AEW Dynamite
Episode 61
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: November 18, 2020
Event Date: November 12, 2020
(aired on TNT & the FITE app)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Miro (2), Eddie Kingston (3), Taz (5)
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Video
A look at Daunte and Darius Martin, the young tag team known as Top Flight.
Match 1
Top Flight vs Young Bucks (AEW Tag Champs)
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Nick Jackson pins Daunte Martin after the BTE Trigger
Time: 8:59
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Top flight are fast and fun to watch. They got a good amount of offense early in the match, and that forced the Young Bucks to get more aggressive. The Bucks had long, sustained bursts of offense, but Top Flight were still able to get in some nice moves and counters. In the end, the Young Bucks didn’t really have too much trouble tonight, but this was a nice introduction to the Dynamite audience for Top Flight. It showed that they’re a team that has the potential to pull out an upset, and they have a flashy style that meshes well with a team like the Young Bucks.
Ring Area
After the match, The Hybrid2 attack Top Flight as they’re recovering on the floor. The Young Bucks run over to help Top Flight, so Jack Evans and Angelico run away.
Video
The Inner Circle goes to Las Vegas. Ortiz and Sammy Guevara still don’t like MJF, and Jake Hager doesn’t seen to like Wardlow. Also, Jericho and MJF get drunk on everclear and high on something brought by Konnan. To be continued…
Backstage
Jon Moxley says it’s been a crazy ride as a wrestler, but the world finally makes sense to him. He did get here? Because of his dad. Moxley tells us a story about his dad telling him that no matter what anyone says, they’re the good guys. Moxey’s body hurt, he’s got a pregnant wife at home, and he has people coming at him from every direction. But Moxley is a good guy, and he’s the best wrestler in the world. He’s Jon Moxley, and that will never change.
Match 2
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy w/ Best Friends vs “Superbad” Kip Sabian w/ Penelope Ford
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Orange Cassidy wins via pinfall with a mouse trap
Time: 11:06
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Sabian took this match more seriously than most. Sabian’s aggressive attack forced Cassidy to bring out a lot more counters, but Sabian has some nice counters of his own. This was an even better fight than I thought it might be considering it’s a TV match early in their feud. The momentum swung heavily back and forth, but neither man could really get any amount of sustained offense. By the end of the match, Sabian was looking for one big move while Cassidy was looking for one completely effective counter. That led to a fun finish that leaves the feud open for much more.
Ring Area
After the match, Miro immediately leaves the commentary table and runs to the ring. Miro attacks Cassidy, and that brings the Best Friends back to the ring (they had left at Cassidy’s request before the match started). Sabian, Ford, and Miro run away.
Ring Area
Tony Schiavone welcomes Kenny Omega for the contract signing for his AEW World Title match with Jon Moxley. Moxley is introduced next, but her doesn’t come out to the ring. We then see footage from the backstage area of Moxley on the ground with a bloody nose, and he’s being attended to by Dr. Samson, Mike Posey, Rick Knox, and Jerry Lynn.
Back in the ring, Omega says Moxley can’t avoid their match. Before it was his elbow, now it’s his nose. No matter what, he’ll face Moxley for the title. With that, Omega signs the contract.
Video
Part two of the Inner Circle’s adventures in Las Vegas. Elvis has joined them. Drunk, MJF says he loves the Inner Circle like blood brothers. The next morning, MJF has “soft” and “Sammy waz here” written all over his face. Also, Sammy might now have three wives, Santana is raising chickens, Ortiz is happily exercising, and Swoggle/Hornswoggle is in a diaper and crying in one of the rooms.
Match 3
The Blade w/ The Bunny, The Butcher vs “The Bastard” Pac
(referee: Bryce Resburg)
Result: Pac wins via submission with the Brutalizer
Time: 11:20
Match Thoughts
Very good match. This was very physical, and it was a great way to re-introduce Pac to an AEW ring. The Blade had a good amount of strong, powerful offense, and that matched up well with Pac’s own brand of strong, agile offense. There wasn’t a ton of defense from either man, so this match became somewhat of a two-sided beating. I don’t think anyone thought The Blade was really going to beat Pac in his first match back, but the action stood on its own as very entertaining. It’s good to have Pac back (and it was nice seeing The Blade in a rare singles match).
