Acero’s AEW Dynamite Review 2.1.23

Welcome to February; the shortest month.

It’s Wednesday, you know what that means…

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Jon Moxley starts the show with…his father? Lol. Yes, that is Jon Moxley’s father, “Dan.” Wheeler Yuta is with them as well, and they make their way down the steps towards the ring.

Moxley’s dad looks kind of like a malnutritioned Jeffrey Jones.

As Hangman Adam Page makes his entrance, Moxley attacks him and sends him into the barricade a couple of times. Jon takes his shirt and chokes Hangman with it, then sends him over the barricade. Moxley hops onto the barricade and dices with an axe handle. Jon with a right hand. Page chops back. Right from Page. Another. Page sits Moxley on a chair and runs with a bot to the head. Page chases Jon further into the crowd and Jon chops him away then hooks the legs for a Figure Four on the floor! Page grabs a beer and tosses it in the face of Jon. He hits a right, and Jon makes his way back towards the ring. Jon grabs a chair, hits Page with it in the stomach, then traps the leg in it Jon to the apron. He wants to dive but the ref stops him. Page grabs the chair off his leg and just throws it into the face of Moxley on the apron. Page grabs the chair, sets it down, heads over to Moxley and suplexes him onto the chair! Page sends Jon into the ring, the ref calls for Page to enter, too. He does and….

Hangman Adam Page vs Jon Moxley

The match starts officially and Jon is split open over the eye. Headbutts from Page send Jon against the ropes. Whip to the ropes from Jon, and he dropkicks low. Jon wraps the leg for a Figure Four, but sits sideways and presses on the knee instead. We got a deathlock! Page gets to the ropes and breaks the hold. GERMAN FROM PAGE! He hits a right to the head. Chop in the corner! Moxley’s right eye vis covered in blood. He chops away a bit, but Page grabs him and hits a Fallaway Slam! Jon to the apron, Hangman springboards off the 2nd rope, but Jon hits a clothesline! Hangman rolls to the apron. Jon lifts him up, turns him and locks a sleeper in. Paghe rakes the eye, turns, Jon catches him, tries for a piledriver, Hangman counters, lifts up, Jon back down, tries for a piledriver again, Hangman with a possible Dead Eye, Jon drops back, fireman’s from Page! He tosses Jon into the post!

WE ARE BACK and hangman is hitting a freaking top rope Death Valley Driver! Geez. Cover! 1..2…NO!!! Kick from Page. Another, and he shouts for Jon to stay down. Another kick to the head. Jon sits back up, slaps Page, double middle finger. CUTTER from Moxley! Both men down. Ref starts the count. They are up at 5. They trade rights, Page with a chop, Jon with a chop, right back to the closed fist. Kik from Jon, another, a kick to the arm, another kick, duck under, sleeper from Jon! Backdrop suplex, but Moxley no-sells, grabs from behind and hits a Saito Suplex! Clothesline in the corner. He sitsPage down, underhooks and suplexes Page off the tiop rope! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Moxley locks the arm, elbows to the chest over and over, sleeper from behind, turns it into a Bulldog, but Page still on his knees. Moxley lets go, grabs the wrists, and stomps Page’s head in a bit! Moxley locks the head, tries for Death Rider, doesn’t get it, Page blocks, Jon rolls into an arm bar, Page with a toe on the rope!!! Ref coutns to 4 and Jon releases. He sends Page to the corner, rushes it, Page sends him over the top rope and he lands hard on the outside. Page to the top rope. Moonsault to Jon on the outside, Jon moves, Page lands on his feet, staggers back a bit, LARIAT FROM JON!!!! Jon clears the ringkeeper’s table, lifts up, but Hangman lifts first, releases, and they clothesline each other once, twice, pop up powerbomb from Page!!!!!! ONTO THE TABLE!!!! Page rolls to the inside!

