September 1st, 2021
Chicago, Illinois
Commentary - Excalibur, Jim Ross, & Tony Schiavone
The 100th episode of AEW Dynamite and the go-home show/final Dynamite before All Out live on PPV this Sunday.
1) FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. Proud n Powerful (Santana & Ortiz)
Now THIS. This is what this pairing was capable of all along. The Charlotte match which I was there for live really fell flat for me. Probably because of burn out and the placement on the card. This being first helped it, but the work was indeed superior to that of the Fight for the Fallen match. Maybe the injury Cash suffered added to the stakes of this, I’m not sure, all I’m sure of is this ruled and highlighted both teams’ strengths. Santana & Ortiz looked like crazy motherfuckers. FTR were FTR. Yeah. Some great nearfalls down the stretch and Santana & Ortiz get the win. GIVE THEM A TAG TITLE SHOT NOW GOD DAMMIT.
Match rating - ***3/4
Backstage, Daniel Garcia and 2.0 say they are going to do everything in their power to ruin the Punk/Darby match and keep it from happening at All Out.
CM Punk is out next and for the first time.. (and this will be a trend for this show) AEW NAILS a go home angle for the main event (presumably) of their upcoming PPV. Punk is cutting a promo on how he’s a little nervous for the match Sunday having not wrestled in 7 years. In the midst of him saying that despite that he will give everything he’s got, 2.0 & Daniel Garcia attack him. This is our first time seeing Punk get physical and it rules. Especially once Sting & Darby make the big save. AWESOME punches from Punk in the corner before we get a coffin drop / death drop / GTS combo. EPIC. Head to head staredown between Punk and Darby is even more epic. Sting then gets the mic and puts Punk over saying he always wanted to be in a ring with him. Sting says he won’t be at ringside on Sunday out of respect and that when those two step in the ring and the bell rings.. ITS SHOW TIME. This is how you sell a fucking PPV main event. Admittedly, Punk having his first match in 7 years sells it alone, but this upped the anti and made me much more excited for this.
Pre-tape with Tony Schiavone and MJF from earlier today. More great stuff from MJF as always. He says he will have the honor of ending the career of one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time this Sunday.
2) Orange Cassidy vs. Jack Evans
Love these motherfuckers. Currently in the midst of a Jack Evans obsession and Orange rules always so this was a blast. Cool thing about this also was the match ending in the commercial break via picture in picture. First time that’s happened and a great way to influence people to stick around during the breaks.
Match rating - **1/4
Matt Hardy runs down immediately after the match, soon followed by the rest of HFO. Best Friends and Jurassic Express come out next for the save to a HUGE pop. Fun little brawl here that we later find out leads to a 10 person tag match for the Buy In All Out pre-show on Sunday between HFO and Jurassic Express/Best Friends.
Eddie Kingston pre-tape on his match with Miro coming up on Sunday, he says he's going after Miro's NECK and his title and after Sunday, he will no longer be God's favorite champion.
Jon Moxley pre-tape on Satoshi Kojima. He's going to bring his scalp to Dynamite in his hometown of Cincinnati next week. Dear lord.
Chris Jericho is out next with Jim Ross. Sorta weird segment, but good. JR and Jericho both seemed emotional which makes you think Jericho may actually be retiring Sunday even though it seems so far out of left field. Jericho does an awesome job selling it though and his up close to the camera promo made me excited for a match I couldn’t have cared less about seeing when it was announced last week. So, yeah, another W here.
Amazing Darby/Punk video package airs. Darby says when he was 15, Punk was his favorite wrestler. A play on Punk saying if he was 15, Darby would be his favorite wrestler. Darby says he knows Punk is already overlooking him because he said he was "first on his list." Darby says he is going to do the unthinkable and beat Punk.
3) Brian Cage vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
I have to say, I couldn’t have been less interested in this. Easily the most boring thing on this show because of the angle being so dull. BUT they put in a hell of an effort. Cage charges Hobbs during his entrance and the big boys laid it in for the duration of this match and I really can’t complain about it. Hobbs gets the win and rightfully so. The pin came off a belt shot from Starks to Cage. Let’s hope this puts this story to rest. Hobbs/Starks and Cage desperately need to be separate from one another for a while.
Match rating - **1/4
Malakai Black pre-tape. He says he didn't leave the ring because of Lee Johnson last week. He left because he chooses when they will fight. It will be on Rampage this Friday.
QT Marshall is out with all his people when we get back from commercial. Paul Wight comes out and kicks everyone's ass. Billy Gunn and his sons run down to help, BUT NAIL WIGHT WITH A CHAIR INSTEAD. What in the blue hell? Is this the attitude era? Gunn Club heel turn as they stand over Wight before leaving.
Women's Champion Britt Baker is backstage with Rebel and Jamie Hayter. She teases a free agent announcement trying to tease everyone about Adam Cole, only to see she just re-signed a long term contract with AEW. Love it. Rebel & Jamie are also both in the Women's Casino Battle Royal at All Out, but if they win they won't come after Britt because they're a team. And speaking of them being a team.. on Rampage this Friday it's Rebel/Hayter vs. Kris Statlander in a handicap match!
4) Penelope Ford (w/ The Bunny) vs. Tay Conti
This hurt to watch. I love both these competitors, but man this one was rocky. The first few minutes were especially bad and then they got back on track by the time the finishing sequences rolled around. It somehow got a “this is awesome” chant in the arena so maybe it came off better there than on TV, not sure! Conti wins in the end in about 8 minutes.
Match rating - *3/4
After the match, Penelope & Bunny start beating down Conti AND WE GET THE RETURN OF ANNA JAY!!! AHHHHHH!!! DARK ORDER BABY. This was heartwarming and a long time coming.
Thunder Rosa, the queen, the legend is backstage. Nyla Rose and Jade Cargill walk up and Rosa takes a shot at them before they can take one at her. It's separated and leads to a Jade/Nyla staredown.
5) The Elite (The Young Bucks, Karl Anderson, & Doc Gallows) vs. Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) and Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) (w/ Marko Stunt)
Oh hell yes. Banger of a fucking main event. So many stars in this and everybody is on point. They do a great job of touching on the Bucks/Lucha Bros story with their upcoming match at all out. Tons of crazy spots and action, you know this style of match. There’s no way or reason to try and call it, just watch it. Fenix & Jungle Boy were the stand outs with Luchasaurus also looking phenomenal. The finish rocked with a Meltzer Driver to Fenix ending it. Although Fenix getting pinned may not have been the right call. (unless the Lucha Bros win the belts on Sunday anyway.)
Match rating - ***3/4
The post match angle has gotten mixed reviews, but I loved it and think it, much like the rest of the show, was the strongest closing angle before a PPV since the company began. This is something they haven’t been great at - go home shows. But with this segment capping it off, I can firmly say they nailed it here. Kenny Omega came out and they lower the cage. The Elite beat down and superkick all the babyfaces including Christian Cage while Kenny talks shit. The timing was a little off on this, but I get what they were going for and I loved it. It makes you wanna see Omega & The Bucks both lose their titles and it sells the Steel Cage stipulation. Orange Cassidy, Frankie Kazarian, & Dante Martin and some other top faces came down to try and scale the cage and help which was a nice touch as well. The show closes with the babyfaces being destroyed and embarrassed. See y’all Sunday!
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