Dynamite
Date: October 16, 2019
Location: Liacouras Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We are in for a big night here as the AEW World Title is going to be defended for the first time as Chris Jericho defends against Darby Allin in a street fight. Odds are the winner will face Cody for the title at Full Gear so there is certainly a lot on the line. Other than that, we are likely to get more in the Tag Team Title tournament so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Title Tournament First Round: SCU vs. Best Friends

It’s Christopher Daniels/Kazarian for SCU, meaning they are the two that the Lucha Bros jump from behind and lay out, including a piledriver on the ramp. Scorpio Sky runs out for the save and Daniels is taken out on a stretcher. Sky says he’ll take Daniels’ spot and throws some trainers’ tape around his wrist to get ready. Chuck and Kazarian start things off with the former taking over, allowing Trent to come in and hit a sliding knee to the face.

Sky comes in and gets his street shoe taken off and sent into the crowd, allowing Chuck to bite his toes. It’s back to Kazarian, who gets beaten up on the floor and superplexed for a bonus back inside. Kazarian kicks his way out of the corner as Sky comes in off the hot tag. Everything breaks down and Chuck misses a flip dive, landing on Trent by mistake. Kazarian’s slingshot hurricanrana drops Chuck and Sky hits the big flip dive, landing on his feet of course.

Sky gets back in and someone throws him his shoe back, followed by an assisted tornado DDT for two on Trent. Kazarian comes back in but gets caught with Soul Food. The big hug is broken up so Chuck knees Kazarian down and NOW we get the hug. A Doomsday knee gets two more on Kazarian but he’s fine enough to counter a piledriver on the apron. Back in and a powerbomb into a Backstabber, or at least what is supposed to be a Backstabber but wound up being more of a dropkick to the head, for the pin at 9:58.

Rating: C+. I’m not big on the Best Friends but Sky showed off very well here, as he tends to do. He’s just an athletic guy who knows how to do almost anything in the ring. The stuff with him being thrown in here was a nice story for the match and the fans throwing the show back was just cool. I’m much happier with SCU moving forward as it could bring the Freebird Rule into effect, which can always offer a bonus story.

Santana/Ortiz vs. Jon Silver/Alex Reynolds

Santana kicks Silver in the head to start and it’s Ortiz coming in as the beatdown is on in a hurry. Santana beats up Reynolds on the floor as Ortiz doesn’t seem worried by Silver inside. The Street Sweeper (sitout powerbomb/Blockbuster combination) finishes Silver at 2:02.

Post match Chris Jericho pops up on screen to say that’s why Santana and Ortiz are in the Inner Circle. The two of them want to beat up the Young Bucks so they’ll be facing off at Full Gear.

Video on Cody as he gets ready to challenge Jericho at Full Gear. This includes comments from Diamond Dallas Page, Brandi Rhodes, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Michelle Rhodes, Dusty’s widow. Winning the title means a lot to him and it would validate everything he has done over the years. Page talks about how you need to win your first World Title, as apparently the NWA World Title doesn’t count anymore.

Women’s Title: Riho vs. Britt Baker

Baker is challenging. Feeling out process to start with Riho taking her down by the arm, only to have an armbar blocked. The Lockjaw doesn’t work either so Riho heads to the apron and slugs away, followed by a running dropkick to the head. A double stomp to the ribs keeps Baker down but the top rope double stomp misses.

Baker hits a Sling Blade and a TKO, followed by a low superkick for two more. Riho’s bridging northern lights suplex gets two more and it’s off to a half crab. Britt makes the rope so Riho hits some sliding knees for another two. Baker ripcord forearms her down though and Lockjaw is loaded up, only to have Riho reverse into a cradle to retain at 8:12.

Rating: B-. It’s Riho’s most interesting match yet but it’s still missing for the most part. I get that she’s Kenny Omega’s project but it just seems like they have so many other options to pick from. The match was better, though Riho doesn’t really have a character other than she’s small. That doesn’t have the best track record, but it’s all we’re getting here.

We look back at the Lucha Bros attacking SCU.

Tag Team Title Tournament First Round: Lucha Bros vs. Jurassic Express

It’s Jungle Boy/Marko Stunt here, with the latter replacing the injured Luchasaurus. Pentagon and Stunt start things off and Pentagon tells him CERO MIEDO, because he isn’t scared of someone who looks to be eleven years old. Stunt shoves him away and does the Floss Dance, which isn’t well received. Pentagon takes the glove off and throws it at Jungle Boy, so Pentagon bites the finger.

