Jurassic Express come out to celebrate with Christian but here are ReDRagon and the Young Bucks to steal a title each. Luchasaurus takes them back and Jungle Boy adds a running flip dive to take the four of them out to end the show (with Jericho getting in one last threat to Eddie Kingston).

Overall Rating: B. That opener alone was going to carry the show and sometimes that is all you need. The rest of the show was good enough, though Shida and Redbeard returning were both nice moments. I’m looking forward to Revolution and this was the big push to get us over the edge to the show. Throw in the rather fired up Punk promo and this was a pretty great last hour before the pay per view. I can’t get over that opener though, which was so good that it deserves an extra egads.

Results
Sammy Guevara b. Darby Allin and Andrade El Idolo – Swanton to Andrade
Keith Lee b. JD Drake – Big Bang Catastrophe
Serena Deeb b. Leila Grey – Front chancery
Christian Cage b. Ethan Page – Killswitch

AEW, 2022, Rampage, Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin, Andrade El Idolo, Keith Lee, JD Drake, Orange Cassidy, Team Taz, CM Punk, Serena Deeb. Leila Grey, House of Black, Penta Obscura, Alex Abrahantes, Pac, Christian Cage, Ethan Page, Jurassic Express, Eddie Kingston, ReDRagon, Young Bucks, Jade Cargill, Scorpio Sky, Dan Lambert, Jade Cargill, Anna Jay, Tay Conti,

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: February 23, 2022
Location: Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We are two and a half weeks away from Revolution and that means it is time to start hammering down the card. That could go in a few different ways, which makes this show all the more interesting. One of the spots in the Tag Team Title match will be determined tonight in a tag team battle royal, as opposed to next week when one of the spots in the Tag Team Title match will be determined by a tag team battle royal. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Battle Royal

Dark Order, Young Bucks, Butcher and the Blade, Best Friends, Private Party, Gunn Club, Santana/Ortiz, FTR, 2.0, ReDDragon

There are ten teams in all and both members have to be eliminated. It’s a huge brawl to start, with no entrances of course, and people fighting in and out of the ring. Blade knocks Alex Reynolds of the Dark Order out but spends too much time posing, allowing John Silver to toss him out. Santana and Ortiz get rid of the Gunn Club without much trouble and the Butcher double clotheslines the Bucks.

The Best Friends low bridge Butcher out but ReDDragon gets rid of Chuck Taylor. Private Party is put out back to back, with Matt Hardy slowly walking out on them. Santana dumps 2.0 but the Bucks toss Ortiz and double superkick Santana out of the air. FTR and the Bucks have a showdown which is broken up in a hurry. Everyone brawls near the ropes until FTR tosses Matt Jackson out.

ReDDragon throws Trent over the top but Orange Cassidy pops out from underneath the ring for the save. Back in and Trent cleans house, including a running clothesline to get rid of Bobby Fish. We take a break and come back with Silver eliminating Cash Wheeler, leaving us with Dax Harwood, Kyle O’Reilly, Nick Jackson, Santana, Silver and Trent. The remaining seven circle each other until it’s time for a series of strikes, leaving Trent and Santana to slug it out.

A discus lariat drops Trent but he pulls Santana out to the apron with him. Matt and Kyle knock both of them out though and we’re down to four. O’Reilly and Harwood fight to the apron with Harwood being eliminated. Silver is back up with a running knee to Nick’s back, setting up the Spin Doctor. Jackson and O’Reilly get together for an improvised Chasing the Dragon, leaving Jackson to dump Silver…but O’Reilly tosses Jackson to give ReDDragon the win at 18:21.

Rating: C+. Battle royals are always weird to rate as they’re such a free for all until you get down to a manageable number of people. ReDDragon winning by getting rid of the Young Bucks at the end is about as logical of an ending as there could have been here, but it would not surprise me to see the Bucks somehow get into the title match anyway next week.

Post match the Bucks and ReDDragon are ready to fight but here is Hangman Page to go after ReDDragon in revenge for last week. Adam Cole comes in but has to get pulled out by ReDDragon. John Silver takes ReDDragon out so it’s the Buckshot Lariat to O’Reilly. Page grabs a chair and it’s time for Story Time With Adam Page Bay Bay! This week’s story is about a smug kid named Adam Cole who got into wrestling a long time ago and now wants the most prestigious prize in wrestling. What he doesn’t realize is that he is inching closer to a grave, and he’ll land in that grave with a BOOM.

Bryan Danielson is ready for Daniel Garcia tonight because he had a great mentor in William Regal. Imagine what Garcia could have done with a great mentor like Danielson or Jon Moxley.

Here is MJF for a chat but he has to pause for the CM PUNK chants. He used to love Punk just like us and we hear about Punk showing a photo of MJF meeting him as a kid. MJF used to wake up every morning because of wrestling because he was a huge fan. He had really bad ADD but he could succeed because of football. It wound up working, but then his teammates threw a bunch of quarters at him and said “pick them up Jew boy, pick them up.” It hurt of course, but that night he got to meet his hero CM Punk, who he wanted to be just like when he grew up.

Fast forward until 2013, when MJF had a bunch of scholarship offers to play football but all he wanted was to be a wrestler, but then Punk left everyone in 2014. Punk left when he needed them the most, but MJF promised to be the hero that Punk should have been and the man that everyone could look up to. At Revolution, Punk can whip him with the chain and make him bleed but he will not give up. Cue Punk, who doesn’t know what to say. Punk, without a mic, looks at MJF and asks if that was the truth. MJF says it’s true and leaves, possibly with tears in his eyes.

This was a VERY different MJF as there was no swerve to mock the audience and it felt like one of the best good guy promos you would have heard in a long time. Punk being freaked out over not knowing if he should believe him or not was a great twist, as you don’t see anyone get inside Punk’s head ever. Awesome stuff here.

Daniel Garcia and 2.0 are ready for Bryan Danielson.

Kings of the Black Throne vs. Pac/Penta Obscuro

Penta has a special entrance, holding a shovel and rising from behind a grave which reveals his new name. Cool, as it is basically Pentagon Dark. It’s a brawl before the bell (makes sense) with Penta diving onto both of them on the floor. The bell rings and Pac hits a quick 450 for two on Black. Penta and Black slug it out before it’s off to King to blast Pac with a clothesline.

