AEW Dynamite
Episode 54
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: September 30, 2020
Event Date: September 25, 2020
(aired on TNT & the FITE app)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Taz, Adam Page (2)
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Video
JPEGMAFIA says it will take more than thumbtacks and body bags to bury Darby Alline, and Ricky Starks is going to find that out right now.
Match 1
“Absolute” Ricky Starks vs Darby Allin
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Darby Allin wins via pinfall after a Coffin Drop to Starks’ back
Time: 10:01
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Ricky Starks was confident heading into the match, but a suplex from Allin to Starks on the apron changed everything for starks. Starks’ back was hurting throughout the rest of the match, and it severely hampered his mobility and attacks. Darby capitalized greatly on the injury, and even though Allin still took some big risks, he wrestled a smart match. At one point Brian Cage came out to try to help Starks, but Will Hobbs came out and stopped Cage before he could do anything. So the match was settled one on one in the ring, but I feel like this feud isn’t over yet.
Ring Area
In the ring, Dasha welcomes Cody. Cody talks about the shame of losing the TNT Title in about three minutes, then getting a call from Hollywood. Cody also says that even though people have referred to him as the ace of AEW, he isn’t. The ace can only be one of three people: Hikaru Shida, Jon Moxley, or Mr. Brodie Lee.
Dasha asks Cody if he will accept Brodie Lee’s challenge for a dog collar match. Cody says, “no,” then he leaves the ring. He pauses for a second, then he returns to the ring. Cody says “no” as in “no regrets,” and he aggressively says that the dog collar match will happen next week on Dynamite. Brodie Lee comes out and charges the ring, and Cody and Lee brawl as wrestlers and officials try to keep then apart.
Brandi Rhodes comes out, and she dives onto a group of Dark Order members who have gathered at ringside. That brings out Anna Jay who attacks Brandi, and that brings over other female wrestles to separate them. The brawl eventually starts to die down, but Lee repeatedly comes back for more. It’s complete chaos, but finally, the show moves on.
Backstage
Tony Schiavone welcomes FTR and Tully Blanchard. Cash Wheeler says they didn’t fight Best Friends last week because they’re backyard wrestlers that don’t deserve a title shot. SCU is one of the best tag teams in the world though, and that’s why they’re getting a shot. Dax Harwood talks about the Young Bucks, saying they’ve blown every title opportunity they’ve gotten, so why should they get another shot?
Schiavone starts to talk about Full Gear, but he gets kicked in the face from Matt Jackson who was just off screen. Matt ignores FTR and leaves. FTR calls after Matt, saying that if Matt wants a fight, they’re right here.
Backstage
Dasha welcomes SCU. SCU is ready to regain the tag titles. As they head to the ring, Shawn Spears looks at Scorpio Sky, smirks, and wishes him luck.
Match 2
AEW Tag Team Title Brush With Greatness Match
Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky w/ Christopher Daniels vs FTR (Tag Champs) w/ Tully Blanchard
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Cash Wheeler pins Scorpio Sky after Blanchard trips Sky and holds his leg while Sky attempts to suplex Wheeler into the ring from the apron
Time: 15:43
Match Thoughts
Great match. The only complaint I really had was early in the match when Paul Turner ejected Christopher Daniels for something referees pretty much never eject people for. Other than that, this was a great match that had me buying into the idea that SCU could possibly win the titles tonight. SCU looked great throughout the entire match, so FTR had to pull off a lot of trickery (and good wrestling) to keep themselves in the match. I don’t think the 20-minute Brush With Greatness time limit had any effect on the match at all, but the match was a ton of fun regardless.
Ring Area
From the commentary table, Jim Ross and Excalibur announce that there will be an eight man single elimination tournament culminating at Full Gear, and the winner will receive an AEW World Title match. The first three competitors announced for the tournament are Jungle Boy, Rey Fenix, and Kenny Omega. Still at the commentary table, Adam Page seems upset that Omega will be moving forward as a singles wrestler.
