Dynamite
Date: December 11, 2024
Location: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness

It’s Winter Is Coming and that means we should be in for a bigger than usual show. This show has had some moments over the years and if they keep the tradition going, this should make for a nice addition to the series. It’s also another week in the Continental Classic so we should have some good action. Let’s get to it.Death Riders vs. Jay White/Orange Cassidy

White and Cassidy jump them before the bell and the fight goes outside, with Cassidy giving a young fan a fist bump (I love that kind of thing as it makes fans for life). Cassidy gets sent into the announcers’ table though and they head inside for the opening bell. The brawl heads back outside as the Patriarchy is shown watching in a sky box. Cassidy fights up and kicks Moxley in the chest, allowing the tag off to White. A pair of DDTs sends the Riders out to the floor and we take an early break.

Back with Moxley holding White in a chinlock as Christian Cage sends the Patriarchy to do something. White gets out of a chinlock but Pac kicks him in the chest to keep him in trouble. A quick knockdown gives White a breather though and it’s Cassidy coming back in to slug away. Cassidy drops Moxley but gets pulled into a rear naked choke. That’s broken up and Cassidy hits a spinning DDT on Moxley. White suplexes Pac and the Beach Break to Moxley gets two more. Wheeler Yuta’s distraction doesn’t work so Cassidy loads up the Orange Punch….but Hangman Page runs in to jump Moxley for the DQ at 13:34.

Rating: B-. Nice match to start the show here, though the ending feels like it’s designed to set up a four way match or a triple threat #1 contenders match. In theory they didn’t want Cassidy or White to get an upper hand on their way to World’s End, but that’s still quite the disappointing ending. You can’t have Yuta in there to take a fall instead of Pac?

Post match Page hammers on Moxley but Cassidy pulls him off. The two of them start fighting with White accidentally taking a shot and getting caught in the brawl. The Death Riders beat all of them down and leave.

We get another old west style vignette for the returning Bandido, this time with him riding in on a horse, with a posse waiting on him. Bandido beats all of them up without much trouble. These things have been rather cool.

Jon Moxley talks about being a marked man and that means living with a knife to your throat. He wouldn’t have it any other way and now there are a bunch of people saying they want the title shot. The challenge is on for the four way title shot at Worlds End. That doesn’t exactly make me want to boo him.

Christian Cage, still in the sky box, doesn’t like this four way because he doesn’t like anyone involved. He promises to jump anyone, including Jon Moxley, who he will send back to rehab. As Cage goes to leave, Hook breaks into the box and chokes Cage out. Age fights out of being thrown out of a balcony. The fight is on and some glass is broken (make your own jokes) until the Patriarchy makes the save.

Continental Classic Gold League: Claudio Castagnoli (6 points) vs. Will Ospreay (3 points)

Ospreay hits him in the face for two ten seconds in and Castagnoli is sent outside for a big running flip dive. A Phenomenal Forearm looks to set up the Oscutter but Castagnoli uppercuts him out of the air. Ospreay kicks him in the face and they’re both down. They go outside with Ospreay dropkicking the steps into Castagnoli’s legs. Castagnoli pulls him out of the air though and swings Ospreay into the steps for a big crash. Ospreay’s arm is stomped in the steps and we take a break.

Back with Ospreay grabbing a springboard hurricanrana and kicking Castagnoli in the face for a double down. Castagnoli goes to the arm to block a suplex attempt but Ospreay gets him up anyway. The standing sky twister press gets two but the Hidden Blade is blocked. The Riccola Bomb is countered into Ospreay’s octopus hold, only for Castagnoli to go back to the arm.

Castagnoli gutwrench suplexes him down and catches Ospreay up top but gets knocked back down. A regular sky twister press misses so Castagnoli kicks him in the face. The slugout sets up the Oscutter but Ospreay’s arm is banged up. A pop up uppercut and a big clothesline give Castagnoli two…but Ospreay rolls him up for the fluke pin at 13:28.

Rating: B. This was a lot of Ospreay fighting from underneath and that is where he often shines. Castagnoli overpowered him for most of the match but got caught in the end. It’s weird to see the Death Riders lose, but how else are we going to get Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher II? That has to happen of course because Ospreay is eternally tied to the Don Callis Family and therefore it has to happen again. Good match here, which shouldn’t surprise you.

Gold League Standings

Will Ospreay – 6 points (3 matches remaining)
Claudio Castagnoli – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Darby Allin – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Ricochet – 3 points (3 matches remaining
Brody King – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Komander – 0 points (2 matches remaining)

Post match Castagnoli jumps Ospreay again but Darby Allin makes the save.

Ricochet says he’s here for matches like the one he has tonight against Brody King. Even though King is a monster, he’s not Ricochet. He pulls out MVP’s business card and says he’s holding all of the cards.

MJF is back.

Matt Cardona is ready to face Chris Jericho at Final Battle but he’ll face Bryan Keith at Rampage.

Kyle O’Reilly is ready to face Adam Cole but the Kingdom comes in to say they’re still family. O’Reilly says they should have remembered that before one of them got hurt.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole

For the shot at MJF at World’s End. Feeling out process to start with Cole trying an early rollup for two. The threat of a kick to the face sends him to the floor, where O’Reilly strikes away again to take over. We take a break and come back with O’Reilly striking away but missing a top rope knee drop.

Cole knees him in the face and they’re both down. O’Reilly grabs a brainbuster into an ankle lock, sending Cole over to the ropes. Cole is back up with the Panama Sunrise but he takes too long to follow up and gets his ankle locked. That’s broken up and Cole drops O’Reilly on the floor. Cue MJF for a distraction but Cole superkicks him down and small packages O’Reilly for the pin at 11:04.

Rating: C+. The story continues and that pre-match promo makes me wonder if the Kingdom won’t be joining MJF at World’s End to screw over Cole. This feud hasn’t done much for me and I’m not sure how many people have been interested in it either. It’s gone on too long and there is a good chance that it is going to continue into the new year. The match wasn’t exactly great either, which isn’t making the bigger problem any better.

Post match the Kingdom comes out but O’Reilly leaves without shaking hands with Cole.

FTR is ready to help rebuild Asheville, North Carolina with Fight For The Fallen on January 1. They want to be in a big match and they’ve had some issues with the Death Riders, so come talk to them.

Chris Jericho has a New York Minute and accepts the challenge for Matt Cardona vs. Bryan Keith on Rampage. Tomorrow on Ring Of Honor, there will be a contract signing for Jericho vs. Cardona at Final Battle.

We recap the Continental Classic matches from Rampage and Collision.

Earlier today, Darby Allin talked about how he waned to stop the Death Riders after they attacked Bryan Danielson. He is fighting for people who are here because they are getting a chance in AEW. Allin hits himself in the mouth to draw some blood and talks about how he has to win the Continental Classic to prove himself, even if there will be collateral damage along the way.

Continental Classic Gold League: Ricochet (3 points) vs. Brody King (3 points)

Ricochet begs off a bit to start and gets powered out to the floor without much trouble. A spring off the barricade lets Ricochet kick him in the face but King hits a powerbomb onto the apron. Ricochet misses a crossbody into the barricade and we take a break. Back with King winning a strike off but getting knocked out to the floor.

Ricochet hits a springboard 450 for a short one count but King blasts him with a clothesline for two. The Ganso Bomb is broken up and Ricochet knees him in the face a few times. King knocks him into the corner for a Cannonball but Ricochet turns a superplex attempt into a sunset bomb (with the turnbuckle pad being ripped off in the process).

The shooting star press connects…and King grabs him by the throat before the cover. Ricochet has to climb out of a choke and is promptly chopped down onto the apron. Back up and Ricochet manages a DDT onto the exposed buckle and Ricochet kicks him down onto the steel again. The Spirit Gun finishes for Ricochet at 12:51.

Rating: B-. Now this has me curious because Ricochet was definitely acting more heelish for a change. He’s someone who could use a change of pace because he hasn’t evolved much at all in the last several years. Maybe this is the chance that he needs, but at least it seems that they are trying something new with him. Seeing King lose is annoying, but Ricochet could get a nice boost out of a fresh style.

Gold League Standings

Will Ospreay – 6 points (3 matches remaining)
Claudio Castagnoli – 6 points (2 matches remaining)
Ricochet – 6 points (2 matches remaining
Darby Allin – 3 points (3 matches remaining)
Brody King – 3 points (2 matches remaining)
Komander – 0 points (2 matches remaining)

Lio Rush and Action Andretti interrupt Private Party. Rush an Andretti want a title shot but Top Flight come in to ask how many matches Rush and Andretti have won. Private Party suggests a #1 contenders match and it seems to be on.

Mercedes Mone and Anna Jay have a staredown but we need to talk about Mone defending her New Japan Strong Women’s Title this weekend. Mone shifts over to Jay, who is 26 years old and just getting started. That makes Mone chuckle because when she was 26, she was already a five time champion. Jay cuts her off from leaving and says that all she needs is one mistake from Mone to become champion. Yeah I’m not quite buying her chances.

We recap Mariah May defending the Women’s Title against Mina Shirakawa. They were friends and partners in Japan bu May has attacked her for the sake of bringing out Shirakawa’s best side. Shirakawa wants things to be back to normal and now we have the title match.

Women’s Title: Mariah May vs. Mina Shirakawa

Shirakawa is challenging. They slug it out to start with Shirakawa slapping her in the face to take over and kick away at the leg. A figure four sends May rolling over to the ropes but they roll outside with the hold still on. Thunder Rosa pops up in the crowd with a sign shouting about how May is NOT HER CHAMPION as May sends Shirakawa into the barricade. Shirakawa is back on the leg though and grabs a Figure Four around the post as we take a break.

Back with Shirakawa fighting out of a chinlock and starting an exchange of forearms. A hanging neckbreaker gives Shirakawa two but May kicks her in the face. May Day gets an arrogant cover for two but another May Day is broken up. The Glamorous Driver gives Shirakawa two, only for a quick Storm Zero to retain the title at 11:49

Rating: C+. The match was ok, but it showcases the bigger issue with May’s title reign: the whole thing is built around waiting for Toni Storm to return. She ties into this feud and May is still using Storm’s finisher. You can only get so far with that kind of specter hanging over them and that was the issue here. Not a terrible match, but it felt like something else that had to be done before we get to the big match.

Post match Toni Storm (no longer Timeless) is back. May is stunned (Rosa has a “WTF!” sign) and Storm stares her down to end the show. Well there’s the answer to the big question about May’s reign and it should make for a solid rematch, thankfully with enough of a twist to keep it interesting.

Overall Rating: B-. I wasn’t feeling this one as much as some previous Continental Classic shows. There was more of a focus on getting things ready for World’s End and while that helped, it wasn’t as engaging as some of the tournament focused events. You can see a lot of what is coming at the pay per view and it’s only so interesting, but they still have time to boost that up well enough.

Results
Death Riders b. Orange Cassidy/Jay White via DQ when Hangman Page interfered
Will Ospreay b. Claudio Castagnoli – Rollup
Adam Cole b. Kyle O’Reilly – Small package
Ricochet b. Brody King – Spirit Gun
Mariah May b. Mina Shirakawa – Storm Zero

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

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Dynamite
Date: November 13, 2024
Location: Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re closing in on Full Gear and the big story continues to be the Death Riders taking over everything. That changed a bit last weekend though as Orange Cassidy and friends stood up to the villains, with Cassidy himself scaring Jon Moxley off. The rest of the show could use some time of their own though so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Christian Cage/Hangman Page vs. Bang Bang Gang

Cage has the Patriarchy here with him. White backs Page up against the ropes to start and elbows him in the face but Cage tags himself in. Robinson comes in as well and flips Cage off but Cage manages to send him outside. Nick Wayne gets in a cheap shot on the floor and the slow beating continues. Cue Hook to choke Wayne over the barricade and drag him into the crowd though, allowing Robinson to hit a reverse DDT on the floor. Back in and the tag brings in White for a reverse DDT on Cage, plus a suplex into the corner to Page.

Everything breaks down and Robinson gets crotched on top, followed by a triangle clothesline to White. A super all away slam brings Robinson down for two but White is back in. Cage’s spear is countered into the Blade Runner but White has to duck the Buckshot Lariat. Back to back suplexes put the villains down and the Blade Runner sends Cage into the barricade. Back in and Robinson slugs away at Page, who gets sunset flipped for two. Kip Sabian gets in a contract shot to Robinson though and the Deadeye finishes at 12:33.

Rating: B-. Good opener here with something that felt a little bit different. Throwing something like Page and Cage together is an interesting way to go and the Gang was protected with the interference. I like this kind of thing every so often and it was a nice way to go for a change.

Here’s what’s coming at Full Gear and later tonight.

Mercedes Mone blames Kamille for the car issues last week and tells her to take care of her jacket. Then Kris Statlander shows up for a brawl, with Statlander driving Mone through a wall and onto Kamille. As the destruction of Kamille continues.

Here is Will Ospreay, who gets straight to the point by calling out Kyle Fletcher. Cue Fletcher, who threatens violence and then asks what Ospreay wants to talk about. Ospreay doesn’t buy this and tells Fletcher to drop whatever weapons he has because this is just for a talk. Fletcher throws a screwdriver down before Ospreay talks about their history together.

Fletcher knows everything about him, down to where his kids go to school, so why is all of this happening? That sends Fletcher into a rant about how Ospreay was selfish over the years and turned on a bunch of people, which is why Ospreay would have done the same thing in Fletcher’s spot. Ospreay asks what Fletcher has done, and he doesn’t mean Aussie Open. Fletcher wants a match at Full Gear, which sends Ospreay into a rant about how he’s Mr. PPV around here. He’s fought all kinds of champions on pay per view and stolen the show each time (yet he’s not like, in the title picture at the moment).

The match is set, with Lance Archer and Brian Cage coming in. Ospreay has friends of his own with Mark Davis and Powerhouse Hobbs so the fight is on. Cue Roderick Strong to go after Archer for their scheduled (falls count anywhere) match and we’re ready to go. Other than that, this was another long segment built around things that happened years ago and mostly not in AEW, which happens rather frequently around here.

Roderick Strong vs. Lance Archer

Falls count Anywhere and Archer sends him through some things as we take an early break. Back with Archer missing a charge into the barricade but Brian cage pops up to try a powerbomb. The Undisputed Kingdom makes the save but Archer is back up with a chokeslam to send Matt Taven into security. Strong comes back with a chair to the face and a jumping knee for the pin at 6:42.

