Rampage
Date: January 14, 2022
Location: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina
Commentators: Chris Jericho, Excalibur, Ricky Starks, Taz

We are still in Horsemen Country and that means we should be in for another pretty good night. Rampage has found its groove in recent weeks and now it is time for a Tag Team Title match, as the Dark Order gets the first shot against Jurassic Express. Adam Cole is here too so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Adam Cole vs. Trent Beretta

The Best Friends and all of Adam Cole’s friends are here. They trade chops to start until Beretta tosses him down with a suplex. Back up and Beretta is sent to the floor and then into the barricade to put him in trouble for a change. They go inside again with Cole hitting his own suplex before Beretta is tossed right back to the floor. The Panama Sunrise is countered into a backdrop so Cole sends him into the barricade.

We take a break and come back with Beretta fighting out of a chinlock. A tornado DDT plants Cole and Beretta drops him down again for two each. There’s a German suplex to rock Cole again but he’s right back with a brainbuster onto the knee. Beretta doesn’t seem to mind as he comes back with a piledriver onto the apron.

That doesn’t seem to bother Cole either as he’s back with the Panama Sunrise maybe fifteen seconds later. Another Panama Sunrise is countered into a Saito suplex and a hard clothesline from Beretta. Cole still can’t hit the Panama Sunrise as Beretta reverses into Strong Zero for two. Everyone gets in a fight on the floor, allowing Cole to hit him low. The Boom finishes Beretta at 11:33.

Rating: C+. It’s how you would have expected the match to go but those kickouts and popping up from big moves is about as ridiculous as you can get. Being dropped on your head on the apron is something that should have you down for a few minutes, but here it isn’t even enough time to roll your eyes at how fast someone is getting up. I would say cut that out already, though I think we’re long past the point of that being a realistic possibility.

Thunder Rosa and Mercedes Martinez are ready to hurt each other.

Andrew Everett vs. Shawn Spears

Everett gets sent into the corner but he does a handstand on the corner to escape. Back in and the C4 finishes Everett at 57 seconds. That’s how I like my Spears matches.

Post match Shawn Spears asks if he (meaning CM Punk) is ready the best in the world. Spears doesn’t realize he has crossed a line until he is already over it and all it takes is one swing of his chair. Punk is going to be in the ring with a twenty year veteran and Spears is going to expose him.

We get an Acclaimed music video on Sting and Darby Allin, who the Acclaimed certainly don’t seem to like. They seem to think it’s weird that an old man is friends with a younger man, with references to Sting taking a buckle bomb and Sting having a bat for reasons of compensation.

Leyla Hirsch/Red Velvet/Kris Stadtlander vs. The Bunny/Penelope Ford/Nyla Rose

They’re already in the ring when we come back from the Acclaimed video and it’s Hirsch being sent into the corner for some choking. Rose hits a belly to belly suplex but lets Hirsch get over for the tag to Stadtlander. Bunny comes in and gets taken down with a front facelock, followed by a powerslam for two. An assisted moonsault gives Hirsch two on Bunny so Velvet tags herself in, where Rose runs her over.

We take a break and come back with Rose hitting a chokeslam for two on Velvet, causing Vickie Guerrero to scream at ringside. Rose misses a backsplash though and the hot tag brings in Stadtlander to run Ford over. A sitout gordbuster gives Stadtlander two and the Spider Crab goes on, only to have Guerrero offer a distraction. Bunny kicks Stadtlander in the face for the save but gets caught in a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Stadtlander and Hirsch collide though, allowing Bunny to roll Hirsch up for the pin at 9:13.

Rating: C. This was a bit of a rushed match as they felt like they were packing in a lot of people without much time. Hirsch seems to be teasing a heel turn sooner rather than later and her style could play towards that rather well. The rest of the match was just an exchange of moves, though Stadtlander continues to look like a monster.

Scorpio Sky wants to know why he isn’t getting a TNT Title shot when he is the face of TNT.

Ricky Starks rants about Jay Lethal messing with Team Taz business so here is Lethal to interrupt. Lethal has been watching Starks for a few months now and doesn’t remember him wrestling very much. The challenge is thrown out for an FTW Title match, but Lethal knows Starks has to check with Taz. So whatever Daddy says, do the opposite. Referees have to break it up as Taz goes on a rant about how he doesn’t care what Lethal did in Ring of Honor.

We get the face to face main event interview. The Dark Order bust out some kazoos to play a song about joining them but Christian Cage doesn’t find it funny. Imagine what Jurassic Express is going to do to them tonight. Mark Henry hits his catchphrase, with John Silver mouthing along with him.

Tag Team Titles: Jurassic Express vs. Dark Order

Jurassic Express, with Christian Cage, is defending. Reynolds works on Jungle Boys’ arm to start and armdrags him down. Jungle Boy pops back up with a dropkick and brings in Luchasaurus for a chop. It’s already back to Jungle Boy so Silver gets to come in and toss him around. Silver sends him outside for a big dive and we take a break.

Back with Jungle Boy slipping out of an electric chair and hitting a German suplex on Silver. They all go up top and Luchasaurus comes back in for the Tower of Doom. Luchasaurus is sent outside as well, leaving Dark Order to hit a bunch of shots to Jungle Boy, setting up a German suplex into a jackknife cover for two. A rebound lariat drops Reynolds for two but it’s Luchasaurus coming back in for the Extinction Level Event to finish Reynolds and retain at 12:43.

Rating: B-. It’s good to get the Express their first win, though they had to work rather hard to beat two guys who aren’t exactly known for success in big matches. What matters here though is the champs get a first defense under their new belts and they had to break a sweat in doing so. Good match for a Rampage main event.

Overall Rating: C+. They had another good week, but they really could go for finding a way to slow things down a bit. As usual, this show felt really rushed, with stuff like the fast commercials and coming back from one segment with the bell for the next match ringing almost immediately. It feels like I’m trying to catch my breath too often around here and that isn’t exactly how a show should be making you feel. What they’re doing overall is good, as was the case here, but some tweaking could make it even better.

Results
Adam Cole b. Trent Beretta – Boom
Shawn Spears b. Andrew Everett – C4
The Bunny/Penelope Ford/Nyla Rose b. Leyla Hirsch/Kris Stadtlander/Red Velvet – Rollup to Hirsch
Jurassic Express b. Dark Order – Extinction Level Event to Reynolds

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: January 5, 2022
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

It’s the debut on TBS and that means it is time for a stacked card. We have a TBS Title match, a Tag Team Title match, and a rematch of last month’s instant classic between Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson for the World Title. This time around there are going to be judges though, and that should work. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

AEW World Title: Bryan Danielson vs. Hangman Page

Page is defending and there are three judges in case we hit the sixty minute time limit, with Mark Henry, Jerry Lynn and Paul Wight at ringside. They take their time to start and Danielson runs away a few times. Back in and Danielson dodges away again, allowing him to get in some more jumping jacks. That’s enough for Page, who sends him outside again and this time takes Danielson down.

Back in and the big dive is countered with a toss into the barricade for a hard crash. Danielson starts going after the arm to weaken the Buckshot Lariat and snaps it over his own shoulder. Back up and Page manages to knock him to the apron, where a springboard clothesline sends Danielson outside. They’re right back in this time and a top rope clothesline has Danielson in more trouble.

Danielson is fine enough to backdrop Page to the floor to set up his own dive. That’s fine with Page, who reverses into a belly to belly suplex. Danielson is able to send him into the steps though and Page is busted open. We take a break and come back with Danielson unloading on the head before switching to a cross armbreaker. Page breaks out of that in a hurry and hits a Death Valley Driver for a breather.

A German suplex gives Page two and he loads up a vertical version, only to fall over the ropes and out to the floor. They stick the landing though and Page gets posted hard. Page pulls him into the post to even it up though and does it again for a bonus to bust Danielson open. This time Page gets in some jumping jacks and we take another break. Back again with Danielson knocking Page off the top but charging into the Deadeye on the floor.

They head inside again and Danielson snaps on the LeBell Lock. That’s broken up as well and Page catapults him over the top, where Danielson can’t skin the cat. Danielson heads to the floor so Page hits a huge moonsault to take him out. Back in and the Buckshot Lariat misses, allowing Danielson to hit the running knee for two. A cradle piledriver (ala Jerry Lynn) gets two on Page so Danielson goes after the knee. Page manages to slip out and hits Danielson around the head to knock him a bit sillier. A hard belly to back suplex sets up the Buckshot Lariat to retain the title at 29:05.

Rating: A-. I liked this one more than the first version, as it was a tighter match and didn’t feel like they were killing time. It also got started faster and the blood made things feel that much more intense. This was the physical, hard hitting match that they needed to have and I got into it from the start. Now Page can move on to whoever else, with more than a few options out there. Danielson can go away for a few weeks and come back with a new target, which should work out well for everyone. Heck of a match here.

The Acclaimed don’t like Sting messing with them and will have a music video next week.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Shawn Dean

The bell rings but here is CM Punk to chase MJF off at the bell. Dean isn’t sure what’s going on but Punk kicks him in the ribs and hits the GTS for the DQ (Has AEW ever done that?) at 47 seconds.

Post match MJF wants to know what’s up with that but Punk says that doesn’t do MJF’s record any favors. MJF isn’t happy and says Punk is right back where he started because he knows without MJF, he is nothing. It was MJF that made his relevant (Tony: “I call bull**** on that.”) after Punk sold Tony Khan a bill of goods. Punk is just angry guy who runs his mouth a lot, like when MJF compared himself to Roddy Piper.

MJF wants to know if PG Punk thinks he’s as good as Piper, because Piper was actually good enough to main event a Wrestlemania. Maybe if MJF doesn’t start getting some more respect around here, maybe he can main event a Wrestlemania too. All Punk wants to do is beat MJF up so get in here and let’s do it right now.

Punk tells him to go to the greener pastures and main event night four of a buy one get one free extravaganza and then get released faster than he lasts in the sack. MJF says we’ll do it next week, when it’s Punk vs……Wardlow. Punk says he and Piper would fight anyone at any time, but MJF is going to run out of people to hide behind and then get put to sleep. This was less about taking jabs at each other and more about venom, which was a good step forward.

Here’s Chris Jericho for a chat. Jericho is glad to be back on TBS, where he hasn’t been since April 1999, when he lost to Booker T. on Thunder. Jericho: “I think he cheated.” Last week, Jericho came out here while Eddie Kingston was in the ring, but he wasn’t here to save Kingston. It was to take out 2.0, so here are 2.0 to interrupt. Jericho: “Ladies and gentlemen, Terrence and Phillip.”

Jericho says they have a square head that looks like a Post-It. That’s not cool, so he goes with Pinhead instead. Jericho goes back and forth between Pinhead and Squarehead before going outside to grab Floyd. Daniel Garcia sneaks in to jump Jericho though and the beatdown is on. Cue Eddie Kingston, Santana and Ortiz and the villains are cleared out. Jericho isn’t sure about that save.

