The October 9th episode AEW Dynamite aired live from the Agganis Arena in Boston, Massachusetts. Here are 6 takeaways from the show:
Private Party Advanced In The World Tag Team Championship Tournament
Dynamite kicked off with a 1st round matchup of the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament between the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy).
Kassidy ducked under a Superkick from Nick and posed in the ring. Nick got pissed off and spit his gum in Isiah’s face. Matt and Nick connected with a Gutbuster/Neckbreaker combo on Kassidy and then isolated him in the corner of the ring.
Isiah battled back and took out Matt Jackson with a Moonsault outside the ring. Back in the ring, Marq Quen tagged in and hit Nick with a Crossbody outside the ring. Quen followed that up by flipping onto Matt and then hit another flip onto Nick as the crowd went crazy.
Quen climbed to the top rope and hit Nick with 450 Splash for a near fall. Matt tagged in and hit Quen with a Superkick. The Young Bucks delivered a couple of Superkicks to Kassidy and then Matt followed it up with a Powerbomb on the entrance ramp.
Back in the ring, Nick perched Quen up on the turnbuckle and connected with a Powerbomb. Nick applied the Scorpion Death Lock but Marq was able to get to the bottom rope to break the hold.
The crowd chanted “this is awesome!” as Nick Jackson hit Quen with a Double Stomp. Quen tried to tag Kassidy in but Nick dragged him off the apron. Nick connected with a Spear and went for the cover but Quen kicked out at two.
Kassidy finally tagged back in and hit Matt and Nick with a Dropkick off the top rope. Kassidy followed it up with a Double Hurricanrana as Justin Roberts announced that there were 10-minutes remaining in the match. Matt hit Kassidy with three Northern Nights Suplexes in a row and then hit a double Northern Lights Suplex on Private Party for a near fall.
Matt hit Kassidy with a Buckle Bomb and followed it up with a Sharpshooter. Isiah fought through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Quen tagged in and Private Party hit Gin & Juice on Nick Jackson. Marq then hit Matt with a beautiful Shooting Star Press for another near fall. Matt set Quen up for the Meltzer Driver but Kassidy knocked Nick off the apron. Quen then countered into a roll-up for the pinfall victory. Private Party advanced to the semi-finals in the AEW Tag Team Tournament.
AEW’s tag team division is stacked and they showed that off with an excellent opening match on Dynamite. I really like how the Young Bucks took the loss here. They are regarded as the best tag team in the world and did not need to become the first AEW Tag Team Champions. Matt and Nick Jackson just helped make Private Party become stars to the national audience and that is awesome to see in a new promotion.
Jericho, Hager, Guevara, Santana & Ortiz Are Known As Inner Circle
AEW Champion Chris Jericho came down to the ring with Santana & Ortiz, Sammy Guevara, and Jake Hager. Jericho bragged that AEW Dynamite was the highest-rated premiere in TNT history and claimed it was all because of him.
The crowd played along and broke out in a loud “thank you, Jericho”. Chris told them to shut their mouths and sit down. Jericho said that Guevara looked like a Spanish God and called him one of the greatest performers he has ever seen for his age.
Jericho stated that Santana and Ortiz are nastier than they ever been and he personally recruited them to AEW. Chris turned his attention to Jake Hager and called him the toughest MMA fighter in the world today as the crowd chanted “we the people!”. Jericho interrupted and told the crowd that “we the people!” sucks and it is dead and buried. Chris added that it was a stupid idea from bad creative and all that is gone.
The crowd chanted “AEW!” as Jericho boasted that Hager was undefeated in MMA. Jericho claimed that makes Hager the toughest man in the entire professional business. Jericho announced that their stable name is Inner Circle and added that they are in charge now. Jericho called Cody a stupid son of a bitch and stated that he doesn’t like his family.
Jericho called Dusty Rhodes a jerk and vowed to kick Dustin Rhodes’ ass tonight. Jericho added that he is going to beat the ever-living shit out of Cody at AEW Full Gear and then he is going to have a little bit of the bubbly to celebrate.
I loved this promo. Jericho remains as electric as ever and it awesome to see him cut an unscripted promo that blows anything you would see on RAW or SmackDown out of the water.
Darby Allin Earned A Shot At The AEW Championship
Jimmy Havoc squared off against Darby Allin tonight on AEW Dynamite. The winner of the match will face Chris Jericho next week for the AEW Championship.
