AEW Dynamite 2/22 is Red Hot in Phoenix tonight with massive action amping up the anticipation for AEW Revolution coming up in less than two weeks.
Opening match was one hell of a show. Orange Cassidy retains the All-Atlantic Championship against Wheeler Yuta. So much fun to watch. Yuta and Cassidy mirroring each other move-for-move. Cassidy retains, but it did appear the BCC is leaning more heel-ish lately in their behavior.
Ricky Starks cuts a promo with an open contract, and out comes Chris Jericho. Starks baits him into signing it with an added stipulation for no JAS members to interfere. This likely means a non-JAS member will interfere on Jericho’s behalf come Revolution.
The Acclaimed defeated Lee Moriarty and Big Bill
Primus help me. I hate the name “Big Bill’ and honestly, I know Morrisey had a long road of recovery and training to return to wrestling. But this can’t be an excuse to force me to like what I see on TV. I just don’t. It’s not working for me. He needs to be the Diesel to a Shawn Michaels. Without cutting promos. Moriarty is good, really good. Please find something better for him. I love the Acclaimed, they’re still hot in my book, their tag team rhythm has not lost a beat.
However, when Anthony Bowens goes to singles in the future, he’s going to main event. Caster, damn he drops elbows perfectly each time.
Also, very important: It’s 2023 and Billy Gunn is massively over.
Jungle Boy Jack Perry blindsides Christian Cage before he can get to Tony Schiavone for an interview. No one expected it before he got to open his mouth. Only hitch, Perry hesitated from performing a one-man con-chair-to, and wound up getting punched in the nuts for it, then had a chair thrown in his face. So, despite the ambush, Christian gets away, but not unscathed.
Saraya defeated Skye Blue
Not the best match, but wow, was Skye over with the live crowd. She’s got potential. Lots of it. Saraya flipping off the crowd is a bit excessive, we know she’s heel at this point, this wasn’t necessary. Post-match, Dr. Britt Baker and AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter come down for the save. As Toni Storm and Saraya retreat, Ruby Soho appears to cut them off, but appears to motion for a title opportunity instead.
It appears they are abandoning the “originals vs. veterans” feud, or perhaps putting it aside for now. I still think the idea of “Soho’s loyalty” is a bit strange, considering any wrestler would want to challenge for a championship, which is exactly what Soho wants. It has nothing to do with “originals” or “veterans” or whatever gimmick. She wants a title shot!
Bryan Danielson and MJF have one hell of a promo-fest.
Danielson starts reinforcing his intent to win the AEW World Championship. Interrupted by one irate MJF who cuts another inquisitive eyebrow-raising promo about losing his fiance and if not for being world champion, would “pop a bunch of pills and call it a day.”
Last promo about the car accident had fans calling police. It was Mid-South Wrestling all over again. Now we’ve got a threat for self-harm? I get he’s passionate and can produce shock value, but this one was a bit … much. Definitely a pivot from his typical heel promos, which thankfully he returned to by involving Danielson’s family and making this brutally personal. His closing remark implies he’s going to give Danielson CTE. Wow. That was ballsy.
The build for this has been one hell of a roller coaster. While MJF taunts and provides verbal onslaught, Danielson has been giving us five-star matches. It’s going to be crazy to watch a one-hour Iron Man bout. MJF has made it abundantly clear he will win by any means necessary.
One has to wonder if MJF will retain or he will drop. I like him as a heel champ. I really do. If he loses I’m not sure what else for him to do.
The special announcement is made by Adam Cole a new show called AEW All Access, a special show with an “inside look” at the people within the company.
Okay.
Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal win the Tag Team Elimination Battle Royal
Fun match with some cool spots throughout. The end saw Lethal and Jarrett against Trent Barretta. So many teases he would pull off the win but damn they just have to keep using Satnam Singh to prevent his buddies from being eliminated. In the end, Lethal is thrown out while Jarrett hits the Stroke on Trent, throwing him out for the win.
Sorry, but this was a bad booking move. You had established teams, longstanding teams like Best Friends, Dark Order, Top Flight, Butcher and Blade, yet they go with Team TNA. Just doesn’t sit well with me. If you needed a heel team you go with Butcher and Blade. This gives the internet fans ammo to claim AEW is forgetting about their originals.
AEW Dynamite 2/22 Main Event: Jon Moxley defeats Evil Uno
Was there a chance Uno could win? Sure. Main event spot, someone could have interfered, but alas it was not meant to be. Uno definitely held his own, hitting some stiff looking piledrivers and a senton off the top and to the floor. Inevitably we got blood, but it was Evil Uno’s! It appeared he may have cut a bit too deep because it was worthy of being on the Muta Scale. Mox choked him out for the win. Uno is saved by John Silver and Alex Reynolds, but Wheeler Yuta and Claudio rushed out for a big ol’ brawl. Out comes Heroic Hangman who wraps BARB WIRE around his fist to deck Moxley!
Poor Uno.
Solid show tonight. Boy do I love a good ol’ PileDriver. Fun matches tonight, and I could positively say this was the episode needed to hype us up for Revolution.
