wrestling / TV Reports
Acero’s AEW Dynamite Review 12.30.20
Loading...Ed. Note: Hey all, Jeremy here. Hope you guys enjoy tonight’s Dynamite, and our best thoughts to you all amidst what has been a very rough week for for the professional wrestling community. After tonight’s show, Andy Perez and Blake Lovell will be hosting Dissecting Dynamite as they talk about the show and reflect on Brodie Lee’s life and career. You can check it out below right after Dynamite goes off the air:
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Hey guys. I posted this Monday, but the sentiment still rings true. I nearly wrote a column after I heard the news of Brodie Lee’s passing. I opened the laptop and typed out about a paragraph, and immediately, a sense of overwhelming grief hit me. I didn’t want to force a column out; I didn’t want to garner likes and adulation, and although I know that when tragedy strikes, I have a pretty powerful voice; I just couldn’t do it. Larry popped up in my head as the tributes poured in, and the parallels of both men stood up amongst them. “Great father,” “Amazing friend,” “Awesome worker,” all screamed Csonka just as much as they screamed Huber. I often times compare the locker room of a wrestling show to that of 411. We, writers, from different parts of the world, all meet for a time to walk out from Gorilla to have our own little five, ten, fifteen minute matches for you all to enjoy, hate, love, chastise, adore, etc. In this locker room, there’s names that you adore – some you abhor (hell, I’ve felt both ends of that), and some that simply stand above all others. Larry was our legend, our Huber, our Lee. I couldn’t wish a respectful rest in peace to Huber without doing the same once again to Larry. So this one is for them.
It’s Wednesday…you know what that means.
We are welcomed to the show by JR, and start with a 10-bell salute for Brodie. The entire roster is on the stage, his family in the center, and the bell rings.
We head to Moxley wearing a beanie backstage for the first of many testimonials, saying he has never had a hard time coming up with words, what more can be said that hasn’t been said? Guess that’s the easy part, since everyone has only had anything to say. Brodie liked to rile guys up in the locker room. He brought joy to the people around him. He has spent over a decade with Brodie from armories in bingo halls to packed arenas in stadiums. He loved being a dad, husband, and father above all else. This was just a job. He used to tell Jon all the time – it’s great, you’re going to love it. Not Moxley, says he, who says he likes doin what he wants. Lee would tell him he’d trade it all for his family. Jon says when he thinks of a man with a kid, this is exactly what pro-wrestling is. It’s a community. When the chips are down, they support each other. Everyone brought together by this one thing that we love. Tonight, we come together again to rage against the dying of the light to celebrate someone who, he hopes, inspires everyone to appreciate the people we love every single day, smell the roses, appreciate the sunrise. He knows he will. Every day is a gift. Special. Every day he spent with brodie, was all the more special. He loves him, and he will never forget him.
Match 1: Colt Cabana and The Young Bucks vs Matt Hardy and Private Party
Colt and Kassidy to start. Colt works the arm, Kassidy reverses it, sends Colt to the corner, Colt hops off and lands on his feet, then rolls up for 1..2..NO!!! Kasssidy hops over the head, Colt hits the ropes, stops, and grabs the head, then lifts up. Hard right hand to the face. Tag to Quen as Matt orders. Russian Leg Sweep and a tag to Matt, I think. Bucks double team and Quen is sent outside. Kassidy comes in, he gets dropped onto a knee, swinging neckbreaker from Matt. Matt enters the ring. Triple dropkick to Matt Hardy. Matt skins the cat and Nick flies over him onto the men outside. Colt to the apron. He springbords. Moonsault to everyone!