Ref gets to 9! Jon rolls in! DEAD EYE TO MOXLEY!!! Cover for 1..2…NO!!!!! Page kicks the head, again, tries for a stomp, but Jon moves, HUGE LARIAT!!!! Page is out! Ref checks on him. Jon stands up first. Page on one knee. He stands and Jon attacks immediately. Elbow, one from Page, one from Moxley. They trade blows, with Page getting some boos. Page kicks the chin! Locks the leg, tries for an exploder, Jon blocks, so Page lifts up and hits a Small Package Driver! 1…2…..NO!!!! Page rolls to the apron. BUCKSHOOOOOOOOO—NO!!! Double underghook, Page reverses, flips Jon, TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING!!! Roll to the apron. BUCKSHOT LARIAT TO JON!!! Over for 1……2…….NO!!!

PAGE WITH THE BULLDOG!!!! Jon turns into the hold, on his knees, hook the head to counter! Jon pulls Page forward! Shoulders on the mat! This is a pin! 1…..2…..3!!!!

Winner: Jon Moxley
Whew! That was great. A little long when you include the pre-match beatdown. I thoroughly enjoyed the second half of the match. These guys can go, and it’s a good thing because it looks like they are not done.
Total Rating: ****
Match Time: 16:25

Page is seething! IN comes Claudio Castagnoli and Yuta to hold Page back. Page flips Moxley off, wants to keep fighting. Ref says it’s over. Crowd says let them fight. Page wants more. Jon lays on the mat, daring Hangman to attack. Claudio tries to keep the peace, sending Page out of the ring.

Darby and Joe video package that calls this third match “The Final Chapter.”

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Backstage, The Butcher, The Blade, and Bunny standby with Renee and Jamie Hayter.

Bunny tells Jamie she had a great win on Friday. She knows Jamie doesn’t back down from challenges, so here is one – Bunny v Jamie in an eliminator match. She’s free next week, so let’s go.

We then get video footage of Saraya and Toni Storm attacking Britt Baker.

They send her into a wall as we switch gears to The Acclaimed. They are in action against some jobbers, next.

The Acclaimed vs Aqua Fresh Boys

Scissor Me Timbers, Kick to the gut, The Arrival, tag to Max, Mic Drop. Cover for 1..2..3!!!

Winner: The Acclaimed
Splat
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: :52

The Acclaimed do not celebrate for long as the Echo the Dolphin music hits and out come The Gunns. They enter the ring, and want to talk about something serious. Last week, they said they wanted the titles. They want an answer now.

Max on the mic. He hits a few Yos. Bowens takes offense to their interruption and hits some catchphrases. Bowens wants to ask the people if they should get a shot at the titles. They say no.

They have spoken…NO.

Billy Gunn grabs a mic, says he’s done with this. It’s enough. It’s too much. These four go head and beat the shit out of each other. And he leaves…His kids tell him go ahead and do exactly what you did their entire childhood and turn his back on them.

Gunn smiles as his kids tell him to drown his sorrows in the bottom of a pill bottle. Gunn turns around, walks down the ramp, pissed. He enters the ring, gets in the face of his boys, grabs a mic, thinks they put their big boy pants on? They just made the biggest mistake of their life. They got what it takes? They got what Billy had? We’ll see next week. Tag Team Title shot.

Max seems a bit bothered, but The Gunns are all smiles.

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Jungle Boy is asked backstage what is next, and JB says he has done the tag team thing before. This year is not about that. This year, he will be champion again, but this time he will do it all by himself.

WE head back to the ring where Takeshita is making his entrance for some action, NEXT.

