Ready for more AEW in your weekly routine? No, Dynamite isn’t going to three hours (that might be too much of a usually good thing), but it will be joined later this week by the premiere of AEW Rampage on Friday nights. The new show is a move for the not too distant future, keeping the promotion on TNT when Dynamite departs for TBS. Expect plenty of setup for that debut, though tonight’s card looks pretty good in its own right. MJF is heading to the ring, so let’s gear up in black and gold and hustle to the Petersen Events Center, live on TNT from Pittsburgh.
JOE HRYCYCH’S AEW DYNAMITE GALLERY: PITTSBURGH, AUG. 11, 2021
MJF reminds Chris Jericho that he has two wins over the Demo God with no losses, and he’s definitely enjoying the Labours of Jericho. He truly revels in the idea that Jericho will fall just short of his desired rematch, though he also reminds Wardlow that he’s failed to get the job done at times in the past. And MJF does it all while eating an apple.
The Elite (Kenny Omega and Young Bucks) vs. Dante Martin and The Sydal Brothers
The announcers inform us that Omega will defend his championship against Christian Cage at All Out, which isn’t all that surprising considering he’s undefeated in AEW and the No. 1 contender. It is, however, a bit of a bummer that Hangman Page won’t get a chance at his big moment in September, but the promotion obviously thinks his story still has more legs. Don Callis joins the announce team and delivers maybe the truest line he’s ever uttered: “There’s a lot of things going on that you guys don’t know anything about.” He also has unusually nice things to say about the Sydals, hinting that he wouldn’t mind representing them. Even though you know the heels are going to win, there’s a good opportunity to make everyone on the other side look good, and that is indeed what happens, with Martin grabbing a particularly large share of the spotlight. He even escapes a couple of Omega’s signature moves, but he ends up taking a One-Winged Angel and a BTEV Trigger and taking the ‘L.’
Winners: The Elite by pinfall
Tony Schiavone attempts to get in a word with the winners but is quickly shoved aside by Callis. He, in turn, is interrupted by Christian Cage coming to the ramp. Callis mocks him for coming out alone, but he’s soon joined by Jurassic Express. Then, commercial time.
Did I mention that Jurassic Express are the top contenders for the tag team titles? That seems relevant here too. Callis lays into Cage a bit more before being called a “carny piece of s–t” and then a “carny jagoff” to synchronize with the local slang. He also has a bomb to drop: Omega will be wrestling him Friday in the first ever match on Rampage, with the Impact World Championship on the line. Jungle Boy has also been talking to Tony Khan, who granted Jurassic Express a tag team title shot next week on Dynamite. Needless to say, The Elite is displeased.
Malakai Black boasts about how he was able to turn out Cody Rhodes’ lights last week. He claims Cody has one foot in the grave and will be happy to put the other one there at any time, and warns the rest of the roster in colorful, almost poetic fashion.
I am starting not to understand Miro’s promos since he went on his Redeemer kick. What I think I took from this one is that he will face Fuego Del Sol on the debut of Rampage.
Daniel Garcia (w/ 2.0) vs. Darby Allin (w/ Sting)
Garcia has a solid, throwback-style plan, concentrating his offense on one of Allin’s arms. His 2.0 buddies aren’t above creating a ringside distraction, and so far Sting isn’t making them pay for it. In the end, it all matters not, as Allin racks up another victory with a Coffin Drop and gets a few shots in on 2.0 just for funsies.
Winner: Darby Allin by pinfall
In the back, the Lucha Bros. tell Pac how upset they are with Andrade El Idolo. Pac tells them to focus on the tag team titles while he handles Andrade, telling El Idolo he’s easy to find.
JOE HRYCYCH’S AEW DYNAMITE GALLERY: PITTSBURGH, AUG. 11, 2021
Orange Cassidy. Chuck Taylor and Wheeler Yuta vs. Matt Hardy and Private Party
It stinks that Trent is on the shelf, but Yuta is an entertaining in-ring fill-in. Also, someone needs to find out why Private Party has to wrestle in their street clothes. Nyla Rose runs down for a cheap shot on Kris Statlander, and Jack Evans does the same to Orange Cassidy on the outside. Hardy has no qualms about pushing his employees into harm’s way to save himself, and he nails Yuta with a Twist of Fate to claim the pinfall for himself.