Rating: C+. What do you say about something like this? It was a big brawl with a bunch of interference and a good chunk of it was spent in the break. Strong gets another win on the way to the MJF match and Archer loses again, which tends to be the case in any match that matters. Not much to see here, as the falls count anywhere aspect was little more than a way to have a bunch of interference.

Post match Strong promises to come after MJF (as he has not secured his match with his third win) but cue Konosuke Takeshita to jump him from behind. Cue Adam Cole for his scheduled match with Takeshita.

Adam Cole vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Non-title. Cole knocks him out to the floor to start while the theme song is still going, only for Takeshita to come in side and take over as we take a break. Back with Cole hitting the fireman’s carry backbreaker for two but Takeshita hits a Blue Thunder Bomb. Back up and Cole hits him in the face, only to miss the Boom. A brainbuster onto the knee gives Cole two but Takeshita is back with his modified Tombstone into a wheelbarrow suplex.

The big lariat gets two but another is cut off by Cole’s superkick. The Panama Sunrise connects, only for Takeshita to roll outside before the Boom. Takeshita whips out the Dynamite Diamond Ring and the referee turns away for the sake of plot convenience. The big shot to the head gives Takeshita the pin at 9:29.

Rating: C+. Well the ending did surprise me, and thankfully we won’t be getting a triple threat match with Cole, Strong and MJF. If nothing else, I’m not sure why Cole was getting a chance to equal Strong’s three wins but it wound up not mattering. Not a great match, which shouldn’t be a surprise given that it’s Cole, but at least the right person won.

Post match the beatdown is on but Kyle O’Reilly runs in for the save, with Ricochet coming out to fight Takeshita to the back. Cole and Strong shake hands but O’Reilly walks away.

The Hurt Syndicate is ready for Bobby Lashley to make an example out of Swerve Strickland.

Here are the Death Riders beating up JD Drake. Jon Moxley hijacks a cameraman and talks about what he has done to Orange Cassidy’s friends. Chuck Taylor is drinking through a straw and Wheeler Yuta believes in Moxley because Cassidy couldn’t save him. Cassidy is going to learn a lesson and the Death Riders have the power. Cue Cassidy to interrupt, with Rocky Romero and Mark Briscoe joining him.

Cassidy talks about how the World Title gives Moxley power so they’re going to wrestle for the title at Full Gear, where Cassidy will beat him. First though, he has to take out some pawns, like Wheeler Yuta, who he’ll face next week, before he can take down the king. The villains go to leave but Darby Allin dives off the balcony onto them. The Riders try to leave again (leaving Yuta behind) but Allin dives onto the back of their truck. Claudio Castagnoli swings him into a garage door and Yuta dives into the back of the truck to escape. That was a lot in one segment, though Cassidy still feels like his loss is just a formality.

Chris Jericho, with the Learning Tree, talks about Tomohiro Ishii being a young boy thirty years ago and having to wash Jericho’s back in the shower. Jericho accepts Ishii’s challenge and the match is n for two weeks.

Britt Baker vs. Penelope Ford

They fight over wrist control to start until Ford kicks her out to the floor as we take an early break. Back with Ford hitting a handspring elbow in the corner, only to get caught with a discus lariat. Ford Matrixes away from a clothesline and tries a….well commentary calls it a cutter but I’m not sure they made contact. Baker kicks her down and loads up the Lockjaw but takes too much time. Ford pulls her into the Muta Lock, which is reversed into the Lockjaw to finish Ford at 8:55.

Rating: C. Baker feels like she is just going through the motions here and that has been the case for a good while. She just doesn’t feel like she is doing anything overly good these days. At the end of the day, she has just stopped evolving and the rest of the division has, which doesn’t work out well. Ford is trying rather hard and while it’s not exactly getting her anywhere, it’s definitely noticeable.

Post match Serena Deeb comes out for a staredown with Baker.

Mina Shirakawa is back and read for a champagne celebration with Mariah May. Cue Harley Cameron, who says Shirakawa is called the Harley Cameron of Japan. Cameron: “Well welcome to the Harley Cameron of Harley Cameron!” They get into a chest shaking contest until Renee Paquette yells at them to stop.

Lio Rush vs. Swerve Strickland

They take turns flipping away from each other to start before going out to the floor. Rush rakes the eyes and yells a lot but gets sent ribs first into the apron. Rush sends him into the announcers’ table though and we take a break. Back with Swerve kicking him in the head on the apron and adding a suplex for two. Rush is back with a cutter for two of his own, followed by the Final Hour for another near fall. Rush’s rollup with ropes doesn’t work so he hits a rolling kick to the head. Strickland has had enough of this and hits the JML Driver for the pin at 10:06.

Rating: B-. Nice match here, as we get our required Rush appearance. Swerve had to fight through some adversity to win as Rush continues to try and get the Hurt Syndicate’s attention. Swerve having some issues with Rush made sense and it went the way it should have without hurting Swerve in any way.

Post match Swerve calls out Bobby Lashley for the brawl (saying we’re in Stamford, Connecticut). Cue Lashley and MVP and, after a THIS IS BRIDGEPORT chant, MVP says they have the numbers advantage and here is Shelton Benjamin to jump Swerve from behind. Prince Nana has to watch as Swerve is taken out. Lashley beats up Nana for a bonus.

Jamie Hayter is coming after one thing. Then the lights go out and we get a Julia Hart vignette, showing her recovering from being shot with an arrow in another vignette. Brody King calls her and says it’s time to come back. Then she seems to have a mental breakdown and screams a lot. Then she is handed a crossbow and puts on a hat.

Kings Of The Black Throne vs. FTR

For a spot in the Tag Team Title match at Full Gear, meaning Private Party is watching. Wheeler tries to pick up the pace against King to start but gets backdropped down hard. Black comes in to strike away at Harwood, who misses a right hand so Black drops down to the mat. Black kicks Harwood to the floor, where FTR gets in a shot of their own to take over. We take a break and come back with Black fighting his way out of trouble, allowing the tag back to King. Wheeler catches King on top though and a powerbomb/top rope clothesline combination gets two.

Black moonsaults onto Wheeler on the floor as King powerbombs Harwood for two back inside. King gets taken up top again but he gets knees up to block the PowerPlex. Black’s top rope double stomp hits Harwood for two and the Shatter Machine gets the same with Black making the save. A spike piledriver onto the apron plants Black but King is there with a dive. Back in and a pair of lariats into a sleeper finish Harwood at 13:28.

Rating: B. Another hard hitting match here and I like the result. FTR has been done to death in the title picture and it will add at least a little spice when they turn on the Outrunners at the show. The Kings Of The Black Throne needed a win to give them some momentum, even if it’s hard to buy that they are going to win the titles at Full Gear.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. I’m not sure what to make of this show. It was absolutely not boring, but the biggest thing is I’m not really overly interested in Full Gear. A lot of the matches feel like things we have to get through on the way to whatever is next and that’s not a great feeling to have. All of the run-ins and people interfering here didn’t really boost my interest as much as it made me want the show to calm down. It certainly felt like they were trying something different, though I’m not sure how well it worked.

Results
Hangman Page/Christian Cage b. Bang Bang Gang – Deadeye to Robinson
Roderick Strong b. Lance Archer – Jumping knee
Konosuke Takeshita b. Adam Cole – Punch with the Dynamite Diamond Ring
Britt Baker b. Penelope Ford – Lockjaw
Swerve Strickland b. Lio Rush – JML Driver
Kings Of The Black Throne b. FTR – Sleeper to Harwood

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

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Dynamite
Date: November 6, 2024
Location: SNHU Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

This is coming off of a pretty strong show last week and that is a good sign with a few weeks to go before we get to Full Gear. The main event is now set, with Orange Cassidy challenging Jon Moxley for the World Title. The rest of the show needs to be set up and we might get some of that this week. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Here is the Hurt Syndicate to get things going. MVP gets rid of Tony Schiavone and introduces the team. Their business card is like your golden ticket, but if you reject it, it can ruin your career. We look at the team taking out Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana last week and here they are, only to be held back. Swerve gets to the point and issues the challenge for Full Gear with MVP accepting for Lashley.

We look at Orange Cassidy standing up and challenging Jon Moxley, setting up their Full Gear title match.

Death Riders vs. Orange Cassidy/Darby Allin

The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli/Pac in this case) are the former Blackpool Combat Club. They go after Cassidy in the aisle to start but Allin dives off the set for the save as the brawl starts. The brawl keeps going on the floor until Cassidy and Pac get inside for the opening bell. Pac kicks away, including a boot in the corner to cut Cassidy off. The top rope superplex is broken up though and Cassidy hits the top rope DDT for two. Castagnoli makes the save with some backbreakers and we take an early break.

Back with an over the shoulder backbreaker giving Castagnoli two but he misses a charge into the post. Allin comes in to clean house, including getting out of a giant swing. Instead a big backdrop puts Allin down and another backbreaker gets two as Castagnoli does his best Roderick Strong impression.

Pac’s brainbuster gets two and a super brainbuster gets the same with Cassidy making the save. That’s enough for Allin to get up and dive over for the tag as everything breaks down. Cassidy hits a tornado DDT but cue Marina Shafir to kick the referee to the floor. Jon Moxley runs in to choke Cassidy and Wheeler Yuta adds a skateboard to Allin’s back for the DQ at 13:33.

Rating: C+. This was starting to cook when the rest of the Death Riders came in. It’s almost weird to see AEW use a DQ but they have been happening more and more often lately. It still fits what they’re doing here though, as you can’t have the villains lose but you also don’t want either Cassidy or Allin taking a fall at this point.

Post match the fight is on with Allin getting the skateboard to fight back…but the Death Riders take them out again. The Conglomeration runs in for the real save. Now that’s more like it with giving the villains some actual opposition. The Conglomeration isn’t going to be the ones to stop them, but they’re a heck of a lot more interesting than the Dark Order and Top Flight.

Ricochet has a mystery partner against the Don Callis Family tonight but he’s keeping it under his hat. The Hurt Syndicate comes in and likes his suit, but seem to have their eye on him for later.

Conglomeration vs. Learning Tree

Fight Without Honor, meaning a street fight. It’s a brawl to start with Briscoe having to escape an early chokeslam attempt. Jericho escapes a Jay Driller from the apron through a table but Bill is there with the big boots. Briscoe hits a heck of a step up flip dive from the apron to the floor before O’Reilly and Keith go through a table at ringside. Bill chokeslams Briscoe through a ladder and we take an early break.

Back with Briscoe and Jericho having a chair duel with Briscoe getting the better of things. Bill breaks that up as well so O’Reilly and Ishii double team him down. Jericho’s Liontamer attempt is broken up and it’s an electric chair/superplex combination to put Jericho and Keith down. Bill and O’Reilly brawl up near an entrance, where O’Reilly grabs a guillotine choke to pull him through some tables for a big crash. Back in and the Jay Driller hits Jericho, setting up a Froggy Bow from a ladder through a table with Keith making the save. Ishii hits the sliding lariat into the brainbuster to pin Jericho at 13:29.

Rating: C+. Remember back in September when Jericho pinned the Ring Of Honor World Champion in a six man match where there were no tags and it set up a title match? One might think they might wait three months before doing the same thing again yet here we are, likely with Ishii getting a title shot. I would certainly hope they have something better than that for Final Battle, as Ishii does not feel like a top challenger.

Jon Moxley says Wheeler Yuta is not Orange Cassidy’s friend no matter how their past went. Yuta is Moxley’s soldier and it is time to show that he is not playing.

Adam Cole vs. Malakai Black

They trade takedowns to start before Black blocks Cole’s superkick attempt. Black takes him with a wristlock but an armdrag gets Cole out of trouble. Black sends him outside and tries a dive off the apron, only to have Cole hit a superkick as we take a break. Back with a Panama Sunrise connecting for Cole but Black knees him down for two.

Cole gets in another superkick and the brainbuster onto the knee, only for Black to hit the End for a rather near fall. Another Panama Sunrise and another superkick put Black down so he hits there and tells Cole to do it. That’s enough for Cole to hit the Boom for the pin at 12:42.

Rating: C+. Commentary was hyping up this being the first time that Cole had ever beaten Black and while that is a big deal, I’m more interested in the fact that Cole kicked out of the End. If anyone has ever kicked out of that, it isn’t something that happens very often and I’m not wild on having it just happen here. Cole is piling up some wins, but it’s only getting him so far. At least the fans weren’t cheering for the villain this time.

Respect is shown post match. Black leaves and that means it’s Storytime With Adam Cole (Catchphrase). Cole puts Black over and says he and Roderick Strong are going to get their three wins to get their hands on MJF. If they both get the three wins, it’s a triple threat at Full Gear, with violence being promised.

MJF calls someone and says he wants that person to pay someone a visit.

Jay White is ready for Hangman Page, showing that White was not ready for Page. The fight is on with Page crushing White’s leg in the barricade. Juice Robinson comes in with a chair for the save and White is up. Page runs into the crowd and White promises to beat him at Page, maybe even by submission.

Mercedes Mone and Kamille (driving) try to hit Kris Statlander with a car but can’t make it work. Mone yells at Kamille but Statlander slams Mone onto the hood of the car.

Here is the Patriarchy for a chat. Kip Sabian is officially part of the team because he is a fatherless person looking for some guidance. Sabian saved him from cashing in his World Title contract because Sabian knew interference would cost him the title, which is more than Cage’s other sons have ever done. Cue Hook, with Cage saying Hook has crazy eyes and Cage needs a son like him. Yes Cage attacked Taz because he wanted Hook to be a wrestler like him instead of an announcer. Cage wishes Taz was dead so Hook charges the ring and beats up security.

Video on Lance Archer/Brian Cage.

Don Callis is given an envelope and a ring, plus a phone message from MJF (from the call earlier).

Penelope Ford vs. Jamie Hayter

Hayter wastes no time in starting the beatdown but Ford is back with a handspring elbow in the corner. Ford’s kick to the ribs cuts off a charge but a moonsault misses. A brainbuster drops Ford, who is right back up with a kick to the head for two. What looks like a Go To Sleep is countered into the Hayterade to give Hayter the pin at 4:36.

Rating: C. This was short and to the point and that’s all it needed to be. There was no reason to think that this was going to be some kind of epic feud as Ford is just not on Hayter’s level. Hayter is someone who should be on the way to a title picture sooner than later and she has now cleared Ford out with no issue.

Mina Shirakawa is back next week.

Video on Kazuchika Okada, who is defending the Continental Title in the Continental Classic.

