‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (April 20th 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As usual we have Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Jim Ross on commentary and ANOTHER stacked card!
Match #1: CM Punk def. Dustin Rhodes
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
CM Punk and Dustin Rhodes shook hands before the match began as a sign of mutual respect. Punk took down Rhodes with a side headlock. Rhodes countered with leg scissors. There were duelling chants in the arena of “Let’s Go Dustin!” and “CM Punk!” CM Punk ducked a crossbody press from Rhodes and Rhodes’ momentum sent him spilling out of the ring, underneath the bottom rope for a rough landing on the arena floor. Rhodes was holding his knee. Back in the ring, Punk dropped elbows on Dustin’s injured knee. CM Punk continued to work on Dustin’s knee. Dustin hobbled to his feet but Punk kicked out Dustin’s leg. On the apron, Dustin kicked Punk away and sent Punk into the steel ring post. Dustin followed up by yanking Punk straight down onto the ring apron, with Punk’s shoulder taking the brunt of the impact. CM Punk and Dustin Rhodes traded strikes in the ring. Rhodes backdropped Punk and then connected with two lariats. Rhodes’ knee gave out on him but Rhodes managed to hit a Code Red on Punk for a near fall! Dustin powerslammed Punk for another near fall! Punk retaliated with a chop block to Dustin. Punk applied the figure four leg lock. Dustin powered through and began to paintbrush Punk with open palm strikes! Dustin reversed the figure four but Punk reached the bottom rope for the ref break! Punk attempted a springboard clothesline but Dustin countered with a clothesline and then a CrossRhodes. Dustin followed up with a piledriver but Punk kicked out at two! Punk tried for the GTS but Punk’s leg gave out but he managed to countered with a cradle to Rhodes and pinned “The Natural”!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: Trios Match – Blackpool Combat Club def. Dante Martin, Lee Moriarty & Brock Anderson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
William Regal joined the commentary booth for this match. The Blackpool Combat Club wasted no time in going after their opponents. Wheeler stretched Dante Martin in the ring with a bow and arrow submission. Dante escaped and clocked Wheeler with a high kick. Danielson tagged in and nailed Dante with brutal European uppercuts. Bryan followed up with a running dropkick to Dante in the corner. Dante fired back with dropkicks to Danielson and then to Moxley. Brock Anderson tagged in but Moxley hit a half and half suplex on him. Mox tagged in Danielson who then dropped a flying knee on the back of Brock’s head! Moxley tagged back in and ate a spinebuster from Brock Anderson. Danielson and Moriarty tagged in and Moriarty connected with a big boot to Bryan. Lee and Danielson traded uppercuts. Lee was looking for the Border City Stretch on Bryan but Bryan lifted up Lee and suplexed him! Moxley tagged in and Dante attempted the Nose Dive but Mox caught him and countered with the bulldog choke! All three members of the Blackpool Combat Club pummeled their opponents. Mox finished off Dante with the Paradigm Shift, winning via pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Wardlow def. The Butcher
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Butcher bit at the forehead of Wardlow and then he used repeated head butts to the side of Wardlow’s head. Wardlow shoulder tackled the Butcher. Outside the ring, the Butcher grabbed steel chairs from beneath the ring and threw them into the ring. The Butcher whipped Wardlow into the barricades and then into the steel ring post and continued to batter him outside the ring. Butcher continued the assault on the spine of Wardlow inside the ring. The Butcher powerbombed Wardlow but Wardlow kicked out at the 1-count! Wardlow kicked the Butcher and then powerbombed the Butcher! Wardlow powerbombed the Butcher again while looking up at MJF in the skybox. After four massive powerbombs, Wardlow pinned the Butcher! After the match, MJF’s security detail returned to the ring to escort Wardlow out of the ring.