If ever there was a night when it seemed like the whole world was going mad, Tuesday night was it. Fortunately, AEW was at least able to offer up some escapism in the form of Dynamite from Salt Lake City. It’s possible that this could be the last live show in front of a crowd for a while the way things are going, so let’s go live to TNT and enjoy it.
Match 1 – Ortiz (w/ Santana) vs. “The American Nightmare” Cody (w/ Brandi Rhodes and Arn Anderson)
Excalibur says “this is the first time we’ve seen Cody in action since … “ and I swear I thought he was going to say something about the neck tattoo but he actually just means since his lss to MJF. The match barely gets started before Jake “The Snake” Roberts wanders out to the ringside area with his client, Lance Archer. That’s a lot of distractions, but of course Cody has help as well, and Archer is probably just there to mess with Cody. For now. Can’t recall Ortiz getting too many times to show off so many of his skills, though he ends up tapping to the Figure Four. Santana goes for a post-match attack, but Matt Jackson and Kenny Omega (broken hand and all) are quickly down to aid Cody. Chris Jericho appears on the big screen to remind them that the Inner Circle has put the entire AEW roster on notice, and that they plan on beating them down at Blood and Guts in two weeks. Nick Jackson is not so lucky, as he is trapped under a metal door after obviously being in the wrong place at the wrong time with Jericho and his goons. Into the ambulance he goes, with Cody and his brother following close behind.
Match 2 – “The Galaxy’s Greatest Alien” Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida vs. Bea Priestley and “The Native Beast” Nyla Rose
What we have here is the champ, a recent number one contender, a wrestler who deserves a title shot soon (that’d be Shida) and … Priestley, who is fine. Shida takes the ‘L’ here, which shouldn’t be a huge deal for her momentum, but what’s interesting is that Priestley beats down Rose after the bell and holds up her title. Could be Rose’s next feud, perhaps.
Christopher Daniels is the star of a pretty funny segment mocking the Dark Order recruiting videos by using their exact same style. He’s especially skeptical that there even is an Exalted One, but methinks he is wrong about that.
Match 3 – MJF, The Butcher and The Blade (w/ The Bunny and Wardlow) vs. Jurassic Express
MJF is still wearing his “I pinned Cody” shirt, which hopefully he washed since last week. And even though Jungle Boy is a future singles star and Luchasuarus is a fan favorite in his own right, it’s always the most fun to see Jurassic Express as a trio because they come up with some creative stuff. There are some good bits between MJF and Marko Stunt as well. Heels gonna heel though, and both Bunny and Wardlow do their part to help MJF get the win by tapping out Stunt.
A Darby Allin video always means weirdness, but this one is especially atmospheric as it deals with his desire to get revenge on Sammy Guevara. Back in the arena, Tony Schiavone has to endure the verbal slings and arrows from Dr. Britt Baker again. Her time insulting the Utah fans is finally brought to a merciful end by the arrival of Big Swole, but then Baker throws some coffee in Swole’s face and just runs off.
Match 4 – Joey Janela and Private Party vs. Death Triangle
Not sold on the Death Triangle gimmick? Well it doesn’t really matter, because they’re all awesome wrestlers, and the other team in this matchup isn’t too shabby either. You really have to appreciate Janela for his versatility — he’s as home in a bout full of high spots as he was in the hardcore matches AEW seemed to have him in all the time early on. It’s not all happiness for the bad guys, though, as Best Friends come out and get some payback on them. That’s another six-man tag that should be great.
Dustin Rhodes spoils some of the surprise by revealing that he is Hangman Adam Page’s mystery partner for tonight’s main event. Spoilers, Dustin! Wonder if Page knows …
A lot of people are apparently applying to be Shawn Spears’ tag team partner, forgetting that means they would have to tag with Shawn Spears.
Jim Ross had a sitdown interview with Jon Moxley earlier in the day, so let’s see it now. Mox doesn’t want to talk about his physical condition, and he seems to want a piece of Jake Hager more than any of the other members of the Inner Circle.
Main Event – Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara vs. “Hangman” Adam Page and “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes
OK, so Rhodes is the partner and it doesn’t look like Page is too thrilled by it. But then again, is he ever? The rest of the Inner Circle is ringside, so even if Page wants to go it alone, the odds are very much against him. I’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating: Page is now at the level AEW tried to elevate him to when the promotion first started, and it happened fairly organically. He gets more fuel to his fire by getting the pin here, but naturally, the Inner Circle is on him within seconds. Even with a broken hand, Omega is in to help his partner until he eats a Judas Effect from Jericho. Cody, making the world’s quickest return from a hospital ever, is also in but Hager takes him out. It looks as if Page is going to be powerbombed off the stage, but an enraged Matt Jackson runs out and tears through the Inner Circle … before giving Page the finger. Wielding a steel chair, Jericho lays out both of them, and Inner Circle ends the night triumphant again. See you in seven, hopefully !
Nick Tylwalk has been with SLAM! Wrestling since the dawn of time, or at least since before the turn of the century. He spends his days doing PR things, but he’ll always make time to sneak away for some wrestling.