We take a break and come back with King putting Penta on Pac’s shoulders and hitting a hard chop to turn it into a poisonrana (I’m not sure if that’s how physics work). Everything breaks down and it’s a series of strikes to give us a four way knockdown. Dante’s Inferno is broken up and it’s Pac German suplexing King. The spike Fear Factor is loaded up but Black makes the save. Black loads up the mist but Penta covers his mouth and grabs a rollup for the fast pin at 7:34.

Rating: B-. This needed a bit more time but what mattered most was having Penta get the pin. You don’t want to bring back this evil version and then have him lose his first match so well done on getting the result right. It wasn’t even a definitive win but rather a fluke rollup, which saves a bit of face for Black in the loss, so well done.

Post match the big beatdown is on with the Kings beating down Pac and Penta. Black grabs the shovel but the lights go out and it’s…Buddy Matthews (Murphy) in the ring. Black doesn’t know what to do but Matthews jumps Penta, joining the House of Black in the process. Penta gets his face stomped onto a chair.

Britt Baker says Thunder Rosa never beat her on paper. Rosa says at Revolution, it’s going t count. Still not the best sounding explanation.

Here is Eddie Kingston for a face to face showdown with Chris Jericho. With security in the ring just in case, Kingston asks what’s going on with the security. Jericho says they’re here to make sure that the two of them can talk, but Kingston says this is a wrestling company instead of a sports entertainment company. We’re just a few miles from Stamford so maybe Jericho will give him some sports entertainment, but maybe it will be entertaining.

Jericho talks about how he heard Kingston was coming and he had never heard of him. At first he thought it was Eddie Edwards but then he saw Kingston and knew why he had never heard of him: Kingston looks like a jobber. Then he saw Kingston’s match against what’s his name (Cody Rhodes) and heard Kingston’s promo and knew there was something there. Jericho even told him he would become a huge babyface and that’s what happened.

Everyone was happy to see Kingston sign a contract at 38…except for Jericho, who made it at 22. By the time he was 38, he had main evented pay per views and made millions of dollars. Kingston says Christopher only did all that because he wasn’t there. Now Jericho is out there talking, but Kingston doesn’t want to talk to him because Jericho is sucking the blood out of this place. Instead, Kingston wants to fight and the challenge is on for Revolution.

Before he answers, Jericho asks if Kingston has ever heard of the fear of success (Kingston: “No, I have a GED.”). Jericho explains that Kingston is afraid of success and if he did he had Jericho’s success, he would fall off the side of a mountain. Jericho has heard all of the stories about Kingston’s family (Kingston: “Careful. Careful.”) like his uncle, who was a failure, and his father, who was a failure.

Kingston can’t win the big one and in AEW, Jericho is the big one. If Kingston wants Jericho at the pay per view, it’s on, but if Kingston manages to beat him, he will look Kingston in the eye and say he respects him. If Kingston beats him, it means Jericho has helped him get over his fear of success. Kingston says the match is on, but don’t give him the one who gave him the Mimosa match or the one who got shoved off the cage by MJF.

Give him the one who was the first World Champion, the one who bled in Tennessee, the one got respect from Tenryu in WAR and the one who Levesque hated. If it isn’t that Jericho, Kingston is going to eat him alive. Jericho promises to be that Jericho, but he knows Kingston can’t do it because he’s a loser. Now hit Jericho’s music. As usual, Kingston brought it here and Jericho is way better as a heel.

Matt Hardy is ready to see Andrade win the TNT Title but also suggests a tornado trios match with the two of them and Isiah Kassidy vs. Sting/Darby Allin/Sammy Guevara at Revolution. Andrade seems to approve.

Face of the Revolution Ladder Match Qualifying Match: Ricky Starks vs. 10

Powerhouse Hobbs is here with Starks while the Dark Order is here with 10. Starks kicks him in the ribs to start but a running shoulder doesn’t work. A running shot to the mask puts 10 down but Starks stops to pose, allowing 10 to hammer away in the corner. 10 hits a delayed vertical suplex and we take a break. Back with 10 grabbing a full nelson but Starks makes the ropes. A discus lariat plants Starks again and another full nelson goes on. Starks pulls at the mask to escape and the spear is good for the pin at 5:55.

Rating: C. They didn’t have time to get very far here and a lot of the match took place during the break. That being said, it was the right idea here as the ladder match needed someone other than a hoss to mix things up a bit. Starks is someone who could be a dark horse candidate to win and that makes things a lot more interesting.

ReDDragon and the Young Bucks argue over the battle royal with Adam Cole in the middle. The Bucks are in next week’s battle royal too and now they’re more motivated to win. With the Bucks gone, Cole tells ReDDragon to get it together because he has enough on his plate at Revolution.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. The Bunny

Cargill, with Mark Sterling, is defending. Bunny drives her into the corner for a clean break so Cargill lifts her up by the arm. A legdrop to the arm sets up an armscissors with the legs, with Cargill throwing in some pushups. Bunny manages to send her to the apron for the breather and a sliding forearm to the back puts Cargill on the floor. A Russian legsweep into the barricade drops Cargill and we take a break.

Back with Bunny hitting a running knee but charging into a spinebuster. Cue Matt Hardy to jump up onto the apron to throw in the brass knuckles, but Sterling throws in the TBS Title. The knuckles shot is cut off by a belt shot and it’s a double ejection of Hardy and Sterling. Bunny uses the distraction to hit some superkicks. Down the Rabbit Hole is loaded up but Cargill reverses into Jaded to retain at 6:43.

Rating: C+. Cargill is starting to look more and more natural and that is a great sign for her future. The problem is I’m not sure who is going to be able to take the title from her, but it is going to be a pretty big event when someone does. What mattered here was having Cargill break a sweat and then add one more name to the list, which wound up working very well.

Post match Tony Schiavone comes in to talk to Cargill, who says cut the s***. She is on the way to 50-0 and wants to know who is left. Cue Tay Conti to say she is the one who is going to beat her at Revolution. Conti charges inside and gets in the ring, with Cargill kissing her on the head. Bunny pops back up to brawl with Conti, who hits the TayKO, only to get kicked in the face by Cargill. Anna Jay runs in for the save.

