AEW: Dynamite Review - March 24th, 2021

AEW Dynamite

March 24th, 2021 

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL 

Commentary - Excalibur, Jim Ross & Tony Schiavone

1) Kenny Omega vs. Matt Sydal (w/ Mike Sydal)

This stemmed from Dark where Tony Khan made appearance to make this match since Kenny kept interfering in Sydal matches. If Sydal wins this, he gets an AEW World Title match. These two had a good match at PWG’s Battle of Los Angeles back in 2014 and this was about on the same level, just a little more compact. Solid TV work with some great spots and exchanges down the stretch. Honestly a little more than I expected from it with some spots we haven’t seen the two do in prior meetings so yeah. Sydal fights from underneath even through the closing stretch and the struggle is enjoyable. Good pop for some of the reversals but in the end, Omega wins with one winged angel. The layout of this match was excellent and the execution was perfect. Missed the first minute or two of this so I may go back and re-watch later.

Match rating - ***1/2

Later tonight, John Silver challenges Darby Allin for the TNT Title.

With that in mind, Dark Order is backstage preparing and they make a comedic skit out of dodging each other doing the coffin drop. Hangman Page walks up and wishes him luck. He’s in competition himself, next. 

2) Hangman Adam Page vs. Cezar Bononi 

Nothing more or less than it shoulda been. Bononi’s size allows him a small moment or two of control, but Page ultimately squashes him. Buckshot lariat for the win. Page has a cold one on his way out of the ringside area. 

Pre-taped Lance Archer promo about how there wouldn’t be a Lance Archer if it wasn’t for Sting. 

Replays of the classic Britt/Thunder Rosa match from last week whilst Tony’s post match interview with Rosa airs. 

Back in the arena, Tony is with the fucking GODDESS Britt Baker. She cuts the perfect promo to follow up her match last week. She starts off asking if that’s really all the crowd has for her after what she put herself through last week. Britt says Tony is signing legends left and right when the biggest one is right under his nose (her). She says she became a hardcore legend overnight whereas it took Mick Foley 20 years. Yasssss queen. Insane shit here. Britt is the #1 act in AEW as of right now easily. Big props to AEW for properly following up on the match last week. 

Christian Cage is backstage giving some advice to Dante Martin, Brian Pillman Jr, & Griff Garrison ahead of their trios match. Frankie Kazarian walks up and immediately I’m having flashbacks to their classic TNA ladder match in like 2007. Kaz asks when the WORK part of Christian’s “out work everyone” phrase starts. Christian says next week and that he doesn’t have an opponent yet if Kaz wants to step up. LETS GO. 

3) FTR & Shawn Spears (w/ MJF, Wardlow & Tully Blanchard) vs. Brian Pillman Jr, Griff Garrison & Dante Martin 

This is The Pinnacle’s first match as a group. It’s suffice. FTR looks good and they give the youngsters more time than you’d expect. Shawn Spears gets the finish and the pin after we get back from commercial.

Match rating - **1/4

A little post match beatdown despite the fact that they won. MJF, Dax, & Cash all cut promos and Dax’s absolutely RULED. Starting to think this dude could have a singles run easy. Between this and his match with Jungle Boy back in January... good shit. They call out Inner Circle, but they aren't here because they're nursing their injuries from the other week. 

Onward we move to Team Taz. They say they made up after last week and Cage even made an apology to them. Cage makes weird eyes during this but ultimately joins into the segment, ending the promo with WHO BETTA. 

QT Marshall is onstage with Tony Schiavone. He essentially says he wants to face Cody next week in an exhibition. He has no ill will towards Cody but is tired of being in his shadow and being forced to keep his career under that ceiling because of it. Cody comes out from the back and takes off his headset and he accepts QT’s challenge, but says he refuses to hurt him by locking in the figure four or hitting the cross rhodes. QT takes offense to this. I’m very uninterested in QT Marshall, but I’m willing to give this thing a shot next week. Nice little segment. Arn Anderson will be the special ref for the match next week. 

