AEW Dynamite aired from an empty arena on TNT tonight. The TNT Championship tournament began and Chris Jericho joined commentary for the entire show.
AEW Dynamite Results (4/8)
- Lance Archer def. Alan Angels
- Hikaru Shida def. Britt Baker
- Best Friends def. Kenny Omega & Michael Nakazawa
- Brodie Lee def. Lee Johnson
- Cody Rhodes def. Shawn Spears to advance to the semifinals of the TNT Championship tournament
Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s show:
Lance Archer Dominated
Chris Jericho joined Tony Schiavone on commentary for tonight’s show. Lance Archer battled Alan Angels in the first match of the night.
Match Recap: Archer went for a big boot but Alan Angels ducked and hit a couple of kicks. Archer shrugged them off and quickly hit the Blackout for the pinfall victory.
Before the match, Jake Roberts said Cody is done if he steps in the ring with Lance Archer. Roberts joked about Marko Stunt facing Lance Archer last week and called him an idiot. Jake added that he will not be surprised if Cody loses to Shawn Spears tonight in an effort to not face them.
Hikaru Shida Defeated Britt Baker In A Great Match
Hikaru Shida battled Britt Baker tonight on Dynamite.
Match Recap: Baker booted Shida in the knee and then retreated to the apron. Baker bounced Hikaru’s face off the turnbuckle several times. Britt kicked Shida in the knee but Shida battled back and shoved Baker to the corner.
Britt unloaded several right hands to Shida’s face and followed it up with a running kick for near fall. Baker sat on the apron, smiled and started taunting Shida. Britt asked Tony to tell everyone that this her division and Shida got back up.
Hikaru hung Baker up on the barricade and hit her with a knee to the face as Dynamite went to a commercial break. Back from the break, Shida hit Baker with a Suplex for a near fall.
Shida locked in an Arm Bar but Baker was able to make it to the ropes. Baker battled back and hit a Slingblade and followed it up with a Suplex for a two count. Baker went for the Lockjaw but Shida escaped.
Britt and Hikaru traded punches to the face and Shida connected with an Enziguri. Baker hit a Superkick and both wrestlers fell to the canvas. Baker was bleeding from her nose and took Shida down to the canvas. Britt applied the Lockjaw but Hikaru broke free and booted Baker in the face. Hikaru dumped Baker to the ring apron as Britt was laughing with blood pouring out of her nose.
Shida and Baker battled on the top rope. Hikiru slammed Britt across the top turnbuckle and followed it up with a running knee strike for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: This match was great and probably the match Britt Baker has had in AEW. Shida has now won 8 of her last 9 matches and remains the #1 contender.
Best Friends Picked Up A Win
Michael Nakazawa and Kenny Omega squared off against Best Friends (Trent & Chuck) tonight on Dynamite.
Match Recap: Omega and Chuck Taylor started the match off. Chuck hit a couple Arm Drags and brought Kenny to the corner. Trent and Nakazawa as Spears shouted that he is watching Michael because he is still looking for a tag partner. Nakazawa and Trent traded chops before Michael rubbed baby oil on his chest. Trent went for a chop but his hand slid right off Nakazawa’s chest.
Omega tagged in and beat Trent down in the corner. When Dynamite returned from the break, Nakazawa crotched Trent on the top rope. Kenny Omega tagged in and hit an Elbow Drop for a one count. Chuck tagged in and tripped up Nakazawa and he fell onto Omega.
Orange Cassidy rolled into the ring and gave a thumbs up. Omega and Nakazwa tried to hug him but Cassidy got out of the way. Nakazawa sprayed oil in Cassidy’s face but Orange had another pair of sunglasses in his pocket. Trent hit Nakazawa with a DDT for a near fall.
Kenny tagged back in and hit Trent with a Backstabber. Omega followed it up with a Snap Dragon Suplex but Trent battled back with a big boot. Chuck hit a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Nakazawa broke it up. Kenny hit Trent with a Buckle Bomb and Nakazawa followed it up with a Fallaway Slam off the top turnbuckle.
Nakazawa hit the Ultimate Venom Arm but Chuck broke it up. Michael accidentally caught Omega with the Ultimate Venom Arm and Kenny rolled out of the ring. Trent plant Nakazawa with a Piledriver. Best Friends finally hit their finisher on Nakazawa for the pinfall victory.
Matt Hardy Challenged Chris Jericho To Come To His Compound
Matt Hardy responded to Chris Jericho in a vignette tonight. Hardy claimed Sammy Guevara is a false god and probably cannot even speak Spanish. Hardy said Jake Hager is very smart and well spoken but Jericho has him brainwashed.
Hardy said he cannot allow Inner Circle to take over All Elite Wrestling. Vanguard 1 arrived with a Matt Hardy shirt. Hardy stated that he was asking for the Inner Circle shirt and Vanguard 1 said that it was in a dumpster fire.
Matt then challenged Jericho to come to the Hardy compound and to battle in the Elite Deletion.
Cody Advanced To The Semifinals Of The TNT Championship Tournament
Shawn Spears battled Cody in the first round of the TNT Championship tournament. Brandi Rhodes was ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Cody controlled the match early and applied a Headlock. Spears escaped and hit Cody in the chest with a couple chops. Shawn rolled out of the ring and shoved Billy Gunn. Spears threw a steel chair in the ring but Cody hit him with a Cutter for a near fall.
Cody climbed to the top rope and went for a Moonsault but Spears got out of the way. Spears planted Cody with a Piledriver and went for the cover but Cody kicked out at two.
Spears launched Cody into the turnbuckle and followed it up with a kick to the face as the action spilled out of the ring. Shawn set up a guard rail against the ring and Suplexed Cody on top of it.
The action returned to the ring and Cody battled back with a Powerslam for a two count. Spears connected with a Powerbomb as Dynamite went to a break. When Dynamite returned, Spears brought a table out from under the ring but Cody took him out with a Suicide Dive.
Spears hit Cody with a Superplex and then tried to take the padding off the top rope. Brandi hopped on the apron for a distraction and Cody went for the Cross Rhodes. Spears blocked it and sent Cody crashing through the table with the C4. Cody got into the ring at nine and Spears threw a tantrum.
Spears went for C4 but Cody escaped and hit two Cross Rhodes but Spears kicked out at two. Cody then applied the Figure Four and Spears shoulders were on the mat for a three count.
Opinion: I really enjoyed this match and I thought that the finish was great. Overall, Dynamite was solid this week and I’m looking forward to the AEW Championship match next week between Hager and Moxley. Chris Jericho was gold on commentary tonight as well.