Konosuke Takeshita vs Brian Cage (w/ Prince Nana)

Cage with a lariat, but Takeshita blocks, hits the ropes, spinning uppercut. Cage to the apron. Takeshita with a BIG BOOT. He flies over the top rope and lands on Cage on the outside. Back to the apron, and Takeshita enters the ring. Cage grabs the boot. Kick from Takeshit, another, Cage catches him and powerbombs him into the ringpost! Cage enters the ring, big dropkick to the face. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Cage locks the head, Takeshita spins out, right hand to the face, Cage hits a right, back and forth. Back elbow from Takeshita, right hand, lockup from behind, but Cage drops some leobws, knee lift, Cage hits the ropes, Takeshita with a Blue Thunder Bomb!!! Cover for 1..2…NO!!!! Cage in the corner. Takeshita runs with a knee, Cage moves, Takeshita to the apron, high kick from Cage. He gets to the 2nd rope and dead lifts Takeshita with a suplex.

WE ARE BACK and Takeshita hits a jumping knee in the corner. He flies off the corner hard. Cage sends him into the ropes, and Takeshita flies off with a lariat. GERMAN to CAGE! Pin for 1..2…NO!!!! Takeshita in the corner, runs up for a knee, Cage atches him. BUCKLE BOMB!!! Fireman’s from Cage, spin, and Takeshita lands on his feet. LIGER BOMB! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Takeshita tries for a kick, Cage blocks, rolling elbow from Takeshita, Cage with a headbutt. SAITO SUPLEX FROM CAGE! Lariat!!! Cover for 1..2….NO!!! Cage calls for the end. Cage locks the head. Hooks, lifts up, Takeshita lands on his feet, Cage turns, BRAINBUSTER! Cage no-sells! Right hand, ANOTHER BRAINBUSTER!!! Cover!!! 1..2……NO!!!! Kick from Cage. Cage fireman’s. F-5! Cage grabs the head, drags Takeshita to the corner, sits him up top, Cage climbs.

Elbow from Takeshita, he locks the head and Takeshita hits a Superplex to Cage!! RUNNING KNEE FROM TAKESHITA!!!! Cover for 1..2…3!!!

Winner: Konosuke Takeshita
They gave both guys time here and we benefitted because of it. It’s impressive to know that both these guys are pretty damned big yet looked incredibly fluid here.
Total Rating: ***1/2
Match Time: 10:06

Backstage, Renee is with THE JAS. Jericho takes offense, tells Ricky that he didn’t lose to a baseball bat, he lost to the JAS. They have an idea on how Ricky can get his match. Sammy says they came up with the Garcia/Guevara Gauntlet. Daniel Garcia says first Ricky will have to beat Parker, then Menard, then Sammy or Daniel, then IF HE IS LUCKY, Ricky can face Jericho. Jericho tells Ricky he doesn’t call the shots, JAS does.

Bryan Danielson vs Timothy Thatcher

Timmy tries for wrist control. Bryan backs him into the ropes, and Timmy works the left arm, dropping Bryan down to the mat for the arm bar, but Bryan hooks the ropes with his legs. Tim corners Bryan, they go head to head. Uppercut to Bryan, another, a third. Bryan runs into another. Wrist control from Tim to Bryan, he places the fingers on the mat and knees the shoulder hard. Timmy with a wrist lock, Bryan sends him inot the roeps. Bryan hooks his fingers from behind. Right and lefts from Bryan, kick to the tigh, another, hooks the leg, Dragon Screw and Bryan holds on. He drives the knee down and turns Timmy to his belly. Bryan locks the arms from behind, drops back then gets a bow and arrow stretch! Timmy grabs the fingers and pulls apart the move. Stands up, stomps the wrist of Bryan hard. Timmy drives some knees into the arm, then gets sent into the corner .Chops from Bryan. Another. Kicks in the corner.

