AEW Dynamite: Fyter Fest’ Review (Aug 23rd 2023)
This week’s episode of AEW: Dynamite marks the return of AEW’s special Fyter Fest programming (and again, like last week’s “special programming” this felt like the LEAST “special” of all these particularly themed shows). This episode was broadcast live from the Gas South Arena in Duluth and saw Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary for tonight’s event. Let’s get into the review!
Match #1: The Elite (Kenny Omega, & The Young Bucks: Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. Juice Robinson & The Gunns (Austin & Colten)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The Elite charged up the ramp and attacked Bullet Club Gold, wasting no time! Juice Robinson decked ref Rick Knox. The Bucks superkicked Juice Robinson. Jay White, who wasn’t even in the match, began to stomp Matt Jackson. The Gunns blasted Nick Jackson with the 3:10 to Yuma! Matt superkicked the Gunns. Jay White planted Matt and then Kenny Omega ran in. Omega nailed Colten with a snapdragon. Austin was looking for a fameasser, but Kenny blocked it. Kenny blasted Jay White with a V-Trigger! Kenny went for another V-Trigger, but Takeshita ran in and rocked Kenny with a lariat. AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR — Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler—ran out to even up the odds for the Elite. Back in the ring, Takeshita battered Kenny with elbow strikes. Kenny fired back with a knee strike. Kenny lifted Takeshita for the one-winged angel, but Takeshita escaped Kenny’s grasp and ran out of the ring.
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #2: Jon Moxley def. Rey Fenix
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mox and Fenix traded chops. Mox ducked a kick. Rey Fenix connected with a dropkick on target. Rey Fenix followed up with a tope suicida, and then a second tope to Moxley. Moxley tore at Rey Fenix’s mask. Moxley curb stomped Rey Fenix on the arena floor. Moxley drove the flat of his boot against the face of Rey Fenix. Rey Fenix stunned Moxley with a kick to the back of the head. Moxley charged and scored with a lariat to Fenix. Moxley captured Rey Fenix’s arms and then began to stomp Fenix. Rey Fenix scored with a kick to Moxley. Fenix was looking for a cutter, but Mox caught him. Fenix escaped and stomped Moxley, and then followed up with the cutter for a near fall. Rey Fenix walloped Moxley with a frog splash for a near fall! Moxley countered a fireman’s carry with elbows to Fenix. Moxley tried for the Death Rider, but Fenix countered with a cradle for a near fall. Fenix jumped off the ropes, but Moxley countered with a big antiair uppercut. Rey Fenix connected with a thrust kick. Moxley dug his fingers into Rey Fenix’s back. Moxley bit the face of Rey Fenix. Moxley nailed Fenix with an avalanche Death Rider for a near fall! Moxley applied the sleeper, trapping Rey Fenix, and forcing Fenix to sleep.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Tornado Tag Team Match – Darby Allin & Nick Wayne def. Swerve Strickland & AR Fox
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Swerve threw Darby hard into the barricade. AR Fox nailed Nick Wayne with a German suplex off the top rope. AR Fox hit an implosion senton to the outside on Nick Wayne and Darby Allin. Nick Wayne’s mother was in the front row. Swerve spiked Nick on the apron. Nick Wayne jumped off the turnbuckle and blasted Swerve and Fox with a double cutter on the arena floor. Darby nailed Swerve and Fox with a Coffin Drop from the turnbuckle to the arena floor. Nick Wayne tried for Wayne’s World again, but Fox and Swerve countered with a brutal neck breaker! Darby came over the top with a stunner to Fox and then rocketed to the outside like a missile to Swerve. Swerve crushed Darby on the arena floor with a Swerve Stomp from off the apron! Swerve booted Nick in the face. Fox hit a corkscrew brainbuster on Nick Wayne, but Nick kicked out at two! Fox did it again, but Nick Wayne kicked out again! Swerve kicked Nick in the back of the head…Nick kicked out of the pin attempt again! Swerve and Fox hit double pump kicks in the corner on Nick Wayne. Fox went for the 450 splash but Nick Wayne rolled out of the way! Nick Wayne cradled Fox and pinned him while Darby held back Swerve!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Ruby Soho def. Skye Blue
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Ruby dumped Skye to the outside. Skye swept out Ruby’s leg on the apron. Skye connected with a thrust kick and then whipped Ruby into the guardrail. Ruby chopped at Skye in the corner. Ruby gouged Skye’s eyes. Sky rocked Ruby with a jumping knee strike. Skye jumped off the apron and hit Ruby with a diving crossbody press. Skye jumped off the top rope with another diving crossbody for a near fall on Ruby. Skye planted Ruby with a spinning neck breaker. Skye Blue nailed Ruby with Skye Fall for a two-count! Ruby countered the Code Blue attempt. Ruby cracked Skye with the No Future kick! Ruby spiked Skye with the Destination Unknown and then pinned her!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #5: ROH World Tag Team Championship Match – Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) def. The Hardys (Matt & Jeff Hardy)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Aussie Open came in hot, charging right at the Hardys. Matt and Jeff began to fire back. Jeff launched off Matt’s back and splashed Mark Davis in the corner. Jeff did it again, this time to Kyle Fletcher. The Hardys hit clotheslines on Aussie Open, sending the champs over the top rope and spilling to the arena floor. Jeff Hardy jumped off the top turnbuckle and wiped out Aussie Open. Matt back body dropped Kyle Fletcher. Matt DDT’ed Davis and then hit the Side Effect on Fletcher for a near fall. Matt dropped an elbow across the base of Fletcher’s neck. Matt superplexed Fletcher and then Jeff splashed Fletcher for a near fall. Davis was there to break up the pin attempt. Fletcher powerbombed Matt Hardy. Davis muscled up Jeff Hardy and then planted him right into a kick by Fletcher! Aussie Open double teamed Jeff with the Aussie Arrow and pinned Jeff!
My Score: 2 out of 5
News of the Night:
- Rey Fenix was written out of All In (fake injury)
- AR Fox was written out of All In (cut from the Mogul Embassy)
- [Mike] Santana and Ortiz made their return to AEW, teaming with the BCC
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
I’m sorry, this was one of the weakest episodes of Dynamite in some time… We got a crappy non-match to start the show; a banger of a second match which was truly GREAT, yet only existed to write Rey Fenix out of his match at All In (it would’ve been better if Tony Khan HADN’T already told everyone he had visa issues before the match); the tornado tag team match made a lot of sense until THAT post-match promo, with AR Fox swiftly cut from Mogul Embassy due to failing the “test” he was under in this match – talk about pumping the brakes and doing a hard 180! Ruby Soho and Skye Blue did a serviceable job, though the timing of Ruby’s opening attack was ruined by Skye’s vignette still airing on TV; as for the main event… goddamn if that wasn’t truly and utterly forgettable. And the rest of the show was packed with too-late build for All In… a VERY “sports entertainer” contract signing, a ton of promos in and out of the ring. I’m not going to lie if I didn’t have tickets for All In yet and I was looking specifically at AEW’s weekly content to make my mind up… Well, I might still be debating it right now.