Don Callis Family vs. Ricochet/???

Ricochet says that he did some digging and found out that someone’s contract with the Don Callis Family expired in October. No one seemed to notice and that man is now upset. Cue Powerhouse Hobbs and the brawl is quickly on. Hobbs runs them over with a double shoulder and the fight heads outside in a hurry. We settle down to Hobbs suplexing Fletcher before it’s off to Ricochet, who gets caught with a hanging DDT.

We take a break and come back with Hobbs coming in to clean house off the clotheslines. A super powerslam gets two on Fletcher and the straps come down, setting up the Takeshita vs. Hobbs slugout. Fletcher is back in with a sitout powerbomb to Ricochet, who gets caught with a Doomsday Device for two. Hobbs gets caught in a German suplex but Ricochet snaps off a hurricanrana for two. The shooting star press gives Ricochet two more and the running elbow finishes Takeshita at 14:34.

Rating: B-. This was a fast paced match but it was a little messy at times, with almost nothing resembling a regular match for large portions. Ricochet’s win should continue setting up his title shot, likely at Full Gear, which should be a heck of a showdown. For now though, it was a good enough match, even if it’s the second tag match on the show that ends with the likely challenger pinning the champion.

Post match Fletcher chairs Ricochet and loads up a tiger driver 91 but Mark Davis makes the save. The Don Callis Family beats him down so here is Adam Cole to go after Takeshita. Will Ospreay makes his big return but Fletcher gets away from the Hidden Blade to end the show. Bringing out Ospreay for the superhero return is a nice feel good moment that has been lacking a lot in recent weeks.

Overall Rating: B-. The best thing about this show is that there were some hope spots. The Death Riders stuff is still not doing anything for me, but at least they have some bigger name stars coming aafter them for a change. That’s what AEW has been needing to do and while Full Gear still feels like little more than a pit stop for the big stories, it’s better than what we have been doing in recent weeks. Overall, a good enough week, with just enough bright spots to keep me interested.

Results
Orange Cassidy/Darby Allin b. Death Riders via DQ when Wheeler Yuta interfered
Conglomeration b. Learning Tree – Brainbuster to Jericho
Adam Cole b. Malakai Black – The End
Jamie Hayter b. Penelope Ford – Hayterade
Ricochet/Powerhouse Hobbs b. Don Callis Family – Running elbow to Takeshita

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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Collision
Date: November 2, 2024
Location: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

While we’re not quite in a new era, we’re in for something different as Private Party has finally won the Tag Team Titles, ending the total reign of darkness. I’m not sure how long that is going to last but at least things have changed up a bit. We might even be in for another title change here as Anna Jay is challenging Mariah May for the Women’s Title. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

A bunch of wrestlers are in the ring to welcome Private Party for their celebration of winning the Tag Team Titles. The fans say Private Party deserves it (…eh) and the champs talk about how great it was to win the belts. Quen thanks the Young Bucks for making them better and they’re ready to defend the titles against anyone. FTR is ready to fight but the Outrunners break it up. Magnum: “If you’re anything like me, and I know I am…” The Outrunners say the marquee says AEW so let’s celebrate. Private Party goes into the crowd.

Anna Jay is ready to win the Women’s Title.

The Acclaimed congratulates Private Party but they’re still coming for the titles. Caster cuts off the catchphrase and Bowens isn’t happy, but he’s even less happy when Caster pulls out MVP’s business card. Bowens cuts off Caster’s last line too as some slight tensions arise.

Harley Cameron vs. Thunder Rosa

Dia de los Muertos match, meaning a themed hardcore match and Cameron has her own face paint. Rosa puts a picture of Cameron in the display usually saved for the dead people being remembered to make things….is personal the right word? Cameron kicks her down to start but Rosa comes back with a dropkick to the apron.

They head outside with Rosa hitting her in the back with a tombstone before getting on the barricade (with help from a fan). Cameron crotches her down and sets up a table, which Rosa whips her through to take over again as we take a break. Back with some weapons in the ring as the two of them trade clotheslines against the ropes for a double knockdown. Rosa scores with a Codebreaker before setting up some chairs and laying another tombstone over them.

Cameron is back up with a pinata (the candy flies) and then suplexes Rosa through the tombstone for two. Cameron’s running knee hits chair by mistake so Rosa chairs her down. Some kicks to the can, with Cameron inside, connect in the corner and it’s time for a table. This time thought he table is used as a ramp for a running dropkick against Cameron (still in the can) in the corner for the pin at 10:03.

Rating: B-. This was another way to get Rosa back in the groove of things after her long hiatus. If she is built up well, she’ll be right back in the title picture sooner than later. Cameron is someone who can be built up through pure charisma and then lose in a match like this without taking any real damage. She’ll say something funny and get right back to where she was and everything will be fine.

Roderick Strong, with the Kingdom, is ready for Shane Taylor. The Kingdom want the Tag Team Titles but Brian Cage and Lance Archer come in to say stay out of their way.

Kyle Fletcher vs. Komander

Fletcher kicks him down before the bell and sends him flying off a slam to start. Komander gets tied in the Tree of Woe for some stomping but comes out and strikes away. The very springboardy armdrag is shoved off the top for a big crash into the barricade as we take a break. Back with Komander hitting a middle rope Sliced Bread, only to have Fletcher send him outside for a big dive.

The posing takes too long though and Komander is back up with a springboard moonsault to the floor. Back in and a running Spanish Fly drops Fletcher for two but he’s back up with a boot to the face. A sitout Last Ride gets two but Komander gets up in an electric chair. They crash out to the floor with Komander still on his shoulders, setting up a poisonrana for the big crash.

Back up and Komander plants him onto the apron, setting up a moonsault for two. Fletcher kicks him in the face but gets sent outside, setting up the rope running flip dive. Cielito Lindo is broken up though and Fletcher hits a brainbuster into the brainbuster onto the turnbuckle for the pin at 13:25.

Rating: C+. This is a good example of a match that absolutely did not need to go in this direction. Komander got to do all of his big, flashy spots, but Fletcher took the better part of fifteen minutes to beat a guy who is best known as a jobber to the stars. If you want me to believe that Fletcher is a threat to Will Ospreay, don’t have him take this long to beat Komander. “But AEW doesn’t do that.” Well, in short, that’s dumb.

Second: between Ring Of Honor, Rampage and Collision, this is Komander’s third match in three days, totaling about 35 minutes. With the roster Tony Khan has, there is zero reason to have someone show up that often. Komander does some cool stuff, but I rolled my eyes and said “again?” when his music started here. You have this kind of a roster. Use it better.

Post match Mark Davis runs in to yell at Fletcher, who walks off.

Jack Perry is talking in the back when Daniel Garcia interrupts. Garcia says they’re two different people, with Garcia fighting from when he was a kid. Perry talks about how he’s already done that and Garcia still thinks there are good and bad people. He’s scared of sacrificing and isn’t ready. Perry needs to stop watching so many Raven promos.

Brian Cage/Lance Archer vs. Joe Keys/Shaun Smith

Archer sends Keys into the corner to start and drops him with a clothesline before it’s off to Smith. The chokeslam/powerbomb combination finishes Smith at 2:04. Total destruction, which is what these matches should be.

Post match the massacre continues but the Undisputed Kingdom runs in for the save.

The Patriarchy interrupts AR Fox, with Nick Wayne bringing up Fox attacking him at his wrestling school last year. Fox wants a match next week.

Kris Statlander isn’t happy with being attacked by Mercedes Mone on Dynamite so she wants a title shot at Full Gear. Mone is afraid and she knows it.

Here is the Blackpool Combat Club for a chat. They stay in the crowd, where Jon Moxley says at Full Gear, Orange Cassidy is going to have to cut the head off the snake. Cassidy has to make it to Full Gear so he can bring the World Title back to Philadelphia. Moxley knows what it takes to make it in Philadelphia and it’s people like Wheeler Yuta.

Moxley says Yuta knows what it’s like to sacrifice yourself for something greater, because he is a Philadelphia hero. Cue Action Andretti, who says Yuta isn’t what Philadelphia represents, because Andretti is more Philadelphia than him. Cue Pac to jump Andretti though and a referee comes in.

Action Andretti vs. Pac

The Blackpool Combat Club is at ringside as Pac kicks away in the corner to start. We take an early break and come back with Pac grabbing a chinlock but Andretti fights up. A handspring elbow cuts Pac down, followed by a pop up dropkick to the floor. Back in and Andretti hammers away in the corner, setting up a springboard kick to the head for two. Yuta offers a distraction though and Marina Shafir gets in a cheap shot, leaving Pac to hit the top rope superplex. The Brutalizer finishes Andretti at 8:05.

Rating: C. This was Andretti’s third match in three days as well, though thankfully they didn’t spend as much time on this one. Pac gets to maul another of the low level people before getting on to something else, though it would be nice to see someone give him a challenge. Andretti is another case of someone who is perfectly ok, but he’s around so often that his charm wears thin.

Post match the hold stays on until Orange Cassidy comes to the stage to talk about his times with Yuta in this city. This Yuta doesn’t do what the old one does and Cassidy says Moxley doesn’t care about Yuta. That’s enough for Yuta to go after him with a chair, which Yuta throws down, earning himself an Orange Punch.

Malakai Black is ready to take out Adam Cole.

Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita want to fight Ricochet on Dynamite.

Lio Rush vs. Ariya Daivari

Daivari slams him down to start but Rush hammers away in the corner to take over. They head outside where all of their friends get in some glaring, leaving the two in the match t slug it out inside. Rush gets two off a Falcon Arrow but goes after Mark Sterling on the floor. Daivari gets in a cheap shot off the distraction but Rush scores with the springboard Stunner. The Final Hour finishes Daivari at 4:42.

Rating: C. Well at least they kept it relatively short. There is only so much to get out of anything involving the Premiere Athletes because there is no better example of an act where you know what you’re going to get. They probably haven’t won a match in months and that wasn’t likely to change here, yet they’re on TV almost weekly. Not a bad match, but nothing of interest whatsoever.

Johnny TV is impressed with the MxM Collection and offers to collaborate with them. If they’re interested, slide into his DM’s. The Collection is in awe.

Roderick Strong vs. Shane Taylor

All of their respective friends are there too. Taylor stomps him into the corner to start as we see MJF in what is completely and totally a live shot. Strong gets knocked out to the floor and Taylor gets in another beating on the way back in. We take a break and come back with Taylor missing a legdrop on the apron and Strong making a fired up comeback. Some running shoulders and a clothesline give Strong two, followed by an Angle Slam for the same. Taylor is back with a release Rock Bottom into a splash for two of his own but Strong knees him in the face for the pin at 9:43.

Rating: C. Nice enough for a power vs. speed match and Strong gets a win over an imposing opponent. That being said, this is another example of a match that works fine here but hurts Ring Of Honor, as Taylor and his friends are being built up over there. It’s a bit hard to care about them when their leader is losing on the bigger show.

We look at Bobby Lashley debuting on Dynamite and laying out Swerve Strickland.

There will be a four way for the Tag Team Titles at Full Gear with qualifying matches coming.

Mina Shirakawa is coming back.

Women’s Title: Mariah May vs. Anna Jay

Jay is challenging and isn’t having any of May driving her into the corner to start. May suplexes her into the corner and bends Jay around the ropes for a bonus. We take a break and come back with Jay making the comeback and rolling May up for two. A Backstabber gets the same but May chokes her in the corner.

May’s middle rope dropkick gets two and a running knee connects for the same. Jay neckbreakers her over the middle rope and, after blocking a Stratusphere, gets two off a Blockbuster. The Queenslayer goes on but May eventually flips backwards for the escape. A quick hot shot into a rollup retains the title at 10:21.

Rating: C+. Remember when WWE had this really annoying habit of having champions lose and then they would win the rematch like nothing happened? That’s what happened again here and it’s just as annoying. May looks more vulnerable, Jay continues her up and down booking, and we’re right back where we were before, as we wait on Mina Shirakawa and Tony Storm to come back and do something interesting with May.

Overall Rating: C. There was a good hour long show in here and they stretched it out to two hours, which took away the impact it could have had. Some important stories did get some attention, but then you had stuff like Fletcher taking so long to beat Komander and matches like the ones from Rush and Strong, which were just waiting around until the only reasonable results. This show had its moments but they were dragged down by all of the filler, and that made it quite the tedious watch.

Results
Thunder Rosa b. Harley Cameron – Dropkick into a trashcan
Kyle Fletcher b. Komander – Brainbuster onto the turnbuckle
Brian Cage/Lance Archer b. Joe Keys/Shaun Smith – Powerbomb/chokeslam combination to Smith
Pac b. Action Andretti – Brutalizer
Lio Rush b. Ariya Daivari – Final Hour
Roderick Strong b. Shane Taylor – Jumping knee
Mariah May b. Anna Jay – Rollup

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: October 30, 2024
Location: Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

It’s Fright Night Dynamite as we have the Halloween episode. The big story tonight is the Tag Team Titles are on the line with the Young Bucks defending against Private Party (again) with Private Party’s career as a team also being defended. Other than that, Orange Cassidy is doing to do something about Jon Moxley so let’s get to it.

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

We get a special video previewing tonight, with something of a spooky/horror theme.

We get a video on the Blackpool Combat Club, talking about how Jon Moxley built this company but Orange Cassidy says cut it off. Cue Cassidy to say this isn’t who he is, but last week he saw his best friend’s neck crushed by a steel chair. He was surrounded by people who shouldn’t have been there. Those people were very young because he was surrounded by the future of AEW. They were in danger because of people like Jon Moxley. See, Moxley doesn’t need AEW, but Cassidy certainly does.

Without him, there is none of this, so now he knows what he needs to do, meaning he has to cut his head off the snake to make sure no one else gets hurt. The sunglasses come off and Cassidy issues the title challenge. Let him know, because he isn’t hard to find. He’s Freshly Squeezed Orange Cassidy, he’s the next AEW World Champion, and he still doesn’t need a catchphrase. That ending was a bit too goofy, but this was exactly what the promo needed to be and gives Moxley a good first challenger, albeit one who has very little chance of winning.

Mercedes Mone says Kamille isn’t going to need luck against Kris Statlander tonight.

Adam Cole vs. Buddy Matthews

Feeling out process to start with the much bigger Matthews slowly powering him into the corner. A shoulder takes Cole down as he seems a bit ginger. Matthews knocks him outside where Cole limps around a bit and has to stretch the ankle out a bit. The distraction lets Matthews hit a big kick off the apron as we take a break.

