Dynamite
Date: December 1, 2021
Location: Gas South Arena, Duluth, Georgia
Commentators: Hangman Page, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re two weeks away from Winter Is Coming and that could be a heck of a big night. You can probably guess some of the card from here and that means AEW has a path to take on the way to the show. Other than that, we have a street fight this week as Cody Rhodes faces Andrade El Idolo. Let’s get to it.

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

Jim Ross isn’t here tonight so Hangman Page is filling in.

In two weeks: Page vs. Bryan Danielson for the World Title.

Bryan Danielson vs. Alan Angels

Danielson wastes no time in starting with the kicks as Angels is in trouble early. The fans are behind Angels and Danielson throws in a Hulk Hogan hand to the ear to turn up the anger another notch. The kicks and chops in the corner make it even worse, followed by the running corner dropkick. Angels fights back but gets pulled into a cross armbreaker. That’s broken up so Angels sends him outside for a pair of dives, setting up the standing Spanish Fly back inside. Danielson cuts that off with the running knee and the stomps near the head lay Angels out again. A kneebar (complete with the bicep pose) finishes Angels at 6:09.

Rating: C. This was exactly what it should have been as Danielson beat him up, survived a bit of a comeback, and then finished him decisively. There was no reason for Angels to get in any more offense than this and it didn’t go too far. Simple, to the point, and went as it was supposed to.

Post match Danielson says he kicked Angels’ head in in his hometown and he’s heard he can do the same thing next week in Long Island. Then he’ll do it again to Hangman Page in two weeks in the home of the Cowboys. Page is ready to fight tonight but John Silver cuts him off, saying Page can’t touch Danielson tonight. Silver says he can touch him though and charges the ring but Danielson says Silver is beneath him and bails. He’d love to slap Page in the face tonight (Page: “DO IT!”) but these people don’t deserve it.

Miro talks about trying to figure out what he should do next but then he received a vision. Now it is time to find what he is doing. He will repair one of the problems in his life but the other he will embrace.

Lee Moriarty vs. CM Punk

Hold on though as here is MJF (in an amazing Hanukkah suit) to join commentary. Punk spins out of Moriarty’s wristlock to start but gets pulled right back in. The wristlock sets up an armbar but Punk drives him into the corner for another escape. A leg lariat puts Moriarty down and we take a break.

Back with Punk slipping out of a suplex and getting a boot up in the corner. The springboard spinning high crossbody is rolled into a Gargano Escape but Punk escapes again. Moriarty heads up top but Punk blasts him in the face, only to come back with a super sunset flip. They trade near falls for two each until Punk kicks him in the head for a knockdown. Moriarty kicks him in the head and the kickout triggers a freak out. Punk is back up with a reverse suplex, which he flips into the fireman’s carry and the GTS for the pin at 10:23.

Rating: C+. Moriarty got a lot out of this as he gets to hang with one of the biggest stars AEW has to offer. I’ve liked Moriarty since the first time I saw him and now he is getting the chance to showcase himself. Give him something to do and he could go somewhere in a hurry. Punk is starting to find a style around here, as he was getting a bit more athletic this time around, with the GTS being the big blockbuster finish to get him out of trouble.

Post match MJF says cut the music to say the only thing Punk is the best in the world is at trying to get into Britt Baker’s pants. MJF says Punk looks confused….just like Baker would look if he got her in bed. Punk says MJF is wearing Larry David pajamas and calls him out for making fun of him for taking time to beat QT Marshall and Lee Moriarty. They’re both better than MJF and he knows it.

The challenge is on again but MJF turns him down for the second week in a row. MJF brags about winning next week’s Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal and promises to be better than Piper in Portland, Bret in Canada and Punk in Chicago. That’s not it though, because he promises to put Larry (Punk’s dog) to sleep if he sees him again. That’s too far for Punk, but Wardlow comes out to get between the two of them. More good stuff from these two, as you would expect.

Britt Baker isn’t happy about having to face Riho again but she’ll do it anyway. Jamie Hater gets called out for losing to Thunder Rosa, but she points out that Baker lost to her as well. Don’t worry about that though as Baker is ready for Hayter to beat Riho next week to get back in the good graces.

Adam Cole comes to the ring and then joins commentary. Cue Orange Cassidy to stare Cole down but the Young Bucks show up. Cassidy turns his back on Cole and does the lazy kicks, earning himself a low blow and a big beatdown. I know Cassidy has his shtick, but this made him look like a moron in every sense of the word.

Tony Nese is ready to take the TNT Title on Rampage.

Wardlow vs. AC Adams

Four straight powerbombs end Adams at 1:38.

Penta is ready for FTR and he’ll have Pac as his partner. Pac, with his eye patched up, is ready to fight on Rampage.

Sting/Darby Allin vs. Gunn Club

Sting has Allin styled face paint, it’s Colton/Billy for the Club and Team Taz is on commentary. Allin armdrags Colton down to start and dropkicks him into the corner for a bonus. Sting comes in for the staredown with Billy, who bails outside from the threat of the Stinger Splash. Back in and Billy hits a heck of a cobra clutch slam on Darby before taking him into the corner as we take a break.

We come back with Allin getting over for the hot tag off to Sting, who cleans house with the Stinger Splash. The Scorpion Deathlock goes on but Billy offers a distraction so Austin can get in a cheap shot. Allin dives onto Austin but Billy gets the Fameasser to give Colton two. Another dive takes out Billy on the floor (as the top of Allin’s head is busted open) and the flipping Stunner sets up the Death Drop for the pin at 10:10.

Rating: C. So ends the Gunn Club’s run, putting an end to their more or less negligible value. It’s not like Sting pinning a guy best known for his time on Dark is going to hurt him at all so this completely acceptable. That cobra clutch slam looked awesome and thankfully Allin “only” busted himself open on that dive, as he looked to land on his head.

Chris Jericho denies helping Eddie Kingston last week because he wanted to beat up 2.0 and Daniel Garcia. Cue Daniel Garcia and 2.0 to beat him down. Why you can hear the earlier Superkliq/Orange Cassidy segment taking place at the same time is anyone’s guess.

Team Taz, still at commentary, is ready for next week’s Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal but here is Lio Rush to interrupt. Rush says that as a commentator, Taz should know who he is. He has a chance to win the battle royal too but Taz says they already took Dante Martin away from him. Rush talks about being a fighter and says he’ll be there, even if he has a one percent chance. Forgive me for not feeling emotional about a split of a pairing that was together…three weeks?

Jade Cargill is ready to take out Thunder Rosa’s student on Rampage. Rosa comes in to say she’ll be on commentary and rants in Spanish.

TBS Title Tournament Quarterfinals: Kris Statlander vs. Ruby Soho

Statlander takes her down to start but the threat of a right hand has Statlander staring at Soho. Back up and Soho drops to the mat, where Statlander teases a boot but pauses in time, instead going with the boop. Soho scores with a Flatliner for a quick two and we take a break.

We come back with Statlander grabbing a headlock and countering a Rey Mysterio sitout bulldog into a Blue Thunder Bomb. Soho is back up to avoid a charge in the corner, setting up a poisonrana for two, giving us some of the biggest bugged out eyes I’ve ever seen. Statlander loads up the Big Bang Theory but gets rolled up for the pin at 10:27.

Rating: D+. This wasn’t great as they were kind of all over the place with Statlander looking lost more than once. I’m not sure if it is a lack of experience on the big stage or what but she has never been able to make it to that next level. Soho needed this win, as she came in red hot and then hasn’t done much of anything since, which has made for a weird path for her so far in AEW. Maybe a run to the finals (or a win) can fix that.

Post match they shake hands but here is Vickie Guerrero to yell at Statlander. The distraction lets Nyla Rose come in and take out Soho.

Andrade El Idolo vs. Cody Rhodes

Street fight and Andrade brings a knife. Well that’s serious. It’s a brawl in the aisle to start and Cody hits him with a trash can full of trash. They make it to ringside with Cody getting in a chair shot but Andrade is right back with a shot of his own. Andrade hits him in the back with the weightlifting belt and throws the belt into the crowd before pulling out….a laptop? Tribute to the York Foundation perhaps?

That’s broken over Cody’s head and Andrade hits him with the broken pieces. Andrade puts a chair over Cody’s chest and hits the split legged moonsault for two (With the kickout showing some weird stuff on Cody’s back. It almost looks like he has feathers stuck to him.). Cody is knocked outside hard as we take a break.

Back with Cody throwing a chair into Andrade’s face to break up a moonsault and the slugout is on. A powerslam plants Andrade but he blocks a suicide dive with a chair to the head. The floor pad is pulled back but the Shadow (the new name for the hammerlock DDT) is broken up with a backdrop. Cody, now busted, pulls out a sledgehammer….which he throws down to pick up a golden shovel. Cue Jose with a taser, but Cody hits him with the shovel.

The distraction lets Andrade hit a dive from the top, setting up the running knees into the chair into Cody’s face in the corner. That’s good for a delayed two so Andrade sets up a table, only to be hiptossed through it. Another table is set up and Cody loads up a superplex….as Brandi Rhodes pops up to pour lighter fluid on the table (ah so that’s what’s on Cody’s back). The reverse superplex through the table finishes Andrade at 19:29. Ignore that Andrade barely grazed the table and Cody’s ARM WAS ON FIRE during the pin.

Rating: B-. This is one where your mileage may completely vary as I have no idea what to make of this match. They packed A LOT into this one and the violence was good, but I’m not sure this feud warranted this kind of chaotic brawl. It wasn’t bad or even close to it, but it felt like Cody trying to have some breakthrough match to get the fans behind him and I don’t think that worked.

Then there’s the big finish and…no. Cody took most of the landing himself and again it felt like it was going too far for the sake of going too far. It wasn’t something that needed to be there and it looked more like a stunt for the sake of a stunt than something that should have taken place in this situation. It didn’t ruin the match, but it’s all people will remember about it and that’s not a good thing.

Overall Rating: C. They were all over the place this week and it was a lot to keep track of in two hours. A lot of the stuff was good and they did the right thing in a lot of their stories, but at the same time a lot of it felt stupid (Cassidy/flaming table) or like they were trying too hard (see also flaming table). Winter Is Coming should still be great just because of the action, but this felt really out of step with some of their more recent shows, which were a lot more smooth.

Results
Bryan Danielson b. Alan Angels – Kneebar
CM Punk b. Lee Moriarty – GTS
Wardlow b. AC Adams – Powerbomb
Sting/Darby Allin b. Gunn Club – Scorpion Death Drop to Colton
Ruby Soho b. Kris Statlander – Rollup
Cody Rhodes b. Andrade El Idolo – Reverse superplex through a burning table

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

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Rampage
Date: September 10, 2021
Location: Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Jim Ross, Mark Henry, Taz, Tony Schiavone

The biggest week in AEW history wraps up here with a pay per view quality match. This week’s feature match will see Pac vs. Andrade El Idolo in a match that was supposed to take place at All Out. Instead it is happening here, along with hometown boy Brian Pillman Jr. facing the rather rude Max Caster. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

I was in the arena for this show, sitting in the lower section looking straight at the entrance.

