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AEW Dynamite
December 9, 2020

by Samoa Rowe

COVID-19 is totally out of control and really dampening my holiday spirit, so I could really use a great Dynamite tonight. In case you missed it, Kenny Omega, Tony Khan, and Tony Shiavone appeared on last night's episode of Impact Wrestling, earning IW's highest ratings since 2018. I'm nervously optimistic to see where this AEW vs. Impact storyline is heading.

From Daily's Place, because Florida is a lawless dystopia. Jim Ross, Tony Shiavone, and Excalibur are calling the action.

AEW Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) vs. The Hybrid 2 (Angelico and Jack Evans)

TH2 manage to ambush the Bucks from behind AGAIN, but the Bucks quickly turn it around by suplexing Evans onto Angelico. Bucks miss stereo dive attempts and get get face planted on the ring frame, but then lock arms reverse Irish whips and hit clotheslines. Bucks hit some quick dives and then catch Evans with double dropkicks to the face. Angelico tags but just gets overwhelmed by the Bucks' fluid playbook. Evans hits NIck with a moonsault off Matt's back, and TH2 finally gain an advantage. Evans hits an assisted 450 splash, but a second attempt is blocked with a SUPERKICK PARTY!!! Nick akes the hot tag and runs wild. Bucks hit a dangerous spike facebuster and powerbomb Evans into the crowd of wrestlers. Angelico kicks out of Risky Business. TH2 hit Nick with a tandem Flatliner and Evans' 450 splash gets a good nearfall. Nick counters a crucifix slam, thrusting Angelico into Matt's enziguri. Bucks hit a doomsday device on Evans on the rampway. Matt's sling blade on Angelico gets 2. Angelico blocks More Bang for Your Buck, and Evans sneaks in for a reverse rana on a limping Matt. Evans hits a 450 on Nick at ringside, while Angelico wraps himself around Matt's bad leg. Nick gets past Evans to save his brother with a senton. TH2 block the Meltzer Driver, but the Bucks block Evan's dive into a tandem spiked piledriver on the floor! Superkicks to Angelico and the BTE Trigger finishes him at 11:48! Top notch spotfest, in fact I'm pretty sure they went out there to intentionally piss off their detractors, ****.
Winners: The Young Bucks

The Acclaimed try a sneak attack on the Bucks, but SCU cut them off.

MJF is ready to upset some not-so-smart marks when he takes out Orange Cassidy and his lazy kicks.

Darby Allin goes to therapy and looks at ink blots, all of which remind him of members of Team Taz. He perseverates on a blot that looks suspiciously like Brian Cage, as it reminds him of bullies he's been dealing with his entire life. The last blot looks just like Sting, and gets a rise from Allin.

Cody Rhodes and Arn Anderson come to the ring to talk with Tony Shiavone. Before they can get a word in, they're cut off by Sting's totally bad-ass new entrance video and snowfall. The Stinger makes his way to the ring and gets right into Arn's face. Arn says he knows Sting and Cody have their own agendas and leaves. Sting embraces Shiavone and marks out over his "IT'S STING!!!!" call. Cody gets serious, saying he's been waiting a long time to share a ring with him. Sting blows Cody off, "I'm not here for you" and turns his attention to Darby Allin lurking in the balcony and puts over his excitement about being back on TNT. Sting announces he has officially signed with AEW and plans on sticking around for a long time. "The way I choose to play is my business." Oh man, Cody just got totally big-leagued by the Stinger!

Team Taz responds backstage. Taz' entourage now includes Brian Cage, Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Hook, and they look like a real stable. Taz says his men are always ready to beat someone's @ss.

