AEW Friday Night Dynamite
Episode 89
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: June 4, 2021
Event Date: June 4, 2021
(aired live on TNT & the FITE app)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Don Callis (1)
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Ring Area
The show opens with Penta El Zero Miedo and Pac coming out for tonight’s opening tag match. The Young Bucks come out with most of The Elite entourage, ans we see Michael Nakazawa at ringside. Nick Jackson plays like he’s going to give his headband to a fan, but he gives it to Nakazawa instead. As Nakazawa is faking excitement and mocking the crowd, Frankie Kazarian runs up through the crowd and attacks Nakazawa. The attacks doesn’t last long, but Nakazawa is down and in pain as the Good Brothers chase Kazarian away.
With the Bucks distracted, Penta and Pac dive from the ring and attack Nick and Matt Jackson at ringside. The Bucks take a beating until Pac and Matt Jackson finally make it into the ring so the match con officially start.
Match 1
Penta El Zero Miedo & “The Bastard” Pac vs The Young Bucks (AEW Tag Champs) w/ Don Callis, Good Brothers, Brandon Cutler
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Nick Jackson pins Pac with a prawn hold after Brandon Cutler hits Pac in the legs with a video camera while Pac is on the top rope
Time: 9:27
Match Thoughts
Very good match. With the rough start for the Bucks before the match, and with Pac and Penta being ready for a fight, it felt like Death Triangle dominated the majority of this match. The Young Bucks did manage to fight back and make things more or less even as the match went on (leading to some very fun exchanges), but it really felt like Pac and Penta should have won this match. Everything was going in Death Triangle’s favor, and that made the finish more frustrating than it might have been otherwise. The frustration means the Young Bucks did their jobs well though, so yeah, this was a good match with an exasperating finish. Plus, Jim Ross was all over referee Rick Knox’s case throughout the entire match, stopping just short calling him incompetent. So that was a fun bonus.
Ring Area
After the match, the Young Bucks attack Pac and Penta. Penta’s mask is ripped, and the Bucks set him up for the BTE Trigger. Before the Bucks can strike, Eddie Kingston runs out to the ring, causing Nick, Matt, and Brandon Cutler to flee.
Ring Area
In the ring, Tony Schiavone welcomes the newest member of the AEW broadcast team, Mark Henry. Mark Henry is here in AEW to “turn the screws.” Schiavone wants to know if Henry is going to wrestle in AEW. Henry doesn’t say “yes,” but he does say he has a lot left in the tank.
As everyone appreciates Mark Henry’s answer, Vickie Guerrero screeches her way to the ring. Guerrero shoos Schiavone and Henry from the ring, and she then introduces the newest member of the AEW roster: Andrade El Idolo! Andrade says he used to call himself the face of latinos, but soon he will be the face of All Elite Wrestling. Andrade soaks in the applause before leaving with Vickie.
Match 2
“Big Shotty” Lee Johnson & “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson vs Anthony Ogogo & QT Marshall
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: QT Marshall pins Cody Rhodes after Anthony Ogogo punches Cody in the face (after a distraction from Aaron Solow)
Time: 9:24
Match Thoughts
Good match. Rhodes and Johnson started strong with some good teamwork, but after a while Marshall and Ogogo started to fight back. Cody began to dominate Marhsall for a long stretch of the match, but Johnson had a difficult time keeping Ogogo away from the action. A late-match distraction from Aaron Solow also contributed to an okay final segment of an overall good match.
Video
A look at Stadium Stampede from this past Sunday.
Ring Area
The Inner Circle heads to the ring to celebrate their victory over The Pinnacle in Stadium Stampede. In a callback to the Dynamite after last year’s Stadium Stampede when the Inner Circle ended up with a truck full of Stadium Stampede Championship t-shirts they couldn’t get rid of (since they lost), Jericho announces to the crowd that they all have a free Inner Circle Stadium Stampede t-shirt underneath their seats. Jericho then introduces the hero of Stadium Stampede, Sammy Guevara.
Guevara talks about how it feels to win the main event at Double or Nothing in a match that kept him and his Inner Circle brothers together. Everyone comes together for a group hug. Santana agrees that Stadium Stampede was great, but what did the Inner Circle actually accomplish? After all, The Pinnacle is still together. Santana then talks about FTR trying to end his and Ortiz’s careers, saying the trouble between the Inner Circle and The Pinnacle is far from over. Jake Hager says The Pinnacle will have to take beatings from the Inner Circle over and over until the Inner Circle says it’s over. Hager goes on to challenge Wardlow to an MMA cage fight in two weeks.
Chris Jericho says that when he thinks about The Pinnacle and what they tried to do in Stadium Stampede, it pisses him off. Jericho thinks about MJF trying to end Jericho’s career and possibly his life at the end of Blood & Guts, and he says he must settle the score. Stadium Stampede wasn’t enough. It won’t be enough until Jericho can ruin MJF’s career and life. The Inner Circle never forgives, and they never f’n forget.
Video
Kris Statlander sits and Orange Cassidy paces as Chuck Tayor and Trent talk about Kenny Omega and Don Callis cheating to ruin Orange Cassidy’s chance at becoming AEW World Champ at Double or Nothing. Orange Cassidy says it’s not over between himself and Omega.
