‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Oct 14th 2020)

Welcome to this Anniversary review of All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and this s—t better be good, or your ass is grass!

Match #1: FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood with Tully Blanchard) def. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent) – AEW World Tag Team Title Match

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Wheeler took Chuck Taylor off his feet with a big shoulder tackle. Dax was tagged in and he continued to work over Chuck’s wrist and arm. The announcers mentioned the “Tully” factor and the newfound edge it has brought to FTR. “FTR love to dictate the pace but they’re having some problems with the challengers,” said Jim Ross as Trent chopped away at Dax. FTR took full advantage of the referee’s ten count as they made their quick in-and-out tags. FTR’s effective tandem offense was on full display early on. FTR isolated Trent on the outside of the ring. Trent tried to fight to his partner Chuck Taylor, but Dax tagged in and prevented the tag. Dax blasted Trent with a huge backdrop off the top turnbuckle! “That high risk maneuver is something you don’t always see with FTR,” noted Tony Schiavone. Cash attempted a splash off the middle rope but Trent lifted his knees, forcing Cash to crash down into them! It was good enough for Trent to get the tag! Trent cleaned house and used a falcon arrow on Dax for a near fall! Tully tried to interfere and it backfired on FTR. Chuck countered with a sunset flip on Cash for a two-count. Best Friends connected with a sole food/half-and half combo, and then a running knee strike from Trent for a two-count on Cash! “Wheeler is in trouble here, and think of what is at stake,” said Jim Ross. FTR hit an assisted powerbomb on Trent, but Trent was able to kick out! Dax tried a back suplex off the top rope on Trent but Trent countered. Trent then spiked Cash with a DDT! Dax countered with a DDT on Trent! “It’s a damn DDT fest,” said Jim Ross. Best Friends nailed Strong Zero on Dax, but Cash saved his partner by breaking up the pin attempt. Cash dropped Trent with a brain-buster on the arena floor! Trent went to spear Cash on the outside but Cash moved and Trent went headfirst into the arcade game cabinet that Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford were playing ringside. Kip ordered Penelope to “Go get him!” and pointed to the back. While the referee was distracted, Cash swung his heavyweight championship belt at Trent and FTR sealed the victory! “Did you hear the crack on that skull?” asked Jim Ross.

My Opinion: 3.8 out of 5 – This wasn’t very technical or smart, but it was one good move after another and it was solid and strong, like Mama Payne’s dookie. FTR sold a lot more than I thought they would, which isn’t bad, but it is a surprise. Chuck showed a lot here, more so character-wise, but that’s what he’s become a pro at, so it works. There’s nothing in here that was bad or lame, but I wanted the mat mastery to be on display, not the standard tag moves of the era. Well, this was still really damn good, so shove it.

Match #2: Kip Sabian (with Penelope Ford) & Miro def. Sean Maluta & Lee Johnson

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Miro was mauling Lee and Sean! Sabian tagged in to pick up the scraps and splashed Maluta with a diving body press. Miro tagged back in and applied his “Game Over” finisher and left Maluta no choice but to tap! Miro, still outraged that Best Friends damaged Kip’s arcade machine, grabbed the microphone and said, “Good Friends, you break my s—t!”

My Opinion: 2 out of 5 – This was a squash. Skip it.

Match #3: Cody (with Brandi Rhodes and Arn Anderson) def. Orange Cassidy – AEW TNT Title Match

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Darby Allin was seen watching on from high up in the arena. “There’s no way Cody is 100% after last week’s brutal dog collar match against Mr. Brodie Lee,” remarked Jim Ross. Cody tried to startle Cassidy early on but Cassidy remained calm, cool and collected. Cody went for a collar and elbow lock up but “Freshly Squeezed” avoided it and then planted his hands in his pockets. Cody grew frustrated and pushed Orange hard, knocking Orange’s sunglasses off his head. The two men finally locked up, a first for Orange in AEW! Cody took down Orange with a waist lock and maintained control. Orange managed to escape and turned his back to Cody, who interpreted it as a sign of disrespect. Cody grew more angered and frustrated with his opponent who displayed some nice technical wrestling. Cody lifted Orange up with a delayed vertical suplex and then pancaked him! Orange got the better of Cody’s temper and hit him with a tope suicida! John Silver of the Dark Order grabbed the TNT Championship, but AEW officials saw this and ejected Dark Order from the ringside area. Cody went for CrossRhodes but Orange countered with a roll-up and then a stun dog millionaire, which rattled Cody. Cassidy tried for the Orange Punch but Cody defended with a basement dropkick! Cody slammed Orange’s leg into the ring post. Cody nailed Orange with the Disaster Kick, right on the money, but Orange kicked out at two! Cody applied a single leg crab on Orange. “Orange is fighting his ass off!” said Jim Ross. Cody hoisted Orange Cassidy onto the top turnbuckle and punched him in the back of the neck. Cody dropped Orange with a reverse suplex off the top! Orange kicked out at two! Orange dug deep and connected with a diving DDT on Cody. Orange planted Cody with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall! Cody countered Orange with a figure four leg lock, working over the leg and the ankle! Orange pulled out the Beach Break on Cody on the ring apron! “Cody is out on his feet here,” said Tony Schiavone. Orange attempted an Orange Punch but Cody countered, trying for CrossRhodes, but then Orange countered with another Beach Break but Cody kicked out! Orange rolled up Cody but as the referee was counting…one…two…the bell rang! Time was up! We went to a time limit draw tonight!

