wrestling / TV Reports
Acero’s AEW Dynamite Review 3.24.21
Loading...Holy hell! After months of being accused of being on Tony Khan’s payroll, y’all – after one week – take to the streets for my head for simply underrating a show. While I’d love to take the time to defend myself to each and every one of you, I will, instead, ask that you sincerely stop comparing me to Larry. Honestly, just keep his name out your mouth. I will never be him; I have no desire to be him; he was a friend, a colleague, and an inspiration. He is the reason you’re here, and if I am the reason you’ll leave, then good riddance.
Man.
Now then, back to another lovely “at least a 7” episode of AEW!
It’s Wednesday…you know what that means.
AEW starts with a BOOM!
In typical AEW fashion, we’re starting strong with Kenny Omega’s super over-the-top introduction, adding some accolades such as beating Jon Moxley numerous times, and having beat Sydal in the past already. Nice touches.
Match 1: Kenny Omega vs Matt Sydal
Lockup to start! Side headlock from Omega. Sydal turns into it, gets his own side headlock. Snapmare from Omega, Sydal with a headlock and a toss, hits the ropes, back elbow from Omega. Omega comes off the ropes with an elbow. Cover for 1..2.NO!!! Omega chops, then looks for a body slam, but Matt with an arm drag, hits the ropes, hurricanrana, misses a kick as Omega backs up and out of the ring. Sydal celebrates the near hit. Omega onto the apron. Back in for a knuckle lock, and Omega kicks Sydal down, then hits a hard shoulder tackle, not letting go of the lock. Another. Stomp from Omega to the chest. Another. He twists the wrist, lifts Sydal, Sydal floats over, kick to the thigh, chest, thigh, right from Omega, Sydal twists out of it, trips Omega up, flips pretty and lands with an elbow type drop. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Sydal runs with a knee into the corner where Omega is sat. Sydal to the top rope. Right hand from Omega. Chop. He looks to toss Sydal off the top rope, but Sydal floats into a hurricanrana. CLOTHESLINE FROM OMEGA!!!
Omega lifts and drops Sydal with a back suplex. Roll to the outside, Omega grabs Sydal and hits another back suplex onto the apron. Back in th ring, and Omega hits a back breaker. He clubs the back of Sydal, literally chopping the back of his head at one point. Omega tries for a powerbomb, but Sydal with a high kick, and another spinning heel! Sydal rushes the corner, boot up from Omega, head scissors from the mat up high! Sydal with a brainbuster and a pin for 1..2…NO!!! Sydal sits Omega on the corner. Tries for a hurricanrana, but Omega slips underneath and drops Sydal ONTO THE ROPES, CAUSING HIM TO FLIP ONTO THE MAT. Nice. SNAP DRAGON! Omega is hyped, he hits the ropes, Sydal rolls Omega up and stacks him for a 1..2…NO!!!! Damn near got a pin!!! Roundhosue kick to Omega!! Spiral by Sydal! Cover! 1..2….NO!!! Sydal to the top rope. Omega turns. Knees from Sydal, but Omega catches him! Buckle Bomb!!! Omega lifts up. Powerbomb! Running knee strike!!! Cover for 1..2…NO!!! Omega up. V-Trigger!! He sits Sydal on the shoulders, but Sydal with a hurricanrana!!!! Sydal to the top rope! Omega hits the ropes, Sydal gets crotched. Omega rushes the corner, and hits a HIGH RUNNING KNEE to Sydal!1!
On the shoulders of Omega, but Sydal bounces off the ropes, rolls through, 1..2…….NO!!!!! ANOTHER RUNNING KNEE FROM OMEGA!! 1..2…NO!!!! One-Winged Angel! Pin for 1..2…..3!!!
Winner: Kenny Omega
I’m, unfortunately, conditioned to assume that Sydal shouldn’t have gotten that much offense in on Omega, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy this match. I will admit that the “close falls” were a little “too close” for my liking, but I enjoyed the opener, and Callis on commentary was so annoying in the best way.
