With no other SlamWrestling.net correspondents available to recap tonight’s AEW Dynamite, what better person to step up than Amos Mina, a complete AEW virgin. Yes, you read that right. I have never seen the AEW product, prior to tonight’s edition of Dynamite. To the best of my abilities, I give you my completely clueless recap of 7/14’s AEW Dynamite: Fyter Fest Night One, live from the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas.
Firstly, my goodness is this crowd freakin’ loud. Real passionate fans of the product, for sure!
On commentary, we have good ol’ JR, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur. JR sends it over to Justin Roberts to introduce the first match. We’re getting right into the action, real quick.
Match #1: (C) JON MOXLEY versus KARL ANDERSON
IWGP UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Moxley comes out all amped up and ready to go. Joining him is his buddy I guess, Eddie Kingston. Both honestly look like they’re ready to take some heads off. Real popular with this crowd too, as he poses with his IWGP U.S. title. Didn’t know they kept track of records in AEW, Moxley’s got a bunch of wins under his belt eh? Only 2 losses and 34 victories. Next, here comes Impact Wrestling’s Karl Anderson, to a chorus of boos. I love Machine Gun to be quite honest with you. Rooting for him, haha. Was never a big fan of Moxley, but let’s get to the match.
Kingston like the gangster he is comes charging at Doc Gallows with a lead pipe of sorts, and we are in for a scrap. Commentary mentions this match is contested under NJPW rules, so we have a 20 count instead of the traditional 10 count. Moxley and Machine Gun stand off in the middle of the ring, exchanging big blows and forearms, trying to gain the upper hand on each other. The fans are loving it. They’re loud as can be. The match spills to the outside after Moxley hit a clothesline to send Machine Gun out of the ring. Big suplex on the ramp by Machine Gun. Post suplex, both men spend time throwing each other into the guardrails and raining in some shots.
Moxley throws Machine Gun back into the ring but he outsmarts Moxley with a dropkick to send him flying out the ring. Machine Gun is beating up Mox in the corner, as he gestures to the crowd with his hand to his ear. Big spinebuster by Machine Gun, 2 count only. Shortly after, both men are hoisted up the top rope and Mox gets his revenge on Machine Gun with a superplex of his own. Both men get up and exchanges clotheslines, much to the fans pleasure. Machine Gun hits a top rope cutter, still a 2 count. Mox comes charging at Machine Gun in the corner but he outsmarts Mox with a big sitout stun. 2 count again! Machine Gun looks to end it with a top rope gun stun, Mox counters with a rainmaker, then hits his finisher for the win.
Decent match, a little sloppy at times, but I wasn’t expecting some technical warfare.
Winner and still IWGP U.S. Champion: Jon Moxley
Match rating: 3/5
Commentary goes through the match card and segments for the night, then we see Lance Archer and Jake Roberts. He cuts a promo and challenges Mox to a rematch on next week’s Dynamite live from Dallas, Texas, in a Texas Death Match for the IWGP U.S. title. The crowd pops, so I’m guessing it’ll be good?
Match #2: (C) BRIAN CAGE versus RICKY STARKS
FTW CHAMPIONSHIP
Before the match, we see Andrade El Idolo in a pre-recorded interview. He interrupts the interviewer and asks: Where’s the Death Triangle? I had no idea what he was talking about, but I guess that’s PAC, Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix’s stable. The crowds likes what they hear. Andrade says he’s looking for them. What does he want though, a match or to join them? I’m so lost. Anyways on to the next match.
I guess these two guys are feuding and Brian Cage wants his neck apparently. He attacks it early as commentary mentions. Taz is his manager and he’s on commentary. Cage is considerably bigger than Starks, by a mile. He’s just toying with this dude. Cage gets his attack going with corner elevated kicks to the abdomen, hanging Starks by the groin in the ring ropes, and tossing him around like a rag doll. Big powerslam by Cage, but its only a 2 count. Starks gets some offence of his own, by attacking the shoulder of Cage. Big dropkick off the top rope for him, but then we get a bunch of commercials, and the match is barely visible. I lost track of what happened to be quite honest.
Starks reversed a fallaway slam by Cage and got a near fall. Starks gets shoulder blocked by the ginormous Cage and falls out of the ring. Starks tries to work the shoulder again but Cage reverses and throws him into the ring post. Starks slides under the ring ropes when Cage irish whips him and hits a clothesline. Match is back in the ring and Cage hits a big fisherman suplex slam on Starks, but he has his foot on the rope to break the pinball. Starks tries a running springboard DDT but Cage stuns him with a dropkick instead. 2 count only. Starks hits a big sitout powerbomb, but its still not enough! Some big dude on the outside distracts Starks and Cage hits a big move and it looks to be over, but still a 2 count. Suddenly, the big dude on the outside hits Cage with the belt and Starks hits a spear for the 3 count. New champ!
