Matt Hardy vs Orange Cassidy
The feud hasn’t been spectacular but the two had a good match to open Dynamite. They both come out alone which added to the animosity, and they began the match with a comedy spot involving ‘devastating’ kicks from Cassidy and delete chants from Matt that the crowd were into. The complexion of match changes when Cassidy attempts a tope suicida to Matt on the outside but is countered into a side effect.
Hardy spends the majority of the middle part of the match working over the back of Cassidy. It was slow and methodical, but the story they were telling was good with Orange trying to get the advantage only for his back to give out and Matt to take control again. There was a big sit out powerbomb from Matt that resulted in a near fall, and it was here when the match started to pick up and hit the next level.
Cassidy fought back as he finally hits the suicida followed up with a high cross body then a tornado DDT. Hardy is shown with a bloodied face after being busted open. They fight to top turnbuckle which ends with Orange knocking Matt down to the canvas, then with his hands in his pockets, Cassidy comes down onto Matt with a senton.
The ending comes with both men trying to hit the twist of fate on each other with Cassidy getting one in for a two count. Cassidy went for an orange punch, only for Hardy to counter and attempt his Leech submission, but Orange counters that with when he folded up Matt with his hands in his pockets for the pinfall.
Winner: Orange Cassidy
Backstage with Malaki Black. He suggests that Brock Anderson takes the easy way of their match tonight by getting himself counted out and warns him that if he doesn’t then the entire Nightmare Family and anyone associated with Cody will feel his wrath.
Chris Jericho enters the arena and makes his way to the ring to address his future. He talks about how it’s been a great week for everyone except for him. Jericho brings up how he is obsessed with beating MJF and that even with the three losses, he is never going to be able to stop fighting MJF until he can beat him. He goes onto challenge MJF for one more match at All Out with the stipulation that if Chis Jericho loses, he will retire from wrestling in AEW. MJF comes out and cuts a promo disrespecting the audience and Jericho. He says that while it was satisfying making Chris tap out, it would be even greater being the one responsible for ending the career of Jericho. He accepts the challenge and the match for All Out is official.
Backstage in the locker room with the Varsity Blondes. They cut a promo hyping the next match and a potential match against The Young Bucks in a steel cage. The Bucks along with the Good Brothers and Brandon Cutler make their way out onto the stage to watch the match. Jurassic Express are in the crowd and will face the winners at Rampage.
The Lucha Brothers vs The Varsity Blondes
I thought this was a really good match and one of the best matches the Varsity Blondes had. There was a lot of back and fourth action with Rey Fenix once again stealing the show with an amazing performance. They bring up on commentary how this is the same arena that Brian Pillman and Jushin Liger wrestled in back in the early nineties which added to the match and gave it some parallels with Brian Jr. competing.
Griff Garrison had a solid performance, and I enjoyed some of his early interactions with Ray Fenix in the beginning of the match. There was a great spot on the outside with Pillman and Garrison seated at the end of the ramp. Fenix hit a suicide dive to both of them with assistance from Penta to give it more impact. They had some near falls towards the finish. The Lucha Brothers would end up hitting an assisted package piledriver for the win and to advance into the final of the Eliminator Tournament.
Post-match, Jurassic Express make their way to the ring and confront the Lucha Brothers. The Young Bucks come down and try to create issues between the two teams, but it backfires on them. Jurassic Express and Lucha Brothers stand tall and show each other some respect heading into the final.
Winners: The Lucha Brothers
Hype video for the Pac vs Andrade match at All Out. The build-up hasn’t been great, but the match itself should be one of the matches of the night.
Jamie Hayter vs Red Velvet
It was a fine match, but it had its issues. Hayter brought a lot of intensity and looked good when rag dolling Red Velvet around the ring, and at one point throwing her hard into the guard rail on the ramp. Red Velvet had some nice fiery comeback spots and played the underdog part well, with Britt Baker getting some shots at her during the commercial break.
The ending was a bit awkward. Velvet went for a standing moonsault to a laid out Hayter, but she didn’t really hit her and hit her own head on the mat. Hayter ended up hitting her finisher and getting the win. The match was clunky at times but there were moments in there that I liked especially the smaller wrestler trying to overcome the power and size disadvantage.
Post-match, Baker, Rebel and Hayter beat down Red Velvet but Kris Statlander comes out for the save. She and Baker have a stare down with Statlander grabbing the title and signalling that she is going to be the next champion at All Out.
Winner: Jamie Hayter
Backstage promo with the Dark Order where the tease descension between the group, more specifically between Evil Uno and Alex Reynolds. It’s intriguing where this is going to lead to, but I am excited we are going to get some more evolution of the Dark Order.
CM Punk is out to the ring for an interview with Tony Schiavone. It was another good promo from Punk with this one focusing more on the young talent in the back he wants to work with. Mentioning Penta, Fenix and Jungle Boy, all matches that could be amazing among some others. He mentions how he no longer needs to call himself the ‘voice of the voiceless’ because AEW fans have a voice, and they are being heard by the management in the back.
