AEW Dynamite - October 26, 2022
by Doc Allen
The Jericho Appreicaiton Society (Chris Jericho and Daniel Garcia, with 2point0 and Jake Hager) vs. The Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta, with William Regal)
Claudio loses his composure and unleashes uppercuts on Jericho. Garcia charges into Claudio's tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Yuta helps deliver double big boots and dropkicks Garcia. Headbutt by Garcia slows Yuta down. Yuta manages a scoop slam and back senton. Claudio intercepts Jericho with a backbreaker and the BCC deliver stereo MMA elbow shots. Garcia avoids the giant swing and Jericho tags in to exchange fire with Claudio. Hager distracts Claudio and Jericho hits the springboard dropkick. Back from commercials, Claudio reverses Garcia's chinlock into a suplex. Claudio blocks Jericho's COdebreaker and nails the pop-up uppercut. Yuta gets the hot tag and crashes onto Jericho with a high crossbody. Yuta clotheslines Garcia outside and plants Jericho for 2. Jericho attacks Yuta's throat, but Claudio returns, but springboards into a Codebreaker! Yuta tosses Garcia again and nails a somersault senton to outside! Jericho grabs Floyd but runs into Claudio's powerbomb. Claudio catches Garcia on his shoulders while simultaneously giving Jericho the giant swing. He tires quickly, but the fans are impressed anyway. Claudio continues his one-man wrecking crew act and pins Jericho with the Neutralizer at 11:43! Hot opener, and a great win for the BCC. I was expecting Yuta to eat a Judas Effect, ***¼. Winners: Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler YutaRenee Paquette interviews Bryan Danielson about his match against Sammy Guevara. Bryan is frustrated by recent setbacks, including Wheeler Yuta talking back to him last week. Bryan doesn't know why people don't like Guevera, aside from his smug face and stupid vlog, he's okay. Yuta interrupts to give Bryan some more sass, and things get heated until Claudio arrives to play peacemaker. Live from Norfolk, Virginia. Our hosts are Excalibur, Tony Shiavone, and Taz.
Next is a really interesting video package in which Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks are erased from key moments in AEW's history. Looks like Thanos got them.
Tony Shiavone is standing by with the entire JAS. They're upset with the Blackpool Cheaters Club. Jericho is so angry about the loss that now he's going to take his anger on any former ROH champion, including Tag Team Champions. Also, Sammy is going to beat Danielson's @ss because he's that damn good.
AEW Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Match:
Swerve in our Glory (Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler)
The Gunn Club are in the front row cosplaying as FTR. That's not a bad idea for Halloween. The Acclaimed also crash the party to watch from the stage, but only after some SCISSORING! Unfortunately, the fans are preoccupied chanting "Daddy @ss" at the bell. Swerve and Cash rough each other up while exchanging holds. The fans sing Lee's song as he blocks the Big Rig. Lee leap frogs over both FTR guys and then nails a double crossbody block! Back from commercials, Cash is getting worked over in SIOG's corner. Dax gets the hot tag and runs wild through Swerve with stiff offense. Lee tries to help but gets lit up by Dax's chops and tossed outside. Swerve reverses Dax's German attempt, they trade quick pin attempts. Dax finally scores a HIGH German suplex, and Cash tags in to help swarm Swerve. Cash's Dragon Suplex only gets 2. Lee tags right as Swerve hits Cash with an enziguri. SIOG hit a tandem powerbomb or a great nearfall. They set up the Swerve Stomp, but Cash blocks. Dax heps out with a slingshot powerbomb attempt, but Swerve counters, but Dax reverses the counter for a sick powerbomb. Lee helps with a POUNCE and falls onto Cash for a fantastic nearfall. Fans chant “This is awesome!” Dax hits Lee with a superplex and Cash hits a frog splash, but LEE KICKS OUT! FTR try the Big RIg again, but Swerve breaks it up. FTR try again and hit Lee with the Big Rig, but Swerve interrupts the cover! Swerve tosses Cash into the barricades, but Lee then miscues with a punch on Swerve. Swerve low blows Dax, and Lee hits the power slam to win at 15:09! FTR got screwed! This was all kinds of awesome, and I want so much more of this. The tag team division feels alive, ****.Winners: Swerve in Our Glory
Renee Paquette is happy to be interviewing Saraya, but Britt Baker interrupts for some bickering.
