Csonka’s AEW Dynamite Review 4.01.20

Csonka’s AEW Dynamite Review 4.01.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Kenny Omega defeated Trent @ 19:10 via pin [****]
– Hikaru Shida defeated Anna Jayy @ 5:05 via pin [**½]
– Lance Archer defeated Marko Stunt @ 3:44 via pin [**]
– Dustin Rhodes & QT Marshall defeated Dark Order (8 & 9) @ 4:20 via pin [**½]
– Sammy Guevara & Shawn Spears defeated Cody & Darby Allin @ 21:35 via pin [***½]

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– Last night, they announced the AEW TNT Championship tournament, and the first two matches for that are…

* Cody vs. Shawn Spears
* Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara

– Tony, Pharaoh, & Cody welcome us to the show. We’re in an undisclosed location,

– The second half of the TNT championship tournament bracket is…

* Dustin Rhodes vs. Kip Sabian
* Lance Archer vs. Colt Cabana

– Cody & Tony are on commentary while Dasha is doing ring announcing.

– They have the wrestlers in the crowd again.

Kenny Omega vs. Trent: Chuck & Orange Cassidy is at ringside. They shake hands and lockup, working to the ropes. We get a clean break as they work into counters and Kenny grounds things. Trent escapes, tackle by Kenny and Trent then cuts him off with the meteora. He follows with kicks and Kenny returns fire and works him over in the corner. Trent fires back and hits the double stomp. To the floor and Trent follows with the springboard moonsault. He celebrates but Kenny fires up and follows with the tope onto all three. Kenny wants a hug but fakes them out and back in, hits the kotaru crusher for 2. The backbreaker connects as Kenny keeps Trent grounded. He hits another backbreaker for 2. Kenny whips him to the buckles and continues to control. Trent fires back, they trade and Trent attacks the injured hand of Kenny. Trent follows with knee strikes, goes back to the hand and grounds Kenny. To the floor and Trent continues to control, working that hand. Kenny fires back, hits a German on the floor and then whips Trent to the barricades. Trent fires back, but Kenny powerbombs him to a post. Back in and the fisherman’s buster over the knee follows for 2. Kenny looks for you can’t escape, but Trent escapes into a DDT. He follows with chops, the sliding German follows. Post break and they are trading strikes, chops and Trent hit the snap half and half, but Kenny fires back, only for Trent to counter into a piledriver for 2. They work into counters, snapdragon by Kenny but Trent keeps fighting back, lariat by Trent and Kenny counters into the powerbomb, V trigger and both men are down. To the apron and Trent fights back, lays in chops and Kenny counters the piledriver, they work up top and Trent hits an avalanche German. The running knee strike follows for 2. Kenny counters back with knee strikes, V trigger and the one winged angel finishes it. Kenny Omega defeated Trent @ 19:10 via pin [****] This was a great, competitive match with both guys busting their asses to deliver a dramatic and compelling empty arena match that beautifully teased the draw..

– We get highlights of the issues between Jericho & Hardy.

– We get a Hikaru Shida video package.

Hikaru Shida vs. Anna Jayy: They lockup and work to the ropes. Jayy gets sassy with Shida and Shida follows with a shoulder tackle. Jayy counters the dropkick and hits knee strike. Shida cuts her off with the backbreaker and follows with the apron knee strike. Baker distracts her at ringside, and back in, Jayy fires back and Shida is not amused and just absorbs the strikes and Shida fucks her up with a big forearm shot. Jayy counters back, hits a blockbuster and cover s for 2. The cradle also gets 2. Jayy get caught in the triangle and makes the ropes. Shida follows with the suplex for 2. The knee strike follows and then does the deal with the falcon arrow and no one kicks out of the falcon arrow. Hikaru Shida defeated Anna Jayy @ 5:05 via pin [**½] While it was maybe a bit too competitive, it was a solid match and Jay looked like she had some potential in her first TV match.

– Tony & Cody talk about Jon Moxley’s issues with the Inner Circle, and recently Jake Hager. That is followed by a video package, with Hager commenting on Mox being a fool thinking he can compete with him. Mox says he’s a miserable, pissed off bastard and while he’s on top, he has a target on his back and want to take what belongs to him. Hager won’t beat him. Jericho says the Inner Circle does things for themselves, while Mox says he is a one-man army who will defend his championship with his life. This was really good stuff to build to Mox vs. Hager in two weeks.

– Colt joins Tony on commentary.

– Jake Roberts cuts a promo on Archer’s debut, saying he will destroy his opponent. Cody keeps playing games and that doesn’t make them happy. They don’t play or gamble. They have an ace up their sleeve and hope Cody is smart enough to be afraid, He also says Brandi wears the pants in the family.

Lance Archer vs. Marko Stunt: EVERYBODY DIES! Lance attacks right away, kills someone at ringside and starts pummeling Marko. Marko fires back, Lance likes it and easily cuts him off. Lance chucks him across the ring and chokes Marko out. Marko keeps fighting, hits dropkicks and is then killed by a pounce. Back in and the chokeslam follows and he pulls Marko up at 2. The blackout finishes it. Lance Archer defeated Marko Stunt @ 3:44 via pin [**] Marko was a great first opponent for Lance, it showed the great size disparity as it allowed Lance to look like a true monster. A tremendous squash match.

