By Jon
VENUE: Daily’s Place (Jacksonville, FL)
COMMENTATORS: Jim Ross, Excalibur, & Tony Schiavone
Two weeks after coming up short at Stadium Stampede, The Pinnacle return this week on Dynamite to answer the various challenges laid out by The Inner Circle. Also on the show Evil Uno tries to bring the TNT Championship home to The Dark Order by challenging Miro, Eddie Kingston teams with Penta El Zero Miedo and former enemy Pac against Brandon Cutler & The Young Bucks, and much much more.
CHAMPIONS
- AEW WORLD CHAMPION: Kenny Omega
- AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.
- AEW TNT CHAMPION: “The Best Man” MIro
- AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
LINEUP
- Christian Cage vs. Angelico (***)
- Eddie Kingston, Pac, & Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Brandon Cutler & The Young Bucks (***1/2)
- Miro [c] vs. Evil Uno for the AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP (***1/4)
- Lance Archer vs. Chandler Hopkins (SQUASH)
- Leyla Hirsch vs. Nyla Rose (**1/2)
- Hangman Page & Dark Order’s 10 vs. Brian Cage & Powerhouse Hobbs of Team Taz (***3/4)
*****
–The Pinnacle (MJF, Tully Blanchard, Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood, Shawn Spears, & Wardlow) arrive at Dynamite, their first appearance since losing at Double or Nothing.
–Matt Hardy is standing in the ring with TH2 (Angelico & Jack Evans). Hardy tells Christian Cage that he’s been jealous of him their entire career, and vows that he will not financially recover from what Angelico is about to do to him.
—
Christian Cage vs. Angelico [w/ Jack Evans & “Big Money” Matt Hardy]
Angelico and Cage trade wristlocks, Angelico brings him to the canvas with an armdrag and talks all of the trash. Cage responds with a Greco Roman slap to the face and count along rights in the corner. Cage climbs the buckles, Angelico pulls him off by the left arm and focuses his attack on the wing. Cage tries to fight back with his good arm, Angelico sends him shoulder-first into the buckles and covers for a two-count. Cage catches Angelico with a mule kick followed by a springboard sunset flip but Angelico rolls through; Cage escapes the Navarro Death Roll attempt, Angelico responds with a PK right to the left shoulder and locks in a ju-jitsu armbar that I can’t spell so I’m not going to try, I embarrass myself enough. Angelico sits Cage on the buckles and tries another armdrag, Cage counters on the way down with a swinging inverted DDT and goes on a string of comeback offense, ending in a missile dropkick for the 1…2…Angelico kicks out. Evans distracts Cage, Angelico goes after the arm but gets dropped over the top rope and Cage follows up with a diving headbutt for the 1…2…Angelico gets the shoulder up. Angelico sends Cage shoulder-first into the canvas, Cage catches him off the buckles with a kick and an inside cradle for the 1…2…Angelico kicks out. Angelico drops Cage with an enzuigiri from the ground and rolls him up with a jackknife for the 1…2…Cage kicks out! Cage and Angelico knock heads, Cage connects with a pendulum kick followed by a diving European uppercut. Left arm be damned Cage sets Angelico up and hits the Killswitch,es on the way down, for the 1…2…3.
Christian Cage defeated Angelico via pinfall (9:06)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Damn good match. I’ve sat out most of Christian Cage’s return to the ring in AEW so I haven’t really seen him work but if this is any indication he definitely has a lot left in the tank. I like the old schoolness of Hardy putting a bounty on Cage, and Angelico was a surprising man to take the shot but he got close here. I remember (possibly incorrectly) Angelico as being a high-flyer from his Lucha Underground days but the dude is a great technical wrestler too. I will say Cage & Hardy feuding again like twenty years after their tag team clashes is a little strange, but props to both men for working the way they have and being healthy enough to even do it. (***)
Cage fights off a sneak attack from Evans, Hardy gets the last laugh with a Twist of Fate. Hardy tries to lock in his submission hold (the Leech) but Jungle Boy makes the save just in time.