Keith Lee is ready for the Face of the Revolution ladder match when Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs interrupts. Starks explains that Team Taz runs this place and wants him to mind his p’s and q’s. Lee and Hobbs have a staredown.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Daniel Garcia vs. Bryan Danielson

Danielson shoves him into the corner to start and talks some trash, setting up an exchange of uppercuts. Garcia can’t get anywhere with some grappling so he hits a chop instead. Danielson likes that and tells Garcia to chop him again, only to take him down in a leglock. A suplex looks to set up the LeBell Lock but Garcia rolls around. More rolling sets up most of the LeBell Lock, with Garcia getting a foot in the ropes for the break. Danielson flips over him out of the corner and tries the running clothesline, with Garcia taking out the leg instead for a nice counter.

We take a break and come back with Danielson hitting a missile dropkick and getting fired up. Danielson grabs a leglock but Garcia hooks one of his own, meaning it’s time to kick at each other on the mat. Cattle Mutilation goes on until Garcia slips out and goes for the leg again. Some kicks to the back of Danielson’s head don’t work as he takes Garcia down and grabs a test of strength on the mat. With their hands still interlocked, they forearm it out until Garcia goes for a dragon screw legwhip. That’s blocked for some stomping and a triangle choke, with the double bicep pose, finishes Garcia at 10:24.

Rating: B. This was what you would have expected from these two, as they beat each other up and traded holds and strikes until Danielson won. That’s all you could ask for from these two and that is a good thing, as Garcia got to look strong against a much brighter star. It’s a piece of a bigger story though and that is not a bad thing.

Post match Danielson says that is what he wanted and praises the violence. Cue 2.0 to go after Danielson but Jon Moxley makes the save and clears them out. Garcia loads up a chair but Danielson takes it away. The Paradigm Shift drops Garcia so Moxley and Danielson stare each other down. Danielson grabs the mic and says it’s on for Revolution, where Moxley might be the only one bleeding. The staredown ends the show.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a show built around talking and that is one of the better ways to make me care about a show. The Jericho vs. Kingston stuff was good but the MJF promo was special and took their feud in a direction I didn’t expect. Other than that, there was some good but not great action, which all adds up to another strong show as Revolution continues to look better each week. Granted it helps when you add three matches to the show in one night.

Results
ReDDragon won a tag team battle royal last eliminating the Young Bucks
Penta Obscuro/Pac b. Kings of the Black Throne – Rollup to Black
Ricky Starks b. 10 – Spear
Jade Cargill b. The Bunny – Jaded
Bryan Danielson b. Daniel Garcia – Triangle choke

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: January 12, 2022
Location: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

It’s time to get a bit more back to normal after last week’s major show. That could mean a few things this week, as AEW has a bit of a strange definition of normal. World Champion Hangman Page is here and we have a showdown between CM Punk and Wardlow, which means MJF will be around too. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Here are Adam Cole and ReDragon for a chat. Cole brags about how awesome the three of them are and how he is undefeated in singles action. ReDragon is the baddest team in wrestling….but here are the Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler to interrupt. Cole tries to play peacemaker and they all seem to be friends, because both teams are better than people like the Best Friends.

Cue the Best Friends and Orange Cassidy, with Cole calling their music stupid. The fight is on in a hurry but Cole hits Cassidy low. The beatdown is on but Kris Stadtlander comes in to stare Cole down. Britt Baker runs in to take Stadtlander out and the double kiss is loaded up, but Baker will take care of that too. A lot of posing ensues.

Video on Wardlow.

CM Punk vs. Wardlow

MJF is here with Wardlow. Punk drops to the floor to glare at MJF but Wardlow is waiting for him. Back in and Wardlow powers Punk into the corner so Punk comes back with a headlock. Some forearms take Punk down in the corner as the slow pace continues. Wardlow shrugs off a kick to the leg and tries the Powerbomb Symphony. Punk bails to the floor in a hurry though and we take a break.

Back with Punk escaping another Powerbomb Symphony and striking away to little avail. Clotheslines and strikes put Wardlow down to one knee and the springboard clothesline finally drops him. Punk’s right hands in the corner are finally countered into the first powerbomb and the Powerbomb Symphony is on. Five powerbombs connect…but MJF gets on the apron and says he wants more.

More powerbombs plant Punk again and he is mostly done on the apron. MJF wants Wardlow to powerbomb her through a table at ringside and gets just what he asks for, leaving Punk barely moving. Punk somehow manages to beat the count back in (with JR saying the count is being rather lenient)…where he small packages Wardlow for the pin at 14:06.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure about that one, as while I know where it’s going, it’s a bit much to accept Wardlow getting pinned off a small package after all that. MJF’s deal was perfectly fine and made sense, but seeing Wardlow get pinned after that is a bit much to take. It made Wardlow look great and dominant, but I wasn’t wild on that ending.

Post match MJF yells at Wardlow but Wardlow grabs his hand. Violence is teased but Shawn Spears runs in for the save.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Dante Martin

Hobbs starts fast and throws Martin around on the floor before the bell. The spinebuster plants Martin no the floor and tosses him inside to keep up the beating. A big slam lets Hobbs rip at Martin’s face and a hard clothesline takes him down again. Martin slips out of a torture rack but Hobbs crushes him with a crossbody. Hobbs whips him hard to the floor where Ricky Starks can get in some stomping as we take a break.

Back with Hobbs still not being able to get the torture rack as Martin slips out for a springboard missile dropkick. Martin knocks him outside for a springboard corkscrew dive. They get back in where Hobbs runs him over, though their heads seemed to have collided. Starks tries to offer a distraction but Jay Lethal (hey he still works here) pulls Starks off the apron. Martin hits a quick Nose Dive for the pin at 10:07.

Rating: C+. It wasn’t quite the same thing but this was another match where the power guy beat up someone until they won on a quick shot. Martin winning to continue frustrating Taz is a good way to go and having ANYTHING for Lethal to do is something overdue. They have done a good job with making Martin feel like a bigger and bigger deal. Good enough stuff here, even with Hobbs slipping on a banana peel.

