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AEW Dynamite
November 18, 2020

by Samoa Rowe

From Daily's Place, again. Our hosts are Jim Ross, Tony Shiavone, and Excalibur.

Video package for newly signed tag team act, Top Flight, a brother team consisting of Darius and Duante Martin (previously known as Air Wolf and Angel Dorado). The promo portrays them as humble highfliers.

AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) vs. Top Flight (Darius and Duante Martin)

Darius starts against Nick and has the superkick scouted, and cartwheels to block an armdrag. Matt tags but Top Flight swarm him with stereo leg sweeps and kicks. Duante hits a slick dropkick and Top Flight clears the ring to fake a stereo dive while the Bucks regroup. The Bucks get serious and retake control of the match with their tandem offense. The match quickly breaks down and Matt powerbombs Duante onto Darius in the buckles. Bucks hit a backstabber/double stomp combo on poor Duante. Darius tags in and overpowers Matt with a Spanish Fly. Top Flight hit a succession of dives to pop the fans. Match breaks down again, resulting in Duante almost botching, but managing a leaping rana. Matt dodges a double stomp and hits a spear. Bucks hit a sliced bread powerbomb and Darius breaks the cover. More Bang for Your Buck is blocked, and but the Bucks rebound with the BTE Trigger for the win at 8:50. Really fun spotfest, equally impressive win for the Bucks and showing by Top Flight, ***¼.
Winners: The Young Bucks

TH2 ambush Top Flight, perhaps jealous of the newcomers leapfrogging them in the pecking order, but the Bucks run them off.

The Inner Circle Slays Vegas! MJF beats Sammy Guevara at Blackjack thanks to Ortiz stealing Sammy's cards. The group checks out some exotic dancers, but Wardlow and Hager can't seem to keep their eyes off each other. Jericho and MJF head to the bar and try to outdo each other by ordering the craziest drink. They aggressively toast and then grab their guts in pain. Konnan then invites them into a limo, and they later emerge from a cloud of smoke, high off their asses. Jericho thinks a guy in a dragon costume is a real dragon. This puts the group in better spirits as they laugh it up at the bar, though Wardlow and Hager beat up random jabronis (including Piff the Magic Dragon) in the spirit of competition. To be continued…

AEW World Champion Jon Moxley credits his success to his tough father giving him the mantra "We're the good guys." Also, he's motivated by his pregnant wife at home (WHAT!?!?).

Orange Cassidy (with Best Friends) vs. Kip Sabian (with Miro and Penelope Ford)

Sabian has no patience for OC's antics and pulls him into a side headlock. OC casually counters. Sabian won't let Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and traps the arm. OC tries to break with a head scissors, but Sabian reverses into a power slam. Cassidy blocks a drop toe hold and finally gets his hands in pockets, and maneuvers into a dropkick. Backdrop to ringside by Cassidy and a tope suicida. Ford asks for a timeout but OC gives her a high five, but Sabian takes control just in time for the “world famous picture-in-picture” commercial. They return with Cassidy aggressively blocking a superplex and hitting a high crossbody. Tornado DDT by Cassidy gets 2. Sabian blocks a diving DDT but misses a springboard dropkick. Cassidy hits the diving DDT for a great nearfall. Sabian slips on the ropes but then reverses a brainbuster and nails a penalty kick for 2. Fisherman buster by Sabian gets a great nearfall. OC counters with a roll-up, but Sabian throws stiff shots to the face, but OC reverses into the Mouse Trap for the win at 11:07! Good match with a few sloppy moments, **¾.
Winner: Orange Cassidy

Miro ambushes Cassidy with a decapitation lariat before the Best Friends can chase him out.

Tony Shiavone hosts the official contract signing for the AEW World Championship match on 12/2, now billed "Winter is Coming", between Champion Jon Moxley and challenger Kenny Omega. At least that was the plan, as Moxley is found in a heap backstage. Omega isn't impressed and says he'll be at Winter is Coming, and hopes Moxley can make it too. Omega signs the contract and that's a wrap.

Back to Vegas, the Inner Circle are totally drunk and stronger than ever. They're joined by an Elvis impersonator. MJF is drunk enough to bare his soul and proclaims his love for the blood brothers. They all howl at the moon. Later, Chris Jericho wakes up in his hotel room next to Elvis, and they both freak out. The room has been completely trashed. MJF wakes up fully clothed in a bathtub and finds Sammy Guevara waking up in a fountain. MJF has pro-Sammy graffiti all over his face, and Sammy discovers that he got married three times. They find Swoggle sobbing like a baby, as this goes full Hangover.

A hungover Chris Jericho joins commentary. He's looking forward to beating up SCU next week.

After a break, Jericho is already gone, and Eddie Kingston has replaced him on commentary.