Renee Paquette hosts MJF on the stage. The fans are making it very hard for MJF to remain heel, and he leans into it by declaring "The Devil has arrived in Virginia" and asks if there are any worshippers in attendance? Renee wants to know how he feels about facing Jon Moxley at Full Gear, so he does a clever impression of Mox. MJF thinks that Mox is “mid” and tells Renee to shut her mouth (with all due respect). MJF vows to not use his Dynamite Diamond ring at Full Gear. His mission is to disprove any scumbag who ever thought he wasn't good enough to be a World Champion. His catchphrases are interrupted by Stokely Hathaway, who fails to read MJF's mood. MJF orders Stokely to leave Moxley alone so there's no excuses when he wins, otherwise he's FIRED! MJF dismisses Stokely so he can give his "super over catchphrase" and the fans prove him right by reciting along with him.
Video promo with The Kingdom of Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, and Maria Kanellis. They have their eyes set on Wardlow, and think Taven's resume warrants a shot at the TNT Championship. Wardlow and Samoa Joe give a rebuttal, and it's inevitable that Taven will suffer a Powerbomb Symphony on Rampage.
Sammy Guevara (with Tay Melo) vs. Bryan Danielson (with William Regal)
Everyone hates Sammy, so if Bryan destroys him it should get over. Sammy enjoys a hot start and hits a double springboard cutter for 2. Sammy looks for GTH, Bryan blocks , and ties Sammy into a Romero Special. Sammy absorbs some chops and turns it around with stiff shots. Bryan willingly absorbs the blows and destroys Guevara with YES kicks. Bryan manipulates Sammy's wrist, but Sammy gets a rope break. Sammy tries to hide in the ropes, but Bryan rolls him over for relentless punches. Sammy slips outside for safety, but Bryan hits a baseball slide dropkick. Bryan flies off the apron into Sammy's knee lift, and he follows up with a moonsault. Back from commercials, Guevara looks poised for an upset, and hits his own series of YES kicks. Bryan seems to accept the punishment before countering with his own series of hard strikes. Bryan makes his trademark comeback with a running clothesline. Bryan backdrops Sammy outside for a sick flying elbow to the head. Back to the ring, Bryan nails a shotgun missile dropkick! Sammy counters with a standing Spanish Fly out of nowhere! Bryan trips Sammy on the buckles and nails a vicious super back suplex, except Sammy land on his feet and tries a series of moonsaults and SSP's before Bryan reverses into a LeBell Lock! Sammy desperately gets the rope break! Bryan climbs up, but Sammy leaps up for a Spanish Fly, but BRYAN KICKS OUT! Sammy bites the head, but Bryan blocks the GTH and hits a reverse rana! Bryan hits the Busaiku knee, and traps the arms to stomp the face! Bryan's triangle choke ends it at 15:01! Wonderful, simply wonderful, ****.Winner: Bryan Danielson
Renee Paquette is backstage with Rey Fenix and Alex Abrahantes. They feel good about Penta's chances of becoming AEW World Champion tonight, and feel Fenix should be next in line for the All-Atlantic Championship. They're interrupted by Christian Cage and Luchasaurus, who thinks that Luchasaurus should be ahead of Fenix for the All-Atlantic title. Orange Cassidy saunters in because people are talking about him and challenges them to a presumptive 3-way match.