Total Rating: ***1/2
Match Time:11:20
Backstage, Silver and Dark Order are talking to Marvez about being ready. They’re going to show us how ready he is. Silver dodges some coffin drops to show how ready he is. Nice. Silver turns towards Page, who asks if he is nervous. He’s not nervous; he’s hungry. Page tells Silver DO will be proud either way.
Match 2: Hangman Adam Page vs Cezar Bononi
Lockup and Page is shoved down hard. Page chops Cezar away, tries to whip, gets stopped, flies over off the corner, hits the ropes, slides under, kick to the face. Cezar is pissed. He hits the ropes, Page holds the ropes, and he tumlbes outside. Page flies, Cezar catches and drops him hard onto the apron.
Back in the ring, Page hits a rolling elbow, then lifts Cezar, but cant get him all the way up. Cezar reverses and tosses Page across the ring with some immense strength. Cezar misses a clothesine. Page hits one, another, can’t get him down.
Hits the ropes and goes for a third, Cezar blocks, Page blocks his own, sends Cezar down, heads to the apron, Buckshot! Pin for 1..2…3!!
Winner: Hangman Adam Page
I guess it’s kinda weird to see a squash match immediately after seeing Sydal get ten minutes, but it’s also incredibly impressive to see Page do things like beat Cezar with ease and hard to not enjoy it.
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: 2:12
Archer gets a small promo on Sting, holding his bat.
Afterwards, we get a video package of last week’s main event, complete with Thunder Rosa’s promo after her win.
Tony gets promo time live with Britt. She is upset because she gets a horrible welcome. She went through hell last week. We are all dumb and delusional. She grabs the mic from Tony and says Rosa should be thanking her daily. She will forever be remembered now. She got to be a part of the history that Britt wrote with her own blood. Then she had the audacity to stand here in her company and say that she put the women on the map. Then why is everyone talking about her? She doesn’t need the praise and adoration of legends or experts telling her she’s worthy or a star now. She thanks Mick Foley for the thumbs up, but it took him twenty years to become a hardcore legend, and it took her one night. Britt says Khan is looking for every has been, when he has the biggest legend standing here in front of his nose. She says AEW come second to the most epic three in all of professional wrestling, DMD.
BACKSTAGE, Christian is with the Varsity Blondes until Kaz comes up to say hello to an old friend. He is taking offense to the shirt Christian is wearing. He’s wondering when the work part begins. Christian wonders if Frankie is turning into Cranky Frankie. Wanna know when the work starts? Starts next week. And if Frankie is free, we can dance. Kaz accepts. Can’t wait. Kaz then wonders if Christian is busy on Monday nights. Because Kaz has a match on Monday night, and Christian should check it out.
Match 3: FTR and Shawn Spears vs Varsity Blondes and Dante Martin
Griff and Spears ot start. Lockup and Spears is sent into the heel corner. He smiles it off. Spears takes Griff down by the arm, working the left wrist and twisting. Griff rolls out, kips up, reverses, tags in Pillman, who drops an axe. He works the left arm, tags in Martin who stomps the same wrist, then works it and tags Pillman again. He goes for the arm lock, but Spears backs into the ropes, tags in Dax, and Dax clotheslnies the hell out of Pillman. Elbow drop, another, chop to the chest on the mat. Dax sends Pillman into the corner. Another chop. Right hand. Tag to Spears. Double team and Pilman fights out with rights and chop, but there’s a whip. Kick to Spears, kick to Dax, Dante with a blind tag, springboard moonsault to Spears and Dax!!! Tag from Griff, he hits the ropes, Spear to Spears and Dax! All heels to the outside. The faces hit the ropes, they look to do triple suicide dives, but Wardlow stands in front of everyone, and this freezes the babyfaces.
We are back and Pinnacle triple team Dante, ending with a C4 from Spears to Dante. Pin for 1..2…3!!!
Winners: Pinnacle
Well, about half of this was a picture in picture, and I spent most of that time grabbing a Truly from my fridge. Not much to rate other than before the match. Everything Dax did was great.
Total Rating: *
Match Time: 6:19
After the match, Wardlow drops Pillman off the top rope onto his knee. It looks kinda sloppy, to be honest. Wardlow tosses Pillman over the ropes to his group as MJF smiles big. Tony enters the ring, seemingly for an interview.