Winner and new FTW Champion: Ricky Starks
Match rating: 2.5/5
Next is a recap of last week’s AEW Dynamite and the debut of Malakai Black, AKA Tommy End, FKA Aleister Black. Here comes Cody Rhodes as he grabs a headset from commentary and he calls out Black. He’s all kinds of fired up. Real pissed. He goes to the ring and continues his tirade there. Suddenly, we see Black on the screen and he cuts a promo. Then, the lights go black and there he is. Black and Rhodes slug it out till AEW officials break it up. These two will have an interesting feud I guess.
Here comes Tully Blanchard walking out of the arena, when Santana and Ortiz confront him. It looks like they’re about to beat him up with a crowbar, that turns out to be fake. They respect their elders. But Tully says his boys are coming.
Next segment is all about Hangman Page. Tony Schiavone is in the ring. I have no idea what was going on, as I’m not familiar with the storylines so this did nothing for me. Something about Page being scared to fail and The Elite confronted him. Can’t really say much other than that. I’m really just focused on the in-ring action.
After that stuff, here’s Chris Jericho being interviewed when he gets blindsided by MJF and Shawn Spears FKA Tye Dillinger. I don’t watch the AEW product, but I really do hate MJF. The man has such a punchable face. Him and Spears beat up Jericho’s arm with a chair. Real dirty heel stuff.
Match #3: MATT HARDY versus CHRISTIAN CAGE
This match intrigues me. Big fan of both men. Especially Christian, fellow Toronto homeboy! I guess Hardy is doing his big money Matt gimmick right now. Very traditional lockups to start the match. Quite a while of the lockups till Cage throws Hardy into the ring apron and into the guardrail. Cage to the top with a big crossbody. Vintage Christian! Back into the ring we go, Cage hits an inverted DDT for a near fall of 2. Cage rains punches on Hardy in the corner, to the fans counting. Hardy hits a slick face plant DDT on Cage on the steel steps.
He looks down and out. Hardy’s attack is real ruthless. Neckbreaker from Hardy, but a near fall of 2. Hardy with an elbow drop, still a 2 count. I guess AEW does this split screen thing, but I can barely make out what’s happening. These commercial breaks are crazy long. Cage with a standing foot choke to Hardy as he’s on the ropes. Big right hand to follow and a flying forearm, but a near fall of 2 again. Hardy tries the Twist of Fate, but Cage counters. Cage hits a big spear, the fans think its over, but still not enough. Frog splash from Cage, but man still another near fall! This match is just back and forth. Hardy hits a big superplex off the top rope, Cage looks done for, but another 2 count. Inside cradle by Cage, 2 count. Cage with a big Killswitch attempt, but Hardy hits him with a low blow and the Twist of Fate. Not yet over, only a 2 count! Hardy locks in a submission outside, and he wants the count out win. Cage survives at the last second and hits the Killswitch on Hardy to win the match.
Great match by two crafty veterans. Cage remains undefeated in AEW.
Winner: Christian Cage
Match rating: 3.5/5
After the match, we see a video package for the TNT Champion, Miro FKA Rusev. I guess he’s the Redeemer now. Cool name. Back to the ring, where Tony Schiavone is with the AEW Women’s Champion, Britt Baker. She’s talking about her future opponent, Nyla Rose, and she’s actually being cheered by the fans but I think she’s a heel. It then cuts to Vickie Guerrero and Nyla Rose in the back and they cut their own little promo.
Here’s Moxley again with his thoughts on opponent for next week, Lance Archer. He says “next week in Dallas, you’re Texas dead!”
Match #4: WHEELER YUTA versus SAMMY GUEVARA
This is apparently Yuta’s Dynamite debut. Guevara is a big hit with this crowd. The commentary team reiterates this, as they mention how popular he is in AEW. Sammy to the top early for a shooting star press, but Yuta counters with his knees. Big back elbow in the corner, as he bounces in the corner ropes into a dropkick. He kips back up and tries a German suplex, but Sammy rolls him over and hits a big forearm. Yuta almost out of the ring but he pulls himself back up for a release German suplex. Yuta to the top with a big splash, but only a 1 count! Both men exchange forearm shots and chops, then Sammy irish whips Yuta into a back body drop. Sammy with a big enzaguri in the corner ropes to Yuta, followed by a big springboard cutter, and hits his inverted GTS finisher for the win.