4) The Young Bucks & Brandon Cutler vs. Penta El Zero Miedo, Rey Fenix, & Laredo Kid 

This was a fucking blast as you would expect. I’m glad they mentioned PAC being injured because I was wondering why they suddenly pulled him after he & Fenix earned a title shot. But yeah, Laredo Kid looks awesome in his return to AEW. Fenix was the star of this to me, though. As he’s been all year, honestly. Never a wasted or boring moment with him. Cutler seemed sorta out of place near the end, but held his own early on. Crazy Bucks style match, Laredo Kid pins Cutler with a big avalanche Spanish fly for the victory. 

Match rating - ***1/2

Post match, Kenny Omega attacks Laredo Kid then cuts a great promo on the Bucks and offers them one last chance to “too sweet” him and stand with him. The Bucks leave and Kenny yells ‘WE ARE DONE’ before eating a double super kick (and a mic) to the jaw from the Lucha Bros. They leave Kenny laying and leave together. All around fantastic segment. 

Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley are.. somewhere. I’m not gonna try to recap promos anymore. It ruled, find it online somewhere. Mox & King say they don’t play games and they guarantee the Good Brothers nor the Bucks are willing to take this as far as they are and the Good Brothers will pay for what they did last week. 

5) Nyla Rose (w/ Vickie Guerrero) vs. Tay Conti 

Man I’m so happy for Tay Conti. I’m sure this was rushed a little for time, or it atleast it came off that way early. But the message still got across with Tay having a sort of coming out performance by overcoming Nyla Rose and getting her first big win in the company with a NASTY hammerlock DDT. 

Match rating - **3/4

Nyla Rosa attacks Conti post match. AEW Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida made the save, nailing Nyla with a kendo stick. THE BUNNY runs down and helps Nyla. Next thing you know, Matt Hardy is on the stage with Butcher & Blade. He mentions that Bunny wasn’t in the women’s eliminator tournament and has been underused and that stops now. I enjoyed this segment a lot as it set up Shida/Conti vs. Nyla/Bunny for next week and made me super excited for it. Women's division looking STRONG and being a highlight for the second week in a row??? HELL YEAH.

Scorpio Sky pre-tape. He says this isn't a new side of him. What we saw last week was just a different side he's always had that we hadn't seen until now. 

6) Darby Allin (c) vs. John Silver - TNT Title Match 

I loved this match. Darby and John will always tear it up, but the added emotion of the match being dedicated to Brodie Lee and Sting coming down to even the odds when Dark Order got involved made this feel like more than just Darby vs. Silver in another tv match. Not saying this felt like a classic, but my point is it felt like a main event and not just two guys having a fun spot fest. I would love a rematch down the line because this was intense, emotional and the match of the night. Darby retains after an extremely hard fought battle. John Silver comes out of this looking stronger than he went in and the fist bump with Darby/stare down with Sting was a great rub. 

Match rating - ***3/4 

Post match, all hell breaks loose. Matt Hardy attacks Darby Allin for some reason. Dark Order gets involved. The Butcher, The Blade & The Bunny run down. Tay Conti runs down. Tay & Bunny are brawling. Dark Order and Butcher & Blade are brawling. Darby nails Matt with one of his hurling dives to the floor and starts throwing fists to his face. Awesome chaotic show closer that touched on a lot of different stuff heading into next week. 

And speaking of next week, the card is pretty stacked. Actually more excited for it than I was this week’s: 

Cody Rhodes vs. QT Marshall - Special Ref: Arn Anderson 

Christian Cage vs. Frankie Kazarian 

Kenny Omega, Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows vs. Lucha Brothers & Laredo Kid 

Hikaru Shida & Tay Conti vs. Nyla Rose & The Bunny 

Aaaaaaaaand, I think that's all. Goodnight <3