Cash grabs the mic. He says The Pinnacle is not just a name or a group; it’s family. He doesn’t have a wife and kid waiting for him at home, but he has them. He will live and die for every single one of them.
Dax tells Tony to hold the mic. He says Santana and Ortiz have got a lot of guys fooled. There ain’t a grain of salt in their body. This isn’t SNL, not a rom-com, this is professional wrestling, and if they wanna find where they stand in the world of professional wrestling, you come to AEW and ask for The Pinnacle.
MJF has a message for Jericho. He figured he’d come here and break the walls down, but instead he’s breaking whatever chair he decides to sit on. He challenges Inner Circle to come out right now. Silly MJF, he can’t come out, because they are terrified.
Tony brings up that they are injured.
MJF gets in the face of Tony, wonders if there is something he wants to say, but Wardlow is there with a hand on his shoulders to shut him up.
MJF has a gift next week – it’s for all the future gold they will hold. When you’re in The Pinnacle, you are always on top.
TEAM TAZ is backstage, and they’ve got a message. Taz knows there’s a lot of conspiracy theories out there, but there are no problems in his team. Brian Cage apologized to the whole group for praising Sting.
Cage looks confused.
Cage also apologized to Starks for singing him out. Is Hobbs good? Yup. Starks? Yes. Starks smiles, but it’s one of those, “Imma kill him” smiles. Taz asks cage if he’s good, and Cage says: “Who betta?”
TONY is at the stage, talking to QT. He is frustrated. He’s Cody’s friend, right? QT sees his wife in the stands, smiling as her husband is living his dream. Cody taught him the value of doing the work. But there isn’t someone who has done more actual work than QT. Ok, sure, we’ve seen him on tv, but what about what you don’t see? How he cuts Cody’s t-shirts, helps Cody prepare, but tonight Cody will head to the Marriot with his wife, while QT’s wife goes to bed alone. He’s realized he doesn’t want to be at the top with a footnote that reads, “Cody’s friend.”
He is out here right now, suggesting that next week, he faces Cody in an exhibition to prove to the entire world that he belongs and can hang with the best in AEW. He can’t make Cody come out and agree to this, but he can control what QT does, and what he wont do. He wont go out and continue to take meaningless bumps and jeopardize his quality of life if it has to be in Cody’s shadow.
Out comes Cody, who is wearing a headset and a cast. Cody says he understands the angst, and has a good inclination as to where QT is going. He says he will gladly accommodate he and give him the exhibition match. Arn will be the ref. He understands, also, that QT will try and beat him. He will try and stop this. He has a reputation, but he means this with no intimidation – he will not hurt QT. If he puts on the figure four, he will relinquish it. If he hooks Cross Rhodes, he won’t follow through. When this place had blossoming success, and Cody had filled the spot people thought he wouldn’t, it made some people angry – they are still angry. QT is a great man, and has become a friend. QT might be his best friend. Cody accepts, officially.
I was assuming that they’d do essentially this storyline, but with Dustin Rhodes instead of Cody. Interesting to throw Cody into it and kind of toss out that they’re best friends.
WE ARE BACK, and we’re getting another trios match!
Match 4: Lucha Bros and Laredo Kid vs The Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler
We got Nick and Rey to start. Rey is his typical bad ass, rolling up for. 1..2..NO!!! Nick tries for a rollup as well, then they dodge dropkicks, and hit two in the middle of the ring. One trips the other, both kip up. They hit a stalemate. Tag to Matt. Tag to Penta. Penta hits the ropes, SUPERKICK!! He bounces Matt off the ropes for a crucifix pin, 1..2.NO!!! Full nNelson, Matt escapes, Penta stomps, Matt grabs the foot, trips him up, locks the leg. Sharpshooter! Penta gets to the ropes. Drop toe hold to Matt. He locks the arms up from behind, then grabs the arms and flips over inot a pin for 1..2.NO!!! Both men up and THEY hit a stalemate. Tag to Laredo and Cutler. They do some rope work, Laredo flips over a split leg, kicks Cutler, smacks him in the face. Cutler sends him into the ropes, Kid with a hurricanrana, kip up, onto the apron, kicks Cutler, Bucks enter the ring and go heel with a cheap shot. In comes Rey to lock the hands of both Bucks, flip off the ropes with an arm drag, Bucks slide under the ropes to the outside. Penta hits the ropes and flips OVER THE TOP ROPE ONTO ALL MEN! Rey wants to fly! He hits the ropes, Cutler kicks the back, springboard elbow Strike! Springboard swanton, but Laredo is up on the top rope and hits a moonsault onto Matt and Cutler!