Opening sequence.

Pac vs. Andrade El Idolo

Chavo Guerrero is here with Idolo. They stare each other down to start before going at it in a hurry. Andrade catches him with a basement dropkick and we hit the Tranquilo pose. Some kicks in the ribs just wake Pac up and he hurricanranas Andrade outside for the big running flip dive. Pac whips him hard into the barricade and we hit the chinlock back inside. Andrade snaps off a running boot to the face and a hanging DDT onto the apron sends Pac hard to the floor.

That means Andrade can hit his own big dive but it’s only good for one back inside. Pac gets up top but gets caught on the ropes, setting up the Alberto double stomp (which looked horribly violent) to put them both down on the floor as we take a break. Back with Andrade hitting a top rope split legged moonsault for two. With that not working, Pac is taken to the top but manages a super hurricanrana to bring Andrade right back down.

The running boot in the face rocks Andrade again to put him on the apron. Pac can’t hit a running sunset bomb to the floor so it’s a superkick to stagger Andrade instead. A huge moonsault to the floor has Andrade down again, though Pac might have hit his head on the barricade. Back in and a 450 connects for Pac but the Black Arrow is broken up. A running Pele kick rocks Pac again but he drives Andrade into the corner to block the hammerlock DDT.

Andrade charges into an overhead belly to belly into the corner but he catches Pac in the fireman’s carry. That’s countered into a crucifix bomb into the Brutalizer, which draws Andrade’s translator onto the apron with a stun gun to distract Pac. The Lucha Bros run out to take care of him but Chavo gets in a cheap shot to knock Pac silly. Andrade steals the pin at 15:42.

Rating: B. Sometimes you need to just let people beat each other up really well for awhile. That’s what we got here, as these two had a physical, hard hitting match. It was entertaining and I wanted to see it go to a better ending, but Pac looked like his usual self and Andrade felt like a star for the first time around here. Good stuff and I would have loved to see what they could have done on pay per view.

Post match Chavo and Andrade go to leave but Andrade turns on Chavo and slams his head into the ramp. With Andrade gone, the Lucha Bros superkick Chavo so Pac can grab the Brutalizer. Referees come down and finally break it up so Death Triangle can pose. Andrade might need a new manager now. Say one who managed him in Mexico recently?

Here are Darby Allin and Sting to answer Tully Blanchard’s challenge from Dynamite. Allin calls Shawn Spears a generic piece of s*** who has ridden Blanchard’s coattails. After a loud….whatever you call Sting’s scream, Sting calls out Blanchard for riding Ric Flair and Arn Anderson’s coattails for years. We can do it right now, so here is Tully to talk about the numbers game. Sting is distracted and doesn’t notice Spears running in to plant Allin with the C4 on the floor. No matter how old he is, Sting will never escape being an imbecile.

Adam Cole talks about what it means to be in the Elite because they are the best. Fans respect Bryan Danielson and Christian Cage because their body of work is so special. Cole isn’t even in his prime yet and he would mop the floor with Bryan Danielson.

Bryan Danielson says that the Elite feels and looks insecure and he is going after one specific member of the team. He would love to face Kenny Omega in his first match but if he isn’t stepping up, someone else will. Everyone is hungry around here so let’s go.

Britt Baker/Rebel/Jamie Hayter vs. Riho/Kris Statlander/Ruby Soho

Riho takes Baker down to start so it’s time to rethink things. Statlander comes in to muscle Baker over with a powerslam and picks Riho up to kick Rebel in the chest for a funny spot. Tony: “What do you call that Excalibur?” Taz: “Well he’s not here.” Hayter comes in but Rebel hits a cheap shot from the apron as we take a break.

Back with Riho fighting out of a chinlock so Hayter goes over to knock Statlander off the apron. She doesn’t knock Soho down though, meaning Riho can kick Hayter away and make the tag. A running kick to the face rocks Hayter and an STO gets two. Everything breaks down and Statlander rolls Rebel up until Baker breaks it up for the save. Statlander is back up with a twisting Falcon Arrow to Baker, with Riho getting on Statlander’s shoulders. Riho covers Baker up so Riho double stomps her instead. Soho comes back in for the former Riott Kick and the pin on Rebel at 9:27.

Rating: C. This was a way to get Soho some more air time and there is nothing wrong with that. AEW knows they have something with her and putting her in a six woman tag is a good way to have her out there without hurting anyone. Rebel is there to take losses for Baker so this went as well as it could have. Maybe not an all time classic, but it did what it was designed to do.

We get the face to face interview between Max Caster and Brian Pillman Jr. Caster is sick of Pillman having so many fake friends but they won’t be here tonight. Anthony Bowens says Caster is going to beat up Pillman’s Saved By The Bell reunion looking face. Pillman is going to prove if Caster can back up his talk because they’re in Cincinnati and Pillman is coming at him 100mph. Pillman hasn’t inherited his dad’s speaking abilities.

Max Caster vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

Caster’s rap insults Cincinnati, but Bowens grabs the mic before he can say what a bowl of Skyline Chili looks like. Bowens: “YOU’RE ON THIN ICE!” Pillman takes him down and rains down right hands to start. Caster is sent outside for the dropkick through the ropes but Bowens breaks up Air Pillman back inside. That’s enough for Caster to get in some right hands in the corner and a knee drop gets two.

Caster sends him outside so Bowens can get in some stomping, followed by Caster’s dropkick to the back for two. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Pillman makes the comeback and pounds away with the right hands in the corner. Bowens’ interference lets Caster score with a right hand on top but Pillman shoves him away. A dive takes Bowens out so Caster can get in a shot of his own. The Mic Drop misses though and Air Pillman finishes Caster at 6:41.

Rating: C. This was 100% for the live audience and there is nothing wrong with that. Pillman was over huge in his hometown and it was great to see him get a win over someone who isn’t going to be hurt by the loss. That’s how something like this should go and AEW made it work out very well. Not a great match, but a nice moment.

Post match Bowens comes in to jump Pillman and the double team is on. Cue fellow Cincinnati native Jon Moxley for the save and thoroughly please the live crowd to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Now this is what I wanted to see from Rampage. They had a featured match and then some more showcase matches. The opener was excellent and then the other two matches did their jobs well enough. What mattered here was allowing some people to get some extra time without the breakneck pace of Dynamite and it was rather fun for a change.

Results
Andrade b. Pac – Pin after Chavo Guerrero interfered
Ruby Soho/Riho/Kris Statlander b. Britt Baker/Rebel/Jamie Hayter – Riott Kick to Rebel
Brian Pillman Jr. b. Max Caster – Air Pillman

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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All Out 2021
Date: September 5, 2021
Location: Now Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

We’re back to the still fairly rare AEW pay per view schedule with an absolutely stacked show. There are three major matches this time around, including CM Punk vs. Darby Allin, Chris Jericho vs. MJF and Kenny Omega defending the World Title against Christian Cage. Let’s get to it.

Buy-In: Hardy Family Office vs. Orange Cassidy/Wheeler Yuta/Chuck Taylor/Jurassic Express

Matt Hardy shoves Taylor into the corner because he wants Orange. He gets Luchasaurus instead so Jack Evans gets a rather fast tag. Luchasaurus sends Evans flying with a suplex and it’s off to Boy to send Evans into the corner. Quen and Yuta come in, with the former getting two off a running crossbody.

We get the big sequence of most of the people trying a hold at the same time to as much avail as you would expect. Luchasaurus comes back in to throw people around, including a knee to the face to drop Evans. Private Party and Hardy come in to take Luchasaurus down but Orange breaks it up with the slow motion kicks. That earns him a Codebreaker into a shooting star onto his back, followed by a trip to the floor. We get a short form parade of dives but Orange heads back inside for the hands in pockets comeback to drop Private Party.

Hardy is back in with a Twist of Fate but now it’s Jungle getting to clean house. Angelico and Luchasaurus put Evans and Jungle on their respective shoulders for a chicken fight but here is the Blade to interfere. Marko Stunt dives off of Luchasaurus’ shoulder to take him out, leaving Jungle to make Angelico tap with the Snare Trap at 8:34.

Rating: C+. Take a bunch of popular wrestlers, put them in the ring with a bunch of unpopular wrestlers, have them fly around a lot and do cool spots to pop the crowd. That’s how you do a match like this and they made it work well here. This was a fun, quick spectacle and it wasn’t supposed to be anything else.

The opening video runs down the big matches.

TNT Title: Miro vs. Eddie Kingston

Miro is defending. Kingston goes for his neck to start but has to fight out of an early Game Over attempt. That’s enough to send Miro outside for an early breather as they both feel very serious. Back in and Kingston snaps off a suplex, earning a rather loud cheer from the crowd as Miro bails back to the floor. This time Kingston joins him and gets sent hard into the barricade to put Kingston in trouble for the first time.

That lasts all of a few seconds as he is back with a kick to Miro’s face. A dive off the apron is countered into a powerslam though and Miro, despite holding his neck, gets a breather. There’s a hard posting to put Kingston down again and it’s a backbreaker back inside. We hit the chinlock but Kingston fights back up with the chops. Miro knocks him silly again but Kingston snaps off a jumping enziguri.

A Saito suplex drops Miro again, allowing Excalibur to rattle off Kingston’s Japanese influences. Back up and they chop it out, with Kingston getting the better of things to set up more Saito suplexes for two. The threat of a spinning backfist sends Miro outside so Kingston hits the suicide elbow. Back in and Kingston’s fisherman’s suplex gets two as the fans are all behind Kingston. Miro pulls him into the corner though and unloads with forearms to the back.

Kingston accidentally pulls the turnbuckle pad off but Miro catches him with the jumping kick to the face. Game Over goes on but Kingston falls forward to make the rope for the break. That is NOT cool with Miro, who walks into the spinning backfist into the DDT for a delayed two as the referee was getting rid of the turnbuckle pad. Some knees connect to Miro so he goes into the corner, allowing him to sneak in a low blow. The jumping superkick retains the title at 13:25.

Rating: B. This was two big guys hitting each other hard but there was a story there too. Kingston set up the neck and the DDT, which had been built up in the last week, gave him a great near fall. Miro needing to cheat to survive was a good way to go and the crowd was WAY into everything all night. Very good choice for an opener here and I got into it.

We run down the card.

Jon Moxley vs. Satoshi Kojima

Moxley wanted someone from New Japan and Kojima accepted. The bell rings and Moxley flips him off, setting up the big chop off. They forearm it out until Kojima runs him over with a shoulder and Moxley rolls outside. Kojima catches him with a dive and Excalibur is right there to list Kojima’s accomplishments. Moxley jumps back inside for a suicide dive of his own and a Russian legsweep sends Kojima into the barricade.

