Tonight is the first Dynamite in the post Cody Rhodes era, and those I words I never thought I would type. One of the founders and EVPs of the company has officially moved on. How will that affect tonight’s show? Probably not that much. Will there be any debuts tonight? Probably not, but stranger things have happened.
CM Punk kicks off the show sitting in the middle of the ring, making two weeks in a row Dynamite has opened with a promo. They are getting dangerously close to RAW territory. Punk cuts the straight edge promo that started his career 20 years ago. Punk is glad that he has inspired the next generation of professional wrestlers, and then there is MJF. Punk isn’t mad that he lost to MJF twice in Chicago; he’ proud of him. MJF just doesn’t remember the lessons he has learned. He keeps using the diamond ring to beat people. Thanks to Jon Moxley, Punk can pick when, where and how he will face MJF. Punk has thought about his toughest matches and what they have taught him. MJF wants to be tethered to Roddy Piper, instead he will be tethered to Punk in a dog collar match.
Punk wants MJF to walk out to the ring so he can say this to his face. Punk pulls out a picture that MJF took with CM Punk as kid. The price MJF paid to see Punk on that day will pale in comparison to the price he will pay March 6th. MJF walks out without saying thing.
Jungle Boy love a good three-way…match. And that’s what Jurassic Express will face a AEW Revolution.
“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Lee Moriarty
Danielson with a slap to Moriarty and then wants a test of strength. Lee instead dives and the leg and the two trade mat wrestling holds. Moriarty with a kick the elbow and follows with uppercuts. Danielson hits the floor but is able to recover and trap Lee in the ropes. He unleashes several kicks and follows with a knee strike to the head. Danielson with a pin by holding down Lee’s arms, but Moriarty bridges up. Danielson drops his knees into the mid section. The two lock legs and punch each other while standing on their heads. Bryan applies the Lebell Lock, but Moriarty is able to get a rope break.
The two trade blows and Moriarty with a back slide. Danielson kicks out. Lee drops boxing elbow strikes, but is cut down by a rolling elbow. Lee catches a kick and hits a suplex. Moriarty with strikes to the back of the head and locks in the Border City stretch. Danielson counters out of the hold and hits a suplex. With Moriarty down on the mat, Danielson stomps away on his head. He transitions into the triangle sleeper and the ref calls for the bell as Moriarty was all ready out cold.
Winner via submission: Bryan Danielson
After the match, Danielson tells the crowd that he wanted to teach Moriarty something about violence. He asks the crowd how they thought he did. Bryan ignores their answer as he really wants Moxley to answer his offer to join forces. Mox heads to the ring. He talks about his shot to take down the great Bryan Danielson back on the indies; which happens to be the first time they met. Moxley has never beaten Danielson, but he was excited when Bryan showed up in AEW. It would give him the chance to finally beat him. Now, Bryan doesn’t want to fight; he wants to join up. Mox knows it could be awesome, but he has to wonder if Danielson doesn’t want to find himself standing across the ring from him. Maybe Danielson knows that he can’t beat him. Mox wants to know if the team up is to run things or just not to get beat. Mox isn’t saying yes, but he isn’t saying no. Mox doesn’t stand with anyone until he bleeds with him first.
Keith Lee talks of his arrival to AEW and qualifying for the “Face of the Revolution” ladder match.
Wardlow w/Shawn Spears vs. “Platinum” Max Caster w/Anthony Bowens – Face of the Revolution qualifying match
I don’t know if I would be insulting Wardlow on my way to the ring for a match, but you do you, Max. Early on in the match, Bowens pulls Max out of the ring to save him, as Spears just watches. Wardlow yanks Caster into the ring. Spears jumps to the ring apron and with the ref distracted, Mex clocks Wardlow with a chained fist. Caster hits a flying elbow but can’t get the pin. Wardlow with a back body drop and kicks Caster into Bowens on the apron. He follows with a power bomb and the crowd calls for me. Two power bombs later, Wardlow makes the cover by standing on his chest for the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Wardlow
After the match, Bowens jumps Wardlow only to get power bombed. With Caster and Bowens laid out, Spears hits the ring with a chair to pick at the bones.
Mercedes Martinez is ready for her match with Thunder Rosa, but Britt Baker feels the needs to remind her that she was brought her to take Rosa out. Baker brings out her sensei, Martin Kove aka John Kreese of Karata Kid and Cobra Kai fame. If Mercedes doesn’t finish the job, Baker will show her no mercy.
Tony Schiavone tries to interview AEW Champion Hangman Adam Page, when Adam Cole interrupts. He tells Schiavone to take a hike and tells Page that his title reign is coming to an end. Page asks how it felt to watch all his buddies build a wrestling empire without him. Cole brings up that the Young Bucks haven’t mentioned him in weeks and Page hasn’t been seen with the Dark Order in a month. Page knows he has made mistakes. Cole backs down when Page threatens him. Cole says every time they have been in the same promotion Page has been knows as the “other” Adam. Cole says he respects, admires and loves him, but someday they are going to fight for that title. With the utmost respect Cole shakes Page’s hand. As Cole walks away, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly jump Page. Cole runs back to join in. Security runs down to break things up and are joined by the Dark Order. Number 10 starts taking out security guards.
