It’s Wednesday night, and you know what that means?  No, not to plan a trip for WrestleMania 40, nor to make further investigations (good luck, Vince).  It’s AEW Dynamite, and this is Fight for the Fallen.  Not only will Jungle Boy speak out on Christian Cage’s actions, but there’s also Bryan Danielson returning back to ring competition against Daniel Garcia later tonight.  With that and title matches aplenty, this is a jam-packed episode, as we come to you from the DCU Arena in Worcester, MA.  Excalibur, Taz, and “Good Ol’ JR” Jim Ross have the call.  William Regal joins commentary because your First Match of the night is for the…

AEW Interim World Championship:   Jon Moxley(c) vs. Rush (with Jose the Assistant)

Again, can someone explain to me why the top prize of a wrestling promotion is on first or is that just an interim thing?  In any case, Rush attacks straightaway, and El Toro Blanco is on a rampage.  Mox gets some color on his forehead, and Rush continues the beating by throwing him into the guardrails.  Rush is pleased with his handiwork, but Mox gets a tope suicida and now he’s back in the driver’s seat and continues his style of violence.

Rush grabs the champ by the throat but he and Mox trade chops, and it isn’t long before the La Faccion Ingobernable member is back in control.  On the outside, Rush chokes Mox with the TV cables, and during Picture, in Picture the abuse is heaped on as he threatens the Bulls Horns, but Rush pulls up and gives a quick kick because he’s Tranquilo.  Mox is the opposite of Rush and muy agitado (that’s “agitated” if you don’t speak German), and he gets him up top with a superplex and then the “Yay/Boo” chops echo through the arena.  Both men get dueling suplexes until Mox gets a massive lariat, but Rush answers with a slingshot German suplex to cover but gets a two count.  Rush attempts with a crossface and Mox bites his way out and then lays in the boots.  He goes for the Paradigm Shift but it is reversed, and Rush launches him into the turnbuckles.  Rush set the champ up top, and Mox bites him to knock him off. 

Jose gets on the ring apron to distract on one side of the ring.  While the ref deals with this Andrade appears on the other side and pushes Mox off the top, but The Lucha Bros appear to chase him off into the crowd.  Rush tries Bulls Horns again, and Mox gets another clothesline but Rush gets a straightjacket piledriver to cover for another two count.  The end comes when Mox gets the Death Rider high DDT for a two count, and then transitions to a bulldog choke.  With nowhere to go, Rush finally taps out

Your Winner via Submission, and Still AEW Interim World Champion:  Jon Moxley

Chris Jericho comes out along with the Jericho Appreciation Society, and Angelo Parker says to the fans of the “AEW Galaxy to Appreciate us (huh.  Wonder what a certain Tribal Chief would say about that?  Typical cultural appropriation, but I digress).”  Anna Jay announces she is Anna Jay AS and she channels her inner Oprah saying she choke you out, and you, and you, too…everyone is gonna get choked out in the Arena. 

Before this segment goes too far off the rails, Jericho (who’s showing the war wounds of his barbed-wired deathmatch with Eddie Kingston last week) says after 2 1/2 years, he is going to exercise his rematch clause to be a two-time Le Champion.  Mox ain’t up for this happy crappy.  He doesn’t want whatever “king of all trademarks” B.S. Jericho is doing this week, and he ain’t no interim anything, *BUT* he wants the “last survivor of the Hart Dungeon” to battle him for the title on August 10th.  Jericho is all for this, and ladies and gentlemen, we have a match!

We go to commentary with the new AEW Trios belts and it’s announced there will be an AEW World Trios Championship tournament that will result in a finals match at All Out this September 4th.

Am I the only one that is worried that titles are being created as a form of passing out T-Ball trophies?  Also, did I create a possible op-ed piece for a future Mat Matters?  And I saying this out loud?

Tony Schiavone is backstage with Dante Martin, and he feels Sammy Guevara can’t hack it anymore, especially if he’s off on whatever vlogging journey he’s posting.  He knows Tay Conti is going to be in his corner, so Skye Blue will be in his.

That’ll be later tonight because now it is the…

FTW World Championship:  Ricky Starks (c) vs. Danhausen

Starks is the Absolute, but Danhausen is still Very Nice and Very Evil, and he starts with a curse, but…psyche!  He poses like Starks.  Starks doesn’t care for that and kicks Danhausen and shows how it’s done.  Starks makes short work as he cuts him down with a spear and so long Danhausen.

Your Winner via Pinfall, and Still FTW World Champion:  Ricky Starks

Starks is banged up but calls out for another challenger.  All of a sudden, the Action Bronson cues up, and Hook answers. So now we have another match for the…

FTW Championship:  Ricky Starks(c) vs. Hook

Starks is agog and Tax is beside himself at what’s taking place.  Starks tries to get his head in the game as Hook gets his suplexes in, but Starks cuts him off with a spear.  He attempts the RoShamBo finisher to put away the young challenger,  but Hook reverses to a Hook-mission and Starks taps out

Your Winner via Submission, and New FTW World Champion:  Hook

Hook and Starks exchange fist bumps of mutual respect and Taz is a proud papa.  Afterward, Tony Schiavone is in the Ring with Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs joins his tag partner about losing the belt.  Starks cuts a promo and says with deference to the FTW title, he “took a noose and turned it into a tie” by defending the belt and adding prestige over time.  He gets animated and says his time is now for title opportunities, and then Hobbs decks his tag partner and adds injury to insult with a spinebuster.  Even Taz can’t figure out what happened between the two, and you know this is far from over.