Back in and Moxley stomps on the hand and starts cranking on it for a bit, followed by the knees to the chest. Kojima sends him into the corner though for the rapid fire chops and a top rope elbow gets two on Moxley. Back up and Moxley snaps off a suplex before taking Kojima up top. That just earns Moxley a superplex back down and a DDT on the apron makes it worse. Tony calls Moxley a representative of the state of Chicago and even JR gets on him a bit for it.

Back in and Moxley (with a cut elbow, which causes Excalibur to mention Moxley’s staph infection from a year or so ago in a great catch) hits a release suplex, or Jason Jett’s Crash Landing for you last few weeks of WCW fans. The Paradigm Shift into the brainbuster gets a delayed two and Moxley is rocked. Kojima’s lariat is countered into a German suplex for two and a jumping knee drops Kojima again. Back up and Kojima hits the lariat into the Koji Cutter but can’t cover.

They slug it out from their knees and then their feet until Moxley blasts him with a lariat of his own. The bulldog choke goes on but Kojima makes the rope. Some Mongolian chops rock Moxley, who counters another lariat into the Paradigm Shift. Another Paradigm Shift finishes Kojima at 11:55.

Rating: B-. This was another fun one with Moxley getting a win over a credible opponent. There is something cool about AEW’s relationship with New Japan (stupid name aside) but I’m not a huge fan of having the dream matches with little personal backstory. The action made up for it and the match was good, though I could have used a better build.

Respect is shown post match….but none of that matters as Minoru Suzuki is here. Suzuki takes off his shirt and they forearm it out with Moxley throwing in a bow of respect. That’s fine with Suzuki, who wins the slugout and chokes Moxley out. The Gotch style piledriver leaves Moxley laying.

We recap Britt Baker defending the Women’s Title against Kris Statlander with a bunch of talking heads giving their predictions.

Women’s Title: Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander

Baker, with Rebel and Jamie Hayter, is defending and Orange Cassidy is here with Statlander. They stare each other down a bit until Statlander starts working on Baker’s recently broken arm. That’s broken up though and Baker takes her into the corner for a hanging neckbreaker. The seconds are near blows on the floor as Baker sends Statlander face first into the apron.

Baker grabs a neck crank to keep Statlander in trouble but she fights up for some running shots to rock Baker in the corner. Statlander grabs a modified Falcon Arrow for two but Baker is back with a hard DDT for the same. Baker loads up the glove, which takes long enough for Statlander to kick her in the head.

Statlander’s Area 451 misses though and Baker grabs a crossface. That’s countered into an electric chair faceplant and an ax kick gives Statlander two. Baker is sent outside but the big dive misses. A Stomp rocks Statlander again but she is able to counter the Lockjaw back inside. The Spider Crab is countered as well and Baker busts out a Panama Sunrise for two. Another stomp sets up the Lockjaw to retain at 11:33.

Rating: B. These two beat the fire out of each other and the fans were into it, even without the drama over who was going to win. Statlander was a good choice of an opponent as she feels like a credible enough of a threat but was always going to come up short in the end. Baker could be champ for a long time, but it is going to go through Thunder Rosa at some point and that is all that matters.

Andrade El Idolo and Chavo Guerrero deny having anything to do with Pac’s travel issues. El Idolo is ready for Pac on Rampage.

We recap the Lucha Bros vs. the Young Bucks in a cage for the Tag Team Titles. The Bucks keep cheating to win and the teams have a history of major matches in the company’s history.

Tag Team Title: Lucha Bros vs. Young Bucks

The Bros are challenging in a cage and get rapped to the ring. Don Callis joins commentary as the Bucks try to leave early. That’s broken up with ease though as the Bros score with kicks to their backs. More kicks, including stereo kicks to the kneeling Bucks, keep the Bros in control but the Bucks kick them right back down. Penta winds up on the floor between the ring and the cage (which doesn’t connect to the apron), leaving Fenix to get powerbombed against the cage.

There’s a kick to Penta’s head and a chain is used to choke Fenix. A hurricanrana sends Matt into the cage and Penta is back in with a Backstabber out of the corner. The Bros’ stereo low superkicks only hit each other and Matt hits a top rope flipping Stunner on Penta. A double rolling cutter drops the Bucks as well and the Penta Driver gives Penta two on Matt. The Bucks are back up with more kicks and Fenix is sent into the cage.

The Swanton/Tombstone get two on the Bros but the BTE Trigger knees only hit each other. Fenix sends the Bucks into each other but Matt kicks both of them low. More Bang For Your Buck gets two on Fenix so the frustrated Bucks go after the masks. Callis calls it psychology, which Tony calls BS. Fenix is sent face first into the cage and Cutler throws his bag into the cage. Matt loads up a thumb tack shoe but Penta gets in front of Fenix. That’s fine with Matt, who kicks Penta in the head instead.

Penta is sent into the boot in the corner, with his mask getting stuck for a disturbing visual. A running boot from Nick drives Penta’s head even further into the tacks and there’s a superkick into the poisonrana to Fenix. The BTE Trigger gets two on Penta with Fenix making a save to bring the crowd right back to life. Matt takes the shoe off but Fenix makes the comeback with his variety of insane kicks. The shoe goes upside the Bucks’ heads and the Black Fire Driver gets two on Matt. The spike Fear Factor is broken up so Nick and Fenix climb the cage to slug it out.

Matt and Penta pull them down for stereo package piledrivers on the apron, setting up the big slugout. Matt goes up top with Penta though and it’s a super Canadian Destroyer to bring him back down to put everyone out. Everyone gets back up for a circle strike off until they’re all knocked down again. Back up and a Fear Factor gets two on Nick so Fenix goes up to the top of the cage. Nick saves Matt from the package piledriver and climbs up top with Fenix, only to get kicked back down. Fenix dives onto all three of them (dang) and the spike Fear Factor FINALLY ends the Bucks’ reign at 22:02.

Rating: A-. They had to do the title change here and even though things got bleak for the Bros more than once, all that matters was the big ending. The Bucks had to lose here and it took a lot to put them away, but it was a heck of a match to get there. This was the big show stealing match and that’s all you could have expected it to be. Awesome stuff here and by far the best thing on the show so far.

We get the long celebration and a look back at the rest of the show as the cage is removed.

Casino Battle Royal

We have twenty entrants and three minute intervals between suits. Clubs are in first, including Hikaru Shida, Skye Blue, Emi Sakura, Bunny and Abadon, the latter of whom freaks out the announcers. Blue and Bunny slug it out to start with the hometown girl Blue getting a big reaction. Blue gets sent to the apron though and Abadon knocks her out in a hurry.

Bunny eliminates Abadon a few seconds later and is fine with letting Sakura put Shida in a surfboard. That’s broken up with a rake to Sakura’s face though and Bunny gets in some more stomping until the Diamonds come in. That means Anna Jay, Kiera Hogan, KiLynn King, Diamante and Nyla Rose.

The brawling is on again and Sakura is out in a hurry. Hogan and King follow her out and there goes Shida with them. Rose and Diamante team up to go after Bunny and Jay and split up in about ten seconds. The four of them are joined by the Hearts, in the form of Thunder Rosa, Penelope Ford, Riho, Jamie Hayter and Big Swole. Riho hits a double 619 on Ford and Conti but Hayter tosses her out. Swole headbutts Diamante out but gets tossed by Hayter as well. The fans are behind Rosa as she fights off Hayter and Rose in the corner.

Things slow down a bit until we get the Clubs, with Tay Conti, Red Velvet, Leylah Hirsch, Jade Cargill and Rebel. The brawling is on and Velvet dropkicks Rebel out. Bunny and Jay wind up on the apron and both are kicked out in a hurry. Cargill throws Hirsch out and onto the pile (including onto some referees) and the clock ticks down, bringing up the RUBY SOHO chants. The Joker is….Ruby Soho (formerly known as Ruby Riott).

The final grouping is Soho, Conti, Ford, Cargill, Hayter, Velvet, Rose and Rosa. Soho goes after Cargill and then Rose, with Rosa using Soho to take Rose down. Cargill pumphandle faceplants Soho and tosses Hayter out in a nasty crash. Velvet is tossed as well but Rose gets rid of Cargill. Conti gets rid of Ford but gets tossed as well, leaving us with Soho, Rosa and Rose.

Rosa and Soho are knocked silly in a hurry but Rose gets a bit too cocky, allowing Rosa to send her to the apron and kick her out for the elimination. They stare each other down until Rosa shouts in Spanish and chops her hard. The Fire Thunder Driver is broken up and Rosa is sent to the apron but she pulls Soho out with her. Soho can’t get a German suplex off the apron but she can knee Rosa off the apron for the win at 21:48.

Rating: C+. This is their signature deal with the decks and all that jazz but it doesn’t make for the most thrilling battle royal. It doesn’t help when the Joker gets the big advantage, but Soho winning is one of the right ways they can go. It made for a good moment, though the match could have been a bit shorter to keep things moving a bit faster.

We recap Chris Jericho vs. MJF. Jericho can’t beat MJF and has become obsessed with him, so tonight Jericho’s career is on the line.

Chris Jericho vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

We get the old school COUNTDOWN but it is only leading to “JERICHO’S LAST MATCH”. Ok points for some good trolling, along with MJF coming to the ring in a king’s robe. Jericho is played to the ring by Fozzy’s guitarist to quite the reaction. MJF bails to the floor to rip up some Jericho signs before coming back inside so Jericho can snap off some armdrags. MJF gets in a shot to the face so they head outside, where Jericho whips him into the crowd. Jericho drops things onto MJF’s head and they go back inside.

This time Jericho’s baseball slide is caught in the ring skirt though and the beating is on. MJF starts in on Jericho’s bad arm and drives his elbow into the shoulder. Jericho fights up but a shot to the arm cuts that off in a hurry. A headbutt and some chops set up MJF’s Fargo Strut and the Heatseeker on the apron crushes Jericho again. That’s good for a nine so MJF knocks him back outside, only to miss an Asai moonsault.

Back in and they slug it out with Jericho getting the better of things. Jericho goes up top but dives into a Codebreaker for two in a good moment. Back up and Jericho scores with a dropkick for two and the fans are behind him again. Some corner clotheslines and right hands look to set up a super hurricanrana but MJF counters into a super sitout powerbomb. MJF is banged up too though, allowing Jericho to come back with a Codebreaker for two. Cue Wardlow but Jake Hager comes out to take care of him in a hurry (because the Inner Circle and the Pinnacle are back for this match).

The distraction lets MJF get in a baseball bat shot and the Judas Effect hits Jericho…for the pin at 18:19, though Jericho’s foot was on the rope. Therefore hold on, as another referee comes out to explain things and the match will restart. The bell rings and Jericho grabs a rollup for two. MJF is right back with the Salt of the Earth, which is reversed into a rollup for two more. The hold goes back on but this time Jericho reverses into the Walls. MJF is dragged back to the middle of the ring and FINALLY taps to save Jericho’s career at 21:08.