We look at Jake Atlas debuting on Dark: Elevation and getting signed as a result.

Adam Cole is with a less than enthusiastic Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish to talk about Atlas signing with AEW. Maybe we should have Cole vs. Atlas on Rampage to remind everyone that Cole is the guy people are talking about. Cole can even buy him a one way ticket back to Orlando. As usual, Brandon Cutler has some issues cutting the camera.

Wardlow vs. Antonio Zambrano

Shawn Spears is here with Wardlow and gives Zambrano a Death Valley Driver on the floor. The Powerbomb Symphony finishes Zambrano at 1:23.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. Ruby Soho

For the inaugural title and Mark Sterling is here with Cargill. Jade powers her around to start and Soho thinks she might need another plan. That doesn’t seem to work very well as Soho is sent outside in a hurry, but here is Mercedes Martinez to yell. Cue Thunder Rosa to fight Martinez to the back and we take an early break. Back with Rosa managing an STO and kicking away at Cargill’s leg.

That earns her a heck of a shoulder breaker for two though and Soho is right back in trouble. A belly to back suplex gets Soho out of trouble so Sterling gets up on the apron. That’s good for an ejection so Cargill tries Jaded, which is reversed into a rollup for two. The Soho Kick gets two more so Soho takes her up top. Cargill is fine enough to counter into a super Jaded and Soho is done at 11:13.

Rating: D+. This wasn’t exactly a shock as Cargill felt like the favorite to win the tournament from the beginning. Cargill is a good beast to slay, but Soho has to actually win something at some point. You can only get so far on potential and charisma, and Soho is getting dangerously close to reaching that pint. Give her something already, even if it’s just winning a big grudge match.

Serena Deeb sits down with Jim Ross and says she’s done with trying to have respectful matches with Hikaru Shida. Now it’s about hurting Shida, because this has gone too far. No one is on her level and she will prove that next week when she faces Shida.

Malakai Black vs. Brian Pillman Jr.

Julia Hart is here with Pillman. Black runs him over to start but Pillman takes it to the floor for a running dropkick through the ropes. We take a break and come back with Black charging into a boot to the face. A suplex gives Pillman two but he falls off the top on the Air Pillman attempt. Black Mass finishes for Black at 6:02.

Rating: D+. The time killed this one as there is only so much that can be done in such a short amount of time. Black kicked his head off for the win, though I’m not sure why Pillman fell off the top. I’m going to go with he just slipped (intentionally) but it was a bit of an awkward way to get to the finish.

Post match Hart gets in to check on Pillman, but here are the Lucha Bros for the save. The lights go out and Black winds up on the ramp while the Bros are in the ring….and that’s it.

Britt Baker mocks Ruby Soho for losing again but Soho says that’s funny coming from someone who can’t win without help. Soho brings up Baker not being able to beat Riho so Baker decks her. Cue Riho for the pull apart brawl.

QT Marshall and Aaron Solo are ready for Hook on Friday. Hook was at QT’s school and never did anything but eat chips and stretch people. Solo says stretch him if you can, survive if he lets you.

Tag Team Titles: Lucha Bros vs. Jurassic Express

The Express, with Christian Cage, is challenging. Fenix and Jungle Boy fight over a test of strength to start before trading rollups for two each. Everyone comes in for an early staredown until Luchasaurus and Penta kick the other two away. Penta takes his glove off and shoves his hand into Luchasaurus’ mask. The chops stagger Luchasaurus but he hits one that takes Penta down.

Jungle Boy is back in to wristlock both of them but they all wind up holding hands, with Jungle Boy and Fenix springboarding into a double wristdrag. JR is glad that two of them got out of the ring but Luchasaurus is back in to take the Bros down. Back up and Penta kicks Luchasaurus in the back of the head so Jungle Boy comes back in to clean house. Penta is sent outside but he throws Jungle Boy onto the apron so Fenix can run the top rope to kick him in the head.

We take a break and come back with Luchasaurus running over the champs. Penta gets put in a fireman’s carry and Jungle Boy jumps over him for a super Canadian Destroyer on Fenix. Back up and Fenix goes up top on the middle of the ropes for his own Canadian Destroyer on Luchasaurus. Made In Japan gets two on Jungle Boy and the spike Fear Factor is loaded up…and the lights go out (JR complains). They come back up with nothing having changed so Luchasaurus breaks up the spike Fear Factor on the apron.

With that cut off, Penta drapes Jungle Boy on the top and hits his own spike Fear Factor on the apron as Fenix dives onto Luchasaurus. Back in and another spike Fear Factor gets two on Jungle Boy so it’s time for a table. Christian Cage chases Alex Abrahantes off and it’s Luchasaurus chokeslamming Fenix through the table (Where his arm bends COMPLETE THE WRONG WAY. That thing is either broken or totally dislocated.). That leaves Penta to try Made In Japan on Jungle Boy, who reverses into a cradle for the pin and the titles at 14:03.

Rating: C+. The title change is huge of course but that arm injury was one of the scariest things I’ve seen in a long time. I wouldn’t bet on Fenix being back in the ring for a good long while because that looked awful. As for the rest of the match….dang these things are starting to lose their charm. It has almost nothing to do with an actual tag match and is all about flying around with little more than one big spot after another. They start running together in a hurry and that’s what happened here. The matches are very athletic, but don’t bother if you’re looking for what could have been a better match.

Chris Jericho and Malakai Black are (separately) watching from the crowd. A bunch of tag teams come out to glare at the new champs.

Overall Rating: B-. This show started off great and then went downhill pretty steeply as there wasn’t much else to see on it. Punk vs. MJF was good, but the rest of the matches left a good bit to be desired. The big title change at the end was a cool moment, but you can only get so much out of it when you have Fenix screaming in pain on the floor. They went with their biggest thing first and it was great, though there was nowhere else to go after. That can be a problem and it wound up hurting the rest of the show.

Results
Hangman Page b. Bryan Danielson – Buckshot Lariat
Shawn Dean b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman via DQ when CM Punk interfered
Wardlow b. Antonio Zambrano – Powerbomb Symphony
Jade Cargill b. Ruby Soho – Super Jaded
Malakai Black b. Brian Pillman Jr. – Black Mass
Jurassic Express b. Lucha Bros – Cradle to Penta El Zero Miedo

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: December 22, 2021
Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re back with yet another special show, this time in the form of Holiday Bash. That should make for another big card, though this time around the major draw is Sting being back in Greensboro. I’m still not sure why that should matter to anyone but the live audience, though seeing Sting team with CM Punk and Darby Allin against MJF and FTR should be fun. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Orange Cassidy vs. Adam Cole

They stare each other down to start and trade headlock takeovers. Cassidy grabs a rollup for two and it’s right back to the mat, with Cassidy bouncing out of a headscissors. Cole kicks him down again and grabs a chinlock as they keep fighting for minor victories to start. Cassidy fights up again and grabs some rollups for two each. Back up and Cole hits a Backstabber out of the corner, setting up a hard whip into another corner to put Cassidy in trouble.

Cassidy blocks a superplex attempt and hits a high crossbody into the tornado DDT. Cue the Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler, with Cassidy diving onto the latter. The Best Friends run out to take care of them but the distraction lets Cole send Cassidy into the steps. The Boom only hits steps though and we take a break.

Back with Cole winning a slugout, setting up the brainbuster onto the knee for two. Another one is countered into the Stundog Millionaire though and Cassidy grabs a top rope DDT for the same. Cole kicks him down again but gets small packaged for two more anyway. Another superkick rocks Cassidy and the Panama Sunrise sets up a cover, with Cole’s hands in the trunks, for two. The Boom misses though and Cassidy hits Beach Break for another near fall. Cue Bobby Fish for a distraction though and it’s the debuting Kyle O’Reilly to strike away at Cassidy. Now the Boom can connect to finish Cassidy at 17:04.

Rating: B. These guys were working hard here and the O’Reilly debut is going to get some interest. I almost bought the idea of Cassidy getting the win off the Beach Break too so well done on the tease. This was a pretty awesome match and I wouldn’t have bet on that so call this a very nice surprise.

Post match the Best Friends come back in but get taken down in a hurry, including the High/Low from Fish and O’Reilly. The Young Bucks come down and don’t seem to have known this was coming. Cole, O’Reilly and Fish leave together.

Video on Hangman Page vs. Bryan Danielson’s classic last week. The rematch is on January 5.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat. Page talks about how hard he fought last week but at the end, he had never felt less like a champion. Cue Bryan Danielson to cut him off and call Page an entitled millennial cowboy. Danielson beat him up for sixty minutes and should be the champ. He would have won, but he was a bit injured after that match with Evil Uno. Therefore, Danielson is not going to wrestle again until January 5 so he can take the title as he should.

But what if Page stalls again and retains off another draw? Danielson wants judges, who will guaranteed that he wins because he is clearly better. Page thought of a variety of options from a ladder match to a cage match to an inferno match, but it is clear that something needs to be different. He was three seconds away from winning, so sure the judges are fine. Just make sure the judges are paid off in advance because Danielson isn’t going to win. Page has given way too much for this title to be told that he isn’t good enough, or a B+ player. Can Page beat him in less than an hour? YES. More Danielson greatness.

The Pinnacle has a meeting and MJF wants to know why Wardlow didn’t have the champagne ready in time last week so he could have protected MJF from CM Punk. MJF sees right through Punk saving Sting because that good guy mask is slipping off faster than Sting’s Krusty the Clown makeup. FTR has no problem with Sting but now he is coming after the kings of wrestling. Now it’s time for the kings to destroy him.

Shawn Dean vs. Wardlow

Four powerbombs finish Dean in 1:12.

Post match, Shawn Spears comes in to chair Dean down.

Video on Cody vs. Sammy Guevara for the TNT Title on Christmas night.

Dan Lambert and the Men of the Year are in the balcony to talk about leadership. Lambert doesn’t think much about the people who run this company. On the other hand, he runs the best MMA gym in the world and has to make the right decisions to keep things fair. Tony Khan is the flip side of that: if you’re his friend you’re an executive vice president, but if you’re not his friend, you’re stuck in the midcard.

Look at what Khan has tasked him with doing: get people to cheer Cody Rhodes. Instead, Lambert wants the Men of the Year to face the winner of Guevara vs. Rhodes for the TNT Title. Lambert continues to be great, even with the inside wrestling stuff. That’s kind of the point, but he goes a bit too far with it at times.

We go to Britt Baker’s Christmas party, complete with her lackeys and Tony Schiavone. She isn’t worried about never beating Riho because she is bigger, stronger and better. Then she’ll prove that she is the best around, meaning we can hit the catchphrase.

Video on the Owen Hart tournaments, meaning a lot of clips of Owen, with the wrestlers talking about how much of an inspiration/influence he really was. The home movie stuff was rather cool.

