JR is off for treatment for skin cancer. Get well soon, JR!
"Hangman" Adam Page enters to a huge pop. He joins the commentary team. They announce that in 2 weeks at Winter Is Coming, Page vs. Danielson!
Bryan Danielson vs. Alan "5" Angels
Angels gets a chant from his hometown. That's pretty impressive. Danielson wrestles Angels down quickly and mocks the crowd. Angels makes a comeback with some strikes and Danielson is quick to make things serious and beat Angels down. Angels is able to make a comeback with some nice high spots and near-fall. Angels misses a moonsault and Danielson hits the running knee. Danielson decides he wants to kick Angels' head in! Danielson locks in a knee bar and Angels has to tap. Another perfect Danielson match! Angels got just enough in to look good and get the crowd into the match before Danielson easily beats him and makes an example of him. ***
Tony Schiavone in the ring with Danielson after the match. Danielson mocks Angels and the crowd and lays down the challenge for another Dark Order member next week. He then addresses Page and says in 2 weeks, he will take the AEW Championship and show the world he is a one hit wonder. Page tries to go down to confront him but John Silver stops him and says he is not allowed to... but Silver is! He rushes the ring but Danielson rolls out. Danielson mocks Silver and says he is beneath him. Danielson walks right past Page and mocks him while saying Page and Danielson can't touch. This was fantastic! I can't wait for this title match!
We get a video package of Miro in a white void. He says God has shown what he truly is and will be punished by him. Miro says he will fix one weakness and embrace the other. Word is Miro is off filming something so maybe they play it off that he got surgery to fix his neck or something. Either way, Miro off TV right now isn't a bad thing but keep these promos coming!
As CM Punk is about to enter the ring, MJF joins the commentary booth. And immediately starts bashing Punk.
CM Punk vs. Lee Moriarty
Moriarty is able to out-wrestle Punk early on and keep taking him to the mat when Punk tries to get some momentum. Punk finally out powers Moriarty and starts rolling but Moriarty is too quick and keeps working over Punk. Moriarty is able to counter a crossbody by Punk into a near-fall and a submission. They two trade roll-ups before Punk lands a big roundhouse kick. Punk goes for the Pepsi Twist but Moriarty counters into one of his own! Punk nicely counters a suplex into a GTS for the win! This was very much like the Danielson match but reversed. Moriarty controlled most of the match while Punk had to fight back and MJF masterfully told the story of maybe Punk isn't the Best in the World anymore. Moriarty looked great here but Punk won clean. This was well done. ***
MJF is up from commentary and has a mic. MJF insults Punk for struggling against QT and Moriarty. MJF makes a bunch of jokes about Punk hitting on Britt Baker before Punk gets a mic himself. Punk insults MJF's suit and says QT and Moriarty are better than MJF. Punk tells MJF to shut up and get in the ring. MJF says nope and promises to win the Dynamite Diamond Ring next week in his hometown next week. MJF threatens to put Punk's dog Larry to sleep if he brings him around again. NOW he has crossed the line. Punk goes up the ramp but Wardlow gets in front of MJF while referees keep the two separated. This segment was another home-run and this feud is fantastic!
Tony Schiavone backstage with Britt Baker and Team DMD. Britt is upset about Riho getting a title match. Jamie and Britt take shots at each other for losing matches in the past. Britt says they all made peace and says next week it will be Jamie Hayter vs. Riho. Nice segment teasing the eventual Baker vs. Hayter match.
Adam Cole (BAYBAY) enters and does his whole entrance in the ring, bows and leaves before going to join commentary. AEW knows that he is a star.
Orange Cassidy enters. Cole mentions he isn't the next match. Cassidy stares at Cole as the two get face to face. Cassidy puts his hands in his pockets as The Young Bucks sneak behind him but Cassidy turns and faces them. Does his mocking kicks before Cole low blows him. The Bucks mockingly superkick Cassidy as he is on his knees before hitting a double superkick. They set up for a BTE Trigger but Chuck Taylor and Wheeler Yuta run them off with chairs. Pretty nothing segment. Not crazy about Cole vs. Cassidy but it should be fine.
Tony Nese cuts a promo backstage about his upcoming title match with Sammy Guevara. It was fine. Nese isn't the best promo guy.
Wardlow vs. AC Adams
Jobber is in the ring as Wardlow enters. Wardlow hits a big clothesline and multiple powerbombs and pins Adams in a minute. Crowd was cheering as Wardlow hit multiple powerbombs so the push is working. N/A
Shawn Spears gives Adams a few chair shots before raising Wardlow's hand. Wardlow doesn't seem happy about it.
Tony Schiavone backstage with Penta, PAC and Alex Abrahantes. Rey Fenix is unable to travel so it's PAC and Penta vs. FTR on Friday. Penta cuts a promo in Spanish before Alex translates and says they will happily beat FTR on Friday. PAC has an eye patch from the mist of Malakai Black last week. Tony questions if PAC can wrestle but PAC is good to fight. Shame about Fenix but this should be good.
Taz, Powerhouse Hobbs and HOOK on commentary.