Back with Matthews hitting a superplex but Cole snaps off a neckbreaker. A DDT onto the apron drops Matthews and leaves them both on the floor. Matthews is back with a hard shot to the ankle, which is sent into the steps. The medic comes out to check on him and Cole teases leaving, but Matthews laughs at the “new” Cole for leaving like a little b****.

That brings Cole back to the ring and they slug it out, with Cole hitting back to back superkicks. The leg gives out on the running knee though and Matthews hits a Stomp for two. Cole knees him in the face a few times for two but Matthews buckle bombs him and hits another Stomp for one. A superkick and a pair of Panama Sunrises, including one on the floor, set up the Boom for the pin at 15:30.

Rating: B-. Well that was certainly a Cole match, with a bunch of superkicks, Panama Sunrises and silly kickouts. He’s such a weird case as he has star power and feels like he should be a star but then it doesn’t exactly work out that way in the ring. Maybe it’s that he feels like the Modern Style Greatest Hits guy, but this wasn’t exactly great.

Post match we get a handshake but the lights go out. They come back up and Cole is shaking hands with Malakai Black instead.

Christopher Daniels is with Private Party, who are risking everything for the Tag Team Titles tonight, for a pep talk. They’ve got this.

Adam Cole is in the trainer’s room with the Undisputed Kingdom. Cole says his ankle is fine and he’s ready for Malakai Black. He goes on a rant about how MJF has betrayed a bunch of people but Cole needs the fans, while MJF only cares about himself. That was almost the same promo Cassidy did half an hour ago.

Here is Don Callis to bring out Kyle Fletcher for a chat. Fletcher calls out Will Ospreay, who isn’t here because he’s a coward. Instead here is Mark Davis, Fletcher’s long injured partner, to ask what Fletcher has been doing. They were part of an empire but Fletcher betrayed everyone. Fletcher says Davis is going to have to make a decision, but Fletcher has no problem cutting out the past. I mean…points for acknowledging it but Davis could have been completely forgotten and very little would have been lost.

Hangman Page talks about his history with Jay White and how they have fought each other so many times. We know what White is going to do, but Page could do anything in their match at Full Gear. Maybe he’ll even burn White’s house down.

Here is the Blackpool Combat Club, with Jon Moxley saying he challenged Orange Cassidy last year because he wanted to hurt Cassidy. Moxley accepts the challenge, saying he’ll fight Cassidy in the valley, which is where Cassidy will die. We get an example, with the Club jumping Yuta and wrapping a chair around his neck.

Cassidy makes the save, with Yuta jumping him, only or the Dark Order to come out and get beaten up again. Darby Allin repels from the ceiling for the brawl, with Top flight and Action Andretti running in for the real save. The Young Bucks come out and the scheduled title match is right now. This was another case of the villains being chased off by a group more than twice their size, which doesn’t exactly make AEW look great.

Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks vs. Private Party

The Bucks are defending and Private Party has to split up if they lose. A springboard dropkick takes Quen down to start but Kassidy is in to send the Bucks outside. Some dives to the floor have the Bucks in trouble so Matt grabs the ring bell. Quen takes it away…and knocks Kassidy silly by mistake. Nick uses the distraction to kick Quen in the face and we settle back down inside.

The already busted open Kassidy is sent into the steps, followed by a falcon Arrow off of those steps. A superplex gets two on Quen and we take a break. Back with Kassidy coming in to clean house as everything breaks down. The Bucks clear Quen out and Risky Business gets two on Quen.

Private Party hit some dives but the Bucks fight back and drag Quen up to the stage….where Kazuchika Okada gives him a Tombstone. The Bucks hit Gin & Juice for two on Kassidy and the shoes are pumped up for the Superkick Party and two more. The EVP Trigger is loaded up but Kassidy falls down, only for the second attempt to have them ram knees. A small package gets two on Nick and now the EVP Trigger connects for a near fall. The V rigger int a One Winged Angle gets two as Quen dives back in for the save. Kassidy crotched Nick on top and a poisonrana int Gin & Juice is good for the pin and the titles at 18:06.

Rating: B+. My issues with Private Party aside, this was a heck of a match and the title change felt like a big moment. AEW needed to do something like this and that’s exactly what they gave us. It had emotion and came at the right time, and even though I have zero reason to buy Private Party as a top level team, it was an awesome moment and one of the best things AEW has done in a good while.

Post match the Bucks hand over the titles and Private Party celebrates in the crowd. That’s the start of the Bucks’ face turn isn’t it?

Moxley vs. Cassidy is set for Full Gear.

Jamie Hayter and Penelope Ford have agreed to not get physical before their match next week. Ford says people have forgotten who she is (A decent at best star who was never close to the top of the division?) but Hayter says this is all over something that happened two years ago. Hayter is fine with beating her up next week.

Here is the Learning Tree to brag about Chris Jericho’s win last week. Jericho brags about winning the title and getting four stars in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, plus for carrying Terrifier 3 to the top of the box office. So just sit back and enjoy the Nueve’s title reign. I really could go for never hearing about Dave Meltzer or the Observer in a wrestling promo again.

Video on Anna Jay.

Daniel Garcia yells at Jack Perry over being entitled. Perry goes to the Elite’s locker room where the Young Bucks are shredding documents.

Kamille vs. Kris Statlander

Mercedes Mone is here with Kamille and gets her own entrance. Kamille runs her over to start but Statlander nips up for a dropkick. A hard clothesline drops Statlander again and we take an early break. Back with Statlander dropping her for a change but missing a 450. Kamille’s torture rack powerbomb gets two but Statlander is right back with Wednesday Night Fever for the pin at 6:25. Not enough shown to rate, but that’s a really fast first loss for Kamille.

Post match Mercedes Mone yells at Kamille and takes out Statlander.

Video on Kip Sabian seemingly joining the Patriarchy.

Christian Cage promises to deal with Hook.

Mark Briscoe, with the Conglomeration, is upset at losing the Ring Of Honor World Title, but he isn’t sure why Chris Jericho doesn’t care about his own health. The word of the day is instability because Jericho brought up Jay Briscoe again. The challenge is on for a six man Fight Without Honor for next week, because I guess we’re having an ROH match on AEW TV.

The Young Bucks leave, despite Christopher Daniels’ protests. The place is too violent and chaotic so they’re out. Brandon Cutler, carrying a box, tries to catch up, but gets beaten down by the Blackpool Combat Club. Daniels has to watch as Claudio Castagnoli uses a hammer to crush….something about four inches away from Cutler’s hand. That looked TERRIBLE and made me laugh at how terrible they screwed it up. I get that you can’t actually crush his hand, but put the camera in a better place.

Swerve Strickland vs. Shelton Benjamin

Prince Nana and MVP are here too. Swerve makes the mistake of trying to wrestle Benjamin to start so they’re quickly on the floor. Benjamin can’t manage to post him so Swerve cranks on the arm in the ropes. A kick of the apron is cut off and Swerve is tripped down, followed by a toss back to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Swerve hitting a kick to the back and getting in his dance, setting up the middle rope elbow to the back of the neck. Benjamin grabs a Kimura but Swerve slips out, only to get caught with a DDT for two. Swerve drops him for a 450 but Benjamin sends him flying with a German suplex. The rolling Downward Spiral hits Benjamin, who pops up to run the corner and catch Swerve on top. Swerve slips through the legs though and hits the Swerve Stomp for the pin at 14:38.

Rating: B. Another solid back and forth match here with Swerve getting a win over someone with a reputation. Swerve needed something like this to get back on top and Benjamin’s first loss coming to a former World Champion isn’t going to hurt him. Granted this is pretty clearly setting up the next big opponent for Swerve so it only means so much.

Post match MVP calls someone…and Bobby Lashley is here. The staredown is on and Benjamin’s distraction lets Lashley beat Swerve down. Nana gets taken out as well and, after being loudly told THIRTY SECONDS LEFT, MVP says look who’s back in business to end the show. This is one of those situations where it was clear what was going to happen and that’s not a bad thing.

Overall Rating: B+. This show started a bit slow but got better as it kept going, with some stuff that makes me want to see what happens next. It had some problems, but there were enough things on here that kept my interest along with action to back it up. Pretty easily the best Dynamite in a good while and certainly something they needed. Unfortunately the show is likely going to get smashed in the ratings because of baseball, but they needed this show after some lackluster weeks.

Results
Adam Cole b. Buddy Matthews – Boom
Private Party b. Young Bucks – Gin & Juice to Nick
Kris Statlander b. Kamille – Tuesday Night Fever
Swerve Strickland b. Shelton Benjamin – Swerve Stomp

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: October 23, 2024
Location: Maverik Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

We’re a month away from Full Gear so that means it’s time for a ladder match with a title on the line. In this case it’s the Ring Of Honor World Title with Chris Jericho challenging Mark Briscoe, who beat Jericho clean at WrestleDream. Other than that, Jon Moxley and company are still all tough and violent and such. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of the Blackpool Combat Club being all mega evil.

Jon Moxley is in the desert and saying it’s for the greater good when the rest of the Club pulls up in a truck to take him away.

Mark Briscoe fires up a bunch of low level stars who are ready for the Club to arrive.

Here is Hangman Page to brag about how awesome he is but here is Colten Gunn to jump him for attacking Austin Gunn last week. Jay White and Juice Robinson run in to clear Page out. White talks about having Page’s number and all of the violence that Page loves isn’t hiding the fact that he’s not as good as the Switchblade. They’ll see each other again.

Video on Shelton Benjamin vs. Sammy Guevara.

Shelton Benjamin vs. Sammy Guevara

MVP is here with Benjamin, who wastes no time in launching Guevara into the air for a backdrop. Some hard knees set up a snap suplex to keep Guevara in trouble but he’s right back with a dropkick. Benjamin cuts off a suicide dive and hits an overhead belly to belly as we take a break.

Back with Benjamin snapping off another German suplex but Guevara hits some superkicks. Guevara hits a big running flip dive to the floor, followed by a pop up cutter for one back inside. Benjamin staggers up but manages to superkick Guevara out of the air (I wonder where he learned that…). A knee to the face and the exploder finish for Benjamin at 10:07.

Rating: B-. See, this is something that made a lot more sense than the Lio Rush match last week. Guevara is a far more established name around here and him giving Benjamin trouble fits perfectly. That’s the kind of win that actually builds Benjamin up rather than making him look like he’s needing to try too hard to beat someone who hasn’t accomplished much. Far better situation for everyone here.

Mariah May throws Anna Jay’s stuff out of the locker room so the brawl is on. It’s broken up in about three seconds, but it was on.

Video on Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher. They were friends, mainly in other promotions, but then Fletcher turned on him at WrestleDream and now we need an explanation.

Here is Fletcher, with Don Callis, for his explanation. For eleven days, Will Ospreay has been in a hospital bed while fans are wondering why. When Fletcher arrived in AEW, people thought he was the next big thing (Who thought that?) but then Ospreay got here. That made people call him the next Will Ospreay, because people said he looked and sounded like Ospreay. Fletcher is better than him in every single way but the fans don’t seem interested.

Don’t worry though because Don Callis has bought him all the TV time he needs so you will listen to him! Anyway, we move on to Kazuchika Okada, who brought Will Ospreay into New Japan (as we go back years and halfway around the world to another promotion to explain this story), who Ospreay stabbed in the back. Then Ospreay did the same thing to Kenny Omega. Fletcher turned on Ospreay because it’s what Ospreay did to people, so Fletcher is giving him one chance to save face.

They can face each other next week and Fletcher will give him tiger driver after tiger driver. For now though, he will be nothing like Ospreay. Then he shaves his own hair. So we have a feud between one of the company’s superheroes and a mostly midcard star over something that happened years ago in another promotion in Japan as the Don Callis Family/Will Osprey Saga is now going on for….how many months? Fletcher is getting a bit of a boost out of it, but if this is the best they have for Ospreay, I have no idea what to think of how screwy this place is.

We look at Ricochet showing up at Maple Leaf Pro over the weekend to go after Konosuke Takeshita.

Ricochet isn’t done with Takeshita, but MVP (who compliments his suit) and Shelton Benjamin come in. MVP leaves him with a business card and Ricochet doesn’t say no.

Lance Archer/Brian Cage vs. Pillars Of Destiny

Powerbomb/chokeslam combination finishes for Cage at 1:01.

Chuck Taylor tells the army outside that Mark Briscoe’s match is up next. Taylor holds Orange Cassidy back and says Cassidy can beat the villains so it’s time to step up.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho vs. Mark Briscoe

Briscoe is defending in a Ladder War and slugs away to start fast. Jericho is knocked off the apron and through some tables and Briscoe beats him around ringside. A suplex gets Jericho out of trouble but Briscoe hits him in the face with a ladder. Briscoe’s big running flip dive only hits ladder and Jericho hits him in the face with another ladder as we take a break.

Back with Briscoe hitting a Death Valley Driver through a ladder in the corner before throwing in a fresh one. They go up the ladder with Jericho going for the belt but Briscoe shoves the ladder over for the crash. The Froggy Bow through the table is loaded up but Bryan Keith comes in to break it up.

Rocky Romero runs in and hits Keith with a kendo stick, setting up the Froggy Boy to crush Jericho. It’s such a crash that Briscoe is on his feet eight seconds later and the Jay Driller connects but here is Big Bill to send Briscoe through a table. Jericho gets the title back at 15:46.

Rating: B-. Of course he did. You could feel the title change coming when Jericho said he wanted a rematch, because I’m sure we now need to set something up where Jericho allegedly puts someone over before moving on to something bigger. That’s just what the Ring Of Honor Title is about, as we now get to see which non-Ring Of Honor wrestler gets the shot at Final Battle in about two months. The match was pretty run of the mill ladder showdown, but another heel champion around here isn’t exactly appealing right now.

Post match Tomohiro Ishii returns with Rocky Romero. Gee man. Thanks for coming out and helping with Big Bill!

Video on Kamille vs. Kris Statlander, featuring both of them being rather strong.

Here is Adam Cole for a chat but the Undisputed Kingdom cuts him off. They don’t like MJF either, but they did check on Cole while he was healing up. The team does great things when they are together and agree to go after MJF. Cue MJF on the Titantron, getting a massage, who says either Roderick Strong or Cole has to win three matches in a row to get a match with him at Full Gear.

