AEW Dynamite Review - May 12th, 2021

AEW Dynamite

May 12th, 2021

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

Commentators - Excalibur, Jim Ross, & Tony Schiavone

1) Jon Moxley (c) (w/ Eddie Kingston) vs. Yuji Nagata (w/ Ren Narita) - IWGP United States Championship Match 

Shocked this opened things, but damn if it didn’t own. Eddie & Mox look sick together in their entrance and MOX CAME OUT TO “WILD THING” god dammit. This was so fun but also SERIOUS. Lil Ren Narita showed up with Nagata which was a nice touch and showing for him. These two worked exactly the style match you’d expect. Stiff and strike/throw heavy. Mox gets a bloody cheek from one of the many elbow shots to the face. Tight, simple sub 10 minute match with Moxley retaining. Post match, they stare down, but show respect. This was a fantastic little New Japan style showcase. 

Match rating - ***

Backstage, we have Sammy Guevara, Ortiz, & Jake Hager. I guess Jericho is out selling the bump from last week and according to Ortiz, Santana was detained last week for using the work by authorities or something. Guevara and Hager say they want another match and that this isn’t over yet between the Pinnacle and the Inner Circle. 

AEW Dynamite (Blood & Guts) Review - May 5th, 2021

AEW Dynamite 

BLOOD AND GUTS

May 5th, 2021

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

Don Callis is out to start the show with MT Nakazawa. He says Kenny Omega couldn’t make it tonight so Nakazawa is gonna take on Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston by himself... 

1) Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston vs. Kenny Omega & MT Nakazawa (w/ Don Callis)

So, Don is a liar as usual and Kenny attacks Mox & King during their entrance through the crowd. This was everything it set out to be. The only reason it’s happening is because Mox & King blackmailed Don Callis into making the match as they held Omega in the ring threatening to break his ankle last week. So, Kenny snuck around a lot here. We got some great action though and the momentum stuck around the whole match which saw Kenny walk out after a few minutes. Mox seemingly had Nak beat, but instead held him in a choke while trying to coax Omega to come in to make the save. Omega walks out and Mox & King debut what I’m guessing will be their finisher as a team - King half & half suplex powered by a Mox lariat. That ends the match.

Match rating - **1/2

“This is disgusting.” -Tony Schiavone

Post match we get the works. The Young Bucks and Gallows & Anderson show up and beat down King & Mox. Omega comes back down and his cohorts help him hoist Kingston up for a one winged angel. They do a fake three count and mock him. 

Tonight, Tony Schiavone announces Kenny Omega’s opponent for Double or Nothing. Meanwhile, the first announcement for the PPV (Live on May 30th) is Hikaru Shida vs. Britt Baker for the Women’s Title. Yessssss. This was pretty expected, but I am so stoked for it. 

2) Cody Rhodes (w/ Arn Anderson) vs. QT Marshall (w/ Anthony Ogogo & Nick Comorato) 

AEW Dynamite Review - April 28th, 2021

AEW Dynamite

April 28th, 2021

Daily's Place - Jacksonville, FL

Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone & Taz

1) Brian Cage vs. Hangman Adam Page 

Never in my life did I think I’d be happy to see Brian Cage beat Adam Page in five minutes, but I LOVED it here. The build to whatever the main event of Double or Nothing will be seemed pretty predictable with Hangman Page being undefeated and #1 the rankings, plus, everyone has been expecting the ultimatum of Kenny’s reign being a title match with Page. Admittedly, I knew they had to do something because it is way too soon to go into that story, I just had no idea how or if they would. Well, they did. And this is exactly what needed to happen and I would’ve never thought of it. This makes Cage look better and honestly gives Page more to work with because he just lost in virtually a squash and we all know Page is best fighting from underneath. Plus, Cage needed an extra boost and something to get him away from just being a part of Team Taz drama. This was a win for all involved. Cage gets the 1..2..3.. though. Now, does he challenge Omega? Will it be a triple threat? Who knows, but that’s the best part about all this. 

Match rating - ***

The Elite are in their limo outside. They say despite what happened last week with their bus getting slammed into with Jon Moxley's truck, they aren't afraid of Moxley & Eddie Kingston. Only for them to hear a horn and freak out, pretty much canceling out that claim which was pretty hilarious. Omega says that where they go, the money and the gold follows. He addresses Eddie Kingston and says if he wants a fight, he can have one, but he has to go against MT Nakazawa first.

