TJR: AEW Dynamite 09/23/20 Review
Welcome to another AEW Dynamite review here on TJRWrestling. There was a change to the card for this week’s live show. They had advertised Jon Moxley, Darby Allin and Will Hobbs vs. Lance Archer, Brian Cage and Ricky Starks in a six-man tag that was set up last week, but it’s not happening now. Archer noted on Twitter that he tested positive for COVID-19, so he’s home in Texas while AEW is live in Jacksonville, Florida. The last tapings prior to this were 13 days ago, so the AEW crew should be fine and everybody that is on this week’s show is tested. AEW is still planning to do Moxley vs. Archer for the AEW World Title on Dynamite on October 14 on the one-year anniversary show. Best wishes to Archer. As a result of Archer being out, AEW changed this week’s card to put on an AEW World Title match with Jon Moxley defending the gold against Eddie Kingston. The TNT Title is also on the line this week. Anyway, last week I liked Dynamite a lot with an 8.5 out of 10 score, so let’s hope they can keep the positive momentum going.
This is episode #51 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 graphic for Road Warrior Animal 1960-2020 to begin the show. Nice tribute for a wrestling legend that left us too soon. What a rush.
The Dynamite intro video aired. That was followed by some pyro at Daily’s Place with wrestlers surrounding the ring and some fans in the crowd with masks. The announce team of Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur welcomed us to the show.
Kip Sabian made his entrance for the first match with his fiancée Penelope Ford joining him. Sabian introduced “the most handsome man ever” and he’s not just his best man, he is “The Best Man” Miro, who was making his AEW in-ring debut. The announcers put over how physically impressive Miro is. Yes, wrestling fans, wrestlers work out especially when they have nothing else to do other than play video games for months at a time.
Miro and Kip Sabian (w/Penelope Ford) vs. Joey Janela and Sonny Kiss
Sonny showed off some athleticism early with a headscissors and a hard slap on Sabian. Janela slid out of the ring to avoid Sabian, Kiss made a blind tag and hit a cross body block. The announcers mentioned Janela and Kiss have an 8-3 where I assume most of those wins are on Dark, which I don’t watch, so while the announcers talk about their momentum, it’s tough for Dynamite viewers to understand that by watching this show. Anyway, Miro finally tagged in with a running clothesline on Kiss and a spinning slam on Janela. Sabian whipped Kiss into the turnbuckle and Miro hit a gutwrench suplex twice on Kiss. Miro with an uppercut to the chest of Kiss, then a body slam and Sabian hit a senton splash. Sabian hit a running kick to the chest for a two count. Sabian and Miro took turns working over Kiss with Miro hitting a kick to the back. Sabian tagged in with Kiss getting an inside cradle. Kiss with a hard slap to the face of Sabian and Janela got the hot tag. Janela knocked down Sabian, but a strike to Miro didn’t work. Miro bumped to the floor and was favoring his ankle. Miro sent Janela over the barricade. Sabian charged, Miro launched Sabian into a strike from Janela. Sabian hit the cement hard with Janela asking him twice if he was okay and the camera picked that up. It looked like Sabian was okay. Janela jumped onto Miro, who didn’t catch him properly and Kiss hit a dropkick off the apron on Janela to knock down Miro. The referee apparently wasn’t counting during any of that even though they were out of the ring for over a minute or more. Why no count? Because it’s AEW. Anyway, Janela got a superkick on Sabian for two. Miro was back in cleaning house including a hard kick to the head of Janela. Miro’s ankle appeared to be fine. Sabian jumped onto a boot from Kiss. Miro launched Kiss into the air into the double knees of Sabian for a Lung Blower with Janela breaking up the pin for two. Miro launched Janela over the top leading to Sabian hitting some slam on Janela on the apron. That looked sloppy too. Miro charged at Kiss with a superkick (Matchka Kick) and knocked down Kiss. Miro slapped on his Camel Clutch submission for the submission win after 11 minutes. They’re calling it Game Over as a submission move.
