AEW Dynamite 6/21 aka the last Dynamite before Forbidden Door is live from Chicago, where just days ago CM Punk made his return to AEW on the first episode of Collision. We kick off with The Gunns defeating The Hardys thanks to some interference by Jay White and Juice Robinson, raising eyebrows yet again at the possibility of Bullet Club Gold recruiting The Gunns. However, the post-match fight became very interesting with the timely assistance of FTR who have beef with both Gunns and BC-Gold. However, it would be the run-in by CM Punk, because Chicago, who would turn the tide and challenge to a huge tag match for his show, Collision.
Punk even said, “I’m not even supposed to be here.”
Not the most inspiring of matches, but clearly the match was meant to further the already established feuds.
Mark Briscoe defeated Jeff Jarrett in a Concession Stand Brawl
This was just goofy, and this is OK. I would agree with the many who thought this feud should have ended after the mixed tag which also featured Papa Briscoe (not Papa Shango!), AEW has the poor habit of stretching feuds for one more match longer than it needs to. We got a bit of a mess at the end with running interference by Christopher Daniels, Best Friends and The Lucha Brothers to assist Mark with a rollup pin fall.
Whatsa mattah Jarrett? Didn’t want to take a Jay Driller or Froggy Bow?
Backstage Promo with BCC challenging The Elite and Eddie Kingston to a five-on-five match for Forbidden Door, with Konosuke Takeshita and “Shooter” Shota Umino rounding out their unit. Later on, Eddie Kingston says he will announce their mystery partner towards the end of the show.
Le Suzuki Gods defeated Random Assortment of High Flyers (Ready, Set, Action Andretti, TJ Maxx or AR Fox, and Dante “I’m not injured this time” Martin)
Sarcasam aside, this was a fun match. The result was never in question and not one of those matches where we believe an upset could happen. No no, Dante was clobbered to near-death by Murder Grandpa Suzuki while Andretti took the upper hand over Jericho. Sammy had a beautiful standing and stalling suplex. Jericho forces a submission with the real Liontamer.
I will never get tired of watching Minoru Suzuki do anything. Hell, one moment, Dante tries hitting the guy, who just smiles, turns, and turns Dante’s face inside out. Suzuki and Jericho even mocked Sammy with their own sexy pose. Yes, even Suzuki can be sexy.
Post-match, Jericho challenges Sting and Darby Allin to find a partner for Forbidden Door. I believe it’s going to be Tetsuya Naito. Sting’s promo was funny. I like funny Sting.
Adam Cole in-ring promo starts off with the inevitable appeal for another shot at the AEW World Championship. MJF immediately interrupts, despite Cole trying to con the con-man, still says no. However, in a brilliant comedy moment, Tony Schiavone attempts an announcement which elicit a “Shut up Schiavone!” simultaneously from MJF and Cole. In case you forgot, MJF just hates the man, but Cole hates him because of how buddy-buddy Tony and Dr. Britt Baker were prior to Cole’s arrival in AEW.
The announcement is made MJF and Adam Cole are being forced to team up in this mystery tag team tournament. MJF freaks out at learning he’ll have to wrestle every week now. Then, Tanahashi is on the screen to again challenge MJF for the AEW Championship, to which MJF vehemently denies, until Cole tricks the champ into agreeing to it. Oh, we’re getting some good Odd Couple vibes!
Backstage with The Elite, accepting the challenge from BCC, and as mentioned before, they recruit Eddie Kingston who will recruit their fifth man.
NJPW TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. and Daniel Garcia defeated AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata in a fantastic match. So enjoyable to watch. There was no way to predict this outcome, and these are the best types of matches. All four compliment each other very well, work together and will make their four-way match at Forbidden Door a must-watch.
Four-way? Yes, as a result of Sabre Jr. and Garcia winning, the one-on-one now becomes a fatal-four.
Parking lot, Don Callis offers Will Ospreay his personal security when they go to Canada for Forbidden Door. Ospreay appears reluctant and suspicious, but does not decline the offer.
TBS Champion Kris Statlander retains over Taya Valkyrie
Best TBS championship match. Sorry, but you have to admit when you have two established and well-versed wrestlers instead of jobbers inflating a manufactured undefeated streak, you get better quality. Statlander, so thankful to see her on television up against a veteran like Valkyrie be given time for both to put on the sort of championship match missing since Jamie Hayter’s injury.
Likely not the last we have seen of Taya, and hopefully a continuation of a long reign for Statlander.
Final Segment of AEW Dynamite 6/21: Eddie Kingston, Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, Okada
I wondered how this week could compare to last, and I felt it delivered. It did not have the bang-bang one after another like last week, which is perfectly fine. Kingston came out to reveal his recruit from NJPW, but was interrupted by Jon Moxley. Kingston, in his glorious right to the point manner, brushes off Moxley and reveals Tomohiro Ishii. Mox is unhappy and so is the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club as they rush the ring to attack the two. Mox seems torn, because he’s working over his supposed friend. Danielson uses the opportunity to mock The Rainmaker, which prompts Okada to hit the ring and clean house. Okada wipes out Wheeler Yuta with the Rainmaker Lariat. There’s your show-closer folks. It didn’t need the chaos from last week, and served as a perfectly good go-home show for Dynamite.
Now, with this in mind, we’ve got a stacked Rampage and Collision coming up with loads more hype for the PPV, and Collision is live, so we could get some additional matches made last minute.
Spoiler alert – Rampage gets us Adam Cole vs. “Filthy” Tom Lawlor.
Forbidden Door is going to be six hours long, isn’t it.
