Reviews

TJR: AEW Dynamite 08/22/20 Review

By John Canton • Published 23rd August 2020

Welcome to the AEW Dynamite review on TJRWrestling. This was a Saturday night episode because TNT was showing the NBA Playoffs on Wednesday night. Next week’s show is going to be live on a Thursday night with some fans at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. This show was taped nine days earlier on a Thursday night.

Since I have been overwhelmed with a lot of wrestling writing in the last week, I’m going with the review style where I cut back on the play by play of the matches. I’ll still have the usual star ratings, analysis and other comments. It means less writing for me. That’s not a bad thing sometimes.

This is episode #47 of AEW Dynamite from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL. Follow me on Twitter @johnreport. Here’s my AEW Dynamite TV review archive. Let’s get to it.

There was a shot of the wrestlers in the crowd and the first match began with the teams already in the ring. The announcers are Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Taz.

FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) w/Tully Blanchard vs. Private Party (Isaiah Kassidy and Marq Quen)

The FTR boys have Tully Blanchard as their official manager with Tully wearing a black leather FTR jacket. Private Party was able to get some offense in the first few minutes with some exciting tag team moves. Things slowed down after that as FTR, who seem to be more heelish now after attacking Ricky Morton last week, worked over Quen for several minutes. There was a cool double clothesline spot by FTR as they focused on Quen in their half of the ring. There were a few moments where Tully was talking trash to Quen, but Tully didn’t get physical. There was a nice double team move by FTR leading to a two count and Kassidy breaking up the pin. Kassidy was on fire after a hot tag with a neckbreaker by the ropes, a side kick on the apron, an enziguri kick and a flipping Stunner off the ropes got a two count. Quen made the blind tag that Harwood didn’t see and hit a springboard cross body block for a two count. Harwood and Quen battled over nearfalls. Wheeler got the tag and hit a great spinebuster that was only a two count because Kassidy made the save. When Kassidy tried an attack on the floor, Blanchard pulled Harwood out of the way and Kassidy hit the floor. FTR finished with the Goodnight Express (launch into the double knees) for the pinfall win after 13 minutes. FTR is 6-0 in AEW now.

Winners by pinfall: FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood)

Analysis: ***1/2 A very good, traditional style of tag team match with FTR in control for most of it. The reason I say “traditional style” is because Private Party is one of those AEW teams that usually doesn’t follow the rules that well, but this was more of FTR styles and that made it more fun. I liked the finishing sequence with Tully saving Harwood from an attack and then FTR capitalized for the win. FTR remains undefeated as one of the most pushed teams in AEW. If Private Party worked with FTR more they would improve quickly because FTR brings out the best in anybody. Private Party is flashy and very athletic, but they aren’t consistently pushed.

There was a promo from Jon Moxley from the AEW World Champion standing in front of a cage. Moxley said if you want to know his faults and problems, you can talk to his wife because there’s a long list. Moxley said that didn’t bother him. Moxley noted that where he comes from, they don’t have to say much and they don’t hide behind their words. Moxley wondered what MJF is hiding since he talks so much. Moxley spoke about how MJF thinks he can lead the company 25 years and Moxley said that he’s not lasting 25 years and said he’s lucky if he lasts another 18 months. Moxley said that one day MJF will move out of his parent’s basement, he’ll lose his virginity and maybe one day become AEW Champion, but that won’t be September 5 at All Out. Moxley said when he wins we will find out what MJF has been hiding.

Analysis: Great promo from the champ. Moxley is great in that setting where he has two minutes to talk about his upcoming matches. I think Moxley will retain the AEW Title at All Out, but it wouldn’t be terrible if MJF won.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman did a promo from his campaign office with a neck brace on his neck, which is a classic heel tactic of over accentuating an injury. MJF was all sad saying that one day he wants kids, but now he can’t because Moxley hit him with the Paradigm Shift. A “lawyer” named Mark Sterling spoke up for MJF saying that the Paradigm Shift is a dangerous move that is possibly deadly. Sterling told us to think about our loved ones. Sterling said that last week, there were five million people that signed a petition about it. Sterling said that the Paradigm Shift is banned from the All Out match between Moxley and MJF. Sterling said that Moxley has to sign the contract or they will sue him. Sterling said he would fax it over to Moxley and the ball’s in his court.