Jamie Hayter (with Dr. Britt Baker and Rebel) vs. Riho
Riho makes me nostalgic for 2019, which seems surreal. They lock up, both women have their fans in the crowd. Jamie scores some takedowns, but Riho bridges up for a hurricanrana! Britt trips Riho, but Riho manages to drop Hayter outside for a flying crossbody! Hayter backs Riho into the ring frame and barricade to regain control. Snap suplexes by Hayter get 2 counts. Back from commercials, Riho makes the expected babyface comeback just in time. Hayter blocks 619, but Riho improvises with a modified Northern Lights suplex for 2. Hayter rolls through Riho's flying crossbody and nails a brainbuster for 2! Riho counters with a crossbody, but kind of knocks herself loopy in the process. Riho hits a flying rana, but Britt grabs her boot again. Hayter capitalizes, but RIho counters into Code Red for 2! Riho misses the diving double stomp and Hayter nails a chokeslam backbreaker! Riho answers with a Dragon Suplex, but Hayter kicks out! Riho misses a running boot, Hayter gets a nearfall and hits the ripchord lariat to win at 10:51. Really good stuff, if you judged the AEW Women's division by this match, you'd think it was thriving, ***½.Winner: Jamie Hayter
AEW Interim Women's Champion Toni Storm arrives to pose with her gold and remind Hayter that she's still beneath her.
Renee Paquette is standing by with Eddie Kingston, who has displayed some disturbing behavior as of late. Eddie insists that he's fine and wants to talk about Jon Moxley. Penta is Eddie's amigo, but he thinks Moxley is going to beat him.
Grainy black and white Darby Allin video package. He explains that Sting has been gone for a while because Darby asked him to stay away while he proves himself. Darby will face Jay Lethal on Dynamite next week. Lethal offers a rebuttal, and promises to make Allin pay.
AEW World Championship:
Jon Moxley © vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes)
My expectations for this match are reserved because while I think they're both uber talented, they are the types who when matched up together, become kick-out-at-2-artists, and can produce some frustratingly underwhelming matches. I'd be thrilled to be wrong about this. They let the moment breathe before locking up. They trade open hand chops and then forearms. Moxley kicks the knee, but Penta blocks his finishers. Moxley blocks a Destroyer, and they exchange taunts. Penta hits a soaring plancha to ringside! Back from commercials, Penta has Mox exactly where he wants him. Moxley counters into a belly to belly suplex into the buckles! Mox bites Penta's mask, but Penta answers with a thrust kick. Sling blade by Penta gets 2. Moxley hits a cutter and stuffed piledriver, but Penta kicks out! Moxley slips into a LeBell Lock, followed by hammer n' anvil elbow shots. Penta unclasps his mask to slip into a wristlock counter, but Moxley answers with combat boots to the face. Penta reverses into an armbreaker for 2. Fans chant “AEW!” They battle on the apron, Penta tries a Destroyer off the steps, but Moxley reverses into a sick DDT! Moxley nails a King Kong lariat for only 2! Penta blocks a superplex and nails a Tree of Woe double stomp! Fear Factory by Penta, but MOXLEY KICKS OUT! Penta springboards into a Paradigm Shift, and Moxley follows with a Death Rider to retain at 12:22! Well, they brought their working boots and creativity caps, and provided a great main event, ***¾.Winner and still AEW World Champion: Jon Moxley
The Firm attack Jon Moxley afterwards, despite MJF's orders from before. Stokely Hathaway angrily marches out ahead of security and tries to restore order. Meanwhile, Alex Marvez reveals that the Blackpool Combat Club's locker room door is locked! Moxley almost fights off The Firm, but Ethan Page knocks him down. MJF appears on the stage and looks conflicted about what's going on. He ultimately rushes the ring and appears to fire Hathaway. That earns MJF a superkick from Ethan, and The Firm beat him up too. Ethan gives MJF an Ego's Edge while Shiavone calls for the group to be fired. W. Morrissey puts MJF through a table via a chokeslam and it's hard to argue that MJF isn't a babyface at this point.
Final Thoughts: Well, Dynamite still feels really scatterbrained from a big picture perspective, but this was an enormously entertaining episode from an in-ring perspective, and from a booking standpoint because of big developments with the JAS vs. BCC, and The Firm turning on MJF. If nothing else, Full Gear has a compelling main event and the potential for many twists and turns on the way to it.
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