Cutler in the ring, Laredo on the top rope, kick from Nick. Nick gets a tag with Matt. Matt to the top rope, looks for Sliceed bread, hits it as Nick hits a pwoerbomb. Pin for 1..2..NO!!!
WE ARE BACK, and Rey and Penta hit stereo kicks to The Bucks! Rey hops on the shoulders of Penta and falls off with a splash. Cover for 1..2.N!O!! Looks like Rey and Nick are legal. Rey and Nick fly to the 2nd rope, tag from Laredo, who hits a springboard hurricanrana. Tag to Penta. Stomp from the top rope! Senton from the top off the tagged in Rey. Cover for 1..2.NO!!! Matt and Brandon stop the pin. Laredo and Penta send them to the outside, Rey runs with a spinning kick to the face of Nick, then tries for the rolling Cutter. Nick blocks, elbow strike in the corner, Superkick from Rey, superkick from Nick, Sends to the ropes, Rey spins out of it, hits a heel hook, sends Nick to the ropes, Nick u-turns and hits a huge clothesline to Rey! Tag to Matt, and he and Laredo go at it with rights over and over. Laredo tries for a DDT but Matt hits a Northern Lights, rolls through, tries for another, lands it, goes for a third, in comes Penta, and Matt hits both men with the Northern Lights! Buckle Bomb! Kick from Nick. Tag to Nick. Runningk nee. Tag to Matt. Risky Business! Tag to Cutler. Springboard elbow drop and a cover for 1..2..NO!!! Penta in to kick Cutler Nick sends Penta to the outside. Nick with a running kick to Penta. Nick with a senton to Pentaa!! IN the ring, Rey sends Cutler into the corner, then Matt into Cuttler, running uppercut to Nick, Rey flies, Matt catches him upside down, Indytaker! Nick runs up the corner, flies outside onto Penta!
Matt on the corner as well, DDT TO REY ON THE APRON!!! Laredo KID WITH A SPANISH FLY OFF THE TOP ROPE TO CUTLER! Pin for 1..2….3!!!
Winners: Lucha Bros
Jesus…I typically use the term “INDYRIFFIC” when matches get a little too close to Reseda American Legion status, and it isn’t always an insult – just an observation. But this…this was too much. The entire first section was just not made for TV, in my opinion. This, coupled with the continued confusion of just which side of the fence the Bucks land on make for an eye-rolling experience, and I hate that because Rey Fenix can do no wrong in my eyes, and yet…
Total Rating: **1/2
Match Time: 12:26
OUT OF NOWHERE, Kenny Omega comes out to attack Laredo Kid! Omega clocks Laredo with the title belt! Don hands him the mic. He is remembering 2019. He remembers Laredo from Triple A, the first ever Fyter Fest? What happened? Three years ago, they all had a choice. Twelve year friendship – no, family. Omega points towards Matt’s wife. 3 years ago, he had a choice – but he never chose AEW – he chose The Young Bucks, the vision that they created – to make this the best wrestling promotion on the planet, and rather than sit with the cool kids, they chose Brandon Cutler. Omega chooses them, and they never chose Omega back. Sure, maybe Mr. Callis can be a little abrasive, but Omega will give them one more chance. Toss it up.
Omega holds up the Too Sweet.
The Young Bucks walk out on this. Omega talks shit to them.
Rey, Penta, and Laredo are stirring. Omega turns. Penta and Rey. SUPERKICKS TO OMEGA!!! We get a powerbomb and a stomp combo from The Lucha Bros.
Laredo grabs Omega and talks some shit, then leaves.