The Acclaimed talk about roasting “The @$$ Boys” Austin and Colton Gunn last week on AEW Rampage in a rap battle, and they’re dropping a music video to roast them further.

Speaking of self-important douche canoes here’s…

Sammy Guevara (with Tay Conti) vs. Dante Martin (with Skye Blue) 

This is just a good back and forth match and Martin plays mind games with Guevara, and he is living rent-free in the Spanish God’s head.  Guevara and Conti start to walk off to the back, and Martin tackles him from outside and he launches from the ramp to Guevara on the outside.  During Picture in Picture, Guevara tries to shake off the attack and get back in the ring, and Martin kicks him off the apron.  Martin goes out to continue to beatdown and sends Guevara back in, he climbs back in but The Spanish God kicks the middle rope right in his…err, little flights.  Guevara throws Martin through the corner into the ring post and pauses to irk the crowd some more.

Guevara sets up a powerbomb and Martin pushes him off to the outside.  Martin goes for a leap and he gets caught midair by a knee from “Sensational Sammy.”  Back in the ring, he nails a standing Spanish Fly to Martin for a cover, and Guevara only gets a two count.  He attempts the GTH, but Martin reverses to a backslider and then a front body drop for a two count.  There is an awkward moment when Martin goes for the Nose Dive and Guevara blocks and sends him into a superplex where Martin lands badly on his ankle, but reverses to his Spanish Fly for a two count.  He gets a sit-out slam for a two count, and Conti yells from the outside to distract Martin (or maybe he got confused by the Portuguese.  I know I get confused).  He attempts the Nose Dive but misses, and Guevara gets a cutter and now delivers the GTH for the win.

Your Winner via Pinfall:  Sammy Guevara

Guevara tried to add more pain by going up top, and Blue climbs into the ring and gets in his way.  Now Conti gets in her face and as Blue is ready to throw down, Anna Jay runs from behind and attacks her.  Things look bad until Ruby Soho, Eddie Kingston, and Santana rush out from the back and scare off the members of the Jericho Appreciation Society.

Schiavone is backstage with Daniel Garcia, and he asks where The American Dragon has been.  He posits Danielson has been with his wife and kid tending the garden but meanwhile, Garcia says he’s been keeping fresh in the ring.  Garcia cautions Danielson that he better be prepared for him tonight in the main event.

Jay Lethal, Sanjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh don’t wanna talk about their loss at the Death Before Dishonor PPV,  but Lethal suggest that they talk about taking on The Best Friends.  They’re nearby in tie-dye for some reason and suggest a trios match this Friday on Rampage.

Dutt agrees and says it’s time for the Original Playa from the Himalaya to get back in, before realizing he make a stupid mistake.  Why didn’t someone stop him?!

Schiavone is earning his paycheck tonight as he is in the ring with Jungle Boy, and his friend Luchasaurus is beside him.  He asks about the remarks and the beat down by Christian Cage, and…well…

Yeah, that sums it up. 

Jungle Boy goes on further and suggests that Cage needs the money since his wife divorced him.  As Jungle Boy is about to get real personal, Cage in on the All Elite ‘Tron, and says instead of a jacket to drape over him,  it’ll be a body bag, and he’ll dig a grave next to his dad. 

Damn, Jungle Boy and Cage are going no holds barred on the mic at each other.  If they keep this up, it’ll lead to blows and someone will get hurt.  Oh, wait…

The Young Bucks want stupid Brandon Cutler to turn the camera off, and they run into Hangman Adam Page.  It gets awkward and then The Dark Order shows up with Broccoli (?) for his birthday. Anyway, Happy Birthday, I guess?

Yeah, that was odd.  If someone can explain that segment, please email me, because I don’t know what they were trying to achieve.

Speaking of head-scratchers, here’s your…

Two-on-One Handicap Match:  Swerve Strickland vs. “Smart” Mark Sterling and Tony Nese

Keith Lee is banned from ringside as part of the stipulation of this match.  I don’t know about you, but this feels a bit “squash-y”…like it should have belonged on AEW DARK, so enjoy a Roasted Summer Squash recipe in its place. 

Anyway, the end comes when Sterling is tagged in by accident, and now it’s Swerve’s House, as Strickland clocks him with a kick to the back of his head for the win

Your Winner via Pinfall:  Swerve Strickland

As Strickland celebrates, we see Lee was knocked out by Josh Woods backstage.  As he watches what unfolds on the ‘Tron, Nese attacks from behind and this is far from over.

