AEW Dynamite
Episode 81
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: April 7, 2021
Event Date: April 7, 2021
(aired live on TNT & the FITE app)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Don Callis (5)
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Outside the Venue
Earlier today, the Inner Circle arrived in a fleet of black vehicles.
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Match 1
“Hangman” Adam Page vs “Platinum” Max Caster w/ Anthony Bowens
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Adam Page wins via pinfall after the Buckshot Lariat
Time: 10:05
Match Thoughts
Very good match. With Caster on the rise, there was a little part of me that thought he might win this despite Page’s unstoppable run. Caster having Bowens with him at ringside only made me doubt Page’s chances even more. The action was fun with Page dominating in head-to-head encounters while Caster got much of his offense through distractions and underhanded tactics. Page seemed almost too relaxed at times, and that built up to Caster getting his best chance at victory with some well-timed trickery. Page is, as I already stated, unstoppable right now, and that meant this match didn’t end in a surprising way, but it did end in a fun way.
Ring Area
In the ring, Tony Schiavone welcomes Death Triangle. Schiavone asks them about their tag title match next week, but before they can answer, Orange Cassidy, Best Friends, and Kris Statlander come out to the stage. Cassidy says it’s nice to see all three members of Death Triangle together again. Chuck Taylor tells Death Triangle that he still remembers what they tried to do to Best Friends last year.
Pac responds by saying he understands Best Friends want a shot at the next tag team champions, but they have a lot of work to do before they’re worthy of a shot. Trent reminds Death Triangle that he and Chuck have more wins than any other tag team in AEW. Trent also says “the boys are back in town,” and now they have an alien with them.
Video
We see Mike Tyson talking with Urban Meyer (the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars), but we can’t hear what they’re saying.
Ring Area
The Inner Circle heads to the ring, and Chris Jericho cuts a scathing promo on every member of The Pinnacle.
Backstage
Dasha Gonzalez asks Christian Cage what’s next for him in AEW. Christian talks about his match with Frankie Kazarian last week, but he’s interrupted by Taz. Taz offers Christian a spot on Team Taz, and he tells Christian to think about it before he responds.
Match 2
Godzilla vs. Kong Match
Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus vs Bear Country
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Luchasaurus pins Bear Bronson after a chokeslam and the Mesozoic Moonsault
Time: 8:59
Match Thoughts
Very good match. This was a fast and fun match with a lot of energy from both teams. There seemed to be a bit of a feeling-out process from time to time, but overall I enjoyed this match quite a lot. I’d like to see them face each other again sometime, maybe with Bear Country being a lot more aggressive.
Video
From the Nightmare Factory, QT Marshall (surrounded by Anthony Ogogo, Aaron Solow, and Nick Comoroto) talks about surrounding himself with men while Cody surrounds himself with “vanilla midgets.”
Ring Area
On the stage, Tony Schiavone welcomes Sting. As usual, the interview is interrupted by Jake Roberts and Lance Archer. Archer says it’s his time, and Sting agrees. Sting tells Archer that he should be in main events. Sting tells Roberts to help Archer channel his energy into the ring so he can return to championship matches and main events without disappearing again. Sting leaves, and Archer and Roberts follow without saying anything. Meanwhile, Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page are hanging out in the balcony, apparently not caring about what they just saw and heard.
Backstage
Ricky Starks interrupts Taz and tries to instigate some more passive-aggressive dialog with Brian Cage, but Taz shuts Starks down. Taz says Team Taz has a great opportunity with the offer made to Christian Cage earlier in the night, and they all need to be smart. Ricky Starks absolutely agrees.
Match 3
TNT Title Match
Darby Allin (TNT Champ) w/ Sting vs JD Drake w/ Cezar Bononi, Ryan Nemeth
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Darby Allin wins via pinfall after the Coffin Drop and retains the title in his fifth defense
Time: 9:18
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The early part of the match had a fair amount of distractions happening with everyone at ringside, but Sting took out Bononi with a swing of his bat. Sting then intimidated Nemeth all the way away from ringside, and that left Drake and Allin effective alone to decide the match (Bononi rolled around at ringside for a while, but he didn’t do anything else). Drake got a ton of offense in the match, and that allowed Allin to do what he often does: take a beating on his way to a late-match comeback. The match was fun, but I would like to see Allin get more offense in matches like this.