Allin controlled the match early and rolled up Havoc for a two count. Darby followed it up with an Arm Drag and then an elbow to the face. Allin Dropkicked Havoc to the corner of the ring and Jimmy rolled to the ring apron.
Havoc bit Allin’s fingers and then Suplexed him to the floor outside the ring. Havoc brought Allin back into the ring and went for the cover but Darby kicked out at two. Havoc applied a Sleeper Hold in the corner of the ring and transitioned into a Suplex that sent Allin out of the ring.
Back in the ring, Havoc connected with an elbow to the face and went for the cover but Darby was able to kick out. Havoc hit a Death Valley Driver into the turnbuckle for another near fall.
Jimmy planted Allin with the Tiger Driver 98 but Darby once again kicked out. Allin returned the favor and bit Havoc’s hand. Darby followed it up with a Stunner and then the Coffin Drop for the pinfall victory. Allin will face Chris Jericho for the AEW Championship next week on Dynamite.
Riho & Britt Baker Picked Up A Win
Emi Sakura and Bea Priestley faced AEW Women’s Champion Riho and Britt Baker tonight on Dynamite.
Sakura and Riho started things off by locking up in the middle of the ring. Riho went for a Crossbody but Sakura caught her and slammed her to the mat for a near fall. Sakura grabbed Riho by the hair and launched her across the ring.
Priestley hit Riho with a cheap shot as the referee wasn’t paying attention and Sakura capitalized with a Body Slam. Bea tagged in and knocked Baker off the ring apron. The two then battled outside the ring and Priestley sent Britt into the barricade. Baker battled back and unloaded some right hands to Bea’s face.
Sakura and Priestley planted Britt with a Suplex but then turned around into a Crossbody from Riho off the apron as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Sakura tagged in and hit Baker with a chop. Sakura followed it up with a Backbreaker and then a Crossbody in the corner of the ring. Sakura connected with a Senton and went for the cover but Britt kicked out at two.
Baker planted Sakura with a Cutter but Emi shrugged it off and hit another chop. Riho hit Sakura with a Double Stomp and Britt followed it up with a Neckbreaker but Emi kicked out at two. Britt then locked in a Crossface/Mandible Claw for the submission victory. After the match, Bea Priestley and Britt Baker brawled in the ring before referee Aubrey Edwards separated them.
Jon Moxley Defeated Shawn Spears
Shawn Spears (w/ Tully Blanchard) battled Jon Moxley this week on AEW Dynamite. PAC joined commentary for the match. PAC bitched about Jimmy Havoc and Darby Allin getting championship opportunities before him.
Moxley controlled the match early and hit an Elbow Drop for a two count. Jon leveled Shawn with a Clothesline and Spears rolled out of the ring to regroup. Moxley went after him and sent Spears into the barricade.
Tully tried to interfere but Moxley chased him around the ring. Moxley sent Spears back into the barricade before rolling him into the ring. Spears distracted the referee and Blanchard capitalized by shoving Jon into the steel steps.
PAC boasted about only being pinned once in two years and continued to complain about being relegated to the commentary booth. Spears slammed Moxley onto the barricade with a Death Valley Driver.
Spears connected with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Moxley kicked out at two. Shawn knocked Moxley out of the ring hit him with a Suicide Dive. Moxley battled back with a Suicide Dive of his own and then rolled Spears back into the ring.
Moxley hit a Clothesline in the corner and followed it up with a flurry of chops and knee strikes. Jon took down his knee pad and hit a running knee for a near fall. Spears and Moxley traded chops in the middle of the ring. Moxley got the better of the exchange and knocked Spears to the canvas with a Clothesline. Spears connected with a Neckbreaker over his knee for a two count. Moxley then hit the Paradigm Shift for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Kenny Omega came down to the entrance ramp with a barbed wire bat and broom. Omega threw the bat to Moxley on the ramp and started trash-talking with him as the crowd chanted “holy shit!”. PAC hit Omega with a chair in the back of the head before returning backstage. Moxley stood over Omega with the bat but opted not to attack him to conclude the segment.
Dynamite Ended With Another Massive Brawl
Dustin Rhodes and Hangman Adam Page squared off against Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara in the main event of this week’s Dynamite. Jake Hager was ringside for the match.