Winners by pinfall: Miro and Kip Sabian
Analysis: *3/4 It was decent, but the last few minutes were a mess with a bunch of messed up spots and some near injury moments. It was also disappointing because I thought Miro’s debut should have been in dominant fashion in a singles match. I understand AEW wants to get Sabian in a match, but sometimes you just need to do the simple thing when it’s right and in this case that is putting over Miro in a singles match. At least Miro won in dominant fashion. This was not the great match that the announcers talked about it as if it was something like that.
Eddie Kingston showed up for a promo saying leave the hard camera on because he’s talking to the people at home and the morons there. Eddie said that it’s him and Moxley for the Worlds Championship. Eddie said he was never eliminated from the Casino Battle Royal and 18 years said he deserves this shot. Kingston said that Jon Moxley sold out by going to the land of sports entertainers, Eddie said he stayed with the outlaws and the fighters, but he didn’t sell his soul to the devil. Eddie called out the “sports entertainer” Moxley, which led to Jon Moxley walking out there with the AEW World Championship. Moxley got in Kingston’s face and they went face to face. They were broken up by officials including Jerry Lynn wearing a mask.
Analysis: Kingston is a great talker. No doubt about that. I don’t know if this needed the WWE reference by talking about sports entertainers. Moxley had a lot of success in WWE, made a lot of money and Kingston didn’t, so I think Moxley chose the right path. With that said, Kingston bringing up that they knew eachother is a nice way to add some backstory to this match.
(Commercial)
Kenny Omega is on commentary for the second week in a row. Excalibur said that this was offered as a tag team match, but Omega declined to team with Page so that’s why we’re getting this next match. That’s an interesting way of setting it up.
“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Evil Uno
There were five Dark Order members watching from the stage. Uno with a shoulder tackle, Page got back up and hit a boot to the face. Page with a suplex and then a bridging fallaway slam into a bridging pin for two. Uno picked up Page for a belly to back suplex. Omega said that Uno was wearing a vest to cover his “hideous physique” and to protect himself from a hard hitter like Page. That made me laugh. Page sent Uno to the floor and hit a dive over the top onto Uno on the floor. Uno did the spot where he tossed the foot of Page to the referee and hit a neckbreaker. The announcers acted as if they have never seen it before even though I have seen it in AEW many times in the last year.
(Commercial)
There was a spot where Page was against the ropes and Uno hit a running elbow on him. Uno told his Dark Order buddies to go to the back. Uno charged at Page on the apron with Page hitting a slam onto the ring apron. Page went for a clothesline, Uno moved and Page hit a fallaway slam and a standing Shooting Star Press got a two count. Page with two clotheslines, Uno with a boot to the face and Uno hit a Senton Bomb off the top for a two count. They did a double clothesline spot, then Page bounced off the ropes and hit a running clothesline. Uno blocked an SSP and got a two count out of it. Page hit two forearms and hit a Powerbomb for a two count. Page to the apron with the Buckshot Lariat and that was enough for the pinfall win after 11 minutes. Omega said he was proud of Page.
Winner by pinfall: “Hangman” Adam Page
Analysis: ***1/4 This was pretty good as usual when Page gets time to have a singles match because he keeps getting better every time I see him. Uno is a consistent in-ring performer that might surprise people with how skilled he is, but he’s very capable in there. Page getting the win was the obvious result as he continues to pick up wins in singles matches.
There was an Earlier Today interview with Tony Schiavone standing outside the Young Bucks dressing room. Matt Jackson said that people have noticed that the Young Bucks have been acting strange and out of character. Matt said they should have never attacked Alex Marvez or Mike Posey. Matt wants people to sympathize because the Young Bucks have gone through a lot and lost a lot like title opportunities, plus relationships with friends. Matt said that they will do better. Schiavone said that FTR is the reason for all of this, so how do they resolve all this? Matt told Tony to ask something else, so Tony asked another question like that. Matt asked to see Tony’s face and he smashed it against the wall. The phone was all great. Matt pulled out some money from his pocket and threw it down.
Analysis: The Young Bucks continue to evolve as heels although it’s been a few weeks since they have been in the ring. It’s good to be an Executive Vice President where you don’t have to work in the ring very much.
