AEW Dynamite
Episode 86
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: May 12, 2021
Event Date: May 12, 2021
(aired live on TNT & the FITE app)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Don Callis (2)
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Match 1
IWGP United States Heavyweight Title Match
Yuji Nagata w/ Ren Narita vs Jon Moxley (IWGP US Champ) w/ Eddie Kingston
(referee: Bryce Remsburg; in the crowd: Rocky Romero, Lance Archer, Jake Roberts)
Result: Jon Moxley wins via pinfall after the Paradigm Shift (Death Rider) and retains the title in his fourth defense
Time: 8:30
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The presentation for this match was great, with both men getting entrances that started backstage and both men with a cornerman. It was great to see Nagata in an AEW ring, and it was nice that the match was contested under IWGP rules (60-minute time limit, 20-count ring out). The match itself was a lot of fun with both men slugging it out in a strong style contest. There were slam, throws, a few submission attempts, and lots of strikes. It felt like they spent the first minute getting warmed up, but after that this was a very entertaining, hard-hitting title match.
Backstage
Alexa Marvez asks Ortiz, Sammy Guevara, and Jake Hager, “what’s next for the Inner Circle?” Ortiz is pissed about the “bitch moves” of MJF including pushing Jericho off the top of the Blood & Guts cage after the match, and getting Santana arrested for using a fork in the match. Hager says the Inner Circle is still alive, and they want another match. Guevara says Inner Circle versus The Pinnacle will never be over.
Ring Area
Cody Rhodes heads to the ring. After a commercial break, Cody talks about patriotism and politics. Cody has never not been proud to be an American, and he points out that Anthony Ogogo, despite earning money in America, has been deriding America. After all, Ogogo didn’t come here to live “the England dream.”
Cody goes on to talk about people from around the world who have come to America to enrich their own and other people’s lives. He also talks about his daughter who will embrace her identity despite a history of segregation in the United States. When someone runs down the United States, Cody fights back. With Anthony Ogogo, the fighting will happen at Double or Nothing. Ogogo will not be wrestling “The American Nightmare” though. Instead, Ogogo will face “The American Dream” Cody Rhodes.
Video
Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels talk about their disappointment in the new attitudes of the Young Bucks. They also talk about how their pledge to break up if they lose has pushed them to be better.
Match 2
AEW World Tag Team Title Match
“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian vs The Young Bucks (AEW Tag Champs) w/ Don Callis, Good Brothers, Brandon Cutler
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Nick Jackson pins Christopher Daniels after the BTE Trigger, and the Young Bucks retain the titles in their fifth defense
Time: 13:51
Match Thoughts
Great match! With so much on the line, SCU came out with a ton of energy and a load of great tandem offense. Both teams know each other well so there were a lot of counters and a lot of offense from both sides, but Daniels and Kazarian were hitting double-team after double-team to gain a solid advantage. The Good Brothers and Cutler became a distraction though, and that led to Daniels getting his head superkicked into a ring post. Daniels became a bloody mess, and Kazarian was left to fend for himself. Kazarian wouldn’t go down without a fight, and eventually Daniels was able to rejoin the match. Daniels took over the action for his team, but his ability to perform was severely hampered by his injury. The match became extremely tense and emotional as Daniels fought for the survival of SCU and the Bucks continued to mock him. This was easily a PPV-quality match.
Backstage
Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston trash The Elite’s personal locker room.
Backstage
Dasha Gonzalez welcomes Christian Cage. Christian says Tony Khan has given him an open contract for next week, and he invites Taz to send any member of Team Taz to face him. Christian also announces that he will win the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing. Matt Sydal walks up and informs Christian that he signed the open contract for next week, and Sydal will be winning the Casino Battle Royale.
Match 3
AEW World Championship Eliminator Match
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy w/ Chuck Taylor, Trent?, Kris Statlander vs “The Bastard” Pac w/ Penta El Zero Miedo, Rey Fenix
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: the match ends in a Double Count Out as neither men can meet an in-ring ten count (Cassidy down due to Pac’s attacks, and Pac down due to a sneak attack from Kenny Omega)
Time: 14:03
Match Thoughts
Good match. It started with a very fast pace and a lot of action, but after a while it slowed down significantly. There was a lot of ringside action early in the match with Cassidy and Pac trading off running each other into the barricades. Back in the ring, Pac took a methodical pace as he hit repeated top-rope shotgun dropkicks. It felt like they were both buying time for something, and that something ended up being Don Callis and Kenny Omega with a plan to ruin the match. This match ended up being more story-based than action-packed, but I enjoyed it for what it was.