Sammy and Dustin started the match off but Jericho quickly tagged in. Dustin booted Jericho out of the ring and beat him down against the barricade. Rhodes sent Jericho over the barricade and then turned his attention to Guevara in the ring.
Dustin leveled Sammy with a Clothesline and tagged in Page. Hangman hit a Clothesline in the corner and followed it up with another Clothesline that turned Guevara inside out. Hangman connected with a Fallaway Slam and then delivered a Crossbody to Jericho outside the ring.
Back in the ring, Hangman hit Sammy with a chop to the chest and tagged Rhodes back in. Dustin punched Sammy in the face and sent him flying into the turnbuckle. Dustin stomped on Sammy a couple of times before tagging Page back in.
Page connected with a Shooting Star Press and went for the cover but Jericho broke it up at two. Hangman planted Sammy with a Body Slam and made his way to the top rope. Jericho distracted Page and Guevara capitalized with an Enziguri for a two count as AEW went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Jericho was in control and hit Page with a knee to the back of the head. Guevara tagged in and bashed Dustin off the apron before Hangman could tag out. Sammy hit Page with a Double Stomp for a near fall before applying a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring.
The crowd got behind Hangman as he battled to his feet. Hangman broke the hold with a Belly to Back Suplex and slowly made his way to the corner. Jericho tagged in and once again prevented Page from tagging out. Jericho taunted Page and slapped him across the face.
Jericho went for the Lionsault but Page got his knees up at the last moment. Guevara tagged in and applied a Waist Lock in the middle of the ring. Hangman leveled Guevara with a Lariat and finally made the tag to Dustin.
Rhodes booted Guevara in the midsection and connected with an Atomic Drop. Jericho got in the ring and walked right into another Atomic Drop. Dustin climbed to the top rope and hit Jericho and Sammy with a Crossbody as the crowd went nuts.
Dustin sent Sammy to the outside and Hangman hit him with a Moonsault off the top rope. Hager leveled Page with a Clothesline and Jericho tagged in. Dustin rolled up Jericho for a two count and then fired up the crowd.
Rhodes set up Jericho in the corner for Shattered Dreams but Sammy ran into the ring. Dustin planted him with a Powerslam but then Hager got into the ring and hit a Clothesline as Sammy distracted the referee. Jericho hit Rhodes with the Judas Effect for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Inner Circle beat Rhodes down in the corner of the ring. Hangman Adam Page got into the ring but Hager immediately Clotheslined him back outside. Hager followed him out there and got a chair to the face for his troubles. Page and Hager battled all the way up the entrance ramp as Jericho and Sammy continued to beat Dustin down.
The lights in the arena went out and Cody appeared in the ring. Cody planted Guevara with the Cross Rhodes and started trash-talking with Jericho. Santana and Ortiz rushed the ring and attacked Cody. MJF sprinted down the entrance ramp and entered the ring with a steel chair. MJF beat hit Santana, Ortiz, and Jericho with the chair as the crowd went crazy. MJF posed for the crowd and then turned around into a Codebreaker from Jericho.
Jericho grabbed the chair as the Young Bucks rushed the ring. Matt and Nick knocked Santana and Ortiz to the outside and hit them with dueling Suicide Dives. Jericho retreated with the AEW Championship as Cody looked on with a chair in the ring.
Darby Allin skateboarded down the entrance ramp and leveled Jericho with a knee to the face. Allin hit Jericho with the skateboard and joined Cody, Dustin, and the Young Bucks in the ring as the crowd chanted “AEW!”. Jericho shouted that he will see Darby next week. Jericho grabbed a microphone and said that the Inner Circle is taking control. Jericho added that he will see Allin next week in Philadelphia and it will be his funeral.
AEW delivered another very solid episode of Dynamite this week. Private Party versus the Young Bucks was absolutely the match of the night. I highly doubt that Allin will win the title next week but there is no denying that the crowd is behind him. Darby has a big future in AEW and is an entertaining character. AEW showcased their tag team and women’s division tonight and also did a great job of progressing storylines as we build towards Full Gear on November 9th.
I would describe Dynamite as refreshing and fun as hell. There were two title matches announced for next week during tonight’s broadcast. Jericho will defend his AEW Championship against Darby Allin and Riho will put the AEW Women’s Championship on the line against Britt Baker. For a wrestling promotion that is just starting out, I’m not sure you could do it much better than AEW has with the first two episodes of Dynamite.