The Inner Circle is proud to have won the Faction Of The Year and are ready for Sammy Guevara to win tonight. Cue Eddie Kingston to say he has a bad knee but also to blame Jericho for Santana and Ortiz not being Tag Team Champions. Santana and Ortiz leave before things get more serious. Jericho says he’ll be down there in tonight’s main event and threatens Kingston if he is down there too.

Here is a livid MJF to say this isn’t happening and the match is happening next week. Next week, it’s CM Punk vs. SHAWN SPEARS!

Adam Cole, ReDragon and the Bucks aren’t happy with Kris Stadtlander, and now they have someone to deal with her. Cue Britt Baker so the challenge for the mixed tag is thrown out. No one can remember Brandon Cutler’s name, again.

Here is Hangman Page, in a Smokey the Bear shirt, for a chat. Page talks about spending ninety minutes in the ring with Bryan Danielson, where he has spent all kinds of blood. That’s not enough though because the new year means the records have been reset. He needs a new challenger so….here is Dan Lambert (Page: “Shoot me.”) to interrupt. Lambert talks about how Page never used his backstage connections like Cody Rhodes. He doesn’t like Page’s gimmick though, because there have been some great cowboys in wrestling history.

Anyone from the Carolinas or the Virginias trying to steal their clout comes off like they are full of cowboy s***. Page talks about growing up on a farm and then coming here instead of signing a $600,000 contract, which he calls cowboy s***. Cue Lance Archer to grab Lambert, who tells him not to miss his chance at being in the ring with the World Champion. Archer jumps Page and beats him down with a chair, setting up the Black Out through the open chair. Archer vs. Page will be a good one off title match.

Arn Anderson is proud of Lee Johnson and his son Brock Anderson as a new tag team. They’re in Horsemen Country but here are Tully Blanchard and FTR to say Arn is rather right. The challenge is on and Brock/Lee are in for next week.

We look at Jade Cargill winning the TBS Title and she promises to keep it.

Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb

Deeb jumps her from behind during the entrances and it’s a kendo stick to the knee. Shida kicks the stick away but gets kicked into the steps. She manages to get inside so Deeb unloads on her in the corner. A dragon screw legwhip out of the corner stays on the leg, allowing her to twist the knee around again. The knee is rammed into the mat to set up the Serenity Lock so the referee stops it at 1:59.

Post match the medic comes out to check on Shida but Deeb hits her with the kendo stick anyway. Referees come in to break it up and Deeb finally leaves.

Christian Cage and the Jurassic Express is happy with their Tag Team Titles. They’ll face any top five team so here are Alex Reynolds and John Silver, who were there in all of two seconds. The match is set for Rampage.

Matt Hardy vs. Penta El Cero Miedo

Private Party and Alex Abrahantes are here too. Before the match, Matt promises to send Penta to the hospital with his brother Fenix. We get DELETE vs. CERO MIEDO to start and that goes on for so long that JR is reminding us of the time limit. Penta kicks him in the ribs but gets hit in the back of the head. Back up and Hardy gets sent into the corner, setting up the running chop.

We take a break and come back with Penta hitting a gutbuster for two and hitting an Alberto double stomp out of the corner for the same. The Fear Factor on the apron is blocked and it’s time to slug it out instead. Instead Matt hits a Side Effect onto the apron for two and DELETING ensues. Matt misses the moonsault though and now the Fear Factor can give Penta the pin at 8:51.

Rating: C. Matt Hardy continues to not exactly be the most thrilling guy to watch in the ring and that was the case here. The good thing is that he didn’t win, as that would have been more than a stretch at this point. Penta gets a win to put him back on track, but last week would suggest that there are some bad things coming for him.

Post match Penta calls out Malakai Black so here he is to unload on Penta with the kicks to the head. Black goes for the mask so here are the Varsity Blonds to help beat Black down. The fans chant for BRODY KING and the lights go out again….and here is BRODY KING to clean a lot of house.

Kris Stadtlander, with Leyla Hirsch and Red Velvet, is ready for Britt Baker next week. Hirsch thinks she’s selfish for not focusing on their six woman tag on Friday. Velvet tells them to get it together. Their opponents aren’t mentioned.

Acclaimed vs. Bear Country

Max Caster’s rap brings up Novak Djokovich and blasts Sting/Darby Allin. Bear Country unloads on Acclaimed to start but Caster manages a high crossbody for a breather. We take a break and come back with Boulder not being able to hit a double chokeslam but being able to hit a double Downward Spiral. The Bear Bomb (JR: “Not the Bear Bomb!”) misses Caster so he snaps Bronson’s throat across the top. The Mic Drop finishes for Caster at 6:18.

Rating: C-. This felt more like a Rampage match than something that belonged on Dynamite, though at least they are building up the Acclaimed for a change. I can’t imagine they go any further than losing to Sting/Darby Allin, but that is better than some teams can get. The rapping stuff will take them fairly far, and the good thing is that they can use it to be reheated without much effort.

Post match the lights go out again (come up with something new) and here is Sting with the baseball bat. The distraction lets Darby Allin come in from behind for the big beatdown, including Sting beating on the boom box.

Pac shows us a bunch of photos of himself with no eyes. Malakai Black blinded him but now he sees everything.

Here’s what’s coming on some upcoming shows.

Matt Hardy isn’t happy but here is Andrade El Idolo to suggest they can make a deal. They’ll talk elsewhere.

Interim TNT Title: Sammy Guevara vs. Daniel Garcia

Guevara is defending, Chris Jericho and Eddie Kingston are at ringside and David Crockett is here to present the winner with the title (again). They go straight to the fight with Garcia punching him in the face to get an early breather. Sammy knocks him outside though and there’s the dive to take him down. Back in and the GTH is broken up and Garcia gets in a shot to the face to take over.

We take a break and come back with Sammy knocking him outside for a double springboard flip dive. They get back inside where Garcia hits a belly to back suplex for two (“covering with alacrity” according to Excalibur. Another GTH attempt is countered into a Scorpion Deathlock, with Sammy going straight to the ropes.

