2 days Ago By Ryan Ciocco
Hey there, Sickos! It’s Wednesday, you know what that means! Dynamite is live in my home state tonight, although it’s a bit well off and closer to Philadelphia than Pittsburgh. This is also the go-home episode before we arrive in Newark for Full Gear on Saturday, and I am interested in what else we will see added to the show tonight, whether the main card (because there is only eight matches!) or the Zero Hour. So how is everyone doing tonight? In case you missed it, I have added two new reviews to the music section, those being the new Linkin Park and Poppy albums.
Also, be on the lookout Friday Night/Saturday Morning for my preview of Full Gear and everything that is going on with the card. We are mere moments away from the Dynamite going BOOM! Tonight, we are LIVE from Reading, Pennsylvania. Our commentators are Excalibur, Tony Schiavone , and Daddy Magic Matt Menard .
We’re off and running with a cold open, highlighting all the big angles and moments leading to Full Gear this Saturday. To the arena, Excalibur welcomes us and tells us what is on tap for both tonight’s Dynamite and Saturday’s Full Gear. Ricochet makes his way out, and we’re going to get our first match! Ricochet, Powerhouse Hobbs, Mark Davis, and Will Ospreay vs.
International Champion Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Lance Archer, and ROH TV Champion Brian Cage The heel team can’t get to the ring, as the face team storm the stage and the fight is underway! Everyone fights around ring side! Davis and Takeshita get into the ring and the match is official. Davis catches Takeshita with a slam and then hits a senton! Ricochet tags in, he gets a rope assisted top rope plancha to the floor! Ospreay to the very top, but Fletcher cuts him off. Hobbs approaches Fletcher, Kyle tries some punches, but they have no effect.
Archer drags Hobbs from the ring apron and traps his knee between the ring post and the ring steps. SMASH goes the knee of Hobbs. Archer and Ricochet in the ring.
While this is happening, Hobbs is helped to the back by Doctor Samson. Ricochet tries a springboard press, but Archer shoulder blocks him down and kicks Davis off the apron. Ricochet tries another springboard move, but Archer catches him and throws him out of the ring and on to Davis and Ospreay.
PIP Break! PIP thoughts: -Dunno, never did like Elf that much. -The old dude in the Progressive commercials makes me laugh. Trust me, he knows EVERYTHING! -I would let Martin Sheen buy me books.
-I let go, did you let go? Sure, I don’t want a Corona anyway. -Beard? BEARD!!!!!!! -Arm & Hammer cleans 3X more small loads than the name brand! Just small, tho! -Every kiss and every Christmas start at Kays! And we’re back, as Takeshita has Ricochet in trouble in the middle of the ring. Ricochet looking for the tag, he fights out with a springboard back elbow.
Ospreay and Fletcher tag in! Hockey fight! Off the ropes, Ospreay takes down Fletcher. Corkscrew kick to Fletcher to his own corner, and Takeshita checks back in. Davis in, has Takeshita up, cutter by Ospreay! A cover, just a two count! Davis and Ospreay looking for Coreolis, but Archer and Cage break it up.
Archer and Cage with a double team suplex to Davis. Cage and Archer send Will into Takeshita, Blue Thunder Bomb! The pin! 2.898989! Fletcher takes Ricochet off the apron.
Ospreay looking for a tag in his corner, but no one is there. Hobbs comes back down the ramp! He wipes out Fletcher! Ospreay finally gets to Hobbs! Cage and Archer try to take Hobbs up, they can’t, but Hobbs can hit a double clothesline! Hobbs charging all members of the Family in every corner! The straps come down! Archer tries to catch him, but a big power slam from Hobbs! Davis gets the tag, it’s a slug fest with Takeshita! Takeshita with a back body drop, the driving knee is cut off. PILEDRIVER BY DAVIS! Fletcher breaks up the pin and talks crap to his former tag team partner.
Fletcher slaps Davis, and he responds with a double leg tag down. The match breaks down as everyone has to get their shit in! It ends with Ospreay goading Fletcher into the ring. Counters in the middle of the ring from both men, Fletcher with a kick, but he runs into a Spanish Fly! HIDDEN BLADE BUT WILL MISSES AND HITS DAVIS! OVERDRIVE KNEE BY TAKESHITA TO DAVIS! That’s game! WINNER: The Don Callis Family TIME: 14:33 THOUGHTS: As above, so below.
