Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Commentary – Tony Schiavone, Taz, Excalibur
Dynamite as a show fluctuates from week to week, tonight’s card has me optimistic that this one will one of the better ones.
AEW World Title No. 1 Contenders Match
Adam “Hangman” Page vs Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)
Last time these two men were in the ring it was a barbaric bloodbath, there has been no love lost between these two since then. One hell of a heated rivalry that has carried on for months to this point where they face each other in the third and final singles match.
The crowd were hot for this one, both men showed their distain for one another going nose to nose, brawling and slugging it out to the outside.
The crowd went wild when Swerve did his own version of Hangman’s buckshot lariat into the Swerve Stomp which Hangman kicked out of.
The fans at ringside booed when Hangman hit Prince Nana with a chair with the crowd in favor of Swerve Swerve, Swerve hit hangman and took him in the ring and nailed a Swerve Stomp with Hamgman kicking out again.
Swerve hit Hangman’s dead eye finisher off the ring apron on to a table that looked awesome.
It came down to the wire when Hangman went for a Buckshot Lariat with Swerve reversing into a driver but was not able to pin Hangman with the 30 min time limit draw ending the match.
Swerve grabbed the mic and demanded 5 more minutes, Hangman Page denied the request and was content that Swerve wasn’t getting the title sho.
Tony Schiavone grabbed the mic and announced Tony Kahn has made the match at Revolution a Triple Threat Match and will be Swerve Strickland vs Hangman Page vs Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship.
Backstage Samoa Joe is with Renee Paquette. Samoa Joe seems upset with the decision and feels neither Swerve Strickland or Hangman Page deserve a title shot.
Dionna Purrazzo joins the Commentary Team.
Singles Match
Tony Storm vs Red Velvet
A very predictable match, there was no surprises when Tony Storm made Red Velvet tap out.
After the match Dionna Purrazzo and Toni Storm met face to face, they got so close it looked like they were going to start making out but Luther broke it up.
Backstage Renee is with The Best Friends, Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero and Trent Beretta, once again there is a little tension between Cassidy and Beretta and I can see a Beretta heel turn coming, which is something they could really benefit him.
This segment was kind of awkward, I’m noticing this a lot with Cassidy’s backstage stuff, he tries to be cool and nonchalant but it comes across odd to me.
Six Man Tag Team Match
Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli and Daniel Bryan vs Volodor JR, Hechicero and Mascara Dorada
It’s very hard for us as the viewer to have any care or connection for the wrestlers from CMLL who AEW have a partnership with, there has been nothing to let us as the viewer know anything about them, so far they are just guys with masks on.
All six men brawled all over the ring and the outside , spot after spot taking everyone out, it came down to Castagnoli and Hechicero with Claudio behind the referee’s back kicking Hechicero in the balls and pinning his opponent.
The rest of the CMLL roster who were at ringside took exception to Castagnoli using the low blow and jumped over the guardrail but didn’t get to do any damage as the rest of the AEW lockeroom came out to help the Blackpool Combat Club from getting mobbed.
Backstage The Undisputed Kingdom is beating up Chuck Taylor backstage which cuts to the ad break.
Now what we have all been waiting for it’s the big announcement from Tony Kahn, the announcement is that they will have a special in Boston on March 13th called “Big Business”
Kahn says that it will be a big night for pro wrestling and AEW, I’m speculating this will be the debut of Mercedes Mone (formerly Sasha Banks)
Her name value alone I’m not seeing that moving the needle but how they use her could really give the women’s division a shit in the arms, but I’m not optimistic they willl know what to do with her.
Singles Match
Chris Jericho vs Konosuke Takeshita (with Don Callis and Hobbs)
Arguably Takeshita has been the best Japanese crossover talent that AEW has, having Don Callis as a mouth piece has really benefitted him from being just an ordinary NJPW talent.
Chris Jericho took it to Takeshita early knocking him out the ring, Don Callis gave Takeshita som tough love and slapped him to get his head back in the game, which I found surprising.
This seemed to work as Takeshita took control of the match. Hobbs on the outside caused distraction to Jericho a lot, Sami Guevara ran down with a chair and belted Hobbs in the back with little to no effect.
Sami ran up to the ropes and hit Hobbs with a cutter then belted another chair shot to the head this time, which he celebrated in the crowd.
Takeshita hit the Blue Thunder Bomb out a reversal from Jerichos Lionsalt. Jericho looked done but somehow kicked out.
These two battled it out trading moves until Takeshita hit Jericho with another Blue Thunder Bomb off the top rope that looked like Jericho took a bad landing on the back of his head, Jericho kicked out at the last second.
It was Jericho’s turn next as he hit his old Codebreaker finisher with Takeshita barely kicking out of that.
Don Callis got involved behind the referees back and hit Jericho with what looked like a screwdriver. Takeshita put Jericho in the walls of Jericho, the referee lifted Jericho’s arms to see if he was out, Jericho on the third lift kept his arm up signaling he was not done. Takeshita pulled Jericho into the middle and continued to lock in The Walls of Jericho until Jericho tapped out.
Winner – Konosuke Takeshita
AEW World Tag Team Title Tornado Tag Match
Sting and Darby Allin vs Ricky Starks and Big Bill (c)
Sting and Allin went straight for the tag team champs and spilled out into the crowd, brawling in the stands.
Sting disappeared for a bit while Starks and Big Bill double teamed Allin, Sting reappeared but was at the top of the entrance way, he dived off and took out Starks and Big Bill, he slowly got to his feet and did his trademark beating off the chest that got the fans chanting “You still got it”
Back from the break Darby Allin jumped through the middle ropes with Big Bill catching him and hitting an epic black hole slam on the outside.
All four bodies were sprawled out all over the ring and outside with Big Bill the first to get to his feet. Bill and Starks set up a table on the outside with the intention to through Darby through it, Sting however had other plans and made the save.
Sting and Darby double teamed Big BIll knocking him to the outside while Sting locked the Scorpion Death lock on Starks. Big Bill made his way back into the ring with Allin attached to him with a sleeper hold, Allin turned it around and dived on Big Bill’s head knocking him off the rope and through the table.
Back in the ring, Sting went for a Stinger Splash but hit the exposed turnbuckle with Starks hitting a spear, Sting kicked out at the last second. Starks went for another but was reversed with Sting hitting the Scorpion Death Drop to win the match and become the new AEW Tag Team Champions.
Winner – Sting and Darby Allin
I must say Sting is the master of playing with the crowds emotions and his timing when he delivers his moves is masterful.
After the match Sting invited his two sons into the ring to celebrate the moment. The Young Bucks dressed in all white came into the ring from nowhere with white baseball bats and took out Sting and Allin as-well as Stings sons.
They busted Allin open and the blood smeared all over the Young bucks white suits which was a great visual. The Bucks left everyone laying and dropped the titles on the limp bodies.
This was a really great way to kick off this last match for Sting and The rivalry between these two it was also a great way to finish the show.
Kev’s Thoughts – A much better Dynamite, although the matches got a little long at times, the segments and matches stuck to actual feuds and rivalry’s instead of predictable matches that have been popping up more often lately, solid show.