Ring Area
After the match, Matt Hardy and Private Party join The Butcher and The Blade as they attack Darby Allin. The Bunny goes over to yell at the commentators to leave so her boys can drive Allin through their table. While The Bunny’s back is turned, the Dark Order chases Hardy and his men away. The Bunny is left alone with Dark Order, and Tay Conti runs out to attack The Bunny. Referees run out to separate Tay Conti and The Bunny.
Video
A look at the history leading up to tonight’s main event involving Kenny Omega, the Good Brothers, the Young Bucks, and Jon Moxley.
Backstage
Alex Marvez welcomes Chris Jericho. Alone, Jericho is just beginning to speak when he is attacked by The Pinnacle.
Ring Area
The Pinnacle drag Jericho to the ring and beat him up. On the video screen we see the rest of the Inner Circle try to break through their locked dressing room door. In the ring, Wardlow prepares to powerbomb Jericho when Mike Tyson walks out to the ring. Tyson starts by pummeling Shawn Spears as the rest of The Pinnacle scramble out of the ring. The rest of the Inner Circle finally makes it to the ring, and The Pinnacle leaves. Back on his feet, Jericho extends a hand to Tyson. Tyson and Jericho shake hands, and the Inner Circle celebrates with Iron Mike.
Backstage
Earlier today, Tony Schiavone spoke with Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. and Rebel. Baker requested a title match because it’s what the people want. Baker also thinks the AEW rankings are dumb. The rankings should be based on star power, but regardless, Baker will rise through the broken rankings by boosting her win numbers on Dynamite, Dark, and Elevation.
Match 4
The Bunny w/ The Butcher, The Blade, Matt Hardy vs Tay Conti w/ -1, Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Preston Vance, Hikaru Shida
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Tay Conti wins via pinfall after the DD-Tay
Time: 7:46
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The Bunny put up a way better fight than I expected, and for a while it seemed like she might actually get the win. The Bunny held her own against the red-hot Tay Conti, and late in the match the horde of people at ringside ended up causing a huge distraction. Shenanigans happened while the referee was distracted, and that led to a finish that was a lot more tense that I thought it might be. This was very entertaining, and it helped push forward a lot of interesting scenarios involving Conti, The Bunny, and Shida.
Video
Red Velvet responds to Jade Cargill’s words from last week.
Match 5
The Good Brothers & Kenny Omega (AEW World Champ) w/ Don Callis vs The Young Bucks (AEW Tag Champs) & Jon Moxley
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Kenny Omega pins Jon Moxley after Magic Killer (by The Good Brothers)
Time: 16:57
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The action was a lot of fun, but after a while the story began to dominate the action. Omega started to get isolated and beaten up a lot, and by the final few minutes of the match, he was completely in the hands of the Young Bucks and Jon Moxley. Matt Jackson began to have second thoughts about beating up Omega, and that pissed Moxley off. Moxley took it upon himself to finish off Omega, but Moxley’s actions prompted the Young Bucks to make a choice. Nick and Matt superkicked Moxley. Eddie Kingston ran out to help Moxley, but, still injured, he was quickly beaten down. The Good Brothers hit Magic Killer on Moxley, and Nick and Matt watched as Anderson and Gallows dragged Omega on top of Moxley for the finish of the match.
Ring Area
After the match, Omega, The Good Brothers, Don Callis, and The Young Bucks have a group hug in the center of the ring.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. There were a lot of nice story elements pushing things forward, and the wrestling was nice as well.
Match of the Night
The Good Brothers & Kenny Omega vs The Young Bucks & Jon Moxley
While this wasn’t on par with some of the other Omega-vs-Bucks tag matches in the past, it was still quite good. And overall it was the most fun and interesting match tonight.