Analysis: This was ridiculously over the top, but it was entertaining. Heels lie, just like heel lawyers. Anyway, I guess they’re doing the “no Paradigm Shift” gimmick for the Moxley/MJF match at All Out now. I still expect Moxley to win.

There were eight men in the ring for a tag team match. No introductions for this match like the first match.

Lucha Brothers (Pentagon and Rey Fenix), The Butcher and The Blade vs. Natural Nightmares (Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall) and Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy) w/Marko Stunt

There was a lot of chaos as the match began and then it slowed down a bit as Rhodes was in control of Blade with a leg drop on his arm. Butcher with a knee to the back of Rhodes, then the heels took Rhodes out of the ring and the three guys beat up Dustin while on the floor. This led to the heel side working over Rhodes for a few minutes. Fenix did some nice rope walking leading to a double axehandle. That led to a break for picture in picture action.

Luchasaurus got the tag for the first time as he cleaned house on the heels. Luchasaurus kicked Fenix out of the ring, Boy with a suicide dive and then a somersault dive on the other side of the ring. Luchasaurus hit a weak looking Chokeslam on Pentagon and a standing moonsault got two. Butcher battled with Luchasaurus as the match broke down, Blade hit a Stunner and Butcher hit a knee to the face. The referee lost complete control of the match. Marshall hit a Diamond Cutter as they felt the need to go over the top 1990s finishers in this match. All eight guys were just randomly going into the ring and nobody knew who the legal men were. Boy hit a nice headscissors. Dustin did a spot where he was thrown into the air by Pentagon and Dustin sort of hit a Canadian Destroyer on Fenix. Dustin took the full bump there. Pentagon argued with Blade as they got into a shoving match, Pentagon shoved Blade and Jungle Boy hit a ROLLUP OF DEATH~! for the pinfall win after about 10 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Natural Nightmares (Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall) and Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy)

Analysis: **3/4 This was a wild tag team match that did slow down a bit with Rhodes as the face in peril, but then it was the typical AEW tag team match full of chaos. I didn’t like the finish – I’m sick of the ROLLUP OF DEATH~! match endings. I get why they did it to have Lucha Bros argue with Butcher/Blade and that’s why the team lost, but I would have liked a better finish. Also, I have no idea if those were the two legal men because the last four minutes didn’t really have tags. Hey AEW, book more Tornado Tag Team Matches. It would help.

Post match, The Butcher and The Blade argued with Lucha Brothers while the other teams left as the winners.

Eddie Kingston shoed up telling the four guys in the ring to listen up. Kingston said that they were on the indies suffering, but now they are on TNT and told them all they are better than any tag team here. Kingston told them they only lost because they were divided. Kingston spoke to all four guys to try to motivate them. Kingston told them to walk with him and they all hugged.

Analysis: That made this feel like this match had a purpose because it gave Kingston a story to get involved in. Kingston is an awesome promo guy and he showed it here.

There was a gym scene with Britt Baker and her assistant Rebel. Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford, who have had nothing to do for weeks, were kissing by them. Baker the dentist talked about kissing spreading germs or something like that and offered free dental care for one year if Ford takes care of Big Swole for her. Baker invited Ford to team with her in a handicap match against Swole in the future. Baker told Ford that Reba (Rebel) will give her free makeup for a year if Ford does it and Ford said sure for free makeup. Rebel didn’t seem happy about free makeup, but Baker was happy because Ford agreed to it.

Orange Cassidy “Interview” Time

Orange Cassidy was in the ring with Tony Schiavone for an interview after Cassidy beat Chris Jericho last week. Decent match with a terrible finish. Best Friends Chuck Taylor and Trent were in the ring too. Before Cassidy said a word, Chris Jericho’s music hit as “Le Champion” made his entrance.

