wrestling / TV Reports
Pantoja’s AEW Dynamite Review 5.4.22
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...AEW Dynamite
May 4th, 2022 | Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena in Baltimore, Maryland
I’m going to do my best to review more stuff this month. I’ll be covering the Best of the Super Juniors Tournament for sure.
Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Qualifying Match: Bobby Fish (12-8) vs. Jeff Hardy (5-0)
Adam Cole was on commentary for this. This is Jeff’s first singles match in AEW. This feels like the two oldest dudes in AEW going at it. The problem here was that they both looked it. A lot of what they did felt sloppy and looked like they were having a rough time out there. I think Fish can still put on solid singles matches but Jeff looked like a far cry from even the guy he was in WWE before leaving. Fish held serve during the break as Darby Allin and New Jack Sting watched from the rafters. I can’t believe it took JR 10 minutes to reference Ravens coach John Harbaugh being in the crowd. Jeff ate a series of kicks before he started to fire up, somewhat. He survived the super Falcon Arrow and barely hit Whisper in the Wind before winning with the Swanton Bomb in 10:16. That was kind of tough to get through. [**]
The Young Bucks walked out after the bell to have a staredown with The Hardy Boyz. I am NOT looking forward to that at all.
We got a sick William Regal voiced-over vignette talking about how the Blackpool Combat Club would leave you with a scar if they had a knife rather than stab them because that scar would last forever. It was over the top but Regal’s delivery was great.
Angelico, The Butcher and The Blade vs. The Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson 18-2-2, Wheeler YUTA 23-19, Jon Moxley 47-4-1)
We didn’t get records for the AFO team since they jumped BCC before the bell. That was a nice turnaround for them since BCC has been doing that to everyone so far. I’m glad to have Angelico back. With no Jack Evans around, I’d like to see him in more singles stuff. Given his exchanges with Danielson here, give m them in a singles match one day. This went on through the break and featured good back and forth action. You never felt like the BCC were in trouble but they didn’t need to be. This was just entertaining. The finish saw all three guys throwing elbows and stomps, before Danielson put Angelico to sleep with a triangle choke in 7:40. Once again, these guys deliver something highly entertaining. [***]
Backstage, Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs had their interview interrupted by Jurassic Express. They accepted a Tag Title match but Jungle Boy upped the ante and challenged Ricky for the FTW Title first. The cocky Ricky accepted. His charisma is through the roof.
Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee were interviewed to say they aren’t done with Starks and Hobbs. We already knew that but okay.
W. Morrissey (0-0) vs. Wardlow (48-8)
As expected, Wardlow’s mystery opponent was the former Big Cass. He really needs a better name now. However, he has gotten into great shape and looks far better than he did in WWE. Unfortunately, the match itself was slow and plodding. The most interesting thing was the crowd chanting “We Want Enzo/No We Don’t.” We really don’t, though. In-ring wise Morrissey still feels like he’s on the level of his WWE run, hitting some of the same moves. Wardlow stole the show with a pretty moonsault before winning with the powerbomb in 5:29. [*½]
Post-match, Wardlow laid out a bunch of security goons and said this wouldn’t stop until he got his hands on MJF. MJF surprisingly agreed to give him a bout (likely at Double or Nothing) but his conditions will be given during a contract signing next week in his hometown of Long Island.
Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, Ruby Soho, and Toni Storm were interviewed. They hilarious said that women have NEVER opened an AEW show but it’ll happen on Friday with this tag. Goodness, they really have one formula down for women, which is to put them in the pre-main event death slot or to give them a main event here or there. Toni and Ruby were good here but Britt has really just been hitting the same notes over and over on promos for a while now.
Hangman Page was brought out for a promo about the CM Punk match. Hangman leaned surprisingly heel here, saying this will not feature handshakes or be a “masturbatory Bret Hart tribute match.” He’s just going to destroy Punk and every nerd in the crowd with a Punk shirt will run to the merchandise stand for refunds. Oh, okay. This was unexpected and well done.
We got hype for Jay Lethal (blah) against Konosuke Takeshita. The latter got a short video while the former cut a promo with Sonjay Dutt about not getting respect.
Chris Jericho (40-16-1) vs. Santana (42-23)
This was billed as a grudge match, which was evident by the way Santana jumped Jericho during his entrance. Also, Jericho was introduced as “The Wizard.” Meh. As much as I like Santana and Ortiz as a team, I’m not all that interested in them in singles action. Still, I do appreciate that this had the right amount of intensity and heat given the feud. You felt like the guys disliked each other even if the actual action wasn’t all that interesting. Santana managed to survive the Walls and nearly won with a rollup as well as a cutter. Ortiz handled some of the heels outside with a bat but Jericho used a low blow and the Judas Effect to win in 8:58. It was largely fine and Santana got to look competitive. [**¼]
After the bell, the JAS laid out Santana and Ortiz. With Eddie Kingston sidelined, they apparently have no friends.