Sammy is back up with a messy looking Cross Rhodes for two so he tries another springboard. This time Garcia is ready for him by countering into a choke, followed by a hard piledriver for two. Cue 2.0 to go after Kingston and Jericho before one of them gets up on the apron. That’s fine with Guevara, who sends Garcia into him, setting up the GTH (without much contact) to retain at 12:34.

Rating: C+. This never reached the next level for me and it didn’t quite feel like it needed to be the main event. The Interim Title is a fine way to bridge the gap until Cody’s return though and having Sammy defend it makes things feel more important. Not a bad match by any means, but some of the moves weren’t hitting very cleanly and it took me out a few times.

Post match Jericho and Kingston go after 2.0, which leads to an argument between the two of them to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. I really wasn’t feeling this show and a lot of the stuff felt skippable. There were a few things that happened, but it was one of those rare Dynamites where you would probably be better off just reading a recap rather than watching the two hours. That being said, if this is their weaker show, they are in a pretty good place, because it was hardly bad.

Results
CM Punk b. Wardlow – Small package
Dante Martin b. Powerhouse Hobbs – Nose Dive
Serena Deeb b. Hikaru Shida via referee stoppage
Penta El Cero Miedo b. Matt Hardy – Fear Factor
Acclaimed b. Bear Country – Mic Drop to Bronson
Sammy Guevara b. Daniel Garcia – GTH

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: January 7, 2022
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Commentators: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Taz, Ricky Starks

We’re still in New Jersey and this week’s show is featuring some big names. Adam Cole is here, but we also have a street fight, which is something that hasn’t been done (or anything close to it) in at least a week around here. Rampage has been good as of late though and hopefully that keeps up this week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Jake Atlas vs. Adam Cole

Cole takes him down with a headscissors to start but Atlas flips out and does the Boom pose. Back up and they both dodge a bunch of kicks before teasing superkicks at the same time. Atlas puts his hand in Cole’s face but gets tossed outside, where Cole sends him into the post. Back in and Atlas hits a few shots of his own, only to springboard into a Backstabber as we take a break.

We come back with Cole being sent outside so Atlas can hit a suicide dive. A springboard missile dropkick hits Cole but he kicks Atlas in the face. The fireman’s carry backbreaker gets two and the brainbuster onto the knee gets the same. Atlas manages to get to the apron for a springboard but gets superkicked out of the air. Atlas comes up holding his knee and can’t stand up straight as Cole loads up the Panama Sunrise. Cole jumps down but Atlas collapses, leaving Cole to grab a kneebar (which doesn’t come close to the knee) to make Atlas tap at 9:40.

Rating: C+. This was the best showing I’ve seen from Atlas and it’s a shame that he seems to have hurt his knee pretty badly. He literally signed with the company earlier in the week and might have already been put on the shelf for a long time. Cole continues to be good, though I’m not sure he’s fighting on the right side of good and evil.

Post match ReDragon comes out to tease a beatdown but Orange Cassidy makes the save with a chain.

Cody Rhodes has been placed into medical protocols and will not be defending his title at Battle of the Belts. Instead, Dustin Rhodes will be taking his place for the Interim TNT Title against Sammy Guevara. That’s cool with Sammy.

Andrade El Idolo doesn’t think much of Sting and Darby Allin.

Hook vs. Aaron Solo

Jericho: “Hookamania is running wild baby!” QT Marshall is here with Solo. Hook suplexes him down to start and Solo already needs a breather in the corner. Solo gets taken down into a half nelson/cravate before Hook unloads in the corner. QT Marshall grabs Hook’s foot though and Solo hammers away. That earns him a capture suplex though and Solo goes flying. Some crossface shots set up Redrum to give Hook the tap at 3:13.

Rating: C. Hook has to be the biggest surprise of the end of 2021 as he felt like a total joke when he debuted but they have someone there as something close to the new Taz. They’ve got something with him and he looks unique enough to warrant trying something with him. It’s nice to see someone developed on the fly and that seems to be working here.

Ricky Starks isn’t happy that the FTW Title isn’t on the line at Battle of the Belts, so he’ll be defending against Matt Sydal. He’s doing it to prove a point to Dante Martin: it took him three matches to beat Sydal, but Starks will do it in one.

Anna Jay, Tay Conti, the Bunny and Penelope Ford are really happy with their street fight last week.

Ruby Soho/Riho vs. Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter

Baker gets sent to the floor to start but Soho waits for the bell to start hammering on Hayter. Riho hits a running shoulder in the corner and it’s a double backsplash for two. Hayter gets up for the tag off to Baker though and the beating is on. We take a break and come back with Soho kicking Baker in the face, allowing the hot tag off to Riho. Everything breaks down and Hayter hits a backbreaker for two on Riho with Soho making the save. Baker and Soho fight off, leaving Riho to roll Hayter up for the pin at 8:10.

Rating: C+. This is how you build up Riho for a title shot without making Baker look bad. They had some good action and Soho gets a win to make up for a bit of the loss to Cargill. Baker isn’t going to be happy and that can often make for the best versions of her when she has to put the title on the line.

Dan Lambert and the Men of the Year think an interim TNT Title is a bad idea and wonder why Scorpio Sky isn’t the champ right now.

Mark Henry has his face to face interview for the main event but Santana/Ortiz/Eddie Kingston and Daniel Garcia/2.0 start fighting anyway.

Santana/Ortiz/Eddie Kingston vs. Daniel Garcia/2.0

Street fight and we’re joined in progress with the fight coming down the ramp to ringside. The weapons are brought in and everyone pairs off to keep up the fighting. 2.0 gets beaten down with signs and chars as we take an early break. Back with Ortiz cleaning house and a limping Kingston hitting a t-bone suplex on Garcia.

Santana adds a frog splash for two with 2.0 making the save to put everyone down again. Lee DDTs Ortiz and Garcia hits Kingston in the head with the bell for two. Santana is back up with a chair to take everyone out, setting up an assisted facebuster. Garcia makes the save but Santana and Ortiz hit a superkick into an enziguri into a clothesline for the pin at 13:50.

Rating: C+. I really did try to get into this but it was yet another wild brawl which didn’t stand out from the others. We just had a far more violent version of this last week and it is starting to come off like brawling for the sake of brawling. The match has been over for a few minutes and I can barely remember any of the spots. They need to really slow down with these things because much like the matches full of flips, the returns are starting to diminish.