Ring Area
After the match, Pac gets on the mic and addresses Eddie Kingston. Before he can really say anything, Pac is attacked from behind by The Butcher. The Butcher and The Blade hold Pac down as Eddie Kingston issues a warning to him. Rey Fenix runs out and tires to defend Pac, but Fenix beaten down by The Butcher and The Blade. Penta El Zero M slowly walks out, and he’s carrying a chair. Penta hesitates as he sets up to hit his brother Fenix with the chair. Penta looks over at Kingston, and he takes a swing. Penta clears out Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade, and he stands with Fenix and Pac. Death Triangle is back.
Backstage
The Vicious Vixens hold back referees Mike Posey and Frank Gastineau as Jade Cargill stomps on Brandi Rhodes’s arm in a chair. Big Swole runs in and gets in Cargill’s face as Serena Deeb and Red Velvet check on Brandi.
Match 4
NWA Women’s World Title Match
Thunder Rosa vs Serena Deeb (NWA Women’s Champ)
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Serena Deeb wins via pinfall after a Swiss Special (arm-trap falling facebuster)
Time: 13:12
Match Thoughts
Great match. These NWA Women’s Title matches have a different feeling than anything else in AEW, and I love it. Rosa and Deeb mat wrestled, they hit each other very hard, and they were both looking for a voctory with almost every move. The chains and counters were great, and as the match went on each near fall felt more and more like it was going to be the end of the match. Britt Baker came out and attacked Thunder Rosa (with help from a distraction by Rebel), but thankfully that wasn’t the end of the match. The fight went on, and it gave those of us who didn’t see Deeb beat Rosa for the title a bit of closure on the whole title change situation.
Ring Area
After the match, Thunder Rosa sees Britt Baker at ringside. Naturally, Rosa attacks Baker. Referees have to run out to pull Rosa off of Baker.
Backstage
John Silver announces that Anna Jay has a title match against Hikaru Shida next week. Anna Jay plans to introduce Shida to the new Anna Jay.
Video
Darby Allin visits an empty church with the TNT Title, and he sets his leg on fire.
Match 5
“Absolute” Ricky Starks & “The Machine” Brian Cage (FTW Champ) w/ Taz vs Darby Allin (TNT Champ) & “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Brian Cage pins Darby Allin after an avalanche Drill Claw
Time: 11:16
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Team Taz worked very well as a three-man unit tonight even though Allin and Rhodes started strong in the match. Allin rocked Starks with some strikes, and Rhodes frustrated Cage a bit, and that prompted Taz to leave the commentary table and head over to ringside. Taz didn’t do much physically, but he angered Arn Anderson enough to get himself ejected from ringside for throwing a chair. Anderson leaving changed the tone of the match. Starks and Cage started working together very well, and Cage especially stood out tonight. While Starks fought more or less evenly with Allin in the second half of the match, Cage was a lot more dominant. This was a very good night for Team Taz.
Ring Area
After the match, Team Taz attacks Allin and Rhodes. Will Hobbs runs out with a chair, so Team Taz scatters to ringside. Hobbs picks up the FTW Title belt and looks over at Cage… but Hobbs hits Rhodes in the face with it. Will Hobbs has joined Team Taz.
Show Impressions
I enjoyed this episode. It definitely feels like we’re in the early stages of a lot of stories, but there are enough twists and plot points that I’m continuing to be interested in what comes next. There was also a good variety of matches. My favorite part of the show might have been the reformation of Death Triangle since they never really got going before the pandemic shut everything down.
Match of the Night
Thunder Rosa vs Serena Deeb
This match easily had the biggest stakes tonight, and the action was very entertaining.