AEW Dynamite
Episode 64
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: December 9, 2020
Event Date: December 3, 2020
(aired on TNT & the FITE app)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Backstage
Earlier today, The Young Bucks told Dasha Gonzalez that they haven’t seen Kenny Omega since last week’s Dynamite.
Match 1
The Young Bucks (AEW Tag Champs) vs The Hybrid2
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Nick Jackson pins Angelico after the BTE Trigger
Time: 11:49
Match Thoughts
Great match. It was all over the place and more than a little chaotic, but throughout the chaos I think these two teams built a nicely compelling match. TH2 hasn’t been on Dynamite a ton so I don’t think anyone expected them to really have a chance against the tag champs, but by the end of the match was was completely believing that Evans and Angelico might actually get the win tonight. This was essentially a tornado tag for most of its duration, and there were multiple exciting spots and double-team moves by both tandems. I think TH2 actually wrestled a smarter match, but the Young Bucks just piled on a whole bunch of damage to the point where TH2 had a hard time keeping up. Also, The Acclaimed were at ringside, and one of the Bucks powerbombed Evans into them at one point, so that budding rivalry was touched on as an added bonus to this already fun match.
Ring Area
After the match The Acclaimed start to head into the ring to presumably attack the Young Bucks. Before Max Caster and Anthony Bowens can enter the ring though, Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian of SCU run out to the ring and cut them off (similarly to how SCU helped the Bucks last week when they were being attacked by TH2). The Acclaimed decide to walk away.
Backstage
MJF doesn’t like people making fun of the sport of pro wrestling.
Video
Darby Allin takes a Rorschach test.
Ring Area
Cody Rhodes heads to the ring with Arn Anderson while Darby Allin watches from afar. Tony Schiavone joins Rhodes and Anderson in the ring. Schiavone asks for Cody’s thought, but Sting’s music plays before Cody says anything. Sting heads to the ring.
Arn Anderson approaches Sting and says, for now, he’s going to let Sting and Cody talk. Anderson leaves the ring, and Tony Schiavone tries to leave as well. Sting stops Schiavone and gives him a hug, and Sting asks Schiavone to say “it’s Sting” in the way only he can. Tony obliges, then he leaves the ring.
Cody wants to get right to the point. He’s wanted to share a ring with Sting for a very, very long time. Sting responds by saying he’s not here for Cody, at least not right now. Right now, there’s something that’s making Sting feel at home. There’s something familiar here. The camera cuts to Darby Allin out in the cheap sits as he leans forward. Sting says he’s come full circle, and he’s back on TNT once again. Sting goes on to say that he plans to be close to the AEW fans and in this promotion for a long time. The way Sting chooses to play within AEW is his business though. With that, Sting gives Cody a heavy pat on the back and a half hug as he says, “see ya around, kid.”
Backstage
Team Taz (Taz, Ricky Starks, Brian Cage, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Hook) react to what just happened in the ring. Taz sarcastically talks about how great it was for Tony Khan to sign Sting so he could come save his two golden boys from Team Taz last week. Starks says Taz’s son Hook has stopped training with Cody an is now training with Team Taz.
Match 2
The Varsity Blondes vs FTR w/ Tully Blanchard
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Cash Wheeler pins Brian Pillman Jr. after the Goodnight Express
Time: 8:25
Match Thoughts
Very good match. This was a great way of highlighting a young team. Sure, it was mostly one-sided, but Pillman and Garrison showed moments of strength even while getting picked apart by FTR. This was a dominant performance from FTR of course, but it also made me really want to watch the Varsity Blondes more as they develop over time.
Ring Area
After the match, there is a very brief shoving match as FTR get a little too close to Jurassic Express who have been watching from ringside.
