Csonka’s AEW Dynamite Review 4.15.20

Csonka’s AEW Dynamite Review 4.15.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– TNT Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Lance Archer defeated Colt Cabana @ 11:20 via pin [***]
– Dr. Britt Baker defeated Cassandra Golden @ 1:10 via pin [NR]
– Sammy Guevara defeated Pineapple “Sugar D” Pete @ 5:50 via pin [**½]
– Kip Sabian defeated Chuck Taylor @ 10:25 via pin [***]
– Shawn Spears defeated Justin Law @ 2:15 via pin [NR]
– No Holds Barred Empty Arena Match for AEW World Title: Champion Jon Moxley defeated Jake Hager @ 30:45 via pin [*]

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– Tony & Jericho are on commentary.

– We open with a Jake Roberts promo, putting Archer over as the one to win the TNT Championship tournament. Each rime he wins, he gets closer to what they want, Cody. Jake praises Colt Cabana, but note she’s not good enough to take Archer. Archer was exiled, forced to go to Japan, dominated, and is now back and is an animal. Listen to me or regret it. Jake is great.

– We get Colt Cabana video package, putting over his career and undefeated AEW record. He will show his worth, prove himself and even though Archer is a big bad dude, he has faith in himself and his ability to move on and win the championship.

TNT Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Lance Archer vs. Colt Cabana: Lance attacks right away, Colt fires back and picks up the pace but just pisses off Lance. Lance mows him down but Colt manages to dump him. Colt plays keep away, angering the big man. Colt finally attacks with chops and strikes, avoids a charge and is quickly cut off with the full nelson slam for 2. Lance takes control, chokes him out in the ropes but Colt fires back, Lance no sells the chops and levels him with a short-armed clothesline and strikes. He follows with chops, strikes and just dominates. Colt keeps trying to fire back, but gets pummeled for his troubles. Lance follows with the slingshot splash for 2. Post break and Lance continues to control, slapping Colt around and Colt finally fires back but is again cut off. Lance misses a second rope splash, allowing Colt to fire up and deliver strikes and a head scissors. The flying asshole follows and the double jump splash gets 2. He then delivers jabs, the elbow and then gets murdered with a pounce. The chokeslam follows and blackout finishes it. Lance Archer defeated Colt Cabana @ 11:20 via pin [***] This was a good opener that Archer dominated, while Cabana retained some credibility.

– Britt Baker cuts a promo on the rules of being a role model, playing by the rules while her opponents break them. She’s the face of the division and a true winner. The hero we need.

– They hype Hager vs. Moxley.

– Taz does a video tutorial of Hager’s head and arm choke.

Dr. Britt Baker vs. Cassandra Golden: Shida’s in the crowd and not impressed with Baker. Baker attacks at the bell, hits a superkick and poses with Golden. She follows by choking out Golden, makes her bite the ropes and curb stomps her for the win. Dr. Britt Baker defeated Cassandra Golden @ 1:10 via pin [NR] The role model delivers with a rebound win here.

– Ron Funches hypes Moxley vs. Hager, picking Mox to win. Mike Goldberg picks Hager to win.

– We get a video package hyping the best of AEW so far and the upcoming Double or Nothing PPV event on May 23rd.

– The Bubbly Bunch is next and it’s done via a video hangout call as Ortiz hangs out with his stuffed animals, Sammy woks out and claims the Bucks have stolen his stuff and is upset with Hardy calling him a fake Latino. Hager chills by his pool and agrees, and says he will beat the shit out of Mox, and tells him kid to apply the earmuffs. Jericho agrees, calls Sammy sexy and mocks Hangman Page, wondering if Cody fed him to Pharaoh.

Sammy Guevara vs. Pineapple “Sugar D” Pete: Jericho put out the hit on Pineapple “Sugar D” Pete. They lockup and Sammy grounds things right away and poses. Sammy keeps things grounded, Sugar D counters back and follows with the lucha arm drag. Sammy cuts him off and follows with strikes and takes him to the floor. Back in and Sammy follows with a suplex and covers for 2. He chokes him out in the ropes, and follows with the squatting Samoan drop for 2. Sammy controls with ease, until Sugar D cradles him for 2. Sammy cuts him off and does the Jericho cover for 2. Sugar D avoids the charge and delivers chops, uppercuts and Sammy nails the knee strike and GTS for the win. Sammy Guevara defeated Pineapple “Sugar D” Pete @ 5:50 via pin [**½] An easy night of work for Sammy.

– Sammy says he will go onto beat the shit out of Darby Allin in the TNT Tournament. He beats down Sugar D until Darby makes the save.

– John McCarthy picks Hager to win the title tonight. Excalibur picks Mox to win.