Ring Area
After the match, Callis and Omega celebrate the fact that neither Pac nor Orange Cassidy won the match to determine who would face Omega at Double or Nothing. That means Omega gets the night off, right? Tony Schiavone interrupts the celebration and informs Callis and Omega that Omega will be facing both Pac and Orange Cassidy in a three-way match at Double or Nothing. Omega is incensed.
Backstage
The Young Bucks and The Good Brothers are upset about the state of their locker room. Matt focuses on the positive by talking about retiring SCU, and he offers a match to The Varsity Blonds for next week. Matt also invites Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston to a superkick party at Double or Nothing.
Backstage
Alex Marvez asks Adam Page (with Dark Order) about dropping to #5 in the rankings after his loss to Brian Cage. Page says dropping in the ranks was bound to happen eventually, and it took a sneak attack to do it. He wasn’t beaten so much by Brian Cage as he was by Taz and his plan though. Page challenges Brian Cage to a one on one match with no shenanigans.
Ring Area
The Pinnacle heads to the ring for their coronation for winning Blood & Guts. Wearing crown, MJF boasts about taking Chris Jericho’s spot. MJF is perplexed that the Inner Circle would want a rematch, but he asks the crowd if they want to see one anyway. The crowd responds favorably, and MJF, of course, says it won’t happen. Tully Blanchard talks about Pinnacle’s victory at Blood & Guts, twisting the events into making it sound like a dominant win. Blanchard also presents the members of The Pinnacle with expensive watches.
As Blanchard talks about how great The Pinnacle is, a honking horn distracts everyone. From the side of the venue, Ortiz, Jake Hager, and Sammy Guevara ride up in a vehicle of some sort. MJF tells the Inner Circle to go away, especially since Jericho isn’t even here, but Jericho was hiding in the back of the vehicle the whole time. Jericho asks for a rematch, and MJF says “no.” Jericho tells Sammy to “get ’em,” so Sammy gives The Pinnacle a “Little Bit of the Bubbly” bath with a hose mounted to the roof of the vehicle. After some comedy pratfalls, MJF agrees to a match at Double or Nothing. MJF offers a Stadium Stampede match, but if the Inner Circle loses, they have to break up forever. Jericho doesn’t give a response as The Pinnacle leaves.
Video
Earlier today, Jim Ross say down with Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. They talk about Baker’s match about a year ago when Shida broke Baker’s nose. Baker says that match made her stronger, and the monster Shida created will be the one to take her down.
Match 4
Thunder Rosa vs Jazmin Allure
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Thunder Rosa wins via pinfall after the Fire Thunder Driver
Time: 1:55
Match Thoughts
Squash. Rosa destroyed Allure.
Video
Earlier, Tony Schiavone asked Jade Cargill about which manager will “handle her business.” Jade says she handles her own business, and if anyone wants to represent her, the offer has to be great.
Video
Darby Allin visits his hometown in Seattle. He visits an old skate park he used to go to all the time, and he wonders what Miro has done in AEW. Allin calls Miro a “generic son of a bitch,” and he says Miro will not take the TNT Title from him.
Match 5
TNT Title Match
Miro vs Darby Allin (TNT Champ) w/ Sting
(referee: Paul Turner; in the crowd: Ethan Page, Scorpio Sky)
Result: Miro wins via Referee Stoppage with Game Over, and Miro becomes the fifth TNT Champion
Time: 11:31
Match Thoughts
Great match. Miro attacked Allin before Allin could get into the ring, and Miro proceeded to destroy the TNT Champion all around he ring and ringside. Eventually Miro backed off enough to let Paul Turner ask Allin if he wanted to go through with the match, and of course Allin did. Miro resumed his beating of Allin, but the champ eventually started to fight back with a flurry of high-risk and high-impact offense. Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky made their presence felt in the match by eliminating Sting from getting involved (although Sting did just watch as Miro was beating on Allin prior to the official start of the match). The action in the ring was all decided by Allin and Miro though. The finish was quite good, and I was really happy with how all of this played out. It sets up a lot of interesting possibilities going forward.
Show Impressions
This was a great show. The first hour could have been a PPV, and the buildup to the actual PPV in a few weeks was well done.
Match of the Night
SCU vs Young Bucks
There was a ton of drama, lots of great action, and more than a few heartbreaking moments. I really am a bit surprised this wasn’t saved for Double or Nothing.