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Qualifier Match – Kyle O’Reilly def. Jungle Boy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Jungle Boy used a monkey flip on Kyle but Kyle transitioned out and applied a cross arm breaker. Jungle Boy quickly latched onto the bottom rope. Jungle Boy knocked O’Reilly down with a dropkick! Jungle Boy yanked on Kyle’s arm but Kyle reversed it with a hammer lock and then he swept out Jungle Boy’s leg. Kyle flattened Jungle Boy with butterfly suplexes. Jungle Boy dumped Kyle over the top rope and followed up with a tope suicida to Kyle on the arena floor! Jungle Boy walloped Kyle with a comebacker lariat! O’Reilly used a dragon screw leg whip on Jungle Boy as Jungle Boy tried to return to the ring. Kyle sent Jungle Boy flying with an exploder but Jungle Boy rallied back with a lariat! Kyle charged at Jungle Boy but Jungle Boy countered with a suplex to Kyle right into the turnbuckles. Jungle Boy hammered right hands into the head of O’Reilly. Jungle Boy followed up with a sliding dropkick into the tree of woe that Kyle was tied in. Jungle Boy tried to drop the hammer but Kyle ducked it. Kyle grabbed Jungle Boy’s ankle but Jungle Boy rolled out of the ankle lock. Jungle Boy neutralized Kyle’s legs with the Snare Trap but Kyle reached the ropes, forcing ref Aubrey Edwards to break the hold. Kyle superplexed Jungle Boy and then followed up with a modified brainbuster. Kyle climbed to the top turnbuckle and dropped a knee, pinning Jungle Boy!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: HOOK def. Anthony Henry
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
HOOK grabbed Henry’s ankle. HOOK backed Henry into the corner and then suplexed his opponent! Danhausen appeared out of nowhere and tried to curse HOOK! HOOK was impervious to Danhausen’s curse and he locked in RedRum, making Henry submit! Danhausen entered the ring and said, “If you don’t want to be cursed by Danhausen, you will fight Danhausen.” HOOK walked away, showing no respect to Danhausen.
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #6: Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Qualifier Match – Dr. Britt Baker. D.M.D. def. Danielle Kamela
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Danielle used a terrible towel to try to smother Britt Baker, but Baker charged at Danielle. Baker connected with an elbow strike. Britt fired back with a sling blade clothesline. Baker connected with a thrust kick. She followed up with a neck breaker on Kamela. Britt used the curb stomp. Britt put on a Steelers glove and then applied the Lock Jaw, forcing Kamela to tap out!
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #7: Coffin Match – Darby Allin def. Andrade El Idolo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Blade tried to grab Darby’s skateboard but Darby pulled it back and wacked Andrade with it! Marq Quen jumped in and blindsided Darby! Outside the ring, Darby was thrown into the steel ring barricade by Andrade El Idolo. Sting was in the crowd dressed as…well, Sting, disguised with a baseball cap and a Sting mask! He came to Darby’s aid and evened up the odds. Sting climbed and jumped off the balcony with a crossbody press onto Andrade El Idolo, the Blade, and Marq Quen! Darby tried for a Coffin Drop but Andrade El Idolo caught him on the outside and then hurled him overhead! Andrade slapped Darby and placed him in the thumbtacks. The lid of the coffin was lined with thumbtacks! Andrade El Idolo picked up Darby Allin and then suplexed him onto the ramp! Andrade El Idolo walked over to the metal grate and tried to suplex Darby. Darby fought back until Andrade picked up Darby and then pancaked him onto the grate! Andrade El Idolo began to pull Darby by the arm back to the coffin. Andrade whipped Darby into the steel ring steps. Andrade tried to tear the lid off the coffin. Andrade picked up Darby on the ring apron but Darby countered with a cutter. Darby nailed Andrade with a tope suicida which sent Andrade into the coffin! Jose the Assistant ran down to help Andrade. Darby Allin slammed Jose onto the thumbtacks and then closed the lid on the coffin, while Andrade was inside. Darby Allin was victorious. Sting and the Hardys came out to show their support.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
News of the Night:
- AEW and NJPW will hold a joint pay per view, Forbidden Door, on June 26th.
- Eddie Kingston challenged Daniel Garcia to a match this Friday on Rampage.
Final Verdict: 4/5
When AEW is in front of a lively, up for anything, crowd it REALLY makes the show. There were a few weak spots this week but that did not matter when the audience were so into what was happening. The episode opened strong and closed just as strong and the action never felt like it let up. Whilst the wrestling may not have been as on fire as previous weeks this was still one hell of an episode of Dynamite. And on a personal note… anyone else super-excited about a possible Danhausen/Hook match?