MJF won’t be around until then, which might be enough time to realize that this is the third time MJF has forced someone to beat a string of opponents to face him. Second, the Undisputed Kingdom is working for MJF right? It’s the most logical way for all of this to go. Otherwise, this is the second “group of good guys bands together to fight the villain” story going at the moment.

Video on Penelope Ford vs. Jamie Hayter.

Hayter talks about how hard she has worked to get here and she’s ready for a fight, but Ford isn’t here. How about they fight in two weeks?

House Of Black vs. Jaden Monroe/Kevin Koa/Pirata de la Muerte

The House beats up Monroe, sends Koa bailing into the corner, and hits the Cannonball/dropkicks combination to Muerte. The toss powerbomb into Murphy’s stomp finishes Monroe at 1:59. That team was squashed flatter than something that is very flat.

Post match, Matthews challenges Adam Cole for next week. We cut to Cole in the back, who walks up to Matthews and wonders what’s up with that. The match seems set.

Kamille vs. Queen Aminata

Mercedes Mone is here with Kamille, who powers Aminata down to start. A short arm lariat gives Kamille two but Aminata is back with a running headscissors. Aminata rolls her up for two but gets dropped as we take an early break. Back with Aminata hitting a running elbow and grabbing a neckbreaker. A running shot against the ropes gets two on Kamille and Aminata grabs a full nelson with her legs. Kamille’s powerbomb attempt is countered into a hurricanrana for two but Kamille is back with a torture rack spun into a powerbomb for two of her own. The reverse spinning DDT finishes for Kamille at 8:16.

Rating: C. Of course. Of course you have a monster like Kamille in her fifth match in AEW and of course it takes her eight minutes to beat someone who is best known in AEW for not winning a match for months when she got there (What else is she known for?). This made Aminata, who isn’t set for a big showdown with Kris Statlander, look like someone who could go somewhere while Kamille, the new monster, looked like she had trouble beating someone who hasn’t won anything of note around here. “But AEW doesn’t squash it’s own stars!” Then don’t book the match. Really not that complicated.

Post match Kris Statlander comes out for the staredown. With Kamille. Who just struggled to beat Queen Aminata. Kamille and Mone lay her out.

The Patriarchy arrives and the army is looking for them. The Patriarchy backs off, but chases Kip Sabian away, because THE KIP SABIAN/PATRIARCHY STORY IS STILL A THING.

After commentary talks a bit, the Patriarchy chases Sabian into the ring but Hook shows up on the screen, saying that the people in the ring took out his dad. Hook storms the ring and goes after Nick Wayne before trying to Choke Christian Cage. Sabian saves Cage, who tells Sabian to get in that corner to be dealt with later. The Patriarchy takes out Hook, with Cage calling him “Tyler” and says “it’s not what it seems” (I think). Well thank goodness Kip Sabian is getting something to do. Now I can stop losing sleep over him lack of direction.

Elite vs. Private Party/Daniel Garcia

The Elite gets taken out before the bell…and then the bell rings a second later. Garcia stomps on Perry in the corner before it’s off to Kassidy to hammer on Matt. A quadruple clothesline gives us a quadruple nip up until Garcia comes in to take out villains. We see the army still waiting outside as the Bucks take over on Quen.

We take a break and come back with Stokely Hathaway watching in the front row as Nick accidentally kicks Matt in the face. The big tag is cut off and Garcia is sent into the timekeeper’s area. Risky Business gets two on Kassidy but a headscissors/wristdrag gets him out of trouble. Quen comes in to clean house but gets caught in the powerbomb/stereo enziguris in the corner. Garcia cuts off something on the apron, with Quen breaking up the TK Driver. Silly String is enough to pin Matt at 11:11.

Rating: B-. For those of you keeping track, this is now the fourth match between Private Party and the Bucks which has been set up by that one time Private Party beat them five years ago. They weren’t interesting challengers at WrestleDream and they aren’t going to be interesting challenges whenever they get their next title shot, but this is what we’re getting until whomever is ready to fight the Bucks next.

Post match, Private Party says they want another title shot and put their future as a team on the line. The Bucks are down and the match is made. Oh no. What ever would we do if a team who was apart for over a year is apart for good? Anyway, the Blackpool Combat Club’s truck arrives in the back but it’s just Marina Shafir. The men sneak in from behind and take out Private Party with Chairs. Jon Moxley throws Chuck Taylor inside to Pillmanize his neck. A bunch of people, including Orange Cassidy, run in to clear them out. The Elite watch on as commentary is DISGUSTED to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. I liked most of the wrestling tonight, but I do not remember being so bored, uninterested and uninvested in an AEW (or most anywhere else) show in a LONG time. The stories they are telling are a mixture of far more complicated than they need to be, illogical, and flat out dull. Right now, in 2024, the biggest good guy champion in AEW/ROH is Dustin Rhodes. That’s what we have to cheer for at the moment.

Other than that, you have the BCC not only dominating everyone but making them look like idiots, because NO ONE THOUGHT TO GUARD THE OTHER DOOR. It’s astounding how dumb the heroes in this promotion are presented as being and it’s not making an already annoying show that much worse. Between insisting on Kyle Fletcher getting Will Ospreay’s attention, Chris Jericho winning ANOTHER title, whatever Adam Cole/MJF are doing now and their insistence on making sure that people like Queen Aminata are kept strong, this place has its priorities in a really weird place.

I’m sure I’m just watching it wrong or I’m not bright enough to get the subtle nuances of “Private Party could TOTALLY win this time and you should care that they might split up even though they’ve won one thing that matters in five years”, but dang I haven’t been this down on AEW since its inception.

Results
Shelton Benjamin b. Sammy Guevara – Exploder
Lance Archer/Brian Cage b. Pillars Of Destiny – Powerbomb/chokeslam combination
Chris Jericho b. Mark Briscoe – Jericho pulled down the title
House Of Black b. Jaden Monroe/Kevin Koa/Pirata de la Muerte – Stomp to Monroe
Kamille b. Queen Aminata – Reverse spinning DDT
Daniel Garcia/Private Party b. Elite – Silly String to Matt

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: October 16, 2024
Location: SAP Center, San Jose, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re done with WrestleDream and the big story is Jon Moxley is the new World Champion, having kind of retired Bryan Danielson. It seems we are going to need some saviors to fight for the company and maybe we find that out tonight. Other than that, Adam Cole and MJF are both back and don’t like each other. Let’s get to it.

Here is WrestleDream if you need a recap.

The opening video features Jon Moxley and friends in the back of a truck with Moxley talking about how there are so many wrestlers on the roster who get paid and then do nothing. He hates what AEW has become because there is no need for all of the dancing and partying. He’ll burn down the forest and do what has to be done because they can see a better future.

If you want to come with them you can, but otherwise, run while you can. The new paradigm is you work for him now. Wheeler Yuta looks off into the darkness. This included shots of wrestlers being upset at what happened to Bryan Danielson, meaning we probably have some people ready to fight back. That being said, “Wah, they’re making too much money and are too soft but we’re all tough” isn’t exactly a thrilling story.

Here is Adam Cole for a chat. He loves his friends but he has to do this on his own. Cole wants to talk about the worst person in this company, MJF. After years of seeing him be this way, the only thing that Cole can say is that MJF is fake. Just look at his hair: it took two surgeries but that fake hair is on his head. MJF will act all tough and stoic on social media when fans insult him but then he’ll cry in his hotel room.

This place has the best talent roster in the world and there are a lot of hungry people who are ready to go around someone like MJF. He’ll act like he’s something special but the reality is everyone, including Cole, hates him. Cole hates everything about him, including his stupid face, so get out here for the fight they’re going to have right now.

MJF’s music plays but he pops up on screen to say he’s a multi millionaire at 28, but he knows what it’s like to be alone. Cole tried to be his friend but then MJF took it away, but now Cole is never going to get his revenge. MJF will always dangle the carrot of revenge and Cole can thank him for everything later. Cole swears vengeance anyway. This only worked to an extent, as the feud felt like it was over and Cole didn’t have much to say other than “I really hate you”.

Chris Jericho feels vindicated after his loss to Mark Briscoe because Briscoe cheated. Jericho wants a rematch to become the two time Ring Of Honor World Champion, just like Jay Briscoe.

Mark Briscoe doesn’t like Jericho bringing up his brother’s name again, so of course they can have a rematch. Next week. In a ladder war. Tonight though, FTR is going to take out Jericho’s Learning Tree. I appreciate the logic of Briscoe wanting to avenge his brother’s memory being tarnished, but if this is continuing, Briscoe shouldn’t have beaten Jericho clean on Saturday.

FTR vs. Learning Tree

Harwood takes over on Keith to start and hammers away before handing it off to Wheeler. Keith gets in a slam and a knee drop but Wheeler fights up. Bill comes in off a surprise though and it’s a Boss Man Slam to send us to a break. Back with Harwood hitting a clothesline on Keith but getting dropped by the same thing from Bill. The Shatter Machine is broken up and Wheeler takes Bill to the floor for a tornado DDT. Back in and Keith walks into the Shatter Machine for the pin at 8:20.

Rating: C+. As usual, there is only so much that can be done with a match that only gets eight minutes and includes a commercial break. Bill continues to look like a monster and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him do something better in the future. For now though, he’s part of a tag team where Keith is taking the fall, so at least Bill is being protected. At the same time, dang FTR feels like they’ve fallen a very, very long way in the last few months.

Post match the Outrunners come out to post with FTR.

Acclaimed and Billy Gunn are ready to head to the gym, with Billy going to get the car ready. They’re ready for more, but MVP and Shelton Benjamin come in. MVP offers a business card, with Bowens saying they don’t need anything from them. Caster slips the card into his pocket.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Queen Aminata

Mone, with Kamille, is defending. Mone tries to take her down but gets some swiveling hips to the face for her efforts. A victory roll gives Mone two but Aminata gives her a fall away slam to the floor. Kamille offers a quick distraction and Mone gets in a whip to the steps as we take a break. Back with Aminata hitting an Air Raid Crash for two and they both need a breather. A sunset flip gives Aminata one and a neckbreaker gets two, followed by a snap suplex to send Mone into the corner. Mone fights her way out of said corner and hits the Statement Maker for the pin at 8:41.

Rating: C+. Same problem with the match being cut off by the break as the previous one, which is quite the recurring issue in modern wrestling. Mone continues to be good in the ring but other than Britt Baker, she hasn’t had much in the way of competition. Aminata and Emi Sakura haven’t exactly done much in AEW but have gotten recent title shots. Find someone a bit more elevated to get the shot at her.

Private Party talks to the Young Bucks and wants another title shot. The Bucks admit that Private Party took them to the limit but that was their last shot. The Bucks are gone so Stokely Hathaway comes in to say the team has been here since the Obama administration and never gotten anywhere. If they lose next time, they should split up, because Kassidy is the singles star anyway. Not that that’s any of Hathaway’s business of course. I would certainly hope that’s it for the Bucks vs. Private Party, as it wasn’t exactly a big match in the first place.

The Elite talk about how important today is to the history of AEW. Today is Kenny Omega’s birthday and even though he’s had a bunch of his intestines taken out, they have a cake for him. Then they pour a bunch of fake intestines on it. Jack Perry: “Get well soon Kenny. Or die.” Kazuchika Okada throws in a b****. Teasing Omega’s return, even if it’s a bit off in the distance, is a good thing.

Elite vs. Conglomeration

Nick gets taken own by Cassidy to start and O’Reilly strikes away before they do the same to Matt. Romero comes in for a running hurricanrana to Okada and we take a break. Back with O’Reilly making Nick clothesline Matt but Okada comes back in for the save. The Rainmaker is broken up but Matt hits an elbow to give Okada two. Romero is back up with the Forever Clotheslines, only for Okada to break it up with the tombstone. The Bucks spend their time pumping up their shoes and Cassidy starts cleaning house….but Wheeler Yuta runs in to jump O’Reilly for the DQ at 9:21.

Rating: B-. Well at least they had a way to avoid either team losing here. The Conglomeration would be fine enough as the first people to stand up to the Club and some of that was already started at WrestleDream. There’s a good chance the Elite are the real ones to fight the villains of though and….egads that is going to take some incredible efforts. Or they’ll just make the Elite good again and forget everything about what has happened in the last six months with no major repercussions.

Post match the rest of Moxley’s friends, including Moxley, come in for the beatdown, with commentary calling Cassidy “the leader of AEW” which….no. Top Flight comes in for the failed save so the Dark Order runs in, passing by the Elite on the way and asking them to help. The Order is beaten down as well (including Pac beating people up with a briefcase, which may contain the World Title) and the violence continues as Moxley says this is just the cost of doing business. Excalibur: “There’s no rhyme or reason to what these people are doing here.”

Commentary is aghast.

The Elite, minus Okada, says that wasn’t their business but Daniel Garcia and Private Party come in. Perry and Garcia….kind of nuzzle a bit before the Elite leave.

We look at Swerve Strickland picking Prince Nana at WrestleDream.

Shelton Benjamin vs. Lio Rush

MVP and Leila Grey are here too. Rush dodges around to start and can’t get anywhere, so Benjamin drops him with a hard shot. Back up and Benjamin is sent outside, where he jumps up to the apron for a knee (MVP approves) and we take a break. We come back with Benjamin knocking him down again but Rush hits his springboard Stunner.

A cutter catches Benjamin again, followed by a rather spinning tornado DDT for two. Rush goes up top so Benjamin runs the corner for a belly to belly superplex. A release German suplex sends Rush flying and another one does it again. Benjamin superkicks the heck out of him and hits the exploder for the pin at 11:01.

Rating: C+. Benjamin looked great in his first feature match in a long time, but there was no reason or this to be eleven minutes. People know who Benjamin is and he has a long resume. There was no reason for Rush to get in this much offense, as Rush on his best day is nowhere near what Benjamin has done. This should have been WAY shorter, but that’s not how AEW works.

Post match MVP says he wants to keep this going with Swerve Strickland (MVP: “HOW CAN THIS BE SWERVE’s HOUSE WHEN SWERVE’S HOUSE WAS BURNED TO THE GROUND???”) because this is Strickland’s future.

Darby Allin isn’t here tonight, but we do see him talking about Tony Hawk….who isn’t with him. They are however selling signed photos of the two of them together for charity. Sure.

Swerve Strickland is ready for Shelton Benjamin and is ready for him anytime. Benjamin set a lot of records, which have been broken, but Strickland breaks bones.

Here is Don Callis, flanked by Lance Archer and Brian Cage, for a press conference. Since there is no press in wrestling though, he’ll answer the questions himself. First up, he wants the Tag Team Titles back, so these two are going to get them. With that out of the way, Callis brings out Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher.