A toss into a hurricanrana drops Pentagon and everything breaks down in a hurry. Another toss into a DDT puts Fenix on the floor and Stunt hits the big suicide dive. Boy adds an Asai moonsault to Pentagon, who also takes a wheelbarrow suplex into a splash/legdrop combination for two back inside. Stunt hits a 619 into Boy’s German suplex for two but Pentagon finally gets back up with the superkicks.

Fenix comes in, only to get superkicked by Boy. That doesn’t go anywhere as Fenix starts the dives, leaving Stunt to take the Pentagon Driver for a rather close two. Pentagon yells at the referee and we take a break. Back with Stunt kicking Pentagon in the face and bringing in Boy as everything breaks down. A reverse powerslam into moonsault knees to Fenix gets two, followed by a running shooting star press for the same. Pentagon comes back in for the running Canadian Destroyer, followed by a swing around by the hair. Stunt’s arm is snapped and it’s the spike Fear Factor for the pin on Stunt as Fenix dives onto Boy at 11:24.

Rating: C+. Stunt’s limited charm is rapidly wearing off for me and I can’t bring myself to care about him just because he’s small. Throw in the eternally annoying Floss Dance and my tolerance for him falls more and more every week. At least they didn’t go ridiculous by having an upset here, as I don’t think I could have taken another underdog story.

Pac/Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega/Hangman Page

During the entrances, Moxley says you don’t write him off after one injury because he is still the top of the food chain. The fans give Omega a HAPPY BIRTHDAY chant before the match and it’s Omega jumping Moxley from behind to start things off. Moxley gets the better of it but Omega is right back with the jumping Fameasser from behind. Pac gets in a cheap shot though and the villains (?) take over.

That doesn’t last long as Omega gets over for the tag to Page, who stars fast with the clotheslines. A top rope version looks to set up the Deadeye but Moxley makes it to the ropes. That’s fine with Page, who goes up but gets shoved down onto the apron thanks to a Pac distraction. Back from a break with Moxley grabbing a Texas Cloverleaf on Page, drawing Omega in for the fast save. A discus lariat drops Moxley and the hot tag brings in Omega for the house cleaning.

The Regal roll into the middle rope moonsault hits Pac and it’s a Snapdragon to both Pac and Moxley. The running flip dive takes Pac down on the floor but Moxley suicide dives both of them. Page moonsaults from the top onto Moxley and Pac so Omega can take Moxley back inside. A buckle bomb into a discus forearm into a Sky High gets two as Pac has to make a save.

Moxley hits a swinging Boss Man Slam to Page but gets his head knocked off by Omega. Pac’s slingshot cutter plants Omega but it’s a nasty suicide dive from Page to drive Pac into the barricade. We get the big showdown into the forearm off from Moxley and Omega and a V Trigger rocks Moxley. He’s fine enough to blast Omega with a clothesline though and they’re both down.

And now, with the wrestling being covered, it’s time for a barbed wire broom for Omega and a barbed wire bat for Moxley. The referee gets sent outside and it’s Moxley hitting Omega in the ribs with the non barbed wire part of the bat. Pac yells at Moxley and gets dropped with the Paradigm Shift. Moxley leaves and it’s a Buckshot Lariat into the V Trigger from Omega. Deadeye (with Pac’s head not coming close to the mat) finishes Pac at 15:04.

Rating: B. The barbed wire stuff was a little silly (though it is something that has been there before) but the rest of this was very entertaining stuff with both teams beating the heck out of each other and a few different stories being tied together into one match. I could go for a pair of singles matches out of this and that’s a distinct possibility for Full Gear.

AEW World Title: Darby Allin vs. Chris Jericho

Street fight with Allin challenging and skateboarding to the ring. Jericho is in Painmaker mode this week but Allin takes him straight down and hammers away. The champ gets sent outside for the suicide dive but Jericho takes over back inside. The confidence starts to come up, even as the fans chant for Allin. Jericho sends him hard into the post and Allin comes up holding his knee as we take a break.

Back with Jericho beating and choking with a kendo stick but the middle rope stick shot is knocked out of the air. That means Allin can unload with his own stick shots but has to get out of a Walls attempt. The referee counts to five, though I’m not sure why that would matter here. Allin uses Jericho’s argument with the referee to hit a high crossbody for two but Jericho knocks him down again.

A chair is brought in but Allin grabs a quick Stunner for two instead. Allin has to get to the ropes to get out of the Walls again so Jericho duct tapes Allin’s wrists together. Just because he can, Allin hits a moonsault press onto Jericho, followed by a suicide flip dive to the floor.

