Sorry for missing last week’s episode of Dynamite as I was very busy with work-related stuff. Fortunately, I have a quick recap. Well, I was working on a year-end report and needed to compile data from several different managers, but get this, none of the documents would open on my laptop so I had to convert them all…
Wait, you didn’t want a recap of my work, did you? Oh well, your loss.
Anyway, off we go!
We’re LIVE in Texas and Jon Moxley is coming to the ring through the crowd as announcers talk up Moxley’s record for shortest match in AEW. Gee, I wonder if that will be important information in a few minutes. Justin Roberts gives a SERIOUS intro, adding about twenty Es to Jon’s first name.
JEEEEEEEon Moxley vs. Alex Reynolds
This guy is breaking records all over the place.
Moxley does in fact beat the record with a quick Paradigm Shift. John Silver enters the ring to a Paradigm Shift of his own.
As Jon…celebrates?… The Inner Circle enters the arena. The crowd chants some adult verbiage to Jericho’s dismay. The champ talks up Jon (sounding much like Jericho’s buddy Donny Trump Jr.’s dad) then offers him a spot in the Inner Circle.
After a rundown of the night’s card, the Butcher, the Blade and the Bunny make their way to the ring for their first Dynamite match.
The Butcher and the Blade vs. Cody/QT Marshall
The story here is that MJF hand-picked Cody’s partner and MJF has arranged for the Butcher and Blade to come to AEW. Cody still runs the company, right?
Cody starts the match, not trusting Marshall’s abilities. When the Butcher comes in, QT wants to impress Cody by tagging in. It doesn’t work. QT gets the stuffing beat out of him as Cody watches helplessly. QT eventually gets an opening and is able to get the upper hand. Cody comes in to help but QT wants to do it himself, which is his undoing. Butcher and Blade hit their finisher and get the pin. As Cody sits dejected at ringside, Darby Allin storms down, shoving by the Blade, and walks right to Cody, helping him to his feet.
Back from break, MJF comes to the ring and immediately calls a camera tech into the ring. He does the heel schtick of insulting the lowly grip and making him kiss the Dynamite Diamond ring for laughing at Cody’s insults. Then he gets a Double Cross for his efforts. This leads to a classic heel tirade from MJF. He makes fun of Cody’s lisp and accepts a match with him, but he says he has stipulations, then calls the crowd honkeys. Damn. MJF says he’ll give Cody his stipulations in Jacksonville on January 1.
Fresh from getting dropped on his head, I guess Alex Reynolds is relaxing at the hotel and he sees the Dark Order guy on TV. He sounds interested in joining the ranks until John Silver breaks him out of his trance.
Back in the arena and Big Swole is here after signing an AEW contract.
Big Swole vs. Emi Sakura
Hikaru Shida is watching from the crowd. Swole and Sakura go back and forth with Sakura playing a great heel, until she gets the crowd into a Queen chant. That is a face move, Emi. After a Queen/James Brown exchange of the mic stand, Emi takes control with a Backbreaker and Vader Bomb. The women continue to fight back and forth until Swole is able to catch Emi with a discus punch for the victory. Shida approves.
PAC tells Kenny Omega he wants another match.
Kip Sabian/Shawn Spears vs. Hangman Page/Kenny Omega
Shawn and Tully apparently are thinking about bringing Kip Sabian to their stable. Hangman and Kenny pick apart Sabian for a while. Spears comes in and helps take over on Page. Kenny comes in and cleans house. He gets caught by Sabian who misses a flying attack on Page, but Penelope Ford hits a rana and then helps Sabian get a near count on Omega. A back and forth leads to a V Trigger on Sabian but Omega can’t finish. As Omega and Sabian are out on the mat, the lights go out and Tully appears in the spotlight on the stage. He’s tied up in a chair with Joey Janela lurking behind him. This draws Spears away from the match and Sabian gets a Snapdragon Suplex, V Trigger, but Page blind tags, hits the lariat and gets the win.
Brandi runs down the women in the division before rubbing some dude’s head who she doesn’t want us to see yet.
Jericho comes out to do some commentary on the next match. Excalibur and Schiavone are dismissed.
Sammy Guevara vs. Luchasaurus
Sammy tries to knock down the dinosaur but is dispatched outside the ring. Luchasaurus dominates Sammy and wins with an inverted powerbomb flapjack. Jericho and Hager storm the ring and the Express fight back. Jungle Boy, er, Jack Perry pins Jericho for an unofficial 3 count from Marko Stunt.
Young Bucks vs. Santana/Ortiz – Texas Street Fight
It starts early as Guevara joins his team to get a jump on the Bucks. Brandon Cutler comes out to even the odds, but he gets put through a table for his trouble. The Bucks are able to fight back and do some damage, including sending Ortiz through a table. This is all happening on the stage. They finally make their way to the ring. In a fun spot, Matt wears a Cowboys helmet to counter the weapon shots. Eventually Hager shows up, which draws out Dustin Rhoades. The Bucks are able to beat down Santana and Ortiz but the ref had been knocked out. Aubrey Edwards finally arrives (and gets a chant!). About ten tables get used in the match, and after a while the spot actually gets boring. The Young Bucks continue the onslaught and finish the match with an Indiedriver on a chair. Next week, they get a title shot and SCU comes in the ring to wish them luck, I’m sure.
An okay show overall. Nothing atrocious and they’re clearly trying to build up a couple shows and avoiding the inevitable dip that two holiday Wednesdays could bring. I, however, am here for the long haul!
By the way, I’ll be off Christmas and New Year’s. But after that…long haul!
UNTIL NEXT WEEK!