Rating: B. This was another good one as MJF used all of Jericho’s stuff because he believes he is the better of the two. Then Jericho wins in the end, with the great false finish of the boot on the rope. I’m not sure how much good this whole thing has done for MJF because he ultimately lost in the end, but it was nice to see him in such a high profile feud over the last several months.

The Inner Circle comes out to celebrate with Jericho.

We recap CM Punk vs. Darby Allin, which includes Allin in a BEST IN THE WORLD body bag and being hung from a helicopter.

Darby Allin vs. CM Punk

This is Punk’s first match since January 2014 and he’s in tights instead of trunks. Allin sits in the corner so Punk sits in the middle of the ring for the staredown. They lock up and Allin armdrags him down, which has Punk thinking twice for a second. Back up and Punk shoulders him down, earning a WELCOME BACK chant. Punk has to clarify that they mean him before grabbing a headlock and laying on Allin for a bit.

That’s broken up as well so Allin hits a hard running shoulder of his own. The threat of the GTS sends Allin bailing to the floor though and we need a breather. Allin is back in with the high angle armdrag and some running shoulders in the corner. Punk whips him HARD over the top and out to the floor though with a nasty crash. Back in and a belly to back suplex sets up a double arm crank to keep Allin down.

The abdominal stretch goes on, followed by a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker (Allin: “OH S***!”) for two. Another abdominal stretch is countered into the flipping Stunner to give Allin a needed breather. The springboard Coffin Drop to a standing Punk sets up La Majistral for two and the Code Red gets the same. Punk catches him on top but a belly to back superplex is countered into a crossbody for two.

Back up and Punk scores with the GTS out of nowhere but Allin falls outside. Allin barely beats the count so Punk tries another GTS, which is countered with a bunch of elbows to the head. A big charge sends Punk outside and there’s a Swanton to a standing Punk outside. Back in and Allin loads up the Coffin Drop but Punk sits up. Allin’s cradle is countered but so is the GTS, allowing Allin to get two off the Last Supper. Punk’s leg lariat gets two so Allin loads up the poisonrana, only to get countered into the GTS for the pin at 16:08.

Rating: B. This was a well put together match as Punk got to stand still a lot and wrestle in bursts instead of going full speed the whole time. That allowed Allin to do most of the heavy lifting and protected Punk from not having his wind back yet. The big matches can come with time, but for now this was about getting Punk back in the ring to knock off some of the rust. Rather good match, mainly due to the setup and Allin’s work.

Post match Sting comes out to check on Allin, with Punk kneeling right next to him. Allin gets up and Punk shakes his hand for the cool moment. Punk gets to take a quick victory lap and says that was #1.

Full Gear is Saturday November 13.

We recap QT Marshall vs. Paul Wight. Marshall had been insulting Tony Schiavone and his family, so Wight came out to help his broadcast partner. Now it’s time for Wight’s in-ring debut.

QT Marshall vs. Paul Wight

Wight doesn’t waste time and starts in with the chops before Marshall can take his jacket off. Marshall gets in a shot to the bad hip though and a low dropkick staggers Wight. The kickout sends Marshall outside and it’s time to start panicking. Back in and the Diamond Cutter is blocked, Wight beats up the rest of the Factory and grabs the chokeslam for the pin at 3:12.

Rating: D+. That’s how it should have gone and there is nothing to complain about here. Yes the Marshall stuff over the last few weeks has been a bit lame but ultimately, Wight beat him without much effort and that is all he should have done. Wight can go back to commentary until he is needed again and Marshall can go back to….whatever it is that he does.

Jon Moxley is facing Minoru Suzuki on Dynamite in Cincinnati.

Moxley says Suzuki better be ready to come to his hometown in the Nasty Natti.

Malakai Black is ready for Dustin Rhodes on Dynamite and suggests that Rhodes think of everything he has done to Rhodes’ family and friends.

We recap Christian Cage challenging Kenny Omega for the World Title. Cage pinned him to win the Impact Wrestling World Title so now it is time to do it for the belt that really mattes. Talking heads aren’t sure who should win.

AEW World Title: Christian Cage vs. Kenny Omega

Omega, with Don Callis, is defending and Cage starts fast by knocking Omega outside. Cage whips him into the barricade and Cage hits the big dive off the top to take him out. Back up and Omega whips Cage into the steps before pulling out a table. This one is laid on top of Cage though and Omega stomps it for a break (Omega: “Did I do that???”). Cage blocks a suplex through another table and suplexes Omega onto the floor. Back in and Cage’s Cloverleaf is blocked, allowing Omega to hit something close to a Sling Blade for two.

Omega knocks him to the floor again and hits the moonsault off the barricade. Back in and Cage is in more trouble, setting up a chest first whip into the corner. A fireman’s carry backbreaker gives Omega two more but he takes too long going up, allowing Christian to grab a hurricanrana. Christian chokes on the ropes and then jumps over for the customary right hand. Omega gets in a knee to the head and drives him into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs.

Now the V Trigger can hit the back of Christian’s head in the corner. The Snapdragon brings Christian out of the corner and there’s a second to make it even worse. Cage flips him off so it’s a third Snapdragon into another V Trigger. Instead of covering, Omega tries a German suplex through a table on the floor. Since that can’t work, Christian reverses into a Killswitch attempt but has to settle for a spear through the table instead. It takes them a minute to get back in, where Christian hits a spear each to Omega’s back and ribs for two.

Christian can’t follow up and has to escape the Dr. Wiley Bomb. Omega this some knees to the face, setting up a ripcord V Trigger. A tiger driver is countered though and Christian gets the high angle Cloverleaf. Callis calls in the reinforcements with the Good Brothers but Christian fights them off. The Killswitch gives Cage two more and they’re both down. With nothing else working, Christian catches him on top and tries a super Killswitch but gets reversed into a super One Winged Angel to retain the title at 21:21.

Rating: B+. They did everything they could to get around the lack of drama and it was a very good match. The problem is I never once believed Christian had a chance and I can’t imagine I’m alone. Cage was fine for a one off challenger, but Omega is going to need a major challenger sooner than later. Like at Full Gear for example.

Post match the rest of the Elite comes in for the big beatdown, with Jurassic Express not being able to make the save. The YES chants begin but Omega grabs the mic and asks if if Chicago is finally starting to understand. Omega doesn’t care who is a hometown hero because no one is on his level. When it comes to the AEW World Title, the only people who have a chance to beat him are either not here, already tired or already dead. Then the lights go out…..and it’s Adam Cole (Bay Bay) making his debut.

Cole gets in the ring….and superkicks Jungle Boy, because Cole is with the Elite. Omega: “In the words of Steve Urkel, did I do that?” Cole asks who is ready for Story Time With Adam Cole Bay Bay. The Elite is the most dominant faction in wrestling and no one can stop them. Omega hits the catchphrase….and we have Ride of the Valkyries. Brian Danielson is here too and some of the Elite bails. Danielson, Christian and Jurassic Express stare down Omega, Cole and the Young Bucks, with Omega leaving so the good guys can clean house so YES chants can end the show. That’s a heck of a pair of surprises so yeah, they nailed it.

Overall Rating: A. Great matches, two big moments and the historic title change with the only thing resembling a bad match lasting less than 200 seconds. They did pretty much everything right here and it was a pretty awesome show as a result. This felt like the normal AEW pay per view and that is certainly a great thing to hear. Awesome show and it didn’t feel like nearly four hours so there isn’t much of anything to complain about here.

Results
Miro b. Eddie Kingston – Jumping superkick
Jon Moxley b. Satoshi Kojima – Paradigm Shift
Britt Baker b. Kris Statlander – Lockjaw
Lucha Bros b. Young Bucks – Spike Fear Factor to Nick Jackson
Ruby Soho won the Casino Battle Royal last eliminating Thunder Rosa
Chris Jericho b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman – Walls of Jericho
CM Punk b. Darby Allin – GTS
Paul Wight b. QT Marshall – Chokeslam
Kenny Omega b. Christian Cage – Super One Winged Angel

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

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

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Lee Johnson vs. Malakai Black

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

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

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

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

Post break, Dustin challenges Black for Dynamite.

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

Jamie Hayter/Rebel vs. Kris Statlander

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Darby Allin vs. Daniel Garcia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is Rampage if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

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

Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Hardy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video on Pac vs. Andrade.

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

Jamie Hayter vs. Red Velvet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eddie Kingston/Jon Moxley/Darby Allin vs. Wingmen

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

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

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

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

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

FTR wants one more match with Santana and Ortiz.

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

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

Gunn Club vs. The Factory

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

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

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

Brock Anderson vs. Malakai Black

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

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

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

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

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

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AND

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

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

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

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

Elite vs. Mike Sydal/Matt Sydal/Dante Martin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Miro is ready to destroy Fuego del Sol.

Daniel Garcia vs. Darby Allin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nyla Rose vs. Kris Statlander

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

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

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

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

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

Impact Tag Team Titles: Dark Order vs. Good Brothers

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

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

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

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

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

Chris Jericho vs. Wardlow

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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AND

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

Dynamite
Date: July 7, 2021
Location: James L. Knight Center, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re officially back on the road and that means there are fresh fans in attendance. That is certainly a good thing and something that did not feel possible over the last year plus. First up we have Road Rager, featuring the Tag Team Titles on the line, a strap match and the debut of Andrade El Idolo. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Cody Rhodes vs. QT Marshall

South Beach Strap Match with the four corner version. Cody dives on him before the bell and the fight is on with Cody pulling Marshall into the ropes. We look at various UFC fighters at ringside as Marshall gets in a shot to the ribs. A moonsault only designed to get knocked out of the air gets knocked out of the air and Cody hits a few buckles. Aaron Solow breaks it up but Dustin Rhodes fights him into the crowd to get rid of one goon.

Nick Comoroto follows and Cody gets three buckles, only to get German suplexed back down. They go outside with Cody posting him to draw some blood. Back in and the lights go out to reveal…..that the lights just happened to go out (though Cody’s surprised/confused face was amusing). Cody slaps a few more buckles but gets caught in a superbomb to put him in trouble for a change.

Marshall ties the strap around Cody and hits a hanging cutter out of the corner for three buckles. The fourth is cut off though and things are reset. Cody makes the comeback and strikes away, setting up the flying headscissors. There’s the Cody Cutter to drop Marshall again and a low blow makes it even worse. Cody goes for the fourth buckle but Marshall spits at him. That earns Marshall three straight Cross Rhodes and Cody hits all four buckles to win at 10:38.

Rating: C. Hey Cody wins a big match over an opponent who was never close to his level. It’s the right call but it doesn’t exactly come off as a great moment as you got what you would have expected. Cody beating Marshall is good and it should end the match, but Cody having some long term adversity could be a bit better. AEW is back to touring again and where they’re going, they might not need Rhodes (I watched Back To The Future earlier today).

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

We look back at Shawn Spears jumping Sammy Guevara with a chair last week.

Spears says he got Guevara….and gets chaired down by Sammy, who sits in a chair to say he got Spears, b****.