Post match, Garcia and company are right back up with duct tape to attach Kingston to the ropes, but Chris Jericho runs in for the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was the most skippable edition of the show in a good while as they didn’t seem to have much left after their huge Dynamite. That being said, this is also the night before Battle of the Belts so it isn’t like they have to wait long to get things back on track. It was a good enough show, but a step down from some recent weeks.

Results
Adam Cole b. Jake Atlas – Kneebar
Hook b. Aaron Solo – Redrum
Ruby Soho/Riho b. Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter – Rollup to Hayter
Santana/Ortiz/Eddie Kingston b. Daniel Garcia/2.0 – Clothesline 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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Dynamite
Date: December 29, 2021
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

We’ll wrap up another year of Dynamite with this one, in the place that hosted the show for what felt like the better part of ever. Cody Rhodes it the new TNT Champion, which hopefully is not just for the Go Big Show or Rhodes To The Top. Other than that, we also have the welcome return of Jim Ross, who has announced that he is cancer free. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Jim Ross gets a big entrance for his return, which is a great thing to see.

Jurassic Express/Christian Cage/Lucha Bros vs. FTR/Matt Hardy/Private Party

Wheeler takes Christian into the corner for a clean break so we hit the double bicep pose. Christian works on the arm for a bit so it’s off to Harwood to trade chops with Jungle Boy in the corner. Harwood gets caught in the wrong corner and it’s Christian coming in for a kick to the face. The jump over the top into the uppercut has Harwood rocked and Wheeler has to break up the Snare Trap.

It’s off to Kassidy but the Lucha Bros come in for the wheelbarrow splash (after a bit of mistiming). Jungle Boy adds a springboard onto Kassidy and then sends him over the top, only to have Quen take Jungle Boy down. Hardy is in with the Side Effect and it’s Jungle Boy in trouble in the corner. A catapult sends Jungle Boy into the buckle and he has to fight out of Hardy’s chinlock.

Back up and a heck of a clothesline drops Hardy and it’s back to Fenix to pick up the pace. Private Party hits a pretty sweet assisted flip DDT to plant Fenix for two but he’s able to shove FTR off the top. A heck of a double springboard moonsault takes FTR down and it’s off to Luchasaurus to clean house. Kassidy gets launched into the air and lets out a scream that would make Vickie Guerrero jealous.

The double chokeslam is broken up so Luchasaurus kicks Wheeler in the face. The chokeslam hits Harwood but Penta tags himself in, much to Luchasaurus’ annoyance. Everything breaks down, including Fenix hitting a crazy rope work corkscrew dive, but Christian tags himself in to break up the Fear Factor. FTR shoves them together though and it’s the Big Rig to finish Christian at 12:35.

Rating: B. They didn’t go too nuts here and it was a good match as a result. Sometimes you can get a little too crazy when you have this many people involved and thankfully they kept it a little more calm. The Lucha Bros vs. Jurassic Express should be good, assuming they don’t add in FTR as a bonus. Hopefully not as it could get messy, but that doesn’t tend to be AEW’s way in title matches.

2.0/Daniel Garcia vs. Eddie Kingston/Santana/Ortiz

Kingston goes right after Garcia and it’s a big brawl on the floor in the first minute. Back in and we settle down to Ortiz vs. Jeff Parker, with the former taking over. Garcia comes in and teases wanting Kingston but gets Santana instead. Three Amigos have Garcia in trouble so it’s back to Ortiz, who gets caught by a kick to the face on the floor. We take a break and come back with Kingston getting the tag to rapid fire chop Garcia in the corner. Everything breaks down and Lee blocks Ortiz’s splash with raised knees, setting up a rollup with tights to give Lee the pin at 9:50.

Rating: C. This was an intense match but they were don maybe a minute after coming back. It was more of a wild match than the ten man tag as well, which didn’t exactly do it any favors. Between not being able to remember which member of 2.0 is which, there were too many things going on at once here and it brought the match down.

Post match Garcia hits Santana in the face with the ring bell. Cue the returning Chris Jericho for the late save. Kingston shoves Jericho away and says he doesn’t need the help. Ortiz has to play peacemaker.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman talks about unsafe working conditions involving that crazy dive last week, while suggesting that it wouldn’t happening a more professional company. We’ll worry about that later though, because Wardlow needs to quality for the Face of the Revolution ladder match. That way he can win the TNT Title and hand it over to MJF, as their contract says. Wardlow isn’t happy.

Christian Cage isn’t happy with the Lucha Bros so the challenge for the Tag Team Titles is set for next week. The response is some insults to Cage, plus an acceptance.

Wardlow vs. Colin Delaney

Powerbomb Symphony finishes Delaney at 1:24.

Post match, Shawn Spears chairs Delaney down.

The Young Bucks don’t seem to like Kyle O’Reilly, who wants to talk to Adam Cole in private. This includes Bobby Fish leaving so O’Reilly can ask if Cole has his back or not. Cole doesn’t seem happy.

Here are Dan Lambert and the Men of the Year to rant about Cody Rhodes. Lambert doesn’t think much of Cody but thinks even less of Brandi Rhodes. Stripper jokes abound, with Ethan Page mocking her wrestling abilities as well. Cue Brandi, who uses the same lines that she used on Jade Cargill during her debut. They don’t like each other, with Brandi being ready to beat him up (without having him pay for it) but Lambert, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, isn’t worried and makes stripper jokes. Brandi: “Well I’m a black b****!” Dustin Rhodes comes in for the save and gets laid out, with Brandi checking on him.

Video on Bryan Danielson vs. Hangman Page II, with a focus on the still unnamed judges.

TBS Title Tournament Semifinals: Jade Cargill vs. Thunder Rosa

Mark Sterling is here with Cargill and Rosa has Wolverine claws. Rosa goes after Cargill’s leg to start but a Sterling distraction lets Cargill take over on the floor. Some kicks to the leg get Rosa out of trouble but she dives into a backbreaker. Rosa snaps off a hurricanrana but gets posted hard. They finally get back inside, where Rosa shrugs off some knees to the face and hits a dragon screw legwhip. Cargill runs her over again though and we take a break.