Show of respect after the match by Guevara to Yuta. Decent match, nothing special.
Winner: Sammy Guevara
Match rating: 1.5/5
Next segment is QT Marshall cutting a promo backstage. Again, very lost during this segment, no idea about the AEW storylines and such.
MATCH #5: PENELOPE FORD versus YUKA SAKAZAKI
Apparently, this is Sakazaki’s Dynamite return match in a while. Both women trade transitional holds, collar-and-elbow tie ups and arm drags. Irish whip into the corner for Ford, but Sakazaki out thinks her and does a flashy flip. Dropkick follow up by Sakazaki. Sakazaki is a big crowd favourite. She hits a big springboard cannonball to the outside, the fans are loving it! Into the ring once again, Sakazaki tries a pinfall attempt, but is only able to get a 1 count. Ford gets her momentum back and starts a nasty attack. She hangs Sakazaki by the neck into the ring ropes and taunts the camera. They trade shots in the middle of the ring when commercial ends. Sakazaki hits a suplex, a front flip soccer kick, and a running elbow to a downed Ford. 2 count only. Sakazaki tries a top rope elbow, but still a 2 count. Big bicycle kick from Ford, but she too gets only the 2 count. Not long after, Sakazaki gets her momentum back as she hits a springboard side splash to finish the match
Winner: Yuka Sakazaki
Match rating: 1/5
MAIN EVENT: DARBY ALLIN versus ETHAN PAGE
COFFIN MATCH
A group of darkly clothed men bring the coffin out, and it reads: Nothing’s over until you’re underground. First comes, “All Ego” Ethan Page, then Darby Allin. Allin in particular makes his entrance using a skateboard, which is cool I guess. He charges into the ring and goes after Page. He has a big steel plate for armour on his back, sort of like Bret Hart in WCW, and uses it in a springboard attack. He takes the armour off and does a suicide dive flip cannonball to the outside. Darby looks to the crowd and he looks like a man possessed. He goes to open the coffin and out pops Scorpio Sky, who sucker punches Allin. Sky irish whips Allin into the steel steps and it looks like his knee took a bad hit. All of a sudden, the crowd pops and we see Sting come out to help his protege. Sting and Sky battle it out and the numbers game is all evened out.
Sting and Sky make their way through the crowd and have a good old fashioned brawl, while Page and Allin continue their match. Sky mocks Sting’s taunts and pays for it with his groin area taking a big hit on the railing. Sting clobbers him with a trash can. In the ring, Page is trying to remove the metal hook from the turnbuckle pad. Page goes to attack Allin in the corner guardrail, but gets sent flying over. During the picture and picture, they go into the crowd and Darby does a crossbody on him, but Page drives him into the wall. Page faceplants Allin into the steps and smiles to the crowd. Page gets the turnbuckle thing that he undid earlier and chokes Allin out with it.
Page tries to put Allin into the coffin but Page gets his comeuppance, as Allin uses the turnbuckle thing against him and even sticks it in his mouth like a fish hook. He then uses the steel steps to kick Page into the coffin, but Page isn’t down and out just yet. The two men start trading shots in the coffin and Allin even bites Page at one point. Darby gets tossed into the floor from a back body drop. Page is bleeding in the ring as he hoists Allin up for another steel steps attack, but Allin reverses with a flip stunner. Allin goes to the top rope to hit his finisher on Page while he’s on the steps, but Page hits a Razor’s Edge on Allin instead.
Page deadlifts Allin on the ring apron near the coffin, but Allin rakes the eyes to escape. He even bites him again. Dropkick to the back of Page with the skateboard assist, and Allin shoves Page into the coffin for the win. Post-match, Allin hits his Coffin Drop finisher onto Page while inside the coffin. This is my first time seeing the finisher, it might be one of the weirdest moves in wrestling. Looks like it hurts Allin more than it would hurt his opponent, to be quite honest. Okay match, in my eyes.
Winner: Darby Allin
Match rating: 2.5/5
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AEW Dynamite presents Fyter Fest: Night One
Summary
For my first taste of AEW, it was an alright show. Strong matches here and there, but I really enjoyed the Hardy-Cage match most of all. A title change too, which is nice. Interesting format and talents that I haven’t seen before. I don’t know if I’ll be tuning in each week because of this episode of Dynamite, but it wasn’t all too bad. Some matches got sloppy at times and I was a little lost during some segments, but that’s just me. Overall, a decent edition of AEW Dynamite, as they presented Fyter Fest: Night One.