AEW’s Elite Tag Team Scene
Proud & Powerful
This week’s edition of Dynamite is their 100th episode and was bookend between two matches that showed how stacked the AEW Tag Team Division is. It’s something I will say regularly, but it’s amazing to think of how much quality tag teams there are in AEW.
The opening match between Santana & Ortiz against FTR was a great match. The unfortunate injury to Cash Wheeler in their previous match hampered the quality of it as it had to end abruptly, but both teams were able to take something negative and turn it into a positive.
The real-life injury added to the promos building up to the match and it played into the story of their second match, with even more animosity in this grudge feud. They had a great match going back and forth while telling the story of Wheeler’s arm and FTR looking for revenge and trying to injure the arms of their opponents.
Santana & Ortiz would pick up the win and level up the rivalry with both teams now having a win over each over. It certainly feels like there is still mileage they could get out of this, and a rubber match could potentially happen soon, perhaps with a stipulation attached to it.
The Main Event
In the main event, an eight-man tag team match featuring The Young Bucks & The Good Brothers against Jurassic Express and The Lucha Brothers. This felt reminiscent of a New Japan eight-man tag team match, with a lot of fast-paced action and everyone getting a chance to shine.
It built towards the steel cage match on Sunday at All Out and gave us a tease with the interactions between the Bucks and Lucha Brothers, especially when Nick Jackson and Rey Fenix would get involved and took the action to another level.
The Young Bucks would pick up the win for their team after hitting a Meltzer Driver to Rey Fenix. Post-match, Kenny Omega would get involved as The Elite would deliver a heated beatdown on Jurassic Express and The Lucha Brothers.
Luchasaurus would be put through a table as Christian would come out to try and save the faces only for himself to be outnumbered. The cage would be lowered down as The Elite would brutally lay out Christian, Jungle Boy, and The Lucha Brothers to have the advantage heading into Sunday.
Farewell to Jericho?
We got to hear from both Chris Jericho and MJF on the show speaking of their upcoming match. MJF had a great sit-down interview with Tony Schiavone, speaking with an air of confidence and certainty that he is going to be the man to end the career of Chris Jericho.
Jim Ross would interview Jericho in the ring with Chris doing what he does best as he delivers a big go home promo. The big question for this match is how much the crowd believe that Jericho’s career could come to an end in this match.
It’s interesting that Jericho came out recently and talked about how when he finishes in professional wrestling, it would come out of nowhere.
With his age and seeing him more on commentary now with his position on Rampage, I believe there is a possibility that this could be in fact his last match. The match itself should be great, and it’s a match where Chris Jericho could go out with a real bang.
Both men are on fire when it comes to promo work in AEW and once again they were able to use that skill ahead of their final fight.
Punk Gets Physical
We got to see CM Punk get physical for the first time in AEW. He came out for another promo, but it was cut short as Daniel Garcia and 2.0 interrupted. Earlier they vowed they would hurt Darby in his match against Daniel Garcia on Rampage and jeopardise the Punk and Darby match at All Out.
The three men had the numbers advantage on Punk, but Sting and Darby would make their presence felt as they came down to save Punk. We got a cool past, present, and future moment with Sting hitting the Scorpion Death-Drop, Darby with the Coffin Drop and Punk hitting the Go To Sleep for a big pop.
Sting announces that at All Out he won’t be accompanying Darby to the ring and that the match between Allin and Punk will one on one, man versus man. It was fun seeing Sting in the same ring as Punk and show him respect. It could also set up a match with Punk teaming up with Sting & Darby to take on Daniel Garcia & 2.0 which could be very fun.
There was also a good video with comments from Darby about the match.
The Rest of the Matches
Orange Cassidy and Jack Evans had a short match. The noteworthy thing to come out of the match was that Orange Cassidy won in the picture by picture during the commercial break. Some might like the idea, and some might not like it, personally I liked it and think it’s something they should do once or twice a year. It adds to the unpredictability and gives you a reason to stay tuned during the commercials.
Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Brian Cage in a good match between two big men. They were able to show off their power and athleticism. Hobbs got the win after Ricky Starks nailed Cage in the head with the FTW Title. It keeps the feud going, gives Hobbs a big win, and furthers the storyline with Cage maybe having to find some friends to even up the odds against Team Taz.
Tay Conti rolled up Penelope Ford for the win in a solid match. Penelope Ford has been one of my favourite wrestlers in the women’s division this year and I think she’s very underrated. Tay Conti continues to improve and having her in matches with seasoned talent is a good thing. The Bunny and Ford would attack Tay after the match only for Anna Jay to make her big return after being out for most of the year with an injury. She received a big ovation from the Chicago crowd as she came out to help her friend. There was a nice moment with Tay and Anna, as Tay looked genuinely happy to be in the ring again with her friend again.
Other Segments
There was another fun video package hying up the TNT Title match between Miro and Eddie Kingston. Kingston brings a lot of intensity to match Miro’s intensity and I am sure when they step in the ring against each other it is going to be very heated and wild.
QT Marshall and the Nightmare Factory called out Paul White to the ring. They try to beat him down but fail to do so. The Gunn Club eventually arrive to aid Paul White, but Billy Gunn would proceed to hit Paul White in the hip with a steel chair. The Gunn Club leave the Giant down in the ring as the Nightmare Factory make their return to the ring to add further salt to the wounds of Paul White.
Malakai Black basically said he is going to kill Lee Johnston in their match on Rampage and won’t give him a way out like he did with Brock Anderson and Cody Rhodes. Black sounds like a badass and I can’t wait until he mixes it up with some of the other top talent.
Nyla Rose and Jade Cargill made a short-term alliance and attacked Thunder Rosa backstage. It was an okay segment, with its purpose to build some interest for the Casino Battle Royal.
Britt Baker announced there was going to be a major free agent signing to AEW. Tony Schiavone went backstage to interview her, and it’s revealed that the signing is Britt herself who has extended her deal with All Elite Wrestling to a multiyear contract. I believe this is a legit contract extension, but it also played on the Adam Cole to AEW rumours.
Overall Thoughts: It’s everything you want for a go home show. The promos from Jericho and MJF, the segment with Punk and Darby, the closing segment all felt big and did a good job for the final push to All Out. The opener and the main event were two great matches and show how AEW treats its tag team division as something important.