‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Feb 9th 2022)
Welcome to this review of AEW: Dynamite which emanates from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. We’ve got the promised debut of someone, forbidden doors opening again and lots more. Let’s get right into the review!
Match #1: Wardlow def. The Blade
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Blade chop blocked Wardlow from behind before the bell rang! The Blade kicked at Wardlow’s leg. Wardlow took Blade off his feet with an explosive lariat! Wardlow followed up with a belly-to-belly suplex! And then another! Wardlow lifted up The Blade and rammed him spine-first into the steel ring post! Wardlow charged but Blade countered with a knee strike! Blade tried for another knee strike but Wardlow caught him and powerbombed Blade! There was a second powerbomb to Blade! Wardlow kept power bombing The Blade! Wardlow placed his boot on The Blade’s chest and pinned him!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Face Of The Revolution Qualifying Match – Keith Lee def. Isiah Kassidy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Keith Lee hurled Kassidy all the way across the ring! Keith Lee flattened Kassidy with a cross body. Keith Lee used a slingshot into a crossbody onto Kassidy! Keith Lee ran through a clothesline attempt from Kassidy and then shoulder blocked him. Matt Hardy walked out on Private Party during the match! Marq Quen grabbed the boot of Keith Lee, and this allowed Kassidy to hit a corkscrew over the top rope. Keith Lee returned to the ring and shrugged off Kassidy! Keith Lee hoisted up Kassidy and then powerslammed him, scoring the pin on his opponent! Private Party tried to double team Keith Lee after the match. Keith Lee caught Kassidy midflight and dumped him. Keith Lee plucked Marq Quen out of the air in midflight and powerbombed him on top of Kassidy!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: CM Punk and Jon Moxley def. FTR
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
CM Punk and Dax squared off. Dax shoulder tackled Punk. Cash tagged in and applied a headlock on Punk. CM Punk used an arm drag takedown on Cash. Mox tagged in but Dax took Mox down with a side headlock takeover. Mox fought to his feet and scoop slammed Dax. Mox landed two kicks on Dax, and then a third kick. Punk tagged in and FTR began to double team Punk, working over Punk’s leg. Dax chopped away at CM Punk. Mox tagged in and cleaned house. Mox German Suplexed Cash and then Harwood! Moxley nailed FTR with a double DDT! Outside the ring, FTR held up Punk but Mox hurled himself with a tope suicida and wiped out FTR on the arena floor! FTR lifted up Moxley and smashed him through the timekeeper’s table! Mox was bleeding so Dax dropped elbows on Mox’s forehead. Moxley had a surge of energy and suplexed Cash! Mox went for the tag but Dax blocked Punk from making the tag. FTR used tandem offense to get a near fall on Jon Moxley. Harwood jumped off the top rope for an elbow drop but Mox dodged it. Mox fired back with ab big time lariat on Cash! Mox got the hot tag to CM Punk. Punk connected with a leg lariat on Dax! He followed up with a rising knee strike in the corner on Dax for a near fall. Mox lifted up Dax on his shoulders and then Punk nailed Dax with the Doomsday Device! Punk scored a near fall on Dax! On the outside, Cash Wheeler DDT’ed Mox on the arena floor! Wheeler grabbed the ring bell. Dax shoved Punk into Cash and Cash smashed the ring bell into Punk! Dax nearly pinned Punk but Punk got his shoulders up just in time! Punk tried for the GTS on Dax but Cash intercepted. FTR blasted Punk with the Big Rig but Moxley was there to make the save for Punk! Moxley and Punk stood back-to-back and slugged it out with FTR! Moxley hooked on the bulldog choke and Punk locked on the Anaconda Vice but Tully Blanchard jumped into the ring! Punk connected with the GTS on Blanchard! While Mox spiked Dax with the Paradigm Shift, Punk K.O.’ed Cash with the GTS and pinned Cash for the victory
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #4: TBS Championship Open Challenge Match – Jade Cargill def. A.Q.A.