Tony Schiavone brings out Don Callis and Kenny Omega for a chat. Callis gets rid of Tony but the fans remind Callis that he got fired (from Impact). That doesn’t matter though as Callis goes over Omega’s recent successes and brings up that there are no challengers left. That’s a problem as Omega is supposed to defend the title at Fight For The Fallen….so the fans say they want Hangman.

Callis says he’ll tell them what they want but here is the Dark Order to interrupt. Evil Uno gets into the ring alone and wants to know why Omega is scared of Uno’s friend. Fans: “COWBOY S***!” Omega talks about how Uno is stupid and then kicks him low. Cue the rest of the Elite to take out the Dark Order but Hangman Page runs in to break up the belt shot. House is cleaned and the Buckshot Lariat is loaded up on Omega but Page stares at him instead. Another run-in is cut off but the distraction allows Omega to escape. I’d be surprised if they did this at Fight For The Fallen, but it’s coming sooner or later.

Earlier today, Jim Ross sat down with Ethan Page and Darby Allin. JR is disturbed by the idea that these two are going to fight to injure the other’s career and wants to know how we got here. Page takes his sunglasses off by Allin says hang on. Allin talks about how his success made Page jealous. Page never left his hometown and was content being the big fish in the small pond.

Page says that’s all true, but he plucked Allin from obscurity and taught him the lessons that brought him to AEW. Ever since he was a kid, people have told him that he would be a star and now he has to see Allin paint his face and get to be on Dynamite. That’s why Page is going to take him out in the Coffin Match. JR has a bad feeling about it, and Allin says he should.

Pinnacle vs. Inner Circle

FTR/Wardlow vs. Jake Hager/Santana/Ortiz here with Tully Blanchard and Konnan in the corners. Santana starts fast with a pair of Amigos into a German suplex to send Harwood into the corner. Ortiz comes in for a leg lariat but Wardlow comes in to plant him with a gutwrench powerbomb. It’s back to Harwood who gets planted with a powerbomb, allowing the hot tag to Hager for the house cleaning.

We take a break and come back with Ortiz coming in to clean house (again) but gets taken into the corner. The step up cannonball plants Wheeler but Wardlow makes a save of his own. We settle back down to Ortiz countering Harwood’s suplex into a brainbuster, allowing the hot tag back to Hager. The ankle lock makes Wheeler tap but Harwood was legal, meaning Hager has to kick him in the face. As usual, Hager wants Wardlow and the slugout is on. The rest of the Pinnacle comes in and a quick Big Rig plants Hager to give Wardlow the pin at 9:00.

Rating: C+. This felt like a big time Saturday Night main event with three members of one group against three members of the other, which is all it needed to be. It wasn’t supposed to be anything huge or beyond that and it did its job. I can go for a match that is only supposed to keep a feud going and they made it work just fine.

Post match Konnan goes after the Pinnacle but gets taken down for a beating of his own.

Video on Karl Anderson vs. Jon Moxley for the IWGP United States Title next week.

It’s time for a showdown/contract signing with MJF and Chris Jericho, with the latter soaking in a lengthy sing-a-long. A fan tries to run in and gets knocked down so we cut to a crowd shot for a bit. Jericho and MJF (after he challenges any other fan to come in and get beaten up) sit down at the long table with MJF talking about how everyone wants a rub from him. MJF makes the mistake of calling him Y2J, so Jericho says he should have let the fat guy come in here and beat MJF up, but now he’ll do whatever it takes to get a match with him. Jericho: “I’ll even have sex with your mother.”

That has MJF a little annoyed so he talks about following Jericho’s career. We hear about Jericho’s issues with Jon Moxley and what it took for Moxley to get a match. Jericho had Moxley face every member of the Inner Circle and karma is a b****. MJF wants to up the ante a bit and talks about how he loves mythology. The name Demo God comes from demagogue, even though Jericho isn’t in the key demo anymore. MJF loved the labors of Hercules and thinks that Jericho needs to win a few matches.

We’ll make that four matches, with MJF picking the opponents and stipulations. If Jericho wins those four matches, he’ll get his match with MJF. Jericho is ready for the challenge so he can ruin MJF’s life. Jericho signs but MJF isn’t done yet because he comes from the greatest place in the world: Long Island, New York. They have to shake hands or the deal is off. The shake ensues, but Jericho pulls him into the Judas Effect to leave MJF laying. I’m a mythology fan so the theme was cool here and it probably gets them to All Out.

Britt Baker rants about being around the dangerous Nyla Rose. Look what happened when the innocent Reba got in the unsafe ring. Baker blames Tony Khan and now Vickie Guerrero brought in Andrade El Idolo. They got all of their money so maybe next week Dynamite can run in Saudi Arabia! Baker is ready to take out Nyla in Dallas at Fyter Fest and the town is going to be renamed the Big DMD.

Matt Sydal vs. Andrade El Idolo

Vickie Guerrero is here with Andrade, who comes out in a mask and suit, both of which go away. Andrade takes him down to start and hits the double moonsault for an early two. Sydal is back up with a shot to the face but gets knocked off the top for a crash. We take a break and come back with Sydal scoring with some shots to the face and rolling him up for two.

The jumping knee misses though and Andrade blasts him with a clothesline. Sydal gets tied in the Tree of Woe but the Alberto double stomp misses. Instead Sydal comes off the top with a Meteora for two but Andrade sends him into the corner for the running knees. El Idolo (the hammerlock DDT) finishes Sydal at 7:37.

Rating: C. This was a fine enough debut for Andrade who just needed to come in with a win. He could be a pretty big player as time goes on around here and the match was competitive enough without going too far. I’m curious to see where things go for Andrade, though I’m really not sure how much good Vickie is going to do for him.

Video on Matt Hardy vs. Christian Cage, who face off next week. They have always been in the same place, with Hardy accusing Christian of following him.  The match is 20 years in the making and it ends next week.

Here is Arn Anderson in the ring and he is rather happy to be in Miami. The lights go out….and this time it’s the former Aleister Black in the ring to hit Black Mass on Anderson. Cody Rhodes runs in for the staredown, with Excalibur identifying Black as Tommy End. This is followed by the announcement of “THAT IS NOT TOMMY END!” Apparently his name is Malakai Black, and he hits Black Mass on Rhodes.

Earlier today, Ricky Starks came to the ring with security but Taz comes out to say this is nonsense. Starks says Brian Cage is the embarrassing one and if he has to do this to get ready for the FTW Title match next week. Where he comes from, the W stands for wife, and Starks means Cage’s wife. Cue Cage to chase Starks off and beat up security. That was a great line from Starks.

Orange Cassidy/Kris Statlander vs. Bunny/Blade

Blade is checked for weapons before the match and the referee actually finds some brass knuckles. Bunny yells at Cassidy, who puts his hands in his pockets and hits the lazy kicks before the bell. Blade comes in for the bell and gets taken down at the bell but it’s too early for the Beach Break. It’s also too early for the tornado DDT, meaning Cassidy can get planted with a powerslam.

Stundog Millionaire takes Blade down and it’s off to the women, with Bunny hitting a running knee. Statlander is back up for some chops in the corner, setting up a delayed vertical suplex. The flipping legdrop misses though and Bunny sends her throat first into the ropes. We take a break and come back with Statlander hitting a spinning fisherman’s driver for two. Bunny catches her with a German suplex off the ropes though and it’s off to Blade to face Statlander.

Cassidy comes in (as he has to) with a high crossbody and now the spinning DDT can connect for two. Bunny gets knocked off the apron and Statlander busts out a 450 (Area 451, and a good one at that) to give Cassidy two with Bunny making the save. Blade uses the distraction to pull out more knuckles and knock Cassidy silly….but Statlander tagged herself in, allowing her to hit the Big Bang Theory for the pin at 8:27.

Rating: C. That 450 alone made this work as Statlander nailed that thing. They played with the mixed tag stuff here and what we got worked well enough. I’m not exactly feeling the Hardy Family Office vs. Best Friends thing but it’s fine for a midcard feud, as that’s about where everyone involved should be.

Earlier today, Jungle Boy got a nice trophy for being the first AEW wrestler to fifty wins.

American Top Team’s (MMA) Dan Lambert (a huge wrestling fan with an awesome belt collection) was glad to come to the show but he didn’t agree to an interview, even with Jorge Masvidal and Amanda Nunes here with him. He wasn’t happy because AEW sucks and if he wanted to enjoy some wrestling, it would mean watching tapes from Championship Wrestling From Florida from the 70s and 80s.

The sad truth is that wrestling has gone downhill since the late 1990s and this product is unwatchable. Tony Khan said Lambert is wrong because AEW has something from every style and the fans make it even better. Well he was right, as this is awful. Cue Lance Archer to knock Lambert silly with the Black Out. This was good, as Lambert is a great heel who can make you want to punch him in the face.

Tag Team Titles: Penta El Zero Miedo/Eddie Kingston vs. Young Bucks

The Bucks, in jean shorts, are defending and this is a street fight. The streamers fly and Don Callis is on commentary as the fight is on fast. They head outside early on the stereo superkicks hit Michael Nakazawa by mistake, allowing Kingston and Penta to take over. Back in and Brandon Cutler threatens them with cold spray, allowing the Bucks to come in with some chair shots.

The Bucks are sent into the open chair though and some kicks take them down again. The modified What’s Up has Nick down and it’s time for a pair of tables. Matt goes after Penta and gets Canadian Destroyed through the table. We take a break and come back with Nick hitting a Swanton onto a trashcan onto Kingston for two. A running Cannonball into an enziguri rocks Kingston in the corner but he’s back up with a half and half suplex to Nick.

There’s a rear naked choke on Matt but Nick makes the save with a 450 to the ref. Matt taps with no one to see it so Nick breaks it up. Cue the Good Brothers (who could have come out at any time given that it was a street fight) and Cutler is back up on the apron with the cold spray. Penta keeps shaking his head so Cutler misses as Frankie Kazarian comes in to powerbomb Cutler through a table. The Fear Factor into the spinning backfist drops Matt and another referee runs in to count the two with Nick making the save.

Kazarian drops Nick but gets taken down by the Good Brothers. Kingston busts out some thumbtacks but Matt picks them up to throw in Kingston’s face. Penta breaks up a powerbomb onto the tacks with a trashcan to the head before going up top with Nick. A super hurricanrana sends Penta into the tacks but Eddie shoves Matt into the cover for the save. There’s a double superkick to Kingston and some tacks are thrown into Penta’s face. Matt shoves tacks into Kingston’s mouth and another superkick retains the titles at 14:18.

Rating: B. It was a good brawl with the weapons feeling (mostly) in place, though I’m not sure how much drama there was. That being said, this wasn’t exactly supposed to feel like some big, epic match where the titles could change hands. Kingston and Penta were given a bit of a build last week and they paid it off here. That’s all it needed to be and the match was certainly energetic, so I’ll take it for a solid main event.

Overall Rating: B. This was a big show and it felt like one, which is all you can ask for out of AEW. It felt special to have the fans back and they got a pretty stacked card, with things being set up for the future as well. For a free two hour weekly show, this was rather good and felt like one of the AEW shows of old. Nice job and welcome back to touring, which really does make a difference.