Jericho did a promo from the stage with a bottle of “The Bubbly” champagne. Jericho congratulated Cassidy for beating Jericho last week (with the worst takedown ever – I added that part). Jericho said that he has only been beaten twice and one of those times is to the guy that puts his hands in his pockets. Jericho said that Cassidy proves he has heart, desire, courage and what it takes to be a main event superstar in AEW. Jericho said they each have one win over eachother, so they need to have a third match to find out who is the better man. Jericho said he’s a genius that came up with one of the best gimmick matches of all time involving a briefcase and a ladder (that’s true – he invented Money in the Bank), he wanted to do something different. Jericho said that Cassidy is about orange and Jericho is about the bubbly, so they should have a rubber match in a “Mimosa Mayhem Match.”

A video aired saying that on Saturday, September 5, Jericho will face Cassidy in a Mimosa Mayhem Match. There will be 80 gallons of orange juice mixed at ringside with 500 cases of the Bubbly champagne. You can win by pinfall, submission or thrown into a tank of Mimosa.

Jericho said that the only way to win is by pinfall, submission or be thrown into an 80-gallon vat of orange juice and bubbly. Jericho wondered if Cassidy accepted the challenge. Cassidy did the “thumbs up” to accept the challenge.

The rest of the Inner Circle group Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana and Ortiz surrounded the three Best Friends guys in the ring. That led to a 5 on 3 battle with Inner Circle getting the upper hand. Hager with a lifting slam on Trent and Santana/Ortiz worked over Taylor with double team punching. Jericho hit the Judas Effect elbow on Cassidy to knock him out. The Inner Circle poured champagne on Cassidy’s face.

Analysis: I like Jericho as much as anybody in AEW, but he’s almost becoming too much of a comedy guy again. This match sounds ridiculous. I think that they can pull it off and make it entertaining. I just think if they did a more serious match that was like a Street Fight or Falls Count Anywhere would be more meaningful. Anyway, I’ll pick Cassidy over Jericho in the Mimosa Mayhem Match at All Out. I assume they’ll have Cassidy win by pinfall and then throw Jericho into the orange juice/champagne mixture after the match and Chris can do over the top, comedic selling for it. Cassidy should win the feud and I would be surprised if he lost it.

The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs. Dark Order’s Alex Reynolds, John Silver and Alan Angels aka 3, 4 and 5

The announcers tried to tell us the Dark Order guys have been impressive, but they have no significant wins on Dynamite other than a 12-man tag that Brodie Lee won for the team, so I don’t know what the announcers are trying to tell us. Am I supposed to care about wins on Dark? That show doesn’t matter.

Young Bucks were in control in the early part of the match with Matt hitting several Northern Lights suplexes. They did a triple team combo on Angels that was pretty cool with a leg drop, neckbreaker and slam at the same time. Young Bucks took out two guys on the floor. Dark Order guys ended up attacking Kenny with multiple chair shots and we have no idea if the referee saw it since the camera work was shoddy. If you’re going to cheat, make it make sense. Don’t just do it. You have to show the audience that you are cheating in that scenario. If you say “let’s do random shit and forget about the rules” then book a Tornado Tag Team Match. Anyway, they had action during a break in picture in picture. Nick Jackson got the hot tag after Omega was the face in peril for a few minutes. Bucks did a cool bulldog/dropkick combination on Reynolds. Dark Order pulled both Young Bucks out of the ring, then the Dark Order guys went in there illegally and did a stacked German Suplex on Omega for a two count. Omega made the super comeback with the Snapdragon suplexes and a V-Trigger knee to the face. Silver and Reynolds each hit Tombstone piledrivers on the Young Bucks. Angels tagged in with a double foot stomp off the top for two as Omega made the save. Angels jumped off the ropes into a double superkick by the Bucks and Nick hit an incredible dive off the top onto guys on the floor. Omega launched Nick towards Matt for an assisted Indytaker. Omega hit the One Winged Angel on Silver for the pinfall win after about 10 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson)

Analysis: *** Good match with some fun offensive moves by The Elite guys, but the lack of story made it feel like just another random AEW tag team match. If you thought The Elite were going to lose to these guys then you have not watched enough AEW in your life. The Young Bucks putting over Private Party last year was a surprising loss for them, but otherwise their matches are usually predictable. This just felt like Kenny and the Bucks needed to kill ten minutes, so here’s a random match. I don’t know. It didn’t feel like a big deal.

