Acero’s AEW Dynamite Review 1.27.21

It’s Wednesday…you know what that means.

What a bunch of crock! I missed the entire opening match, with the show literally coming back on the minute Eddie pins Archer. I’ll try and fix it in post; but color me angry.

FINALLY, we are back, and it’s at the tail end of Jon Moxley’s promo. He claims Beach Break will be wild, and tells me not to blink. He’s teaming with Pac and Fenix to take on Omega and The Good Brothers.

We return to a Sting and Darby promo in some warehouse with broken windows. Sting takes offense to being called a hoodlum. He says that Darby is a hoodlum. Darby says it doesn’t matter if you play clean or dirty in the streets; it’s all about survival. He tosses his skateboard out the window, says he is a hoodlum – no different than Sting. Sting takes a bat to a few of the windows. He says he is a hoodlum.

Does he go get his board?

Match 2: MJF and Chris Jericho vs The Varsity Blondes
MJF grabs a mic and wants Griff to just quit before the match starts. Griff punches him in the forehead then mounts with some rights. MJF escapes the ring and shouts at Griff from outside. MJF gets back into the ring. Tag to Jericho. He comes in just as Pillman does. Brian comes out of the corner with a hard clothesline. He whips Jericho, this is reversed, and MJF kicks the back of Pullman. Drop toe hold to Jericho, who tags in MJF. MJF goes for the attack to the leg. Commerical break sends us to some ads.

We come back and Pillman gets a 1..2..NO!!! He grabs Jericho’s head, Jericho with a right hand. Chop from Brian, right hand from Jericho. Right fist to the head, Jericho hits the ropes, Pillman holds the ropes and Jericho tumbles over! Pillman hits the roeps. Diving dropkick to Jericho! Brian to the apron after sending Jericho into the ring. He springboards, but Judas Effect drops him hard!

Jericho with a Lionsault to really drive home that he can do the move, and a cover for 1.2…3!!!

Winner: Chris Jericho and MJF
lol. Oh Jericho.
Total Rating: *
Match Time: 7:52

After the match, Sammy and MJF have some words with one another.

So apparently, Shaq called Cody out earlier tonight. He said name time and day and he’ll be there. He calls Cody a little girl, then says he wants to get down in March. How bout that?

WE head to the ring and Tony Schiovone, who invites Cody to the ring. Tony asks for a response. Cody says he’d love to respond, but he’s a bit distracted. He is having a baby. Crowd gives him a Baby Daddy chant. He says in these moments, he defers to Arn Anderson, and just to let you know, he chewed Cody’s ass out for taking Avalon too lightly. Arn has been right since he was 20, and he knows he spoke to Tony about Revolution, and he’d like to let Arn speak.

Anderson says he deserved the ass-chewing. He will earn his money tonight, because he may contradict himself a couple of times. Facts: Cody is about to be a dad, and that is right on the forefront of his prefrontal lobe. It’s the most important thing of his life. But he wants to give Cody one way of thinking differently. June 29, 1985.

This was the day Dusty Rhodes was at the LA Forum to fight Tully for 30 minutes, fly cross-country, and get there in time to see the birth of Cody Rhodes. If Cody chooses March the 7th to jump in this revolutionary and incredible show, he should do it with his eyes wide open with no regrets. We got a lot of time between the delivery date and that show. It’s hard to capture the public’s eye to the level that he will with this particular match with Shaq. Shaq, for 19 years, he dominated his sport. He went out to t he court and proved his worth.Jade…he’s sure every time she walks into a aroom, she dominates as well. Facts are he has seen something the last two weeks, and it can’t be measured. He wants Cody to see something while he considers his future.

Arn invites Red Velvet out to the ring. Fire. See what he’s talking about? She’s got it. Cody’s got it.

Red gets some time with the camera, saying she is out here because she is fed up. Tired of getting attacked, of watching Brandi get disrespected by that coward. She is Red Velvet, and she is about to stir Jade’s bitch ass up.

Cody is shook.

Arn says this is what he was talking about. Looks like the ball is in the court of Jade and Shaquille.

Match 3: Ryan Nemeth vs Hangman Adam Page
Nemeth is his typical obnoxious self, and it’s beautiful. He shoots the leg, backs Page into the ropes. They break, and Ryan goes for an arm lock. Rope work and Ryan hits a tackle, but Page bounces off the ropes and hits one of his own. Leap frog attempt from Ryan, but Page lands on his feet and kicks him in the jaw. Chop in the corner. Another. Ryan gets one, so Page clocks him in the head. Stomps to Ryan in the corner. Page sends Ryan to the outside apron. Page hops off the corner and hits a clothesline, then flies ove the top rope onto Ryan. Nice.