Winners: Matt Hardy and Private Party by pinfall
Andrade is unamused by Pac, as is Chavo Guerrero Jr. by proxy. They accept Pac’s challenge and say Andrade will show him who the boss is at All Out.
Santana and Ortiz are still itching for another go at FTR in a feud that has been lots of talking punctuated by bursts of glorious tag team violence. Hoping they’re headed for another showdown in the squared circle soon.
“The Native Beast” Nyla Rose (w/ Vickie Guerrero) vs. Kris Statlander (w/ Orange Cassidy)
This is the kind of match that tells you a lot about who’s getting the push coming out of it. Looks like it’s going to be Statlander, who prevails in fairly short order.
Winner: Kris Statlander by pinfall
The Young Bucks say that their title defense next week against Jurassic Express will be as easy as a layup. Their actual layup, however, gets blocked by Luchasaurus, who gives them a Dikembe Mutombo-esque finger wag, and Brandon Cutler says he got all ball. Not very loyal, that guy.
To make sure we don’t forget about Rampage and its stacked card, a video promo provides more insight into the showdown between Red Velvet and Dr. Britt Baker, mostly from Red Velvet’s perspective.
But that’s because Baker is on her way out to the ring live. She says Velvet might have a glimmer of hope wrestling her in any other city — but not Brittsburgh. See that’s Britt putting her name in the name of her city and … you get it. Red Velvet attacks Baker right as her music hits and her promo was winding down. Might as well lean into Britt getting a face pop at home.
Ricky Starks and Brian Cage exchange threats and insults, and will apparently come face to face again next week.
JOE HRYCYCH’S AEW DYNAMITE GALLERY: PITTSBURGH, AUG. 11, 2021
Dark Order’s Evil Uno and Stu Grayson (challengers) vs. Good Brothers (champions) – Impact World Tag Team Championship Match
Hey, that’s Impact’s Scott D’Amore with the announcers. He says he’d welcome the Dark Order duo on Impact if they win the belts, but this feels like more of a make good for the work they’ve been doing with their larger group while not getting as many chances to shine for themselves. You may remember in the early days of Dynamite, Uno and Grayson were in action almost weekly. It’s good to see them do their thing again, but the Good Brothers take it in the end and hang onto their imported gold.
Winners … and still Impact World Tag Team Champions: Good Brothers by pinfall
I’m not that familiar with Kamille, but she cuts a decent enough promo at the expense of her upcoming challenger, Leyla Hirsch.
Poor Schiavone may never get to do another interview with anyone but Baker without getting interrupted. QT Marshall has no intention of apologizing to him, but does order The Factory to beat up his son, Chris. Tony tries to apologize, Chris gets a stunner anyway, and Paul Wight makes his way down the ramp. Marshall throws Aaron Solow over to Wight so he can escape, meaning Solow takes a big chokeslam. Methinks this isn’t over.
Wardlow (w/ MJF) vs. “Demo God” Chris Jericho
Someday, I’m going to tell my grandchildren that Jericho wrestled weekly in the Year of Our Lord two-thousand twenty-one at age 50, and because my kids will raise them right, they’ll believe me. But otherwise they probably wouldn’t, certainly not four straight weeks in four demanding matches (OK, maybe Juvie wasn’t that demanding). You know MJF isn’t going to just stand there and watch, but he gets caught trying to slip his Dynamite Diamond Ring to his big henchman and earns an ejection in the process. Jericho uses the chaos to grab his own weapon, his trusty bat Floyd, and uses that plus a Judas Effect to win the fourth Labour of Jericho.
Winner: Chris Jericho by pinfall
Shawn Spears attempts to put a beating on Jericho after the bell, and while he’s countered momentarily by Sammy Guevara, the Pinnacle wins the numbers game and MJF locks the Demo God in the Salt of the Earth. Jake Hager eventually runs him off, but MJF still has a trump card to play: He controls the stipulation for their rematch, and he announces both the Judas Effect and the entrance theme that inspired it will be banned next week. Friday night is Rampage, or so I’ve heard, but I’ll see you in seven!
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