‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Feb 16th 2022)
Welcome to this weeks review of AEW: Dynamite, which emanates from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennesee; and takes place in a tumultuous week for the promotion. Let’s see what this weeks episode has in store!
Match #1: Bryan Danielson def. Lee Moriarty
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bryan offered to shake Lee’s hand before the match. Lee tried to shake Bryan’s hand but Bryan pulled back before Lee could accept. Lee and Bryan chain wrestled until Bryan slapped Lee across the face. Lee swept out the leg of Bryan but then Bryan gained control with the Romero Special. Lee escaped and was looking for the Border City Stretch but Danielson grabbed the ropes. Lee kicked Danielson, targeting Danielson’s elbow. Lee connected with European Uppercuts, knocking Danielson outside the ring. Danielson had Lee tied up in the ropes and began blasting him with kicks and then a nasty knee strike! Danielson tried to pin Moriarty but Moriarty bridged up. Danielson dropped some elbows but then Moriarty turned the tables and hit the ground and pound on Danielson! “American Dragon” went for the Le Bell Lock but Lee grabbed the ropes to force the ref to break the submission. Moriarty back suplexed Bryan, bouncing him on his head! Moriarty battered Danielson with boxing elbows but Bryan fired back with a rolling elbow. Lee body locked Danielson and then suplexed him for a near fall! Moriarty tried to lock in the Border City Stretch but Danielson countered with a shoulder capture suplex! Danielson charged at Lee with the running knee strike! Danielson grabbed Lee’s arms and began stomping on Lee’s head. Danielson applied the triangle sleeper and the ref stopped the match as Lee was unable to continue.
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Match #2: Face Of The Revolution Qualifying Match – Wardlow def. Max Caster
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Caster went behind with a sledgehammer shot to Wardlow’s spine. Wardlow grabbed Caster with a belly-to-belly suplex! Wardlow followed Caster outside the ring and turned him inside out with a lariat! Wardlow tried to powerbomb Caster but Caster grabbed the steel chain from Bowens as the ref was distracted. Caster clocked Wardlow and then hit the Mic Drop from the top rope! Wardlow fired up and powerbombed Caster! And then again! And another powerbomb! Wardlow stood on Caster and pinned him!
My Score: 1 out of 5
Match #3: Santana & Ortiz def. Chris Jericho & Jake Hager
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
“Mad King” Eddie Kingston made his return to a huge reception! He stood in the corner of Santana and Ortiz. Santana and Jericho slugged it out at the start of the match. Jericho fired back with forearms but then Santana splashed Jericho in the corner. Ortiz tagged in and planted Jericho with a DDT! Ortiz got a near fall on Jericho with a fisherman suplex! Jericho popped Ortiz up and then pancaked him. Jericho tagged out to Hager and they rammed into Ortiz with a double shoulder block. Ortiz ate a belly-to-belly from Hager. Jake followed up with the Hager Bomb for a near fall! Santana tagged in and dominated Hager with chests to the chop. He kicked Hager’s knee and then dropkicked him! Jericho came in with a Code Breaker on Santana! Jericho got clubbed by Santana. Jericho went for the Lion Sault but Ortiz stopped him and then Santana grabbed Jericho for a Russian Leg Sweep off the ropes! They hit the Street Sweeper on Jericho but Jericho kicked out in time! Ortiz attempted a cannonball off Santana’s back but Jericho countered by catching him and putting him in the Lion Tamer! Santana crawled and made it to the ropes! Kingston hopped up on the apron and Jericho dropkicked him! Santana nailed Jericho with the discus lariat and pinned Jericho!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: No DQ Match – Thunder Rosa def. Mercedes Martinez
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Martinez came out with her lead pipe. Thunder Rosa had a steel chair and swung it at Martinez, knocking the pipe out of her hand. Thunder Rosa pulled a table out from beneath the ring. Martinez grabbed Rosa and rammed her into the steel ring steps. Rosa reversed an Irish Whip and sent Martinez crashing into the guardrail. Thunder Rosa jumped off the risers with a cross body press onto Martinez. A table was propped on the ring apron. Thunder Rosa was looking for a Death Valley Driver but Martinez countered with a fisherman’s buster onto the table! Martinez began to whack Thunder Rosa with the steel chair in Rosa’s lower back! She propped Thunder Rosa on the top turnbuckle. Thunder Rosa countered with a hurracanrana off the top rope! She placed the trash can over Mercedes’ head and then smashed her with a running drop kick for a near fall! Thunder Rosa climbed to the top rope but Martinez hit Rosa with the trash can lid. She followed up with a Spider German Suplex on Thunder Rosa! Martinez dropped an elbow from the top rope for a near fall! Martinez piled chairs in the center of the ring! Martinez attempted a powerbomb but Thunder Rosa countered with a crucifix bomb! Thunder Rosa hit the Thunder Fire Driver on Martinez on the chairs and pinned her!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: TNT Title Match – Sammy Guevara def. Darby Allin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They shook hands with one another before the match. There were dueling chants throughout the arena! Darby transitioned into a snap mare and then put a head lock on Sammy. Darby used a shotgun dropkick to surprise Sammy. Sammy was looking for a Spanish Fly from the top rope. Instead Sammy hoisted up Darby and dropped him onto the turnbuckles! Sammy placed Darby onto the top rope and then nailed him with a senton! Darby Allin turned the tables with two consecutive coffin splashes on Sammy! Darby concentrated his attack on the tweaked knee of Sammy. Darby tied up Sammy’s legs in the ropes and applied a single leg crab. Sammy came back with a Spanish Fly off the top rope! Sammy jumped off the ropes but Darby countered, grabbing Sammy and putting him into a figure four! Sammy flipped off Darby and they traded palm strikes. Darby released the hold. Sammy charged in with a knee strike but Darby countered. Sammy attempted the GTH but Darby countered with the Last Supper. Sammy escaped. Darby connected with a stunner. Darby jumped through the ropes but Sammy countered with a cutter on the floor. Sammy climbed to the top turnbuckle and jumped for a senton but Darby dodged it. Sammy crashed onto the ring apron! Darby climbed to the top about to go for the Coffin Drop but Jose the Assistant jumped onto the ring apron. Sting pulled Jose from the ring! The ref’s attention was occupied by Sting and Jose. Andrade El Idolo cracked Darby with an iPad! Sammy blasted Darby with the GTH and pinned Darby!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Well this was one hell of an episode of AEW: Dynamite! Opening with an instant classic that lived up to the hype of American Dragon versus Taigiastyle with aplomb and closing with a superb TNT title match, there was much to love about this weeks show. Plus, the promos were all on fire too! Given this week’s headlines across the IWC you’d be forgiven for thinking that the loss of a certain top talent won’t really mean that much for AEW going forward.