WE ARE BACK and Timmy has a hammer lock locked in. He tosses Bryan over his head, then covers for 1..2…NO!!! Timmy corners Bryan, double underhooks on the top rope, but Bryan fights back. He hits some rights, antoher, another,Headbutt sends Timmy down to the mat! He’s back uP! He climbs te corner and again Bryan goes on the offense. Another headbutt sends him doqwn. Bryan shakes off the pain. SHOTGUN DROPKICK OFF THE TOP ROPE! Thatrcher meets Bryan in the middle of the ring. Uppercut, kick from Bryan, uppercut from Timmy, kicks to the kneed Thatcher! One for the head is blocked! He goes for the Fuji, but Bryan rolls through, Thatcher holds the ropes, backslide from Bryan for 1..2.NO!!! Thatcher turns it into an arm bar but Br4yan slinks out and hits a kick to the head! Cover for 1..2…NO!!!! Bryan attacks from behind, Thatcher backs him into the ref. REF IS DOWN! Back suplex from Thatcher! Ref os dpwm. Here comes MJ!

MJF is wearing his ring, says it’s too damned easy. He gets to the ring, and outta nowhere Takeshita flies from ff camera to attack MJF!! He sends MJF into the barricade and chaes him up the rmap!

IN the ring, Thatcher grabs the arm and gets the arm bar in!!!! Bryan reaches for ropes while Timothy screams. Ref is up. Bryan reaches. He gets to the ropes with his boot!!! Thatcher holds on till 3. Thatcher with a suplex.

Bryan with a surprise German! Thatcher up, Bryan runs under the right, hits the knee!!! Cover for 1..2…3!!!!

Winner: Bryan Danielson
Thatcher, in my opinion, got a liiiiiitle too much offense, but still another great match on a great show so far.
Total Rating: ***3/4
Match Time: 13:44

BACKSTAGE, MJF an Takeshita are still fighting. MJF rags Takeshita towards a table tries to slam him in, Takeshita blocks, and sends MJF into it face first. Finally, some agents come to stop the fight. They hold the men back. Renee comes in with her mic, lol. Per Tony Khan, next week, Takeshita vs MJF in an eliminator match. MJF is pissed.

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Swerve Strickland gets a video package with him and his goons. He says he was retriggered, though, when Dustin Rhodes tried to take his spotlight. He says he wants to take on Brian Pillman then name drops his goons.

Still aint buyin it.

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We come back to MJF offering Rush a suitcase of money to beat Bryan next week.

Red Velvet vs Jade Cargill
Try as she might, Red just doesn’t get the win here. Jade nearly finishes her with a German off the ropes, then a cover for 1…2…NO!!!

BACK FROM THE BREAK AND VELVET WITH A LUNG BLOWER!! She hits the ropes, big boot fom Jade to the gut. Cover for 1..2..NO!!!

On the outside, Kiera sends Leila into the steps. A ref comes to send her to the back. Velet rolls Jade through, kick ot the head. Ref isn’t paying attention. She finally turns and Red gets a 1..2…NO!!!!! Velvet drags Jade to the center, locks the arm up and turns this into a submission. Jade looks to tap. She’s on hands and knees. Velvet kicks the arm away, leg around the neck, but Jade turns into it and dead lifts Velvet ot her shoulders. Velet slinsk through, tries for.

A Sunset Flip, but Jade grabs her by the neck, spins her in the air, JADED! Cover! 1..2….3!!!

Winner: Jade Cargill
Red has finally progressed as a performer, but this was a foregone conclusion. Good shit for both girls.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: Stopwatch Issues

Jade grabs her daughter from the crowd and walks to the back with a smile.

BACkSTAGE, Renee wants to talk to Britt. She says this is fine, and if that’s how the girls wanna play, then that’s fine.

In comes Ruby Soho and Britt tells them those are her girls. Britt says Ruby has known them a lot longer, so it’s weird how she just now showed up. But yeah, she’s good. Ruby takes leave.

No Disqualification TNT Championship Match
Samoa Joe vs Darby Allin

Darby comes out wearing a thumbtack filled jacket. He attacks Joe, but Joe is albe to thwart it and wrap a towel around his hand to continue the attack. He rips the jacket off of Darby then chops Darby to hell. Joe leaves the ring, grabs a table, and lifts it up, only for Darby to fly from the ring into the table to knock Joe dead in the face. The edge of the table appears to have sliced Joe’s forehead, as he is dripping. Darby grabs the steps, pulls them away from the ring. He whips Joe, Joe reverses and Darby flies over the steps, back hits the barricade, and he lands on his feet in the crowd! Joe follows. He hits some hard knees, sends him into the barricade in the crowd, walks Darby up the steps, continuing the beat down. Darby rakes the back, but Joe lifts him up and just dump him on the other side of a bannister onto the steps.

