‘AEW Dynamite: Fyter Fest – Night 1’ Review (July 14th 2021)
Welcome to this week’s AEW: Dynamite review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have Fyter Fest Night 1, which looks good on paper. Then again, arsenic and old lace looked good as a decoration until I found out what that actually meant. Jonathan Brewster: What kind of crack is that?! Me: Say, you look like Boris Karloff! JB: F–k you asshole! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! Dr. Einstein: No Johnny! No! Please! Me: Yeah Johnny! Please! JB: I’m going to skin you alive! Kenny Omega: Oooooowaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!! JB: On second thought, I’ll gut the street-walker instead! KO: Ooooohuhhhhhhhh?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Me: Okay. Dr. E: Okay. KO: Oooooooooahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! JB: Come here you little squirt! KO: Ooooooooooowwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!! Me: Well, let’s get started. JB: I’ll chop your bob off! KO: Oooooooooo-f–k-f–k-f–k-f–k-f–k-f–k-f–k-f–k!!!!!!!!
[Author’s Note: Darby Allin, who was accused of rape and has not been found guilty or innocent in a court of law, is on this show and if that alarms or offends you, then viewer discretion is advised].
Match #1: Jon Moxley def. Karl Anderson – IWGP United States Title Match
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Eddie Kingston attacked Doc Gallows with a lead pipe before the match began. Kingston and Gallows brawled out into the crowd! Mox and Anderson slugged it out, trading forearms once the bell rang. Moxley clotheslined Anderson over the top rope and to the outside of the ring. “Machine Gun” blocked a suplex from Moxley and countered with a suplex of his own onto the arena floor. Anderson showed off his accuracy with a running kick to Moxley. He followed up with a spinebuster to Mox! They climbed to the top ropes and Mox superplexed Karl Anderson! Anderson hit Moxley with a cutter off the top rope, but Moxley kicked out! Moxley booted Anderson in the midsection. He tried for the Paradigm Shift, but Anderson countered with a Gun Stun! Moxley used a short arm clothesline with authority and then retrained after the Paradigm Shift!
The Verdict: 7 out of 10 – These guys got right to the point with this one. With a lot less technical work than I thought they’d go for, this still came around to being very thrilling, due to the risks being taken at the right time and for the right reasons. There was that feeling of fighting spirit at work here, which made for a match that felt appropriate for what was at stake. Jon took the beating of a life-time as always, while Karl got the chance to shake the Elite off of himself and get back to what he is great at, which is wrestling. It got heated toward the end, but Jon winning was always meant to be the end and it was reached with passion. This was not quite as satisfying in action as it was in spirit, but at least it opened the show on a strong note.
Match #2: Ricky Starks def. Brian Cage – FTW Title Match
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hook and Powerhouse Hobbs were watching from ringside. Taz joined the commentary team for this match and noted that Hook and Hobbs were torn about this match. Cage went for the neck early on. He press slammed Starks! Cage kicked Starks in the corner of the ring and then began to manhandle him. Cage got a near fall on Starks after a powerslam. Cage charged the corner, but Starks dodged him and then worked over Cage’s arm. Brian Cage was playing around, curling Starks, but Starks caught him with a crucifix bomb. Cage kicked out at the two-count! Outside the ring, Starks blasted Cage with a stiff clothesline. Back in the ring, Cage turned Starks inside out with a pump handle suplex. Cage tried to pin Starks, but Starks touched the ropes with his foot to stop the ref’s count. Cage connected with a thrust kick for another near fall on Starks. Cage tried to bring Starks inside the ring with a suplex, but Starks slipped under. He powerbombed “The Machine” Brian Cage for a two-count. Starks tried to reach for the FTW Title, but Hobbs pulled it away from him. Starks turned around and was spiked by Cage. Starks kicked out just in time! Hook distracted the referee and then Hobbs rocked Cage with a belt shot! Starks speared Cage and pinned him!
The Verdict: 6 out of 10 – It’s a shame that this wasn’t more than it was. Starks has been out injured, so parhaps that hindered him to some large extent. Cage was a bit tepid here, likely to protect Starks from big spots. That all being said, the issue was time. This match got less than ten. Maybe this was because Starks had been injured? Perhaps Starks should have been able to wrestle Christian Cage before this to get him ready for a more involved match witht eh likes of Brian Cage? In any case, this was still solid wrestling and a good way to shift the title onto someone who can soar with it. It’s a shame that the title means nothing, but at least it gives Starks a big moment on screen.
Match #3: Christian Cage def. Matt Hardy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They started with a collar and elbow hook-up, both men wanting to prove they are the better wrestler. They spilled through the ropes and were still locked up on the arena floor. Finally, Christian Cage whipped Matt Hardy into the steel barricade. Christian Cage jumped off the top ropes, over the ring post, and hit Hardy with a double ax handle! He pulled Hardy back in the ring for a reverse DDT, good for a near fall. Matt Hardy swiftly changed the momentum by spiking Christian Cage’s forehead on the top ring step! He followed up with a neck breaker for a near fall on Christian Cage. Matt Hardy catapulted Christian Cage throat-first into the bottom ring rope. Hardy dropped an elbow off the turnbuckles, but Christian Cage kicked out at the two-count. The tables were turned when Christian Cage used a massive upper cut. Hardy attempted a Twist of Fate, but Christian Cage countered and then stunned Hardy with a running spear! Christian Cage crashed down on Hardy with an impressive frog splash for a near fall! Hardy superplexed Christian Cage. Hardy was slow to capitalize, draping his arm over Christian Cage for a near fall. Christian Cage went for the Kill Switch, but Hardy grabbed the referee to distract him and delivered a low blow to Christian Cage. Outside the ring, Hardy applied the leech submission. He let go and jumped back into the ring, hoping that Christian Cage would be count out by the referee. Christian Cage returned to the ring just in time! Christian Cage impaled Matt Hardy with the Kill Switch and pinned Hardy!