(Commercial)
Orange Cassidy made his entrance for a title match. They found a kid in the crowd that was dressed like him. Brodie Lee entered as the TNT Champion with some Dark Order members standing on the stage and then they moved to ringside. John Silver was stomping on some Cassidy gear.
TNT Championship: Brodie Lee vs. Orange Cassidy
Cassidy did his hands in the pockets routine while doing the kicks to the shins and Lee decked him with an uppercut. Thank you Brodie for that. Cassidy did the hands-in-the-pocket dropkick, then ran the ropes and jumped onto the Dark Order guys, who caught him, so Lee hit a suicide dive to knock them all down. Lee sent Cassidy back in the ring for an elbow drop that got a two count. Dark Order guys were getting in some cheap shots on Cassidy. Lee jumped over the top onto Cassidy with an elbow. Lee hit a spinning Bossman Slam for a two count.
(Commercial)
Lee remained in control with a catapult that sent Cassidy throat first into the middle ropes. Lee hit a half-n-half suplex across the ring. That was a rough landing right on the head/neck of Cassidy. Lee did it again with Cassidy landing right on his head. When Lee picked up Cassidy, Orange collapsed to the mat. When Lee tried a discus lariat, Cassidy collapsed to the mat to avoid it. Cassidy did it a second time. Cassidy got a rollup, then he sent Lee into the turnbuckle and Orange avoided an attack to send Lee to the floor. Cassidy hit a suicide dive with an elbow and he did it again with this effort sending Lee into the barricade. Cassidy with the Orange Punch on a Dark Order loser, then Silver accidentally hit Ten with the TNT Title. Cassidy countered a slam into a Stunner-like move. Cassidy went up top and jumped off with a diving DDT. Cassidy did the running kick two times (that’s a popular move in this company) and Cassidy hit another spinning DDT. Cassidy picked up Lee for the Air Raid Crash slam for a two count. Nice sequence of moves by Cassidy there. Silver in the ring, Cassidy hit him with the Orange Punch. Cassidy charged in, Lee caught him and Lee hit a Powerbomb. Lee hit the Discus Clothesline for the pinfall win after about 12 minutes.
Winners by pinfall: Brodie Lee
Analysis: **3/4 A win for the champion Lee while Cassidy does the job after beating Chris Jericho two times in a row. The first half was a bit slow, but then it really picked up with Cassidy getting in a lot of offense leading to a nearfall that was really close to a victory for him. Lee won after the distraction from Silver, so it wasn’t totally clean. I’m not sure if that’s the best move to have Cassidy lose like that so soon after the biggest wins of his career, but that’s what happened. It’s nice to see Lee booked as a dominant heel champion because when he loses the title, it’s going to mean something. I also like Lee’s big power moves and his finisher looks impressive, so that helps his presentation as a credible champion.
The lights went out in the arena, then they came back on a bit and there were some red lights. That led to a focus by the entrance area and Cody’s music hit as Cody made his return in a black suit. Cody had a different look to him with black hair instead of the white/blonde hair that he used to have.
Cody was attacked by members of the Dark Order, but Cody beat them up easily. Cody with a running clothesline on a Dark Order guy. Cody hit a springboard Cody Cutter to a big pop. Cody sent Five’s leg into the ring post. Cody slapped on the Figure Four Leglock on Five, who was quickly tapping out.
Analysis: Welcome back to Cody. It’s a new look for him and perhaps a new twist to his character whenever he returns to the ring.
(Commercial)
Brodie Lee showed up backstage with a microphone. Lee complained about Cody returning like that after five weeks. Lee complained about how Cody sent another man to do his week. Brodie mentioned what he did to Dustin and Anna Jay did to Brandi. Brodie mentioned that Brandi likes to post thirst straps on Instagram and he called Cody a coward. Lee was handed a dog collar with a steel chain and it sounded he challenged Cody to a Dog Collar Match. Lee gave Cody one week to answer him.
Analysis: It would be the first-ever Dog Collar Match in AEW history. Cody will likely accept it and then the match will take place in two weeks if I had to guess.