Back inside, and Page pounds the corner, then rushes for an elbow. Ryan dodges and hits a dropkick. Cover for 1..NO!!! Ryan with an arm drag. MATT HARDY comes out to watch the match up close and personal. Ryan works the arm behind Page. He pulls back on the nostrils. Page with a chop. A right hand. Kick from Ryan. Knee from Ryan. Another knee against the ropes. He pulls the arm hard and kicks, but Page reveres the whip and ducks down. Ryan with aneckreaker. Cover for 1….NO!!! Whip from Ryan. Clothesline out the corner. Another. Whip to Ryan. Off the ropes, ducks a clothesline, hard spinebuster from Page. Clothesline in the corner. Running clothesline and a cover for 1…2.NO!!!! DDT TO PAGE! Cover for 1….NO!!!! Ryan rushes the corner, Page elbows out, then kicks out, misses a clothesline, GERMAN but Page lands on his feet!

Rolling punch to the face! Page sends Ryan to the ropes. Clothesline. Page to the apron. Buckshot! Cover for 1..2…3!!!!

Winner: Hangman Adam Page
I’ve got a soft spot for Ryan Nemeth, as for a while, he was an amazing heel of Cali. Like people HATED HIM! Seeing him spit gum in the face of one of my best friends was a sight to behold. Anyway, this match allowed him to show off (get it) his skills while still giving Page a win.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 5:30

Tony runs to the ring to see what’s going on, because Matt was about to leave, but Page asked for him to come back. Matt says he was out here to let Page know that he supports him. He’s been watching Page the last few months, and he’s been concerned. Page has seemed lost and conflicted. He was with him at Stadium Stampede, and he knows how much love he had for Omega and The Bucks He sees the conflict. Matt doesn’t want anything. Page is a good person and deserves to be happy. He invites Matt to his huge dressing room with plenty of space.

Tony thinks he should take Matt up on that.

Match 4: Jungle Boy vs Dax Hardwood
Sick. Arguably, the best wrestlers of their respective teams, so I’m looking forward to this. Cash and Tully are handcuffed to Luchasaurus.

LOCKUP!!!! Dax muscles Boy into the corner, and the ref breaks the hold. Dax talks some shit, and Jungle Boy isn’t one to back down. They split up, and go right back to the lockup. Side headlock from Dax. Arm drag to Dax, and Dax is shocked. Another lockup into a nelson lock to Jungle, who escapes, but gets aside headlock token down. Dax has the head to his side on the mat, Jungle Boy rolls into a pin for 1..NO! Jungle Boy hits the ropes and Dax takes him down hard with a tackle. Shoulder tackle, Dax slides under, dropkick from Jungle Boy. He shoots the legs, turns Dax over, tries to lock the legs, but Dax gets to the ropes. Tully and Cash reach out but Lucha is there to prevent anything. Tully yells for Dax to watch out, but Jungle Boy is there to send him back into the ring. Kick from Dax. Chop across the chest. Uppercut in the corner. Chop to Dax. Another. Another. Dax sends Jungle into the corner. Chop. Jungle Boy chops out of the corner, sending Dax into his own. Dax grabs the trunks and hits a hard knee to the lower abdomen. Whip to the corner Jungle hops over, hard shoulder tackle, rope work, Dax grabs him, sends him into the corner, goes for a shoulder, but Jungle Boy side steps! Dax reaches for a tag, but there isn’t one to be had. Kick to the shoulder. Jungle Boy works the left arm, pulling it behind Dax. Dax stands, Jungle Boy twists the arm, but Dax hits a hard uppercut to break it all. Dax favors his arm. Right hand to Jungle Boy. Side headlock, but Jungle Boy with a Saito Suplex! Clothesline to Dax, sending him to the outside. He goes for a baseball slide, but Dax just shoves him hard, into the barricade.