Nick sends Quen into the ring. He enters after. He rushes the corner, high kick to the face, another, a bulldog attempt, but matt is there to drop Nick down .Tag to Matt. He steps on the neck of Nick. Whip to the ropes, sleeper hold to Nick. Matt drops Nick after punching the back. He swings to knock down Colt, Nick misses a splash in the corner, Tag from Matt. Hardy goes for a Razor’s Edge, bu Matt come sin and assists with a dropkick to Hardy. In comes Quen off the tag, double dropkick, head scissors to Kassidy on the corner, The Bucks celebrate. Matt with right hands to Quen. Quen is able to get the upperhand after some action outside. He tags in Kassidy, who beats down Matt with some stomps.He tags in Matt, who hits some shoulders in the corner. Matt with a right hand. Whip to the ropes. Matt with a right hand. He underhooks and tags in Quen. Matt tries for a tag, but Quen hits a dropkick. Cover for 1..2…NO!!! Quen sends Matt into the boot of Kassidy. Tag to Kassidy. Whip to the roeps, and we get an inverted atomic drop and a kick to the back of the head. Kassidy with a back suplex to Matt. Cover for 1..2…NO!!!! Kassidy locks the head. Tag to Hardy. Hardy continues to coach outloud. He is on the 2nd rope. Dives off with an elbow to the arm. Cover for 1..2..NO!!!! Locks the head, whip to the corner, tag to Kassidy. Tag to Quen. Both men in. Clothesline from each. Hardy runs into a boot. Kick from Quen, tag to Hardy. Clothesline from Quen, from Kassidy, and another boot to Hardy. Matt with a surprise crossbody and a pin for 1..2..N!O!! Broken up by Kassidy. Hardy blocks, ducks a clothesline, kick from Matt. Twist of Fate from the older Young Buck! Tag to Colt, who comes in with the elbows to the crown of the head of Kassidy, of Quen. Colt goes fo ra tag, but Hardy is there to pull Nick down. Kassidy ducks a lariat, guillotine to Colt, backslide for 1..2..NO!!! Tag to Quen. Crossbody for 1..2…NO!!!! Hardy enters the ring, he grabs Colt and body slams him down. Quen to the top rope. Colt kicks Hardy into the ropes, and Quen tumbles. In comes Nick with a Superkick! He holds the fingers of Colt, runs up the corner, and head scissors Quen down then runs to the corner for the tag. Nick in with a clothesline. Another. He hits the roes, but Hardy is there to pull his leg out! Hardy sends Colt into the barricade then Matt right over onto Colt. Nick with a running kick to Hady. He hits a shoulder to Quen, X-Factor to Quen, moonsault to Hardy on the outside! He heads to the top, gets dropped. Twist of Fate from Hardy to Nick!!! Kassidy with a swanton! Quen is up top. Shooting Star Press! Cover for 1..2….NO!!! Colt in to stop the pin! Kassidy attacks Nick with right hands. Hardy has a chair on the apron. Quen seems apprehensive. He tries to talk Hardy out of it. Back elbow from Nick. Colt tags himself in. He runs, sends Hardy flying off the apron. Elbow to the forehead, sends Kassidy to the apron.
High kick to Colt. Kassidy hops up, Colt grabs him on the shoulders, Colt drops with the Chacago Skyline! Indytaker to Kassidy! Superman cover from Colt and cover for 1..2….3!!!
Winners: Colt Cabana and The Young Bucks
Sweet opener, lotta emotion and love from Colt. Good start.
Total Rating: *****
Match Time: 13:33
AS The Bucks and Colt celebrate, out come The Acclaimed. They look to talk some shit, but SCU ain’t having it. They run down and toss The Acclaimed into the ring to eat stereo superkick from The Young Bucks.
Match 2: Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, and Lance Archer vs Eddie Kingston, The Butcher and The Blade
Archer is dressed like Brodie, with jeans and a wife beater. I miss the irst few seconds of the match, but come back with Uno and Stu suplexing Archer. Grayson gets a tag, and stomps on Eddie in the corner. Grayson hits the ropes, Bunny trips him up, Blade there to try a cheap hot, but Eddie helps by dropping him down. Tag to to Blade who comes in and gets a powerslam to Grayson. Cover for 1..2….NO!!! Blade with a chop to the chest of Grayson. Another. Whip to the ropes, and Jake Roberts is there to trip Blade up. Evil Uno hangs him up. Bossman Slam ala Brodie from Grayson and we go to commercial.
