Boy, did Dynamite throw me off tonight. Adam Cole defeats Dax Harwood via Submission to the SHARPSHOOTER!? Are you kidding me? I know this gets Cole over as uber-heel, it pulls on every heart-string in the known universe, and yes, succeeded in getting a massive reaction all over the wrestling world.
It was a great match, pure wrestling at its finest.
Dax tosses Cole around with suplexes, and then spiking him with a bad-ass piledriver.
The finish just hurt. First off, I really thought Dax was going to go all the way. I really did. Second, to have him submit to the sharpshooter just seems really callous. If this is the reaction the folks in AEW wanted, well, they succeeded.
CM Punk is still uber-hell in Long Island and boy is he playing it up. Out wearing a Tavares jersey, a hated former Islander, plus going up against Johnnie Hungie. It’s incredible, even without being in a current feud with MJF, he’s still booed. Unfortunately, the hometown favorite is unsuccessful and loses to Punk following a familiar looking lariat. Punk and Hangman have a staredown.
Tony Nese defeats Danhausen in seconds. Very bad. Very disappointing. Thanks to a distraction by Smart Mark Sterling, the Premiere Athlete sneak attacks and hits his running knee for the quick win. He continues to attack until HOOK arrives! Nese and Sterling bail and take off.
Danhausen extends a hand… and HOOK accepts! This is Hogan/Macho Man level handshake folks! I thought a black hole was about to open up.
We find out on the Buy In at Double or Nothing, “Hookhausen” will face the team of Mark Sterling and Tony Nese.
Love it.
MJF segment is brilliant. We get a “Dark Side of the Ring ” spoof, with Chris Jericho narrating, an incredible and fantastic guest appearance by “Legendary Jewish Wrestler” Barry Horowitz, and some of the best “commentary” from various wrestlers. This was hysterical. MJF comes out as a babyface, fist-bumping and high-fiving fans. Wardlow is booed relentlessly, proving no matter what, in Long Island, MJF will always be a babyface.
The segment inevitably breaks down into a brawl, and “Smart” Mark Sterling winds up getting powerbombed through a table. Man, Sterling is everywhere now!
The Barry Horowitz appearance is what won it over for me. I love it. Make Horowitz All Elite!
Ricky Starks retains the FTW Championship against Jungle Boy
Fantastic match. I’d watch them go again. Match was good, but it would be the concluding moments which expand the story. Starks grabs the FTW title belt, and appears to contemplate leaving, but is stopped by “Swerve” Strickland who sends Starks back in and into a pinning combination but the ref is trying to send Swerve to the back! This unintentional act causes Jungle Boy to get frustrated, allowing Starks to hit the Roshambo for the win.
Post-match, Christian and Luchasaurus bump past Swerve to console Jungle Boy and have words with Swerve about his actions. Luchasaurus attempts to settle all parties as Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs try to rile them all up. Just then, a wild Keith Lee appears! Things are heating up. My guess is a three-way tag team championship match at Double or Nothing.
As pointed out by the announce team, over the past few weeks, it seems Jungle Boy is getting very upset and/or angry.
Jericho Appreciation Society has another Sports-Entertainment segment. Jericho says he’s going to burn someone else with fire because “I’m a wizard!” Oh lawd. The group claims they are untouchable… But out comes the Blackpool Combat Club. Oh boy. Jericho doesn’t seem too fazed, shouting they still outnumber them. Well, from behind are Santana, Ortiz, and a returning Eddie Kingston! As the live crowd chants something inappropriately appropriate, the two trios attack! Jericho tries to escape, but is decked by William Regal!
I am convinced Eddie Kingston is going to be wrestler of the year. Those pops. Wow.
Backstage, Frankie Kazarian responds to a Scorpio Sky promo about his upcoming TNT title defense on Rampage, when Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti interrupt. Sammy tries some mind games, but Kazarian brushes them off, telling the pair to “go be unlikeable someplace else… and your vlog sucks!”
Toni Storm defeats Jamie Hayter – Really good match. Really good. No clear dominator during this one, which kept us all guessing who would move on in the tourney. It was hinted Baker and Hayter could face each other which would have been an interesting twist, but then there is the prospect of Storm and Baker facing off too. Very wild and unpredictable match with some seriously good spots. Storm wins with a sick looking piledriver.
The Main Event of AEW Dynamite 5/11! Jeff Hardy defeats Darby Allin – Crazy match. Just. Crazy. What else would anyone expect of two people who seem to spend their careers taking high risk spots?
Let’s just get to the spots. The big one, Darby going off the top of a super-tall ladder in the ring, crashing down on Jeff Hardy who is laying across a row of chairs on the floor.
Hardy also missed a swanton onto the steel stairs, Allin crashed and burned attempting a Coffin Drop on the ring apron, but did connect in the ring, only to be rolled up by Hardy for the three count.
Next week is Adam Cole vs. Jeff Hardy. This ensures Darby doesn’t job to Cole, plus when Hardy loses to Cole next week, it will set up the “dream match” of The Hardys vs. Young Bucks for Double or Nothing.
An interesting show tonight to say the least!