The heels win on the co-home show and will end up losing at the PPV. A good solid match with everyone hitting their spots. RATING: ***1/4 To the back, with Jon Moxley and The Death Riders .
Orange is a threat to Jon’s people, and at Full Gear, he will destroy him. His mind might be intact, but his body is broken. Claudio speaks in Swiss and then to English to say he will destroy Darby Allin.
To Darby Allin now ! Every single death rider will have their day, and today is Claudio’s Day! The AEW Continental Classic kicks off next week on Dynamite in Chicago! We get a rundown of the upcoming shows. COMMERCIALS! We return with the Remarkable Renee Paquette in the lot. She’s waiting for the Hurt Syndicate , and on cue, they arrive in a Suburban.
MVP says that Lashley will in action tonight before he competes at Full Gear. But here comes Swerve Strickland! He hits Lashley in the head with a chain! To the ring, here comes Adam Cole (BAYBAY) . Who’s ready for story time with Adam Cole BAYBAY? He isn’t getting his hands on MJF at Full Gear.
He succeeded in keeping Adam away from him, but Roderick Strong succeeded in getting to MJF. Kyle O’Reilly comes out to cut off Cole. 14 years ago in Reading, they had their second ever match.
Kyle knows Adam better than anyone. This crusade with MJF has to end before someone gets hurt. Strong barely made it out alive last week, and now he wants to end MJF for Cole.
Adam asks if Roddy can’t handle MJF? O’Reilly says MJF is three steps ahead of everyone. Kyle says Cole is an elite wrestler and a true leader who doesn’t want to see his friends get hurt. MJF is way more evil than Cole, and that is a good thing.
Kyle leaves the ring as Adam looks dumbfounded. To the back, we have Orange Cassidy . Tonight, he is going to make an example out of Yuta to show him what he will do to Jon at Full Gear.
The rest of the Conglomeration show up. Mark Briscoe says they have his back, but Orange gets ANGRY. He demands the rest of the group stay in the back and let him handle this himself.
At Full Gear, Jon will need all the help he can get. Shades..
.ON! Back to the arena, here comes Kris Statlander ! Kris Statlander vs. Hikaru Shida This should be a good one, as both women are outstanding.
Respect shown before they lock up, Statlander wins the opening exchange, but Shida takes down Kris. Both women up, another lockup. Shida behind with some shots to the back of Statlander.
Shida looks for a suplex, Kris throws her off. Shida kicks Statlander to the corner, goes up for the mounted punches, but Kris walks out of the corner with her. She puts Shida down, standing moonsault for a two count! Shida tries a head scissors, but Kris cartwheels out of it.
Statlander had Shida grounded, but Hikaru reverses it. Statlander backs Shida to the corner, but Shida with a choke on Kris. Missile dropkick from the top by Shida.
Shida drapes Kris on the apron, she hits the running knee! PIP Break! Sorry guys, no PIP thoughts as I have to study this match for science! Thanks, I8myPants! We return, as Shida and Statlander trade in the middle of the ring. Shida tries a running knee, but Statlander counters with a power slam. To the corner, Statlander with a clothesline and a running knee.
FALCON ARROW! SHE DID THE DEAL, but not really as it is a two count. Shida trying to strike Statlander, but she eats all of them for lunch. Shida with a roll up, two count! Short knee by Shida! Shida looking for the Katana, but Statlander with a front face slam.
Back slide by Shida for a two count, FACLON ARROW! SHIDA DOES THE DEAL, but again it’s just a two count. Harley Race knee by Shida, and a German Suplex! Katana attempt, but Statlander intercepts her and hits Staturday Night Fever! That’s it! WINNER: Kris Statlander TIME: 9:15 THOUGHTS: The match filled out the time it had well, and both women owned it. Wish it had more time, but for what we got, it was great.
RATING: ***1/2 Mercedes Mone is here post-match. READDDDDDDDDDDDING! Say hello to your CEO! The Sixers have had a terrible season! LOL. Shoutout to the Celtics! Double LOL.