Chris Jericho and Jake Hager vs. Ortiz and Santana
Before the match starts, Eddie Kingston makes his entrance and joins Ortiz and Santana in their corner. Jericho and Santana trade shots. Santana with a forearm in the corner. He connects with a drop kick to the back of the neck and Ortiz tags in. He hits a DDT and stares down Hager. A fisherman’s suplex earns Ortiz a near fall. Hager tags in and the two with a double shoulder tackle. Ortiz unloads with forearm shots, but Hager shrugs them off. Ortiz runs into a throw and takes a Hager bomb.
After the commercials, Jericho hits Ortiz with a suplex. Ortiz answers with a stiff clothesline and both me go down. Santana and Hager get tags. Santana kicks Jericho off the apron and takes out Hager’s legs. Jericho slips into the ring and hits knees to the face; Hager follows with a slam, but Santana kicks out of the pin. Hager is whipped toward Santana, who sends him over the top rope. Jericho with a bull dog. Ortiz blocks the Lionsault and Santana hits a Russian leg sweep. Ortiz takes out Hager on the floor, but Santana can’t get the pin. Ortiz and Santana hit Jericho with the Street Sweeper, but Jericho some how kicks out.
Santana with a cannon ball off Ortiz’s back, but Jericho catches him; locking in the Lion Tamer. Santana barely makes the ropes, but he is able to break the hold. Jericho takes out Kingston on the apron. Ortiz with a shot from apron and Santana hits the discuss lariat. Santana covers and gets the three count.
Winners via pinfall: Santana and Ortiz
After the match, Jericho goes after Kingston.
The Cutler Cam is on. Where were the Young Bucks during the Adam Page beatdown? Cole doesn’t care because they have to take out the Best Friends.
Mercedes Martinez vs. Thunder Rosa – No DQ match
Mercedes comes armed with a steel pipe, but Rosa has a chair and isn’t afraid to use it. The bell rings and the two trade shots in the ring. Rosa smashes Martinez into the ring post on the floor and pulls out a table. Mercedes slams Rosa into the ring steps, but then get whipped through the security barrier. The two fight into the Nashville crowd.
During the break, the two fight back to the ring, which is littered with chairs and trash cans. Martinez hits a fisherman’s buster off the apron and through a table. She hits Rosa with a chair and rolls her back into the ring. The two fight on the top turnbuckle. Rosa with a hurricanrana off the rope. She stuffs a trash can over Martinez and hits a running drop kick. Rosa makes the pin, but Martinez grabs the ropes. A trash can lid puts a stop to Rosa on the top turnbuckle. Martinez with a German suplex off the top and goes up top. She connects with an elbow drop. Thunder Rosa kicks out.
Martinez wants a power bomb, but Rosa counters with a crucifix bomb. She follows with the fire thunder drivers onto a pile of chairs. Rosa hooks the legs and gets the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Thunder Rosa
After the match, Rosa helps Martinez to her feet in a sign of respect. Britt Baker, flanked by Rebel and Jamie Hayter, storm down the ramp. Baker tales to Kove at ringside, who tells her to finish her. Britt gives the signal and Hayter and Rebel attack Rosa. Britt gives Martinez the steel pipe and orders her to take out Thunder Rosa. Mercedes hesitates and Hayter jumps her.
A video package runs for the House of Black.
Switchblade Jay White introduces himself to AEW with a promo about himself.
Sammy Guevara (champion) vs. Darby Allin (challenger) – TNT Championship Match
The two lock up and swap hammerlocks. Sammy kicks out of a crucifix pin and the two break out the technical move set. Sammy with a kick to Darby on the top turnbuckle. Allin blocks the Spanish Fly only to get dropped onto the turnbuckle to the floor. Darby is hung up on the ropes; Sammy with a Senton. Guevara gets whipped into the turnbuckle face first. Allin with two coffin splashes and then a chop block. Darby with a knee whip and sets Sammy on the turnbuckle, hanging him in the tree of woe. Darby stretches the knee out. Guevara with a head butt and hits the Spanish Fly. Both men are down.
Darby catches Sammy coming off the ropes and locks in a figure four. Sammy tries to reverse the hold. Allin flips him back over. The two then trade open hand shots. Allin releases the hold. Darby counters the GTH and hits the stunner. Guevara goes to the floor. Allin with a suicide dive, but Sammy counters with a cutter. Guevara goes back up top with Allin on the apron. He wants the senton, but Allin rolls away and Guevara crashes onto the apron. Darby is thinking Coffin Drop. Andrade’s assistant Jose jumps to the apron. Sting takes him out. With the ref distracted, Andrade El Idolo attacks Allin, leaving him out cold on the top turnbuckle. Guevara gets to his feet and hits the GTH. He covers and gets the three count.
Winner…and still TNT Champion…via pinfall: Sammy Guevara
After the match, Matt Hardy runs in to deliver a beating to Allin. Sammy chases him off, only to get hit by Andrade from behind. Andrade grans both TNT and runs off with them.
AEW Dynamite 2/16/2022
Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee
AEW put out another solid episode of Dynamite building toward Revolution. It was another week of the show opening with a talking segment, but it was CM Punk on the mic. The qualification for the Face of Franchise ladder match continued. Adam Cole is laying the ground work toward a title shot versus Adam Page, while Andrade El Idolo was less then subtle in his pursuit of the TNT Championship.