Back from break, and Jungle Boy hits a hard elbow, misses a right hand, gets sent to the corner. Kick out the corner, Dax catches it, so Jungle hits a back elbow, then a front elbow! Jungle Boy to the top rope back first. Dax is up. He attacks the back, chops it, climbs up, locks the hips, back suplex to Jungle Boy from the top rope! Cover for 1..2…NO!!! Dax with a kick to the side of the face. Another. A third. Jungle Boy stands! He’s taking the hits! Slap to the face, Dax fires back. Forearms from Jungle! Chops! Uppercut! Superkick attempt, Dax catches, hits a right, pulls up for a powerbomb, but Jungle esapes, Dax goes for a German, Jungle Boy lands on his feet. Superkick! Dax misses a clothesline, tries again, and gets this one!!! Jungle Boy reveres a move, gets a rana into a pin, gets 1..2.NO!!!! Dax underhooks Jungle Boy, bounces him off the ropes, powerbomb! Cover for 1..2…NO!!! Dax lifts Jungle Boy up and hooks the arms from behind, looking for a nelson, but Jungle drops his hips and escapes. Backstabber to Dax! GERMAN!!! HE HOLDS ON!!! ANOTHER!!!! Dax blocks a third with the ropes, then hits an elbow. He shoves Jungle Boy into the ropes, but Jungle Boy comes back with a clothesline! Suplex attempt, Dax lands on his feet, misses a right, Jungle Boy misses a right, Dax fakes a right hand, but hits a DDT instead! Cover for 1..2..NO!!

Dax grabs Jungle Boy, sits him on the top rope. Jungle Boy with a chop, a side hit. Headbutt sends Dax down. Jungle Boy dives with a crossbody, but Dax rolls through, cover for 1..2.NO!!! Jungle Boy rolls through for 1..2..NO!!!! They get a nother back and forth pin. Crucifix pin for 1..2..NO!!! Hardwood rolls forward for 1..2.NO!!!! Jackknife cover for 1..2..NO!!! Jungle Boy bridges up, locks the arms for a backslide, Dax escapes, kicks, o connor roll, 1..2…NO!!! Jungle Boy rolls up for 1..2..NO!!!

SNARE TRAP FROM JUNGLE BOY!!! Tully and Cash reach for help. Jungle Boy hooks the head. Dax taps!!

Winner: Jungle Boy
It’s hard to get mad at the sole thing I was bothered about when it was surrounded by a good match, but the whole pin back and forth was just a biiiiit extra. Dax is someone I’ve loved since WWE, and him in singles action got me really hyped. Jungle Boy is someone who has had to work hard to win me over, but try and fight as much as I might, he may have just done it…
Total Rating: 14:49
Match Time: ****

Tully has powder! He sends it into Lucha’s eyes! Cash sends Lucha into the ringpost! The cuffs are off! Cash runs into the ring. Tully has Jungle Boy’s legs!! Cash lifts Jungle Boy, with Tully, and they slingshot Jungle Boy into a suplex. Lucha crawls into the ring and FTR and Tully hit a Spike Piledriver to Lucha.

Dax and Cash handcuff Lucha to the top rope. Tully has a pair of scissors. They cut off the horns of Lucha!!! They cut the horns off the mask!!!!

They then go to Jungle Boy. They’re going to cut his hair!!!! Out comes Marko! He has a chair. SCU and Top Flight join them to stop FTR. They clear the ring.

Team Taz have some words. Ricky and Brian are ready to destroy them at Revolution.

We see some people selling All Elite gear. Tazz’s son beats the merch guy down with will Hobbs, which is just not kind. Cage has one of the guys, and lawn darts him into the truck while Ricky Starks body slams another guy into a table. Tazz says Starks and Cage are going to beat some ass.

Eh, not really a fan of when Hurt Business does this, and I don’t feel like this was any different, to be honest.

Match 5: Britt Baker vs Shanna
Lockup and Britt woks the left arm, twisting it behind Shanna. Shanna spins out of it, reverses, and Britt takes her down with a choke, but it’s shortlived as Shanna grabs the arm and twists. Britt clocks the mid section, stands, works the arm, Shanna flips out of it, hits adrop toe hold, and gloats a bit. Lockup and Britt backs her into the corner. Hard right in the corenr after the break. Britt with an arm drag, rolls through, works the hammer lock and a chon lock. Shanna rolls out, stands, turns into the hold, flips Britt down, arm drag to Britt, another. Step Up Enziguri to the back of the head of Britt! Shanna hits the ropes, dives for a dropkick, but Rebel puls Britt out the way and Shanna eats the mat on the outside. Shanna is disrtracted, and Britt gives her a hard forearm to the back of the neck. Britt sends her into th barricade, then to the apron. Britt rushes. SLINGBLADE! Kick to the face. Britt rolls into the ring.