Post match, Omega brought a chair into the ring because he was trying to do another attack, but then Matt pulled the chair out of the ring. Omega hit a Powerbomb on Angels in the ring. The Bucks tried to get Kenny to calm down.

Analysis: There might be a heel turn coming for Omega, but they don’t really care about the heel/face thing that much. It was certainly teased here, though.

The FTR duo Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler were with Tully Blanchard backstage about to be interviewed by Alex Marvez. There’s a gauntlet match next week involving tag teams. Wheeler said that they want to be the best, so they will learn from the best in Tully and they want the gold. Tully talked about how they are going to win the Gauntlet Match next week and that’s their path to tag team gold. Harwood was about to talk, but Adam Page asked them what their problem is. Wheeler said what happened last week with Rock N Roll Express had nothing to do with Page, so they did what they had to do. Harwood said he had to fake the knee injury because the things that Young Bucks and Kenny Omega have said about him, so he had to see if they could trust him. Harwood said that two men were with him when he had the injury that were checking on him – Wheeler and Page. Dawson told Page that the most important thing to them is to win the Gauntlet Match to go to All Out to challenge Page and Omega for the titles. They all seemed to be in agreement about that.

Analysis: There are Four Horsemen style stable rumors in AEW. I think if it happens then FTR and Page will be part of the group. It will be after Page loses the titles with Omega. The other person will either be Cody or maybe Shawn Spears, but I think a heel, focused Cody would be great for it. Then again, Page did have a connection with the fans as a face, so I’m not sure if he will be in it. Perhaps heel Omega is in instead of Page? I don’t know. Anyway, it’s just guessing at this point.

Darby Allin vs. Will Hobbs

Allin was aggressive early with a dropkick. Hobbs is a much bigger guy that hit a huge back body drop that sent Allin across the ring. Hobbs pulled Allin out of the corner for a slam like move into a two count. Hobbs hit a huge spinebuster for a two count. Allin countered a slam into a Stunner like move, then a springboard back elbow off the ropes and the Coffin Drop off the top rope got the win for Allin after about three minutes.

Winner by pinfall: Darby Allin

Analysis: *1/2 A quick match to give Allin a victory after he recently lost the AEW World Title match to Jon Moxley. The Coffin Drop is a cool finisher as long as he can keep doing it safely.

Taz did a promo saying that Team Taz is flourishing while mentioning Bryan Cage and Ricky Starks. Taz said that they had a new member of Team Taz that is named Darby also…Taz said he’s bigger than you and better looking than you. It was Starks dressed up like Allin. Tony: “Wait a minute, that’s Ricky Starks.” JR: “Of course it is.” Yes, it is. Starks did a promo mocking Allin saying that he likes skateboarding, turtles, being reckless and shredding a man open with thumbtacks. That led to the cheap attack from Bryan Cage with the FTW Title to the head of Allin. Starks told Allin that he’s a joke. Starks said he didn’t need facepaint to need somebody because he is “Absolute” Ricky Starks and he’ll always be better than Allin in every single way. Starks said that life is a joke and Allin is the biggest joke of them all. Starks hit Allin in the ribs with the skateboard. Starks went to the middle ropes and hit a Coffin Drop of his own on Allin. Taz was laughing about it.

Analysis: This should lead to Allin vs. Starks at All Out. It was a few weeks ago when Allin did put those thumbtacks in Ricky’s back, so that’s what was being referenced in the promo.

Sammy Guevara walked out there with some signs as they went to picture in picture. Matt Hardy showed up to attack him with a steel chair.

Analysis: I thought this would lead to Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara at All Out as well, but they are doing a Tables Match on Dynamite next week.

When the show came back, Matt hit Sammy with more chair shots to the back. Matt tossed Sammy off the stage and onto a table below. Matt grabbed another chair that Sammy threw at Matt earlier in the month, but referees showed up to break it up.