Match 3
Isiah Kassidy w/ Matt Hardy, Marq Quen vs “The Demo God” “Le Champion” Chris Jericho w/ Ortiz, Santana, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Chris Jericho wins via pinfall after the Judas Effect (while Kassidy is springboarding into the ring)
Time: 11:06
Match Thoughts
Good match. After a brief exchange in the ring, the match started off with a lot of chaos involving everyone that accompanied both men to the ring as well as a few wrestlers watching from ringside (including Luther of the Chaos Project). That helped set a nice tone for the fight. Once it got back into the ring, Kassidy looked good as he got a lot of offense on Jericho. Jericho’s experience paid off in the end, but this match did a lot to build up Isiah Kassidy.
Ring Area
After the match, the Inner Circle attacks Kassidy. Hardy and Quen enter the ring and chase the Inner Circle out of the ring. At ringside, Jericho takes a shot at Luther, prompting a short brawl involving Jericho, Hager, Luther, and Serpentico.
Video
Miro gets some help from Billy Mitchell in planning Kip Sabian’s bachelor party.
Backstage
Dasha welcomes Best Friends and Orange Cassidy. Dasha asks Best Friends about how they feel after being denied a match by FTR, but before they can respond FTR walks up and interrupts. FTR says it’s fine if Best Friends want to be a comedy act, but FTR will be at the top of the division while Best Friends ride around in Trent’s mom’s van. FTR then flinches after Best Friends pretend to hit them, and Orange Cassidy calls FTR “weenies.”
Match 4
Orange Cassidy w/ Best Friends vs Dark Order’s 10 w/ Colt Cabana, John Silver, Alan Angels
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Orange Cassidy wins via pinfall after a beach break (sitdown belly to back piledriver)
Time: 3:29
Match Thoughts
This was fun. 10 got in a few nice shots early in the match, but he took Cassidy lightly and paid for that mightily in the end.
Backstage
MJF and Wardlow barge into the Inner Circle’s dressing room to give them a few gifts. The gifts are jackets, but he doesn’t have one for Sammy Guevara. Sammy is annoyed. Jericho appreciates the gifts, but he wants to know… does MJF want to join the Inner Circle? MJF wants to know if Jericho wants him to join the Inner Circle. Neither man answers.
Match 5
Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. w/ Reba vs Red Velvet
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Britt Baker wins via pinfall after a curb stomp
Time: 4:42
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. It was a squash, and Baker definitely looked strong.
Ring Area
In the ring with the Lucha Brothers and referee Bryce Remsburg, Eddie Kingston says he did not tap to Jon Moxley last week. Kingston asks Remsburg what gave him the right to ring the bell in his title match last week. Remsburg says that Kingston was unresponsive, and as the referee, it’s Remsburg’s job to protect Kingston from himself. Kingston says “okay,” then he signals Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero M to attack Remsburg.
Before the Lucha Bros. attack, Jon Moxley heads to the ring with a barbed wire bat. Kingston and the Lucha Bros. leave the ring. As Kingston continues to talk, The Butcher appears and approaches Moxley from behind. Kingston announces The Butcher as Moxley’s opponent, and the match begins.
Match 6
AEW World Title Match
Jon Moxley (AEW World Champ) vs The Butcher w/ Eddie Kingston, Lucha Brothers
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Jon Moxley wins via submission with a bulldog choke
Time: 14:28
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Much like Moxley’s match against Kingston, this was a very entertaining brawl. The Butcher did incorporate a few leaping moves (cross body blocks, etc.), and he worked on Moxley’s knee for a good part of the match, but for the most part this match was just about two guys trying to beat each other up. And it was really good. Not as good as Kingston’s match last week, but still good.
Show Impressions
This was a pretty good show overall. The matches were kind of up and down with the good matches being really good and the lesser matches being just okay, but I enjoyed the show overall.
Match of the Night
SCU vs FTR
I think this one, the main event, and Starks vs Allin were all pretty close to each other as far as my pick for tonight, but I think I’s go back and watch the tag title match before anything else on this show.