Backstage
Alex Marvez asks Don Callis and Kenny Omega about their actions at Double or Nothing. Callis says he and Omega are putting together footage that will prove their is a conspiracy to screw Omega out of the AEW World Title, and they’ll show the footage next week on Dynamite. Marvez asks Omega about his title defense in a few weeks against Jungle Boy. Omega says, like the fans, he he likes Jungle Boy, but there’s a big difference between being a Jungle Boy and being a Jungle Champion.
Match 3
Jungle Boy & Christian Cage vs Private Party w/ Matt Hardy
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Jungle Boy submits Marq Quen with the Snare Trap
Time: 11:27
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Jungle Boy and Christian Cage are a fun team, but Private Party tended to dominate them with a lot of great teamwork. Private Party started to get complacent though, and their arrogance cost them a few times during the match. In the end, the individual efforts of Christian and Jungle Boy ended up being enough to deal with an unfocused Private Party.
Ring Area
After the match, Matt Hardy hits Christian with a Twist of Fate on the ramp while Jungle Boy is in the ing facing the crowd. Jungle Boy runs over to check on Christian, and Matt Hardy runs away.
Video
Taz (with the rest of Team Taz) says Adam Page got lucky by getting victory over Brian Cage at Double or Nothing. Page needs to pick a partner, because next week, Page and a member of Dark Order will face Brian Cage and Powerhouse Hobbs. As Taz speaks, Ricky Starks stares at Cage before walking away.
Ring Area
In the ring, Tony Schiavone welcomes Darby Allin and Sting. Sting says he will never forget Double or Nothing. It stands up to anything he’s ever done in pro wrestling. As Sting talks, Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page appear on the video screen. Sky says Sting was great at Double or Nothing, and he needed to be great to carry Darby Allin over the finish line. Page says Allin is a “co-dependent bitch.” Sky challenges Allin to find any partner other than Sting to try to prove Sky and Page wrong.
Ring Area
Tony Schiavone is in the ring with JD Drake, Ryan Nemeth, Cezar Bononi, Peter Avalon, Diamantè, Nyla Rose, Vickie Guerrero, Luther, Serpentico, Angelico, Jack Evans, and a stack of cheeseburgers to help Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. celebrate her AEW Women’s Word Title victory. Baker and Rebel come out to the ring, and she announces that everyone in the crowd will be receiving burger coupons which are taped underneath their seats. When no one can find a coupon, Baker reveals that she’s keeping all 1,500 of them because she did all the work.
Baker says no one was with her from the beginning, but this past Sunday she saw the letters D.M.D. all throughout the crowd. She promised a new era, and that new era is here. Baker then invites Tony Schiavone and Rebel to enjoy a free burger with her. As the three of them are about to take a bite, Nyla Rose slaps the burgers out of their hands. Rose starts throwing the stack of burgers out to the crowd. With the party ruined, Rose leaves with Vickie Guerrero.
Backstage
Alex Marvez asks Eddie Kingston about his action earlier tonight. Before Kingston can say anything, Pac and Penta El Zero Miedo walk up and tell him that they don’t need Kingston’s help. Kingston says the enemy of his enemy is his friend, then he walks away.
Match 4
The Bunny w/ The Blade vs Red Velvet w/ Big Swole, KiLynn King
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Red Velvet wins via pinfall after Just Desserts
Time: 6:59
Match Thoughts
Good match. Red Velvet continues to put up good performances with an unusually high rate of success, and The Bunny continues to move into more of an in-ring role. This had some nice back and forth, and I enjoyed the finish.
Backstage
Dark Order celebrates John Silver’s birthday! Silver wanted a TNT Title match for his birthday and got one from Tony Khan, but he’s still not cleared to wrestle. So instead, Silver is giving his gift to Evil Uno. Evil Uno says he will make Dark Order proud.
Backstage
Miro thinks it’s funny that Evil Uno will challenge him for the TNT Title. Miro will use his match against Evil Uno as a teachable moment for the rest of the AEW roster. Don’t come after Miro just because you think you can win, only come after Miro when you’re sure you can survive.
Match 5
Bullrope Match
“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes vs Nick Comoroto w/ Aaron Solow
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Dustin Rhodes wins via pinfall after a second-rope bulldog and tying Comoroto up with the bullrope
Time: 10:05
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Much like the bunkhouse match Dustin was involved in a while back, this was a fun and violent match where two tough guys just tried to beat each other up. The most elaborate spot was Comoroto driving Dustin through a table, and the rest of the match was mostly just about hitting and slamming each other really hard. Aaron Solow got involved on behalf of Comoroto, but Colten Gunn was there to chase Solow away, so the match was decided between the two men in the match and not their respective warring factions. I appreciated that very much, especially with some of the shenanigans going on earlier in the night. This was a good way to end the show.
Show Impressions
This was a fine episode of Dynamite. Being on a Friday and being the first Dynamite after a PPV, there may not have been as many high-profile or story defining moments, but the main event and the surprise arival of Andrade made this a memorable show regardless.
Match of the Night
Bullrope Match
This was a fun, old-school-feeling match, and I quite enjoyed it.