—
IN-RING INTERVIEW
Tony Schiavone hypes a tag team match for next week: QT Marshall & Aaron Solow will take on Cody Rhodes and the debuting Brock Anderson. Schiavone brings out his guests: Rhodes, Brock, and Brock’s dad Arn Anderson. Eyyy Cody has his regular butt rock theme now, not the Snoop Dogg remix. Maybe it’s been that way for awhile but it’s news to me. Brock Anderson already looks like he’s 40, so like father like son, but I love his yuppie fashion sense. Rhodes hypes up Brock for next week using baseball metaphors, and is excited to get some revenge for last week after losing to Anthony Ogogo in a tag team match. QT Marshall (MAR-SHALLLL) interrupts saying he pinned Rhodes all by himself last week, much like he’s all by himself this week. Marshall is sick of Rhodes and his second generation nepotism vanity projects, skipping athletes like Solow and Nick Camoroto. Marshall challenges Rhodes to another match at their first road show July 7th because he wants a full house to watch him whip his ass…literally, in a SOUTH BEACH STRAP MATCH. Rhodes wants to do a strap match RIGHT NOW, both men remove their belts. Marshall whips Arn, Brock sweeps the legs and rains down rights until pulled off by a host of referees.
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Arn Anderson is one of my favorite wrestlers of all-time so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Brock has at least a pinkie’s worth of his talent. The wrestling world could use another Anderson. Rhodes/Marshall’s strap match next month should be plenty bloody and AEW getting some legit heat for QT BY GOD MARSHALL in 2021 is real cool. If only Prince Nana were along for the ride.
—
-LAST WEEK: Brandon Cutler attacked Pac’s knee with a camera, Eddie Kingston made the save, now we got us a trios match.
—
Eddie Kingston, Penta El Zero Miedo, & “The Bastard” Pac vs. Brandon Cutler & The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
A promo from earlier day airs during Kingston’s entrance of Kingston trying to get on the same page as his former “best friend” Penta and the man he has fought wars with Pac. Pac chose to walk away instead of say anything to KIngston, so it’s not looking great going into this one. Don Callis joins the commentary team much to the disgust of the real announce team.
Pac immediately calls for Cutler, who’s wrestling in a jumpsuit and wearing a face mask, but Matt tries a cheapshot instead that DOES NOT WORK. Pac bounces Matt off the buckles, Cutler absolutely does not want to tag in but Nick forces him and Matt slingshots him in. Kingston wants the tag, Pac ignores him and tags Penta instead who connects with a flying double legdrop right to the family jewels-ish. Penta exposes the chest and lights Cutler up with a chest, Callis having fun watching their “intern” get beaten up. Kingston gets the tag and hits a double stomp for a two-count. Kingston connects with a delayed vertical suplex and drops an elbow for another two-count. Kingston backs into the corner, Pac tags himself in to Kingston’s chagrin, and belts Cutler with a big boot to the side of the head. Pac throws Cutler into the corner, Matt Jackson tags in and Pac connects with a snapmare into a dropkick, posing like a Young Buck which drives Nick Jackson NUTS. Nick pulls Pac out of the ring, Pac fights him off and backdrops Cutler on the floor, but this distracts him long enough for Matt to surprise him with a dropkick through the ropes. Cutler & The Bucks are in control as the show goes to picture in picture commercial…which to be honest my attention span isn’t great with so I’ll pick it up when it goes back to full screen.
Pac backdrops Nick Jackson to the floor and catches Matt Jackson with a kick. Pac throws Matt off to counter a tornado DDT attempt and heads to the corner but only Kingston is there. Pac finally gets over it and makes the angry tag to the King, who throws the Bucksa round like ragdolls as the crowd cheers him on. Penta tags in, double crossbody on the Bucks. Bucks “accidentally” superkick Cutler, casadora on Nick into the DESTROYER on Matt. Cutler pulls Penta out of the ring and holds him, Nick goes for a PK but hits Cutler in the face and eats a backstabber. Penta connects with a sit-out driver on Matt for the 1…2…Cutler makes the save. Pac, Kingston, and Penta hit a host of corner strikes, Pac climbs the buckles, Kingston stops Cutler from hitting him with a camera and clotheslines Matt. Nick levels Kingston with a lariat, Penta sends Nick to the floor with an armdrag and follows up with a step-up tope con hiro to Nick and Cutler. Pac sees the coast is clear and connects with a 450 Splash into the BRUTALIZER. Nick tries to break it but Pac won’t release the hold. Pac finally does, Kingston hits Nick with an enzuigiri. Kingston calls for some teamwork, STEREO SPLASHES FROM PAC AND KINGSTON on Nick Jackson & Cutler! So GOOD. Pac lays into Matt with a series of kicks, Nick kicks Pac from behind and Matt sends him into a buckle bomb/pair of kicks in the corner. Cutler tags in and MISSES a springboard elbowdrop, Kingston cracks him in the mask with a backfist and covers for the 1…2…3.