Mone is impressed with Statlander after her win. Mone has held the TBS title longer than Kris has! She will not lose at Full Gear because she is the greatest TBS Champion of all time. (I think someone would tell her to cut this shit, but I digress).
Mone sends Kamille into the ring, even though she has her arm in a sling. Both Shida and Statlander team up to dump Kamille to the floor. Mone tries a sneak attack on Statlander, but she hits the Staturday Night Fever on Mone! She holds the TBS Title up! Backstage, MVP invites the camera to follow him.
They think they see Strickland, Benjmain grabs him, but it isn’t Swerve. MVP still hits him in the gut with his cane. LOL! COMMERCIALS!!!!!111111111111!!!!!!!!!!! We’re back, with a promo package for Switchblade Jay White and Hangman Adam Page .
We go to the ring, as the All-Mighty Bobby Lashley is here with MVP and Shelton. No chain shot will stop him! Bobby Lashley vs. Squash Meat 1 and Squash Meat 2 Hey, one of the Squash Meat is Cheeseburger! That’s pretty cool.
The bell rings as, for some reason, both Joe Keys and Cheeseburger are still on the apron. Lashley pulls them both into the ring for a public execution. Cheeseburger becomes ground meat as Lashley smashes him to the mat.
Keys makes the very stupid mistake of breaking up the pin, and the end result is exactly what you expect it would be. Lashley with a SPEAR to Keys. MVP up to the ring steps as Lashley puts on the Hurt Lock, and Keys is dead.
WINNER: The All-Mighty Bobby Lashley TIME: 2:00 THOUGHTS: I mean, yeah? RATING: N/R Swerve’s music plays post-match, but Prince Nana appears with a chair! This draws Shelton up the ramp, and MVP has his cane up. Strickland sneaks in behind MVP, and clocks Lashley with the chain! Drive by kick! SWERVE STOMP! MVP and Shelton enter the ring, but Strickland jumps over the top rope and out of the ring. He leaves through the crowd as the Hurt Syndicate stare him down.
To the back, with Renee, Mariah May , and Mina Shirakawa ! Apparently at Rampage, they will be teaming up for the first time in two years. In Mariah’s division, you either hold the title, or you die. Mina will give her a celebration that she will never forget.
And then...
DANCING! Noice! 😉 Back to the arena, and here comes Darby Allin ! Claudio Castagnoli vs. Darby Allin As an aside, Claudio’s latest theme song is a BANGER! Hesitant start to this one, Darby with a side headlock, Claudio theows him off. Darby plays keep away from Claudio as Castagnoli is on the floor.
Darby feigns a tope suicida, but Claudio walks away from him. Back in, Darby with a roll up, Darby off the ropes, body press for a two count. Claudio back on the floor, Darby tries the Coffin Drop, but Claudio catches him and throws him across the floor.
He rams into Darby once, twice, and Darby ends up on the other side of the barricade. Claudio with a vertical suplex, as he carries Darby up the steps, and he throws Allin back into the ring. Claudio stalks Darby as we go to PIP.
PIP thoughts: -I keep saying it, but if you haven’t seen Invincible Fight Girl, check it out, you won’t regret it. -Dicks, but it’s not the Watt Family commercial. -Don’t take Cabenuva if you are allergic to it.
if you do, don’t sue us if you blow up like a balloon. -Another Kay commercial..
.Yay. -Another Corona commercial.
..double yay.
-Arm & Hammer also spamming commercials too, I see. -Crest is nice. -Cars.
com, where you can trade your small car in for a smaller one! -Wipeout, but no Kamille. BOO! We’re back, as Claudio attempts to kill Darby by throwing him upside down into the corner. Another assassination attempt as Claudio throws him into the barricade.
Claudio throws Darby into the ring, but Darby steals a page from the Cassidy book as he rolls out the other side. Darby catches Claudio in the ring apron and bites his head! One suicide dive! Two suicide dives! Claudio back in the ring, Darby tries the Coffin Drop, but he crotches Allin on the top rope. AVALANCHE GUT WRENCH SUPLEX BY CLAUDIO! He covers and gets a two count.