Varsity Blondes (Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr.) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, with Tully Blanchard)

Wheeler starts with waistlock takedowns on Pillman. Harwood tags and hits a nice snap suplex. Pillman catches FTR off guard with a springboard crossbody. The Blonds briefly take control of Wheeler, who avoids another crossbody, and FTR slam Pillman gut-first onto the ropes. Cue the commercial! Back from break, FTR still have Pillman right where they want him. Pillman hits a desperate springboard shoulder block and Garrison runs wild on a hot tag. Garrison hits a slick double spear on FTR for a neat nearfall. Pillman tags in only to suffer a Harwood brainbuster. The Good Night Express finishes Pillman at 8:25. Solid match, but a bit long winded considering where these teams are on the pecking order, **½.
Winners: FTR

FTR exchange some shoves and stern words with Jurassic Express in the crowd.

Alex Marvez interviews Hangman Adam Page at the bar. He's interrupted by Alex Reynolds and John Silver in tiny cowboy hats, volunteering to be his partners. "How long have you guys been standing there?" Page accepts their help, but makes it clear he's not joining Dark Order. We'll see about that.

10 (with the Dark Order) vs. Dustin Rhodes (with Lee Johnson)

Hot start by Dustin, but 10 flapjacks the veteran onto the ring frame. 10 follows with a spinebuster in the ring. Aaron Solow grabs 10 from the front row and gets kicked in the face. The distraction allows Dustin to come back with his running bulldog to win at 2:51. The last match was too long and this match was too short, I guess I'm never happy, *.
Winner: Dustin Rhodes

Evil Uno makes a case for why Dustin should join the Dark Order. He offers him a role as "Seven of the Dark Order" and Dustin teases joining but then slaps Uno off his feet. Uno tells the other minions to stay back and says that eventually Dustin will beg them to join.

Tony Shiavone enjoys a beer with Brandi Rhodes and Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq says Jade Cargill is a friend, but he doesn't appreciate what she did to Brandi's arm. Brandi doesn't care, if Jade crosses her again she's going to get hurt. Shaq would love to see Brandi face Jade in a match and will be there when it happens. Shaq makes a dig that Brandi could learn some pointers from Jade, so she throws water in Shaq's face.

It's time for the Inner Circle Ultimatum as Chris Jericho leads the group (minus Santana) to the ring. Jericho is embarrassed by the civil war shoving match from last week and gave the group 7 days to make their decisions. MJF interrupts and pretends to love them all like brothers. Sammy Guevara loses his temper and tells MJF to shut up. Jericho backs Sammy, saying he watched Dynamite last week and clearly saw MJF setting Sammy up with the towel. Ortiz chimes in that Wardlow is great (never change!) and while MJF is not... he is growing on him, and he asks Sammy to shake his hand. Ortiz thinks Sammy is the better man (and knows it) so shake his hand. Sammy decides he trusts Jericho and agrees to shake MJF's hand, but promises to quit if MJF does one more thing against him. Jericho thinks all issues are settled, but Jake Hager demands to know why Wardlow keeps staring at him. Wardlow argues that it's Hager doing the staring, and it's creeping him out! This is so funny. Jericho thinks they've settled it all and the group joins together for a middle finger salute.

Alex Marvez interviews FTR and Tully Blanchard about their first victory after losing the AEW Tag Team Championship. Cash admits that he let his emotions get the best of him. Tully interrupts, saying that they are better than the other teams because they don't do crazy stuff. Harwood says they are chasing more championships so everyone had better Fear the Revelation.

Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade (with The Bunny) vs. Lance Archer (with Jake Roberts) and Lucha Bros (Rey Fenix and Penta el Zero M)

Archer charges the ring and the brawl spills right to ringside. Butcher quickly suplexes Penta through a table. Archer hauls Eddie into the ring and presses him into the buckles. Fenix tags but runs into Butcher's crossbody block. Penta is hurt and carried out, leaving his team at a 3 on 2 disadvantage. Fenix takes a beating before catching Eddie with a cutter. Archer gets a hot tag and hits Blade with a full nelson slam. Archer continues to run wild through Butcher and Blade as they cut to commercial at an usual time. During the commercial, Eddie's group takes control of Archer and pick him apart with quick tags. Archer saves himself with a German suplex and Fenix gets to show off his athleticism with a hot tag. Fenix hits a dive on Eddie but takes a terrible landing onto the back of his head. Butcher and Blade hit Fenix with their powerbomb/neckbreaker combo and win at 9:32. Hope Fenix isn't hurt, that finish seemed kind of abrupt after what looked to be a sure concussion, **½.
Winners: Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade

Archer doesn't take kindly to losing and beats up Butcher and Blade.