Back in and something like a Whisper in the Wind (again with the hands taped) gets two on Jericho, who clotheslines the heck out of Allin. Jericho has had it and tiger bombs Allin onto the skateboard for two, without much energy on the kickout. Allin dropkicks the chair into Jericho’s face and loads up the Coffin Drop, only to have Jake Hager come in for the save. The Walls retains the title at 15:45.

Rating: B-. This was a bit of a downgrade for Allin, who usually gets to show off a little more than he did here. The taped wrists was a good idea, though the ending felt a bit rushed with Hager just coming out for the win. That isn’t the strongest ending, though it does help keep Allin strong. It’s a good match, though it didn’t break through to the other side.

The Inner Circle comes out to celebrate with a little bit of the bubbly to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I might have liked this show more than any they’ve done so far as it a fast paced show with nothing remotely bad. It’s good that they have something to build towards now and you can probably imagine a good chunk of the Full Gear card. This was a very fast paced and entertaining two hour show with some solid wrestling and angle advancement. It might be their best show yet and hopefully that continues to be the case.

Results

SCU b. Best Friends – Powerbomb/dropkick combination to Trent

Santana/Ortiz b. Jon Silver/Alex Reynolds – Street Sweeper to Silver

Riho b. Britt Baker – Cradle

Lucha Bros b. Jurassic Express – Spike Fear Factor to Stunt

Kenny Omega/Hangman Page b. Pac/Jon Moxley – Deadeye to Pac

Chris Jericho b. Darby Allin – Walls of Jericho

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

AEW Dark
Date: October 8, 2019
Location: Capitol One Arena, Washington DC
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross

So this is something new (the second new show of the day) as AEW is releasing its dark matches (as “dark matches” enters a new definition) as a stand alone show on YouTube. Normally this is something that wouldn’t make a lot of sense but in this case, AEW needs to get their talent out there in front of an audience and that is what they’re doing here. There shouldn’t be any storylines here and it’s a pure wrestling show, which is nice for a change. Let’s get to it.

Tony Schiavone welcomes us to the show and explains the concept. He really is great at something like this and the voice is exactly the same as it was back in the 90s.

Darby Allin vs. Cima

Darby takes a bit too long looking into the crowd and gets caught with some double knees in the corner. That’s fine with Darby, who is right back with a springboard armdrag to the floor, followed by three straight suicide dives. Back in and the Coffin Drop completely misses, allowing Darby to dropkick him into the corner. Something like a Brock Lock on the mat keeps Darby down but he’s fine enough to crotch Cima on top.

That means a Tree of Woe with headbutts to the knee for a pretty unique set of offense. More shots to the knee have Cima in trouble but he’s right back with a tornado DDT for two. Back up and Cima offers him a chance for some chops, demanding Darby’s best shots. Instead Darby hits him in the face and flips over his back into a Stunner for two.

The Coffin Drop onto the knee bangs them both up a bit more so Cima is right back with the Perfect Driver for two of his own. A top top rope Meteora to the back of Darby’s head gets two more, only to have him get the same off a Code Red. That’s enough to set up the Coffin Drop, which finally connects as it’s supposed to, for the pin at 6:57.

Rating: C. I’m still not sure what to make of Allin, who is such a different kind of performer that it takes some time to get the idea of him down. The Coffin Drop comes off as rather stupid, though it fits into the kind of person Allin seems to be. Cima is someone who can have a fine match with anyone, though I’m not overly wild on either guy.

Tony explains the Tag Team Title tournament.

Lucha Bros/Hybrid Two vs. Private Party/Best Friends

Hybrid Two is Angelico/Jack Evans. Orange Cassidy is here with Private Party and Best Friends to a ROAR. Hang on though as Evans needs to yell about how he and Angelico are the A half of their team but a bunch of superkicks break that up in a hurry. Fenix dives onto the Best Friends and Quen gets sent over the top onto Evans and Angelico as I have a bad feeling about trying to keep track of all this stuff. Evans is already ranting about having to make saves until we settle down to Isaiah punching Angelico in the face and screaming.

A cheap shot from Evans takes Isaiah down so the Lucha Bros come in and try some double teaming, only to have Isaiah score with some enziguris for a breather. Evans and Angelico come in to beat on Isaiah instead as tagging is more of a suggestion here. Isaiah is fine enough to hurricanrana Angelico into Evans in the corner, which allows the tag off to Taylor as extra audio is bleeding through commentary.

Isaiah hits a heck of a flip dive to the floor but the Bros are back in to kick Quen in the head. With Fenix on the floor, Taylor finds his own sunglasses but stops to hug Barretta. That sets up the stereo suicide dives, leaving Cassidy to go up for the hands in pockets dive to the floor. Isn’t that a bit much energy for him? Back in and Fenix saves Pentagon from Strong Zero and a kick to the head sends Taylor into a Backstabber. Fenix hits a big corkscrew dive, leaving Pentagon to finish Taylor at 8:46.