Eddie Kingston, Penta El Zero Miedo, & Pac defeated Brandon Cutler & The Young Bucks via pinfall (12:55)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Great match, I loved the story of Pac warming up to and finally co-existing with his former enemy Kingston, resulting in that stereo splash which ruled. Cutler being treated as the Elite’s intern is a perfect role for him, gets to be the tackling dummy and take the pins for his group and gives him WAY MORE to do than he had been given since coming to the company in 2019. I really enjoyed this. (***1/2)
No time to dwell as The Young Bucks immediately attack Kingston and Penta. Out come The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) to join in on the attack, Frankie Kazarian (the “Elite Hunter”) runs out and makes the save. Kingston points to Cutler, Kazarian takes his head off with a running lariat. I don’t know what this Elite Hunter thing is but I’m INTO IT.
—
-An obviously doctored video plays, putting Kenny Omega’s cheating at Double or Nothing in a comically positive light. HA.
—
THE PINNACLE SPEAK
An angry MJF leads The Pinnacle (Tully Blanchard, Shawn Spears, Wardlow, Cash Wheeler, & Dax Harwood) to the ring to finally speak two weeks removed from losing at Double or Nothing. Harwood says Stadium Stampede didn’t go the way they wanted to but that’s okay because the match wasn’t designed for men like them. Harwood says in the middle of the chaos something clicked in his brain in regards to Santana & Ortiz; he goes on to say that both teams made something of themselves out of nothing but Santana & Ortiz lost their edge and that’s why they tried to end their career. Harwood has a wife and a family to take care of, Wheeler doesn’t have a family so he doesn’t give a SHIT about either one of theirs. Wheeler says Santana & Ortiz are happy being a footnote in someone else’s legacy and they accept (did they get challenged?). Spears launches into a tirade on Sammy Guevara, saying that doing his flashy moves doesn’t make him a hero, it makes him an indie wrestler and HE’S THE DAMN HERO because he’s so damn professional. Wardlow is up next to talk about Jake Hager, saying that Hager appears to need him because every time they meet he gets the best out of him. Hager has invited Wardlow to step in “his” world and in one week Hager will find out it doesn’t matter where they meet because he’s always in Wardlow’s world. He also accepts (okay I missed something last week, huh). MJF says he grew up idolizing Chris Jericho, watching every match & promo and reading his books. MJF continues, saying it turns out that he was worshipping a false god, that Jericho was like everyone else: not on his level. He has already beaten Jericho TWICE and has nothing to prove to anyone, and DENIES Jericho’s match request. MJF goes after Guevara next, unsurprised that he let Jericho speak for him because he’s a chicken shit. MJF tells Guevara he doesn’t belong in a ring with him and tells him to keep his name out his mouth.
Chris Jericho interrupts via jumbotron, bat in hand. Jericho “congratulates” MJF on his soliloquy, saying he can brag about it with his buddies as they’re walking home. Jericho joins the rest of The Inner Circle (Sammy Guevara, Santana, & Ortiz) in demolishing the limo, Santana popping the tires and Ortiz spray painting “EL BARTO” on the side. Love it. Jake Hager finally shows up, ramming a forklift into the limo’s side, LIFTING IT UP and tearing the thing apart even more. ATTITUDE ERA IS BACK BABY.
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Pinnacle’s promo was I guess a response to Inner Circle’s challenges from last week which flew over my head but I appreciated everyone’s intensity. MJF turning Jericho down because he’s already beaten him twice makes perfect sense and is justified, and I like that they’re also circling around back to the MJF/Guevara beef, even though Spears has first dibs. Inner Circle showing up to do Attitude Era stuff is cheesy as sh*t but it made sense for their stable I guess. I find their whole “MIDDLE FINGERS BRO” thing lame. Stil we are getting Proud & Powerful vs. FTR which apparently hasn’t happened yet?!? GIVE TO ME NOW.
—
–Sting & Darby Allin have a response to the challenge laid out last week by Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page. Allin says he’s not replacing Sting and wants it to be a handicap match, then tells Sting to stay home. Sting says Allin has nothing to prove, but Allin once again asks him to stay home. Sting, a little angry, agrees and they finally fist bump to make it official.