Thunder Rosa did a promo with the NWA Women’s Title. Rosa challenged AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida to a championship match at All Out on September 5. It’s not official yet.

Analysis: Thunder Rosa is very talented, so if she’s in AEW regularly that will be a boost to the division.

The announce team was joined by Veda Scott, who is a wrestler that has been on commentary in the Women’s tag team tournament. Shaul Guerrero (Eddie and Vickie’s daughter who is married to former WWE superstar Aiden English) did the introductions for this match.

AEW Women’s Tag Team Tournament Finals: Brandi Rhodes and Allie (w/Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall) vs. Ivelisse and Diamante

The tournament took place on AEW’s Youtube channel. This is the finals of that tournament.

There was some decent action to start the match. Allie is clearly better than Brandi on her team while the other side had two women were about the same. They went to picture in picture commercial break during the match. Diamante hit a suplex on Allie to break free and hot tag to Ivelisse, so I guess they were the face team. Ivelisse with some clotheslines on Brandi, then a jawbreaker and a trip into a takedown for a nearfall. Brandi broke free with a Spear that looked pretty good. Allie with an elbow to the chest into a pin attempt for two as Ivelisse made the save. Diamante hit a running elbow smash on Allie. Marshall distracted, Ivelisse knocked him down and Ivelisse sent Brandi over the top onto Marshall. Diamante hit a Stunner (a lot of that going around on this show) and Ivelisse hit a kick to the face for the pinfall win after 10 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Ivelisse and Diamante

Analysis: *3/4 It was a decent tag team match. Weak finish because the Stunner is way better than the kick, but the kick was enough to win it. Ivelisse and Diamante had some cool moves. They could have had more nearfalls in the match. I wasn’t that interested in it, but at least they got more time than most AEW women’s matches in the last month or two.

Ivelisse and Diamante were given giant medals and a trophy by wrestling legend Madusa. I’m not sure if they actually get the trophy to take home.

Analysis: I don’t think people are clamoring for AEW to have Women’s Tag Team Titles, but it was nice of the company to try to give the women some more attention.

Next week’s AEW Dynamite is live on a special day on Thursday, August 27 at 8pmET/7pmCT. Here’s some of the lineup:

* Chris Jericho on commentary.

* Tag Team Gauntlet: #4 Natural Nightmares start vs. #3 Young Bucks, the winners move on to face #2 Best Friends and the winners of that face #1 FTR. The winner of the final part of the gauntlet will challenge Kenny Omega and Adam Page for the AEW Tag Team Titles at All Out on September 5.

* Tables Match: Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara.

* Contract Signing for All Out between AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and challenger MJF.

* Big Swole vs. Britt Baker, Rebel and Penelope Ford (that’s what was on the graphic).

The main event is next.

The big man Mr. Brodie Lee of the Dark Order made his entrance for the TNT Title match. This was set up on last week’s episode of Dynamite. Cody made his entrance with the new TNT Title around his waist and he had Coach Arn Anderson by his side. The announcers talked about how Cody has been wrestling nearly every week and Taz said that Cody has been red hot for 12 straight weeks.

TNT Championship: Cody (w/Arn Anderson) vs. Mr. Brodie Lee

Cody went after Lee with punches, but then Lee came back with a dropkick and a body slam that sent Cody over the top to the floor. Lee whipped Cody into the barricade at ringside. Lee with a running boot to the face that sent Cody over the barricade into the crowd. Back in the ring, Lee with a running elbow followed by a half n half release suplex. Anderson looked concerned at ringside. Lee continued the onslaught with a German Suplex across the ring. Lee picked up Cody for a slam, Cody slipped out and Lee hit him with two superkicks for a two count. Lee picked up Cody and hit him with a stiff Powerbomb. Lee hit another hard Powerbomb. Lee picked up Cody, he hit the discus clothesline and Cody did a flip bump to sell it. Lee covered Cody for the pinfall win at 3:13 to become the NEW TNT Champion.