TBS Title Tournament Semifinals: Nyla Rose vs. Ruby Soho

Vickie Guerrero is here with Rose, who jumps Soho on the way in. Soho’s jacket gets pulled over her head so Rose can hammer away, setting up a face rake. Back up and Soho cranks away on an armbar but can’t hit an STO. A powerbomb doesn’t work for Rose so she blasts Soho with a clothesline instead. They head outside with Soho winning a slugout but missing a charge into the steps (thanks to Vickie pulling Rose out of the way).

We take a break and come back with Soho hitting a bunch of clotheslines into a tornado DDT for two. Rose grabs a chair but gets it knocked into her face for the big knockout shot. Vickie shoves Soho off the top though, allowing Rose to hit the top rope knee to the back for two. Rose sends her shoulder first into the buckle to bang it up even worse. Some kind of a slam is countered into a dragon sleeper though, drawing Vickie up to the apron. The referee doesn’t see Rose tap but Soho lets go anyway. The powerbomb gives Rose two so she goes up, only to get pulled into the Soho Kick (cool) for the pin at 10:27.

Rating: C+. Pretty good stuff here, though the tournament has dragged on for so long that I’ve lost almost all interest in the thing. I’m glad to see Soho win though, as she could be a heck of a first champion, especially if it means handing Jade Cargill her first loss. Rose is a good obstacle to overcome and she looked like a monster here, as usual.

Video on Serena Deeb vs. Hikaru Shida, with the former saying it will never be over.

Malakai Black vs. Griff Garrison

Brian Pillman Jr. is here with Garrison, who charges into a kick to the face to start. Black goes after Pillman instead but the delay lets Garrison come back with a suicide dive. The head back in and Black grabs a kneebar to send Garrison over to the ropes. Back in and Black strikes away but Garrison kicks him in the face. A rolling elbow knocks Black down again but he rocks Garrison with an awesome looking jumping knee to the face. Black Mass is loaded up but Black would rather take out the knee, setting up a half crab for the tap at 3:15.

Rating: C. Those strikes from Black were vicious and this is the only way the match should have gone. Black is head and shoulders above the Blonds and there was no reason for this to be competitive. Sometimes that’s the best way to go, even if Garrison was fighting on emotion for revenge here.

Post match, Pillman tries to come in and gets his head kicked off.

We look at Jurassic Express and the Lucha Bros’ staredown from Rampage.

Matt Hardy wants Private Party to be the new #1 contenders. As for Jurassic Express, Isaiah Kassidy wants to spend Christmas pounding Jungle Boy.

Jungle Boy is fine with the challenge. Christian Cage tells people to get their new Christmas shirt.

Here’s what’s coming over the next few shows.

CM Punk/Sting/Darby Allin vs. FTR/Maxwell Jacob Friedman

We get the MJF vs. Punk (in Sting face paint/gear) showdown to start so they circle each other…and MJF tags out without doing anything. Commentary knew that was coming as Dax Harwood comes in to feel Punk out a bit. The amateur off goes nowhere so Punk slaps him into the corner. Wheeler comes in and gets slammed so Allin can come in and knock Wheeler into the corner. It’s off to MJF, who runs away from Punk again and tags Wheeler right back in.

Sting (with CM Punk face paint/gear) gets to come in and cranks away on the arm but it’s too early for the Scorpion. A meeting on the floor means MJF can come in, only to bail from the Punk threat. Punk chases him into the crowd and they circle around the arena until they’re back at ringside. Back in and MJF’s diving tag hands it off to Harwood but Allin dives onto all three of them.

We take a break and come back with Allin in trouble and Wheeler spitting water in Punk’s face to mess with him even more. A bunch of stomping sets up a hard slam on Allin but he avoids a charge in the corner. Allin slams Wheeler down and dives over to Sting for the hot tag. Stinger Splashes abound but Wheeler breaks up the Deathlock and we take another break.

Back again with Sting fighting out of an abdominal stretch and hitting the falling headbutt low blow on MJF. Tony wants to see a hundred replays as Punk comes in to clean house. Punk’s high crossbody gets two on Wheeler and a swinging neckbreaker gets the same on Harwood. The top rope elbow takes too long though and Punk gets crotched, setting up a slugout with Harwood on top. Now the superplex can connect, with Wheeler turning it into the PowerPlex for a rather near fall.

Allin is back up (sans tag) to clean house but Punk kicks Harwood in the head for a double knockdown. They get back up for a slugout until the GTS is loaded up. That’s countered into the Big Rig but Sting makes the save. MJF’s DDT has no effect on Sting, who crotches MJF on the ropes. MJF gets tossed over the top onto FTR and lands ON HIS HEAD (with Wheeler and the referee immediately checking on him). Thankfully he’s ok enough for Sting to dive off the top onto all three of them for the huge crash. Back in and the GTS into the Death Drop into the Coffin Drop finishes Harwood at 25:53.

Rating: A-. This was an absolute blast and a great time in a match that felt like a house show main event. It got time, it had star power and the big spots all worked. Just all kinds of fun here and the ending with Harwood taking a huge beating for the loss was great. One thing though: AEW has to find some way to cut down on the near horrible botches, as MJF almost landed on his head on the floor. That happens way, way, WAY too often around here and people have already gotten hurt in something similar. Find a way to cut that out, immediately.

Overall Rating: A-. The opener and main event were very good to great, the Danielson/Page promo worked and there wasn’t a bad thing on the show. I had a great time with this show and it was one of the better Dynamites to date. If there is one thing AEW knows how to do, it is let the fans have a great time for two hours and that is what they did here. Great show and worth checking out, especially that main event.

Results
Adam Cole b. Orange Cassidy – Boom
Wardlow b. Shawn Dean – Powerbomb
Ruby Soho b. Nyla Rose – Soho Kick
Malakai Black b. Griff Garrison – Half crab
Sting/CM Punk/Darby Allin b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman/FTR – Coffin Drop to Harwood

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: October 27, 2021
Location: Agganis Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re closing out October and that means Full Gear is coming up next month. Most of the card is either already booked or pretty obvious (Tony Khan’s notebook is available if you need some pointers) but we still need to fill in some gaps. As for tonight, it’s CM Punk’s in-ring Dynamite debut against Bobby Fish. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

CM Punk vs. Bobby Fish

It’s Fish’s birthday and Punk’s birthday was yesterday for a bit of trivia. JR says Fish is an 18 year veteran so he won’t be blown out of the water. Always good for a Fish. Feeling out process to start with Fish going after the leg and pulling him down into a chinlock. Punk fights up and fires off knees in the corner, setting up the slow motion slams, which he has somehow turned into a thing.

Fish kicks the leg out again though and scores with a slingshot hilo for two. Punk fights up and sends him outside for the suicide dive. Back up and Fish takes the knee out again though and it’s a running elbow to the jaw back inside. The knee gets spun around a few times and Fish knocks him outside, where Punk fires off some forearms. Fish gets the better of the slugout though and they head back in but Fish’s superplex is broken up.

Punk is back with the (one legged) top rope elbow drop and they’re both down. A swinging neckbreaker rocks Fish and the running knee in the corner makes it even worse. The GTS is countered into a twist of the knee though and Fish hits a running basement clothesline. Fish goes for the leg again but Punk pulls him into a jackknife for two. They slowly bridge up and Punk grabs the GTS with the bad knee. That means a delayed cover for the pin at 13:14 (with Fish kicking out at about 3.01 seconds).

Rating: B. Is it a surprise that this was a good match? You have two people who can work the same style well enough and both guys seem like they want to prove themselves. Fish worked on the knee throughout and the just too late kickout showed how Punk barely won. Solid match with a good story, and that shouldn’t be a surprise.

Malakai Black says that his match with Cody Rhodes wasn’t about a pinfall, because he has divided the Nightmare Family.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Bryce Donovan

Wardlow and Shawn Spears are here with MJF. The beating is on in a hurry and the Heatseeker finishes Donovan at 34 seconds.

Post match MJF, who isn’t even sweating, says Boston is exactly as he remembers it, which isn’t a good thing. You just got to see him do what he does best: pin shoulders to the mats and bang rats, but he’ll skip the second half, because he’d rather deal with a blender than a Boston woman. The accents are disgusting, and speaking of disgusting, we have Darby Allin. After the Allin chants, MJF explains breaking Allin’s spirit, along with knocking out the creepy papi Sting.

It’s the same ring he used to knock out Hangman Page, so with Allin out of the picture, it’s time to fulfill his destiny. Cue the Sting entrance…..but MJF is just messing with us. Then the lights go out, but this one isn’t him. We see a black and white video of a man in an MJF mask and then Darby Allin beats up a man at what seems to be a concert. Cue Sting with a baseball bat to take out Wardlow and Spears, but MJF gets out. Allin is in the crowd as the Invisible Man, so it’s time for the big beatdown on Wardlow and Spears instead. Allin says cut the music and the challenge is on for Full Gear.

Tony Schiavone tells Britt Baker that since she walked out on a match with Abadon on the Chris Jericho Cruise, she has to face Abadon in a Trick Or Treat match on Rampage. The treat is that if Abadon wins, she gets a future title shot and the trick is that it’s No DQ. Baker isn’t happy, but she has some tricks of her own.

TNT Title: Sammy Guevara vs. Ethan Page

Guevara is defending and if he wins, he gets to pick the rest of American Top Team in the big tag match at Full Gear. If he loses though, he loses the title and is out of the Inner Circle. It’s a brawl before the bell and Sammy knees him to the floor, setting up the big flip dive. They head inside for the opening bell with Sammy busting out some more flips into a dropkick to Page. Sammy strikes away and throws Page in the corner for a kick to the back. Page crotches him on top though and Sammy is knocked outside for a crash.

We take a break and come back with Sammy striking away. A springboard cutter into the Spanish Fly gets two on Page, who falls out to the floor. Sammy isn’t about to let him stand out there and hits a shooting star clothesline from the top for the big crash. Back in and Page gets in a shot of his own and heads up top, where he slams Sammy back down (that’s a new one). The super Ego’s Edge is countered into a hurricanrana though and Guevara grabs a jackknife pin to retain at 10:58.

Rating: B-. Guevara is just fun to watch and that is often more than enough to get by. There is something about watching a good high flier flying around rather high and that’s what you get with Guevara. Page is a good opponent as well and they had a nice match with some time, making it a nice title defense.

Post match Page beats Guevara down and Scorpio Sky runs in to help. Cue the Inner Circle (with music and pyro) for the save. After the music plays again, Jericho mocks the Men of the Year and now the ten man tag is going to be a street fight. We’ll pick the American Top Team members next week, but for now, we get some Aerosmith lyrics so Jericho can promise a beating at Full Gear.

Eddie Kingston gets in Bryan Danielson’s face to threaten him for their #1 contenders tournament match. Kingston walks off before Danielson can reply, but Danielson says that’s the Kingston he wants to face. There are so many people who have made it through all of the garbage and keep working hard. Kingston and Jon Moxley are the toughest wrestlers in the world, but on Friday, Danielson is proving that he is the best.

The Lucha Bros accept FTR’s challenge for the Tag Team Title match at Full Gear. Yelling ensues.