-Video plays hyping Evil Uno’s path to AEW,his desire to become TNT Champion and how important the TNT Championship is to The Dark Order, and how he wants to make their late leader Brodie Lee proud.
—
“The Best Man” Miro [c] vs. Evil Uno for the AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP
Miro backs Uno in the corner and gives him a shove, not concerned about his opponent. Miro continues overpowering Uno, slamming him to the canvas and laying into him with stiff shots to the face and ribs. Uno fires back with chops but Miro feels NOTHING and stalks him, Uno sends Miro to the floor. Miro pulls Uno out and connects with a body shot but misses the second, hitting nothing but post, Uno follows up with a senton off the apron. Uno dazes Miro with a boot and climbs the buckles, Miro pulls him off and into a side suplex to regain control as the show moves to picture-in-picture, where Miro continues the offensive onslaught with strikes, throws, and a straitjacket submission hold.
Miro plays to the crowd as the match returns to full screen, then runs into Uno and sends him flying off the apron. Stu Grayson and Alan Angels of The Dark Order come out to motivate Uno, who beats the count just in the nick of time as the crowd goes wild. Miro rolls out of the ring and sends Grayson flying over the barricade with a clothesline. Angels avoids getting attacked, bailing to the back as Miro throws a turnbuckle pad at him. Uno launches a string of comeback offense, connecting with a step-up hurricanrana and a big boot that takes the big man off his feet. Uno follows up with a senton atomico but only gets a ONE count. Grayson and Angels come out with the other Dark Order members (John Silver, Alex Reynolds, Colt Cabana, 10, & -1) to cheer Uno on from the ramp. Miro rolls Uno up for the 1…2…Uno kicks out and Miro flies right into the exposed turnbuckle, Uno covers for the 1…2…MIRO KICKS OUT. Uno hits a Brodie Lee discus lariat…but MIRO DOESN’T FLINCH and he gets dropped in short (dark) order. Miro goes for the kill, stomping the spine and bending all the way back on GAME OVER for the tapout victory.
Miro [c] defeated Evil Uno via submission to retain the AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP (9:36)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Miro has turned his career around in 2021, going from goofy video game loving tough guy to an absolute MONSTER, and I f*cking love it. I dug this match a lot, especially the hope spots from Uno and The Dark Order. They set it up to where it seemed like it was going to be enough but then Miro not budging at all from the discus lariat put a stop to that and that f*cking RULED. Dynamite kicks ass this week. (***1/4)
Miro WAVES to The Dark Order before breaking the hold and celebrating his win. AMAZING.
—
-LAST WEEK: Andrade El Idolo shocks the wrestling world by joining AEW. This leads into a video package hyping Andrade further, focusing on his jet-setting lifestyle since they don’t have any wrestling footage to work from yet. Jim Ross will sit down with him next week for another interview.
—
IN-RING INTERVIEW
Tony Schiavone introduces his guests: AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and “The Invisible Hand” Don Callis. Omega will defend the World Title against Jungle Boy in two weeks on Dynamite. Omega only has the AEW World Title with him, his other belts not good enough to make TV this go around. Callis continues accusing AEW of conspiring to take the belt off Omega, and calls Jungle Boy a “one hit wonder” like the band who sings his song. Omega says as a World Champion he’s supposed to sell his defense against Jungle Boy, who he says reminds him of a younger vserion of him and could be a champion one day but he’s missing something. Callis agrees, saying Jungle Boy has everything except the GUTS. Jungle Boy immediately interrupts as the crowd sings along with his theme song (GOD I’M SO HAPPY CROWDS ARE BACK). Omega is surprised to see him, since he’s not known as a promo guy and doesn’t have the GUTS anyway. Omega gives Jungle Boy five seconds to say what he’s got to say because he’s a little pissed off. Jungle Boy tells Omega he talks way too much, Omega tries to attack him but Jungle Boy lights him up…until Omega rakes the eyes. Omega goes for a clothesline, Jungle Boy ducks and goes for the Snare Trap but bails when The Young Bucks arrive to make the save.
- JON’S THOUGHTS: This did a great job FIRING ME UP for Omega vs. Jungle Boy. Omega was in top form tonight, being smarmy but not to the point of it being cartoonish, and Jungle Boy responding to it all with “you talk too much” was the best. Hell yeah. Can’t wait.
