‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Nov 4th 2020)
Welcome to this week’s All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have the final build to Full Gear, which includes Cody Rhodes in our main event. Oh, Cody finally got the rights to the last name back, so he is now Cody Rhodes again. Okay, I’m ready to not hate AEW this week, so let’s hope things start getting better. Dynamite…BOOM!
Match #1: MJF & Wardlow def. Ortiz & Sammy Guevara
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
“Demo God” Chris Jericho, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Jim Ross were the broadcast team for tonight’s event! Jericho will be facing MJF at FULL GEAR, and if MJF wins, he can join the ranks of Inner Circle. Ortiz connected with a low dropkick on Wardlow. “Mr. Mayhem” Wardlow grabbed the leg of Ortiz and slammed him down. MJF tagged in and began to stomp on Ortiz, and then quickly tagged out to Wardlow. “Wardlow is doing all the heavy lifting here, while MJF is just picking up the pieces,” noted Tony Schiavone. MJF was biting and scratching at Ortiz. “I like that! That’s what we do in the Inner Circle,” said Jericho. Ortiz escaped Wardlow and tagged in Sammy. Wardlow blocked a pump kick but Sammy followed up with a knee strike! Sammy hit two consecutive corkscrew tope suicidas on MJF and Wardlow! Sammy and MJF faced off in the ring and countered each other’s moves until MJF poked Sammy in the eyes. Sammy countered with the GTH but Wardlow broke up the count for MJF! Ortiz nailed Wardlow with a face buster and then Sammy used a running shooting star press. Wardlow was infuriated and walloped Ortiz with the F10 but Sammy broke up the pin! “Sammy is having a night!” Sammy was on the outside of the ring and flipped the bird to Serpentico, who responded by hurling a chair at Sammy! Serpentico—or the person pretending to be Serpentico unmasked—and it turned out to be Matt Hardy in disguise! MJF finished off Ortiz with the Salt of the Earth armbar!
My Opinion: 3.5 out of 5 – This was a fine opener that was aggressive and brisk, like a tea kettle in Corey Feldman’s gun shack. MJF and Sammy were on top of the roast here, squeezing every last bit of juice out of the meat like there was no tomorrow. There was enough action in this match to make it thick with competition, but perhaps not with the pedigree that you’d hope for considering who’s involved. The right team won though, so this was a success on two fronts, with the first being the overall quality of the match.
Match #2: Miro (with Kip Sabian & Penelope Ford) def. Trent (with Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Miro insulted Trent’s mom before the match and Trent cut him off with a dropkick! Miro followed up with a suplex and a side dish of elbows and kicks. He threw Trent across the ring with a suplex again. On the outside, Chuck Taylor rammed Kip into the arena wall! Miro charged Trent with a splash into the corner, and then sent Trent up and over with an Irish whip! “I can’t see how Miro is going to best Miro here,” said Jericho. Trent attempted a swinging DDT but Miro blocked it and dumped Trent over the top! Miro rammed Trent into the steel guardrail for good measure! Penelope Ford slapped Orange Cassidy and then John Silver attacked Cassidy from behind! Cassidy will be facing Silver of the Dark Order at FULL GEAR! Trent took Miro off his feet with a clothesline. Trent covered Miro for a pin and Miro kicked out at one! Miro missed a roundhouse kick and Trent countered with a half and half suplex! Trent set up his knee strike but Miro caught him and pancaked him for a near fall. Trent drove Miro down to the floor with a tope con hiro! Trent spiked Miro with the swinging DDT! Trent hit the bicycle knee on Miro, but Miro kicked out just in the nick of time! “What a war we are seeing between these two men!” said Excalibur. Trent jumped off the top rope with a springboard but Miro blasted him with a kick and it was Game Over!
My Opinion: 3.6 out of 5 – These two had an excellent bout that was bell-to-bell action. Trent’s faster style was deftly balanced against Miro’s power-moves, which were an instant hit in their own right. Things got more violent as the match marched on, which is how it should be. This needed a bit more time to feel like the epic this was turning into, but we got several great minutes between these guys and…SQUIRREL!