Let’s Hear from Matt Hardy and Private Party
Matt was limping around to sell the leg injury after being attacked last week. Hardy said that last week, somebody attacked him from behind. Hardy said that during the day he had a heated discussion with MJF, Brodie Lee and everybody knows about his long history with the Inner Circle. Matt said that whoever did it was wearing a mask or face covering while brandishing some weapon. Matt noted that moments later, Chris Jericho and Jake Hager walked by with Jericho carrying a bat. Matt put over Private Party for tearing down the house against Jericho/Hager last week. It was fine, but nothing that special. Everybody in this company overrates matches. Hardy added that Jericho was the prime suspect and said Jericho wants to be known as the Demo God, but he’ll always be known as an asshole.
Chris Jericho made his entrance as he was joined by Inner Circle members Jake Hager, Santana and Ortiz. Jericho had to wait for most of theme song to play as he stood on the stage while fans sang the “Judas” song.
Jericho sarcastically said: “Happy birthday, Matt.” Then he yelled: “Who gives a shit?” Great. Jericho complained about what Matt did to Sammy Guevara by putting him out of AEW and nobody knows when he’s coming back, but guess what because Jericho lied. Sammy Guevara appeared on the stage where he hugged Jericho. Jericho complained about Matt accusing him of attacking him with a bat and said that people tune in to see Jericho as the “Million Viewer Man” because they know what kind of a son of a bitch that he is. Jericho said he did not hit Matt with that bat last week, but he can hit him with it right now. Hardy said he’ll fight all of the Inner Circle even though he’s not cleared. Mark Quen told Matt they need him and care about him, so he told Matt to get cleared. Quen told Jericho that he laid Chris out with Chris telling him it was behind. Isaiah Kassidy said that he appreciated his guys having his back, but this is on him.
Kassidy told Jericho that he may have beaten him last week, but he almost beat Jericho not once, but twice. Kassidy said that as of right now on Matt’s birthday, he’s issuing Chris a challenge for next week in a singles match. Kassidy said that everybody is counting him out, but what if a young, 23-year-old kid from the streets of Brooklyn, New York beats Chris Jericho? Kassidy wondered what if next week, he makes Jericho is “Le Champion bitch.” Jericho stared at Kassidy from a distance as Kassidy stared at him.
Analysis: It’s nice to know there’s a fresh matchup coming. I thought Kassidy did well with his promo while Quen did well when he got a chance to speak up as well.
(Commercial)
Let’s Hear from FTR with Tully Blanchard
FTR were in the ring with their AEW Tag Team Titles with Executive Consultant Tully Blanchard and they were interviewed by Tony Schiavone. Blanchard said that normally the World Championship matches are 60 minutes, but they are changing it to 20 minutes on television. Dax Harwood called it a 20-minute brush with greatness and Tully said that they get to pick the opponents. Blanchard said next week SCU will get their brush with greatness against FTR. Blanchard said that SCU doesn’t win in 20 minutes then FTR gets the win in the winner’s column. Dax Harwood noted that the Best Friends had an impressive match last week, but it was just a glorified backyard wrestling match.
Best Friends duo Trent and Chuck Taylor showed up with Trent saying it was not a match last week, it was a war. Best Friends said that they are there, so let’s do this 20-minute challenge right now. Dax called out a referee for a 20-minute brush with greatness, so there was a referee. It looked like the match will start, but Cash Wheeler said that they can’t do this. Wheeler said it’s not fair to Best Friends and said maybe in a few weeks, they can get a title shot, but until then “top guys out” and FTR left. Chuck Taylor said that at least Santana/Ortiz didn’t run from a fight like some weenies. Taylor hugged his buddy Trent as the champs left.
Analysis: It was a decent promo to focus on the unique nature of FTR as heel tag team champions that want to set their own rules. It’s a heelish thing to look like you’re going to have a match only to pull it right after.
The announcers were ridiculous in trying to tell us this could be the greatest women’s tag team match that AEW has ever had.
Analysis: I like the AEW announce team, but they need to seriously cut back on things being the best thing ever or whatever. It’s silly.