—
–Jade Cargill and “Smart” Mark Sterling announce that their monetization plan is in full effect and revenue is already going up. Sterling says Cargill has a family to feed and they have expensive taste, but they will do so for years to come and the plan is to branch her out to all media. Cargill says the first thing they need to capitalize on her catchphrase, which she gets residuals on whenever she uses it: “I’m that BITCH”.
–Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page respond to comments from Sting & Darby Allin earlier. Sky says he’s seen Allin do a lot of dumb things, but wanting to fight them by himself is the dumbest. Page tells Allin they will chop him down bit by bit and raise them to the next level because “it’s only up from here for the Men of the Year”. Sky compliments the catchphrase and snaps his fingers to conclude the promo.
—
“The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer [w/ Jake “The Snake” Roberts] vs. Chandler Hopkins
Archer throws Hopkins into the ring before he can be introduced and drives him through the canvas with a chokeslam. One Blackout later and it’s over.
Lance Archer defeated Chandler Hopkins via pinfall (0:52)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: I could watch Lance Archer squash people all damn day. (SQUASH)
Archer doesn’t even celebrate, stalking to the back while Roberts just kind of shrugs.
—
–The Wingmen (Ryan Nemeth, Peter Avalon, Cezar Bononi, & J.D. Drake) offer Orange Cassidy a spot in their makeover program. He has two options: rearrange his wardrobe or Bonini will rearrange his face.
-LAST WEEK: Nyla Rose interrupts Britt Baker’s championship celebration, knocking burgers out of everyone’s hand. RUDE.
—
“Legit” Leyla Hirsch vs. “The Native Beast” Nyla Rose [w/ Vickie Guerrero]
Hirch makes her entrance, but stops when she sees a step stool put there by Rose & Guerrero, building off what I guess is a war of words on Twitter (who has time to care about that sh*t). Hirsch angrily throws the stool at Guerrero and runs into the ring, Rose surprises her with a clothesline as the match starts. Hirsch rolls through a slam and goes for the Cross Armbreaker, but Rose saves herself by getting to the ropes. Hirsch continues laying in with a series of forearms and a dropkick that sends Rose to the floor. Hirsch tries to follow up with a tope suicida but Rose catches her and rams her back-first into the apron. Hirsch catches a right and throws Rose’s arm into the post. She locks in the Cross Armbreaker on the floor, Rose picks her up and flings her into the guardrail to break the hold. Leyla Hirsch played herself on that one, let’s be honest. Rose drops Hirsch with a clothesline and follows up with a kneedrop for the 1…2…Hirsch kicks out and Rose locks in a nerve hold as the show goes to commercial.
Hirsch has regained offensive control by the time the show returns from commercial, connecting with a pair of knees in the corner and covering for the 1…2…no tyet. Rose escapes a waistlock by sending Hirsch to the apron, Hirsch hops over the ropes and connects with a release German suplex followed by a running knee strike and a hop-up moonsault for the 1…2…Rose grabs the bottom rope. Hirsch goes for the Cross Armbreaker again, Rose escapes with a one-armed powerbomb. Rose hangs Hirsch across the top rope and climbs the buckle, Hirsch regroups and pummels her with forearms. Rose pulls her up to the buckles and headbutts her back to the canvas, Hirsch quickly recovers and goes for a hurricanrana but ROSE HANGS ON AND HITS AN AVALANCHE BEAST BOMB for the 1…2…3.
Nyla Rose defeated Leyla Hirsch via pinfall (7:27 shown)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Good match, Hirsch might be real short or whatever but she can still believably beat the sh*t out of anyone in the Women’s division making her a constant threat. Rose got the win but really had to battle for it and now that she’s beaten someone in the top 5 that’ll inch her closer to a real shot against Britt Baker. (**1/2)
—
–Tony Schiavone is backstage with Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Rebel. Baker was furious at first that Rose ruined her celebration but took a deep breath and realized Rose looked good flipping burgers and maybe she should do that for a living. Baker, in role model form, then admonishes Rose for making fun of Leyla Hirsch’s “height disadvantage” and throws in a condescending “bless her heart”. Baker says Rose NEEDS the Women’s Title but she MAKES the Women’s Title and is making a new division.
-TWO WEEKS FROM NOW: Kenny Omega defends the World Title against Jungle Boy on a special SATURDAY Dynamite.