Match #3: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) def. Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy with Matt Hardy)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
As Private Party made their entrance, Sammy Guevara ambushed Matt Hardy and spiked him on the entrance ramp! This is a rematch from the second episode of DYNAMITE, where Private Party eliminated the Bucks in the first round of the AEW World Tag Team championship tournament. We were reminded that if the Bucks don’t win the belts this Saturday in their match against FTR at FULL GEAR, they’ll never challenge for the titles again. Matt Jackson was still showing signs of an injured leg, from the hands of FTR’s attack last week. “Matt’s limping already in there!” said Jericho. The Bucks double-teamed Private Party with tremendous tandem offense. Private Party one-upped them with their own tandem offense, stringing together a beautiful sequence of offense, climaxing with a crisscross and then a tope suicida! Matt Jackson pushed Kassidy off the turnbuckle onto the ramp. Matt hit a running bulldog on Marq Quen! “Bit of a mean streak there,” noted Chris Jericho. The Bucks attempted the Meltzer Driver but Marq Quen reversed it, creating a window of opportunity for Private Party! It quickly closed as Matt went right back on the offense. Kassidy got the tag, pushed the pace and booted both Jacksons! “The door is open for another upset here,” said Jim Ross. Kassidy jumped over the top with a tornillo on the Bucks! Private Party pulled out more tandem offense but Nick Jackson kicked out. Nick tried to tag in Matt, but Matt was sitting on the apron, nursing his leg. Private Party connected with Gin and Juice on Nick Jackson, but Matt Jackson managed to make the save and break the pin! Marq Quen tried for a shooting star press but the Bucks dodged it! The Bucks tried for the Meltzer Driver again but Quen rolled up Matt, but Matt rolled up Quen, and neither man could finish it. The Bucks finally employed the BTE Trigger on Marq Quen and they scored the pin after a hard-fought match!
My Opinion: 3.3 out of 5 – This was a spot-fest that delivered spots and stunts and whatever else that entails. I wish this had some psychology, but I need a psychologist more than these guys do, so there you go. If you like kicks, then this match is what you’ve been waiting for. I wish there had been more wrestling here, but that’s AEW for you.
Match #4: Nyla Rose (with Vicki Guerrero) def. Red Velvet (with Brandi Rhodes)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Nyla Rose ran over Red Velvet and then took her head off with the “Decapitation” clothesline! Red Velvet tried for a hurracanrana but Nyla countered with a Beast Bomb! “She’s sending a message to AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida at ringside, who she’s facing this Saturday!” said Jim Ross. Nyla finished off Red Velvet with a running knee strike, taking a page out of Shida’s playbook.
My Opinion: 0.7 out of 5 – This was a dumb squash match.
Match #5: (Main Event) Cody Rhodes (with Arn Anderson) & The Gunn Club (Billy & Austin Gunn—their debut in the Nightmare Family) def. The Dark Order (Colt Cabana, John “4” Silver & Ten)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darby Allin was sitting up in the rafters, scouting Cody, as he’ll be facing him this Saturday at FULL GEAR! Silver slapped Cody, but Cody picked him up and dropped him down across his shoulders. Austin tagged in and took Silver off his feet with a basement dropkick. Billy tagged in and used his size to catch Colt Cabana in midair, slamming him down for a near fall! Austin back body-dropped Ten, but while Colt distracted the ref, Ten used a spinebuster on Austin! Billy tagged in and cleaned house, splashing Ten in the corner. Billy dropped Ten on his face! Cody powerslammed Silver! Ten utilized a beautiful cutter on Billy for a near fall. Austin pinned Ten after the CrossRhodes and the Quick Draw!
My Opinion: 2.5 out of 5 – This was a Dark match that was not very interesting. Cody did his thing, but that’s it. Wow…what a boring match.
Final Verdict: 3/5
You got all the normal promos from all of the participants in matches for Full Gear, but that all felt mundane and plain. Apart from Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston, nothing on the card feels like a big match.
