Hopefully you didn’t pass on AEW Thursday Night Dynamite, because there were plenty of explosions, implosions, and a whole lot more. From start to finish, this one did not let up.
AEW took the brave step of having 10% capacity of fans in the building, with concessions and merchandise ordered online, restrooms being monitored for capacity, and safety measures with seating. I saw Twitter, and come on folks, the internet can’t just be an undirected rage machine for hate. It is, and this is sad. So much criticism without any hesitation to allow reason and logic. AEW appeared to do a solid job of being cautious.
We are greeted by Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and Chris Jericho on commentary tonight! Yes!
Show opens with a Gauntlet Match with The Young Bucks, Best Friends, Natural Nightmares, and FTR
FTR wins the match and the #1 Contender’s Spot for the All Out Pay Per View. However, plenty of story unfolded during the opener. Natural Nightmares used some of their veteran ring prowess to try slowing down the Bucks, but Matt and Nick were just too speedy-gosh-darn-quick for Dustin and QT, eliminating them first.
Next up, The Best Friends give the Bucks a run for the money, Trent looks like a freakin’ main eventer, again, but the match slows when it looks like Chuckie goes down with an injury. Just when it looks like The Bucks are rolling on, Hangman Page GRABS the leg of Nick Jackson, allowing Trent to roll up Matt in the ring for the three count. Page starts crying while the Bucks yell at him.
Medics out checking on Chuckie. Might be legit, but of course can’t tell as he ends up in the match, but as the target of FTR as they wear him down until he taps out to a leg submission.
Darby Allin with yet another crazy stunt video showing off how little fear he has.
Sean Maluta, formerly of NXT, makes his debut, and a debut loss it is against Lance Archer. Post match, Jake Roberts on the mic announcing Archer will be in the Casino Battle Royale and promises Archer will demolish everyone… That is until Taz walks out with Brian Cage and Ricky Starks. This gets interesting between the heels until Darby Allin engages the brawl.
The confirmation we have been waiting for happens next, AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida will face NWA Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa at AEW All Out next Sunday. Oh boy, oh boy. I checked out some clips of Thunder Rosa… This one will be GOOD.
The Contract Signing Between Jon Moxley and MJF
This was amusing. Was it great? No, but gave me some chuckles. Look, MJF is fantastic on the microphone, and if he has a long career, could be the next Bobby Heenan. Moxley plays it dark and gritty and doesn’t give a you-know-what. It’s a great contrast about a heel who will do anything to be the best wrestler in the world versus a guy who doesn’t care if he’s the best wrestler in the world because he’ll just beat the crap out of you until you admit it. Could be either guy, right? Right. That was the special part of this. The schtick at times was a little too over-the-top, really didn’t need the overkill neck brace, crutches, etc… But I get it, MJF is a classic little weasel and will play the role to a ‘T’ while staring at the guy who wants to see him in a body cast.
Some good lines comparing himself to the likes of Nature Boy Buddy Rogers and Tully Blachard while comparing Mox to Sandman, New Jack, and Atsushi Onita(!?) with his brutish, brawling, lawless style.
Fun stuff at the end… Page 17… Oh boy, oh boy. Next week, Mox versus The Lawyer.
Hire me, and I’ll be The Referee Rabbi.
Backstage segments feature Santana and Ortiz talking trash to Best Friends, setting up this match for the future, as well as Eddie Kingston and his band of badasses ready to tee-off on the roster.
Of course, Lucha Brothers, Butcher, and The Blade defeated Griff Garrison, Brian Pillman Jr., Joey Janela, and Sonny Kiss. It was a somewhat good match, mostly with Lucha Brothers displaying their style most of the match. Kiss had a good showing, and is it just me, or is Janela slowing down? He seemed sluggish in this one. Good for Garrison and Pillman Jr. getting onto Dynamite. In some silly way, I could see them as a team in the future.
Forgot to mention, there has been little mention of Cody. What I mean is, they talk about Cody and the beating he suffered, but no update on his condition. Apparently Brandi also got the brunt of it too, being taken out by Anna Jay.
We get more Dark Order Celebrations with a casket signifying the death of the Nightmare Family.
Lee is over-the-top but dead-on with his promo. Talking about his past of being “in prison” and being free to take leadership in AEW. Yep, we know who he’s jabbing at. The newest member, officially now is “Queen Slayer” Anna Jay. Another stab? Brodie Lee is an imposing figure, I just wish I could take more members of the Dark Order seriously. Like John Silver who gets jumpy only to be wrecked by his own boss. This party is broken up by Dustin, QT Marshall, Scorpio Sky, and Matt Cardona in an odd fashion as some people leave, others come back, like a weird revolving door.
Brodie Lee returns to see the chaos and is pissed. I would be too, if I were the King Amongst Jobbers.
Well, it finally happened. The Elite kicks out Hangman Page. Although I thought he had left the group months ago, but now it’s official. Exclamation point on the Jacksons calling him an alcoholic and slamming the door on him. Kudos to how they made it happen, but the last glimpse is of a broken mirror showing Page’s fractured soul.
Big Swole defeated Britt Baker, Penelope Ford, and Reba in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match. Well, Baker wasn’t really in the match, Reba floundered, while Ford did most of the work. Reba goofs and clocks Ford in the face with a crutch, allowing Swole to win.
Swole should stick to the mat, no aerial moves anymore please. As a result, Swole can now have a match with Baker however she wants.
Backstage, Anna Jay offers Tay Conti into the Dark Order. She appears to accept!
Some recaps of last week, hyping up Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy III.
Our main event sees Sammy Guevara defeat Matthew Hardy in a Tables Match. This one went the ECW route very quickly. There was blood, chairs, lots of broken tables which “didn’t count” so the match would continue. Matt looks like he’s still living in the Mattiverse. Guess the head-shot he took with the chair a few weeks ago sent him back to his multiple personas after swearing them off. Really scary spot with Sammy eating the Twist of Fate with a chair wrapped around his neck. Geezuz. Matt pulls out a table with “Deleted” spray-painted on it, and heads to the top rope for the big finish. However, some hesitation, a possible persona shift, and he slips. This allows Sammy the moment to rush up and superplex Hardy through the table, winning the match.
Maybe he shifted to Big Money Matt because a major feud always brings big money at a PPV.
Just when we thought the show was over, Orange Cassidy charges out to attack Chris Jericho! A big ol’ brawl to close the show.
Nice job to AEW tonight. Solid show, good matches, good segments. I’m getting hyped for ALL OUT, are you?