Back with Rosa hammering on the knee in the corner and hitting some running clotheslines. Cargill Samoan drops her down again but bangs up the knee on the nip up. Rosa is right back to the leg with a shinbreaker into the Figure Four but Sterling offers a distraction. The hold is put on again but this time, Cargill kicks her into the corner, where a crew member hits her with a kendo stick. A fast Jaded gives Cargill the pin at 11:00.

Rating: C. It might not have been the cleanest match in the world and Jade still looks like she is quite green in the ring without knowing how to do something this long. The good thing is that Rosa was there to to walk her through the match with the story of the knee. It was far from a terrible match though and I’ll take what I can get with Cargill in this kind of a match.

Post match Rosa goes after Cargill again but it’s Mercedes Martinez as the crew member for the save and beatdown. Ruby Soho runs in with a pipe for the save.

Video on Riho vs. Britt Baker for the Women’s Title.

Here is CM Punk for a chat, but first he wants to say how glad he is to have Jim Ross back. With that taken care of, Punk talks about how he has never been here before, but it makes him think about Brodie Lee. If anyone out there has to say something about how Lee didn’t do anything, it means they didn’t meet him. Punk watched the tribute show to Lee and it made him want to come here.

Maybe there is someone who isn’t worth his time and doesn’t want to be here, like MJF. Punk talks about last week’s six man tag and now MJF says he’s done with him. That’s fine with Punk after he got to team with Sting to beat FTR and now they can move on to something else. MJF was talking about it too: they both want the World Title and MJF is a bigger waste of Khan Money than Tim Tebow….and we’ll pause off that one.

Punk never wanted to mess with MJF but on this mic and in this ring, no one can touch him. If MJF wants to climb that ladder though, Punk will see him in this ring, but it would be a shame if someone interfered with his quest for gold. I’m not sure what happened here but Punk didn’t have quite the zing here, Tebow joke aside.

Ricky Starks isn’t happy with Dante Martin tossing him from the Dynamite Diamond battle royal. Powerhouse Hobbs can take care of Martin again if that’s what Martin wants.

We look at Cody Rhodes taking the TNT Title from Sammy Guevara.

Here is Sammy with his signs and we take a break, as is usually the case.

Video on Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb.

Here is Brian Pillman Jr. to talk about Malakai Black trying to end Griff Garrison’s career. Then he remembered getting kicked in the head to leave him laying. Pillman worked hard to get here and started in Jacksonville, Florida. He didn’t know his father, but he knows he only gets one life and Black isn’t getting it. Next week, you’re seeing a brand new Brian Pillman Jr…and there go the lights. Malakai Black pops up on the ramp and then disappears again.

The Acclaimed complains about how they aren’t ranked but Sting and Darby Allin are. That’s why Anthony Bowens is taking care of Allin on Rampage.

Sting talks about how casual people are about main events these days. Allin says he’s fine with being in any match on the card and is ready for Bowens on Friday.

Video on Tay Conti/Anna Jay vs. Bunny/Penelope Ford, setting up their street fight on Rampage.

Orange Cassidy/Best Friends vs. Kyle O’Reilly/Adam Cole/Bobby Fish

Taylor and O’Reilly start things off with O’Reilly kneeing him in the ribs. Trent comes in to strike away with O’Reilly, including stereo boots to the face for a double knockdown. Cassidy comes in and rolls Fish up for two so it’s off to Cole, who gets taken down a few times. The Paisan elbow brings O’Reilly and Fish in, only to be sent outside. Cole breaks up the big hug though and the good guys are sent outside.

We take a break and come back with Cole superkicking Cassidy off the apron but everything breaks down instead. Trent tornado DDT’s O’Reilly for two but Fish comes back in to send Trent into the corner. Some running strikes connect but Trent manages a knockdown of his own. The hot tag brings in Cassidy but a DDT into a wheelbarrow suplex gives O’Reilly two. Cassidy gets taken down with a High/Low but Chuck makes the save.

They fight outside, where the Panama Sunrise on the ramp is countered with a backdrop. Taylor flip dives onto O’Reilly and Fish, leaving Cole to get speared down. Back in and Cassidy’s top rope DDT gets two on Cole, setting up back to back piledrivers. Beach Break gets two, with O’Reilly and Fish making the save. O’Reilly kicks Cole by mistake though and it’s back to Taylor for a knee to O’Reilly’s face. Soul Food into Trent’s half and half suplex sets up the big hug but here is Brandon Cutler to offer a distraction. The Young Bucks run in with double superkicks and Chasing the Dragon finishes Chuck at 14:55.

Rating: B-. They had me wondering if Cassidy was going to get a big win here so well done on making me think they were insane. Cole and company need to be established as a trio to start and that is what they made work here. Granted it is designed to be focused on a Young Bucks story, so there is a pretty firm limit to how interesting it is going to be. At least they had a good enough match here so well done.

Cole stands with the Young Bucks and Cutler, leaving O’Reilly and Fish unhappy to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. Pretty good show to wrap up the Dynamite year, though it didn’t have the big blow away moment or match to really make it work. What we got here was a lot of stuff designed to set things up for later and sometimes that is the show you need. Next week is one of the all time stacked Dynamites and if it lives up to its hype, we should be in for a classic. Good enough show this week and that’s all it needed to be.

Results
FTR/Private Party/Matt Hardy b. Jurassic Express/Christian Cage/Lucha Bros – Big Rig to Cage
2.0/Daniel Garcia b. Eddie Kingston/Santana/Ortiz – Rollup with trunks to Ortiz
Wardlow b. Colin Delaney – Powerbomb Symphony
Jade Cargill b. Thunder Rosa – Jaded
Adam Cole/Kyle O’Reilly/Bobby Fish b. Orange Cassidy/Best Friends – Chasing the Dragon to Taylor

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

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AND

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

Rampage
Date: December 17, 2021
Location: Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Ricky Starks, Taz

It’s a very stacked show, as we have three matches with a total of twenty people involved. This week features an eight man tag, a ten man tag and a submission match, which is quite the use of an hour. This show can go in more than a few ways and hopefully they go in a good one this week. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Best Friends/Rocky Romero vs. Superkliq/Bobby Fish

Chuck hits a quick standing Sliced Bread for two on Matt to start before it’s quickly off to Fish vs. Romero. Fish gets taken into the corner and Cassidy gets to come in for his slow clotheslines. Cole comes in for the Cassidy showdown but hands it off to Nick without getting physical. Cassidy walks the ropes but stops to put his hand in his pocket and jumps down without doing anything.