Rating: B. That’s about as high as any of these matches can get and they did exactly what they were suppose do. This was designed to be complete and utter chaos with everyone involved looking rather good in the process. As a bonus, Excalibur was perfect for commentary here as he can rattle off all of those names. JR on the other hand…..well he tried, but he lost the battle of the generations here.

Post match the winners argue over who gets to pose.

Quick look at the women’s division.

Britt Baker/Allie vs. Penelope Ford/Bea Priestly

Priestly shoves Baker on the apron to start so Allie snaps off an armdrag. Hold on though as Priestly wants Baker, which is exactly what she gets. That sends Priestly over to Ford, as you probably expected. Baker gets two off her own armdrag but Ford sends her into the corner for a Great Muta handspring elbow (that’s more JR’s speed). A northern lights suplex gives Ford two but she gets sent into the corner as well, this time allowing the tag to Allie.

The sliding forearm in the corner gives Allie two and it’s time to strike away at Ford. Priestly gets in a cheap shot on the floor though and the villains take over. A stomp onto Allie’s arm keeps her down but Ford misses a second handspring elbow. Baker comes back in to trade forearms with Priestly, followed by the fisherman’s neckbreaker for two. Priestly’s belly to back suplex gets two but Baker kicks her down and hands it back to Allie for a rollup. Everything breaks down and Priestly kicks Baker in the head.

Allie Death Valley Drives Priestly for two before heading to the floor, leaving Allie to DDT Ford for two more with Priestly diving back inside for the save. They head outside again though, leaving Baker to Paige Turn Ford into the Rings of Saturn. With that still on, Baker grabs something like a Mandible Claw (makes sense) at the same time for the tap at 11:11.

Rating: C-. If they want Riho and Nyla Rose to be the stars of the division, they might not want to showcase these four like this. The match was more interesting, easier to get into and just all around more fun. Riho vs. Rose did tell a good story and was better from a technical standpoint, but they’re hardly head and shoulders above these four and that was very apparent here.

We look at Chris Jericho and company taking over at the end of Dynamite.

Here’s a look at the Tag Team Title tournament with Twitter users picking their winners.

Preview for this week’s Dynamite.

Full Gear ad.

Jurassic Express vs. SCU

Jurassic Express now has a rather awesome entrance, complete with steps making a glass of water shake. Daniels has a mic on a stand with him so he can shout SCU. Daniels and Stunt start things off and Stunt can’t do much outside of spinning around into a small package. A stomp onto the back sets up the Floss Dance (ERG), with Daniels countering with his own. Jungle Boy and Kazarian come in to trade near falls off some rollups and cradles until Kazarian knocks him down for the springboard spinning legdrop.

It’s off to Sky to get in a boot to the head but Boy gets over to Luchasaurus and you can feel the fans getting more into things. That’s a bit too good though and it’s back to Stunt, who gets flipped onto Daniels into a splash for two. Boy comes back in for a chinlock but Daniels is right back up with a tilt-a-whirl side slam for two of his own. Stunt’s crossbody bounces off of Sky so Luchasaurus comes back in. Some strikes have no effect for Sky but a DDT puts Luchasaurus down….and he nips right back up.

Stunt and Boy dive onto Daniels and Sky, leaving Kazarian to get chokeslammed and moonsaulted for another near fall. A headscissors faceplant of all things (because Luchasaurus can just do that) sets up Stunt’s running shooting star press as everything stays broken down. Luchasaurus gets sent outside though and it’s Celebrity Rehab on Boy and a powerbomb/Backstabber combination finishes Stunt at 9:17.

Rating: C. They weren’t going for anything more than a fun match here, though they did get in enough stuff to make it feel different than the eight man tag. Stunt taking the pin was the right call if SCU has to win, though it is beyond ridiculous to see him out there with no muscle definition or anything close to being a realistic threat to any of SCU. Even Jungle Boy, who is small, is more believable than Stunt. Let him be a mascot or something, but having him wrestle is a step too far.

Tony wraps us up in a hurry.

Overall Rating: C+. This is a situation where you need to consider the point of this show. It isn’t meant to be anything more than a supplement to Dynamite in a way to get the wrestlers in an AEW ring. You don’t need to see anything here and as long as they keep it that way, this is the most inoffensive thing you could ask for. It doesn’t need to be around permanently as you don’t need so many people featured every week, but for a few months, this is a fine idea.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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