Samoa Joe cut a promo backstage to say that he’s coming for Jay Lethal on Friday.
Backstage, The Gunn Club presented The Acclaimed with scissors and agreed to team with them again soon.
Time for the Varsity Blonds to call out the House of Black as John Harbaugh watched. He was Brian Pillman’s college roommate apparently. Pillman Jr. cut a bland promo about how they wanted to get revenge for what happened to Julia Hart, who stood in the background sulking. The trio came down and surrounded the Blonds for what seemed like forever. They kicked their ass and then Malakai cornered Julia. He then brought her by the Blonds and she was given a chair. The crowd popped hard for this but she didn’t go through with it. When she declined, they scared her until Death Triangle made the save. This went on too long and they need to wrap this Julia thing soon, regardless of where it goes.
The Baddies spoke backstage to brag about Jade Cargill being 30-0 and Red Velvet being in the Owen Hart Cup. Kiera Hogan was there too.
Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Qualifying Match: Dante Martin (49-24) vs. Rey Fénix (56-27)
Dante has the most wins in the men’s division this year with 17. I really wanted him in the BOSJ instead of someone like TJP. Dante is great and has nothing really to do in AEW for now with his brother on the shelf. If you see these two penciled in against each other, then you want to see high flying action. They gave us that. Right off the bat, they were doing athletic things in an attempt to one-up each other. I wish more of this wasn’t through a commercial as we didn’t get a great view of a sweet Dante tope suicida. I could watch these two do this shit all day. Right when one guy would get the advantage, the other would snap off a move from out of nowhere to turn the tide. The spot where both landed on their feet on a top rope flip was sick though I didn’t like how Fénix just stood there looking around after. Dante sold it well with aggression on his face and Fénix should’ve had shock or anger as well instead of just having a blank face. Double moonsault was countered and Fénix won with a sitout piledriver in 9:37. I love all kinds of wrestling. Epics, high flying affairs, technical clinics, brawls, and everything in between. When done right like this, it’s a blast. [****]
The brackets are ready for the men’s side. We have
· Kyle O’Reilly vs. Rey Fénix (hell yes)
· Darby Allin vs. Jeff Hardy (meh)
· Adam Cole vs. Dax Harwood (cool, hope Dax wins)
· Samoa Joe vs. *Joker Entry (intriguing)
Darby Allin cut a short promo about facing Jeff Hardy.
Thunder Rosa hit the stage for a lengthy promo about how hard she fought to become champion and to retain it. Her journey speech was cut off by Serena Deeb, who is the #1 ranked woman. She wanted a title shot and we got it officially booked for Double or Nothing. Doesn’t feel like a huge or special match but it’ll be good.
RAMPAGE
· Ruby Soho and Toni Storm vs. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter
· Jay Lethal vs. Konosuke Takeshita
· Hook vs. JD Drake
· Riho vs. Yuka Sakazaki in a tournament qualifier
DYNAMITE
· Darby Allin vs. Jeff Hardy in the Tournament Quarterfinals
· Adam Cole vs. Dax Harwood in the Tournament Quarterfinals
· Wardlow and MJF’s contract signing
· Ricky Starks defends the FTW Title against Jungle Boy
· CM Punk vs. John Silver
ROH Women’s Championship: Deonna Purrazzo [c] (0-0) vs. Mercedes Martinez [c] (3-3
So, I love the idea of the women being given this slot but I think AEW went about it the wrong way. It’s Deonna’s first AEW match and Martinez has had less than 10. I’d have shifted the Rosa/Deeb segment to Rampage or move the Jericho/Santana match and given more time to hype for this. The video they put up on YouTube for it should’ve been slotted in for those who don’t follow these ladies. Also hype it up last week. They did nothing to make Deonna feel special and she should given her resume. Anyway, as expected, these two put on a quality match. I dig the way Deonna works the arm because I’m a simple man who appreciates a move set that lines up with your finisher. The crowd was pretty flat for this, likely because we’ve been given no reason to care about these ladies. Mercedes threw the harder shots like a knee strike and Fisherman Buster while Deonna kept to the finesse game. Martinez avoided the armbar and used a Curb Stomp into a Dragon Sleeper to win in 10:38. That was good but a lackluster way to end a show. [***]
