Tonight is both the 100th episode of Dynamite, and the last episode before All Out this Sunday! One thing to be determined is how AEW handles Dynamite and Rampage right before a pay per view. The show before a pay per view has usually been action packed and sold the weekend show with a huge brawl or a major story point towards the end of Dynamite. Does that happen on Rampage now? The short history of Rampage has been wrestling focused, and it will be interesting to see how AEW handles it. This show looks to be a blast, so let’s get to it!
FTR vs. Santana and Ortiz
After their last match ended in an unfortunate and bloody way, we finally get the rematch. It’s sounding like Cash Wheeler’s injury was really bad, because FTR is sounding like they might be retiring after this. Maybe I’m being worked!
Proud and Powerful bring out the war paint for this, as Santana and Dax Harwood kick things off. PnP looks so cool with the face paint. The match starts technical between the two, and quickly devolves into a brawl. Santana hits a flipping senton outside of the ring.
FTR slows the pace down with tandem moves and heel tactics. Dax Harwood brutally stomps on Ortiz’s arm over and over, and Cash Wheeler takes off the turnbuckle pad when the referee wasn’t looking.
Santana gets the hot tag, and the pace picks up. He hits the Three Amigos and a frog splash to the crowd chant of “Eddie.” Always makes me happy to see any and all homages to Eddie Guerrero.
FTR gets the upper hand, and Dax hits a violent brainbuster for a close two count. That was a callback to their first match that needed to be adjusted, where that brainbuster finished it. Cash hits a crazy good Gory Special, and then FTR hits their Big Rig finisher but Ortiz comes out of nowhere to break it up.
PnP hits a tandem flapjack, and gets the pin!
This was absolutely phenomenal. This was the match we were robbed of a month or so ago. Hopefully Cash Wheeler is okay enough to continue, because the wrestling world is so much better with them in it. I loved everything about this match.
Segment: Daniel Garcia and 2point0 are back and threatening Darby Allin again, for some reason. I think there is more to this connection between 2point0, Daniel Garcia, Darby Allin, and CM Punk.
CM Punk promo
CM Punk is back to another Chicago ovation. He’s questioning himself and the crowd chants “you still got it.”
2point0 and Daniel Garcia come out to attack Punk, but Darby Allin and Sting run down for the save. Darby and Punk get face to face, which is awesome. We get to see Punk hit a GTS on Daniel Garcia.
Sting grabs a microphone, puts over CM Punk, and says he’s going to be watching from the back.
Schiavone interview with MJF
There’s not much to say here. MJF is quite possibly the best in AEW in the promo game. Everything about this promo was intense and insane. He can’t wait to take out Jericho’s career, and I honestly have no idea who is going to win.
Orange Cassidy vs. Jack Evans
After last week’s match with Matt Hardy resulted in Hardy’s nose being broken, the HFO has come back for more against Orange Cassidy.
Matt Hardy attacks Cassidy before the bell and gets thrown out by Bryce Remsburg.
The match starts hot with Jack Evans dominating until Cassidy hits a big DDT. Jack Evans continues to dominate with his athleticism. Out of nowhere, Orange Cassidy steals the pin with a reverse roll up.
Matt Hardy comes back out and starts attacking Cassidy, and then a huge brawl between HFO and the Best Friends. Jurassic Express comes out to save the Best Friends, and it’s cool to see Jungle Boy remembering how much he dislikes Matt Hardy. Cool little touch.
The match itself was fine. Nothing special, and the ending of it was odd. I only got to see the small picture because it finished during the commercial, but I didn’t see Cassidy get much offense in at all. Looks like we’re getting one more Hardy and Cassidy match.
Jim Ross interview with Chris Jericho
Jim Ross is the middle of the ring, and he’s sad that he has to have this interview. He welcomes Jericho and asks the “why?” question (Where’s Simon Miller).
Jericho can’t keep wrestling knowing he couldn’t beat MJF, so that’s why he will retire if he loses. His promo is intense, emotional, and it really feels like he’s saying goodbye. Fantastic promo by Jericho here, and I’m pumped for the match on Sunday.
Brian Cage vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
Brian Cage finally gets his ginormous hands on the equally ginormous Powerhouse Hobbs this week after Hobbs cost Cage the FTW title against Ricky Starks.
Cage flies down the ramp and attacks Hobbs before the bell. Cage has the advantage until Hobbs blasts him in the face. Hobbs has complete advantage until a flatliner onto Hobbs’ face. This match is stiff and hard hitting between the two behemoths. Cage hits a strong German suplex, and then a massive Spinebuster by Hobbs. Cage goes for the Drillclaw, but Hook distracts the ref and Ricky Starks blasts Cage with the FTW championship in the head. Hobbs hits his big sidewalk slam for the victory!