Callis says Takeshita is defending the title all around the world, with Takeshita saying come take it. Fletcher is given the chance to explain why he turned on Will Ospreay….but he’s not going to say anything because the fans keep chanting for Ospreay. This could have been summed up as “Brian Cage is now on the team”.

Mariah May wants competition so here is Anna Jay to charge at her. Christopher Daniels tries to break it up and Jay hits him in the face. Nigel McGuinness is thrilled.

Ricochet is ready to show that he is the best in the world and doesn’t need the lackeys to do it for him like Konosuke Takeshita. The open challenge is on for Collision.

Jon Moxley and company are still beating up the Dark Order and Top Flight. The villains leave and Evil Uno rants about how Moxley and company are taking food off their plates. Darius Martin issues the challenge for Collision. If I’m supposed to care about the Dark Order and Top Flight as AEW’s saviors, AEW has a lot more work today.

Christian Cage vs. Jay White

A bunch of their friends are here too. They start slowly until White sends him into the corner a few times. White grabs something like an Indian deathlock as commentary does their inside jokes. Nick Wayne makes the referee believe the Bang Bang Gang used a chair so they’re ejected, but Wayne gets beaten up first. We take a break and come back with White fighting out of a chinlock.

White pulls the turtleneck over Cage’s face and hammering away in the corner, followed by the chops to the exposed chest (Nigel: “You sadist!”). Cage fights back and hits a reverse DDT onto the apron but cue Kip Sabian (because of course) for a distraction. White gets a rollup for two as Hangman Page is hiding on the floor (he might have shown up too early). Cage’s Killswitch gets two but Sabian offers another distraction, allowing Page to come in with the Buckshot Lariat so Cage can get the pin at 16:03.

Rating: B-. Oh someone botched the heck out of that interference, as Sabian and Page did the exact same thing twice about five minutes apart. That feels like it’s something the producer screwed up as the wrestlers were probably given the cue early. Other than that, it was a long main event with a bit of a story behind it (Cage put White out earlier this year) and it keeps White vs. Page going, which does fit after they had a quick one off match.

Overall Rating: C+. I’m not sure what to make of this show. While it wasn’t bad, it absolutely did not feel like something coming off of what was supposedly a huge ending to a pay per view. Moxley and company are still all violent and beating people up, but now they’re beating up some of the lowest of the low around here. After everyone was so devastated by Bryan Danielson being taken out, you would think there would be bigger names than Dante Marin and Evil Uno ready to fight back.

Other than that, there was a lot of stuff that seems like it will be continuing from WrestleDream, which only felt so important coming in. That’s the theme of this show: stuff happened, but it didn’t feel like it matters that much. The big story is what people will focus on though and that’s….well it’s going to be a bit before we get to the meat of the matter. Until then, we have Battle Of The Belts, which had its first (and so far only) match announced with ten seconds left on the show: a non-title match between Anna Jay and Mariah May. That show, much like a lot of other things around here, is going to need some work.

Results
FTR b. Learning Tree – Shatter Machine to Keith
Mercedes Mone b. Queen Aminata – Statement Maker
Conglomeration b. Elite via DQ when the Blackpool Combat Club interfered
Shelton Benjamin b. Lio Rush – Exploder
Christian Cage b. Jay White – Buckshot Lariat

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: September 18, 2024
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re a week away from Grand Slam and the big story is a change to the World Title match, in that we won’t be having one. Instead we might be seeing Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness, plus the #1 contendership will be on the line as Darby Allin faces Jon Moxley. That should be enough to make for a big build this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy

The Learning Tree and the Conglomeration are here too. They all get in and slug it out with the non-participants going to the floor, where Cassidy hits a big springboard flip dive. Jericho teases a dive but Cassidy comes back in with the Orange Punch for two. A middle rope hurricanrana is countered into the Walls but Cassidy reverses into a small package for two. Jericho’s running powerslam gets two more and they go outside, where Jericho commandeers a camera and stomps away.

Back in and the Lionsault gives Jericho two but Cassidy is back with the Stundog Millionaire. Jericho is sent outside but the dive is sent into the barricade. A belly to back suplex through a table has Cassidy in more trouble and we take a break. Back with a slugout leaving both of them down until Cassidy knocks him into the corner for some stomping. Jericho scores with a clothesline before countering the tornado DDT into the Walls.

Cassidy gets the Walls but here is Big Bill to kick him in the face. Kyle O’Reilly kicks him to the back, leaving Jericho to hit a Death Valley Driver for two. The tornado DDT and diving DDT give Cassidy two but the Orange Punch is countered into the Codebreaker for two more. Cassidy hits the Beach Break for two but cue Mark Briscoe and Bryan Keith for the brawling distraction. That’s enough for Jericho to pull out a roll of quarters, which Cassidy takes away for the Orange Punch for the pin at 19:30.

Rating: B. The match was a long, back and forth fight with Jericho doing as well as can be expected of him these days. I’m still not sure why we needed to go back to this story with the jacket after years away, but the bigger problem is the story continuing long after it needs to. If this is it for Jericho and Cassidy then it’s fine, but that doesn’t tend to be Jericho’s style.

Last week, Pac and Claudio Castagnoli were unhappy with Wheeler Yuta for not talking to them since All out. Jon Moxley, with Marina Shafir, comes in to say Yuta needs to decide what kind of man he needs to be.

Yuta isn’t sure what to do but he’s willing to fight at WrestleDream (it’s at Grand Slam, because Yuta’s mind isn’t clear) and he even forgot his title in the locker room.

Hook vs. JD Ink

Non-title. Suplexes and crossfaces set up the Redrum for the tap (from Ink) at 1:01.

Komander and Private Party are accepting the open challenge for a Trios Title shot next week.

Christian Cage is ready to win the World Title and wants Nick Wayne to win a title as well. Kip Sabian interrupts and Cage threatens to kill him.

Serena Deeb/Mariah May vs. Yuka Sakazaki/Queen Aminata

Deeb shoulders Sakazaki down to start and they trade covers for two each. Sakazaki is back up with a kick to the face so it’s off to Aminata, whose leg is dragon screwed in the ropes. May comes in for a running dropkick of her own and we take a break. Back with Sakazaki coming in to slam both of them down, followed by an exchange of German suplexes. Sakazaki hits a bit dive out to the floor, setting up the Magical Girl Splash but May breaks it up with the belt for the DQ at 8:04.

Rating: C. Ignoring that it was another eight minute match with a break because that needs to be a thing, Sakazaki is just the next person coming after May. She has been gone for five months but her first match back saw May on commentary mocking her. I’m not sure what lets her jump the line, but it’s a bit difficult to be interested when she was hardly featured before her injury earlier this year.

Post match May whips Sakazaki with the belt and kisses her on the cheek.

Mina Shirakawa is back, just like Mariah May wants. This might mean more if she hadn’t wrestled twice on Rampage in the last month.

Video on Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (which airs after some technical difficulties).

The Blackpool Combat Club comes into the arena but get jumped by Private Party. That means the beatdown is on, with Private Party getting wrecked. Komander comes in but Castagnoli cuts him off. Moxley whips out a hammer and yells about Private Party being in the same place they’ve been in since the beginning. Then he crushes Kassidy’s hand with the hammer. Cue Darby Allin to go after Moxley, who bails from the threat of the skateboard. Allin promises to run through him at Grand Slam and go on to WrestleDream.

Video on Jack Perry since All Out.

Ricochet vs. The Beast Mortos

Ricochet slugs away to start but gets knocked into the corner for a shot to the face. Mortos’ running knee misses though and he crashes out to the floor, where Ricochet hits a big dive. The running shooting star press gives Ricochet two and they trade armdrags. Ricochet sends him into the ropes and out to the floor, where a big flip dive is countered into an apron bomb.

We take a break and come back with Ricochet fighting out of a chinlock but getting caught in a pop up Samoan Drop for two more. Mortos’ running monkey flip doesn’t work as he crashes out to the floor, where Ricochet grabs a Code Red. Back in and a springboard 450 gives Ricochet two but Mortos gives him a super gorilla press for two of his own. Ricochet is right back with the ax kick (which didn’t appear to connect) and Vertigo for the pin at 11:31.

Rating: B. This was a very simple formula and it is something that will pretty much always work. Ricochet is someone who flies around and uses his special set of skills to take out a monster like Mortos. It worked well here and Ricochet looked good in the match that was designed to make him look good. They had a layup of an idea here and it worked well.

Video on Hangman Page’s recent actions.

We look at FTR beating the Grizzled Young Veterans on Dynamite.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat. Page has promised to hurt anyone who held him back from getting revenge on Swerve Strickland. While he was suspended, he heard Tony Schiavone cheering for Strickland, but here is Jeff Jarrett for the save. The fight is on with security breaking it up. Jarrett promises to take Page out.

Ricochet comes up to see Will Ospreay, who will face him at the anniversary show on October 2.

Will Ospreay/Kyle Fletcher/Konosuke Takeshita vs. Elite

Fletcher runs Matt over to start and Ospreay comes in for some double kicks, sending Matt bailing to the corner. Okada comes in and shoulders Ospreay down so Takeshita tags himself in, which doesn’t sit well with Ospreay. The Elite are sent outside for stereo dropkicks through the ropes and stereo slingshot dives as we take a break.

Back with Fletcher hitting a double clothesline on the Bucks and a brainbuster for two on Matt. A Michinoku Driver plants Okada and it’s Takeshita coming in for a middle rope backsplash. The Bucks come in for the save but get sent outside, leaving Okada to get triple dropkicked for two. Okada is back up with his own dropkick to Takeshita for a breather as we take another break.

Back again with the Bucks taking over on Takeshita, setting up the triple middle finger. The EVP Trigger is blocked though and a double German suplex drops the Bucks. Okada is back in and the Bucks hit a double stomp to the back into a sitout powerbomb for two on Ospreay. The Bucks superkick Ospreay down but Fletcher is back in for an assisted middle rope cutter. Takeshita hits a big running flip dive on Okada but Nick gets in his slingshot X Factor and moonsault from the apron. Fletcher hits the spinning Tombstone though and Ospreay adds the Hidden Blade, setting up the Coriolis for the pin on Matt at 19:35.

Rating: B+. This is where AEW tends to shine, as they had a bunch of people out there going nuts until one of them got pinned. It’s something they have done since the beginning and it worked well again here. Takeshita vs. Okada is coming and Fletcher/Ospreay vs. the Bucks is already set and both stories looked good here. Awesome main event, with some nice Grand Slam implications.

Overall Rating: A-. They went with the wrestling heavy show this week and the big important show is all set up. This week was the kind of show that makes AEW feel entertaining and it went well, with nothing bad, an outstanding main event and two other strong matches throughout. Throw in the lack of anything bad and this was a big upgrade over last week.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Chris Jericho – Orange Punch with a roll of quarters
Hook b. JD Ink – Redrum
Yuka Sakazaki/Queen Aminata b. Serena Deeb/Mariah May via DQ when May used the title
Ricochet b. The Beast Mortos – Vertigo
Will Ospreay/Kyle Fletcher/Konosuke Takeshita b. Elite – Coriolis to Matt

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Dynamite
Date: September 11, 2024
Location: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We are rapidly approaching Grand Slam in New York but it is also the All out fallout show. The big stories were the attempted murders of Bryan Danielson and Swerve Strickland at the hands of Jon Moxley and Hangman Page respectively. Neither of them should be here this week but strange things have happened. Let’s get to it.

I was in attendance for this show, sitting in the upper deck with the video screen slightly to my right. The attendance was very bad, with probably around 2,500 people, though the arena holds over 20,000. Seeing the amount of seats tarped off and empty made me say “wow” when I first walked in.

We open with a clip from All Out, with Jon Moxley explaining that he does not like Bryan Danielson’s ego and attacked him because it is Moxley’s nature. That’s a good enough explanation.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and brings out the Patriarchy for a chat. Christian Cage has been told that he has “infinite aura” and now that he has the contract for a World Title match, he knows it is undeniable. When he saw Killswitch grab him by the throat, he knew that he had the perfect monster under his control. The fans chant LUCHASAURUS as Cage talks about how he’s coming for Bryan Danielson. The beating he’ll give Danielson will make his wife Brie wish she was the one with CTE. Cage makes it clear that he is the UNDISPUTED next World Champion.

Don Callis cashes in his favor with Will Ospreay to team with Kyle Fletcher for tonight’s Casino Tag Team Gauntlet Match. Fletcher talks Ospreay into doing it, saying there is no one he would rather team with t do this. As Mark Davis continues to become less and less important.

TNT Title: Jack Perry vs. Lio Rush

Perry is defending and comes to the ring in his Scapegoatmobile while Rush just has Action Andretti. Perry jumps him to start and the beatdown is on in the corner but Rush fights up with a dropkick to the floor. Rush tries a moonsault to the floor but gets dropped onto the apron for the crash as we take a break.

Back with Rush fighting out of a chinlock but getting dropped, which is enough for Andretti to come after him. That’s enough for an ejection but Rush fights up and hits a running Spanish Fly for two. Perry lawn darts him into the buckle though and a snapdragon puts Rush down again. Rush is right back with a poisonrana for a breather but Perry breaks up the springboard Stunner. The running knee finishes for Perry at 8:39.

Rating: C+. This was the way to give Perry some momentum back after his loss on Saturday and could have been a lot worse. Perry is far more tolerable when he stays around this level, which unfortunately does not happen very often. I’m not sure why Rush got this show but there were worse options to come after the title.

Perry goes to leave, saying people like him are crucified in this life so they can be glorified in the next.

We look at Hangman Page beating Swerve Strickland at a rather horrible level at All Out.

Page talks about how he has gone this far to beat Strickland and he would have spent an eternity in pain for a chance to hurt Strickland. Now if anyone stood in the way of him and his revenge, he is coming for them too. Page walks over and glares at Top Flight/Action Andretti before seeing the Dark Order, who don’t know him anymore. Then he runs into Jeff Jarrett, who says Page went too far when he put his hands on Jeff’s wife. The fight is on and has to be broken up.

Private Party and Komander come out for a match….and get jumped by the Blackpool Combat Club. Pac talks about how this company is broken and diplomacy has failed.

The Learning Tree arrives in a Bentley with a HI GUYS license plate. They’re going to show what they found in Orange Cassidy’s backpack tonight.