We ae back and Shanna misses a right, but gets a kick, then sends Britt down to the back of her head twice. She hits the ropes, hits a…something to the forehead. Pin for 1..2..NO!!! Double underhook to Britt. Britt escsapes, kicks the knee, locks the head, rolls Shanna down, then gets a sick ass crucifix pin for 1..2.N!O!! Kick to the face! Neckbreaker from Britt! Cover for 1…2..NO!!! Britt calls for her pink glove – which is a nice touch. She goes for her submission, but Shanna rolls her up! CUTTER from Shanna! Shanna hits the ropes, dives with a dropkick to Britt and the bottom rock!

Shanna wants the Tiger Suplex, Rebel on the apron, Britt drops her, transitions, and she stares straight at the camera before locking in the Lockjaw! Shanna taps.

Winner: Britt Baker
Britt continues to really just grow as a performer. Shanna, with all her energy and ferocity, still has some kinks to work out with timing and speed. Still, this wasn’t her time to shine.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 8:45

Britt gabs the arms of Shanna, pulls back, then kicks Shanna’s head in. She locks in the Lockjaw again until the music of Thunder Rosa hits, and out comes Rosa! She chases Britt into the crowd!

Backstage, MJF is looking for Sammy. He finds him and says he did not tell Wardlow to get involved, and he docked his pay this week. Wardlow will never get involved with his matches again.

Sammy says MJF has everyone else fooled, he’s a great manipulator, congrats, but Sammy knows what he’s up to. MJF asks Sammy if he is sure he wants to play it this way. Sammy says he is not playing. MJF leaves.

DASHA is backstage with Gallows, Anderson, and The Young Bucks. It’s been a long time, she says. Anderson and Gallows talk about beating up Jon Moxley, and I am sorely reminded of how little I enjoyed these guys on the mic.

Omega comes into the little reunion, and Don is with them, too. He says Bucks assaulted him, to which they say they did not. The Buck’s music hits, and they gotta go.

Match 6: The Young Bucks and The Good Brothers vs The Dark Order
Evil Un and Anderson to start. Karl works the arm, Uno reverses. Side headlock. Rope work. Tackle to Anderson. Manhattan Drop to Anderson, roll up for 1..2..NO!!! Stomp to the hand from Uno. He tags in Silver. Anderson backs up. Silver wants Gallows. Gallows laughs him off as Silver flexes. Gallows holds his hand in the air and raises it, teasing Silver. Sivler goes head to chest. Gallows tells him to relax, then drops down to one knee. Silver with a forearm, over and over, Silver hits the ropes, kick from Anderson! Silver thinks it’s Nick! He clocks Nick in the face. Tag to Matt who comes in to beat down on the back of Silver then a right ot the face. Another. Whip to the roeps, Silver holds on, tag to Reynolds, He flies over the top rope, trying to rollup Matt, but lets go, hits a back elbow, dropkick to Matt. Reynolds kips up. Reynolds beats Matt down against the ropes, tag from Nick. Double team with an arm drag to Reynolds, then dropkicks! In come Uno, and he gets stereo dropkicks .Running knee to Reynolds and a bulldog INTO a dropkick from Matt. Nick sends Reynolds into the corner. Tag to Anderson. Tag to Gallows. They take care of the apron, as Matt hits an uppercut to Reynolds. Clothesline from Nick. Running kick from Anderson, and a huge clothesline from Gallows. TOO SWEET!

Gallows grabs Reynolds and sends him into the corenr .Tag to Matt. He grabs the head, Reynolds fights back, hits the ropes, but Anderson is there to pull out the leg. Matt hits the ropes and Uno pulls the legs out from underneath him! Reynolds kicks matt away, tag to Grayson, springboard crossbody. Dropkick to Gallows. He drops Matt, Nick in to try for a kick, but Grayson blocks it and hits a half-nelson suplex. Anderson into the ring, Grayson springboards with a dropkick and slams Anderson down with an Uranage. Stu to the top, dives. FROG SPLASH! Cover for 1..2…NO!!!!