Kip Sabian vs. Chuck Taylor: Ford & Cassidy are at ringside. They lockup, working into counters as Chuck looks to take control, he follows with a tackle, and transitions into a half crab until Kip escapes to the floor. Back in and Kip lays the boots to him until Chuck fires back with a knee strike. He follows with a slam elbow drop and covers for 2. He follows with chops, Kip counters back and dumps him. To the floor and Chuck suplexes Kip to the apron. Back in and he covers for 2. Chuck heads up top and the moonsault misses and Kip follows with the missile dropkick for 2. He follows with uppercuts, and kicks. The PK follows for 2. He dumps Chuck and Ford lays the boots to him. Back in and Kip covers for 2. They work up top and Chuck counters back and knocks Kip to the mat. The moonsault misses, lands on his feet and does the deal with the falcon arrow. He follows with kicks and strikes, and the sitout powerbomb follows for 2. Chuck heads up top and misses the double stomp, knee strike and lariat by Kip follows for 2. The anarchist suplex follows for 2. Chuck counters back into soul food, Ford distracts him and Kip makes out with her. Orange tries to distract Kip, Chuck attacks, but Jimmy Havoc attacks Orange and lays him out on the floor. Ford attacks Chuck and Kip cradles Chuck for the win. Kip Sabian defeated Chuck Taylor @ 10:25 via pin [***] A good and fun match with the right man winning for the purposes of the tournament, as they also allied Kip & Ford with Havoc.

– They continue to hype Mox vs. Hager.

Shawn Spears vs. Justin Law: Spears looks amused with Mr. Law, he attacks and takes him down with ease. They lockup and work into counters as Spears controls. He drops to a knee and gets into the base position allowing law to cradle him for 2. Spears quickly cuts that off, follows with chops and a clothesline. The C4 finishes it. Shawn Spears defeated Justin Law @ 2:15 via pin [NR] A fine rebound win for Spears.

– NEXT WEEK: Orange Cassidy vs. Jimmy Havoc, Allin vs. Guevara & Sabian vs. Dustin, & Kenny Omega in action.

– Jim Ross takes over on commentary.

No Holds Barred Empty Arena Match for AEW World Title: Champion Jon Moxley vs. Jake Hager: This was taped when they were still in Florida. They circle, working to the ropes and break. They lockup and work back to he ropes, Moxley takes him down and backs out of his guard. Hager works a front facelock, but Moxley counters into an arm bar but Hager overpowers him to escape. Moxley shoots, drags him down but Hager scrambles and escapes. They work to the ropes, battling for position until Hager delivers knee strikes. Moxley fires back with chops, elbows in the corner and transitions to a kimura, and then into an STF. Hager counters out, take shim back and looks to work a choke. Moxley counters out, Hager lays the boots to him and they trade strikes until Moxley dumps him. He follows with a plancha, and works for an arm bar on the floor. Post break and Hager battles back, slamming Moxley to the barricade. They tart brawling around the arena, Hager fights off a Gotch piledriver and slams Moxley to the floor. They brawl into the stands and Moxley unloads with strikes, knee strike and works a figure four round a post in the stands. Hager escapes, Moxley lays in chops, but Hager shoots him to the barricades. Back to ringside and Moxley is sent to the steps. Back in and Hager maintains control until Moxley counters the Vader bomb and follow with a jumping knee strike. The trade center ring, Hager hits knee strikes and the doctor bomb for 2. Post break and Hager follow with corner clotheslines. Moxley counters back into a desperation lariat. Hager counters the Gotch piledriver until Moxley cradles him for 2. The DDT follows but Hager counters into the head and arm choke. Moxley fights and makes the ropes. Hager dumps him and follow with chair shots. Back in and Hager wedges a chair in the corner, Moxley counters and then gets run into the chair as Hager covers for 2. Post break and Hager works the ankle lock. Moxley refuses to tap, rolls Hager to the floor and back in, and hits the death rider into a guillotine. Hager works to his feet, they trade and Hager knees him low. Chair sot by Moxley, death rider to the chair and he wins. Champion Jon Moxley defeated Jake Hager @ 30:45 via pin [*] These two worked really hard, but long matches are hard enough, but long matches in an empty arena are even harder. I think they ere smart to largely focus it in the ring. The value of the wrestlers cheering on matches was shown here, and JR really needed someone on color commentary to help feel the silences during the match. Hager is also a guy that REALLY shouldn’t be working long matches as he was exposed going 15 with Dustin at the last PPV, and with all due respect to Moxley, Dustin’s a much smarter worker than he is and can hide weaknesses well. It was simply insane to have this match go this long. They built up Hager as a monster challenger of the month, but as a match it didn’t work for me.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 106. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka &, Jerome Cusson, & Ian Hamilton break down the uncertain state of NXT UK, how the brand will continue through the current pandemic & then talk Dark Side of The Ring: Brawl For All. The show is approximately 121-minutes long.

* Intro
* Looking at the Uncertain State of NXT UK w/Ian Hamilton: 2:00
* Dark Side of the Ring: Brawl For All Review w/Jerome Cusson: 1:12:03

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

6.4

The final score: review Average

The 411

This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite was a rock solid show, thriving through its simplicity when things were working. They made Hager vs. Moxley feel like a big time event (even if it didn’t deliver), are connecting the shows well, building the TNT Tournament with the right people wining, giving rebound wins to others and also continuing to focus on Baker & Shida in various ways.