The Verdict: 7 out of 10 – These guys turned back the clock and had a very nice match. Christian in particular looked excellent here, but he has since he arrived in AEW. Matt was the most spry he’s been in months. You get the moves and you get the counters, but what really worked here was Matt committing to being ruthless. It was nice to see Matt not try to pop the crowd. Christian was the star here and he felt like one. Seeing Christian engage in a quieter version of his undefeated angle from TNA Wrestling is a fun blast from the past for me. Perhaps this is Christian’s path to having a World Title match sooner rather than later? In any case, this was good fun.
Match #4: Sammy Guevara def. Wheeler Yuta
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor accompanied Wheeler Yuta to the ring. The Bunny and The Blade were watching from the front row. Sammy used a dropkick to take Yuta off his feet. Sammy hit a standing shooting star press for a near fall! Sammy tried a shooting star press off the top rope, but Yuta had it scouted and lifted his knees up. Yuta followed up with a release German suplex. He splashed Sammy from the top rope, but Sammy kicked out. They traded forearms in the center of the ring. Sammy connected with a springboard cutter and then the GTH for the victory over Wheeler Yuta!
The Verdict: 5 out of 10 – Sammy did his spots and Wheeler took the fall in a squash match.
Match #5: Yuka Sakazaki def. Penelope Ford
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Yuka Sakazaki made her return to AEW for the first time in 16 months. Yuka dropped Ford with two consecutive arm drags. Yuka Sakazaki cannonballed over the ropes to the outside onto Penelope Ford! Yuka and Ford had a slugfest in the center of the ring! Yuka used her leverage to drive Ford down to the mat with a brainbuster! Yuka charged in with a sliding lariat for a near fall. Yuka kicked Penelope Ford across the face and followed up with a diving back elbow! Penelope responded with two pump kicks. Yuka Sakazaki used an airplane spin-like maneuver and then followed up with the Magical Girl Splash for the victory over Ford!
The Verdict: 5 out of 10 – Yuka carried Ford here and was able to deliver a fantastic performance in so short an amount of time. While this was no masterpiece, this was fun for the time it got.
Match #6: (Main Event) Darby Allin def. Ethan Page – Coffin Match
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darby Allin skateboarded down the entrance ramp to the ring. He charged Ethan Page and then followed up with a Coffin Drop. Darby removed his jacket and revealed he had been wearing a metal back protector. Darby walked past the coffin and Scorpio Sky popped out of it! Sky whipped Darby into the steel ring steps. Sting came out to even up the odds for Darby! Sting rag dolled Scorpio Sky over the steel barricade and then pursued him into the crowd. Sting battered Sky with a trash can! Back in the ring, Ethan Page unhooked one of the turnbuckles. Page lunged at Darby, but Darby dodged him and hurled Page over the barricade! Ethan Page set up steel ring steps in the ring and dropped Darby Allin face-first across them! Page rammed Darby with his shoulder. Page picked up the steel turnbuckle hook and attached it to the chain around Darby’s neck. Page yanked back on the hook and pulled Darby down. Darby rallied back and fish hooked Ethan Page with the turnbuckle hook! Darby dropkicked Ethan Page, knocking him down into the coffin. Darby and Ethan slugged it out in the coffin! Ethan Page tried to rupture the eardrum of Darby Allin, slapping him repeatedly with open palm strikes. Darby chomped down on Ethan Page’s fingers! Darby caught Ethan Page with a stunner off the steel ring steps! Darby tried for a Coffin Drop but Ethan Page countered! Page nailed Darby with Ego’s Edge off the turnbuckles onto the steel ring steps! Out of sheer desperation, Darby dug his fingernails into Ethan Page’s eyes. Darby grabbed his skateboard and jumped off the top turnbuckle, crashing down onto Ethan Page and knocking him into the coffin. The coffin lid was closed, and Darby Allin was victorious! Darby Allin wasn’t finished. Darby nailed a Coffin Drop onto the closed casket, smashing it (and Ethan Page) beneath him!
The Verdict: 7 out of 10 – This was a spectacle to be sure. Allin put his life on the line routinely here in the name of entertainment and Page was on Darby-duty yet again. Poor old Page has made a career out of having to be Darby’s reluctant dominatrix. I wonder if Darby gets off on having a master? This S&M-fest disguised as a Coffin Match is thrilling, with a top-rope power-bomb onto the steel steps by Page to Allin was horrifying yet…painful? Sting and Scorpio Sky had a great brawl during this when Sky hid in the coffin so as to attack Darby. Darby’s post-match Coffin Drop through the coffin to Page was brutal and one more reason why Darby is off his f–kin’ rocker. Overall, this was a fine main event.
Final Verdict: 7/10
This was a good show that largely succeeded by having wrestlers wrestle. AEW is still trying to do too much at once and with too little focus, but at least the people involved are talented. Jon Moxley defending the IWGP US Title against Lance Archer next week in a Texas Death Match is an interesting last-minute add-on, but at least it is exciting. Kenny Omega and Adam Page are having a match between The Elite and The Dark Order to decide if Page gets to challenge for the AEW World Title. That’s an interesting way to do it. I don’t like it, but it is interesting. Okay. This was fun. I’ll see you next time.
