Tony Khan kicked off AEW Dynamite 3/2 by announcing that Ring of Honor is now All Elite! He has purchased ROH, and in honor of this event we get the original Ring of Honor main event, Bryan Danielson vs. Christopher Daniels.
What. A. Match. Even in a losing effort, Christopher Daniels looked like he hadn’t lost a step. CD gets to hit most of his signature moves and takes some sick bumps along the way. But we’ve got ourselves a different Bryan Danielson, as evidenced after the match, where Danielson, mic in hand, offers a handshake to a fallen angel, but tells the crowd this isn’t Ring of Honor, but AEW… and it’s time to stomp someone’s head in. As Danielson starts his rampage, Jon Moxley hits the ring, mic in hand, and tells Bryan come Sunday, he guarantees blood.
Tag Team Casino Battle Royale
I’m sure many expected The Young Bucks to win, given the ongoing drama within The Elite. However, this outcome came about in a brilliant and exciting conclusion. We got nearly every team you can think of. Top Flight, Varsity Blondes, FTR, Santana & Ortiz, The Acclaimed, Best Friends, The Wingmen, Bear Country, two Dark Order teams, 2point0, Butcher & Blade, Brock Anderson & “Shotty” Lee Johnson, and I’m sure I missed one or two. But this match was fantastic. Pacing great, the return of Darius Martin was so awesome to see. Lots of surprise eliminations during the match, ReDragon coming in to manipulate the outcome. I was saddened to see Santana and Ortiz not make it to the final four, but likely they will have a feud with 2point0. Coming down to FTR, the Bucks and Top Flight, we were witness to one hell of a final three.
CM Punk, appearing in a somber mood is in the ring for his segment. After last week, he just looks deflated. He questions his actions and questions about whether he’s the “good guy” and MJF is the “bad guy.” He talks about the horrible actions MJF committed since joining AEW, but then again, Punk can recollect quite a few times he participated in some heinous acts himself.
I love this part because as fans we think about who is a face and who is a heel, yet characters change and seemingly bad deeds are oft-forgotten about until the next persona change.
Punk invites MJF to the ring, and without any music, Long Island’s Salt of the Earth stares down his idol. Punk apologizes and offers a handshake, which instead is returned with a hug of appreciation from Max.
This is the moment folks. Punk and MJF seem to begin hashing things out, when MJF KICKS ONE BETWEEN THE UPRIGHTS!!
A swift kick to the groin, Punk is down, bound with the dog collar to be used this coming Sunday, and is beaten to a bloody pulp with the use of the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Punk is gashed and this one is not pretty.
MJF cuts a very familiar promo about being a snake, and remarking the greatest thing the devil did, was convincing people he didn’t exist… Go look on YouTube at a Punk promo from Ring of Honor.
Holy hell folks. MJF must have been a pretty decent student after all, because he did his homework.
Chris Jericho cuts a backstage promo fairly intent on proving himself right about Eddie Kingston. But if he is wrong, he will show respect to Kingston… But he doesn’t think it will happen. Santana and Ortiz stare off with the Inner Circle captain and offer some reluctant fist bumps.
Backstage with Keith Lee is interrupted by Ricky Starks and Will Hobbs, warning Lee not to compete on Rampage this Friday night, or he may not make it to Revolution. The Limitless One is not amused.
Thunder Rosa and Mercedes Martinez defeated Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. & Jayme Hayter
Decent match. This set the stage to portray Thunder Rosa as a legit threat to taking the AEW Women’s Championship on Sunday. Martinez and Hayter served as the big brawling bruisers, and this is not something I would typically describe two women doing in a match, but they did it very well. At some points the match slowed down a bit with some awkward spots. Overall, the story continued its build, but it goes without saying, we’ve seen Rosa and Dr. Baker before, and they never disappoint. I expect no less come Sunday.
I’m going on a small rant on Jade Cargill. She’s improved, she’s vastly improved since her first few matches. However, the promos and the catchphrase has got to stop. I find it hypocritical to put her on TV, showing her daughter in the crowd while cutting a promo where the word “bitch” is the only promo she can cut. Tonight, when confronting Tay Conti and Ana Jay, every sentence ended with the word “bitch.” If you want to show a strong woman on TV, great. But this has to stop. If I want my girls to watch wrestling, I can’t back Cargill as a role model when her only recourse for getting herself over is calling herself “That Bitch” and then calling the championship as “That Bitch’s Show.”
Sorry. I’m happy she has improved so much under the wing of Bryan Danielson, but if she really wants to be a better heel, do better on the mic. Please.
Wardlow squashes Cezar Bononi – The match was nothing, but the big moment, Wardlow grabbing the chair mid-swing from Shawn Spears. It’s getting closer folks.
Backstage, MJF greets Wardlow backstage and lets him know he can keep the TNT Championship if he wins… “but you probably won’t.” Wardlow gets mad and eats a facefull of slap.
It’s going to happen. Soon.
AEW Dynamite 3/2 Main Event: Hangman Adam Page, John Silver & Alex Reynolds vs. Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly
This match was so much fun to watch. From Silver and Reynolds coming out in matching purple cowboy attire with “Hangman” Adam Page to the sheer non-stop wrestling in the ring, I have to give this match five stars. I’d just like to point out how much I love watching Bobby Fish. He has the look of a sinister villain with his evil-stache, but his mannerisms of stalking and meticulously taking apart opponents.
For most of the match, Cole stayed away from Page unless he was guaranteed control. Those moments were short as both Adams would counter each other’s attempts at signature moves, giving the live crowd and the crowd at home a glimpse of what awaits us all at AEW Revolution. Each sequence was so fluid. This hypes how much Cole fears Page and when they are in the ring together the magic we can expect on Sunday. This is how you build a big fight feel for a PPV main event. After a brief flurry of punches between Page and Cole, everyone jumped in for the brawl, which ended when Adam Cole scored the Boom knee to Alex Reynolds. Post match, ReDragon duct tapes Page to the ropes witnessing the destruction of his tag team partners. Message being sent, loud and clear for Sunday.
Folks, for a major go-home show prior to a pay-per-view, this succeeded with flying colors.
I’m buying into the PPV, are YOU?!