Hikaru Shida and Thunder Rosa vs. Ivelisse and Diamante
There was an attack from Ivelisse and Diamante to start the match leading to a double team belly to back suplex on Shida. Rosa was not legal, yet she was kicking Diamante repeatedly in front of the referee, who does nothing because it’s AEW. Anyway, Shida and Rose hit a double kick on Diamante on the apron. Back in the ring, Shida hit a body slam and then Shida slammed Rosa on Diamante since Rosa was legal. Rosa with two deep arm drags, then a body slam and a running senton for a two count. Ivelisse and Diamante got confused about who the legal woman was, so it was awkward as Diamante was trying to get a pin as the illegal woman. Ivelisse hit a spinning slam for a two count.
(Commercial)
The sloppiness continued with Shida having to catch both of her opponents for back to back moves that didn’t look good at all. Rosa was in the ring illegally with a neckbreaker, then Ivelisse took her down with something. Rosa accidentally kneed Shida after Ivelisse moved. Ivelisse hit a hook kick on Shida for a two count. Diamante hit a reverse neckbreaker with help from her partner. Rosa dumped Ivelisse out of the ring. Rosa saved Shida from a move and Rosa hit a Death Valley Driver on Diamante. Shida hit a Falcon Arrow on Diamante for two as Ivelisse broke it up. Rosa took Ivelisse out of the ring and Shida hit a running knee on Diamante for the pinfall win.
Winners by pinfall: Hikaru Shida and Thunder Rosa
Analysis: * Bad match. They were off from the moment the bell rang, the crowd seemed like they were asleep for it and there several spots where they messed things up. It is so awkward having the announcers trying to talk this up as a good match when it’s obvious the wrestling was poor. It doesn’t mean they are bad wrestlers. I’m just saying this match didn’t work, but it got Shida and Rosa win. I just think AEW needs to do a better job of building the women’s division and I don’t think this helped at all. What happened to Nyla Rose with Vickie Guerrero? It’s like they don’t even exist anymore after doing a promo several weeks ago.
Chris Jericho was interviewed backstage by Dasha Gonzalez with Chris saying he actually admired Isaiah Kassidy for having the balls to challenge Jericho. Chris said that Kassidy will be a big star one day, but not next week when he faces Jericho, who ran down his nicknames. Maxwell Jacob Friedman showed up with his scarf gimmick that Jericho popularized. Jericho and MJF did their routine praising eachother saying that the praise means an awful lot. Jericho told MJF he was great, then MJF said he was great and they each asked eachother why they called eachother a loser. MJF said that Jericho said it, then he said that Jericho saw it on Twitter, Reddit, Instagram and Jericho said he saw it on Dynamite. They kept bickering about it with MJF calling the limo driver a loser and Jericho saying he was calling Tony Schiavone a loser. They both said that they’re “alright” and left.
Analysis: Fun promo interaction from two of AEW’s best heels. MJF could really use a feud right about now.
Next week on AEW Dynamite lineup. It is taped this week.
* Chris Jericho vs. Isiah Kassidy
* Dr. Britt Baker returns to action. Good. Save the women’s division.
* FTR vs. SCU
* Ricky Starks vs. Darby Allin finally.
* Jon Moxley will be appearing.
On October 7, AEW will celebrate 30 Years of Chris Jericho on Dynamite.
On October 14 on Dynamite, Jon Moxley defends the AEW World Title against Lance Archer.
Main event is next.
(Commercial)
Eddie Kingston made his entrance for the main event. He’s 2-1 in AEW because contracted people win matches on Dark against non-contract people and getting a title shot because he was never eliminated from the Battle Royal at All Out a few weeks. Jon Moxley was up next as the AEW World Champion
AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston
They exchanged some very hard chops to the chest early in the match. It sounded really loud when Kingston was chopping Moxley, so give Eddie some credit for doing it better. Kingston with an enziguri kick followed by a clothesline with Moxley doing a bit of a flip bump. Kingston sent Moxley out of the ring with the referee leaving the ring with them to tell them to go back in the ring. The actual job of the referee is to count them out of the ring to give them a reason to go back in the ring. Anyway, Kingston tossed Moxley down by the ring announcer and stomped away as the show went to break.