He promotes the match with Darby Allin. Putting him over as a great talent, a dangerous talent and someone that he would’ve loved as fifteen-year-old kid. Punk talks about he has to prove he can still go in the ring and he is going to do that in Chicago at All out. The most buzzworthy note that will come out of this promo was when the crowd started chanting ‘yes’ and Punk made a reference to Bryan Danielson. It could be Punk being Punk, but with the rumours and knowing Tony Khan’s mindset to not disappoint, it could very well be the first plant seeded for the eventual American Dragon debut.
Miro promo backstage continuing the tease of a confrontation and potential match against Eddie Kingston. It was short and sounded good, but I am ready for the next step. I’m unsure if the match will take place at All Out as it’s already a stacked card, but it could be saved for the New York show at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston and Darby Allin vs The Wingmen (JD Drake, Ryan Nemeth and Cezar Bononi)
Sting is accompanying Darby and Pretty Peter Avalon is supporting The Wingmen. It was a nice match. The Wingmen have a fun thing going for them and Bononi and Drake could be breakout stars in the future. There was a lot of brawling in and around the ring with Sting and Avalon getting involved. Mox brought a lot of intensity and it’s interesting seeing him in this role at the moment where he isn’t the focal point, but he is still simmering and it’s only a matter of time before explodes back into the main event program. I like the idea of him going with more of a heel edge which could set up some great matches with some of the top faces down the line. Darby hit the coffin drop to Drake to get the win and was the one with more of the spotlight on as he heads towards his match against CM Punk.
Post-match, Daniel Garcia runs down and attacks Darby from behind. Mox and Kingston chase him out of the ring.
Winners: Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston and Darby Allin
Interview backstage with Tay Conti about the Casino Battle Royal. The Bunny interrupts and tries to convince Tay to join the HFO. Tay rips the contract up and they get into a brawl. They will have match on Rampage.
Kenny Omega, Don Callis and Brandon Cutler come down to the ring. They are interrupted immediately by Christian Cage. Christian brings up the video from the Road To Dynamite on YouTube, with the story of how Don Callis fired Christian back when he was in the IWA. It’s revealed how Don had bigger plans with Kenny being a future star even though he was ten at the time. Christian calls him a ‘carny piece of shit again.’ Kenny says how Christian will never be as good as him and a brawl between them soon breaks out. Kenny gets the upper hand as Cutler and Callis get involved. Frankie Kazarian comes out to save Christian. A match between Christian and Kazarian vs Omega and Cutler is announced for Rampage.
Moxley is backstage and announces that it will be him against Satoshi Kojima at All Out.
The Gunn Club (Billy, Austin and Colten) vs QT Marshall, Nick Comoroto and Aaron Solow
It was a short match with a lot of the emphasis on the Gunn Club. Colten got the win after rolling up QT after a distraction from Paul White who was on commentary. It felt odd to have QT lose, I am not that excited for QT vs Paul White and this six-man made me even less interested with QT taking the loss. They did put a lot of focus on Colten as someone to keep an eye on.
Winners: The Gunn Club
Backstage, Dan Lambert is with the Men of the Year. He cuts a Jim Cornette style promo targeting people like Sammy Guevarra, Orange Cassidy among others, talking about how AEW has a lack of real men on the roster and in its fanbase. He calls AEW a woke company. There was a lot here, but he was great with his delivery. I’m unsure about the partnership with the Men of the Year but it gives Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page screen time and it could lead to something great with whomever it is they team up against.
Malakai Black vs Brock Anderson
There was a short promo backstage with Arn Anderson. Arn played the concerned father well. Malakai Black again looked like a complete star coming out with his entrance. The match itself was quick, with Brock getting in some offense only to eventually be murdered with a devastating kick from Black for the three count. Post-match, Arn is checking on his son, Black returns to the ring with a chair and he has a confrontation with Arn. He drops the chair and goes to kick him which Arn blocks for a big pop and a cool moment. Black then kicks Arn down low. Lee Johnston runs down to the ring and stares down Black, with Malakai leaving the ring and most likely setting up a future match between the two.
This was everything it needed to be. Some people might not like the idea of it being in the main event, but there was an episode of Rampage to be taped after this, so I don’t have much issue. It keeps the story going with Malakai Black going through the entire Nightmare Family and should eventually lead to a match and a bloody beatdown to Dustin before Cody makes his return. Black continues to look like a major star, and I hope they continue to have him run through the entire roster as this unstoppable beast.
Winer: Malakai Black
Overall Thoughts: The show was based around the CM Punk debut on Dynamite and the big Chris Jericho segment. In terms of matches, the first two were very good and everything else was fine but served a purpose. It was still a good show but not on the level of other great Dynamites.