AEW Dynamite
Episode 67
Brodie Lee: Celebration of Life
#AEWDynamite #BrodieLee
Original Air Date: December 30, 2020
Event Date: December 30, 2020
(aired live on TNT & the FITE app)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Ring Area
The AEW wrestlers and staff stand on the stage for a ten-bell salute for Brodie Lee (Jon Huber).
Video
Jon Moxley talks about his time with Brodie Lee and what kind of man he was in celebration of his life.
Match 1
Private Party & Matt Hardy vs The Young Bucks (AEW Tag Champs) & Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana w/ Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Preston Vance, Anna Jay
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Colt Cabana pins Marq Quen with the Superman Pin (after the Meltzer Driver from the Young Bucks)
Time: 13:31
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The Dark Order members will no doubt be highlighted throughout the entire show tonight, and this match started the night with a very fun match with Cole Cabana in a central role. Cabana looked great with the support of the Young Bucks, and this was a fast-paced, fun match. Cabana and the Bucks dominated early in the match, but Matt Hardy and Private Party started to come together later in the match and managed to isolate Matt Jackson for a while. Hardy Party later singled out Nick Jackson and hit him with pretty much everything they have, but the match went on. Cabana and the Bucks came back together with a fun sequence that ended this match in a very definitive and satisfying fashion. I also enjoyed that Hardy and Private Party managed to continue their story line with the rift continuing to grow between them (Hardy wanted to use a chair in the match but Marq Quen refused to let him do it). So not only did the match do what we expected in a good way, it also made total sense in the bigger picture.
Ring Area
After the match, The Acclaimed come out to the stage. Max Caster has some stuff to say about “all this Dark Order stuff,” but Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian run out and attack The Acclaimed before Caster can say anything more. Caster and Bowens end up in the ring where they take a pair of superkicks from the Young Bucks and a pair of elbows from Colt Cabana.
Video
Darby Allin talks about how excited he was when Brodie Lee debuted in AEW, and he goes on to talk about how open end giving Brodie Lee was. Allin wishes he could have wrestled Brodie Lee.
Match 2
Lance Archer w/ Jake Roberts & Stu Grayson & Evil Uno w/ Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Preston Vance, Anna Jay, Colt Cabana vs Eddie Kingston & The Butcher & The Blade w/ The Bunny
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Evil Uno pins The Blade after Fatality (with Stu Grayson)
Time: 10:01
Match Thoughts
Great match. Tonight’s opening match was fun because of the fast pace and high flying, but this was was equally if not more fun because of how hard-hitting it was (plus it did have a little flying from Evil Uno and Lance Archer). Uno stood out early by going face to face with Eddie Kingston in a strong-style striking exchange, and Uno’s surprising agility made him a vital part of his team tonight. Archer also displayed his agility in abundance, something we don’t often get to see all in one match since he’s been in AEW. Archer was walking the ropes and hitting moonsaults, frog plashes, and running cross-body blocks, and whenever he was in the ring Kingston and his family couldn’t contain him. Stu Grayson served as great support in-between Uno and Archer, and that made their team extremely strong tonight. Kingston, Butcher, and Blade looked good as always, but it just wasn’t their night tonight. I did really enjoy Kingston’s brief time on the mic just prior to the match thought. Kingston was able to pay tribute to Brodie Lee while still being a complete jerk, and he did it in one or two sentences.
Ring Area
Eddie Kingston gets isolated in the ring after the match, and that leads to Kingston taking a short-arm clothesline from Jake “The Snake” Roberts! I bet even Eddie Kingston was smiling after that.
Video
Dax Harwood, Arn Anderson, Colt Cabana, and Bryce Remsburg talk about how much Brodie Lee loved his family.
Match 3
“Hangman” Adam Page & John Silver & Alex Reynolds w/ Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Preston Vance, Anna Jay, Colt Cabana vs Santana & Ortiz & MJF w/ Wardlow, Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: John Silver pins Ortiz with a discus lariat
Time: 12:37
Match Thoughts
Great match. We already know Page, Reynolds, and Silver have good chemistry as a team, and with tonight’s added emphasis on Dark Order (and no reluctance from Page in teaming with them), they looked great. Page did a lot of the work early in the match, but John Silver was definitely the star of this segment. Silver got on an extended hot streak towards the middle of the match, and he kept taking down Santana, Ortiz, and MJF in succession. Inner Circle fought back though, and they started to take over late in the match. Silver got isolated and destroyed for a while, but Reynolds was there for the save, and the mach went on. At one point Wardlow started to interject himself into the match, and that prompted Erick Rowan/Redbeard to run to the ring and fight Wardlow all the way to the backstage area!