WE are BACK, and Kingston has Uno hurtin. He asks for some aggression, so Uno chops him then slaps him. Eddie fires back. They go back and forth in the midle of the ring. Edde tries for a backfist, but No ducks. Again. Half Nelson suplex! Uno tags in Archer. Tag to Blade. Archer runs right through a chop and sends Butcher off the apron. Blade tries for some chops but Archer gives him a right hand, spins and hits a chokeslam! Archer with the GOZZLE!! Goes for another, Blade lands on his feet, kicks out of the corner, but Archer eats it and gets a right hand. Hard back elbow into the corner. Right hands to the back of the head. Archer to the top rope. He walks the ropes. MOONSAULT TO BLADE!!!!! Wow. Butcher enters. Kick from him. Kick from Archer. POUUUUNNNNCCCEEEEE!!! Tag from Grayson. He and Uno are in. They lfit Blade, Assisted suplex and a FROG SPLASH FROM ARCHER!!! COVER!! 1…2…NO!!!! Kingston in to stop. Archer gets sent outside. Tag to Eddie. Butcher drops Grayson onto Blade’s knee. Kingston with a DDT!
Archer grabs Blade off the corner, looking for Blackout. Kingston kocks him off, so Archer tags in Grayson and attacks Eddie on the outside.
Grayson runs towards the apron and hits a DDT TO BUTCHER!!! Uno has Blade! FATALITY! Pin for 1..2….3!!!!
Winners: Lance Archer, Stu Grayson, and Evil Uno
Total Rating: *****
Match Time: Stopwatch Issues
After the match, everyone attacks Kingston, and Jake Roberts hits a short arm clothesline.
A video package for Lee is next, with some personal photos focusing on his family.
MJF comes out with a bandana ala Santana and Ortiz, and Puerto Rican trunks. Hahaha. Awesome.
Silver and Reynolds stand face to face with Inner Circle. They pull papers out and throw them at Santana and Ortiz.
Match 3: Hangman Adam Page and Silver and Reynolds vs MJF, Santana, and Ortiz
MJF and Page to start. Before Page can even remove his jacket, he gets kicked. MJF hits the ropes. PAGE WITH THE PAPERS!!! MJF goes to Brodie’s son and SCREAMS AT HIS FACE!!! MJF enters the ring and tags in Santana. Silver gets the tag. He hits the ropes. Shoulder tackle! Silver hits the ropes, hops over Ortiz. Hard elbow. Tag to Reynolds who dives over and gets a sunset flip, spinning elbow, he rubs it up and drops an elbow onto Ortiz. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Reynolds to the corner, tag to Santana. Kick to the leg and Reynolds fals seated. Neckbreaker from Santana! He locks the head, hits a suplex, and holds on. Another suplex! Goes for the third, tafs in Ortiz, and they both hit it! Cover for 1..2…NO!!! Ortiz with a baseball kick to the back. Tag to MJF. He heads to the 2nd rope and boots the arm. Cover for 1…NO!!! Back into a tag from MJF. Ortiz rakes the back of Reynolds. Back body drop! Tag to Page! Page with a right hand to MJF. Whip to the corner by MJF. Elbow to Ortiz. Kick to MJF, clothesline to Ortiz. FALLAWAYS SLAM to MJF! He flies to the outside, back in and hits a clothesline in the center of the ring. Another! BUCKSHOT ATTEMPT! But no, MJF exits the ring. Santana and Ortiz into the ring, they hold up Page and MJF swings him down. Cover for 1..2….NO!!! MJF has Page in a suplex in the middle of the ring. He covers with a single finger for 1..2..NO!!
We are back and silver is sent off the apron. MJF with a body slam to Page. He heads to the corner and flips off Brodie’s kid then flies off the 2nd rope and eats a kick. Tag to Silver. He’s in! Clothelsine! Back body drop to MJF! Clotheslnie in the corner, splash to Santan in the other corner, bulldog toss INTO Ortiz!!! Silver whips Ortiz into the ropes, Ortiz sends Silver onto the apron, Silver kicks Ortiz off the corner, cannonball to Santana, Clotheslnie to MJF!! Sivler to the top! CROSSBODy!!! He hits the ropes, SITOUT POWERBOMB! Cover for 1..2….NO!!!! Santana in to send Sliver away, spin backwards into a cutter. Reynolds in. Stomp to Santana in the corner. SPINEBUSTER FROM ORTIZ!!! Elbow strike from MJF> Arm whip into the corner!!! He rushes the corner, Silver lifts MJF up, flies over and a Destroyer!!! Silver hits the ropes and SUICIDE DIVE TO SANTANA!!! MJF with a hangman! Heatseeker!!! Ortiz with a powerbomb! Superkick to Silver into a pin for 1..2…NO!!! Reynolds there to save!!