Billy Gunn and Colten Gunn vs. Darby Allin
Austin Gunn enters with his family. Sting and Darby enter with matching face paint. Darby quickly out-wrestles Colten before Billy and Sting get in together. Sting beats Billy down as he rolls to the floor. Darby gets in and a blind tag allows The Gunn Club to take over on him.
Darby gets the top of his head busted up while being worked over somehow. Darby makes the big tag to Sting who runs wild. Sting locks in the Scorpion Deathlock on Colten but Billy distracts the referee. Austin hits Sting only to get murdered by a dive by Darby. Fame-asser by Billy! Colten gets a big near-fall. Darby dives on Billy! Darby hits his stunner on Colten who falls back into a Scorpion Death Drop for the win. Pretty average TV match. The last few minutes were very good plus Sting in Atlanta is pretty cool. Enjoyable match. **1/2
Alex Marvez with Chris Jericho backstage. Jericho says he didn't save Kingston last week, he was out there to beat up 2.0 and Daniel Garcia. And on cue, the trio shows up to beat up Jericho. Short but effective I guess. Rather Jericho stayed off TV for a while still.
Commentary mentions after the break Jericho will not be on Rampage. Taz talks about the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal and how multiple members of Team Taz are in the match.
Lio Rush comes out and starts cutting a promo on Taz. Rush cuts a promo about a fighter and will fight with even a 1% chance in the battle royal next week. Dante Martin and Ricky Starks come out and stare down Rush. This was a miss. Rush's promo was bad and felt written for him and not natural at all. Very disappointing.
Jade Cargill and Smart Mark Sterling cut a promo on Thunder Rosa and say that on Rampage, Rosa's student will face Jade. Rosa walks in and says she will be on commentary for the match. Rosa insults her in Spanish. Still not crazy about Rosa's promo skills but her cutting promos in Spanish is pretty entertaining.
AEW TBS Championship Tournament Quarterfinals Match: Kris Statlander vs. Ruby Soho
Taz sings Ruby Soho's theme and it's amazing! Some great wrestling back and forth to start. Both women have chances to hit strikes but don't out of respect. Nice touch. Match develops into Statlander using her size and power while Ruby uses her speed and experience. Both women get big near-falls as the crowd wakes up and gets more into the match. Statlander blocks Ruby's kick and goes for the Big Bang Theory but Ruby is able to roll her up for the win. This was great! Good clean wrestling from two great workers. Told a nice little story and made both look great and like they could win it. Rematch please! ***1/2
Ruby and Statlander shake hands. Nyla Rose attacks Ruby as she poses in the ring afterwards.
Atlanta Street Fight: Andrade El Idolo vs. Cody Rhodes
Andrade enters with Jose, the assistant who has a bag with a bunch of gimmicks. Also T Pain is in the crowd. Big fan of the man! Cody makes his entrance to some cheers but still a lot of boos. Andrade charges and jumps Cody on the ramp. Poor Arn falls off part of the stage as he and Jose battle to the back.
Cody and Andrade brawl in the crowd before making it ringside. T Pain hands Cody a chair which he uses. Cody's skin on his back looks to be peeling! Weird. Cody goes to use the belt but Andrade low blows him. Andrade whips Cody before tossing the belt to the crowd. Andrade slaps Cody with the laptop from Jose's bag. Andrade gets a bunch of weapons from under the ring. Andrade teases a table before sliding it under the ring and the crowd chants for tables. Nice heel spot.
Cody tosses a chair at Andrade as he hits a moonsault. That was nice. Cody goes for a dive but Andrade holds up a chair and he hits that. Cody is busted up. Andrade goes for The Shadow on the floor but counters that with a backdrop.
Cody pulls out a kendo stick. He doesn't want that. A sledgehammer! He doesn't want that. Cody has a golden shovel. He hits Jose, the assistant who charges with a teaser. That spot was a little too cute/WWE for me.
Andrade hits his double knees into a chair into Cody's face. Looked great! Cody gets hip tossed through a table before Andrade gets another one. The battle to try and out the other through the table on the top as someone rolls in the ring. It's Brandi Rhodes! She has lighter fluid... oh no. The table is ON FIRE! Cody hits a reverse suplex on Andrade through the table! Cody lands in the fire! Jesus!!! Cody gets the pin while Brandi smiles. Sweet Jebus!
A little too much of just a brawl and weapons match. Finish was insane. Honestly as time passes I am more and more convinced Cody is turning at some point but he needs to just do it so we can get some good heel shit from him. Good match. Don't do that spot again, Cody! ***1/4
Not a bad episode of Dynamite. I loved the Danielson and CM Punk segments. The TBS Tournament continues to be a joy to watch and the main event was solid and had a crazy finish. Not crazy about The Elite vs. The Best Friends and the Gunn Club vs. Sting and Darby, while fine, didn't do much for me. I also hated the Lio Rush promo because it completely killed the character they had been booking for weeks to just make him another "never say die" babyface. Hopefully they can fix it. All in all, more of a build up episode but I have high hopes for the shows coming up in the following weeks.
For more thoughts and opinions, follow me on Twitter @AlexKalil
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