Claudio looking for the Big Swing, but Darby rolls him up for a two count. Darby tries a Front Chancery, but Claudio has him up. SHIT, says our hero Darby, but he reverses it into the Code Red for a two count.
Claudio is mad, he has charges Darby into the corner, uppercut buffet. Claudio kicks Darby over the top rope and onto the floor. GIANT SWING ON THE FLOOR, AS CLAUDIO SMASHES DARBY INTO THE RING STEPS! Claudio throws Darby up and over the announce table! (For those wondering, yes, the announcers were spared).
Claudio on the announce table with Darby. MILITARY PRESS BY CLAUDIO AS HE MIKE HAGGAR’S DARBY THREW THE TABLES IN THE TIMEKEEPER’S AREA! Claudio back in the ring looking to take the count out. Darby emerges from the wreckage, as Darby beats the count at nine.
Claudio decapitates Darby with a LARIAT and that is it! WINNER: Claudio Castagnoli TIME: 13:36 THOUGHTS: Typical Darby match where Darby gets killed 90% of the time, 5% has hope spots, and 5% its reversal city. Only this time, Darby didn’t win, which surprised me, honestly. RATING: ***1/4 To the back with Renee and AEW Tag Team Champions Private Party ! They can’t tell Renee what their strategy is, but they have always been fighting from the bottom.
They will leave New Jersey as the champions. Here comes The Costco Guys . AJ has an announcement next.
We cut to MJF driving up in his car. He gets out and throws some change at a hobo. Trauma has made up Roddy’s family, apparently his mother shot his father.
Roddy does things for Adam because he needs someone to follow. To MJF< Cole was a mirage of what he wanted him to be. Cole is a man who cares about Strong, and upon further contemplation, he is happy that Strong is facing him.
He will send Roddy back to his trailer park, and he will be in so much pain that he will wish his mother hadn't shot his father, but Roddy instead. Wooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! COMMERCIALS! We’re back, as Renee has Big Boom and Big Justice . Apparently, Big Boom hasn’t been in the ring for 20 years.
They say some stuff, I really don’t care. I really cared less about QT’s diss track, if I’m being honest. Tony is on the stage, as he brings out The Undisputed Kingdom .
Strong says he has not slept a wink since Wednesday. It’s finally happening, he feels like a kid at Christmas. MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAXXXX! Is Roddy supposed to be ashamed of his childhood? He’s heard this all his life.
You may feel sorry for Roddy, but don’t, because Roddy feels bad for MJF. He has earned everything that he has, but Max has been spoon-fed everything that he wants. Roddy wants MJF to look in the mirror and think about what he has done to everyone, because when the bell rings on Saturday, he will pay for all of these sins.
He will have the best night of sleep knowing that he broke the back of MJF. We revisit the events of Saturday between Daniel Garcia, Matt Menard, and Matt Menard. I know that Menard is here, but I wonder if Garcia is still driving with Perry on the hood.
We get some footage after the fact. Perry is tied up in a chair, as Garcia throws water on Perry. All Garcia wants to do is wrestle, but the powers that be watch as Perry does whatever he wants.
Garcia says that he won’t go to the depths that Perry will. Perry spits on Garcia, so Danny grabs a tire iron. He feigns hitting Perry, but he smashes the headlight on the Scapegoat Bus instead.
Garcia walks off, as Menard follows him. Back to real time, as Renee has Chris Jericho and Tomohiro Ishii for the contract signing. But Jericho doesn’t just sign any paper put in front of him.
He is taking this paper to his legal beagles. He walks away, as Jericho stomps by a painting of himself on the wall. Ishii follows Jericho down the hallway.
Jericho pushes a garbage can in front of Ishii, then throws some people in front of him, as they continue a very slow-paced chase up the steps. Jericho and Ishii slowly walk through the concourse, and down the steps and into the ring. Jericho has the microphone.
He would sign the contract, but he doesn’t have a pen. Ishii pulls a pen out of his tights and gives it to Jericho. Jericho signs the contract, but it was a ruse, as Big Bill and Bryan Keith arrive to ambush Ishii.