ERIC FUCKING ROWAN IS HERE!!!! HE CHASES WARDLOW UP THE RAMP!!!
In the ring, Reynolds hits a right to Ortiz, Silver hits one,
Silver with a spinning discus clothesline! Pin for 1..2….3!!!!
Winners: Silver, Reynolds, and Page
Total Rating: *****
Match Time: 12:09
*Sorry about that shitty ending there. Had some trouble. I’ll fix it in post.*
Silver just loses it in the middle of the ring, dropping to his knees and letting it all out. Rowan is back in. He has a sign, “Goodbye for now, my brother. See you down the road.”
Reynolds and Silver hug while Rowan hugs page.
Kingston gets a testimonial, talking about calling him Harry Potter, and him telling Kingston that he was rich. He wants to tell Brodie Jr that his father is not gone. As long as he is alive and remembers Lee, he is never gone. His father wasn’t just a warrior in the ring, but outside, too. He took care of his family. Many men don’t do that, but Lee did. He took care of his kids from day one.
Match 4: Tay Conti and Anna Jay vs Penelope Ford and Britt Baker
Lockup to start with Anna and Britt. Stalemate, headlock takedown from Anna. Leg scissors from Britt. She hooks the arms then spins it into a pin for 1. Side headlock from Anna, Britt reverses, works the arm, covers for 1…NO!!! Shoulder tackle from Jay. Runs the ropes, Britt misses an elbow, whips, misses a right, drops from a Sleeper! Tag to Ford. She runs into a Flatliner like move. Elbow to Ford and a tag to Tay. Clothesline in the corner from Jay, who whips into another clothesline. Ford slaps her, so Tay goes in with the rights. Kick to the back of the head. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Whip to the ropes. Tag to Britt. She holds the face of Tay, then brings Tay ot the center of the ring. Knee strikes to the face. She underhooks and a suplex to Tay. Britt kicks Tay out of the ring, then hops to the apron. She swings for a kick, but Tay catches, so Britt stomps her head onto the apron. Rebel drops Tay onto the apron and Ford drops some knees onto her. Cover for 1..2..NO!!!
We go PIP as Ford chokes Tay up on the rope. Whip to the corner to Tay and Ford hits a blow to the lower back. Cover for 1…NO!!! Ford drags Tay to the center of the ring. She kicks Tay in the face a few times but Tay rolls her up for 1..2.NO!!! Kick from Ford. Ford sends her into the corner Tag to Britt. Britt with a suplex in the center of the ring. She pulsl Tay back, cover for 1..2.NO!! Choke hold from behind.
We come back to Ford getting kicked in the face by Tay. They both go for pump kicks and both women land! Tay reaches for the tag, gets it! Ford reaches. Tags in Britt. Clothesline, another, a kick to the back of the leg of Britt. Flipping neckbreaker from Anna. She holds the hand up, then hits a splash in the corner. Jay rolls with a sliding kick to the head. Britt grabs the jaw of Anna. She hits a right hand, another, whip to the corner is reversed. Ford tags herself in. Britt sends Jay into the buckle and Ford flies off with a neckbreaker. Pin for 1..2…NO!!!
Ford hits the ropes, back flips…right into a SLEEPER HOLD!!!! Tay runs in to send Britt off the apron!!! She pulls Rebel of the apron!!! FORD TAPS!!!
Winners: Anna Jay and Tay Conti
Another one for Lee.
Total Rating: *****
Match Time: 9:39
Britt Baker demands Schiavone come down to the ring.
