AEW Dynamite
Episode 25
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: March 18, 2020
Event Date: March 18, 2020
(aired live on TNT)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place (empty arena)
Commentary: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Taz
Ring Announcer: Brandi Rhodes
Ring Area
Cody talks about how recent events have shown him how small the world is. It has also revealed how important what AEW provides is. Cody says we, as human beings, need to stand together. But for many of us, that means standing at a distance.
Cody addresses Matt Jackson, saying he wants Matt to put aside his differences with Adam Page and bring his big-brothers heart into the upcoming Blood & Guts match. Talking about Adam Page, he needs the Hangman to “get over it.” He doesn’t want the “other guy” in The Elite, then don’t be. Be the man who beats the Inner Circle. Finally, talking about Kenny Omega, Cody says they might not always get along, but he needs the real Kenny Omega. He needs the best bout machine. In short, Cody needs The Elite to be elite.
Matt Jackson and Kenny Omega head to the ring. Omega says the future is uncertain, and everything they’ve built could come down around them. If They’re going to go out down though, Omega wants to go out the same way he came in. As The Elite. Matt Jackson likes all the words he’s hearing, but look at them right now. It’s just the three of them. Nick Jackson is out indefinitely, and where is Adam Page?
Hangman Page comes out to the stage with a drink in his hand. Matt says he knows they have issues that won’t get resolved any time soon, but he asks Page if he will stand together with The Elite at Blood & Guts. Page thinks about, holds up his drink, and says “yes.” Page walks away.
Omega addresses the TV audience, saying all the AEW wrestlers can do right now (with an empty arena) is to give everyone the best show they can. So hit the lights and pyro, and let’s start Dynamite.
Video
A look at Death Triangle.
Ring Area
Tony Shiavone welcomes MJF at ringside. MJF says he plans to sit and watch the “undercard talent” tonight on Dynamite. Shawn Spears is also there. Money is exchanged between Spears and MJF, so Shiavone asks if they are gambling on tonight’s matches. MJF gets upset, then asks Shiavone if he wants in on the action.
Ring Area
Before the first match of the night begins, we see that there are members of the AEW roster watching from ringside. In addition to MJF, Wardlow, and Shawn Spears, we see Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, Colt Cabana, Sonny Kiss, and Joey Janela. During the first match, Jake Roberts and Lance Archer join the MJF side of the crowd.
Match 1
Best Friends w/ Orange Cassidy vs Lucha Brothers
(referee: Bryce Remsburg; guest commentary: Orange Cassidy)
Result: Pentagon Jr. pins Trent after a combination diving stomp (Fenix) and package piledriver (Pentagon Jr.)
Time: 14:07
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Best Friends did well in this fight, but the Lucha Brothers were punishing with their offense. I think Chuck and Trent are going to have to dig a bit deeper if they’re going to come out of this feud with Death Triangle without being overwhelmed.
Ring Area
On the stage, Tony Shiavone welcomes Best Friends and Orange Cassidy. Chuck Taylor is angry, and he wants to battle Death Triangle in a street fight. Trent agrees and says it should be in an actual street. Or maybe a parking lot.
Match 2
Penelope Ford w/ Kip Sabian vs Riho vs “The Galaxy’s Greatest Alien” Kris Statlander vs Hikaru Shida
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Hikaru Shida pins Penelope Ford after a running knee strike
Time: 5:47
Match Thoughts
This was fun. It was kind of short, but I liked it. The growing rivalry between Riho and Ford came out in this match. Riho and Ford focused on each other a lot, and Sabian’s antics at ringside worked to distract Riho at times. Also, Statlander looked strong, but Shida looks strong AND smart tonight.
Ring Area
At ringside, Tony Shiavone welcomes Colt Cabana. Colt says he is the Brice Springsteen of AEW. He was also impressed with Penelope Ford tonight, but he thinks she could be better if she wasn’t always scheming with Kip Sabian. Sabian hears Cabana and has a few words for him. Cabana slaps Sabian and reminds him that he is also a professional wrestler.