I loved this match. It was a very good big man match, and both guys really showed their strengths. Hobbs is so good as a big heel, and I really love how Cage has looked recently. I was not expecting Cage to lose and I loved how that ended.
Segment: QT and the Factory have called out Paul Wight to come to the ring. Wight obliges and dominates the Factory, and QT grabs a chair to even the odds. The Gunn Club come to help the big man, but Billy Gunn betrays Paul! Gunn hits him right in Wight’s surgically repaired hip. QT is stunned on the ramp as the Gunn Club walk past. I am much more intrigued by this feud than I was before.
Penelope Ford vs. Tay Conti
Penelope teamed up with The Bunny last week to screw Tay Conti, and Conti wants revenge. With the Casino Battle Royale coming up, it is cool to see stories being added to it. That adds intrigue, and makes me want to tune in.
Conti blasts Ford before the bell and rolls her in. Match starts a little uncoordinated, but Ford hits Conti as she goes to the top rope and gets the advantage. Penelope plays the dominant heel really well, and she shows some great moves here. Hits a cool double knees from over the top rope.
These girls start killing each other, as Conti hits huge boots to the face and Ford hits her signature double knees.
The Bunny tries distracting Conti, but Ford inadvertently hits her, and then Conti rolls her up for the pin. Bunny and Ford attack after the bell and Anna Jay is back for the save! Anna Jay is in the Casino Battle Royale!
This match was great! Both ladies really gave it their all and did a phenomenal job. Ford has been so good recently, and Conti is one of the most improved women’s wrestlers in the world. It was hard hitting, and Ford has fantastic heel tendencies for a smaller woman. Usually dominant heels are bigger and stronger, but she does a fantastic job.
The Elite vs. Lucha Bros/Jurassic Express
After their match on Rampage, the Lucha Bros and Jurassic Express teamed up in their hatred of the Young Bucks. In a quintessential “enemy of my enemy is my friend” situation, we have this sure to be crazy match.
Big LG and Luchasaurus start this match, and it’s not too often you see Luke Gallows get suplexed. The pace picks up with tandem moves by both teams, and then the Elite take advantage and slow everything down.
Rey Fenix gets the hot tag and goes his usual nuclear self. Teams start trading big move after big move in absolute chaos. This match just went from slow to insane levels of intensity. Brandon Cutler was there to try and distract Fenix, but Luchasaurus saves the pinfall. Fenix tries to hit a springboard splash, but the Bucks catch him and flip it into a Meltzer driver for the pinfall.
Just an absolute bonkers level of intensity. I cannot do it justice if you haven’t seen it. Any time the Lucha Bros are on my screen, it’s can’t miss. I loved every second of this match and could watch The Bucks and Lucha Brothers all day long.
Kenny Omega comes down and calls for Callis to “lower the cage,” and the Steel Cage for Sunday was already in place above the ring. Omega and the Bucks lock themselves into the cage with Christian and the Lucha Brothers. Other AEW wrestlers come down to try to save them, but Cutler and the Good Brothers hit them with Kendo sticks and the cold spray. Omega and the Bucks just destroy Cage and the Lucha Bros over and over again.
Everything about this absolutely ruled. The match was bonkers and absolute amazing chaos, and the after match was even better. I loved every second of unhinged Omega destroying everyone. The reign of terror of the Elite is just getting better by the month!
AEW knows how to sell a pay per view, and they really knocked it out of the park with this go home show. As the last episode of Dynamite until All Out, I wasn’t sure how they’d format the show. I was surprised by how many segments and promos there were, but they didn’t detract from the show. Every match and every segment added to the builds of their programs. Props to the Paul Wight and QT program by adding the Gunn Club in there. There was zero excitement for that match, and the Gunn Club wrinkle into that feud adds something for me.
This episode was great. It started with a banger and ended with one as well. I’m going to give match of the night to FTR and Proud and Powerful, but it was close with the main event. Props to Tay Conti and Penelope Ford as well. They killed it during the dead zone time of 9:30.
This was a phenomenal episode of Dynamite. My only dislikes for the show were the Orange Cassidy and Jack Evans match, and the amount of promos for the show. I enjoyed the promos, but I felt like there were a little too many in the middle of the show that dragged it down just a little bit. It’s a nitpick yes, but with AEW we grade on a scale…
Verdict: 4.5/5 (Fantastic)