“AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Dec 21st 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: The Elite (Kenny Omega, & The Young Bucks — Nick & Matt Jackson) def. Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo, & Rey Fenix)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Death Triangle blasted the Elite with thrust kicks and then took flight and took out the Elite on the arena floor. Penta El Zero Miedo cracked a trash can over Kenny’s head! He followed up by dropkicking the can against Kenny’s groin area. Death Triangle nailed Matt Jackson with triple dropkicks. Penta El Zero Miedo stuck Nick Jackson with the sling blade clothesline outside the ring. PAC and Rey Fenix set up tables on the arena floor. Penta El Zero Miedo propped up an artificial Christmas tree in the ring and Matt and Kenny were hit with the artificial pine needles. PAC began to dissect Nick’s tweaked right ankle. Matt Jackson wiped out the Lucha Bros outside the ring by doing a breathtaking moonsault off the turnbuckles. Kenny took a trash can and used it as he moonsaulted PAC inside the ring for a near fall! Kenny Omega pulled out a barbed wire broom from beneath the ring! He grabbed Fenix and smashed him face first into the broom. Matt dropped an elbow through Penta on the table. Nick used a senton onto PAC through the table. The Bucks lifted up Rey Fenix for the BTE Trigger but Alex Abrahantes interrupted it by grabbing Kenny’s ankle! Kenny managed to rock Rey Fenix with the V-Trigger. Rey took down Kenny with a hurracanrana for a near fall! Rey Fenix pulled out a hammer and cracked Kenny in the forehead with it for a near fall! PAC locked in the Brutalizer. Rey Fenix captured Nick’s ankle in a submission. Matt Jackson jumped in the ring and stomped his opponents, forcing them to release their submissions on the Elite members. Kenny sent Rey Fenix down hard to the mat with a snap dragon suplex out of nowhere. Matt pinned Rey Fenix after Nick Jackson did a Meltzer Driver on Fenix, who crashed down on a steel chair! After the match, Death Triangle attacked the Elite! Nick was busted wide open by a hammer shot!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: FTW Champion Hook def. Exodus Prime
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hook grappled Prime to the mat. Hook slugged away at Exodus Prime in the corner. Hook used a high cradle suplex on Exodus. Hook leaned in and walloped Prime with a lariat. Hook locked in RedRum and left Exodus Prime no choice but to tap out!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #3: Jon Moxley def. Darius Martin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darius tried a shoulder tackle on Mox and Mox barely budged. Darius tripped Moxley and followed up with a dropkick. Moxley booted Darius in the midsection. Moxley suplexed Darius on the concrete floor of the arena. Dante went to check on his brother and Moxley shoved him out of the way. Darius flew out of the ring and smacked into Mox with a tope. Moxley turned Darius inside out with a suplex type maneuver. Mox stomped on Darius’ elbow and then chopped away at Darius’ chest. He headbutted Darius. Mox propped up Darius on the turnbuckles and superplexed Darius back into the ring. Moxley was looking for a brainbuster but Darius floated over. They traded strikes in the center of the ring. Moxley kicked Darius in the kneecap. Darius fired back with a running European uppercut and then a shoulder to Mox’s midsection. Darius nailed Mox with a flatliner off the bottom rope for a near fall! Darius hit Mox with a diving crossbody but Mox rolled through, capturing the wrists. Mox stomped down on Darius. Mox followed up with the hammer and anvil elbows. Mox spiked Darius with the Death Rider and then was victorious via pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: The Gunns (Austin & Colten) def. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Cash elbowed Colten in the back and then delivered an atomic drop to Austin. Cash backdropped Austin. FTR took the fight to the Gunns outside the ring, whipping them into the barricades. Dax tagged in and cleaned house on the Gunns with right hands. Dax fought through his injuries and nailed Colten with a lariat. Colten grabbed the boot of Dax and then smacked Dax’s face into the ring apron. Cash flew out of the ring with a tope to Colten. Austin rammed Dax into the steel ring steps. Austin applied the Sharpshooter to Dax but Cash ran in with a body block to break up the hold. Dax attempted a piledriver on Austin but due to injury, he couldn’t hoist up Austin. Austin reversed a roll-up and with the assistance of Colten, pinned Dax!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #5: AEW Women’s World Championship Match – Jamie Hayter def. Hikaru Shida
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hayter went for a wild swing but Shida ducked and countered with elbows of her own. Hayter battered Shida with strikes. Shida dropped Hayter with a knee strike. Shida suplexed Hayter into the turnbuckles. Shida rocked Hayter with a big knee strike. Hayter and Shida collided in the center of the ring with clotheslines on one another, each wrestler having the same strategy in mind. Shida blasted Hayter with a missile dropkick. Hayter used a snapmare off the turnbuckles on Shida, sending Shida crashing on the ring apron. Shida nailed Hayter with a brainbuster off the apron and onto the arena floor. Hayter tried for a moonsault but Shida rolled out of the way. Shida followed up with a running knee for a near fall on Hayter! The champ rallied back with a sliding lariat for a near fall on Shida! Shida rocked Hayter with a combination assault and then a release German suplex! Dr. Britt Baker jumped on the ring apron with the kendo stick while Rebel distracted the referee. Shida grabbed the kendo stick and whacked Baker. Hayter powerbombed Shida for a near fall! Hayter cracked Shida with the Hayter-Ade and then pinned Shida!
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
Some solid wrestling this week but Dynamite seemed too promo-heavy. And not all the promos landed either – in particular the Lee/Strickland segment which was, frankly, terrible. I wasn’t a fan of seeing the Gunn Club winning over FTR but the rest of the matches on the card were good and all led into the superb women’s main event which cemented Jamie Hayter as champ AND furthered the feuds of the women involved post-match. OK, so I would have preferred more matches but this was a decent enough pre-Christmas show.
