AEW Dynamite
Episode 35
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: May 27, 2020
Event Date: May 27, 2020
(aired live on TNT)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place (empty arena)
Commentary: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
Video
A brief recap of Double or Nothing.
Backstage
Chris Jericho gives a pep talk to the Inner Circle about the Inner Circle pep rally tonight. Jericho also wonders how they’re going to get rid of all the “Inner Circle Champions of the Stadium Stampede” shirts he had printed. Jericho thinks they only have a few boxes to get rid of, but Santana reveals that his buddy Carlos sent them an entire truck full…
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Video
Matt Hardy talks about teaming with the Young Bucks for the first time ever tonight. Adam Page and Kenny Omega excuse themselves to go have a drink back at the hotel (whiskey and milk respectively), and the Young Bucks wonder which version of Matt Hardy they’re going to get tonight. Hardy changes his persona a couple of times before they all agree on which Matt will head to the ring.
Match 1
Private Party & “The Bad Boy” Joey Janela vs “Broken” Matt Hardy & Young Bucks
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Matt Hardy pins Isaiah Kassidy after a moonsault from Matt Jackson
Time: 8:53
Match Thoughts
Good match. This was fast-paved and fun, but the finish did get a little weird. Everyone was hitting dives and such towards the end of the match, but Marq Quen landed wrong on his knee and was out for the rest of the match. It felt like Isaiah Kassidy struggled with what to do, and that caused the final couple of minutes to be not so great. I really enjoyed the rest of the match though. Nick Jackson started the match and spent a whole lot of time in the ring after being away from Dynamite for a few months, so that was cool to see.
Ring Area
After the match, Matt Hardy helps Marq Quen to the backstage area. Once they leave, The Butcher and The Blade attack the Young Bucks. The Blade took an accidental superkick from Nick Jackson during the match (while Butcher and Blade were watching at ringisde), so this attack is revenge.
As Butcher and Blade attack, a black pickup truck drives up to the ringside area. Out step Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood of FTR (formerly The Revival). FTR enters the ring, and they head straight for the Young Bucks. Butcher and Blade step back, but they get attacked by FTR. Butcher and Blade are taken out. The Young Bucks approach FTR, but FTR just walks away.
Match 2
Lee Johnson vs Brian Cage w/ Taz
(referee: Paul Turner; guest commentary: Jon Moxley)
Result: Brian Cage wins via pinfall after the Drill Claw
Time: 1:16
Match Thoughts
Squash. Brian Cage utterly destroyed Lee Johnson. I’m not a huge fan of stuff like this, but it made Cage look strong which was the whole point.
Ring Area
After the match, Taz tells Moxley that he respects him. He wants Moxley to bring grit and heart to Fyter Fest, because Brian Cage is going to rip the champ’s heart out. Moxley thinks it’s going to be fun.
Ring Area
Tony Schiavone is joined on the stage by Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. who is in a wheelchair (pushed by Rebel). It’s time once again for Baker’s Rules of Being a Role Model. Rule #3: Don’t hurt the role model. She says her broken tibia wasn’t an accident, it was a conspiracy. Baker then provides evidence for her conspiracy claim (which are just screenshots from last week’s match).
Baker says Kris Statlander being an “alien” is a “crock of shit.” Conspirator! Shida broke her nose, is a fraudulent champ, carries a weapon, and is a cheater. Conspirator! Nyla Rose has beauty and grace when she dives, but she couldn’t guide herself away from Baker’s tibia? Conspirator!
Baker then shows her evidence board displaying the “web of evil.” At the center of the web is referee Aubrey Edwards. Edwards is always there when Baker gets hurt. Conspirator! Everyone has now been put on notice, because Baker will be back at All Out. Baker then rolls away.
Backstage
Alex Marvez welcomes The Inner Circle. Chris Jericho promises one of the greatest spectacles in AEW history with tonight’s pep rally. Orange Cassidy distracts Jericho as he slowly walks by. Jericho stops speaking, then he excuses himself as he follows Cassidy off screen.
Match 3
Christi Jaynes vs Hikaru Shida (Women’s Champ)
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Hikaru Shida wins via pinfall with a falcon arrow
Time: 5:21
Match Thoughts
Good match. Christi Jaynes tried to bait Shida with some non-wrestling shenanigans early in the match. It sort of worked, but Shida quickly went into fighting mode and took care of Jaynes fairly easily. This was a nice first match as champ for Shida.
Video
At a hotel, Adam Page and Kenny Omega talk as they watch Dynamite and have a few drinks. When they see themselves on TV, they realize there is a camera in their room. Page quickly finds the camera, but neither man seems too bothered by it.
Ring Area
The new TNT Champ, Cody, heads to the ring with Arn Anderson. In the ring, Tony Schiavone congratulates Cody on his win. Cody says that Tom Brady is his favorite quarterback because he wasn’t the first picked. Cody says he wasn’t the first call Tony Khan made when he was putting AEW together. He wasn’t even the second or third. Cody talks about his grit and his work ethic. Cody works harder than anyone, and with that in mind, he issues an open challenge for the TNT Title every week on Dynamite. This is where the fun begins.