TBS Title Tournament First Round: Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb

Rematch from a few weeks ago when Deeb upset Shida, which set up a brawl the next week. Deeb takes her down to start and wraps Shida’s knee around the post. Shida sends her head first into the post though and manages a superplex to bring Deeb back inside for two. We take a break and come back with Shida hammering away to take over. The missile dropkick sets up a delayed vertical suplex for two but Deeb counters a powerbomb. That’s fine with Shida, who snaps off a dragon suplex.

Something like a sitout Dominator gives Shida two and a running knee is good for the same. The Katana is blocked and Deeb is back with a twist of the knee. What looked to be a Figure Four is kicked away to send Deeb outside but she breaks up the springboard off the chair. Since Shida couldn’t possibly do something with a running start but no chair, she uses the steps as a springboard into the missile dropkick instead.

Shida tweaks her own knee though and Deeb puts on something like the Figure Four around the post. Back in and Shida’s knee is fine enough to hit a question mark kick but the running knee is countered into a half crab. An inverted Figure Four sends Shida over to the rope so Deeb grabs the trophy that Shida would have received for her 50th win. Shida kicks it away and picks the trophy up but can’t bring herself to swing. A rake to the eyes lets Deeb roll her up for two but Shida is back with a cradle and the pin at 11:00.

Rating: B. They had me with the drama here as I really wasn’t sure who was going to win. That’s a great sign as Deeb continues to be one of the best wrestlers going today and can work well with just about anyone. I’m not sure if I wouldn’t have gone with Deeb winning here to make her Shida’s Kryptonite, but it’s not like this was a bad call whatsoever.

Post match Deeb snaps and destroys Shida’s knee with the chair, setting up the Serenity Lock.

Since Mike Sydal is injured, Dante Martin will face Matt Sydal instead of the planned tag match. Lio Rush says it just wasn’t the right time so his in-ring debut will be postponed. Rush promises that Matt will learn again at Rampage. Martin continues to look bored.

World Title Eliminator Tournament First Round: Jon Moxley vs. 10

Moxley throws him down to start and hits a running forearm to knock him outside. That’s not enough so Moxley bites at his head and sends 10 into the post for a hard crash. Back in and the bloody 10 manages a pump kick, only to get run over again. The Paradigm Shift finishes 10 at 2:02. That’s what it should have been.

Tully Blanchard and FTR have hit the reset button and they are ready to take out the Lucha Bros again.

Here is Cody Rhodes, with Arn Anderson for a chat. Cody talks about how he has heard the booing and ready about it online (even from retired wrestling managers). Last week, he hit Malakai Black with the Cross Rhodes and then a Tiger Driver 98, but he almost did something else (meaning the piledriver). That would have been the easy way to go but he wasn’t going to take that road. Of course you can boo him because it’s easy to boo the guy who signs the checks.

Just remember that he helped build the bank. Cody takes his shoes off and throws them into the crowd so they can know what it’s like to be in them. He has a wife who is way too hot for him, a brother who is better in this ring than he is, and a father whose legacy he could never match, even if he lived to be 300 years old. Cody: “I will not turn.” Cody talks about how much he loves all of these people, everyone in the Nightmare Family, and Arn Anderson, who gets a handshake.

Cue Andrade El Idolo, who says he doesn’t care about the people. Andrade talks about Cody’s stupid choices, including that tattoo. Then Cody got in Andrade’s business and now he can make Cody his little b****. The showdown is on but the lights go out. Cue Malakai Black for the beatdown, including on Arn, but Pac runs in for the save. The villains bail from the threat of the big dive.

Dark Order vs. Super Elite

It’s Stu Grayson/John Silver/Evil Uno/Colt Cabana vs. Kenny Omega/Young Bucks/Adam Cole and yes, the Order is in Halloween costumes. Not to be outdone, the Super Elite are the Ghostbusters (with a personalized theme), complete with a goon as a walking baby and another as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Silver (Bambi) shoves Cole around to start and hits a headbutt. Cowboy Evil Uno comes in but it’s off to Omega, who is wearing a Proton Pack, to hammer on Uno in the corner.

Uno splashes the pack by mistake though and the baby hits a splash. Matt comes in and gets ridden like a horse, setting up a splash from Grayson (Kratos from God of War) and cold spray from Cabana (Brandon Cutler). A quadruple slam plants the Elite and the Order gets in a group pose as we take a break.

Back with Grayson cleaning house and managing to beat up all of the Elite at once. Cabana comes in and gets to clean house with elbows and Flying Apples but Nick finally superkicks him into the corner. That means the tag off to Silver to clean house again, until more superkicks take him down. A group superkick gets two with Uno making the save and getting to beat up the Elite this time.

We hit the parade of strikes to the face until Matt takes out the referee by mistake. Nightfall is broken up and Grayson gets hit low, setting up a triple low blow to take down the rest of the Order. The Proton Packs go on (JR is not having this) and crash into the Order, setting up the TripleBomb (Is that some weird shot at Roman Reigns?) onto the packs.

Cue a horse (who was in the Order’s entrance but left) and the big beatdown is on. The mask comes off and it’s Brandon Cutler, with his mouth taped up. That means Hangman Page is the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (JR: “Let’s have some cowboy shiznit here in Boston!”) and the Dead Eye plants Omega. The Spin Doctor gives Silver the pin on Matt at 13:00.

Rating: B-. I’m really not sure what to think of this. They did a nice job with the surprise from Page and the team did win, but I rolled my eyes fairly hard at another costume/parody deal (though it is the week of Halloween). Omega has not shown the slightest bit or worry coming up on his match with Page and that is taking me out of the whole thing a good bit. It’s nice to see the Dark Order FINALLY win something over these guys, but dang it would be nice to have something played straight for once.

Overall Rating: A-. This is the kind of show that makes Dynamite shine, as they had one awesome match after another. Two things stood out to me here and both of them had me thinking about the glory days of NXT. First of all, commentary does a good job of focusing on things. While they will talk about things coming up or on sale dates for tickets, the majority of their focus is on what is in front of them and that makes things feel so much more important.

Second, they have started having some shorter matches. There was no reason for Moxley vs. 10 to go on long and they didn’t even pretend it would be anything else. They went with logic instead of stretching things out, which was a problem they have had in the past. Both of those helped make the show that much better, and this was a pretty great week.

Results
CM Punk b. Bobby Fish – GTS
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Bryce Donovan – Heatseeker
Sammy Guevara b. Ethan Page – Jackknife cover
Hikaru Shida b. Serena Deeb – Rollup
Jon Moxley b. 10 – Paradigm Shift
Dark Order b. Super Elite – Spin Doctor to Matt Jackson

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

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

AND

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

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

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

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

Opening sequence.

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

Adam Cole vs. Frankie Kazarian

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dante Martin/Matt Sydal vs. FTR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jade Cargill vs. Leyla Hirsch

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

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

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

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

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

Shawn Spears vs. Darby Allin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matt Hardy wants to shave Orange Cassidy’s head.

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

Jon Moxley/Eddie Kingston vs. 2.0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: September 8, 2021
Location: Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re in for a special one this week as it is the All Out fallout show, which will feature a bunch of wrestlers making their Dynamite debuts, or at least making a special appearance. The next major show is Grand Slam in two weeks and that is going to require some building up. Let’s get to it.

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

Note that I was in the arena for this show, sitting in the lower section, directly opposite the entrance ramp.

Opening sequence.

All Out recap video. Dang that was a show.

Dustin Rhodes vs. Malakai Black

Dustin is fighting for his family/multiple stable mates who have been taken out by Black. They start fast with Dustin hammering him into the corner and snapping off a German suplex out of said corner. Dustin takes it to the floor and keeps pounding but Black drops him hard through a table to put him in trouble. The referee goes to check on him so Black takes off a turnbuckle pad. Back in and Black knees him in the ribs before grabbing a chinlock, which looked like it was supposed to be something else. Black switches over to a kneebar but Dustin gets over to the rope without much effort.

Back up and Black kicks the knee out for two but Dustin fights back up with right hands. The scoop powerslam….seems to be mistimed, as Black holds the rope but Dustin snaps over anyway. Another attempt works better, even if Black is back up at two. Dustin hammers away in the corner but Black kicks the knee out again.

With Dustin down, it’s time to go outside and grab Cody Rhodes’ boot. Dustin gets up, blocks the Black Mass, and strikes away. The Canadian Destroyer out of the corner rocks Black for two and we hit the YOU STILL GOT IT chants. Black slips out of a suplex though and kicks the leg out, sending Dustin into the exposed buckle. Black Mass (to the arm) finishes Dustin at 9:56.

Rating: B-. They told a story here, as Dustin was in over his head but kept right on fighting because he is out to defend his family’s honor. That’s the kind of thing that Dustin would do no matter what and he was trying his hardest here. There were a few messy spots here and there, but Black continues his dominance on the road to the big rematch with Cody Rhodes.

The Lucha Bros are happy to FINALLY be the Tag Team Champions and it took a lot of blood to get here. If anyone is willing to suffer, come try and get them.

Eddie Kingston talks about Miro cheating to beat him and knows that despite what Miro said, God doesn’t play favorites.

Miro says he is going to offer Kingston’s broken bones to his wife and his soul to God.

Here is CM Punk to a crazy ovation for a chat. Punk thanks the fans for being there and has been asked if he can still do this. It feels like being on a violent bicycle, but a YOU STILL GOT IT chant cuts it off. Punk says we also have Minoru Suzuki vs. Jon Moxley in a main event that he is going to be watching as a wrestling fan. Hold on though as Punk needs to say that Aunt Linda (who raised Brian Pillman Jr. and in the front row) really is an angel.

As for All Out, we saw the debuts of Ruby Soho, Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson, the latter of whom has the fans’ attention. After All Out, Punk texted his wife April, who asked what was next. Maybe Punk should leave it up to the fans to decide what he does next. The chants are on, and the fans suggest Moxley and Pillman but Taz of all people interrupts from commentary. Punk: “Out of respect, I’ll let you speak but don’t ever interrupt me again.”

Taz is tired of this Punk love fest and doesn’t want to hear Punk about Team Taz ever again. Cue Hook and Powerhouse Hobbs as Taz says Punk has been bringing up the team in interviews and on podcasts. Punk says send Ricky Starks, Hook or Hobbs. All of them can beat Punk if they can and survive if they he lets them (Taz’s ECW catchphrase). Punk goes outside to hug Aunt Linda and highs a lot of fives. This was a heck of a segment and Punk is about as comfortable on the mic as anyone in the world right now.

Santana and Ortiz have beaten FTR and now they want the Tag Team Titles.

Ruby Soho has issued an open challenge and Jamie Hayter has accepted. Cue Britt Baker, Rebel and Hayter to say that Soho will be forgotten after she loses tonight. Soho: “Hello Brittany.” They have known each other for a long time and Soho lists off some of Baker’s nicknames, including the “baddest b**** on the block.” Soho: “This is my block.” Baker says the only nickname that matters is Women’s World Champion.