Results
Cody Rhodes b. QT Marshall – Rhodes touched all four turnbuckles
Pinnacle b. Inner Circle – Big Rig to Hager
Andrade El Idolo b. Matt Sydal – El Idolo
Kris Statlander/Eddie Kingston b. Blade/Bunny – Big Bang Theory to Bunny
Young Bucks b. Eddie Kingston/Penta El Zero Miedo – Superkick to Kingston

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: June 26, 2021
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

We’re finally out of the Friday night cycle with a Saturday show. It’s also a huge show with Jungle Boy challenging Kenny Omega for the World Title in the main event. That alone should be enough, but you know that AEW is going to have a lot of other stuff to fill in the gaps. It’s rather nice to have that reassurance so let’s get to it.

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

Earlier today, Shawn Spears jumped Sammy Guevara with a chair, compliments of MJF.

Hangman Page vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Hobbs drives him into the corner to start but Page is right back with some right hands to the floor. Page follows him out for the slugout but Hobbs sends the arm into the barricade. Back in and a suplex drops Page and Hobbs stays on the arm. Page gets a boot up in the corner to stagger Hobbs but the bad arm goes into the post. That’s enough to cut Page’s head open as well, which fires him up enough for some boots to the face.

A springboard clothesline knocks Hobbs from the apron to the floor, setting up the slingshot dive. Back in again and Page gets two off a moonsault, only to have Hobbs run him over with a clothesline. A hammerlock slam sets up a missed falling headbutt so Page blasts him with a clothesline of his own for two.

Hobbs hits a hard crossbody but here is Ricky Starks with the FTW World Title. Brian Cage comes out and collects the title so Page tries the Buckshot Lariat, which is countered into a spinebuster for two. Hobbs gets back up but walks into the Deadeye to give Page the fast pin at 11:09.

Rating: C+. This was two hard hitting guys beating each other up until the ending. The arm work meant that the Buckshot Lariat was off the table so it was nice to see Page bust out the Deadeye instead. Page making a comeback win is a good thing to see, even as Team Taz’s problems continue.

Video on Jungle Boy vs. Kenny Omega, with Boy having a shot at pulling it off.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

The Young Bucks have been called overrated but they’re the longest reigning Tag Team Champions in company history. They list off all of the teams they have taken out and now it’s time to do the same to Penta El Zero Miedo and Eddie Kingston. They’re the EVP’s: Extremely Violent People. The Bucks are a lot of things but violent?

Here are Tully Blanchard and Konnan for a face to face discussion and this could be fascinating. Blanchard talks about Konnan interfering in Stadium Stampede and lets him go first. Konnan says that’s a mind game but Santana and Ortiz aren’t going to be intimidated. He knows that Tully and FTR are from North Carolina, where men are men and sheep are scared. Konnan talks about Santana and Ortiz being from New York City, where they are used to racial profiling and fighting against oppression.

Blanchard says he knows the three of them because he has done his research. All Konnan is going to do is make one appearance and then it’s over for him. Konnan says Tully is lucky that Walmart is still hiring greeters because Santana and Ortiz are like scarecrows: outstanding in their field. Cue Santana and Ortiz….but we see the two of them down in the back because Santana and Ortiz pull down their hoods and masks to reveal FTR. The spike piledriver lays out Konnan in a great swerve.

Dante Martin vs. Matt Sydal

Before the match, Vickie Guerrero brings out Andrade El Idolo for an announcement but Sydal’s entrance cuts that off. Andrade isn’t happy as Vickie holds him back. They go to the mat to start but a springboard takes Sydal down. A rather quick headscissors sends Sydal into the corner but he takes out Martin’s leg as we take a break. Back with Sydal in control in the corner until Martin hits a Death Valley Driver. A double springboard moonsault gets two on Sydal, followed by a flipping Stunner for the same. Sydal kicks him in the head though and the Lightning Spiral is good for the pin at 9:05.

Rating: C+. Martin got to fly around here and showcase himself, which means a bit more against someone as established as Sydal. Granted I’m not sure how much Sydal needed the win here, but at least Martin got in a bit of a showcase. Fun match here, which is what you probably expected from these two.

Christian Cage tells Jungle Boy to be ticked off tonight because some people don’t think he should be here. Boy shocked people before, so do it again.

Mark Sterling tells us about Jade Cargill’s shirts being 10% off on Shop AEW. They have already been selling well, including the XXL because wrestling fans. Cargill isn’t surprised because she’s that b****.

MJF, with the Pinnacle, talks about how people are upset about him beating up Dean Malenko last week. Who cares if he beat up a 60 year old man with a bad heart and Parkinson’s Disease? People are throwing rocks at him when they should be throwing flowers but here are Chris Jericho and Jake Hager to start the brawl.

They fight into the arena with the Pinnacle’s numbers advantage getting the better of things. Sammy Guevara comes in for the save, including a chair shot to Wardlow’s head. Sammy says that this Wednesday, he is going to prove that AEW bet on the wrong man. Guevara still feels like the breakout star in the making.

Miro does not like Brian Pillman Jr. That’s why Pillman is going to find out why he is God’s favorite wrestler on Wednesday.

Bear Bronson vs. Ethan Page

Bear Boulder and Scorpio Sky are here too. The power shoves Page around to start and a powerslam gives Bronson two. Page gets sent to the floor where Sky pushes him out of the way to take the big dive. Boulder doesn’t like it but the distraction lets Bronson get sent into the barricade. Page hammers away and we take a break.

Back with Bronson hammering away and planting Page but missing the backsplash. Page’s sunset flip earns him a drop onto his chest for two so Bronson goes up, only to be superplexed back down. Sky tries a distraction and gets punched by Reed, leaving Page to catch Bronson on top with a low blow. The Ego’s Edge (with Page walking him around first for an impressive visual) finishes Bronson at 9:47.

Rating: C. The match itself was just ok, but that Ego’s Edge was awesome with Page looking like a monster by being able to throw Bronson around. Bear Country has a unique look and you can always use a pair of big monsters like them. I’m still needing more on the Men of the Year, but at least they have a bit of a highlight moment here.

Post match, Page says he isn’t done with Darby Allin and wants to be the nail in his coffin. Therefore at Road Rager, Page wants a coffin match.

Britt Baker and Reba can think of a million things to ask for if Tony Khan owed him a favor, but Vickie Guerrero used it to set up a tag match. Baker says this is a new era and it isn’t time for old women in a wrestling ring. Don’t worry though because Vickie will get a nice prescription signed Dr. Britt Baker DMD.

Vickie Guerrero says next week is a warmup for Fyter Fest, when Rose takes the title.

Bunny vs. Kris Statlander

Blade and Orange Cassidy are here too. Bunny takes Statlander down to start but talks too much trash, allowing Statlander to pull her into a suplex. Some right hands to the face have Bunny in trouble until she dumps Statlander out to the floor. There’s a running dropkick into the barricade and we take a break. Back with Bunny hitting a running knee, setting up a big double crash out to the floor.

They head back in with Bunny blocking the Big Bang Theory, meaning Statlander has to settle for the Blue Thunder Bomb and a near fall. Statlander goes up so it’s a German superplex to bring her back down. Bunny’s low superkick gets two and she is stunned by the kickout. Blade throws in the brass knuckles but Cassidy comes in to intercept them and drops them in his pocket. The Big Bang Theory finishes Bunny at 9:14.

Rating: C. Just a match here as the stable wars continue, this time between the Hardy Family Office and the Best Friends. Statlander isn’t quite as good as she was before the injury but she is far from bad. Bunny is still only kind of there, but at she is doing fine in the limited chances she gets.

Post match here are Jack Evans and Angelico to lay out Cassidy, including a big brass knuckles shot (with commentary pointing out that Chuck Taylor is with Trent, who had neck fusion surgery).

QT Marshall doesn’t like Brock Anderson being named Wrestler of the Week after he didn’t get the same honor for beating Cody Rhodes a few weeks back. Marshall is ready for Cody in a strap match and only wants to be a champion around here.

Brian Pillman Jr. thinks Miro has a messiah complex but Miro isn’t here to save anyone. Pillman has a complex too, and it’s called being born on the wrong side of the tracks and having to fight for everything. He’s coming for the TNT Title.

Eddie Kingston and Penta El Zero Miedo are ready to fight the Young Bucks, because the Bucks are all about egos. That’s why taking the Tag Team Titles is what is going to hurt their egos more than anything. Penta promises violence.

AEW World Title: Kenny Omega vs. Jungle Boy

Boy is challenging and after the Big Match Intros, Marko Stunt stays inside because of course he does. Thankfully the referee ejects everyone else, meaning Don Callis can join commentary. Feeling out process to start with Omega seeming to be a bit hesitant to go straight at Boy. Omega tries the rolling fireman’s carry but Boy slips out in a hurry and dropkicks him to the floor.

We take an early break and come back with Boy grabbing a small package for two but walking into a heck of a brainbuster for two. Boy fights up and knocks Omega to the floor for a suicide elbow, followed by a suicide dive. Another dive is broken up as Omega gets back in so Boy hits a springboard tornado DDT. That’s enough to send Omega outside and now the big flip dive takes him down again. Back in and the V Trigger misses, allowing Boy to hit a superkick.

The V Trigger into the Snapdragon sets up another V Trigger but the One Winged Angel is countered into a nasty poisonrana. Boy hits a running shot to the back of the head for two more but Omega is right back with another V Trigger. Believe it or not, that’s followed by another V Trigger for two. Another V Trigger is countered into the Snare Trap but here is the Elite. Cue the rest of Jurassic Express and Kazarian for the save as Omega makes the rope.

They slug it out until Omega hits another V Trigger but Boy bounces off the ropes with a discus rebound lariat. Omega hits another brainbuster into another V Trigger but the One Winged Angel is countered into another Snare Trap. A rake of the eyes gets Omega out of trouble and he goes up top, where a super hurricanrana attempt is countered into a face first drop onto the buckle. Another V Trigger into a tiger driver 98 gets two more on Boy. The One Winged Angel retains the title at 17:17.

Rating: B+. They picked up the pace at the end here and you could tell Omega was taking it a bit more seriously given all of the V Triggers. Boy got in a lot here too as this was one of those matches where he showed he could hang at the next level. This was a big time TV main event, even if there was no real doubt about who was going to win.

Post match Omega loads up the belt shot but here is Christian Cage for the save. Cue the Hardy Family Office to jump Christian but the Twist of Fate is countered into a Killswitch attempt because the Young Bucks run in for the double superkick. Now the Twist of Fate can lay Christian out to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The main event and maybe the opener here were all that mattered but there was nothing bad and it actually felt like something important happened. That has really been lacking from the Friday shows but they tried a bit harder with the better time slot. Things are back to normal next week and they finish out their weirdly scheduled weeks with a return to form, as things are working on the way back to Wednesday.