Nick gets armdragged and hiptossed despite Cassidy’s hands being in his pockets, meaning it’s time for the frustrated Cole to come in and beat on him. The triple superkicks drop Cassidy and we take an early break. Back with Nick hitting a splash on Cassidy, setting up the Superkliq triple kiss…which is broken up by Taylor and Romero. Instead, Cassidy kisses Cole and then rolls him up for two. Cassidy gets over for the tag to Trent and house is cleaned in a hurry.

An apron splash hits Cole and double jumping knees from Trent and Romero hit stereo jumping knees to Nick. Trent’s sliding knee gets two but everything breaks down. Cole hits the brainbuster onto the knee to Trent, setting up Fish’s top rope headbutt for two. The super Falcon Arrow connects for the same, with Cassidy having to make the save this time. Everything breaks down again and it’s a series of strikes to a bunch of people’s heads. Trent finally catches Fish with Strong Zero for the pin at 17:23.

Rating: B. There was a lot going on here but they did a nice job of making it feel action packed. I was surprised that the Best Friends and company won so well done on giving Trent a bit of his heat back. Fish is good at being the guy who can take a fall for the team, though Cole’s Christmas present for the Bucks could turn that around a bit.

Here is the returning Dan Lambert and the Men of the Year. Lambert rips on Tony Khan for wearing all kinds of hats, including those outside of AEW, which resulted in him pushing various people on the fans. He pushed the skateboard guy and the guy with hands in his pockets before bringing in CM Punk and Bryan Danielson. Khan is dangling a carrot with one hand but stabbing the fans in the back with the other, because this place is turning into late 90s WCW.

That brings him to Cody Rhodes, who has turned his backstage power into a main event career and a reality show that no one watches. Cue Cody, who gets in a microphone stealing match with Lambert. With nothing said, the fight is on but Dustin Rhodes runs in for the save. The Rhodes Brothers are beaten down but Sammy Guevara makes the real save, including the staredown with Cody.

Video on the final four in the TBS Title tournament.

Tay Conti vs. Penelope Ford

Submission match with Anna Jay and the Bunny at ringside too. Conti charges into the ring to start in a hurry but Ford slips out of a kneebar. They head outside where Ford chops the post by mistake to put her in even more trouble. Back in and Ford is fine enough to grab a bow and arrow stretch, which is flipped over in a hurry. Conti wrenches the arm back but Bunny’s distraction is good for a save.

Ford gets back up and manages to flip over into a backpack dragon sleeper (that’s a new one). With that not working, Ford grabs some kind of standing crossface, only to have Conti knee her way to freedom. A handspring cutter sets up another choke but Ford can’t hit a Rey Mysterio sitout bulldog. Instead Conti pulls her down into something like a choke with her leg behind Ford’s neck for the tap at 5:22.

Rating: C. This was a weird choice when they announced it and it was a weird match in execution. You don’t often see a five minute submission match, especially when one is such a bigger star than the other. It certainly wasn’t bad, but it felt like a stipulation that was tacked on for the sake of giving the feud a reason to continue.

Post match, Bunny lays Conti out with the knuckles to continue the feud.

The Owen Hart Tournaments (men’s and women’s) are coming next May, with the finals taking place at Double Or Nothing.

Daniel Garcia/2.0/Acclaimed yell at Eddie Kingston/Lucha Bros/Santana/Ortiz, but Eddie doesn’t have time for this and tells Mark Henry to do his catchphrase.

Daniel Garcia/2.0/Acclaimed vs. Eddie Kingston/Santana/Ortiz/Lucha Bros

The brawl starts in the aisle, because this company doesn’t like to waste time. It’s a big fight outside until Penta and Caster get inside to officially start. They chop it out with Penta getting the better of things (the chest protector might have helped) and bringing in Fenix. Stereo kicks to the head rock Caster and the wheelbarrow splash gives Fenix two. Santana comes in for some chops of his own and we take a break.

Back with Santana rolling over for the hot tag to Penta for the house cleaning. Fenix gets to walk the top rope for the kick to Caster’s face and a springboard spinning kick to the face rocks Garcia. Everything breaks down and the Bros hit the running flip dives to the floor. Back in and Santana piledrives Bowens but gets dropped by Caster. Kingston loads up the spinning backfist but Garcia ducks into a rollup and grabs Kingston’s pants for the pin at 8:42.

Rating: B-. The ending was quite the surprise and unfortunately it means that Garcia will have to be destroyed in the near future. This was more of a brawl than the other big tag match, but running two of them in the span of an hour didn’t do this one any favors. The ending surprised me a lot, though as long as Kingston gets to massacre Garcia once and for all, it will work out fine.

Post match the beatdown is on, with Bowens wrapping a chain around his boom box. Cue Christian Cage and Jurassic Express for the save, but we get the showdown with the Lucha Bros over the titles.

Overall Rating: B-. It was an action packed night, though again they have a problem with putting too many people on the show. It’s a bit much to have nearly thirty people on a weekly TV show in the span of an hour and nothing really stood out as a result. AEW has a very big and talented roster, but they need to get that they don’t have to use so many people every week. The idea of less is more would be a good one for them to learn, as this show needed something to let it slow down and breathe a bit. What we got was good, but spread it out a bit more.

Results
Best Friends/Rocky Romero b. Superkliq/Bobby Fish – Strong Zero to Fish
Tay Conti b. Penelope Ford – Choke
Daniel Garcia/2.0/Acclaimed b. Eddie Kingston/Santana/Ortiz/Lucha Bros – Rollup with tights to Kingston, Dan Lambert, Men of the Year, Sammy Guevara, Cody Rhodes, Dustin Rhodes

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

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AND

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Dynamite
Date: 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

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