My Opinion: 4.3 out of 5 – This turned out great, with Cody giving his best performance in some time. Orange did well here, by actually taking his hands out of his pockets and wrestling. The crux of this bout was built on both combatants wearing each other down until they were exhausted. This actually felt like a prize fight. After seeing this, I don’t want to see Orange put his hands back in his pockets ever again. Going to a draw worked here and made the match even better. I want a re-match.

Match #4: Hikaru Shida def. Big Swole – AEW Women’s World Title Match

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Swole and Shida locked up early on. Swole transitioned from a headlock into a top wrist lock. Shida swept out Swole’s leg but Big Swole floated over. “Some great chain wrestling here,” observed Jim Ross. Swole and Shida exchanged (and countered) pinning attempts. Shida was attempting to match Swole’s power, which Jim Ross thought was a bad strategy, given Swole’s natural strength. Shida nailed Swole with a running knee strike! Shida draped Swole over the steel guardrail. Shida jumped off a folding chair, connecting with another knee to Big Swole! Back in the ring, Swole headbutted Shida! Swole caught Shida with a big roundhouse kick! Swole followed up with two cutters on Shida for a near fall! Swole attempted her Dirty Dancing finisher but Shida countered with a Falcon Arrow. Swole kicked out at two! Swole finally hit Dirty Dancing but Shida grabbed the bottom rope to stop the ref’s count! Shida rallied back with two running knees to Swole and scored the pin!

My Opinion: 2.8 out of 5 – This was a clumsy match that plodded along and didn’t give Shida enough to work with. That being said, Shida did sell fantastically the whole time, so come for Shida’s performance.

Match #5: (Main Event) Jon Moxley def. Lance Archer (with Jake “The Snake” Roberts) – No Disqualification Match For The AEW World Title

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Moxley immediately hit a Paradigm Shift on Archer for a near fall! Moxley followed up with a tope suicida! They brawled on the outside, with Archer ramming Mox into the steel guardrail! Moxley clotheslined Archer and Archer smiled and shrugged it off! The challenger then pounced on Moxley with a cannonball senton! “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a slobber knocker here,” said Jim Ross. Archer pulled folding tables out from beneath the ring and set them up on the floor. Back in the ring, Archer punished Moxley with brutal offense including a big boot to the head! Archer attempted to chokeslam Mox onto the tables but Mox countered with a stiff forearm. Moxley used a release German suplex on Archer. Mox collided with Archer, taking Archer off his feet with a running lariat. Moxley threw a steel chair and it smashed right into Archer’s face! Mox set up two folding chairs in the ring. Mox attempted a Death Valley Driver but Archer countered with a chokeslam, driving Mox’s body onto the steel chairs! Moxley surprised Archer with a kneebar. Archer grabbed the bottom rope and pulled himself out. Moxley left his feet for a tope suicida but Archer was prepared and hit him with a garbage can! Moxley nailed Archer with a Paradigm Shift off the apron, crashing down through the tables to the floor! “Soften him up for my family,” said Eddie Kingston. Moxley used another Paradigm Shift, but Archer kicked out! Archer DDT’ed Mox and then used the Blackout on Mox! The champ countered and rolled up Archer for the victory!

My Opinion: 3.7 out of 5 – This turned out pretty well, with the normal hardcore spots and stunts coming in at the normal times. Moxley must be made of cast-iron, because he just can take any kind of hit. Archer was a big, mean brute here and it worked. You’re not getting a great wrestling contest or even the best brawl of the year, but this was a smoky taste of a burning blaze that can do some real damage if ever given the chance. Overall, this was pretty strong stuff to end the show with.

News Of The Night:

1. Eddie Kingston challenged Jon Moxley to another World Title match.
2. Chris Jericho and MJF are having a steak dinner next week (stupid).
3. Britt Baker got Tony Schiavone waxed (stupid).
4. Shawn Spears wants to fight Scorpio Sky.
5. Sammy Guevara told Matt Hardy he was the one to attack him a few weeks back and both men have pledged to destroy one another (stupid).
6. Miro seems poised to feud with The Best Friends.

Final Verdict: 3.9/5

Three of these matches were great, but the rest of the show was awful. Out of respect to those matches, I’ll give this a 3.9.