The AEW International Championship is on the line in the show opener of AEW Dynamite 4/26 as Orange Cassidy retains the title over Bandido! This was so much fun to watch. Cassidy mixing the serious wrestling with his comedy shtick still feels natural. Bandido put on a show of strength with some dead lift suplexes and one hell of a one-armed top rope superplex late into the bout. Bandido hit a beautiful Eddie Guerrero tribute frog splash for a very close near fall. After a flurry, Cassidy counters a mid-air lift into the Orange Punch, followed up with the Beach Break for the win.
Cassidy, two years ago, was primarily a comedy guy. 75/25 of comedy and wrestling. I would say at this point it’s about 50/50 or dare I say 60/40 with a little less shtick lately. Face v. Face matches are sometimes difficult to present, but matches like this make it work.
Post match, Adam Cole is with Renee Paquette to discuss the situation with Chris Jericho. He says his piece and leaves, just as Cassidy and Bandido arrive, assuming to discuss their match. Renee politely explains this was not the case to which both Cassidy and Bandido reply “oh” and walk right off. Great work guys. Perfect kick off to Dynamite.
Dax Harwood loses to Jeff Jarrett
Not going to lie, sometimes I feel confused when I see ol’ Double J on television, and we’re seeing him on television a lot. However, he was pretty good in the match tonight, continuing to provide the role of being a vile heel, allowing the live crowd to become all the more invested in his hulking up comeback. Also, to Dax’s big credit, he can compete as an equal to Jarrett’s slow, methodical pace of wrestling. Dax hit a picture-perfect piledriver for a near fall. At some point these moves need to earn pinfall victories. Sonjay Dutt runs interference, which allows Jarrett to catch Dax in the Stroke for the cheap pinfall victory.
It’s the only way Dax could lose. No way a clean loss would have made sense. Still, a lame finish in my opinion.
Dax is known for tag team wrestling, but we have seen, on more than one occasion, he can go singles whenever he chooses. His matches against Cash Wheeler and Adam Cole in the Owen Hart Memorial Tournament speak volumes. Speaking of which, AEW Owner Tony Khan announces the second annual Owen Hart Memorial Tournament in which many matches will take place overseas, the opener to take place at Double or Nothing. Very well spoken.
Wardlow defeated a jobber
Arn Anderson puts Wardlow over post-match, which is interrupted by Christian Cage and Kane-A-Saurus. So I guess they’re next? Meh.
Backstage: RJ City gets mauled by the Blackpool Combat Club. Is it just me, or does Wheeler Yuta not fit in as well since William Regal left?
Backstage, MJF and Sammy Guevara have a hysterical interview segment with Renee Paquette. These guys are great together.
Sammy Guevara defeats Darby Allin by Disqualification
Another fun match tonight. Crazy table spot with Sammy plowing Darby through via 630 off the top and to the arena floor. Very enjoyable match. In Eddie Guererro fashion, MJF tossed the skateboard to Darby, at which point Sammy takes a dive. Ref DQ’s Allin. However, Tony Schiavone gets word from Tony Khan, next week MJF and Sammy will face Jungle Boy and Darby Allin in a tag team match, playa. If Darby and Jack Perry win, the main event at Double or Nothing will become a Pillars Fatal Four Way.
Four guys I didn’t expect to main event so soon, but boy, this week hyped it up very well.
Adam Cole hits the ring and demands a fight with Chris Jericho. He doesn’t get Jericho, but instead the Painmaker from the big screen sends his goon squad down. However, Orange Cassidy and Bandido rush the ring but still the faces are outnumbered. It looks like once again, Jericho has outsmarted everyone…
…. A WILD RODERICK STRONG APPEARS!!!
In true “Holy S***” moment, Ring of Honor mainstay and Undisputed Era stablemate charges the ring and chases off the entire Jericho Appreciation Society. Talk about BOOM. I can’t recall any word of his release from WWE or talk of being a free agent. Unbelievable. What a moment tonight. BOOM!
TBS Championship – Jade Cargill retains over Taya Valkyrie
This was disappointing. I’m sorry AEW, but this wasn’t good. Cargill took very few bumps. Normally, I would have been impressed with her hitting a Destroyer, but everyone does it these days. It’s become as common as a hip toss, sadly. Let’s just talk about the finish, Taya sets up for the Valhalla, but is reminded of the stipulation that she cannot use it or else she is DQ’d. Without hesitation, Cargill rolls Taya up for three. Post-match, an angry Taya threatens to flatten Aubrey Edwards but other refs come in for the save. I no longer care where this leads.
AEW Dynamite 4/26 Main Event: Kenny Omega and Konosuke Takeshita w/Don Callis defeated Butcher and the Blade w/ Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford
Bryan Danielson comes out and joins commentary, pushing his new bit – calling everyone “amateurs.” I laugh, because it aligns with calling fans “fickle.” Kenny and Konoske work extremely well together, and I can’t help but wonder if there will be future references to Kota Ibushi.
Butcher and Blade need to be featured more. They were tag team workhorses during the prime pandemic era. Butcher in particular improved 1000% and is a match making monster when given the opportunity.
Very enjoyable match with a fantastic concluding volley of moves, leading to Takeshita earning the pinfall victory. However, post match, Bryan Danielson begins some mind games in trying to court Takeshita over to their side. When this fails, the Blackpool Combat Club wastes no time in putting the hurt to the exhausted duo. Omega is isolated while Mox retrieves the screwdriver of death. The Young Bucks arrive to turn the tables, and are about to exact revenge when Takeshita pleads for them not to stoop to their level. This allows the BCC to blindside The Elite. Danielson readies to celebrate with his new recruit, however Takeshita will have none of it. The BCC then beats up the hero, with Mox driving the screwdriver into his skill, busting Takeshita open to close the show.
Now, I would have thought the longer story of where Takeshita’s loyalty lies could have gone all the way to Double or Nothing, but it seems this was meant from the get-go to have the rising star align with The Elite. This could likely lead to a Blood ‘n’ Guts or Stadium Stampede match in the future.
AEW Dynamite 4/26 definitely picked up from last week, easy B+ show. One can feel the hype for Double or Nothing, picking up, and fast.