Winner by pinfall AND NEW AEW TNT Champion: Mr. Brodie Lee

Analysis: *1/4 It was a dominant ass kicking that was not about having the best match possible. It was about putting over Lee as the new champion that didn’t have to sell much because was on offense for the entire match after Cody got in some early punches. This was an interesting way to book a title match, but I don’t mind it all because it feels different. It’s an old school booking way of making a new champion look unbeatable by running through a current champion in impressive fashion. I think it makes a lot of sense.

Mr. Brodie Lee celebrated with the TNT Title while Dark Order members joined him in the ring. There were AEW medical personnel checking on Cody as well.

Lee was interviewed by Tony Schiavone. Lee said that nobody believed in the Dark Order and now he’s a problem for AEW. Lee said that with this title comes the power, with this comes the say so and Dark Order is at the top now. Lee said that executives held him down, they didn’t give him a chance and now he’s knocked it out of the park as the champion.

Meanwhile, Cody was put on a stretcher with a neckbrace around his neck. The announcers went to SERIOUS VOICES~! mode to talk about Cody getting taken away on a stretcher. JR and Taz talked about how Cody hasn’t moved much and his arms were locked in. Cody held up his left hand with a thumbs up sign to show that he was okay. The Dark Order guys went towards Cody on the stretcher, then they focused on Arn Anderson and Lee beat him up with punches as well as a kick to the gut. The Dark Order grabbed the stretcher and Lee dumped it over to knock Cody down. Lee had some black blag with some object in it and he hit Cody in the head with it. Brodie Lee taunted Arn saying that people like him made him this way.

Lee held up the TNT Title over Cody. They brought out Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall looking injured on the stage as well. Brandi Rhodes walked out there to lay on top of Cody, so Anna Jay of the Dark Order slapped on a chokehold on Brandi to choke her out. Lee was laughing about it. Lee revealed the bag had the old TNT Championship in it, which was broken in pieces. Lee held up his TNT Championship as the victor. The camera focused on the carnage on the stage with Cody, Arn and others laid out. That’s the end of the show.

Analysis: The stretcher job is another way to put over Brodie in a big way and then the cheap attack got some more heat for the Dark Order group. I have said for months that they need to do more to put over Dark Order in a big way. This did it. The way that Lee dominated Cody in that match and then the post match attack was awesome in terms of getting heel heat. I thought it was an excellent ending to the show. You could say why didn’t Cody’s other friends like the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega try to save him. I think it’s just AEW wanting to make the Dark Order guys stand out more and that’s what they did.

Three Stars of the Show

  1. Brodie Lee – It wasn’t a great match, but I am a fan of the guy and I’m happy by how he won the TNT Title.
  2. FTR
  3. Chris Jericho

The Scoreboard

This week: 7 (out of 10)

Last week: 7

2020 Average: 7.21

Final Thoughts

A good show that did a nice job of advancing some storylines. The match quality wasn’t as strong as the best Dynamite episodes, though. What I liked is there was more of a focus as we head towards All Out in a few weeks. It’s also strange how last week was Tag Team Appreciation Week, yet this week had four tag team matches, which is more than what last week had. The main reason they called it that last week was to have FTR turn heel by attacking Rock N Roll Express. I just wanted to point out the heavy does of tag team matches this week.

I like Brodie Lee as the new TNT Champion and the way he beat Cody in dominant fashion. It puts over Lee as a dominant force in AEW, which is good since he lost his World Title challenge to Jon Moxley in the past. This was by far the best they have booked the Dark Order and I think Brodie Lee as TNT Champion is going to be very interesting. I’m excited for him.

The next AEW pay-per-view is All Out on Saturday, September 5th. Here’s what we know so far.

AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Mimosa Mayhem Match: Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy

We know the Tag Team Titles will be defended by Kenny Omega and Adam Page vs. Winners of the Gauntlet Match next week. I assume it will be FTR.

Darby Allin vs. Ricky Starks is likely.

It sounds like Hikaru Shida defending the AEW Women’s Title against Thunder Rosa is probably going to happen.

There will probably be a Brodie Lee TNT Championship defense possibly against Cody.

Add a few more matches and there’s the full card.

—

Thanks for reading. You can contact me using any of the methods below.

John Canton

Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com

Twitter: @johnreport

Personal Facebook and TJRWrestling on Facebook