After Rey, Penta, and Laredo leave, out come Gallows and Anderson. They check on the bloodied Omega. Omega stands, holds a thumbs up. Lol. Love that.
So we get an announcement that, apparently, Cody and Brandi are going to have their own reality tv series that is TOTALLY NOT MIZ AND MRS.
WE HEAD TO MOXLEY AND EDDIE to talk about putting people in a morgue. Moxley asks The Good Brothers just how far they’re willing to take this. Are they willing to get as much blood under their fingernails as they are? Jon says he doesn’t know or like The Young Bucks. Eddie wonders what is their deal. Jon says he guesses he owes them one; he doesn’t like it and doesn’t understand the patience for the melodrama of The Bullet Club. If they’re going to be in the game, they better be willing to get their hands dirty.
Match 5: Nyla Rose vs Tay Conti (w/ The Dark Order)
Nyla stomps Tay down hard, then steps on her stomach. Nyla hits a body slam in the center of the ring. Tay floats over Nyla, locks the head, trie for an abdominal stretch, locks the head of Nyla on the floor with her legs, then turns it into an arm bar. Pin for 1….2..NO!!! Tay in the corner. Nyla rushes, Tay spins out, hits. Right hand. HARD arm drag to Nyla, another. Damn. A third. Tay rushes the corner. Knees. Nyla catches her and slams Tay down hard. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Nyla locks the head, Conti rolls her up, Nyla with. Huge clothesline. Nyla drops Tay onto the top rope. Nyla to the top rope. She dives off with a knee to the back of the head of Tay. Cover for 1..2…NO!!!
We are BACK and Tay is beating down Nyla in the corner. Running bicycle knee. Another! Tay tries for a hammerlock DDT, but Nyla flips her over the back. Drop toe hold. Tay to the apron. She drags Nyla towards the corner, yells, kicks the face. Tay to the top rope. She runs with a knee to the face of Nyla!! Cover for 1..2….NO!!! Nyla up in the corner. Tay runs, gets sent to the apron. High kick. Tay flies off the top rope, rolls through, pump kick, nyla with a Clothesline!! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Nyla grabs the head, lcoks it up, lifts and goes for a Beast Bomb. Tay rolls over, Nyla punches the head,
Tay up kicks the knee, then the leg, back kick, Nyla with a knee. Fireman’s. Tay hops off, high kick to the face. Tay rushes the corner with another knee!! She runs, spins, another knee!! DDTAY!!!! Cover for 1..2…3!! NYLA KICKS OUT DAMN NEAR!!
Winner: TAY CONTI
Wow. It’s rare that someone can make you, as a fan go from, “this is a foregone conclusion” to “Oh shit, she might win this” to “Damn she got good” to “holy shit, she won…” and yet that’s what happened right here. Completely thought we were getting a squash match, then Tay went and added some viciousness and some legit confidence, then BOOM, a win! Great match. Great commentary with Excalibur really selling the power of those knees and just how they can end up destroying you, and also good on Nyla with that “a little too late” kickout.
Total Rating: ***
Match Time:9:22
Tay celebrates, but Vickie grabs her leg and traps her until Nyla is able to stand and grab Tay. She sets up for the powerbomb, but out comes Hikaru Shida. She has a kendo stick and smacks Nyla across the back with it. Shida attacks, mounting Nyla and hitting a bunch of rights.
Bunny is out with the kendo stick!!! She smacks Shida, then smacks Tay Conti!!! Bunny attacks Shida again, then chokes up Tay in the corner.
Matt and Butcher and Blade watch on.
Bunny laughs, pointing at Tay.
Matt Hardy says the Women Eliminator Title Tournament was terrible. – a sham. The Bunny wasn’t in it. His clients have been overlooked, and that stops now.
Nyla stands with her hand in the air – which is weird, if she is not a aprt of the Matt faction.
Scorpio Sky gets a cool promo pimping AEW Elevation.
We see Matt Hardy and Private Party in the crowd, as well as Dark Order here to support their pal.