– Post match, Lance chokeslams Marko from the apron onto Gunn Club.

– The Exalted One Brodie Lee meets with his Dark Order minions. He was once lost and beaten down but rose up. He wants them to stand tall with him and constantly corrects them that he is Mr. Brodie Lee. He scares these poor goofs and explains that there should be no yawning or tiredness, because it’s weakness. Don’t you ever yawn in my presence again, and dismisses a minion.

Dustin Rhodes & QT Marshall vs. Dark Order (8 & 9): Brandi is at ringside. Marshall attacks, tags in Rhodes and he controls with ease. He and Marshall work quick tags and double teams, picking up near falls. Rhodes fights off both geeks, and Marshall joins back in. They manage to cut him off and take control in their corner. Marshall quickly battles back, hits a suplex and tags in Rhodes. Rhodes runs wild, hits clotheslines and the bulldog. The snap slam follows and he follows with the cannonball to the floor. Marshall follows with a dive and back in, the double team flapjack deal finishes it. Dustin Rhodes & QT Marshall defeated Dark Order (8 & 9) @ 4:20 via pin [**½] Dustin & QT will be a good, veteran tag team to have around. This was solid stuff.

– Brodie Lee arrives post match and faces off with Dustin. He then walks off and starts killing his minions who failed. He powerbombs one and leaves as the other escaped.

– We get a video package with Chris Jericho in his hot tub, drinking the bubbly. Today is a holiday, April Fool’s day and he’s never met bigger fools than the Elite. He tells Nick to stay at home but Vanguard1 arrives at the Jericho Estate. Jericho runs down Matt Hardy and Vanguard1 interrupts him. Jericho promos on Vanguard1 and teases apologizing to him for last week. Jericho was wearing pants in his hot tub, a choice. He offers Vanguard1 a tiny Inner Circle shirt, and Vanguard1 takes it and disappears. Jericho releases the hounds and chases after Vanguard1 who flies away.

– The TNT title tournament starts next week.

– We get a update on Nick Jackson, and hanging out with Matt. They have a ring set up and Matt wants to make sure he has no ring rust. Matt comments on Nick’s injury and how scared he was. Nick says he feels good and doesn’t even remember the attack or the night (I like that, they aren’t locked that it was Inner Circle, leaving it open for it to be someone else, like Page). They work out in the ring and Nick wants to come back but isn’t sure when he can. You can’t take life for granted. Nick says he’s not quite ready to come back yet.

Sammy Guevara & Shawn Spears vs. Cody & Darby Allin: Cody and Spears begin. They lockup and aggressively work to the ropes with Spears controlling. He follows with tackles, Cody cuts him off and tags in Allin. Double teams follow until Spears fires back and tags in Sammy. Sammy quickly tags out to Vlog and hits on Brandi. Allin attacks on the floor and Spears then cuts him off. Back in as Allin takes control back tags in Cody and he runs wild on both. Allin and Cody tease dives and then hit them anyway. Post break and the heels cut off Allin as Cody accidentally took the ref. Sammy works him over on the floor, and back in, Spears takes the heat. Sammy offers Spears money to hurt Allin, gambling on the match as it happens as they wager over stalling suplexes. Allin battles back during this, counters into a suplex and Sammy steals all the money. He tags in and Allin cuts him off and tags in Cody. He runs wild on both, and the snap slam gets 2. The sharpshooter follows on Sammy, Spears makes the save, figure four for Spears and Sammy makes the save with the running shooting star. Cross Rhodes by Cody, Spears attacks, it breaks down in the crowd and Havoc attacks with a wrench. Post break and Spears his working the heat on Cody until Cody counters back and delivers strikes. Cody fights off Sammy and then follows with the moonsault press to Spears. Hot tag to Allin, he runs wild and runs Spears into Sammy and then follows with the suicide dive onto Sammy. Spears cuts him off and slams him to the barricades. Sammy follows with a draping dropkick from the apron, it breaks down and Spears hits C4 on Cody. Sammy & Spears beat down Cody as Allin follows with a coffin drop off of the pole like he’s back in Evolve. Back in and Sammy tosses Allin to the barricades. And that allows Cody to hit the inverted superplex but Spears hits the frog splash on Cody. Sammy gives Cody a chair, Allin takes it and gets cradled for saving Cody. Sammy Guevara & Shawn Spears defeated Cody & Darby Allin @ 21:35 via pin [***½] This was really good, played off of the various histories the guys have and also was a quality set up for the upcoming tournament.

– Darby lays out Cody post match.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 102. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Jerome Cusson break down the Dark Side of the Ring special on Chris Benoit as well as Steve Austin’s interview with Bret Hart. Steve Cook then joins the show for a retro review of NWA-TNA PPV #1. The show is approximately 153–minutes long.

* Intro
* Breaking Down Dark Side of The Ring on Chris Benoit: 2:00
* Thoughts on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions With Bret Hart: 1:05:20
* NWA-TNA PPV #1 Retro Review: 1:29:29

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

7.2

The final score: review Good

The 411

This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite was a good show, with a great opener, build to the TNT Championship tournament, Shida’s push continuing, and a great debut by Lance Archer. Under horrible circumstances, venue changes and working through a skeleton crew for a bit, AEW is still delivering quality TV.