(Commercial)
Kingston was in control with a chinlock with Schiavone doing the announcer bullshit like about how he doesn’t know if anybody has taken the fight to Moxley like this. Yeah well, MJF did, Brodie Lee did, Brian Cage did and others. Anyway, Kingston continued to work over Moxley with chops. Kingston with a kick to the chest leading to Moxley crushing him with a clothesline. Moxley with a running knee that sent Kingston out of the ring leading to a suicide dive, which is a move we see in nearly every AEW match. Moxley gave Kingston a suplex on the floor. Back in the ring, Moxley off the top, Kingston moved and Moxley hit him with knees. Moxley with a piledriver hit a two count as Kingston got his foot on the bottom rope to break the count. Moxley with elbows while on the turnbuckle and Kingston hit a Powerbomb out of the corner. That’s the classic Powerbomb out of the corner spot that we saw from The Undertaker dozens of times in his career. They stood face to face striking eachother with chops, forearms and selling fatigue. Kingston’s chops looks a lot more vicious than Moxley’s forearms. Moxley with a headbutt, Kingston bounced off the ropes and Moxley hit a German Suplex. Kingston popped right up as if it was nothing, then he hit a Backdrop Driver and Kingston hit a second Backdrop Driver for a two count. More chops from Kingston, Moxley with an open hand palm strike. Moxley blocked a back fist and Moxley slapped on the Bulldog Choke submission for the victory after about 12 minutes.
Winner by submission: Jon Moxley
Analysis: ***3/4 This was a lot of fun to watch with Moxley and Kingston treating this like a fight. That made for a fun atmosphere. They have a lot in common in terms of their wrestling style with the announcers noting they have known eachother for a long time, which showed in the style of match they had. There wasn’t a point where it felt like Moxley might lose, but I still think it’s smart to book World Title matches on Dynamite because it shows the champion is willing to put the title on the line against anybody. I’d rather see a Paradigm Shift finishing move for Moxley instead of the choke, but it is a good thing to have a viable submission finisher as well.
There were still a few minutes left, so it was post match attack time as Pentagon and Fenix attacked Moxley with a double superkick. Will Hobbs ran out for the save with a spinebuster on Fenix, then he punched Pentagon and Kingston, but Lucha Bros hit a double superkick on Hobbs to put him down. Darby Allin’s music hit as he ran down to the ring with a skateboard to the ribs of Kingston, Pentagon and Fenix. Ricky Starks ran down to the ring and hit Allin with a Spear. Allin walked right into it and it looked great. Starks used the skateboard to hit the ribs of Allin. Kingston was grabbing Moxley’s head and talking to him. Starks picked up Allin and hit his slam off the shoulders. The heels stood tall with Kingston also choking Moxley a bit. That was the end of the show.
Analysis: It’s not a new stable because Starks is with Taz and Bryan Cage, who was not at this week’s show. Meanwhile, Kingston’s group is with Pentagon, Fenix, The Butcher and The Blade with the latter two guys not on the show either. It was just a way to end with a heel beating. Dynamite often ends with heels standing tall over the faces because I think Tony Khan really loved the NWO growing up, so he loves to book shows to end this way. That’s my theory anyway.
Three Stars of the Show
- Jon Moxley
- Eddie Kingston
- Adam Page
The Scoreboard
This week: 6 (out of 10)
Last week: 8.5
2020 Average: 7.18
Final Thoughts
This episode was a step back after last week’s great show. There just wasn’t much that I loved other than the main event between Moxley and Kingston. That felt like a fight, it was fun to watch and they worked very hard. The rest of the show was largely skippable to me. I wish Miro’s debut was booked better because putting him in a tag team match didn’t seem like a big deal. Some of the talking segments were okay, but nothing really stood out.
I realize AEW had to change things up due to COVID-19 issues, so I can sympathize with that because it’s a live show and they had to change things during the day. It was one of AEW’s weakest episodes of late.
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John Canton
Email: mrjohncanton@gmail.com
Twitter: @johnreport