Jay and Tay leave and Tony enters the ring. Britt is upset. She has some words.
She says she is sick of the conspiracy around here. That whole match was rigged. Jay is rigged, Tay Conti’s rigged. The whole thing is kind of a…Big Rig….
Thunder Rosa runs down to the ring and attacks Britt! Rebel in to stop the barrage of fists. Refs come down to help.
Jericho has his testimonial speaking of facing Lee 27 times. He brings up Saudi Arabia, and he remembers pointing at a sticker on the ceiling. Lee says it’s the arrow pointing to Mecca, and Jericho was surprised. This sums up lee. Smart, intelligent, sarcastic, random trivia at any moment’s notice. One of the best performers that he has worked with. He helped bring Lee to AEW, and one of the small mercies was that the last 6 months, he proved what he knew he could be – a main event star. PPV headliner. Jericho has a dog, hates strangers, not the friendliest, but even she knew what a great person Jon Huber was. They’re going to miss Lee, they promise they’ll take care of his family.
Match 5: Team Taz vs Cody Rhodes, Orange Cassidy and 10
Cody and Hobbs to start. Lockup and a side headlock. Hobbs with a shoulder tackle with ease. Hobbs tags Starks, and he gets a drop toe hold for his troubles. Chop in the corner, but Cody reverses and gets one, they trade chops. Whip to the corner, Starkshops over, dropkick to Cody. Whip to Cody. Flying battering ram from Starks. Cody with a punch, drop, punch, and a tag to….nobody! Orange isn’t ready. Lol. Ten is in, reluctantly. He enters as Cody tries to wake Orange up. Ten with right hands to Starks. Starks with a side headlock, to the ropes, shoulder tackle. Hits the ropes, hops over Starks, under, Ten shoves Starks, wheelbarrorw and he uses the ropes to help with a GERMAN!!! Tag to Hobbs. Orange wants in. hahaha. He gets the tag.
Orange rolls under the bottom rope. He meets Hobbs in the middle of the ring. Hobbs wants the knuckle lock. Orange reaches up….waits…drops them in his pocket. Hobbs shoves Orange into the ropes. Orange with a VICUOUS SHOULDER TACKLE!!! Hobbs gives him one of his own, but Orange kips up. Kicks to the legs! THEY’RE THE HARDEST KICKS KNOWN TO MAN!!!!! He ducks under a clothesline, goes for the Orange Punch, swings with a headlock, but Hobbs has him n the shoulders, spins like a thousand times, then powerslams Orange down hard. Tg to Cage. He comes in and stomps Orange, then lifts him and hits some curls before tossing Orange backwards over his hea. Whip to Orange. Tag to Starks. He comes in and stomps the mid-section of Orange. Another stomp. Starks whips Orange into the ropes, til a whirl backbreaker! Cover for 1..2…NO!!!! Body slam to Orange. Starks holds the leg. He tags in Cage. Cake stomps a few times then grabs the head and locks it. He sends Orange into the corner. Uppercut. Cage with a delayed suplex to Orange. Cage tags in Starks. He wants to do his own delayed suplex. He lifts Orange, locks the head, lifts, holds onto Orange, but Orange floats out of it, holds the neck, and Starks gets to the ropes! Ref calls for the break. Cody gets a tag, powerslam to Starks. Cover for 1….2…NO!!!
Crowd chants for Ten! He gets the tag! He runs in, lifts Starks and curls him up! He knocks Cage off the apron. Kick to Hobbs, sending him flying! Ten grabs Starks, sends him into the ropes, misses a move, sent t othe ropes, Starks escapes. SPEAR!!! Cover for 1..2…NO!!! Saved by orange! Beach Br—NO!!! Starks lifts him up, spins him on the shoulders, SPINNING DDT FROM ORANGE!! Kip U!p! HOBBS TRUCKS HIM!! Cody is in. Elbow to Cody. Superkickto Hobbs. Superkick to Cage, but Cage catches and hits a knee. Flatliner to Cody! Locks the head, game—BIG BOOT FROM TEN!!! Short arm clothesline to the back of the head. Starks in, spinning DDT off the ropes! Cover for 1..2…NO!!! TEN chant.