We are back, and both men are in the ring. Joe is still bleeding from a cut on the head. He covers hard for 1..2…NO!!! Joe kicks Darby then stomps him then lifts him up for a big forearm. Joe is all smiles as Darby drops to his knees. Joe cinches the head between his hands, pulling the neck. Darby stands up, backs Joe into the corner, right slap, another slap to the face, another slap to the face! Damn. Darby hits the corner, runs towards Joe, Joe catches and slams him down with an STO! Cover for 1..2….NO!!! Chop from Joe. Another chop. Joe sends Darby to the outside the hard way. Joe grabs another table from under the ring. He tells the crowd to move and sets the table leaning against the barricade. Joe rolls into the ring, grabs Darby, and pulls him up by the head. SLEEPER. JAWBREAKER from Darby. Joe in the corner, chop from Darby, another, another, another. Again. Joe tosses Darby over the top rope like a rag doll! He just chucked him! Darby stands in front of the leaned table. Joe grabs his head and pulls him back in the ring. Joe wit a brainbuster!

Joe grabs some chairs from under the ring and tosses them into the ring. Joe sets up one chair, another, sets them back to back. Joe lifts Darby, and drops him with aback suplex onto the chairs! Joe with the chairs face to face. He lifts for a powerbomb, Darby elbows, he’s got some powder!! Code Red!!! Darby with a over the top stunner! Darby grabs his jacket! He puts the hoodie back on as he climbs the corner. He ant get the sleeves on so he just Coffin Drops with the jacket on his back! Cover for 1..2…NO!!!! Darby rolls to the outside. He grabs a box-cutter from under the ring and cuts the ropes holding the ring mat down. He expresses some great urgency, cutting off the next side of the ring as well. Darby removes the mat, then the pad underneath, and we see the wood! Darby slides into the ring, removes the mat, exposes the wood. Joe is outside. Darby dives, flips over the top rope AND HE FLIES INTO THE TABLE!!!! Joe does his usual walk away. He grabs Darby, rolls him into the ring, grabs the hoodie with tacks. POWERBOMB ONTO THE TACS!!! Joe wraps the hoodie around Darby’s face! Darby with thumbs to the eyes!! Joe backs up. Joe cant see! Joe is still dripping blood, even after rinsing off. Darby with a chair.

He slaps Joe with it, again, Darby to the top rope! Joe is laid out on the wood. Joe shoves he ref into Darby! Joe to the top rope! He hooks the head. MUSCLE BUSTER ONTO THE WOOD!!! Cover! 1…2……3!!!

Winner: Samoa Joe
Makes you wonder why Darby took the title a few weeks ago, but only for a second because that was brutal in a great way. Joe’s laceration was likely a mistake, but it helped the match immensely.
Total Rating: ****
Match Time: 16:13

Joe’s celebration is cut short because the music of Wardlow is back! He’s sporting a new haircut and he runs down to attack Joe! Wardlow rips his jacket off, and his shirt, grabs Joe, locks the head, POWERBO—NO!! Joe rolls to the outside!

Wardlow looks to attack but security comes and in true Wardlow fashion, Wardlow handles them all with ease.

End Show

9.0

The final score: review Amazing

The 411

Good lord, what an episode! Tonight's episode was all about the matches. There really wasn't a bad one on the card, as even Jade's match served a purpose, as minimal as it was, and when compared to what those two girls did last time they were together, I saw immense growth. The opener with Mosley and Hangman was a great, the main event was great, Bryan was great, and even Cage and Takeshita was great! What a night full of good shit.