Malakai Black address Miro’s redemption.  He offers a spot in the House of Black to see how he can be redeemed, while Brody King appears and issues a challenge to Darby Allen for a Coffin Match.

But we now head for some great luchadora/Joshi action for the…

AEW Women’s World Championship:  Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Miyu Yamashita

Excalibur notes this match came about because Yamashita won a non-title bout against Rosa at the Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling promotion, where she is based in Japan, and now she has an opportunity to cash in tonight.

Both women put on a wrestling clinic to the delight of the fans, and they are so evenly matched they wrestle to a standstill.  They battle on the ring apron until Yamashita sweeps the leg, and Rosa tumbles to the outside.  She goes for a flying knee that misses, but Rosa returns with a running dropkick and then gives out chops to Yamashita on the guardrails.  Yamashita gets a heel kick to her neck, and during Picture in Picture, she is in control and gets an (awkward) spinning front kick to Rosa, followed by a judo throw and then a gutwrench backbreaker to the champ.

Rosa fights back and gets a running clothesline to double knees in the corner, followed by a dropkick to the back and then the front.  Rosa adds a suplex to a bridge, but only gets a two count.  Rosa sets her up on the top turnbuckle for a high-risk maneuver and is caught by a high kick from Yamashita to come crashing down to the mat.  Yamashita gets Rosa in a wheelbarrow into a deadlift German suplex for a two count Rosa sets up a Fire Thunder Driver but Yamashita escapes and gets a high kick for a close two count.  The match goes to the wire, but Rosa digs deep and gets the Fire Thunder Driver for the pin and the win.

Your Winner, and Still AEW Women’s Champion:  Thunder Rosa

After the match, Rosa shows respect to her opponent and Yamashita reciprocates.

Chris Jericho joins commentary, and don’t call it a comeback because it’s The Main Event between…

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Daniel Garcia

The American Dragon attacks right away and lights up Garcia with kicks.  This is a laser-focused Danielson as he nails a tope suicida to Garcia on the outside, and as fans chant, “Wel-come Back!”, he dumps Garcia back in the ring.  As he climbs in, Garcia throws elbows at Danielson, but he mounts and dares him to bring it.  He chops his chest, but Danielson rains elbows.  Garcia comes back with European uppercuts to rock his skull, followed by a neckbreaker.  He sends Danielson to the outside and throws him right into the guardrails.  Garcia rips off the padding and then goes back to Danielson, but he fights back and nails a running dropkick to Garcia through the guardrails.

Back in the ring, Danielson gets a missile dropkick but he lands hard to have rung his bell.  As the ref checks on him, Garcia takes the opportunity to return the receipt with elbows of his own.  He chops away and Danielson tries to make a comeback but collapses.  Garcia is on the warpath, ramming his head to the steel steps on the outside and then a DDT to the exposed concrete.  During Picture in Picture, the ref tried to stop the onslaught, and as Garcia elicits boos from the crowd, the ring doctor examines Danielson’s bloody forehead.  Garcia shoves the doctor out of the way and rolls Danielson back in to inflict some more damage

Garcia keeps working on opening the forehead wound wider, but Danielson winds up and clocks him hard with a forearm to rock him.  Garcia gets back on offense and sets him up on the top turnbuckle, but he escapes and nails a back superplex.  Danielson still looks unsteady, but as Garcia chops away The American Dragon fires back with his educated feet.  He attempts the Blackpool foot stomps, but Garcia uses his feet to lift Danielson and reverses to a sleeper hold.  Danielsonstruggles but manages to reverse to a Cattle Mutilation into a Tiger suplex for a two count.  Now the hammer and anvil elbows strike hard, and a shoulder capture suplex by Danielson garners another two count.  Danielson sets up for the Busaiku Knee but Garcia lands a clothesline and transitions to a sharpshooter, but Danielson rolls up for a two count.  Now he connects with the Busaiku Knee and Danielson quickly transitions into the Lebell Lock, but Garcia escapes.  He follows with another Busaiku Knee on the outside, and as he gets back in the ring Danielson’s leg is grabbed by someone underneath.  Garcia uses the opportunity to get a Piledriver on Danielson and then cinches the sharpshooter, but Danielson fights through.  He cranks the submission further until finally, Danielson passes out from the pain, and now the ref finally calls it.

Your Winner via Submission:  Daniel Garcia

Garcia has his hand raised, and Jake Hager enters right behind him (thus eliminating the mystery of who grabbed Danielson’s leg).  All of the Jericho Appreciation Society celebrate the win in the ring, as the show fades to black.

3.5

Final Thoughts:

The AEW World Title match, and the Danielson/Garcia matches nicely bookended this episode of Dynamite.  I still would have preferred the Heavyweight title to be last, but I can only be an armchair booker for so long.

Jungle Boy delivered some fire in his promo, as did Ricky Starks.  Some segments didn’t land as well, but other matches were good or great, with the latter belonging to the Rosa/Yamashita match.

Until then, see you for AEW Rampage!   Dale Plummer will be back next Wednesday.