2) The Young Bucks vs. Matt & Mike Sydal

AEW Dynamite Review - April 21st, 2021

AEW Dynamite

April 21st, 2021

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

Commentary - Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, & Taz

1) Hangman Adam Page vs. Ricky Starks (w/ Hook)

Wasn't really feeling this one despite being a fan of both guys. They just did stuff and there was a miscue or two, particularly the clip that made it's rounds on Twitter of Starks botching a spot where he was supposed to land on his feet off a suplex. (I also watched this after the stellar Shingo/Ospreay match so my standards may be way too high). Page wins, Taz shit talks him from the booth and Hook attacks Page from behind.

Match rating - **

2) Penta El Zero M vs. Trent?

AEW: Dynamite Review - April 14th, 2021

AEW Dynamite

April 14th, 2021

Daily's Place - Jacksonville, FL

Replay of The Young Bucks turning heel last week. It didn’t sit well with me in the moment because of all the back and forth with their characters, but now that they are solidifying their stance, this came off very well. The replays were meshed with a promo from the Bucks explaining why they did what they did and that they needed to get that edge back. Let’s go. 

Mike Tyson is backstage. MJF tries to get him to trade sides and offers him a contract or something. Tyson rips it up. 

1) The Young Bucks (c) (w/ Don Callis) vs. PAC & Rey Fenix - AEW Tag Team Title Match

There’s so much to unpack here. This got a solid 25 minutes if my calculations are correct and it made the most of every second. That opening video package showed us that the Young Bucks are fully bad guys now and here they solidified that by not only entering the arena with Don Callis, decked in new gear with no tassels, but also by working a completely different style than normal. Sure, they hit some super kicks and flew around when necessary, but this wasn’t showy Young Bucks. This was mean, gritty, shit eating coward Young Bucks. I’ve seen this before in their prior heel runs on the indies and New Japan, but this is the first time we’ve seen it in AEW and as said before, I hated on the closing angle like week along with everyone else, mainly because of the long drawn out road to what we got here, but I love what we have now in the Bucks and how much they’ve changed things up. On the other side of the ring, you have PAC & Rey Fenix, two of the best single wrestlers in the world in their own right and two men who have caught fire recently, especially Rey Fenix who has arguably been the wrestler of the year in 2021. This was recipe for perfection and it’s damn near what we got. Just superb tag team wrestling on free TV and it wasn’t even a spotfest. Awesome storytelling and pacing. Great action. Not much more you can ask for, especially out of a damn TV opener. This ruled, one of the best Dynamite matches of the year so far right behind Omega/Fenix.

Match rating - ****1/2

Backstage, Alex Marvez is with Hangman Page & the Dark Order. Marvez asks for Hangman’s thoughts on Omega & The Bucks reuniting. He avoids the questions and talks about John Silver’s shoulder recovery and then dips out to get some egg rolls for the gang. 

Back from commercial, Chris Jericho, the Inner Circle & Mike Tyson are with Alex Marvez. Jericho explains how he & Tyson made amends and that despite that, Tyson will call it down the middle in his match with Dax Harwood tonight where Tyson is the special enforcer. 

2) Jade Cargill vs. Red Velvet

AEW: Dynamite Review - April 7th, 2021

AEW: Dynamite

April 7th, 2021

Daily's Place - Jacksonville, FL

1) Hangman Page vs. Max Caster 

In all honesty, I tuned in at the tail end of this, but what I caught was a lot of fun. Caster’s first big singles match and it got a decent amount of time, not sure how the first half was, but second half delivered and was an enjoyable way to start the show. Page wins. 

Match rating - **1/4

2) Jurassic Express vs. Bear Country 

AEW Dynamite Review - March 31st, 2021

AEW: Dynamite

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

3/31/21 

Commentators - Excalibur, Jim Ross, & Tony Schiavone 

1) Christian Cage vs. Frankie Kazarian 

Huge way to kick off the broadcast tonight with Christian’s first match back. I was fairly excited for this, but can honestly say it exceeded expectations. It went almost 20 minutes, nearly reaching a time limit draw. I think it did wonders for the story of Christian having to get back in the groove of things, just for him to ultimately prove he’s still got it. Kaz hit an insane flux capacitor for an awesome near fall. Seeing Christian take that made me gasp. This was a real intense hard fought match. Christian wins with the kill switch. 

Match rating - ***1/2

Darby Allin video package on Matt Hardy. It shows Darby & Sting walking and it’s pretty great. Darby says money doesn’t mean shit to him and Matt is going to have to earn his respect the hard way. 

Jade Cargill pre tape promo. She talks down on Red Velvet and says she will never be her because nobody could ever because “I AM THAT BITCH” 

2) Cody Rhodes (w/ Dustin Rhodes & Billy Gunn) vs. QT Marshall