-NEXT FRIDAY: Eddie Kingston teams with Penta El Zero Miedo & Frankie Kazarian to take on Matt Jackson & The Good Brothers in trios action, Andrade El Idolo sits down with Jim Ross, Orange Cassidy takes on Cezar Bononi of The Wingmen, Darby Allin vs. Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page in a handicap match, Jake Hager takes on Wardlow in an MMA Rules Cage Fight, and Cody Rhodes teams with Brock Anderson to meet QT Marshall & Aaron Solow as set up earlier in tonight’s episode.
- JON’S THOUGHTS: Man how f*cking cool is it to have a wrestling show where THINGS happen and new matches occur? When it’s on AEW is ON.
—
“Hangman” Adam Page & Dark Order’s 10 vs. Team Taz (“The Machine” Brian Cage & Powerhouse Hobbs) [w/ Taz on commentary]
HANGMAN PAGE IS OVER, BROTHER. That reaction was insane. Page charges at Cage, Cage throws him into the corner. Page comes back with forearm smashes but stops to jaw with Hobbs, allowing Cage to catch him with a kick. Page counters the Drill Claw and hits a standing shooting star press for a two-count. Cage leapfrogs Page and connects with a hip toss into a backbreaker. Page ducks a clothesline and belts Cage with an elbow strike. 10 blind tags in and lays in some forearms of his own and a pump kick in the corner. Hobbs kicks 10 from behind and Cage clubs him while he’s distracted, Hobbs tags in and Team Taz hits a double powerbomb for the 1…2…not yet. Hobbs remains in control as the show enters its final (picture in picture) commercial break. Team Taz take turns wearing 10 down with various power(house) moves through the break, “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Hook showing up to cheer on/possibly help Team Taz.
Back to full screen, 10 ducks a discus clothesline and connects with a pump kick, Hobbs tags in and eats a pump kick as well after a forearm from Page. Page gets the hot tag and boots Cage off the apron immediately, crowd losing their MINDS. Page dodges Hobbs in the corner and tries to slam him but he’s too big. Page tries a slingshot slam, Cage catches him but his post bomb is countered into a hurricanrana that sends The Machine into the steel. Page immediately follows up with a moonsault on Hobbs for the 1…2…not yet. Page escapes a suplex and grabs a waistlock, Hobbs escapes and F*CKS PAGE UP with a running crossbody for the 1…2…10 breaks it up. Cage runs in and connects with a 619 (?!?) on 10, Page clotheslines him off the apron and knocks Hobbs out with a right hook (HOOK!) but referee Bryce Remsburg doesn’t make the count as Hobbs’ hand is under the rope. 10 tags in and drills Hobbs with a spinebuster, Hobbs counters a Full Nelson by running him into the corner. Cage tags in, Hobbs drops Page off the apron and Cage connects with a release German suplex on 10, Team Taz with a high/low (more high) for the 1…2…10 KICKS OUT. Hook enters the ring, Starks throws Cage the FTW Championship but Cage throws it back out. Starks angrily SLAPS Cage, Cage chases Starks through the tunnel, Hook following from behind. Hobbs ducks a pump kick and connects with a spinebuster for the 1…2…Page leaps in and makes the save. 10 floats over a spinebuster attempt and connects with a ripcord cutter, Page connects with a Buckshot Lariat, and 10 covers for the 1…2…3!
Hangman Page & Dark Order’s 10 defeated Team Taz via pinfall (11:18)
- JON’S THOUGHTS: That main event was pure fire, the energy of the crowd absolutely UNREAL and catapulting the work from good to great. I’ll never take a crowd for granted again, goddamn. Excellent match, Cage’s impending exit from Team Taz continuing to be built, and Dark Order gets to end their night on a positive note instead of what happened to Evil Uno earlier. Hell yeah. (***3/4)
The rest of The Dark Order come out to celebrate, beers for the adults and water for -1 and Colt Cabana. Feelgood ending.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS
Just a real barn burner of a Dynamite this week. The in-ring action was great, the interview segments were entertaining, AEW was firing on all cylinders. I was a little nervous trying to wedge my way back into the show but I didn’t feel too lost through the whole thing and the show they presented won me right the f*ck back. Let’s goooo.
- MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Hangman Page & 10 vs. Team Taz
- MOMENT OF THE NIGHT: Miro brushes off Evil Uno’s discus clothesline and proceeds to win the match with Game Over, waving at the Dark Order as he wrenches it back. Awesome.