Match 6: TNT Championship Match
Darby Allin vs John Silver
Lockup and Silver backs Darby in the corner. Ref calls for the break, Darby shoves. Lockup and a stalemate. Silver wants a test of strength. They lock hands. Chest to chest. Sliver drops Darby to his knees. Darby stands, breaks with a leg, then drops Silver down and puts a knee to the chest. Silver kips up, Darby takes him right back down with a side headlock. Ropes but Darby won’t release. Side headlock takeover. Silver stands into it, tries to roll out, but Darby still won’t release it. Silver up, righ hand, left, right, sends Darby to the ropes, flips Darby up and over, they both hit the ropes, and Silver with a huge uppercut, sending Darby flying to the outside! Silver leaves the ring, grabs Darby, Darby can’t stnd!! Silver sends Darby into the ring. Silver follows. He hits an uppercut in the corner. Silver sends Darby flying across the ring! Another toss. Silver presses Darby and sends him flying into the 2nd buckle, then hits the ropes, running knee, brainbuster! Cover for 1..2…NO!!!
WE ARE BACK and Silver is in the audience! His buddy Reynolds helps him back over the barricade.e Ref hits the 8 count, Darby decides to hit a suicide dive, but Angels takes the hit! Awwww. Silver grabs Darby with a surprise German!!
STING is her to, apparently, even the odds. He points his bat, and Dark Order scatters. MATT HARDY tells PRIVATE PARTY they don’t have an issue with him.
Silver and Darby are back in the ring. Silver hits a right hand to the face. Left now, as his right arm is injured. Kicks from Silver. Silver hits the ropes, comes back, backslide from Dary, Silver rolls out, kick to Darby, another, another!! Damn! Waistlock, Darby arm drags, wraps the arm, rolls through, pin for 1..2.NO!!! Darby locks up from behind, goes over the top for a stunner, but Silver with the Queen Slayer !!! It’s a sleeper!!! Dark Order is celebrating! Darby grabs the hand, turns into the hold, Silver with clubbing blows from above, Darby rolls through from a headlock and gets a pin for 1..2..NO!!! Silver up. He locks the head. A SICK ASS DDT! Cover for 1..2..N!O!! Darby is out of the ring. Dark Order is nearby. Sting stnds by to assure nothing happens. Which is odd, considering Dark Order hasn’t really showed signs of cheating. Silver rolls out, kicks Darby in the chest, gives Sting a mean look, rolls Darby into the ring. Kick from Silver. We’ve got about 4 minutes. Another kick to the chest. Darby sits up. Silver tries for a third, Darby stands, smacks Silver over and over in the face, backing him into the corner. Silver reverses. HARD SLAP TO THE FACE!! Again and again! Boots from Darby, he hops on the shoulders, goes for a victory roll, but Silver sits on Darby and gets a pin for 1..2….N!O!! GEEEEEEEEEZ that was close. Both men in the middle of the ring. They go back and forth with strikes, Silver gets a kick, hits the ropes, Darby with hits them also, and falls back onto Silver! Silver sends Darby to the corner, then the top rope, Silver locks up and Darby hits some right hands, Silver lifts, Darby drops him. Coffin Drop BUT ONTO THE DARK ORDER!!!! Darby back to the top rope. Silver with a high kick! He sets Drby on his shoulders, spins him in the air and drops him off the top rope!!! Cover for 1..2…..NO!!
Rope break for Darby! Silly mistake by Silver. Silver goes for a powerbomb, but Darby goes over and gets a Code Red! Pin for 1..2….3!!!
Winner: Darby Allin
AWESOME match with an odd finish there. Silver pulling Darby all the way back for a rope break just showed a lack of intelligence I wasn’t fond of, and the Code Red ending the match could have been anything else, I feel. It’s just overdone, and more often than not, it’s transitional. Still, literally everything before that was just great. Awesome main event.
Total Rating: ***3/4
Match Time: 13:40
Sting lifts Silver up. Darby gives him a fist bump. Matt Hardy, out of nowhere, pulls Darby out of the ring. Dark Order attacks! Private Party attack! Out comes Tay! Bunny isn’t far behind, attacking Tay. Darby flies out of the ring onto Matt Hardy and we end the show with a melee.
End Show
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