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jade rag-dolled AQA to the mat. AQA used her agility with a deep arm drag to Jade. Jade hoisted up AQA by the arm and smashed her down onto the mat! Jade popped up AQA but AQA answered with a dropkick in midair! Jade smashed her forearm into AQA. Jade snap suplexed AQA onto the arena floor. AQA strung together a combination in the ring and took down Jade with a sling blade! AQA got whipped into the ropes by Jade but AQA fired back with a swinging DDT! AQA connected with a shooting star press on Jade for a near fall. AQA went back up to the top rope but Jade knocked her off balance. Jade caught AQA and pancaked her with the Jaded finisher, scoring the pin. Jade Cargill retained the TBS Championship and her perfect record!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: The Professor’s 5 Minute Rookie Challenge – “The Professor” Serena Deeb def. Katie Arquette
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Deeb hit an uppercut on Katie in the corner. Deeb used a swinging neck breaker and then wrenched back on Katie! Katie was forced to tap out!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #6: AEW World Title Texas Deathmatch – “Hangman” Adam Page def. “The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The only way to win is by knockout or submission! The match began with both wrestlers brawling in the back. Hangman shoved Archer through a pane of glass! Archer was busted wide open! Page blasted Archer with the Buckshot Lariat! Archer rolled outside the ring. Page jumped over the top rope and hit a crossbody press on Archer. Page attempted a tope suicida but Archer pulled a trash can lid out from beneath the ring and smashed Page in the head with it. Dan Lambert unscrewed the top rope! Hangman tried to hoist up Archer for the Dead Eye. Page connected with two boots to Archer’s head! Archer flung Page into the middle turnbuckle. Jake “The Snake” Roberts nearly took off Page’s head with the patented short arm clothesline. Jake was going to DDT Page but Archer stopped him because Archer wanted to inflict the punishment himself. Instead Page DDT Archer on the floor! Page, bleeding heavily, cracked Archer with four shots with a kendo stick to Archer’s skull! Archer choke slammed Page through a trashcan! Archer pulled out a fork and punctured Page’s forehead! Archer followed up with a cannonball senton, wiping out Adam Page! Archer pulled out a steel chair that was wrapped in barbed wire! Archer picked up Page and slammed him with the Black Hole onto the steel ring steps. Archer was looking for a powerbomb but Page grabbed the barbed wire off the chair. Handman wrapped the barbed wire around his arm and pummeled Archer with forearms. Referee Paul Turner bent over to pick up the barbed wire and Page vaulted over Turner’s back, nailing Archer with the Buckshot Lariat. The collision sent Archer crashing through a table set up on the arena floor. Archer couldn’t answer the ref’s 10-count so Page retained the championship gold!
My Score: 4 out of 5
News of the Night:
- Keith Lee made his AEW debut
- “Switchblade” Jay White debuted on AEW in a backstage attack on Trent
- The Inner Circle seemingly broke up, with Sammy Guevara leaving the group and Santana & Ortiz set to fight Chris Jericho & Jake Hager next week
- A.Q.A. made her AEW debut, hopefully she’s a new signing for the promotion and not a just guest spot!
Final Verdict: 4/5
What can you say about this weeks episode of Dynamite other than… wow?! There was palpable excitement from the crowd that seeped into every moment of the show and raise the entire atmosphere, so much so that even squash matches like Deeb’s felt like fun rather than a waste of TV time. And the content was hot too – Keith Lee’s debut; Moxley and CM Punk teaming up and having a banger with the ever-reliable FTR; Jade Cargill pulling off another title defence and LITERALLY showing week-on-week improvement in her in-ring skills; and then THAT main event. Say what you will about Adam Page’s title reign but whenever, WHENEVER, he has to defend his championship he always delivers (and this was a nice way of having Page win without Archer eating a pin too!) I know AEW can’t pull this off every week but damn, if they could… well… damn!
