AEW Dynamite
Episode 29
#AEWDynamite
#WatchingAEW
Original Air Date: April 15, 2020
Event Date: April ?, 2020
(aired on TNT)
City: Norcross, GA
Venue: Nightmare Factory (empty arena)
City (main event): Jacksonville, FL
Venue (main event): Daily’s Place (empty arena)
Commentary: Tony Shiavone (1 – 5), Chris Jericho (1 – 5), Jim Ross (6)
Ring Announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
Video
Jake Roberts says the TNT Title was made for Lance Archer and himself. Archer was made for a television title like that. To Archer, that title is a bone. Do you really want to try to take a bone away from Archer? Roberts knows what Colt Cabana is capable of, but he’s nowhere near as capable as Lance Archer is.
Ring Area
Tony Shiavone and Chris Jericho welcome us to the show.
Video
Colt Cabana talks about his own expectations for himself now that he’s part of AEW. He also talks about facing Lance Archer in the first round of the TNT Title Tournament.
Match 1
TNT Title Tournament Quarter Final Match
Colt Cabana vs Lance Archer
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Lance Archer wins via pinfall after the Blackout
Time: 8:22 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. This was the biggest test for both men so far in their short times in AEW. Archer has utterly dominated his much smaller opponents so far, but Cabana was able to weather Archer’s early attempts to hit a killing blow. Cabana avoided Archer for a while which frustrated the murderhawk monster, but Archer did manage to catch Cabana once he calmed down a bit. Archer then slowly began to dominate the match even though Cabana did get a few moves here and there. This was another entertaining match in the TNT Title Tournament.
Video
From her dentist’s office, Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. shares her rules of being a role model (well, she share’s one rule). She says Hikaru Shida absolutely does not follow the rules, and she is not a role model.
Video
Ariel Helwani (from ESPN) shares some cliché sound bites as he talks about Hager versus Moxley. Taz also shares his thoughts on the match.
Technique by Taz
Taz explains Jake Hager’s arm triangle and why it’s so dangerous.
Match 2
Cassandra Golden vs Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D.
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Britt Baker wins via pinfall after a curb stomp on the ropes
Time: 1:13
Match Thoughts
Squash. It looks like Baker might be using the stomp to the back of the head with her opponents mouth on the ropes (the same way she broke Yuka Sakazaki’s tooth) as a finisher, or at least as a signature move. I like the move (it’s better than Lockjaw), but should the referee really count a pinfall directly after a move so blatantly illegal?
Video
Ron Funches (a comedian) and Mike Goldberg (from Bellator MMA) weigh in on who they think will win in tonight’s AEW Title match between Jake Hager and Jon Moxley.
The Bubbly Bunch
The Inner Circle (each member at their own home) talks to each other about members of The Elite and Matt Hardy.
Match 3
Suge D vs Sammy Guevara
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Sammy Guevara wins via pinfall after a torture rack dropped into a knee strike to the face
Time: 5:59
Match Thoughts
Good match. Suge D is fun to watch. He had some unique ways of countering Guevara’s moves even though he didn’t et a ton of offense. Guevara didn’t have much trouble with the match, but he would have had even less trouble had he ever actually focused on Suge D more than focusing on the camera. But that’s what makes Guevara an entertaining jerk.
Ring Area
After the match, Sammy Guevara gets on the mic and gives us a spoiler for his upcoming TNT Title tournament match against Darby Allin. Guevara says he’s going to win. Then Guevara bets up Suge D some more. Darby Allin runs out and chases Guevara away.
Video
“Big” John McCarthy (of Bellator MMA) and Excalibur give their opinions on Moxley versus Hager.
Match 4
“Superbad” Kip Sabian w/ Penelope Ford vs Chuck Taylor w/ Orange Cassidy
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Kip Sabian wins via pinfall with a schoolboy (after a diving head-scissor takedown from Penelope Ford)
Time: 10:26
Match Thoughts
Good match. With Ford and Cassidy both at ringside it felt inevitable that there would be some shenanigans. There were shenanigans late in the match, but up until then Sabian and Taylor put on a very entertaining match. Jimmy Havoc was also at ringside, watching as part of the limited audience, and he made his presence felt by helping to neutralize Orange Cassidy for his friend Kip Sabian. That gave Sabian the numbers advantage in an otherwise very evenly-matched contest.
Video
Dan Soder (an actor), Ortiz, and Sammy Guevara give their opinions about Hager versus Moxley.
Match 5
Justin Law vs Shawn Spears
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Shawn Spears wins via pinfall after the C4
Time: 1:21
Match Thoughts
Squash.
Video
Josh Thomson (of Bellator MMA) and Santana share their thoughts about Hager versus Moxley.
Match 6
No Holds Barred AEW World Title Match
Jake Hager vs Jon Moxley (AEW World Champ)
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Jon Moxley wins via pinfall after the Paradigm Shift on a steel chair
Time: 21:53 (3 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. I liked that Moxley approached this match a little differently than what we’re used to seeing from him. Moxley even dressed a little different. He was wearing shorts instead of his usual pants, and he approached the match from a more defensive, mat wrestling angle. Hager and Moxley exchanged holds for a while, and Moxley held his own pretty well. It seemed inevitable that Hager would get the advantage on the mat, so the match did end up outside the ring for a while. Hager’s size and strength proved to be a struggle for the champ even in a brawl, so Moxley had to show a lot of heart to survive the night. This was a nice test for the champ.
Show Impressions
I liked this show. Three squash matches and three competitive matches, two of which had title implications. That’s a good night in my opinion.
Match of the Night
Jake Hager vs Jon Moxley
I liked what I saw here. I think the absence of a crowd really affected the way Moxley and Hager did battle. It started with more of a feeling-out process than we’re used to seeing from Moxley, and the brawl outside the ring was focused more on getting an advantage than just swinging fists and playing to a crowd. I liked it.