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COMPLETE AEW DYNAMITE BLOG

We are live from Jacksonville as -1 leads the mighty Dark Order to the ring for their man tag team match.  John Silver seems mighty confident that Adam Page is joining tonight.  But before we get into trivial matters like pro wrestling, The Dark Order leads Jacksonville in a happy birthday sing-a-long for Brodie Lee Jr.

Here comes Luther to cut a promo on the kid.  I'm going to give AEW a lot of leeway on this one.  It's a nice gesture and I hive TH2, Luther and Serpentico credit.  Luther cut a promo on an 8 year old, the heel team exists to get killed tonight and one of them is likely taking a bump for the kid.  The match technically is an 8 man tag with TH2 and Chaos Project talking on John Silver, Alex Reynolds, Colt Cabana and Adam Page.  Ordinarily, the heel team here has no business being on prime time.  They've gotten no push, little TV time and zero in the way of credibility.

By the way Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur have the call tonight.  They've reminded us that, in addition to the cake cutting ceremony getting ruined, that Hangman will make his decision as to whether or not he joins Dark Order tonight.  Dark Order holds the heels in place for Hangman to do his moonsault to the floor.  I appreciate the fact that they held the opposition to take the move, as opposed to that awkward spot where they stand there doing nothing while they get pounced on.  LUTHER GETS THROWN FACE FIRST INTO THE CAKE!  This one's over pretty quick as Hangman and the Dark Order pick up the win.  As usual, you can't go wrong honoring the kid.  Brodie Lee nails Serpentico with the Singapore cane.  No issues.

No on to business, John Silver formally asks Hangman if he'll join and we get a wildly premature celebration.  Although he's had fun, the group thing no longer works for the Hangman and he declines.  Why he wouldn't want to hang out with Ana Jay is beyond me.

Kind of a cool down week for AEW this week, on the heels of the 2 week New Years Show they did.  Peter Avalon vs. Cody Rhodes is coming up, for example.  We'll get an update on Miro's new butler, Charles Taylor.  Alex Marvez is with the Sexy Hooligans, MJF and Chris Jericho, who tell that, despite the dissension in the Inner Circle, THEY will be the next AEW World Tag Team Champions.

I'd be remiss if I didn't touch a bit on the amazing thing that happened in the United States today.  A miracle occurred.  Life seems to be on its way back to normal.  Enemies are becoming friends.  All because of one man.  Yes, Ryan from ProWrestlingTees.com has unveiled the new app from PWTs.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and he brings out STIIIIIIIIIIIIING, presumably to congratulate Darby Allin on gaining Kryptonian powers, or maybe just retaining the AEW TNT Championship.  Darby is out next.  Darby looks the part of a star.  Sting says that Darby reminds him of himself and congratulates Allin on being TNT champion.  Team Taz on the screen tells him to shut up.  Thank you, AEW for putting them on the screen and spare them the indignity of being run off again.  Team Taz deserves so much better than what they've been giving.  Taz makes a challenge for a street fight.  Darby tells them to be careful what they wish for.

Cody vs. Pretty Peter Avalon is up next. Avalon has been on something of a tear on AEW Dark since ditching the Librarian gimmick.  Arn Anderson is coaching Cody tonight.  Not exactly convinced he needs the coaching for this, but here we are.  Tony Schiavone tells us that Cody has gained 19lbs since Jan 1. He immediately nails a CrossRhodes and here come Jade Cargill.  Excellent, this should be great stuff, seriously.  Low blow by Avalon and Cargill walks off, managing to not ruin the segment.  Best performance she's had yet.  Almost time for picture in picture, so this one will last a while.

Alex Marvez catches the Young Bucks outside Kenny Omega's house.  They insult Alex so they're absolutely definitely not heels.  But then they make fun of Kenny and Don Callis' oil painting.  Callis meets them and informs them that Kenny isn't available right now.  Marvez gets kicked out to the Dungeon while they have a little summit.  The camera gets mysteriously left behind as Callis tries to buy off the Bucks.  What he's trying to buy off is a little beyond me, but he's trying to buy them off from something.  They back Callis into the abandoned camera and Callis lets off a little scream.  This was, ahhh, not good?

We're back and I take back what I said.  Cargill's appearance turned this squash into a ten minute back and forth, time that likely would have worked on a better match up.  Cody's working a knee injury after jumping too soon on a leapfrog.  Figure four leglock and Avalon reverses and then taps out when Cody reverses it and threatens to slap him.  Yes, it appears a threatened slap caused the tapout.  Can we get -1 back?

FTR is in the back with Tully Blanchard and here comes Jurassic Express.  It's Jungle Boy vs. Dax Harwood next week, one-on-one.

Jon Moxley is next and I am hoping that KENTA shows up with the IWGP US title briefcase. It's time to get that belt off Moxley.  ANYTHING they can agree to in order to make it happen works for me.

Nick Comorato, 6'4", 265 and moving pretty well is Moxley's opposition.  QT Marshall and Dustin are cheering him on, as he's a student of theirs.  He gets a 2 count on Moxley after an inverted DVD.  He misses a charge and Mox hits a series of kicks and a German suplex. Mox has to choke him out when nothing else works.  I have to be honest, not a bad match at all and Nick looked impressive.  