Ricochet vs. Sammy Guevara

They trade strikes to start until Ricochet sends him outside for the big running flip dive. The fight heads to the stage with Ricochet being sent into part of the set, allowing Guevara t moonsault off the tunnel as we take a break (note that they have been on the floor for 1:13 before the break and the ten count has not even started).

Back with Ricochet being sent to the floor (Fan: “Sorry.”) and into the barricade. Ricochet fights up and hits a jumping flip dive off the barricade) that was great) for two back inside. The Benydriller is countered into a Canadian Destroyer and Guevara hits a top rope cutter for two more. Guevara’s GTH misses and Ricochet kicks him in the head, setting up an ax kick stomp (egads) into Vertigo for the pin at 10:54.

Rating: B. This was definitely a better showing from Ricochet, who got to do his usual stuff and beat someone with some stature. It’s good to have Guevara back, but he has definitely lost a lot of his status in his hiatus. The flips were good and that ax kick stomp was awesome, making this a good match with Ricochet looking like a star.

Post match the Beast Mortos runs in to spar Ricochet, with Guevara making the save.

We look back at Kris Statlander beating Willow Nightingale in the Chicago street fight.

Kazuchika Okada mocks his title defense on Saturday when Konosuke Takeshita and Don Callis come in and want the Continental Title shot. Okada seems interested, complete with the b****.

Here is Darby Allin (to the reaction of the night, with people rising to their feet) for a chat. He gets right to the point and calls out Jon Moxley, who comes to the ring with Marina Shafir. Moxley talks about how nothing has changed between them but Allin cuts him off. Allin talks about how he was a homeless dishwasher and everything he owned fit in the trunk of his car. That’s why he wrestles the way he does and he loved what he saw in Moxley, who wouldn’t change for anyone.

They first wrestled in a high school gym and Allin was so nervous. Then he saw what Allin did to Bryan Danielson, which Allin could never do to someone like Sting. So what does Moxley want? It turns out Moxley wants Allin’s World Title shot at Grand Slam, because Danielson is going to be out of commission. Allin: “What are you stupid? You get dropped on your head? You been drinking again?”

After that gasp from the crowd, the fans hear Allin say Moxley has to earn it, with Moxley offering to earn it in New York. Allin accepts the challenge for Grand Slam, presumably with the title shot on the line. That’s quite the bait and switch for Grand Slam, which sold tickets based off the idea of the title match.

Nigel McGuinness interrupts Christopher Daniels and wants to talk to Tony Khan.

Commentary talks about September 11, which is a nice touch that would be nicer if it was going to a break instead of crammed between matches.

Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata

Non-title. They both miss some kicks to start and trade rollups for two each. An exchange of strikes to the face goes to Aminata but May ties her in the ropes and hammers away. We take a break and come back with May hitting a missile dropkick into the corner. Aminata kicks her away again and snaps off some suplexes. The running boot against the ropes gives Aminata two but May is back with a hanging DDT for two of her own. May’s running knee into Storm Zero finishes at 8:26.

Rating: C+. Not bad here with May getting a win, but she’s still missing a little something since she won the title. She’s still a good heel and is good at talking down to people but it’s not quite clicking. At the same time, Aminata seemed a bit shaky here and it wouldn’t surprise me if she was banged up somewhere in there.

Post match May lays on the mat with the belt and says she needs to have her championship celebration, but she wants Mina Shirakawa back too.

The Young Bucks mock the fans who say they want a new team to come after them. That’s why they have booked the tag team gauntlet match for tonight.

Learning Tree vs. Jacked Jameson/Iron Savages

Boulder knocks Jericho into the corner to start so it’s off to Bill for the big forearms. Everything breaks down and Jameson is booted in the face. Keith adds Diamond Dust and Jericho’s arrogant cover gets the pin at 2:27.

Post match Jericho goes on a rant about how he wants his $7000 back from Orange Cassidy, which is why he took the backpack. Inside the backpack is a picture of Cassidy and the former Best Friends. Cassidy pops up on screen and says he has the money. Cue Mark Briscoe driving a big machine full of coins, which he pours into Jericho’s fancy car. Cassidy adds some cash and that should be it. Fans: “KEEP THE CHANGE!” Pouring a bunch of coins into a car seems more mildly inconvenient than anything else.

Here is Nigel McGuinness for a chat. There is not going to be a World Title match at Grand Slam, which must be a breath of air for Bryan Danielson. Like when he let go of choking Justin Roberts with his tie. The World Champion should be in action at Grand Slam, which brings him to the contract he has in his hand. The success that he has should be his and Tony Khan has made the match. At Grand Slam, it’s Danielson vs. McGuinness. So if he can have that match, why can’t he have the Allin match?

Hook wants Roderick Strong for the FTW Title.

Here are the Young Bucks, in AEW office chairs, to watch the main event.

Tag Team Casino Gauntlet

First fall wins and there is no guarantee that all of the teams get in. FTR is in at #1 and Kyle Fletcher/Will Ospreay are in at #2. Ospreay snaps off a hurricanrana to Wheeler to start but a sitout powerbomb gives Harwood two. Fletcher is knocked outside and the PowerPlex gets two. The Righteous are in at #3 and a Boss Man Slam into a Swanton gets two on Wheeler. Fletcher is back in to clean some of the house until the Kingdom is in at #4.

Fletcher gets knocked down to start and a running knee gets two on Ospreay as we take a break. Back with the Acclaimed coming in at #5 (the fans approve) and cleaning house. An AA gets two on Dutch and a pair of Fameassers put Harwood down. The MxM Collection is in at #6 to a big reaction of their own. Everyone brawls until the good guys manage a triple suplex. We take another break and come back with everyone brawling on the floor again with Top Flight coming in at #7.

This time they get to clear the ring until Ospreay kicks Dante in the head. The Shatter Machine hits Bowens but everyone makes the save. The Outrunners are in at #8 and the fans are way into them as well. This time they clean house as well, including the Paisan elbow to Vincent. The Grizzled Young Veterans are in at #8 as Floyd superplexes Mansoor onto the pile at ringside. We hit the parade of secondary finishers inside until Dante’s top rope splash hits raised knees. Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade on Dante to give Fletcher the pin at 22:14.

Rating: C+. This was the weakest of these matches so far as the strength of the matches comes from the surprises and we didn’t have any here. The Outrunners and the Collection got big reactions but it was the makeshift tam winning to continue the “Ospreay is really good at these things” deal. It wasn’t a bad match, but it felt long and was just a bunch of people doing stuff at times.

Overall Rating: C. This was not great by any means and was one of the weaker Dynamites in a good while. There was nothing worth going out of your way to see and the whole Danielson/Nigel/Allin/Moxley stuff is feeling very much like a bait and switch. This show did not feel like fallout from All Out, which was going to be hard to do with so many people missing. It wasn’t a terrible show, but you didn’t need to see it and that’s not a good way to go in this spot.

Results
Jack Perry b. Lio Rush – Running knee
Ricochet b. Sammy Guevara – Vertigo
Mariah May b. Queen Aminata – Storm Zero
Learning Tree b. Jacked Jameson/Iron Savages – Diamond Dust to Jameson
Will Ospreay/Kyle Fletcher won the Tag Team Casino Gauntlet Match

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

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All Out 2024
Date: September 7, 2024
Location: NOW Arena, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s the second pay per view in two weeks and we certainly have a big main event tonight. After Hangman Page burned Swerve Strickland’s house down on Dynamite, it’s time to lock them in a cage. Other than that, Jack Perry is challenging Bryan Danielson for the World Title because Jack Perry. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Iron Savages vs. Acclaimed

Bowens chops Bronson in the corner to start and it’s off to Caster, who gets crushed in the corner with a running splash. Caster is whipped hard into the corner again but can’t quite make a Flair Flip work. Instead Boulder hits a middle rope moonsault for two but a top rope elbow misses, allowing the tag to Bowens. Everything breaks down and Billy Gunn drops Jacked Jameson, leaving Caster to plant Bronson. The Arrival into the Mic Drop finishes for Caster at 8:51.

Rating: C. I’m not sure why this match was added as the Savages are about as low on the totem pole as you can get in the tag division. It was a nice little win for the Acclaimed, but this is something that could have easily been left on Rampage rather than here. The Acclaimed didn’t even rap!

Zero Hour: Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara/Hologram vs. Premiere Athletes

Guevara flips over Nese to start but gets caught in the wrong corner for the stomping. A quick shot knocks Daivari down though and it’s off to Hologram to take out all three Athletes at the same time. The numbers game catches up with Hologram and Daivari takes over before Woods throws him outside. Mark Sterling gets in some stomping but Hologram manages a tornado DDT and hands it off to Rhodes for his usual comeback. Guevara hits a big flip dive over the top and it’s time for a parade of superkicks back inside. Some Cross Rhodes put the Athletes down and another hits Sterling. The Final Reckoning finishes Woods at 10:00.

Rating: C. Remember last night when Rhodes and Guevara and Hologram won a six man match? Well they did it again here. There was nothing to see here other than Hologram doing the same stuff he usually does. Rhodes is a double champion including a Six Man Champion, but now he’s in another three man team, giving him three stories going on at once, while how many wrestlers have almost nothing to do?

Zero Hour: Bang Bang Gang vs. Dark Order

It’s a brawl to start with the Gunns being sent outside, allowing the Order to do their pose on Robinson’s back. Robinson fights back and knocks them into the corner, setting up the Cannonball. Austin comes in but walks into Something Evil to give Silver two. Austin fights up again and gets kicked in the face, only to get caught in the Quick Draw. Everything breaks down again and Robinson hits his forward DDT to pin Uno at 7:34.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what there is to say about these matches. They don’t have a story and they’re just put out there to get people on the card and fill in time on the pre-show. The Gang gets a bit of a win but how much value is there in beating the Order? It’s another match that could have, and likely should have, been on Rampage, or just a dark match.

Skye Blue comes out for a surprise and asks if we could have had All Out without her. I’m thinking we could, but Mariah May interrupts. She isn’t going to have her championship celebration in Chicago and insults Blue. They get rather catty with each other with some vague references to being promiscuous until May kicks Blue’s crutch out. Queen Aminata makes the save.

Zero Hour: Beast Mortos/Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Undisputed Kingdom vs. Top Flight/Action Andretti

Taylor punches Bennett down before the bell and officially starts with Dante. It’s quickly off to Darius to slug it out with Moriarty before Mortos comes in to wreck a variety of people. Dante comes in and gets taken down into the corner, with Taylor hitting a splash to crush him rather hard. Dante absorbs some right hands from Taylor and knocks him down, allowing the tag back to Darius.

Everything breaks down and Top Flight teases a double dive, only to have Strong break it up. Taven kicks Dante in the head and hits the Flight Of The Conqueror to take out a Taylor, Bennett and Moriarty. Mortos hits his own twisting dive and it’s back inside for the parade of strikes to the face. Andretti DDTs Mortos but gets release Rock Bottomed by Taylor. Mortos adds a powerbomb to Andretti but Strong steals the pin at 10:57.

Rating: C+. This at least felt a bit more interesting than anything else on the pre-show but it didn’t feel like anything better than a Rampage main event. There was no title shot or prize on the line here and that didn’t do the match any favors. Maybe the Kingdom gets a title shot as a result, but those things are kind of few and far between.

The opening video looks at the show’s major matches.

We recap Daniel Garcia vs. MJF. Garcia is back after MJF laid him out and wants revenge, promising to break his neck.

Daniel Garcia vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Garcia runs in from behind and jumps MJF from behind to start fast. The bell rings and MJF shrugs it off and takes over with a shot to Garcia’s neck. Some choking in the ropes and a belly to back suplex have Garcia down and we hit the cravate as the neck work continues. A brainbuster doesn’t work as Garcia knees him in the head and the crash out to the floor in a nasty landing. Back in and Garcia rolls some neckbreakers but has to block a piledriver attempt.

Instead MJF counters a leapfrog into a powerbomb for two before going after a cut on the forehead. The blood is flowing so MJF loads up the super Tombstone, which Garcia escapes to avoid a bad case of pain. Garcia fights up and fires off a bunch of elbows, only to get poked in the eyes. MJF calls for a brainbuster but gets rolled up for two instead. Back up and MJF hits a heck of a right hand to leave them both down.

Garcia fights up again and they trade German suplexes, followed by a big clothesline to put MJF down. MJF is back up with the Boston crab before switching over to a crossface. Garcia reverses into his variation of the Sharpshooter but MJF reverses into the Salt Of The Earth. MJF ties up both arms and a leg but Garcia uses the free let to make the ropes for the break.

Garcia’s jackknife rollup gets two and he strikes away before grabbing a front chancery. The arm starts to drop but Garcia blocks it because he wants to do more damage. The piledriver only gets two so Garcia loads up the super piledriver, only to get hit low. MJF uses Garcia’s jackknife rollup for the pin at 23:22.

Rating: B. This was a bit better than I was expecting with the right result. I get the idea of wanting to push Garcia, but MJF losing another pay per view match wouldn’t have been the right move. Garcia got something out of just being here, but there was no way you can put him over MJF in a spot this big. Not yet anyway.

Post match MJF offers a handshake but gets kicked low. Garcia hits the super piledriver and leaves through the crowd as commentary feels bad for MJF.

We recap the Young Bucks defending the Tag Team Titles against the Blackpool Combat Club, which is another part of the AEW vs. the Bucks feud over the summer.

Tag Team Titles: Blackpool Combat Club vs. Young Bucks

The Bucks are defending. Matt and Yuta start things off with Matt’s wristlock being broken up and Yuta taking him down for a backsplash. Castagnoli comes in for a double shoulder and a double wishbone has the champs in trouble. Back up and Matt knocks Yuta down, setting up the kicks to the back to take over. The running flipping neckbreaker onto the knee sets up a chinlock, followed by a slingshot legdrop for two.

Yuta fights up and gets over to Castagnoli to fire off the uppercuts in the corner. A high crossbody gets two on Matt but he catches Castagnoli in the ropes. Yuta breaks up the hanging 450 and throws Matt’s kick into Nick’s head. Cattle Mutilation goes on but Nick makes the save with a Swanton.

Castagnoli comes back in and gets caught with the EVP Trigger, with Yuta making a save of his own. The Bucks pump up the shoes but Castagnoli blocks another EVP Trigger. Castagnoli Swings Matt for two but the Fastball Special is broken up. Back up and they try it again, only for Yuta’s splash to hit raised knees, allowing Matt to get a small package for the pin at 15:43.