Results
Hangman Page b. Powerhouse Hobbs – Deadeye
Matt Sydal b. Dante Martin – Lightning Spiral
Ethan Page b. Bear Bronson – Ego’s Edge
Kris Statlander b. Bunny – Big Bang Theory
Kenny Omega b. Jungle Boy – Snare Trap

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

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AND

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

Dynamite
Date: April 28, 2021
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

It is the go home show for Blood & Guts but we also have Double Or Nothing coming up in just over a month. That show certainly could use some build, or at least some matches announced, and there is a good chance we get at least one match announced here. You can probably guess a few of them, but the actual announcements would be a good idea. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Hangman Page vs. Brian Cage

Page, who apparently got jumped by a high schooler, gets jumped by Cage here. The rest of Team Taz comes in for the beatdown and the Dark Order is here for the save. Page is ready for the match anyway so Cage drives him into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs. A toss over the top sends Page crashing onto the concrete, followed by a belly to back drop onto the apron.

Back in and Cage does the curls into the standing fall away slam, followed by the standing moonsault onto knees. Cage is fine enough to hit the apron superplex for two and they head back inside. Page manages to post him but Cage is right back with a powerbomb into a buckle bomb into the Drill Claw for the pin at 5:48.

Rating: C. Well that was surprising. It isn’t a clean loss so it isn’t like this crushes Page’s future or anything, but I’m not sure what this means for Page’s chances to go after the World Title at Double Or Nothing. Cage needed a win like this to get him back on track, though it is kind of a strange way to go. That being said, it’s also the kind of a story that can be adjusted in a hurry so we’ll have to see where it goes.

The Elite is all together in the back of a limo to celebrate Kenny Omega’s Impact World Title. They talk about Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston attacking their trailer last week, but Omega says they will be here every week because they are not afraid. The horn goes off and everyone freaks out, but the driver says it was his fault for hitting a wrong button. Omega says Kingston can fight….Michael Nakazawa tonight.

Matt Sydal/Mike Sydal vs. Young Bucks

Non-title and if the Sydals win, they get a future title shot. If they lose though, they don’t get another shot while the Bucks have the titles. Don Callis is here with the Bucks and then on commentary as the Elite is getting more official. Mike spins out of a wristlock to start but Matt does the same of his own. A legsweep takes Matt Jackson down though but a standing moonsault hits raised knees.

Matt Sydal comes in with an armbar and wraps his leg around Matt Jackson’s head to keep him down. Thankfully Mike comes back in but gets dropkicked down by Matt Jackson as we take a break. Back with Mike and Nick hitting a double clothesline but Matt Jackson switches places with Nick and the referee doesn’t seem to notice. Thankfully he does after Matt Jackson nips up, though he doesn’t actually do anything about it, as Mike hits an enziguri.

Matt Sydal comes in with a brainbuster for two on Matt Jackson before having to escape a Meltzer Driver attempt. A standing corkscrew moonsault gets two on Matt Jackson and a double standing hurricanrana takes the Bucks down. Another hurricanrana pulls Nick off the top but Matt Jackson slips out of a super hurricanrana to send Matt Sydal crashing down. With the referee distracted, Mike gets punched low (ala Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat, which thankfully commentary points out as I wasn’t a fan) and a double superkick puts Matt Sydal on the floor. The BTE Trigger finishes Mike at 10:04.

Rating: C+. Name issues aside, they did the right thing here by not having a bunch of unnecessary drama drawn out over too much time. The Sydals are not the most successful team and it is fine to have them put up a bit of a fight and then lose. It is going to take something special to take the titles from the Bucks and there is no reason to set up the title match that isn’t going to go anywhere.

Post match here is SCU to interrupt. Kazarian talks about how they promised to split up when they lost again but that has not happened yet. They are the #1 contenders and now they are the big threats to the titles. So whenever the Bucks have the guts, SCU will be waiting. Simple and to the point here.

Jade Cargill knows that everyone wants to manage her but she is her own boss. And “that b****”.

Orange Cassidy vs. Penta El Cero Miedo

Orange breaks up the Cero Miedo shout but Penta won’t let him put his hands in the pockets. They do the gestures again as I’m wondering why no one is, you know, hitting the other. Penta throws the glove to the translator and does Cero Miedo for the third time. Cassidy takes the sunglasses off and tosses them to Trent, who doesn’t catch them. The hands go into the pockets and Cassidy does the lazy kicks, followed by an armdrag with his hands in said pockets.

A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker takes Cassidy down and Penta bites his fingers. Cassidy reverses that into a crucifix for two and knocks Penta outside….where he catches a suicide dive into a gorilla press. If that isn’t impressive enough, Penta switches to a one hand version and drops Cassidy onto the apron. Back from a break with Penta chopping in the corner and managing to block the tornado DDT. A brainbuster plants Cassidy for two and the Pentagon Driver gets the same.

Penta can’t snap the arm though as Cassidy tries to get his hands in his pockets. Back up and a Canadian Destroyer drops Cassidy again but he counters the Fear Factor into the Beach Break. Penta’s shoulders aren’t down though so no count, meaning Penta can come back with a superkick. Cassidy shoves him away from the top though and hits a top rope DDT, followed by the very tornado DDT for two. Hold on though as Alex the Translator gets on the mic to say something about Trent’s mom. Cassidy pulls him inside and, after a mic shot, hits a quick Orange Punch to finish Penta at 13:05.

Rating: B-. The opening was a bit annoying but then it went into a heck of a match with the two of them beating on each other rather well. I’m not sure I can get my mind around someone like Penta, who should be a huge star, losing to Cassidy, but at least it had some interference. It helps that they cut off the mom joke too, so we’ll call it a success.

Britt Baker brags about being #1 contender.

Tony Schiavone brings out the Pinnacle and the Inner Circle, who come out flanked by motorcycle riding security guards, for the final push towards Blood & Guts. Shawn Spears yells at Sammy Guevara to start, asking if he is ready for this match. Sammy takes the mic away from him, saying he doesn’t believe Spears. Guevara says he remembers Spears failing over and over again and he’ll fail at Blood & Guts.

FTR calls out Santana and Ortiz, saying that Santana has a new daughter at him. Uncle Dax wants her to know that her daddy isn’t coming back home. The fight is almost on but MJF calls them off so he can talk to Chris Jericho. It was Jericho that caused this company to be founded but next week, it is time for MJF’s family to take the Inner Circle’s place. When MJF is looking down at Jericho’s bloody body, he will thank him for the spot.

Jericho talks about everything he was doing when he was MJF’s age, including jerking the curtain in WCW and working in Mexico. These people have his back, including Jake Hager, who kept him from being assassinated in Abu Dhabi. MJF is going to have to kill him to make him quit, so next week the war is on and MJF is going to be looking up from the only spot he deserves. Intense stuff here, but they probably had one promo too many.

Eddie Kingston vs. Michael Nakazawa

Or not as Kenny Omega comes out for a distraction and Nakazawa hits Kingston in the back with a laptop. That doesn’t work and Kingston takes him out, meaning here is Omega to send out Brandon Cutler. Jon Moxley jumps Cutler and it’s time to Pillmanize Omega’s ankle. Cue Don Callis to say don’t do it and they can have whatever they want. That’s a tag match with Kingston/Moxley vs. Omega/Nakazawa next week. The deal is made and there is no match this week.

Taz is proud of Brian Cage for winning earlier tonight. Christian Cage comes in and says Taz talks a lot but can’t back it up. Taz is going to be right there basking in the glory of everything that his boys do. Christian represents everything Taz wishes he could do and now Christian isn’t going to let Taz leach off of him too. So send the tam one man after another and Christian will teach them the same thing: they would be better off without Taz.

Penelope Ford vs. Kris Statlander

Kip Sabian and Orange Cassidy are here too. It’s a slugout to start with Statlander grabbing a gorilla press to drop her hard. Ford rolls outside and pulls Statlander with her, only to miss some slingshot knees. Back in and Ford gets in a shot to the face, setting up the connecting slingshot knees.

We take a break and come back with Statlander hitting a running elbow in the corner, followed by a knee to the head. Statlander hits the Solar Eclipse (kind of putting herself in a Rocker Dropper and backflipping Ford onto her face) for two but Ford is back with a few shots of his own. The guys get in a fight on the floor and it’s the Big Bang Theory to finish Ford at 7:53.

Rating: C-. Not exactly a classic here but it got Statlander back on her own and that’s a good thing. She has one of the most unique looks in the company and it makes sense to want to give her a spot. I’m not sure if she is going to rise up the card anytime soon, but at least she is doing something here, even with the shenanigans at ringside.

10 talks about how important the TNT Title was to Brodie Lee. Tonight, he is winning it back in Lee’s honor.

Factory vs. Nightmare Family

That would be Nick Commarado/QT Marshall/Aaron Solow vs. Dustin Rhodes/Billy Gunn/Lee Johnson. The Factory comes in on a bus, because of course they do. It’s a brawl to start (because of course it is) and the very taped up Billy Gunn gets run over by Commarado. Dustin comes in and we take an early break.

Back with Dustin taking Marshall down and handing it off to Johnson to take over. Everything breaks down with Johnson cleaning house, setting up a bit corkscrew flip dive to take the Factory down on the floor. Hold on though as Nick Ogogo hits Billy and Johnson in the ribs. Back in and Marshall steals the pin on Johnson at 6:36.

Rating: C-. This match did a nice job of making Commarado seem like a beast and that’s about it. The rest of the people involved just aren’t very interesting and Marshall having a stable still feels weird. It makes sense from a creative standpoint, but it’s hard to find interest in a guy who is best known as being Cody’s friend. The action was fine, but seeing another group battle is a little tiring.

Post match Commarado cleans house with the cowbell but the Gunn Club runs in for the save. The brawl is on and Marshall bails from the bus, where you can see Cody Rhodes’ blond hair waiting. Cody breaks out of the door and they head up top, with Cody slapping on the Figure Four as Aubrey Edwards, who is there for some reason, tells him to stop. All well and good, but please stop trying to make me care about Marshall as a thing. It’s not working, no matter how much of a bus he has.

Kip Sabian runs into Miro, who annihilates him, including some choking with a chain and slamming his wrist in a door.

Here’s what’s coming in the next few weeks, including New Japan’s Yugi Nagata challenging Jon Moxley for the New Japan US Title on May 12.

TNT Title: Darby Allin vs. 10

Allin is defending and has Sting with him to counter the Dark Order. 10 powers him around to start, including spinning a headlock into a backbreaker. Darby’s chop block doesn’t do much as 10 throws him down again and we take a break. Back with 10 hitting a gutbuster but getting pulled into a Fujiwara armbar.

Allin cranks back on the fingers but 10 manages to send him outside. A drive sends Allin into the barricade and it’s time for Sting and the Dark Order to yell at each other. Cue Ethan Page to post Allin, allowing 10 to hit a slingshot wheelbarrow suplex for two. The full nelson goes on but Allin climbs the ropes and flips backward to retain at 12:08.