Soho is the Runaway, so why doesn’t she run away to catering like she has been doing for the last four years? The crowd gasps at that one (it was a loud gasp too) and even Hayter cringes a bit. Hayter has to get in between them and Baker promises Hayter will be giving Soho a dose of whoopa**, courtesy of Dr. Britt Baker, DMD (Tony Schiavone doing the finger wave at the same time is great). This was awesome too, as Baker has more confidence than anyone but Soho didn’t back down at all.

Dante Martin vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Martin makes the mistake of going straight at Hobbs, who isn’t having any of that and runs him over. A springboard crossbody is cut off but Martin flips over Hobbs and kicks him out to the floor. The suicide dive is cut off though (mid-dive) and Hobbs sends him face first into the post to cut him down again. There’s a whip into the barricade and then Hobbs does it again to send us to a break.

Back with Hobbs dropping a knee for two and cranking on Martin’s neck. Martin fights up and gets to the top for a missile dropkick. A running flip splash gets two but Hooker is ready to cut off a big dive to the floor. Martin dives over him anyway and takes Hobbs out but a double springboard misses back inside. Hobbs is right back with a spinebuster for the pin at 8:24.

Rating: C+. Martin is a heck of a high flier and can make himself look good no matter what, but I couldn’t quite get to the next level with this one. The lack of dull action during the break helped, but it felt like it could have been more than what it was. That being said, both guys have all kinds of potential and should be stars around here in the pretty near future.

Dan Lambert is with the Men of the Year (right above where I was sitting) and talks about how Tony Khan is signing every person he can to hide the fact that this company isn’t the hottest thing in the world. These idiots can be played like a fiddle and maybe they can be convinced to sing a terrible song, but there are only two real men in this company. The three of them will speak with loud voices. If anyone can stop them, come do it.

We recap Matt Hardy and the Hardy Family Office vs. Orange Cassidy. Hardy wants to cut Cassidy’s hair.

Cassidy: “Whatever.”

Here is MJF, with Wardlow for an angry chat. MJF talks about how he beat Chris Jericho on Sunday but the match was restarted due to bias against him. There is bias against him because he is better than everyone else and because he hates being in S***cinati. Oh no. Now people are going to accuse him of going after CHEAP HEAT because they’re a bunch of marks.

Cincinnati is the midwest because everything here is MID. Skyline Chili? MID! (Psh. Skyline Chili would sell its Sky and its ili to get close to being “mid”.). The Cincinnati Reds? MID! Every person who lives here? MID! If anyone hates him, come jump the guardrail so he can take them out. MJF points out a woman at ringside and calls her 16 and pregnant so he goes over to yell at her. It turns out she is the daughter of Brian Pillman, which MJF says explains her looks.

Cue Brian Pillman Jr. in his dad’s Bengals jersey to say he heard MJF talking about his family and hometown. Pillman isn’t from New York, but rather a city that breeds bad***** like his dad and Jon Moxley. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE! MJF brings up Pillman’s drug addicted mother “Methanie”, which is enough for Pillman Jr. to charge the ring but Wardlow cuts him off. There could have been 500 second generation Pillmans, but Pillman Jr. was the only one she didn’t swallow. MJF sends Wardlow to stand in the corner and look pretty, leaving MJF to threaten to abort Pillman….and the fight is on.

Wardlow pulls Pillman off but he slips by and stomps on MJF again, with Wardlow taking a bit of time to make the save. A German suplex drops Pillman so here is Griff Garrison, who is promptly taken out with the Dynamite Diamond. Pillman covers Garrison up as the villains leave. The fans went NUTS for this and MJF had as much heat for a promo as I’ve seen in a very long time.

Jon Moxley says Minoru Suzuki is dying in the jungle tonight.

Jamie Hayter vs. Ruby Soho

Britt Baker and Rebel are here with Hayter. It’s quite the reaction for Soho as the fans seem rather impressed. Hayter drives her into the corner to start and runs Soho over with a shoulder. Back up and Soho cranks on the arm, setting up a knee to the face. Hayter drops her throat first across the top though and we take a break.

We come back with Soho charging for what looks like a monkey flip but getting caught with something like a spinebuster onto the top, which is countered into a DDT. That was sweet, but only gets two, so they try a poisonrana but they kind of fall down instead. The fireman’s carry neckbreaker into a basement lariat gives Hayter two but Soho is back with whatever we’re calling the Riott Kick for the pin at 7:38.

Rating: C. Soho felt like a star but this didn’t exactly click. There were some good spots though (that bounce back into a DDT was awesome) and you know Soho is going to be moving up the ranks in a hurry. She has the title shot with Britt Baker in her back pocket and that’s more than most people have.

Post match Baker and Rebel run in to beat on Soho until Riho runs in for the failed save attempt. Kris Statlander makes the real save and I think you have a six woman tag coming.

Video on Ricky Starks vs. Brian Cage.

FTR/Shawn Spears vs. Dark Order

Earlier today, the Dark Order got in an argument over whether or not they were fine, with Tay Conti and Anna Jay telling the guys to figure this out. It’s Evil Uno/Stu Grayson/John Silver for the Order and egads Silver is popular. The rest of the Order and Tully Blanchard are here as well. Spears shoulders Silver down to start but Silver does the same and hits the double bicep. Grayson comes in to take over on Spears and it’s Uno coming in for a side slam/springboard elbow combination.

As the beating continues, Tony talks about how Tony Khan has heard CM Punk talking about wanting to face Team Taz members. Taz: “WHAT ARE YOU? TONY KHAN’S MESSENGER NOW???” Tony: Yes! I am!” Taz: “…..ok.” Silver drops Spears for two more but a jawbreaker gets spears out of trouble.

Harwood comes in to stomp away for two on Silver and even flips off Uno for trying to make a save. Silver reverses a suplex into one of his own but Wheeler and Spears knock the rest of the Order off the apron. Some knees rock Harwood and a bridging German suplex gets two. Back up and Harwood sends Silver into Uno to knock him off the apron. The slingshot suplex (Tully is pleased) sets up the C4 to finish Silver at 4:51.

Rating: C-. There was a lot here but the point was to continue showcasing the issues between the Dark Order. That is quite the problem to deal with and I’m not sure how long it is going to take before we hit the full on split. Hopefully it involves some of the members fading away or changing themselves in a big way, as there is no need to have most of these people around.

Post match FTR and Spears leave and the Dark Order finally explodes. Tay Conti and Anna Jay come out to glare at them but Conti holds Jay back from going to help. Not shown here, but the women eventually turned around and stormed off.

Video on Ruby Soho winning the Casino Battle Royal, with a lot of women getting to talk about how great they were in the match.

Tully Blanchard talks about how happy he was with his team demolishing the Dark Order. Then you have people like Sting and Darby Allin as people from his past and present, so next week, Blanchard wants Spears vs. Allin for next week. At the same time, Blanchard and Sting are going to go face to face. That gets a big gasp.

Sammy Guevara comes out with his signs, which talk about how great summer has been and gives a plug for his social media.

Griff Garrison is in the trainer’s room getting ice on his eye. Brian Pillman Jr. is here too and wants to get his hands on MJF at Grand Slam. The Acclaimed comes in with some ice and flowers with Max Caster saying he has a match with Pillman for Rampage. That’s cool with Pillman, who throws down the flowers.

Tony Schiavone brings out the Elite (and there are a lot of them) for a chat. Don Callis thanks the fans for making Kenny Omega #1 in the PWI 500 (Callis: “Thank you for your votes! And your money!”) At All Out, the Young Bucks had the greatest tag match in the history of the world but the titles were stolen from them. They have a plan to get the titles back, but they also got their best friend back.

Cue Adam Cole for Storytime, but first of all he gets in Tony’s face. Cole: “Now I know that you are really close with Britt Baker.” The crowd is into this as Cole threatens to kick him in the face if he even looks at her the wrong way and throws Tony out. Cole puts over the company as the best in the world because of the Elite. Anyone who bought a shirt, the pay per view or a ticket did it because of them.

Cole talks about the Bucks and Omega being the best ever and you should all be thanking them because now the Elite is complete BAY BAY! You’ll see it even more when he makes his in-ring debut next week and you will see how elite he really is. Kenny Omega thinks that’s a reason for a celebration, but all of the interruptions at All Out bothered him. Cue Bryan Danielson so Omega asks if he can have the ring.

Omega invites Danielson in and Danielson asks the fans a quick question: do you want to see the two of them fight? That’s a completely non-trademark infringing affirmative so Danielson confirms that he is better than Omega. That means he’s going to kick Omega’s head in and prove that he isn’t on Danielson’s level. Omega lunches and gets pulled into the YES Lock.

The Elite comes in but here are Kazarian, Christian Cage and the Jurassic Express to clear them out, with Luchasaurus throwing Marko Stunt onto the pile (and over Christian, who didn’t seem to know it was coming). Brandon Cutler is left alone in the ring and it’s Danielson’s running knee to knock him silly. Heck of a Dynamite debut here, though I want to see Schiavone vs. Cole more than anything else.

Here’s what’s coming at various shows.

Minoru Suzuki vs. Jon Moxley

Suzuki’s entrance is cut short and they don’t even get to the chorus of his song. That being said, the fans getting to hear Wild Thing for Moxley kind of renders that meaningless. Moxley takes his time getting to the ring and is clearly thrilled to be in his hometown. They waste no time in going with the exchange of forearms and the fans dub it awesome. An exchange of kicks to the face rocks both of them so Moxley knocks him into the ropes as we take a break.

Back with Suzuki kicking him in the face but the running kick to the chest is blocked. They trade bites to the face (this should not surprise you) and then headbutts, including both of them hitting a headbutt at the same time. It’s time for another forearm off until Moxley’s running lariat is blocked. Another attempt is countered a failed choke attempt so Suzuki tries the Gotch Style piledriver.

That’s countered into the Paradigm Shift as Suzuki is bleeding from the eye. A lariat gives Moxley two but another lariat can’t even knock Suzuki down. Instead he hits a running dropkick to take Moxley down as that eye is VERY busted. Moxley drops him with a right hand and grabs the lifting Paradigm Shift (making it a butterfly suplex) for the pin at 8:08.

Rating: B. They beat on each other for a little while but I kept waiting to see this get to the next level. It wasn’t quite the brawl that I was expecting, though Suzuki’s eye being busted open was certainly a sight. Moxley winning a near dream match over a legend in his hometown was a great way to end the show though and it felt special as a result, which was the right idea.

Moxley celebrates in the crowd (in the section next to me) to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I’ve seen most of these wrestlers in person before but never at an AEW event. The word you hear about AEW is “fun” and that is exactly what you got here. It was a very entertaining two hours and that’s all you could ask for. The seats were cheap (about $34 each counting fees) and good, the wrestling was solid and there was star power galore. What else can you ask for out of something like this? Save for Rampage and Dark: Elevation of course, but for now we’ll just settle for a solid Dynamite.