We return to Grayson getting a tag to Silver. He clotheslines Nick. Again. Back body drop to Nick! Whip to Nick. He sends Silver over the top rope. Elbow to Silver. He high kicks Nick, runs outside, sends Gallows off, runs back int othe ring, kicks, kick again, locks the head, deadlifts suplex and a cover for 1..2..NO!!! Tag to Uno, who runs in and lifts Nick onto the shoulders, Nick floats off, kicks, Uno grabs, swings the boot to Knox, hits a neckbreaker. Uno runs up top. Senton, but Nick moves! Tag to Matt, elbow, slides into the ring, Grayson is here, he grabs Uno and Grayson. Northern Lights. In come Reynolds. Clothesline to him and Silver! Hard clothesline to Silver, one to Reynolds, Silver avoids a second, high kick, sends it into a right, Enziguri from Silver, Stunner from Reynolds, Suplex from Silver! Uno to the top rope! FATALITY!!! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Good Brothers come in to send them outside. Nick in. Superkick to Uno and Grayson! Nick runs up the corner, flies off wih a flip onto Dark Order! Anderson and Nick look to powerbomb Reynolds and Silver! They do! Gallows hits one on Uno!!!

SUPERKICK FROM EVERYONE TO GRAYSON!!! Matt with a cover for 1..2..NO!!! ! Uno in! Magic Killer to Uno!!! Meltzer Driver to Grayson! Cover for 1..2….3!!!

Winners: The Good Brothers and The Young Bucks
While I can totally appreciate the intrigue of The Young Bucks and The Good Brothers working together, I can’t help but feel it’s a bit self-serving, especially with the end promo that kind of hammered this sentiment home. I think the main reason why I feel this way is beause we still have no idea how we are supposed to feel about The Young Bucks. It seems like any time they try and gain sympathy for them, their attitude and personality eliminate any and all goodwill. Take this match, for instance, which had moments where Anderson really made The Bucks out to be heels. This would be much more effective if we didn’t see them Superkicking Marvez and throwing money at people not so long ago. So they look like they’re trying to do right, then at the end, they basically admit to being inserted into a match that doesn’t need them in it, and offering a fight against two people who are NOT in the company they help run. OK, I’ve spoken too much about it, but suffice to say, the match was tons of fun, and Dark Order continues to outshine during stories and moments that don’t particularly involve them.
Total Rating: ***
Match Time: 11:44

Matt on the mic. He says next week, at Beach Break, whoever wins the tag team battle royal will get a shot at the tag team titles at Revolution. The Young Bucks have been inserted into that match, which means if they win, they get to handpick whoever they want to wrestle at the PPV. Think about it; it can be…anybody.

Matt turns to Anderson and Gallows. They hold up Too Sweet in the air.

OUT COMES REY FENIX!!! Springboard dropkick to Matt and Nick! Gallows and Anderson attack!!!

Magic Ki—NO!!! Fenix escapes! Moxley is there to send Gallows to the outside!!!! HOLY SHIT FENIX FLIES OVER THE TOP ROPE ONTO THE GOOD BROTHERS AND LANDS ON THE BARRICADE LIKE. FUCKING G!!!!!

Omega runs into the ring, but Moxley is there to drop his ass and knock him out cold.

End Show

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

I wish I could tell you that AEW started off hot, but due to streaming issues all over the place, including TNT, I was unable to catch the opener. Let's just assume it was balls to the wall action. Tonight was a definite return to form, with action and story being the focal point and giving us a hell of a lot of fun within the two hour time frame. We had a banger between Dax and Jungle Boy that exceeded my own personal expectations. I've loved Dax for years, and seeing him get a shot at some singles fun was a joy. If you dig into the archives, you'll see that my love for Jungle Boy is something to be tested and questioned, as I have not been on board fully since the offset. But I'll be damned if he isn't winning me over. The Dark Order is another group who has come into their own more and more as individuals, making you really want to root for them. I've explained a bit too much why The Young Bucks as champs just aren't working for me right now above, and I've - admittedly - never been a fan of Gallows or Anderson (But I also know nothing of them outside of the WWE), so the main, as fun as it was, felt self-serving. Aside from that, we had Britt continuing to blossom, Matt Hardy add a little more to his sleazy agent personality, and a burgeoning Sammy Guevara who may very well be on the verge of breaking out. I think, aside from The Bucks, the only other segment that bothered me was the Taz and Co segment. Any time a non-wrestler worker is attached or berated, it does absolutely nothing for me except for question the HR department of the company I am watching. Every single time The Hurt Business bullies someone backstage on RAW, its eye-roll inducing. Tonight was no different, even if it is cool to see Cage lawn dart someone into a truck. Simple fact is, segments like these lead to more questions than answers. Like why put a merch table there? Who do these guys work for? What does them bullying some AEW employees prove? How is this consistent with their characters, and why does Taz say "first name basis," then say full names immediately after? Just not my cup of tea. Other than that, a fun show that grew with excitement rather than being a non-stop ride.