Match 4
“Superbad” Kip Sabian w/ Penelope Ford & Jimmy Havoc vs Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky
(referee: Aubrey Edwards; stipulation: the winner gets an AEW Tag Title shot next week on Dynamite)
Result: Jimmy Havoc pins Scorpio Sky after a combination shotgun dropkick (Sabian) and Michinoku Driver (Havoc)
Time: 12:15
Match Thoughts
Good match. Havoc and Sabian started strong with a pre-match attack. SCU fought back from the attack, but Kazarian ended up getting isolated for a very long time. SCU eventually broke the match open with a tag to Scorpio Sky, but Penelope Ford made her presence known late in the match. That led directly to the finish. I liked the match, and I’m looking forward to the title match that will come from it.
Video
Earlier today, MJF is perplexed as to why he hasn’t gotten a title shot in AEW. Warlow watches from the background.
Match 5
TNT Title Number One Contender Battle Royal
MJF vs Wardlow vs Luther vs “The Librarian” Peter Avalon vs Brandon Cutler vs Christopher Daniels vs Marko Stunt vs Jungle Boy vs Luchasaurus vs “The Concrete Rose” Sonny Kiss vs Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana vs Billy vs Orange Cassidy
(outside referees: Bryce Remsburg, Rick Knox, Aubrey Edwards, Paul Turner, Mike Posey)
Result: Jungle Boy wins
Time: 11:55
| Elimination Order | Wrestler | Time Eliminated | Total Eliminations | Eliminated By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luther | 1:46 | 0 | Luchasaurus |
| 2 | Sonny Kiss | 2:11 | 0 | Wardlow |
| 3 | Colt Cabana | 3:40 | 0 | Billy |
| 4 | Peter Avalon | 6:38 | 1 | Brandon Cutler |
| 5 | Brandon Cutler | 6:38 | 1 | Peter Avalon |
| 6 | Christopher Daniels | 7:53 | 0 | Marko Stunt |
| 7 | Marko Stunt | 8:13 | 1 | Wardlow |
| 8 | Billy | 9:31 | 1 | MJF |
| 9 | Luchasaurus | 9:31 | 1 | Wardlow |
| 10 | MJF | 10:29 | 1 | Jungle Boy |
| 11 | Wardlow | 10:36 | 3 | Jungle Boy, Orange Cassidy |
| 12 | Orange Cassidy | 11:52 | 1 | Jungle Boy |
| Winner | Jungle Boy | 3 |
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. The biggest story here was Orange Cassidy getting attacked by Santana and Ortiz prior to even entering the match. Cassidy showed up late in the match had had a big impact on the finish. Other than that, this was a pretty standard battle royal without too many moments standing out. I enjoyed seeing Billy Gunn in there (announced as just “Billy”). I wish Jurassic Express had been able to work together more, but they were mostly kept apart throughout the match.
Video
A look at the Stadium Stampede for Double or Nothing.
Ring Area
With cheerleaders and a drum line surrounding her, Vickie Guerrero comes out to the stage. She screeches out an introduction for the Inner Circle’s pep rally, and she introduces each member of the Inner Circle as they each head to the ring.
Chris Jericho welcomes everyone to the pep rally, and in an incredibly generous gesture, he tosses out some Inner Circle Stadium Stampede Championship t-shirts to the people at ringside. He gets angry when the shirts start to get thrown back into the ring, but Sammy Guevara tries to calm down Le Champion. Guevara says he got everyone in the Inner Circle some participation trophies. Santana also has some really great gifts for everyone, as does Chris Jericho.
Jake Hager then reads a poem he wrote himself. It gets a little aggressive by the end.
After Hager assures that that he is happy, Sammy Guevara asks Chris Jericho what he truly wants. Jericho wants Mike Tyson’s head on a platter. Jericho hasn’t forgotten what Tyson did to him on January 11, 2010 on a Monday night. He’s been dreaming of revenge for over ten years. Guevara couldn’t get Tyson’s head on a platter, but he did get Jericho a cheese platter (and a little bit of the bubbly). Unfortunately, it looks like someone ate most of the cheese (and drank all of the bubbly).
Music plays, and Mike Tyson heads to the ring with a bunch of guys. Tyson gets face to face with Jericho. Jericho tells Tyson to shut his mouth and listen. Tyson says Jericho got what he deserved ten years ago. Regardless, Jericho demands an apology. Tyson struggles as he rips his own shirt off, then he shoves Jericho. A big brawl breaks out prompting referees, wrestlers, and security to run into the ring to attempt to break things up. Tyson is dragged away and Jericho is restrained in the ring as the show ends.
Show Impressions
This was a pretty fun show. It was definitely a show about rebuilding after Double or Nothing. Lots of people started in new directions tonight, and more than a a few match-ups were introduced. The action was good and the story segments were fine, but better stuff is definitely on the way.
Match of the Night
Sabian & Havoc vs Kazarian & Sky
Tonight was a bit light on great matches, but this was quite good.