Taz on the outside! He grabs a chair! ARN ANDERSON HAS A CHAIR!!! They smack the chairs on the mat.
Orange in the ring. ORANGE PUNCH TO STARKS!!! CROSS RHODES TO STARKS!!!! Ten. SPINEBUSTER!!!!! Cover! Ref runs into the ring. Cover for 1..2….3!!!!
Winners: Cody Rhodes, Orange Cassidy, Ten
Total Rating: *****
Match Time: 11:43
Ten, Orange, and Cody celebrate.
In comes Hobbs, Cage, and Starks! It’s Hook as well!! Powerbomb by Cage! Hobbs grabs Cody! Lights go out!!
They’re back on. IT’S DARBY!!!!
HE IS LIKE SUPER FAR. WEIRDO.
He’s takes his time walking down the steps.
THE LIGHTS GO OUT AGAIN!!
They are back on. IT’S STING!!
He comes out the same door as Darby, and I tell ya, I get the drama, but y’all, people are getting beat up in the ring! Lol.
Jericho: “Sting has the audacity to carry a baseball bat.”
Lol.
WE ARE BACK, and Cody Rhodes is in the middle of the ring. There’s a Brodie chant, and I hope Cody doesn’t think that’s for him.
Cody was looking for a quote the other day, something that would capture all of Lee. He came across a Samuel Johnson quote: you can judge a man’s character by how he treats somebody who can do him NO GOOD. Over the past week, we’ve heard all these stories of how positive Lee was. There has never been a wrestler in every company, locker room, management, and that’s why everyone is so affected. He was a beautiful man. He leaves behind a beautiful legacy, and Cody wants to introduce us to them. He introduces Brodie Lee Jr.
Lee Jr comes out to his dad’s music, hops in the ring like a fucking pro. They have Lee’s boots. They put them in the middle of the ring with a purple bandana. Lee Jr. stands over his dad’s boots. Tony Khan is in the ring with a title. He calls him the greatest TNT Champ they’ve ever had. He calls Brodie the TNT Champion for life and gives the title to Lee Jr. Cody, on one knee, puts the belt on his shoulder. Lee’s wife and Ten stand behind in the corner in tears.
Khan thanks us for being here to help honor one of wrestling’s greatest men, who has one of the greatest families. There’s no better way to end the show tonight than with this:
A tribute to Brodie Lee.
I have two minutes to tell you all this:
I’m seeing a lot of dissension on just how they are doing tonight’s show; namely what they should have or what we would have been ok with, how we would have booked or filmed, etc. I also saw a man do what I do and write with speculation on just how he died. What blows my mind isn’t the how and the why AEW is doing tonight, but the fact that they stopped EVERYTHING they had planned and let a kid create a card that was to his liking, while allowing everyone to be free with their tributes, their love, their tears, and their testimonials.
Yes, we are a cynical bunch, and I have spent a bulk of my “journalistic career” lambasting a product nearly every week, but tonight. Tonight, star ratings don’t matter, formatting, promos, going too far or not enough, heels being heels or not being heels, people in character or out of character, none of that matters.
Tonight, be a part of the community, not apart from the community.
These moments are never easy, but we RARELY look to each other’s usernames and wonder what happens once y’all leave 411. Tonight, I do. I hope every single one of you, no matter what you do in life, what your “real job” is, or even what my “real job” is, my hope is that you all live healthily, love your loved ones, and come back next week.
This is our corner of the world, our circle, and we lost a good one. HOW is irrelevant, and no REAL WRITER was even concerned about that notion. HOW they tribute him is irrelevant. HOW WE give tribute is also irrelevant. Simply that we do.
This is for everyone that we lost this year, from Lee to Csonka to the thousands from a virus we knew nothing about. To natural causes and car accidents, the elderly and newborns. As I stated before, a lot of us are just usernames, but I can’t help but feel a sense of familial pride every single week doing these reports. WE lost a good one this week, and we’ll lose more as time goes on, so don’t be afraid to show a little love to those you love.
See you next week.
End Show