Meanwhile, Nyla Rose and Jade Cargill are beating Brandi up again, but a bunch of women babyfaces rush in for a save. This feels pretty redundant.

Abadon vs. Tesha Price

Feels like a short lifetime since the last time we saw Abadon in action on Dynamite and she totally slaughters Price, finishing her with a Widow's Peak at 1:09. Rightfully short squash.
Winner: Abadon

Abadon won't stop beating up Price, so Hikaru Shida stops her with a kendo stick.

Dasha asks Chris Jericho and the Inner Circle if they really are on the same page. Jericho says everything is fine and they'll prove it by backing up MJF against Orange Cassidy in the main event.

AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and Don Callis arrive via helicopter and I'm genuinely impressed. They blow off an interview in the parking lot and head to the ring to talk to Shiavone. Tony is disgusted by what they did to Jon Moxley last week. Callis doesn't care if Shiavone or Tony Khan are upset, they invited him, so welcome to the wrestling business, kid! Callis his alliance with Omega has been years in the making, and takes credit for the Omega/Jericho Tokyo Dome match that inspired Khan to start AEW. Kenny says that unlike the other VP's, he never begged Khan to hire his friends and family, instead scheming for over a year to bring his buddy, Callis, in at the right time. Kenny brags about tricking Moxley and excuses using a microphone as a weapon, because it was really the One Winged Angel that finished him. Omega proclaims that they're just getting started, so strap in. Omega just seamlessly transformed into the coolest heel in the business.

Dynamite Diamond Ring Match:
MJF (with the Inner Circle) vs. Orange Cassidy (with Best Friends)

Aggressive start by MJF, who is actually defending the diamond ring he won in 2019. MJF gets annoyed by OC kicking out of several covers at 1. OC counters with a stunner and puts on a potentially loaded elbow pad, but misses the Orange Punch and hits the ring post. MJF stuffs OC's hands into his pockets for a powerbomb onto the apron. MJF targets the newly injured hand of OC, slipping his fingers into the steel buckets for an illegal submission. MJF misses a head of steam but recovers with a flapjack. MJF continues to get his heat through a commercial. Back from break, MJF mockingly has his hands in his tights while dishing out lazy kicks. OC answers with a shotgun dropkick and tope suicida. High crossbody by OC and tornado DDT. Leaping DDT by Cassidy gets 2. OC misses another Orange Punch and MJF double stomps his bad hand. OC misses yet another punch and gets arm dragged into the buckles. Shoulder breaker by MJF and a Tiger Driver for another good 2. OC recovers with a springboard senton onto the entire Inner Circle! MJF catches OC with the Heatseeker, and Best Friends stop him from using the ropes for leverage. OC's entourage grew over the commercial. MJF tries to use a bat to frame OC, but the ref turns around in time to see MJF holding the bat instead. Beach Break by Cassidy gets another 2, but MJF hammers his bad hand for Salt of the Earth. OC blocks and finally connects the Orange Punch, but MJF KICKS OUT! Second Orange Punch is good, but Wardlow puts MJF's foot on the bottom rope. OC's pals and Inner Circle brawl, and Miro runs in to knock OC down. MJF gets the easy pin at 13:25. This was fun and provided some high drama down the stretch, but I feel like these two have a better match in them, I would have liked to see Cassidy really get under MJF's skin to send him into a rage, ***¼.
Winner: MJF

Miro isn't finished and beats up anyone who comes near him, throwing one poor guy off the stage and stepping on the face of another. For all the people complaining about how Miro has been used in AEW over the past couple of months, this is why I trust AEW enough to let things play out.

Final Thoughts: This show just felt totally alive tonight, with Sting, Shaq, Kenny Omega, and the brewing Impact rivalry giving this show a jolt of energy and importance. Check it out!

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