Rating: B. It was good while it lasted, but there was almost no reason to believe that the titles were changing hands here. If nothing else, the Club already have some titles and the Bucks are not going to have their “epic” title reign come to an end in a thrown together tag match. The action worked, but this felt like a token title defense more than anything else.

We recap Will Ospreay defending the International Title against Pac. They’ve known each other for years and Pac won the title shot before Ospreay won the title. Pac is here to win and be all mean, as is his custom.

International Title: Pac vs. Will Ospreay

Ospreay is defending and the fans are WAY into this one at the opening bell. We get the big staredown and Pac rolls outside for the early stall. Back in and a headlock takeover puts Ospreay down for a second. That’s broken up and they both flip over the other for a standoff. Pac knocks him outside and hits a big corkscrew dive to take him down again. Ospreay is right back up and hits his own corkscrew dive, followed by a double knockdown back inside.

They slap each other from the mat until Pac chokes in the corner. It’s already back to the floor with Ospreay being whipped into the barricade a few times. A brainbuster gives Pac two back inside and the headlock stays on Ospreay’s banged up neck. Ospreay fights up again and elbows him to the floor, setting up a Sasuke Special. Back in and a handspring spinning kick to the head drops Pac again.

The Cheeky Nandos Kick is broken up though and Pac hits a DDT into a Liger Bomb for two. Ospreay manages a standing Spanish Fly and the Oscutter for a delayed two to leave them both down again. Pac gets back up so Ospreay kicks him back down before they head to the apron. Another Oscutter is countered into a nasty German suplex, followed by a poisonrana to set up the Brutalizer. With that broken up, the Black Arrow hits raised knees to give Ospreay two more.

The Hidden Blade is countered and Pac hits a rebound German suplex for another near fall. Ospreay kicks him down and the fans are standing. Another poisonrana gives Pac another two and the Brutalizer goes on again. Ospreay powers up and hits his own poisonrana to rock Pac and a running elbow gets two. Pac crotches him on top but Ospreay slips out of a super poisonrana and hits another running elbow for another near fall. The Oscutter loads up the Stormbreaker, which is reversed into a hurricanrana to give Pac two. Ospreay has had it and hits the Hidden Blade to retain at 20:20.

Rating: A-. Yeah you knew this was going to be awesome coming in and they more than delivered. It was one big spot after another until Ospreay knocked him silly to retain. That’s all it needed to be and Pac can more than hang with just about anyone going today. Excellent match here, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

We recap Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander. They used to be friends but Statlander turned on her, likely at the influence of Stokely Hathaway. Nightingale got to pick the stipulation so we’re having a street fight.

Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale

Street fight and Stokely Hathaway is here with Statlander. A chair is brought in to start but Nightingale knocks it out of her hands and hits an early cannonball for two. They go to the apron with Statlander slipping out of a Death Valley Driver attempt and hitting her in the back with a chair. A powerbomb sends Nightingale through the announcers’ table and Statlander puts her on a regular table.

The Swanton from the top only hits table, though Statlander’s legs to hit the moving Nightingale. One heck of a Pounce sends Statlander through the barricade and they go up the ramp. Statlander gets in a suplex and orders Hathaway to bring her a trashcan full of weapons. That works for Nightingale, who grabs a light tube and breaks it over Statlander’s head. Not to be outdone, Statlander gets up and spears her off the stage and through some tables.

They go back to the ring to trade strikes and slams before heading right back to the floor. Statlander grabs a bag of tacks so Nightingale bites the cut on her head. The tacks are poured out and Statlander is slammed onto them, landing in the splits. The Death Valley Driver gives Nightingale two and they go up top, where Statlander grabs a super Spanish Fly.

A discus lariat, with a chain wrapped around the arm, gives Statlander two and Nightingale rolls outside. Statlander whips out a chain and ties them together but Nightingale plants her with a spinebuster. They slug it out again and Statlander hits Staturday Night Fever before choking her out with the chain for the win at 15:02.

Rating: B. It was a street fight with the same stuff you often see in these things. You had the table, the chair, the tacks and a light tube thrown in for the big spot. They beat the heck out of each other and it felt like a war between two people who wanted to hurt each other, but you know a lot of what you’re going to get in this and they didn’t change it up much here.

Will Ospreay is happy to have retained the International Title and knows Ricochet is watching. Cue Ricochet, who gets in Ospreay’s face and says he’ll see him soon.

Continental Title: Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Mark Briscoe

Okada is defending and the challengers all won qualifying matches last night on Collision. It’s a brawl to start with Briscoe being knocked outside, leaving Cassidy to DDT Okada for two. Back in and Briscoe shoulders Okada down before trading clotheslines with Takeshita in the corner. Briscoe knocks him into the corner but Cassidy comes in to send Takeshita outside. Cassidy and Briscoe connect with stereo dives but Okada is back up with a suplex to Cassidy inside.

The Stundog Millionaire staggers Takeshita but Okada dropkicks Cassidy off the top. Briscoe gets the chair for the big flip dive to the floor and goes back inside to chop it out with Cassidy. Okada and Takeshita come back in to suplex both of them down and the fans are rather happy with the villains slugging it out. Okada hits the dropkick but gets caught with the Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Takeshita takes Cassidy up for a superplex but Briscoe is there with the Froggy Bow for two of his own.

Briscoe counters the Rainmaker and hits a hard clothesline of his own to put Okada down. Takeshita blocks both the spinning DDT and the Stundog Millionaire before running Cassidy over with the knee. Briscoe is back in with the Jay Driller but Okada makes the save. The Froggy Boy hits raised knees so Takeshita’s running knee gets two on Briscoe. Okada is back in to clean house until Cassidy rolls him up for two. The Rainmaker to Cassidy retains the title at 14:59.

Rating: B. This was pretty much all action and that’s what it needed to be. Okada was working well here but Takeshita felt like the star, as he was all over the place and hitting one big move after another. Cassidy taking the fall is fine enough as he tends to react well to adversity. I’m not sure who takes the title from Okada, but he could be holding it for a long time. Now just get Takeshita something of note already as it is long overdue.

We recap Mercedes Mone defending the TBS Title vs. Hikaru Shida. There isn’t much of a story here, especially as Mone has recently beaten Shida.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Hikaru Shida

Shida is challenging. Mone charges at her to start and hammers away but Shida is back up with some running dropkicks. A Brock Lock has Mone in trouble until she gets over to the ropes. Shida’s running knee gets two but Mone is right back with a Meteora for the same. We hit the early chinlock for a bit, followed by the double knees in the corner to put Shida down again. Back up and Shida manages to send her hard into the corner, setting up a middle rope dropkick for two.

The right hands in the corner have Mone in more trouble but she pulls Shida down into the Bank Statement. Shida fights up and they knock each othe down until Shida comes back up with a knee to the head. Mone is fine enough to hit a sunset bomb into the corner for two as things are picking up. The Three Amigos connect but the frog splash hits raised knees. Shida rolls three straight Falcon Arrows for two of her own but the Katana is countered into a dragon screw legwhip.

Shida is back with a German suplex and a running knee for two but her own knee is banged up. That means the Katana doesn’t quite work so she hits it two more times, with Mone rolling out to the floor. They fight over the kendo stick with Mone being pulled into the post but Shida throws the stick down. Instead Shida tries a Meteora but bangs her knee up again, allowing Mone to hit the Mone Maker (which is somehow getting worse) for the pin to retain at 16:29.

Rating: B-. This was getting good near the end but the stuff with the stick felt kind of out of nowhere. The Mone Maker didn’t look like something that would have finished Shida off but Mone insists on sticking with it for whatever reason. Shida couldn’t have felt like much more of a lame duck challenger coming in after Mone beat her last month, so this was only going to have so much drama.

We recap Jack Perry challenging Bryan Danielson for the World Title. Danielson won the title at All In and has said he’s done when he loses. Perry is the first challenger.

AEW World Title: Jack Perry vs. Bryan Danielson

Perry, who rode to the back in his weird car and met with the Young Bucks, is challenging (and his TNT Title isn’t on the line). They fight over a lockup to start with Perry throwing him down and then slipping away from Danielson on the mat. Back up and Danielson charges into an armdrag but Perry goes outside for a breather. Perry gets back in so Danielson starts in on the arm before hitting a powerslam of all things.

The surfboard has Perry in more trouble but he gets outside before Danielson can stomp his head. A dive takes Perry down again instead but he superkicks Danielson out of the air. The fans are all over Perry as he whips Danielson into the barricade. Back in and Perry fires off some hard chops, setting up a neckbreaker for two. Perry goes up but gets caught in a nasty belly to back superplex. Danielson fires off the kicks and spins him into the LeBell Lock until Perry gets a foot on the ropes.

The moonsault over Perry looks to set up the running clothesline but Perry pulls him into what used to be known as the Snare Trap. Perry switches over to Cattle Mutilation, with Danielson slipping out, allowing Perry to hit a German suplex. They head to the apron where Danielson escapes a snapdragon suplex and they strike it out. Danielson suplexes him to the floor and it’s time for the YES Kicks back inside.

Perry pulls him back into the Snare Trap though, with Danielson making the ropes this time. Danielson kicks him in the head but a running dropkick hits the referee by mistake. Cue the Young Bucks to jump Danielson, including the TK Driver. The Blackpool Combat Club runs in to chase the Bucks off, leaving Perry to hit a running knee for two.

Perry stomps away but Danielson gets up and hits a running knee of his own to leave both of them down. They slug it out again until Perry’s slap just fires Danielson up. Danielson strikes him down and hits the running knee for two so Danielson stomps him in the head. Perry gets to his knees and holds his arms out, allowing Danielson to hit another running knee to retain at 27:02.

Rating: B. It was a good match but it was Perry challenging and it’s going to take more to beat Danielson than Perry’s big move of “DO YOU KNOW WHO MY FRIENDS ARE”. In theory this was just because of the short turnaround between All In and All Out, but Perry never felt like a real threat to the title. At least he got to do his pose at the end though, because he’s just that interesting.

Post match Killswitch comes in to lay out Danielson and here is Christian Cage with the Patriarchy. Jon Moxley gets in the way of the cash-in though and the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club (including Pac) has the Patriarchy turning away. Moxley gets in the ring to hug Danielson and the team poses…until Claudio Castagnoli decks Danielson. Moxley whips out a plastic bag to suffocate Danielson as Pac holds Wheeler Yuta (the only one trying to help Danielson) back. Marina Shafir is here to cut off a referee as the fans chant THIS IS MURDER. Moxley lets go and the team leaves as the bag is ripped off and Danielson is given oxygen.

We recap Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland. Page has become obsessed with Strickland after losing to him over and over. They are set for a cage match, but this week Page burned down Strickland’s childhood home to take this to quite a higher level.

Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland

Unsanctioned lights out and you can only win via pinfall, submission or knockout. Prince Nana is here with Swerve but the dancing is a bit subdued in a nice touch. The brawl is on as the cage lowers and Nana whips out a table. A bunch of other weapons are sent in as the cage is lowered and the bell rings. Swerve hammers away but neither can sent the other into the cage. Page gets knocked down and kicked in the head but Strickland takes too long looking at the weapons and gets caught with a German suplex.

With Strickland down, Page grabs a staple gun, which Strickland takes away and staples Page in the back. Strickland staples a picture of his family to Page’s chest and then his face for a bonus. Page tries to go up, earning himself a chair shot to the face. Something like a Death Valley Driver into the cage has Page in more trouble and Strickland chokes away. They both go up top, with Page dropping down to crotch Strickland on the rope. There’s a ram into the cage to rock Strickland again and Page wraps some barbed wire around the cage wall.

Strickland is sent head first into the wire and is busted open as well. The cut is raked over the wire and Page kicks him in the face. Some chair shots have Strickland down again and the referee tries to step in, only for Strickland to flip over him for a Buckshot Lariat to Page. Strickland chairs Page down in the corner and then launches him head first into the chair for a scary crash.

It’s time to bring out a cinder block (oh dear) and Strickland Vertebreakers him onto said block (or at least pretty close to it) for two. The table is set up and a top rope Swerve Stomp drives Page through it in a huge crash. Page pops right back up and hits a Deadeye for two before whipping out a piece of the burned house. Strickland takes that away too and stabs Page in the head but cries as he looks at it. The distraction lets Page powerbomb him onto the cinder block for two and Page slugs away. That takes too long and Strickland is back up with a toss powerbomb into the cage.

The House Call against the cage and a running knee give Strickland two so he goes to the top of the cage. Well he starts to at least as Page is there to powerbomb him back down. Another Deadeye gets two and Page hits him in the head with a chair. Strickland starts laughing at him but falls down again. Page whips out a syringe and drives it through Strickland’s cheek before hitting a TERRIFYING chair shot to the head (with the camera cutting away) for the knockout at 31:21.

Rating: A-. I’m not sure what to say on this one, but I was feeling Page’s utter hatred of Strickland and wanting to destroy him, which is what he did in the end. Strickland was violent as well, but him laughing at Page in the end didn’t quite feel right after the whole arson thing. Page pretty much had to win here so he can finally beat Strickland, but I’m not sure where things can go from here. For now though, an incredibly violent match, albeit with the syringe being a bit weird.

Post match Page leaves, teases coming back, and then screams a lot to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. Yeah this was pretty awesome with nothing close to a bad match and the two big matches more than delivering. At the same time, it was kind of an odd show as there was very little in the way of title changes, but quite a bit in the way of moves such as the Club’s turn and Page getting his big win. It was a great show once I got into it and beyond the rather worthless Zero Hour. Now just give us some time before the next pay per view because this two week turnaround was annoying. Other than that, check this show out as it’s worth a look.

Results
Acclaimed b. Iron Savages – Mic Drop to Bronson
Hologram/Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara b. Premiere Athletes – Final Reckoning to Woods
Bang Bang Gang b. Dark Order – Forward DDT to Uno
Undisputed Kingdom b. Shane Taylor Promotions/The Beast Mortos and Action Andretti/Top Flight – Powerbomb to Andretti
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Daniel Garcia – Jackknife rollup
Young Bucks b. Blackpool Combat Club – Small package to Yuta
Will Ospreay b. Pac – Hidden Blade
Kris Statlander b. Willow Nightingale – Choke with a chain
Kazuchika Okada b. Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe and Konosuke Takeshita – Rainmaker to Cassidy
Mercedes Mone b. Hikaru Shida – Mone Maker
Bryan Danielson b. Jack Perry – Running knee
Hangman Page b. Swerve Strickland via knockout

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