Rating: C+. Allin continues his roll and 10 did well in the Brodie Lee tribute match, which worked out fine for a main event that wasn’t quite as big as some of the others. Sting still feels a little weird as a manager but at least he served the purpose of evening things out here a bit. You can probably pencil in Page as the next challenger, which would at least give him something to do other than sit and watch.

Post match Allin holds up the Brodie armband in a nice moment but here is Page again. The distraction lets Scorpio Sky chop block Sting and put him in a heel hook while Allin has to watch. Lance Archer makes the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. There was a lot, like a whole lot, on here and that was both a good and a bad thing. The good part is they set up a lot more for next week’s big show, which was looking like a one match card coming in here. It is great to see that there is going to be more next time for the sake of the main event not being an hour long, though that brings us to the down side.

This show was exhausting, with one thing after another happening, often in the same segment. AEW needs to work on its pacing, because it feels like a month’s worth of stuff is being crammed into every week. Nothing has a chance to sink in because it’s a match and then and angle or two in the aftermath probably twice a week. Just let things slow down and breathe a bit because this is getting tiring to watch. The show is still entertaining, but at some point people just get a little worn out for no necessary reason.

Overall, the show was fun and kept my attention, with a lot of people getting some focus that they usually wouldn’t. Granted that might be due to the President’s speech to Congress tonight, and is so that is the right move. People are more likely to be watching that so why bother wasting material? They still need to cool it a bit with having so much on the show, but it was still pretty good stuff.

Results

Brian Cage b. Hangman Page – Drill Claw

Young Bucks b. Matt Sydal/Mike Sydal – BTE Trigger to Mike

Orange Cassidy b. Penta El Cero Miedo – Orange Punch

Kris Stalander b. Penelope Ford – Big Bang Theory

Factory b. Nightmare Family – Punch to Johnson’s ribs

Darby Allin b. 10 – Rollup out of the corner

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: April 14, 2021
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

It’s time for Dynamite to be on their own on Wednesday nights as the Wednesday Night Wars have come to an end. This is also an interesting time for AEW as the last few shows have seen a slip in their audience and some of their shows have not been quite so well received. AEW has a very good track record of correcting their issues though and maybe they can do it again. Let’s get to it.

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

The Young Bucks talk about how they picked friendship last week. They’re tired of others taking their credit so it is time to bring back the old Young Bucks, which they demonstrate by cutting the tassels off of their gear.

Mike Tyson is ready to be the guest enforcer this week but MJF comes up to say the Pinnacle isn’t happy with him. Tyson thinks MJF is his enemy, even while MJF tries to talk him into thinking it’s Jericho. MJF offers him a blank check but Tyson rips it up….and then eats part of it. That’s too far for MJF, who says he’ll remember that.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Tag Team Titles: Rey Fenix/Pac vs. Young Bucks

The Bucks are defending and Don Callis comes to the ring with them before going to commentary. Pac takes Matt to the ground to start and rides him a bit before it’s off to Fenix vs. Nick. The pace is picked up with neither of them being able to get very far until a shot to Fenix’s back takes him down. A backdrop into a powerbomb doesn’t work as Fenix snaps off a hurricanrana to the floor.

The Bucks are sent outside for the back to back dives, followed by a series of kicks to rock Matt for two. Nick comes back in with the slingshot X Factor to Fenix and a double hiptoss sets up a double dropkick for a very lazy two. It’s back to Pac for a brainbuster on Nick as everything breaks down. The Bucks hit stereo apron powerbombs and then take it back inside for a running knee to Pac. A hyped up back rake keeps Pac down and we take a break.

Back with Pac backdropping Matt out to the floor, where he pulls Fenix off the apron. Pac knocks Matt away though and brings in Fenix to pick up the pace, including a double cutter for two on the Bucks. Everything breaks down and Fenix grabs the Blue Thunder Bomb for two on Matt.

The big flip dive takes Nick down on the floor as Pac grabs a German suplex for two. They head outside again with Fenix and Nick hitting stereo poisonranas. Back in and a top rope superplex drops Matt, setting up the Black Arrow for two with Nick driving Pac into the cover for two. Pac is sent to the floor so the Bucks take off Fenix’s mask and hit a double superkick to retain at 23:23.

Rating: B. The action was good but the mask stealing is a pretty cliched way to deal with a luchador. It didn’t help that there was no drama about a title change whatsoever. Now that the Elite is complete or whatever we’re doing here, it is going to be a long time before the champs actually get beat. Fenix and Pac looked good, but I’m not seeing them getting the titles anytime soon.

Hangman Page goes to get some egg rolls as John Silver and the Dark Order work on physical therapy for Silver’s shoulder injury.

Chris Jericho talks about knowing Mike Tyson for years, even back to when Tyson knocked him out years ago. Now, Jericho knows he needs some help and Tyson was the first person he called. Tonight, Tyson is the enforcer but Tyson says he’ll call it down the line, including knocking Jericho out if he has to.

Jade Cargill vs. Red Velvet

It’s a brawl to start with Velvet slipping out of a powerbomb and kicking Cargill in the face. Cargill gets low bridged to the floor and Velvet hits a big dive. That’s fine with Cargill, who fall away slams Velvet into the wrestlers at ringside. Back in and Cargill slams her again as we take a break. We come back with Cargill missing a charge into the corner but some clotheslines don’t put her down. Velvet finally manages to drop her with a wheelbarrow bulldog into the standing moonsault for two. The moonsault only grazes Cargill’s back so she’s up with Jaded (Glam Slam) for the pin at 7:40.

Rating: C-. They’re keeping this stuff fast and safe and that is a good idea for these two. Cargill still has all of the charisma and ability to play to the camera in the world but she is going to need a lot more ring time. Velvet isn’t the one to carry her that much farther, but they are doing something smart by letting them have such basic matches.

Britt Baker and Rebel give us an update on Baker’s rankings as she marches towards the Women’s Title.

Anthony Ogogo vs. Cole Carter

This is Ogogo’s, a bronze medalist in boxing, in-ring debut. After some quick grappling, Ogogo finishes with a punch to the ribs for the referee stoppage. That seemed rather fast.

Dax Harwood vs. Chris Jericho

Cash Wheeler, Tully Blanchard and Sammy Guevara are here and Mike Tyson is guest enforcer. They go straight to the brawling to start and the fight heads outside. Back in and Harwood nails him with a clothesline before it’s right back to the floor. This time Jericho stabs him in the head with a pen and then does his steal the camera bit. That takes too long so Harwood whips him into a barricade and gets in an argument with Tyson as we take a break.

Back with Jericho hitting a top rope ax handle into a lariat for two. Harwood runs him over again but misses a diving headbutt, allowing Jericho to grab the Walls. That’s broken up so Jericho misses the Judas Effect, allowing Harwood to German suplex him for two. The Codebreaker connects for Jericho but here are the Pinnacle and Inner Circle to fight. Wheeler goes for the bat so Tyson knocks him out. A Guevara distraction lets Jericho hit the Judas Effect for the pin at 13:14.

Rating: C+. This was a fine enough way to continue the build towards Blood & Guts, though it’s kind of a downgrade after they started with the huge brawls. That being said, the brawl on the stage made sense and it would have been weird to not have this wind up being some big mess. Tyson was fine in his role, and leaving it simple for him is the right idea.

Post match Jericho makes Tyson a member of the Inner Circle.

The Elite talks about everything they are doing now. This is the old version of them and that means the gold will follow. Like the gold they already had? Be prepared to be surprised again. And Callis superkicks the camera.

Thunder Rosa wants the NWA Women’s Title.

Kris Statlander vs. Amber Nova

Statlander starts fast with a boop each for Nova and the referee. Schiavone talks about his time being booped and it’s Statlander hitting a running elbow in the corner. The Big Bang Theory finishes Nova at 2:48.

Post match, Statlander and the Best Friends strike the pose.

Team Taz is ready to go get Christian’s response but Taz thinks Ricky Starks should stay backstage. Brian Cage agrees, but Taz tells him to do the same.

Here is Christian for an open challenge but Taz and company interrupt. Taz asks for an answer so Christian says no, sending Taz into a rant about how he never liked Christian or “his friend”. He even accuses Christian of wearing Taz’s colors and promises vengeance. Powerhouse Hobbs comes to the ring and the brawl is on, with Hobbs getting the better of things. Hobbs sends him into the barricade and then drops him onto the steps to leave Christian laying.

Video on Tay Conti vs. Hikaru Shida before their title match next week.

TNT Title: Matt Hardy vs. Darby Allin

Allin is defending and this is Falls Count Anywhere. Matt grabs a chair to knock Allin down to start and they head outside, where Matt sends him face first into the apron over and over. They head back inside with Allin already bleeding from the back. A neckbreaker gives Hardy two and he chairs Allin down again. Allin’s neck is put in the chair but the Twist of Fate is countered with a chair ram into Hardy’s neck.

Some chair shots to the back have Hardy in more trouble….and here is the Hardy Family Office to go after Allin. The Dark Order comes in for the brawl and here is Sting to get in on things. We take a break and come back with Sting and Lancer Archer having a staredown, with Archer going over to give Isaiah Kassidy the Black Out. Allin pounds on Hardy and Sting throws him the bat to make it worse.

A low blow cuts that off though and a Twist of Fate with the chair around Allin’s neck gets two. Not two weeks off the show as it probably should, but a two count. Hardy takes it backstage in front of Tony Khan and BJ Whitmer, with Allin being legdropped through a table for two. Back to the stage, where Allin slips out of a Razor’s Edge for a low blow of his own. Allin gets in a few shots with the bat to knock Hardy onto the announcers’ table. The Coffin Drop puts Hardy through the table to retain at 16:30.

Rating: C. So they started the match, then they did something completely different with Sting/Archer/everyone else, then they got back to the match where Allin survived a lot, hit him with the bat and won with a huge Coffin Drop. This felt like two segments crammed together and it only kind of worked, as I lost track of the match for a long portion. It was energetic and some of the spots were pretty good, but I don’t care about Hardy and the Twist of Fate onto the chair being a minor annoyance for Allin left me rolling my eyes more than anything else.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was all over the place and that might not be the best thing in the world. They did a few things rather well, mainly involving the stuff in the ring, but other than that, this was kind of a crazy one with one thing happening after another. I’ll give them points for not focusing on the Elite as much, but I’m not really sure what the big deal of this show was supposed to be. The Bucks would make the most sense, but they were gone about halfway through the show. It felt like they were just throwing stuff out there and while a good bit of it worked, the show felt tossed together and that isn’t like them.

Results

Young Bucks b. Rey Fenix/Pac – Double superkick to Fenix

Jade Cargill b. Red Velvet – Jaded

Anthony Ogogo b. Cole Carter via referee stoppage

Chris Jericho b. Dax Harwood – Judas Effect

Kris Statlander b. Amber Nova – Big Bang Theory

Darby Allin b. Matt Hardy – Coffin Drop through the announcers’ table

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