Moxley now has the mic and has a few things to say.  He tells us anything can happen on Wednesdays.  He throws a little warning to the Impact Boys. 

Dasha Gonzalez is with Eddie Kingston, Blade and a monocle-less Butcher.  Hard and fast rule this week seems to be the interviewer isn't allowed to get a second question in as Lance Archer interrupts. Archer vs. Kingston next week to settle the feud that has little to no reason to be happening.

Omega arrives at the arena.  Callis has a black eye from the earlier incident from the Bucks.  To his credit, Marvez tries to get a question in before he gets thrown out.  Omega is not happy with the Bucks.

Top Flight and Matt Sydal vs. Matt Hardy and the NEW #1 contenders to the Impact World Tag Team Titles, Private Party.  I didn't watch Impact yet, but the announce team made references to Private Party taking shortcuts in their match last night against Chris Sabin and James Storm.  Top Flight has a lot of upside to them, that's evident.  This is the exact perfect time for a nice back and forth here.  Funny thing is that I notice these 2 teams are going at a normal pace until the quick burst of highspots.  Slowing things down is exactly what these guys need to learn.  Let the moment breathe and make the fans clamor for the high impact portions.  

We're back from commercial and Darius Martin gets the hot tag and is house of fire.  He nails a hard tope suicida on Matt Hardy like money was owed.  high impact that looked devastating.  And, Matt Hardy did not just stand there waiting.  He staggered around and Darius found him.  Looked very realistic.  Marq Quen not in control of Sydal.  Front flip by Daunte into a hurancanrana off the 2nd.  He didn't have the elevation you'd expect.  Isiah Kassidy with a chair to the back of Daunte and Big Money Matt and Private Party get the duke.  Top Flight and Private Party brawl but the heels lay everyone out pretty quick.

Backstage, MJF tries to make peace with his stablemates/opponents for the evening.

Leyla Hirsch vs. Penelope Ford with her fiancee, Miro and Charles Taylor.  I'm sure Mr. Taylor will be a subservient butler to Miro.  He'll do nothing whatsoever to ruin the wedding.  Leyla Hirsch might be a shade under 5 feet tall, but, boy, is she strong.  She strikes me as one of those people, man or woman, you don't mess with in the real world.  I give Ford credit, she's improved leaps and bounds in the last 2 years.  She has the ability to get by on the fact that she looks like Penelope Ford but really looks like she belongs in the ring.  I buy her as a top contender, especially after that title match last Summer.  

Under orders of Kip and Miro, Charles actually had to throw a trip to help Ford regain an advantage earlier.  Orange Cassidy is in the crowd. Leyla with a surprise somersault off the top onto Kip and Charles.  Upon re entry Kip holds Leyla's boot as Ford scores a quick pin.  Miro orders Charles to tell Cassidy that he (Miro) is Charles' best friend now. Taylor reluctantly does so.  Cassidy looked ticked off.  He knows he can't do anything right now.  He sees his friend humiliated. At this point, this place, this time, he can't act upon it.

Backstage, Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers lay out an choke Penta El Zero Muerto.  Looks like they're poking his eye with Omega's pointed boot.

Cody responds to Shaq next week, who really hasn't done anything to warrant a feud as of yet.

Main Event Triple Threat Tag Team Match is up next with MJF and Chris Jericho vs. Santana and Ortiz vs. Sammy Guevara and Jake Hager.

For some reason, SummerSlam from 1996 just popped into my head.  They did one of these matches and I think Billy and Bart Gunn, WWF tag team champions at the time, found themselves in a situation like this.  I think one of them tried to pin the other in a quick spot to try and end the match.  It got broken up but, for some reason, I see Jericho and MJF trying this later, should those two find themselves as the legal men.  I'll never truly understand why the babyfaces at ringside sing along to "Judas".  I love the song, I'm a fan, but given all the the things Jericho has said about these guys, you'd think they wouldn't be enthusiastic about. Sammy Haggar sends video well wishes to his new favorite tag team, Sammy and Hager (that makes me smile).  I'm really pulling for Santana and Ortiz here.  They deserve a lot better than what AEW has given them to do.  Since I bought the Le' Sex Gods shirt (which you can too from the NEW app from Pro Wrestling Tees!) it bothers me seeing Jericho and Sammy at odds.  I honestly think money was left on the table with them as a team.  

Pac, Rey Fenix and Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers is your main event for Beach Brawl in 2 weeks.  

Sammy Guevara with a reverse rana on MJF, which looked scary as hell and then in one fluid motion, nails Ortiz with a leaping Spanish Fly off the top rope.  Jericho with a blind tag and he falls way short of a Lionsault.  It happens to the best of them and it's not something he normally does, but WOW did that look like it could have been dangerous.  Jericho hadn't yet completed his rotation.  Major disaster just got averted.  MJF rolls up Guevara with a hand full of tights and we go RIGHT off the air.  That couldn't have been timed closer.

Overall, I have to say this was not a stellar night for the boys and girls in Jacksonville.  Whether you like the product or not, AEW almost always gives you a show that had something for you to have a vested interest in.  Tonight?  While this might not have been AEW's worst show, it was entirely missable.  That's not the kind of momentum you want to see.

 

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