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COMPLETE AEW DYNAMITE WINTER IS COMING BLOG

Biggest night in AEW history? Certainly in the question.  Certainly the most prolific AEW World Title match to date.  Jon Moxley v Kenny Omega.  If this one match doesn't push them to over a million viewers, what will.  We are LIVE from Dailey's Place in Jacksonville, FL for tonight's "Winter is Coming" edition of AEW Dynamite.  JR, Tony Schaivone and Excalibur have the call. 

Luckily, Dark ended moments ago so we're good to go. the still shots they've done for the winter theme has given tonight a must see feel.

We are kicking things off with the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal, also known as Cory Strode's Worst Nightmare.  The Inner Circle is kind of laying back here as is Shawn Spears.  Him and Scorpio Sky are staring daggers at each other.  Matt Hardy eliminates one of Private Party, so the long 2 week tease of his heel turn seems comeplete. Sky eliminates Spears, who then loads up his glove and knocks him out, leading to his elimination.  Quick night for the Mighty Dark Order, however they save Hangman Page, continuing their recruitment.  Hardy eliminates Page.  This is pretty standard battle royal stuff.  MJF, Guevara and Wardlow are just hanging back.  Miro cleans house until the Inner Circle triple teams him.  Miro and Wardlow square off.  Interesting that while all this is going on, Jungle Boy is still alive.  Just Jungle Boy, Wardlow, MJF and Sammy left now as the Inner Circle tandemly eliminates Miro.  As soon as MJF "accidentally" eliminates Sammy and Jungle Boy, we're reminded that Orange Cassidy was never eliminated.  Of course, Cassidy eliminates Wardlow, because why treat a monster like he's a, well, A MONSTER?!?!?!

Orange Cassidy vs. MJF next week for the Dynamite Diamond Ring, whose value must exceed well over $87,000 by now.

Frankie Kazarian vs. Chris Jericho is up next.  Obviously, this will be good.  Would it be better if Frankie hadn't been so strongly devalued since losing the AEW Tag Team titles back in January.  Basically at this point, only he and Daniels comprise SCU.  Scorpio Sky is long gone from the group.  His entrance is devoid of SCU reference and, based on his behavior on Dark last night, may be going heel.  Either that or Shawn Spears is so deep in his head he's forgetting who he really is. Either way, if it's down to Kaz and Daniels, they need to go back heel as either the Addiction or something of that ilk.  They're just wasted as colorless babyfaces.

 

Jake Hager might be the luckiest man in Jacksonville only working Jericho's corner.  He's wearing a coat, as we've been reminded that it's 40 degrees at Dailey's Place.  Wasn't it oppressively hot there a month ago?  Excalibur reminds us at the outset that they'll be going to picture in picture, so nothing of any significance will happen for a while.  Hager interferes RIGHT IN FRONT OF AUBREY EDWARDS and Edwards, AEW's best referee does...nothing.  God I just want some consistency from this company once in a while.

There's a Star Wars marathon this weekend on TNT.  That makes me happy.

We're back from restaurant quality picture in picture and the match thus far has been...good.  Jericho has thrown out his superstar goodwill over the last few month so it's just not special when he wrestles.  Hager tries to break up the pin right in from of Aubrey Edwards, who does nothing.  Ortiz want to interfere but Hager stops hi, so Jericho doesn't get DQ'd (like Edwards is paying any attention anyway).  And now Sammy Guevara and MJF are arguing over MJF wanting to throw in the towel on a Boston Crab.  Jericho finally puts an end to this mess with a Judas Effect.  Now we've got the Inner Circle shoving each other.  Jericho tells us they've all got 7 days to decide to work as a team or the Inner Circle breaks up forever.  

Next week it's TH2 v The Young Bucks.  The Acclaimed interrupt them.  Max Caster freestyles, mocking the cover where the Bucks do appear to be looking at each others...midsections.  TH2 attacks.  Are the Bucks heels or not?!?!?

Dr. Britt Baker with Reba is up next and she's calling out Thunder Rosa.  Leyla Hirsch opposes her.  Hirsch is legit, and that's not just a nickname.  I kind of wish she wasn't in this spot as she's clearly not winning here.  Reba's going to have to interfere in this one.  Hirsch is doing some great mat wrestling, tying Baker up by Britt with a decent looking superkick as hit commercial.

So now Hikaru Shida is terrified of Abadon, even though she claims she's not.  Shida has beaten Nyla Rose twice.  She's survived every single challenge to her title.  Maybe, and I'm NOT an expert in any way, shape, or form, maybe they should have had Abadon do something besides crawl on the stage and lick a championship belt.  At least The Fiend attacked Seth Rollins a few times before.

