The final Dynamite from Canada kicks off with a blockbuster of an opener, Chris Jericho defeating Komander. Great match, difference in styles added to the excitement. Jericho often slowed down his agile opponent, but when Komander hit another rally, it was shocker after shocker, with high angle 450s or a twisting phoenix for near falls. Ultimately, Jericho out-smarted his opponent, forcing a submission victory with the one true Lion Tamer.
Post-match, Don Callis tries pulling at Jericho’s nostalgic-fueled heart by airing an old promo featuring Jericho, Callus, and Bad News Allen. While this appeared to sway Jericho, he would still not give an answer.
I wondered if this was a tease to Jericho possibly being the fifth man on Team Blackpool, but it didn’t feel to have enough hype, and Callis did not tease the urgency. In fact, later on, Callis is shown talking about the reveal as though it were someone else completely, with no hint of including Jericho. I doubt Jericho would align with Callis, and with the other members of the JAS beginning to take separate paths, such as Jake Hager handing in his hat, it does look as though Jericho may embark on one more run as a babyface.
An attempt at speaking with either Hook or Jack Perry ended with, you guessed it, Perry fleeing in a car.
Speaking of babyfaces, Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia defeated Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin in the blind tag team tournament. Fantastic see-saw of a match, at no point during the bout could you tell who would win. It was clear from Sammy, he took more of the high road, while the dancing fool Garcia continued with underhanded tactics. Those tactics included interference from Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland. Sammy got the win, however a post-match handshake showed respect to his defeated opponents.
I always have to point out, the announce team constantly puts down Garcia’s dancing, as a reminder it consistently causes him to lose focus or even take a loss. One day this will be a storyline. Garcia looks like a bad Alex Wright impersonator.
Pre-taped segment, Adam Cole and MJF bonding
First they are in a bar and are picked up by four women, however Cole declines while MJF takes all four back with him. Flash forward, MJF makes remarks about them which Cole tells MJF is not OK, plus he’s committed to Dr. Britt Baker, DMD. Cole promises to wear their tag team shirt if MJF does one of his chosen activities…
… VIDEO GAMES! Together they play AEW Fight Forever, and appear to defeat FTR for the Tag Team Championships. MJF remarks how much fun it is, Cole is surprised he’s never played any multiplayer game. However, Max, oh poor Max, reveals shyly he never had friends to play alongside with. Awwwwww.
Backstage with Renee Paquette, Cole appears to be getting a stern talking to over the phone by Dr. Britt Baker, then confronted by Roderick Strong and then is sent a text MJF caught the flu right after Brian Cage walked by.
This whole segment was hysterical. Cole and MJF are comedy brilliance.
MJF and Cole defeated Big Bill and Brian Cage
When was the last tie a crowd chanted for a bodyslam or a double-clothesline? WHEN? MJF kept trying to Bodyslam Big Bill throughout the match, and then finally did it akin to Hulk Hogan bodyslamming Andre the Giant. The crowd exploded when he finally did it. MJF and Cole pull off the impossible. MJF getting the crowd to do the most ridiculous chants ever. You gotta love it.
We didn’t get “The Double Clothesline” tonight, but perhaps we will see it next week in the tournament final. The roof will burst.
Ruby Soho defeated Skye Blue
Decent match, but I’m over this Outcasts stable. At this point it’s the Soho bunch, and unfortunately the recent push for Skye Blue ultimately led to her losing to Soho. My guess is this will mean Soho faces Willow Nightingale in the finals. I doubt Athena will go over and we get a heel vs. heel tournament final. Although, stranger things have happened.
Swerve Strickland defeated Nick Wayne
Two years in the making. The promos and video packages featuring Wayne no doubt proves AEW has high hopes and major investment in making him a future top star. This is similar to his own mentor, Darby Allin, who also would benefit from promo packages in his debut with AEW as well. It’s clear Wayne will be well taken care of. Wayne and Swerve have faced each other a number of times within the indies, so this debut match felt like the right, natural choice. Swerve and Wayne put on a hell of a match, clear Swerve gave Wayne the time to show his stuff in front of a large live crowd and a television audience.
It did not disappoint. The major standouts were Wayne’s reverse-rana/poison-rana off the fricken’ top turnbuckle, then later he gets planted by a top rope powerbomb followed by Swerve’s JML Driver when his Last Call kick couldn’t finish the job.
A+ plus.
The main event wrestling match was then followed by an A+ closer of a segment. The reveal we have all been waiting for, PAC returns to join the BCC!
Oh wait, that’s not it… You want to hear how PAC and the BCC were about to cripple Kenny Omega, but on the big screen we find out KOTA IBUSHI is coming to AEW Blood and Guts next week! The Elite rush out to drive off an irate Don Callis and BCC.
PAC is a great choice considering the feud he had with Omega during AEW’s start and subsequent rematches over the next few years. Ever since the announcement he left New Japan, the question of “when” Ibushi would debut was a matter of time.
Ever since Double or Nothing and through Forbidden Door, the weekly programs have been packed, and feels like everything matters and worthy of attention. The matches are both fun and serious to further along their individual story arcs. Something clicked after the Double or Nothing PPV, going as far to say they have rediscovered what made AEW a draw from the beginning and able to recapture this unique magic.
Next week is Blood and Guts, and both Rampage and Collision have some stacked lineups.
Let’s Go!