And I will say, I give MJF a lot of crap because I don’t think he’s a very good bad guy, but he did a very good job tonight. His pandering to Santana and Ortiz was obvious and obnoxious, and his repeated antagonistic attitude towards Brodie Lee Jr. (-1) at ringside paid off in a great way. That payoff led directly to a very touching moment as Reynolds and Page stepped aside and let Silver finish the match with Brodie Lee’s discus lariat.
Ring Area
After the match, Erick Redbeard returns to the ring. He’s carrying a sign that says, “Goodbye for now, my brother. See you down the road.” Redbeard, Silver, Reynolds, and Page stand together in a very emotional moment.
Video
Eddie Kingston gets emotional as he talks about Brodie Lee/Jon Huber. Kingston talks to Lee’s children, telling them that as long as they remember his teachings, their father will never be gone.
Match 4
Tay Conti & Anna Jay w/ Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Preston Vance vs Penelope Ford w/ Kip Sabian, Miro & Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. w/ Rebel
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Anna Jay submits Penelope Ford with the Queen Slayer
Time: 9:52
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Anna Jay looked very good throughout this match tonight, and Tay Conti was a great partner for her. The rift between Jay and Conti (where Jay wants to cheat but Conti doesn’t) was completely absent from the action tonight, and that helped make this a strong, action-packed match. Conti looked good, but she did get isolated by Ford and Baker for a while. That led to a hot tag to Jay in which she dominated (with a bit of help from Conti running interference). I enjoyed this quite a lot, and again, the finish turned out to be quite emotional.
Ring Area
After the match, Tony Schiavone joins Britt Baker in the ring. Baker is sick of the conspiracies. This whole match was a conspiracy. It was rigged. You might even call it, a “Big Rig.” As Baker finishes, Thunder Rosa runs out and attacks her from behind. Rebel and referees manage to pull Rosa off of Baker.
Video
Chris Jericho talks about great of a person Brodie Lee was.
Match 5
Brodie Lee Jr. Six Man Dream Match
Powerhouse Hobbs & “Absolute” Ricky Starks & “The Machine” Brian Cage (FTW Champ) w/ Taz, Hook vs Dark Order’s 10 w/ Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Anna Jay, Colt Cabana & “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy w/ Best Friends & “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: 10 pins Ricky Starks after a spinebuster (and the Orange Punch from Orange Cassidy and Cross Rhodes from Cody Rhodes)
Time: 12:32
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The team of 10, Cassidy, and Rhodes was picked by Brodie Jr. as his three favorite AEW wrestlers, and for as strange as that team is, they delivered a fun match. 10 had to be the star of the match in the end, and everyone in the ring helped him achieve that. Cody I don’t know that there were really any standouts in this match because everyone looked very good in pretty much equal amounts. I did notice that Ricky Starks was in the ring with 10 for nearly all of 10’s action, so I’d have to say Starks was the MVP if I had to choose. Starks was very giving, and he helped 10 shine in this main event match.
Ring Area
After the match, Team Taz attacks Rhodes, Cassidy, and 10 as they celebrate. As the attack continues, the lights go out. Darby Allin’s music plays, and Allin begins to walk towards the ring from the crowd. The music stops, the lights go out again, and Sting arrives. Sting and Darby Allin walk to the ring together. Team Taz retreats to the stage as Allin and Sting stand with Rhodes, Cassidy, and 10.
Ring Area
After a commercial break, Cody Rhodes is alone in the ring. Cody gets emotional as he pays tribute to Brodie Lee. Cody then brings Brodie Lee Jr., -1, into the ring along with Amanda Huber, 10, and Tony Khan. -1 puts Brodie Lee’s boots in the center of the ring, and Cody puts a purple bandanna on them. Tony Khan then hands Brodie Lee Jr. a TNT Title belt, telling him that it is his for life.
Video
The show ends with a video tribute to Brodie Lee.
Show Impressions
Tribute shows like this are always difficult. I think AEW’s tribute to Brodie Lee was great though, and I have nothing but respect for everyone involved in putting it together.
Match of the Night
Adam Page & Alex Reynolds & John Silver vs Santana & Ortiz & MJF
This was the most emotional and the most fun match tonight for me.