Jericho has the pen, but Mark Briscoe and Rocky Romero are here to clean house of the Learning Tree. Jay Driller by Briscoe to Jericho. Sheer Drip Brainbuster by Ishii to Jericho! Ishii picks up the contract and pen and signs on the dotted line.
Our main event, former best friends in arms, will be up next after these...
COMMERCIALS!!! We’re back, as Renee has Jamie Hayter . What is her reaction to being cut off last week? Hayter is baffled as to why Julia Hart cut her off since she never wrestled her or ever talked to her. Well, looks like it is happening again, as we cut away to Hart in the middle of the forest with a bow and arrow.
I like how Brody King does the voiceovers for this, good stuff. Back to the arena, Orange Cassidy is here for the main event! Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta Yuta attacks before the bell with a dropkick in the corner.
Yuta whips Cassidy, he goes up and over to the apron and comes back into the ring. Backslide by Cassidy for a two count. Small package for a two count.
Yuta is mad, but Cassidy hits an arm drag. Yuta with the seat belt, but Cassidy kicks out at two. Reversals are exchanged, and Cassidy with the Slumdog Millionaire, as Yuta falls to the floor.
Tope by Cassidy to Yuta on the floor. Cassidy tries a suplex, but Yuta reverses it into a brain buster on the guard rail! Yuta removes the middle turnbuckle pad, and he stomps Cassidy’s face into the exposed steel. Cassidy tries to counter Yuta on the apron, but Yta with a DDT on the apron! PIP BREAK! Sorry y’all, main event thoughts have been canceled! And we’re back, as both men trade forearms in the middle of the ring.
Yuta decides to take a bite out of Cassidy’s uh...
Orange? Cassidy counters with a drop kick and PK. Cassidy with a brain buster, cover, two! Cassidy mounts Yuta and lands some punches. Cassidy looking for the Orange Punch, but Yuta catches him with a German Suplex.
Angle/Olympic Slam from Yuta. Yuta sits up Casidy, Arm and Hammer elbows, but Cassidy stomps it. He tries to break the fingers of Yuta, he hits the Soulfood and a Michinoku Driver for a two count! Cassidy tries another Orange Punch, but Yuta looks for a German Suplex.
Cut off by Cassidy, but Yuta catches him with a Tombstone Piledriver! Yuta can’t pin Cassidy as he goes back to the hammer elbows. Cattle Mutilation by Yuta, but Cassidy gets his foot on the rope. Yuta shoves Referee Bryce Remsberg and goes outside to get a chair.
He misses with a shot, and Cassidy catches him with a roll-up for the win! WINNER: Orange Cassidy TIME: 12:14 THOUGHTS: Good match between these guys, they know each other really well, so no surprise. RATING: ***1/2 Post-match, Yuta feigns shaking the hand of Cassidy, but here comes PAC with a big kick to the face of Cassidy. The rest of the Death Riders show up.
PAC tapes Cassidy’s arms so his hands are stuck in his pocket. LOL. Everyone kicks Cassidy around until Moxley knocks him out.
They pick Cassidy back up, but Cassidy fights back with the lazy kicks. But Moxley is very strong, and he knocks out Cassidy again. The group leave the ring and exit through the crowd, as the Conglomeration show up after the Death Riders leave.
O’Reilly cuts the tape to free Cassidy, as Orange gets to his feet and puts on the sunglasses. He puts the hands in the pockets, as they state each other down. And with that, we’re done for the night! 8.
0 The final score: review Very Good The 411 The go-home episode of Dynamite was filled with good in-ring action and video packages to progress the stories towards the matches at the PPV Saturday. Nothing that we got was bad, nothing that we got was going to push for MOTY candidacy, but it was an enjoyable 2+ hours of wrestling, and that's all you can really ask for. legend 0 - 0.
9 Torture 1 - 1.9 Extremely Horrendous 2 - 2.9 Very Bad 3 - 3.
9 Bad 4 - 4.9 Poor 5 - 5.9 Not So Good 6 - 6.
9 Average 7 - 7.9 Good 8 - 8.9 Very Good 9 - 9.
9 Amazing 10 Virtually Perfect.