Results
Malakai Black b. Dustin Rhodes – Black Mass
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Dante Martin – Spinebuster
Ruby Soho b. Jamie Hayter – Riott Kick
FTR/Shawn Spears b. Dark Order – C4 to Silver
Jon Moxley b. Minoru Suzuki – Lifting Paradigm Shift

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: August 18, 2021
Location: Fertitta Center, Houston, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

We’re still on the way to both All Out and the First Dance, meaning we could be in for an interesting night. AEW knows how to put on a good show out of nowhere and things were a little bit flat last week. There is a good chance that they can come up with something big here, as Kenny Omega is not going to be happy with losing to Christian Cage last week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Commentary previews the card.

Here are Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston but 2.0 and Daniel Garcia jump them in the crowd. 2.0 wants Sting and Darby Allin right now.

Sting/Darby Allin vs. 2.0

Texas Tornado rules and Allin jumps 2.0 from behind with the skateboard. The running charges in the corner rock 2.0 and it’s time for the brawl to head into the crowd. They make it up to what looks like a VIP area with Daniel Garcia getting in on the beating. 2.0 lifts Allin up into a piece of the ceiling and Sting is sent into a wall.

Sting is taken back to ringside but Allin runs down the barricade to break it up. Eddie Kingston comes back in to make the save as a table is thrown in. Kingston and Garcia fight off as Allin is suplexed onto his skateboard. Sting is powerbombed through a table and pops back up, setting up the double Scorpion Death Drop and the double Deathlock makes 2.0 tap at 6:15.

Rating: C-. This is a match where the wrestling wasn’t the point and that’s fine. The lack of any semblance of rules was the fight call for Sting and beating up a couple of goons like this doesn’t hurt anyone. I’m not sure how wise it was to burn through a Sting match on free TV, but at least it was a fun one.

Earlier tonight, Sammy Guevara proposed to his girlfriend in the ring, getting a yes.

Shawn Spears and Tully Blanchard are happy for Sammy (Shawn: “Slim pickings in Houston.”) and promise to let the girlfriend be in the Pinnacle. For tonight, she can be on top for once.

Sammy Guevara vs. Shawn Spears

Sammy is the hometown boy but Spears jumps him from behind on the ramp. That’s fine with Sammy, who tosses him down for the big running flip dive. A missed charge sends Sammy knees first into the steps though and Tully Blanchard joins in on a spike piledriver on the floor. Now we get the opening bell so Tully loads up another spike, only to get ejected in a hurry. Back in and Sammy grabs a rollup for two but the chop off sends us to a break.

We come back with both guys on top and a piece of barricade loaded up between the ring and the barricade. Guevara busts out a jumping super cutter for two but Spears hits a super C4 for the same. They head to the apron and Sammy hits a C4 (not a Death Valley Driver Excalibur, you proper name psycho) onto the barricade. The 630 (What spike piledriver onto the floor?) gets two (good grief) and the GTH finally puts Spears away at 9:59.

Rating: C+. It was certainly high energy, but dang there was a lot going on here and not in the best way. There were far too many finishers being burned through, meaning I was left sitting here with a “REALLY?” look on my face a few too many times. This needs to be the end of the feud too, as there is nothing left for these two to do against each other. Good action, horrible use of finishers, which tends to be the case around here a lot of the time.

Post match a bleeding Guevara kisses his fiance.

Don Callis talks to Christian Cage about how he got Christian into wrestling 25 years ago. Now Callis is on top of the wrestling world and Cage is….well he’s here too. Cage calls him some rather unpleasant names.

Here is Dan Lambert to rant about how AEW is on the cancel culture train. The people around here got triggered and AEW sent out Lance Archer out here to hit a 52 year old main the place. Lambert has former UFC Heavyweight Champions Andre Arlovski and Junior Dos Santos and if you’re feeling froggy, come out here and jump.

Lambert keeps going and talking about how AEW fans are all pathetic and have nothing better to do than play Dungeons and Dragons and look up creepy stuff on the dark web. Cue Lance Archer but the Men of the Year jump him from behind. Lambert is a better talker than 90% of the roster. Also, the Men of the Year can beat down Lance Archer?

Chris Jericho talks about all of the Labors he has had to go through to get here. Tonight, he has no Judas Effect and no Judas theme song, but the Friends of Jericho will sing it for him.

Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks vs. Jurassic Express

The Bucks are defending and have Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa, Don Callis and the Good Brothers with them, while Marko Stunt is with the Express. Callis goes to commentary to clear things out a bit. Nick is sent outside and busts out the cold spray so Jungle dives onto him.

Back in and it’s off to Luchasaurus to throw mat around and chop both Bucks down. It’s back to Jungle, who sends Matt to the apron for a running hurricanrana over the top to the floor. We come back from a break with Luchasaurus coming in to clean house. The Tail Whip sets up the Extinction Level Event for a delayed two on Matt. Back up and a double superkick drops Luchasaurus and it’s the Indytaker on Jungle with a backsplash to Luchasaurus at the same time for a near fall.

Cue Kenny Omega to hit Marko Stunt with a chair so here is Christian Cage to take care of Omega. The rest of the Elite gets on the apron but Jungle hits a brainbuster onto the chair for a VERY delayed two on Matt. Thurassic Express gets two on Matt with Nick making another save. Nakazawa offers a distraction so Luchasaurus dives onto everyone outside. The BTE Trigger finishes Jungle at 11:45.

Rating: C+. It was another fun match from the Bucks, even with them surviving everything. That’s a big AEW problem and it’s worse with the Bucks than anyone else. I can go with them not losing the titles on Dynamite, but did they really have to pin Jungle Boy to retain here?

Post match Christian is dragged back to the ring and the huge beatdown is on, with Callis getting in a few shots of his own. The One Winged Angel connects and Callis counts the pin. This was the latest Elite beatdown.

Britt Baker brags about her win on Rampage and introduces Jamie Hayter. Jamie is friends with Baker from way back and was glad to come in and help her out.

Video on Matt Hardy vs. Orange Cassidy.

Here is Paul Wight for a chat about how great it was to be back in the ring last week. QT Marshall and company interrupt and say they would get in here and take him out but Marshall knows something. We see x-rays of Wight’s hip with a bunch of metal in it, meaning he can’t do much. Wight says it doesn’t matter, because he is facing Marshall at All Out. Marshall gives a great shocked face. It’s almost as shocking as AEW still trying to make Marshall a thing.

The Elite celebrates, but Tony Schiavone announces a tournament for a future Tag Team Title shot at All Out……inside a cage.

Taz brings out Ricky Starks, who wants to bring out Brian Cage. We cut to the back where Powerhouse Hobbs is standing over Cage…..who stands up and fights back. That’s too much for Starks so cut the feed.

Death Triangle is ready for All Out but Chavo Guerrero and Andrade come in. Chavo has some terms for the All Out match and hands Pac a phone book sized contract. Point for a funny visual.

Thunder Rosa vs. Penelope Ford

Ford doesn’t seem to be in her regular gear. Rosa wastes no time in sending her into the corner for the rapid fire stomping. They head outside in a hurry with Ford nailing a cutter to take us to a break. Back with Ford missing a running boot in the corner and getting caught with a running clothesline. The slingshot knees rock Ford in the corner again but the Fire Thunder Driver is countered into a rollup for two on Rosa. The Muta Lock has Rosa in trouble but she is back up with the Death Valley Driver for two. Ford goes for the legs again but gets pulled down into something like an STF for the tap at 7:59.

Rating: C. This was a good way to have Rosa come back and get a win as she is likely heading for the big showdown against Britt Baker. Ford is perfectly fine in a midcard role like this as she has just enough credibility to make Rosa break a sweat and that’s about all she needs to do. They understood their roles here and the match worked as a result.

We look back at Malakai Black’s debut.

Arn Anderson is a bit scared of Black and next week, his son Brock gets to face Black.

Here’s what’s coming this/next week.

Miro liked hurting Fuego del Sol last week and now he wants Eddie Kingston.

Jon Moxley is sick of all the teams running around here, either in basketball jerseys or Hangman Page not being able to get over his high school drama. Moxley would run through Christian because he is the guy who carried the World Title on his shoulder during dark days around here. It is time to show what it takes to be the top guy around here and if Daniel Garcia wants a taste of the main event, come get it on Rampage. Just make sure that is what you want before you need the ringside doctor checking on you.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Chris Jericho

Jericho can’t use the Judas Effect (leaving him with only three finishers). As expected, the fans sing Judas a cappella, complete with some fans holding up signs with lyrics for a pretty cool moment. The fans are all over MJF and it’s an early Walls attempt to send him outside. Jericho follows him out with a dive but MJF takes Jericho down and steals the camera (ala Jericho). That earns him a big right hand and Jericho grabs the camera to flip it off.

Back in and MJF goes after Jericho’s bad arm to take over. We take a break and come back with Jericho slugging away until another shot to the arm takes him down. Jericho gets in a shot to the face to set up the Lionsault for two though, meaning it’s a surprised kickout. Some clotheslines and right hands in the corner set up a super hurricanrana but MJF reverses into the Salt of the Earth.

That is countered into the Walls but MJF goes for the bad arm to escape. They slug it out until Jericho is sent to the apron for the Heatseeker and another near fall. MJF gets creative by kicking him low (the referees get distracted really easily around here) and grabbing his own Walls of Jericho. The rope grab breaks that up so it’s time for the diamond ring. That’s taken away so Jericho gets in the Floyd shot. Instead of covering, Jericho loads up the Judas Effect but can’t do it. MJF hits one of his own though and it’s the Salt of the Earth to (eventually) make Jericho tap at 15:53.

Rating: B. Good match, with the weird stipulation making Jericho look like a complete buffoon. I would assume this set up either a rematch at All Out or Jericho going on tour with Fozzy, as it was a pretty flat way to end the show Labors story. MJF winning is smart, but it was more a “that’s it?” moment than anything else.

Overall Rating: C+. I wasn’t entirely feeling this one as the show felt a step off. While not complete dominance, it was a pretty heel beatdown heavy show as both the Young Bucks and MJF get big wins. All Out is coming up in about two weeks and the little amount of the card that we have is not thrilling me so far. That is a lot of time, but this show was pretty lacking from a story perspective. The good action brings it up and it’s nowhere near a bad show, but I could go for moving things forward a bit. Kind of like say in Chicago on Friday.

Results
Sting/Darby Allin b. 2.0 – Double Scorpion Deathlock
Sammy Guevara b. Shawn Spears – GTH
Young Bucks b. Jurassic Express – BTE Trigger to Jungle Boy
Thunder Rosa b. Penelope Ford – STF
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Chris Jericho – Salt of the Earth

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: July 21, 2021
Location: Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

It’s another special show this week with Fyter Fest Night Two, headlined by the IWGP United States Title Texas Deathmatch between Jon Moxley and Lance Archer. The recent shows have been pretty good as of late and I’m curious to see how well they can keep it up. Odds are they will, as they tend to do. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Spears

Tully Blanchard is at ringside, MJF is on commentary, Spears can use a chair but Jericho can’t. Jericho knocks him down to start but gets the chair taken away from him. That means Spears can chop him into the corner, only to be sent outside. A whip sends Spears into the barricade and Jericho heads back inside, leaving Spears to grab another chair. The triangle dropkick is cut off with a chair being pelted at the head.

