‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Aug 17th 2022)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, West Virginia and is a “Dragon” themed show (gotta get that product placement/ad cash!) We’ve Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, JR and Taz on commentary, so let’s get to the review!
Match #1: 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match – Bryan Danielson def. Daniel Garcia
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Danielson and Garcia grappled on the ground until Danielson got the mount. Garcia got out but Danielson started the ground and pound. Garcia transitioned to a knee bar and both competitors began to exchange kicks. Danielson got a heel hook to counter the knee bar. Garcia backed Bryan into the corner and then slapped him. Bryan connected with an open palm strike and followed up with a suplex. Garcia used a butterfly suplex on Bryan Danielson and then applied an arm lock. Danielson escaped and countered with a suplex. Danielson dropkicked Garcia on the jaw. Garcia slowed down Danielson with a suplex on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Garcia used the hammer and anvil strikes on Danielson and then tried to apply the Dragon Tamer. Danielson tried to fight out but Garcia spiked Danielson with a piledriver. Garcia put Danielson in a dragon sleeper. Garcia scored the first fall as Danielson was rendered unconscious! Garcia charged Danielson and began to stomp him in the corner, connecting with a barrage of kicks! Garcia followed up with European uppercuts and chops. Garcia went for the dragon sleeper again but Danielson countered, trapping Garcia’s shoulders and pinning him! Danielson hammered Garcia with elbows on the top turnbuckle. Danielson sent Garcia tumbling to the mat with the spider German suplex. Bryan hit Garcia with missile dropkick. Danielson blasted Garcia with a tope suicida. Garcia connected with the running knee to Bryan Danielson! They traded forearms, both men bloodied! Garcia flipped Danielson and then began to stomp on Danielson’s face! Danielson countered and started to headbutt Garcia in the pecs. Bryan put Garcia in the triangle sleeper! Danielson turned his hips, put Garcia in the LeBell Lock, and Garcia was out!
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Match #2: The Gunn Club (Austin & Colten Gunn) def. Varsity Blonds (Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman, Jr.)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Gunn Club were aggressive at the start of the match. Colten connected with the Colt 45 to Griff and pinned him!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #3: Toni Storm def. KiLynn King
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
King cradled Storm but Storm broke free. King used a side headlock takedown on Toni Storm. Toni hit a dropkick on King, right on target! King came back with a knee strike. Outside the ring, King blocked a DDT from Toni and then rammed her into the steel guardrail. Toni turned the table with a suplex to King. Toni Storm used a release German suplex on King and then followed up with the hip attack! Toni nailed King with the pendulum DDT and then scored the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: AEW Trios Championship Tournament Quarter-Finals Match – The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) and Kenny Omega def. La Faccion Ingobernable (Andrade El Idolo, Rush & Dragon Lee)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Nick and Dragon Lee locked up. Dragon Lee used a shoulder tackle but then Nick chopped at Dragon Lee. The Young Bucks used tandem offense on Dragon Lee, Andrade El Idolo and Rush. Kenny Omega tagged in and hammered punches down on Dragon Lee. The Bucks used a twisting neck breaker on Dragon Lee. Jose the Assistant jumped onto the ring apron and while the ref was dealing with Jose, Rush and Andrade hit Kenny from behind. Andrade continued to work over Kenny. Rush tagged in and dropkicked Kenny. Nick Jackson tagged in and cleaned house on La Faccion Ingobernable! Kenny and the Bucks hit a triple vertical on La Faccion Ingobernable. The momentum shifted as La Faccion Ingobernable began to triple team Matt Jackson. Kenny tagged in and dragon suplexed all three of La Faccion! Matt Jackson powerbombed Dragon Lee into the corner while Matt and Kenny superkicked Dragon Lee! They hit Dragon Lee with a superkick party in the center of the ring. Jose grabbed Kenny’s leg and then Kenny was pulled out of the ring by Rush and Andrade! Rush and Andrade placed Kenny on the guardrail while Dragon Lee rocketed at him with a tope suicida! Andrade connected with a moonsault to Kenny for a near fall. Andrade planted Omega with the hammer lock DDT. Matt Jackson pushed Rush on top of Andrade, breaking up the pin attempt. Kenny creamed Dragon Lee with a nasty knee strike! Kenny followed up with the V-Trigger to Dragon Lee! Omega smashed Dragon Lee with the One-Winged Angel and pinned him!
My Score: 4 out of 5
News of the Night:
- Daniel Garcia “turned” on Chris Jericho after he attacked Bryan Danielson after their match.
- Billy Gunn’s sons attacked their father after their match. Billy Gunn them seemingly aligned with The Acclaimed again.
- Kenny Omega returned after injury.
Final Verdict: 3/5
Well that was a thing… Four matches and faaaaaaar too many promos, extended promos at that. I get it, AEW need to start telling stories for casual fans to follow. But come on, this week took it to ridiculous lengths. In terms of matches, we got AMAZING storytelling from the opening 2 out of 3 falls match, without so much as a promo. Even the post-match fallout told a beautiful story without resorting to a ton of talking. Then we got that Gunn Club match, which may have well have signified the end of that team AND the Varsity Blonds… In one match two teams buried themselves and made themselves more irrelevant than ever whilst The Acclaimed boosted their profile even more with their quick appearance! Then we got the women’s match…. Hmmmmm… KiLynn King held down the women’s division during the pandemic era, getting over with the fans as much as WIllow Nightingale has recently. Then what happened? She was sent back to the indies. But then to bring her back just to job out to Toni Storm? WTF. King could’ve easily put Storm over in an ACTUAL match, not the quasi-squash we got. Bad booking IMHO. As for the main event. Well the return of Kenny Omega got everyone excited for the Trios match and the overall tournament. However… the storytelling here, cleverly signposting that Omega has come back too soon, is probably going to factor into the tournament. And knowing AEW it will probably spoil the entire thing. Why not just have the Bucks and Kenny lose clean? Ohhhh no. Not Kenny, he can’t lose unless he’s injured, beat down or some other excuse. He has to be still recovering and that’s why he can’t perform as well and that’s the ONLY reason they won’t win the tournament. I call bulls**t already! Good match ruined by sh*tty future storytelling portents.