The Blade (with The Butcher and Bunny) vs. Pac

Immediate shotgun dropkick by Pac sets the tone. Blade tries to retreat from Pac's vicious stomps, but gets choked in the ropes. Pac sends Blade shoulder-first into the barricade. Missile dropkick by Pac, and he gets into Butcher's face, which allows Blade to hit a baseball slide dropkick. Blade smashes Pac into the rails and brings him to the ring for a nasty slam onto the ropes. Pac comes back with a weird looking (botched) leaping DDT. Pac lets Bunny distract him, which allows a Butcher ambush. Blade hits a Doctor Bomb for 2, and it's time for a commercial. Back from break, Pac comes back to overwhelm Blade in a slugfest. Pac delivers a running big boot and a thrust kick. Blade counters with a slick power slam for 2. Pac hits a long winded superplex for 2. Bunny's distraction interrupts a Black Arrow, and Blade gets a close nearfall after a suckerpunch. Pac comes right back with a SSP and Brutalizer for the submission at 11:24! This had it's moments, but felt a bit overly drawn out, **½.
Winner: Pac

Pac tries to mock Kingston on the mic, but Butcher ambushes him for a beatdown. Eddie talks some trash, but gets interrupted by a Rey Fenix attack. Kingston and friends beat down Fenix too, and Penta El Zero M comes out with a chair. Penta clears the ring and appears to reunite with Pac and Fenix as Death Triangle.

Backstage, Jade Cargill is stomping on Brandi Rhodes' arm while Vickie Guerrero and Nyla Rose stop the referees.

NWA Women's Championship:
Serena Deeb © vs. Thunder Rosa

They aggressively lock up. Rosa takes over with a variety of submission holds. Deeb counters into a tight headlock, and Rosa breaks free to trade hammers. Scoop slam by Rosa sets up a back senton. Rosa slides over Deeb's back in the ropes, but Deeb answers by thrusting Rosa shoulder-first into the buckles. They cut to commercial. Back from break, Rosa hits a running clothesline into the corner, followed by a slingshot dropkick. Rosa follows with a brutal running dropkick into Deeb's chest. Deeb fires back with a neckbreaker between the ropes. Deeb hits a spear on the apron for a good nearfall. German suplex by Rosa and a missile dropkick. Rebel/Reba shows up for a distraction, and Britt Baker plants Rosa on the stage. Deeb is oblivious and rushes in for a powerbomb, but Rosa kicks out! They trade pinning predicaments and Rosa powers out of the Serenity Lock for a double stomp to the gut. Rosa hits a modified sidewalk slam and they trade close 2 counts. Deeb hits a modified Styles Clash to win at 13:15! Really strong technical wrestling, well-earned nearfalls, and interference that didn't ruin anything, ***½.
Winner and still NWA Women's Champion: Serena Deeb

Rosa finds Britt Baker in the front row and drags her over the rail for a beatdown. Referees swarm in and it turns into a pull apart brawl.

John Silver hangs out with Anna Jay backstage. Silver gushes about how the Dark Order has turned Jay's career around. Jay wants to reintroduce herself to Hikaru Shida, and will challenge her for the Women's title next week.

Darby Allin sent in a grainy black and white video of himself hanging out on the roof and interior of an old, gothic church. He sets himself on fire, which should scare his enemies.

Team Taz (FTW Champion Brian Cage and Ricky Starks, with Taz) vs. TNT Champion Darby Allin and Cody Rhodes (with Arn Anderson)

Starks starts against Allin and goes for a waistlock. Starks blocks Allin's deep armdrag, but needs the ropes to break a hammerlock. Darby and Ricky trade stiff slaps. Cody and Cage tag for a brawl. Cage hits a hip toss backbreaker! Cody hits a dropkick and moonsault. Taz doesn't like what he's seeing and leaves commentary for ringside, as they head to commercial. During the break, Team Taz takes over, and Arn gets himself ejected for throwing a chair out of frustration. Team Taz works Cody over with quick tags, power moves, and knocking Allin off the apron. Eventually, Allin gets the hot tag and relishes the chance to unload on Starks. Cage makes a blind tag and German suplexes both Allin and his own partner. Cody catches Cage with the Disaster Kick, and but Starks spears him in half. Allin hits the shotgun dropkick on Starks, and absorbs a Cage powerbomb to counter into a flipping powerbomb! Cody hits Cross Rhodes on Starks, but Cage hits a brutal Olympic Slam variation. Cage finishes Allin with an avalanche Drill Claw at 11:15! Solid formula tag with a hot final sequence, ***¼.
Winners: Team Taz

Team Taz aren't finished and stomp Allin and Cody into the canvas. Will Hobbs runs in with a chair to clear the ring and pose with the FTW title, only to smash it into Cody's face! Hobbs has joined Team Taz!

Final Thoughts: Just a really good episode of Dynamite. Not much else to say.

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