Jericho scores with an enziguri but gets belly to belly superplexed back down. Spears crushes the arm with the chair but Jericho is back with some running shoulders. A top rope ax handle hits Spears again and Jericho adds in some pretty bad looking top rope right hands. Jericho hurricanranas him down but runs into a superkick for two.

Spears goes for the chair but Jericho pulls him into the Walls. Blanchard grabs the referee as Spears taps, so here is Sammy Guevara to pull Blanchard down. Sammy ducks a right hand and takes Blanchard to the back as Spears slips out of the Walls. A chair to the head into the C4 gets two so Spears tries another onto the chair, only to have Jericho slip out. Spears is sent into the chair in the corner and the Judas Effect finishes for Jericho at 10:59.

Rating: C+. I can get behind the idea of the Five Labors as it’s a cool idea and a story that makes enough sense. The chair stipulation was a little weird but at least they’re doing something that MJF would find a good idea. Throw in Guevara needing to redeem himself (and likely becoming a Labor later on) and it’s a story that should work well.

Post match MJF praises Jericho for his win but it gets a little harder next week. The second Labor of Jericho is going to be a No DQ match against…..sweet goodness it’s against Nick Gage. Well, so much for having fun on this show.

Miro is ready for his title defense at Homecoming in two weeks.

Doc Gallows vs. Frankie Kazarian

Karl Anderson is here too. Kazarian slugs away to start but gets knocked outside, where Anderson gets in a clothesline. We take a break and come back with Gallows holding a chinlock until Kazarian fights up with right hands. A running clothesline drops Gallows and the springboard legdrop gets two. Anderson offers a distraction by grabbing Kazarian around the waist, with JR accurately asking how the referee can’t see that. Kazarian gets rid of him but it’s a kick to the head into a chokebomb to give Gallows the pin at 6:36.

Rating: D+. This was a pretty short match as a good bit of it was during the break. Kazarian losing to Gallows is a little weird but odds are it leads to someone else coming to his aid for a tag match. I could go for a lot less (as in none at all) of the Good Brothers but at least they kept it short.

Post match the Good Brothers beat down Kazarian, including the Magic Killer. Cue Kenny Omega and Don Callis to say the Elite Hunter has become the Elite Hunted (which Callis had to whisper to Omega). They’re ready to show what is going to happen to Hangman Page, who comes out to interrupt. Callis thinks Page is just drunk so the fight is on, with the Dark Order running in for the save.

Team Taz is ready for Ricky Starks’ celebration next week.

Brian Cage says he loves celebrations.

Darby Allin vs. Wheeler Yuta

Sting and Orange Cassidy are here too. Allin takes him down by the arm to start but Yuta gets smart by sending him into the corner to bang up the ribs. We hit the Octopus but Allin bites the rope for the escape. Allin knocks him down and we get the Sting vs. Cassidy showdown on the floor, with an exchange of lazy kicks. Sting even does some lazy pounding on the chest, only to be cut off by Yuta grabbing some rollups for two. The flipping Stunner drops Yuta though and the Coffin Drop finishes for Allin at 4:21.

Rating: C. This was fun while it lasted but it didn’t last long. Yuta is someone who has looked good every time I’ve seen him and he was doing fine here as well. The Sting vs. Cassidy stuff was perfectly fine, with Sting’s chest pounding making me chuckle. Allin keeps building himself up, though I’m not sure what he is going to do later.

Post match (because there is always a post match), Blade comes in to knock Cassidy out with brass knuckles.

Video on Jon Moxley vs. Lance Archer in a Texas Deathmatch.

Women’s Title: Nyla Rose vs. Britt Baker

Baker is defending and Vickie Guerrero/Rebel are the seconds. Rose gets taken down by the arm to start but gets out in a hurry. A running armdrag doesn’t work for Baker so Rose gives her a gorilla press into a backsplash. Rose goes up top but Rebel gets Baker out of harm’s way. Instead it’s Baker sending Rose into the corner as we take a break. Back with Rose hitting a fall away slam but missing a charge into the corner. A backslide gets two on Rose and a DDT is good for the same.

Lockjaw is broken up in a hurry and Rose puts her over the top rope for the knee to the back of the head for two. Baker kicks her in the head for two of her own but walks into a chokeslam for the same. Back up and Baker kicks her down, setting up a few Curb Stomps for two. With nothing else working, the title is thrown in to Baker, who throws it to Rose and drops down. Vickie isn’t having that and throws the title back to Rebel, who isn’t DQ’d. Instead Rose hits a Beast Bomb for two, but another is escaped. Baker pulls her into Lockjaw to retain at 12:08.

Rating: B-. They were hitting each other rather hard here and it worked well, though it might have gone on one big near fall too many. There was no doubt over the winner here and that is not the worst thing in a first title defense. Baker is one of the biggest stars the promotion has and she isn’t (or shouldn’t) be losing anytime soon.

We get a press conference between Santana/Ortiz and FTR before they face off next week. FTR doesn’t think much of them but Santana goes on a rant (with photos) about how his family had to fight for everything. Dax Harwood says he only cares about God, his family and wrestling. The fight is on next week but security has to break it up this week.

Here is Andrade El Idolo, with translator, for a chat. Andrade gets right to the point and brings out his new executive consultant: Chavo Guerrero. After a nice reaction, Chavo puts over Andrade as a great star but here is Death Triangle to interrupt. Pac doesn’t like hearing Andrade talk about how Death Triangle is afraid of him, so Andrade talks about how he knows they’re great.

Chavo talks about how Pac’s waist isn’t shiny enough so Andrade suggests that the Lucha Bros jump ship. Pac says neither of them work for anyone because they’re a family. Andrade’s translator says they aren’t on Andrade’s level and those are fighting words. Referees prevent violence.

Earlier tonight, the Hardy Family Office beat up Jurassic Express until Christian Cage made the save.

Christian Cage thought it was over with Matt Hardy but we aren’t done yet. Next week, we can have a six man and get rid of the Hardy Family Office for good.

QT Marshall is going to apologize to Tony Schiavone.

Blade vs. Orange Cassidy

Bunny is here with Blade and Cassidy is banged up coming in. Cassidy starts fast anyway but gets knocked into the corner. That doesn’t last long as Blade is claiming a knee injury and we have to pause. Somehow that actually works on Cassidy, who gets jumped by a fine Blade. Stundog Millionaire cuts Blade off though and Cassidy goes up, only to get gutwrench dropped onto the top.

Back with Cassidy hitting a high crossbody and grabbing a DDT for two. Bunny gets on the apron but Kris Statlander cuts her off. The guys go outside where Blade is sent into Bunny (Tony: “SHE DROPPED HER EARS!!!”). Back in and another DDT is cut off, with Cassidy being dropped onto the top. A heck of a lariat sets up a spinning Tombstone for two on Cassidy and Blade is stunned. The Beach Break is broken up but the second attempt gives Cassidy two. Statlander has to deal with Bunny again but this time Bunny gets the knuckles. The Orange Punch breaks that up and gives Cassidy the pin at 8:43.

Rating: C. Not too bad here with the knuckles making for a fine story. It’s amazing how much more I can take Cassidy now that he is in a place he belongs on the card. They don’t feel like he is being forced here whatsoever, which is a welcome change. I can see the appeal of him like this and it is working out pretty well.

Post match Cassidy hits another Orange Punch with the brass knuckles, which he keeps for a bonus.

Chris Jericho, with his back to the camera, is fine with facing Nick Gage next week…..because the Painmaker is back.

Video on Malakai Black vs. Cody Rhodes, who meet in two weeks.

IWGP United States Title: Jon Moxley vs. Lance Archer

Hometown boy Archer is challenging in a Texas Deathmatch. They go with the kendo sticks to start with Archer knocking him to the floor. A stick shot to the back rocks Moxley some more and they fight into the crowd. Archer throws a fan at Moxley and they head back into the ring. The floor mats are peeled back but Moxley grabs a quick Paradigm Shift onto the concrete for eight. The bloody Archer gets back up so Moxley busts out a fork to gash him open even more.

We take a break and come back with Archer punching a trashcan lid into Moxley’s face so Moxley bites his cut. Archer is back up with a kick to the face into a swinging Rock Bottom but remembers he can’t cover. Back up and Moxley hits a low blow before setting up a pair of chairs back to back, which will not end well.

Archer chokeslams him HARD onto the edges but Moxley is right back up. A big lariat into another Paradigm Shift….has Archer popping up, so Moxley forks him down again. With nothing else working, Moxley busts out a barbed wire board, which he puts onto a pair of tables. Archer forks Moxley for a change this time though and the chokeslam through the tables for the ten count and the title at 16:34.

Rating: B. This was a heck of a brawl which is totally not my style. I can go for the hardcore stuff in the right circumstances but stuff like the forks and the barbed wire are too much for me. That turns it into more of a freak show than a match or even a fight and I’m not wild on that almost all of the time. I was surprised by the title change, which is a good idea as it establishes that a New Japan title can change hands here rather than being little more than a photo op. Not my style, but I know there are people who are going to be all over this.

Post match Hikuleo (Haku’s son from New Japan) comes in for a staredown with Archer (who is shorter) before their title match next week.

Overall Rating: B-. Well it certainly wasn’t boring. This show was packed with stuff, some of which will be better received than the rest. I liked most of the matches and the angle advancement made sense, but the debuts didn’t do much for me. Chavo Guerrero is the definition of “really?” and Gage…we’ll move on from that garbage. The big thing here was the energy though and that alone made this show a lot of fun to watch. Good show, with some weak parts.

Results
Chris Jericho b. Shawn Spears – Judas Effect
Doc Gallows b. Frankie Kazarian – Chokebomb
Darby Allin b. Wheeler Yuta – Coffin Drop
Britt Baker b. Nyla Rose – Lockjaw
Orange Cassidy b. Blade – Orange Punch
Lance Archer b. Jon Moxley – Moxley could not answer the ten count

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: July 14, 2021
Location: H-E-B Center, Cedar Park, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

It’s another special show this week with Fyter Fest Night 1 as they’re out of Florida for the first time in over a year. The big story this week is the return of Jon Moxley to defend the IWGP United States Title against Karl Anderson, as we have an AEW wrestler defending a New Japan Title against an Impact wrestler. I for one can’t wait on the recreation of Taz vs. Mike Awesome so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

IWGP United States Title: Jon Moxley vs. Karl Anderson

Moxley is defending and here’s Eddie Kingston with a pipe to jump Doc Gallows before the bell. They slug it out to start and then proceed to slug it out some more, this time with Moxley winning a battle of the forearms. Back up and Anderson knocks him to the floor for a ram into the barricade. Moxley comes back with some microphone choking but Anderson kicks him off the apron for a crash. Anderson grabs a spinebuster for two and goes up, with Moxley biting his head to cut that off.