Outside the Venue
Earlier today, Tony Shiavone tried to get a word from Jon Moxley. Moxley hasn’t been medically cleared, so he has been put on the “do not enter” list for tonight’s show. Moxley is frustrated, but he says he is still on the hunt for the Inner Circle.
Match 3
The Butcher & The Blade vs Luchasaurus & Jungle Boy
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Luchasaurus pins The Blade after an assisted cutter (from Jungle Boy)
Time: 12:34
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The Butcher and The Blade looked good, but some bad calls from MJF at ringside cost them late in the match. Jungle Express was fun and energetic as always though, and that helped make this a very fun match.
Ring Area
Stu Grayson and Evil Uno head to the ring. Evil Uno promised the arrival of the Exalted One, and Evil Uno never breaks his promises. The Exalted One is near.
From ringside, Christopher Daniels has heard enough. Daniels walks up to the stage and tells Evil Uno to stop lying. Dark Order promised to make people’s lives better, but no who’s joined Dark Order has a better life. Plus, there is no Exalted One. As Daniels continues, a video starts on the screen. In a muffled voice the Exalted One speaks. The Exalted One also reveals his identity. The Exalted One is Brodie Lee!
Back in the ring, Frankie Kazarian has joined Christopher Daniels. Joining Evil Uno and Stu Grayson is Brodie Lee. Dark Order quickly takes down SCU. John Silver and Alex Reynolds joins their Dark Order brethren before they leave as a group. Daniels is helped away by Kazarian, Janela, Cabana, and Kiss.
Ring Area
At ringside, Tony Shiavone welcomes Jake Roberts and Lance Archer. Roberts speaks for Archer. Roberts says he and Archer don’t play games, and Cody should pay attention to them. It’s like Cody is spitting in Roberts’ face, and they just won’t have that. Roberts dares Cody to shut him up if he can. This wasn’t supposed to be personal, but Cody’s actions have made it just that. Roberts and Archer will get Cody’s attention.
Video
From a small ring set up in the backwoods somewhere, Lance Archer destroys some guys for a rabid group of onlookers. Eventually, even the onlookers are destroyed by Archer. Everybody dies.
Ring Area
Billy Gunn and Austin Gunn have joined the small crowd at ringside to watch the main event. Dustin Rhodes and QT Marhsall are also there to watch, as are Best Friends and Orange Cassidy.
Match 4
Santana & Ortiz & Jake Hager w/ Sammy Guevara vs “The American Nightmare” Cody w/ Arn Anderson & Matt Jackson & Adam “Handwash” Page (AEW Tag Champ) w/ Kenny Omega (AEW Tag Champ)
(referee: Rick Knox; guest commentary: Chris Jericho; stipulation: the winning team will have the advantage in Blood & Guts)
Result: Santana pins Matt Jackson with a wheelbarrow victory roll
Time: 19:59
Match Thoughts
Very good match. The tension within The Elite was put into focus in this match. Cody got isolated by the Inner Circle for a very, very long time. Matt Jackson and Adam Page struggled to work together, and the put Cody in peril. The Inner Circle was all on the same page though, and Jericho’s commentary helped make their performance that much more entertaining to watch.
Ring Area
Chris Jericho celebrates with the Inner Circle on the stage. Jericho decrees that he is banning all fans from AEW events for the foreseeable future. He also points out that the Inner Circle has five healthy members, but The Elite only has four. There have never been any problems within the Inner Circle. All they’ve done is win.
As Jericho continues to speak, a drone begins to hover over the ring. As the drone lands, Matt Jackson said it won’t be just the four of them. He made a call to a friend, and that friend is Matt Hardy. Matt Hardy appears in the balcony and signals for the deletion of the Inner Circle.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. The tone was different since there was no live crowd, but the matches were good, and everyone went on with the show as normal. I enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to what’s coming.
Match of the Night
Best Friends vs Lucha Brothers
The main event was really good too, but this match had more back and forth. The main event focused more on the drama within The Elite, and that ended up being shown as Cody getting beaten up for a very long time. It made sense and worked well, but I’d watch Best Friends vs the Lucha Brothers before I watched the main event again.