Baker has had a solid run here during commercial but Hirsch fires right back. Baker pulls Reba right in front of her to take a tope.  Reba of late has been very entertaining.  I'm glad they're taking their time with this storyline.  Hirsh may have to stop applying armbars because it's exposing how easily they can be broken.  Reba distracts the referee.  Baker does nothing nefarious and gets the win via the Lockjaw.  Thunder Rosa immediately comes out and brawls with Baker.  The locker room empties itself of referees to break it up.

Zero time wasted going into the Cody Rhodes & Darby Allin vs. Powerhouse Hobbs & Ricky Starks match.  They cleared the area so quick you'd swear this was taped and not live.  I'm glad it looks like AEW is serious about giving tonight's main event the time it needs.  Taz looks so comfortable as the leader of this stable and Hobbs is a beast.  This faction has a great mix of youthful talent.  Cage, Starks and Hobbs have completely different looks and styles, yet the combination doesn't look awkward or out of place. Team Taz needs to get the win here, as this is Hobbs' first big match with the tandem.  Realistically, Hobbs or Starks ought to be winning the TNT title soon.

Excalibur informs us that Hobbs once injured Julian Edelmann.  I officially don't like him now.

JR did a really good job explaining how Hobbs' basic move set is an asset as, due to his strength, basic armbars and hammerlocks have far more devastating effects.  Good way to cover for him as he gets the experience he needs.  By the way, there have been zero references to Jade Cargill or Shaquille O'Neal so far.  Taz and Arn Anderson start jawing away.  Man I'd love to have 1987 Arn vs. 1997 Taz.  Darby Allin with the coffin drop on Starks for the pin.  Cody and Allin win.  Hobbs with a post match attack and Arn gets involved.  Now we're having one of those brawls where someone new comes in to save and attack.  The locker room emptied with offcials for Thunder Rosa but not this.  Lights out...winter is coming.  

No, it's Sting.  The heels immediately flee form the 61 year old.  So we went from Team Taz being thought of as a potential top faction to them running from a 61 year old with a bum neck.  Look,  love Sting. Truly I do.  When WCW built around him from 1991-1994, I was stoked.  When he became the crow in 1996-1997, I was the first guy going crazy watching Nitro.  I really was.  This is apparently step 2 in Tony Khan changing the balance of power.  I really hope this main event delivers.

Main event time as Don Callis joins the commentary team.  I admit to really enjoying Kenny Omega's presentation, but dammitt there's no dancing broom girls tonight.  We're getting an old school wrestling match to kick things off.  They may not go past 10:00 but these two are certainly pacing themselves for a long night.  Moxley takes some hard chops and gets right in Omega's face.  The crowd at Dailey's Place is giving wrestling what might be first dueling chant in 9 months ("Lets Go Moxley, O-ME-GA!").  Referee Paul Turner has apparently made this a no countout rule as he's making Red Shoes look strict in his counting.  This has gone way into the seats.  Moxley rolls back in and NOW Turner counts?  Can they make us care less about the rules?

They've chosen now to scroll Dark results.

Turner counted 4 in the corner and just started his count again while Moxley had a choke on Omega.  Omega's been in general control since we got back from the break, beginning with the corkscrew legdrop.  Moxley responds with a German and both men are down as we go to another picture in picture.

Hopefully this is the last commercial break.  I 100% understand why we have to have them but maybe they could work out a deal with State Farm where they do in show advertising so the match can be shown interrupted.  Probably not feasible I understand that.  Moxley with the Paradigm Shift and just immediately goes for a chair.  He throws two of them in the ring and sets them up and invites Omega to trade slaps while sitting down.  Slaps turn to punches and Omega nails a V Trigger, lariat by Moxley.  Second Paradigm shift and Omega kicks out at 2.  Omega meets him with a V Trigger off a tope suicida attempt by Moxley.  Now we're getting into gut check time.  The heavy artillery is getting thrown out.  If Omega doesn't win, then it kind of renders the V Trigger useless.  Mox is fighting the One Winged Angel as best he can.  

Moxley throws Omega into the heater at ringside.  Paul Turner calls for help as Omega may have come down on his head.  Clearly a part of the match as no one stopped Moxley from a further attack.  And now Don Callis is involved yelling on a microphone that he's hurt.  Omega nails Moxley with the microphone and we have some juice.  Omega smells blood and nails 4 V Triggers. One Winged Angel and we have a NEW AEW World Champion.  Callis leads Omega straight out of the arena and into a getaway car.  Before they leave, Callis says he and Omega will explain everything Tuesday...On Impact Wrestling.

So the biggest match in AEW history with an admittedly historic result was designed to spike a rating for Impact?  The Post Game Party will be interesting, to say the least.

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