The superplex plants Anderson but Moxley can’t cover. Instead he has to block the Gun Stun and it’s a double clothesline for a double knockdown. Anderson is back up and tries an Owen Hart piledriver but stumbles and nearly drops Moxley on his head for two. A middle rope neckbreaker gives Anderson two and a quick Gun Stun is good for the same. Anderson’s TKO gets two more but Moxley grabs a short arm clothesline. The Paradigm Shift retains the title at 9:40.

Rating: C+. It was hard hitting and back and forth, with Kingston getting rid of Gallows being a nice plus. Moxley is a great choice to open the show as he is one of the most popular wrestlers around here tonight. If nothing else, maybe the Good Brothers will be gone from the rest of the show, or at least we can only hope.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Lance Archer wants the IWGP US Title back. Jon Moxley took the title from him in a Texas Death Match in Japan, so let’s have another one next week in Dallas.

Andrade El Idolo asks where the Death Triangle has gone because he is looking for them.

FTW World Title: Brian Cage vs. Ricky Starks

Starks is challenging in his first match back from a broken neck and the rest of Team Taz is in a neutral corner. Taz is on commentary and offers some insight of how these two were backstage today (Starks was more serious, Cage was more outgoing). Cage can’t quite get some kind of slam to start so he goes with a gorilla press instead. Some whips into the corner put Starks on the top rope and the kicks to the ribs crotch Starks on the top.

Cage misses a charge into the corner though and Starks kicks away at the arm. Said arm is snapped across the middle rope and a middle rope dropkick gives Starks two. We take a break and come back with Starks getting two off a crucifix bomb as Excalibur calls the FTW Title an outlaw championship. Cage heads outside so Starks slides to the floor for a clothesline. Back in and Starks grabs a choke, only to get driven into the corner.

Cage kicks him in the head and nails a pumphandle faceplant for two. Starks’ springboard tornado DDT is blocked and Cage hits a superkick for two more. Starks slips out of the apron superplex and hits a sitout powerbomb for his own near fall. With nothing else working, Starks goes for the title belt but Powerhouse Hobbs won’t let him. That allows Cage to hit the F5 for two so Hook distracts the referee. Hobbs blasts Cage with the title and Starks’ spear connects for the pin and the title at 9:23.

Rating: C. Starks looked a bit rusty here but that’s quite understandable given the injury and time off. Cage losing the title is fine and he can probably go off on his own after the loss. It could be interesting to see Starks as the star of the team for once as he has all of the skills you could need to go somewhere.

We look at Malakai Black debuting last week and kicking Cody Rhodes’ head off.

Here is an annoyed Cody (in a white suit) to the announcers’ table to call out Tommy End/Malakai Black. All Black needed to do was make a phone call and he could have been here. We don’t kick a 62 year old man in the face around here though so please bring him a mic so he can head to the ring. Cody doesn’t win every fight he’s in but he has a better chance when he knows it’s coming. This is Fyter Fest and he feels like fighting.

Black appears on screen to ask if Cody heard the fans cheer when Black kicked him in the face last week. Black talks about a man having a horse who took him everywhere but one day that horse was done. The man took him to a nice field, put a bag over the horse’s head and finished him. Cody calls Black out again so the lights go out and here he is in the ring. Referees break it up in a hurry.

Tully Blanchard talks about attacking Konnan last week when he runs into Santana and Ortiz, who bust out a tire iron. The shot to the head is teased, but they say next time won’t be so nice. Tully promises to get his boys.

Here is Hangman Page, who is feeling weird, for a chat. Page talks about how he wanted to be World Champion from day one, but he failed. He tried to hide from his failure but he still needs that championship. That’s why he is here to challenge….and here are Don Callis and the Elite to cut him off. They insist that Page is not that guy, with Matt Jackson going to the ring to say something to Page’s face.

Matt knows there is only one person to blame for Page’s issues and he is one step away from being the next great wrestling tragedy. The fight is on with the Elite coming in but the Dark Order runs in for the save. Page issues the challenge to Omega but we’ll make that a ten man elimination tag instead. That’s fine with Page, who says if they win, he gets the World Title and the Dark Order gets a Tag Team Title shot against the Bucks. Omega: “YOU DIDN’T EARN IT!!! NONE OF YOU EARNED IT!!!”

Omega thinks Page is making a lot of demands so he’ll make one of his own: if Page’s team loses, there are no title shots and Page is done. He can’t wait for the COWBOY S*** chant to turn into BELT COLLEC-TOR. Page gets in Omega’s face and says yes, which freaks Omega out a bit. They had a lot of people here, but it got the job done.

Chris Jericho recaps the Five Labors of Jericho that MJF has set up for him, but points out that Hercules won in the end. MJF can send Superman or the Black Panther out after him because Jericho will walk across broken glass to get MJF again. Jericho is the god of thunder and the god of war….and here is Shawn Spears to hit him in the throat with a chair. MJF pops in to make the match against Spears next week, where Spears can use a chair but Jericho can’t. Spears gets in a bonus chair shot to the arm.

Matt Hardy vs. Christian Cage

They grab a lockup to start and fall out to the floor with the lockup continuing. Christian slides back in and tells Matt to bring it, only to slide outside and send Hardy face first into the apron. A big dive takes Hardy down again and a reverse DDT gives Christian two back inside. The right hands in the corner keep Matt in trouble until he sends Christian shoulder first into the post to take over for the first time. Choking on the ropes sets up the catapult to send Christian throat first into the rope and we take a break.

Back with Christian countering the Twist of Fate and hitting a spear for two. The frog splash gets the same but the tornado DDT is countered. Instead Matt takes him up top for a superplex into the near fall and extra breathing is required. Back up and Matt grabs the referee to block a Killswitch. The low blow into the Twist of Fate gets two and it’s back to the floor for the Leech (double underhook neck crank) but Christian makes it back in at nine. The Killswitch finishes Hardy out of nowhere at 12:59.

Rating: C. This was your nostalgia match of the week and that is about all it was going to be good for here. Neither of them are what they were in the ring before but at least they did their thing without getting bad. The ending was out of nowhere but the whole thing worked out well enough.

Post match the Hardy Family Office comes in but Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus run in for the save.

Miro talks about a man who had to figure out what he was and then went on to destroy everyone. He holds up the TNT Title (which appeared to have been redesigned) and says this is his reward, which he will defend anywhere.

Tony Schiavone brings in Britt Baker to talk about facing Nyla Rose next week. Baker has been through tables, ladders and chairs and nothing has scared here, just like Rose won’t next week. Rose might be at the top of the food chain but Baker is off the menu. Baker knocks Vickie Guerrero is listening and she has the name to keep her relevant in wrestling. Rose doesn’t have that and needs the title to be mean something. She isn’t getting it back next week, because with the title, Baker is the hottest thing in wrestling. Without it though, she is still Britt Baker DMD. Baker continues to be feeling it on the mic.

Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero promise to take the title next week.

Sammy Guevara vs. Wheeler Yuta

Sammy gets the big hometown pop as Bunny and Blade are watching from ringside. Yuta runs the ropes to start so Sammy flips over him and loads up a dive, only to flip back inside. The posing brings Yuta back in and charges into a powerslam, setting up the running shooting star press to give Sammy two. The shooting star press hits knees and Yuta walks the ropes for a middle rope dropkick. A German suplex drops Guevara and a huge top rope splash gets one. Guevara is back up with a backdrop into an enziguri out of the corner. The double springboard cutter into the GTH finishes Yuta at 3:43.

Rating: C+. This was just a step beneath a squash and it gave Guevara the nice hometown win. That’s all it was supposed to be and Yuta looking good in defeat was a nice bonus. You don’t need much more than that and they had a pretty good spectacle here. Guevara still seems ready to explode and getting a win here was the right call.

Earlier today, QT Marshall poured coffee onto Tony Schiavone’s head.

Penelope Ford vs. Yuka Sakazaki

This is Sakazaki’s first match in AEW in 16 months. They start fast with Ford being sent outside for a middle rope flip dive. Back in and Ford chokes on the ropes as we take a break. We come back with Sakazaki muscling her up for a suplex, setting up a rolling kick to the face. A middle rope elbow to the face gets two but Ford is back with some pump kicks for two. Sakazaki throws Ford on her shoulder for a spinning faceplant, setting up a spinning splash for the pin at 7:30.

Rating: C-. Just a match here as Sakazaki is back. I’m not sure if she was exactly a big deal around here in the first place but the division could use some extra blood at this point. The match itself wasn’t anything of note, but Ford is hardly the one that you bring in for a great in-ring performance.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Darby Allin vs. Ethan Page

Coffin (casket) match with Allin jumping him to start. Allin pulls off his jacket to reveal a metal plate attached to his back. A springboard body block drops Page and it’s time to go to the casket….with Scorpio Sky inside. Cue Sting to take care of Sky and the two of them fight into the crowd, with Sky getting crotched on a barricade. Back to the actual match, with Page being thrown over the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Page throwing he steps in, along with the unhooked bottom turnbuckle. Page uses the actual hook to pull Allin down by the neck….so Allin hooks his Page’s mouth. Point to Allin. They fight outside into the coffin to slug it out until Allin gets launched out. Back inside and Allin hits his flipping Stunner off the steps but the bleeding Page catches him on top. The super Ego’s Edge onto the steps leaves Allin down but he busts out the skateboard for a shot to the back, sending Page into the coffin for the win at 11:40.

Rating: B. Much like Kingston taking out Doc Gallows, it was nice to have Sting get rid of Sky here. This was a big grudge match and in theory it should wrap everything up between the two of them. There isn’t much left for them to do as it wasn’t exactly a huge feud in the first place. Allin is ready to move on to something else, though I’m not sure what that is going to be.

Post match, Allin hits the Coffin Drop through the coffin and….well pretty close to Page. That man’s poor spine.

Overall Rating: B-. Pretty good show here with a bunch of mostly fine matches. It wasn’t quite last week, but they set up enough going forward and the main event was fun. I’m curious to see where AEW is going with some of these things and that is one of the best things that you can say about a wrestling show. Not their best stuff tonight, but it was more than enough to get by. Also, thankfully they dropped the Fyre Fest deals this time as the idea was played out when it first aired.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Karl Anderson – Paradigm Shift
Ricky Starks b. Brian Cage – Spear
Christian Cage b. Matt Hardy – Killswitch
Sammy Guevara b. Wheeler Yuta – GTH
Yuka Sakazaki b. Penelope Ford – Spinning splash
Darby Allin b. Ethan Page – Allin put Page in the coffin

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

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

AND

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

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

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

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

Opening sequence.

Cody Rhodes vs. QT Marshall

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

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

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

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

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pinnacle vs. Inner Circle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matt Sydal vs. Andrade El Idolo

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

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

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

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

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

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

Orange Cassidy/Kris Statlander vs. Bunny/Blade

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AND

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