Backstage
Alex Marvez welcomes Adam Page and asks him about a six-man tag match he has scheduled for next week. Page has no partners yet, but as he’s about to explain what his plans are, John Silver and Alex Reynolds of Dark Order appear behind Page and Marvez. Silver and Reynolds are wearing kids cowboy hats. Page says Silver and Reynolds are not going to be his partners, but Reynolds wonders who else wants to team with Page. Page thinks for a second, then he reluctantly agrees to team up.
Match 3
Dark Order’s 10 w/ Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Alex Reynolds, John Silver, Alan Angels, Anna Jay, Colt Cabana vs “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes w/ Lee Johnson
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Dustin Rhodes wins via pinfall after a running bulldog
Time: 2:49
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t much of a match. 10 got in a move or two early, but then both men took a walk around ringside. For some reason Aaron Solow (who was watching from ringside) grabbed 10 and then promptly got 10’s boot in his face, then Dustin finished the match quickly once he and 10 were both back in the ring.
Ring Area
After the match, Dark Order comes back out to the ring. Evil Uno talks with Dustin, saying that his name comes with pressure. After all, even in AEW right now he is just the third most-important Rhodes. Dark Order can help Dustin if he becomes 7 of the Dark Order. Dustin holds out his hand… and slaps Uno in the face. Uno keeps the rest of Dark Order from attacking. Uno says that once Dustin sees the light, he’ll come begging for a spot within Dark Order.
Backstage
Tony Schiavone sits down with Brandi Rhodes and Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq starts by saying he know Jade Cargill and supports her, but he doesn’t like what she did to Brandi recently. Brandi, with her arm still in a sling, didn’t appreciate it either. Shaq would like to see Brandi and Jade settle their differences. Shaq also talks about how much he loves the Rhodes family, and he doesn’t mean any disrespect to them with anything he might say online. Brandi thanks Shaq as she stands up to leave.
Before Brandi walks away, Shaq tells her that while she’s recovering from her injury she should watch Jade Cargill. Brandi could learn a thing or two from her. Brandi is a bit incredulous. Was that a joke? Shaq says he’s serious. Brandi doesn’t like being disrespected again, so she grabs some water and throws it in Shaq’s face. Shaq sits there dripping as Brandi walks away.
Ring Area
Led by Chris Jericho, the most of the Inner Circle (Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Ortiz, Jake Hager, MJF, and Wardlow) head to the ring. Tonight is the night the Inner Circle decides if they all work together or if they disband forever. Jericho opens the floor for anyone to speak, so of course MJF speaks up first (as he partially interrupts Jericho).
MJF says he loves every member of the Inner Circle like brothers. He also realizes that he might be the issue within the Inner Circle. People think he might want to break up the Inner Circle or maybe take it over, but really, he wants to make the Inner Circle stronger. MJF singles out Guevara, saying it killed him last week when Guevara betrayed Jericho (which he didn’t do if you watch the episode which everyone clearly did). Guevara interrupts MJF. MJF tries to talk over Guevara and won’t let him speak.
Jericho gets both of them to quiet down. Jericho tells MJF he saw exactly what MJF did last week when he was about to throw the towel in. MJF makes excuses, and Ortiz calls for a time out. Ortiz says MJF and Wardlow are beneficial for the group, but as human beings they are… debatable. Ortiz says Wardlow is great, and MJF is growing on him. Growing like a fungus. Ortiz tells Guevara to shake MJF’s hand. Ortiz wants Guevara to be the better man, because Guevara is the better man and he knows it.
MJF holds out his hand. Guevara says he’ll shake MJF’s hand, but if one more thing happens with MJF, then Guevara will quit the Inner Circle. Guevara tells that to MJF’s face, and he tells it to Jericho’s face. Jericho says “okay,” and Guevara shakes MJF’s hand.
Jericho thinks everything is now settled, but Jake Hager has a question. Hager wants to know why Wardlow keeps staring at him. Wardlow, with an unusually animated response, accuses Hager of staring at him. Jericho has an idea: stop staring at each other. Hager and Wardlow both try to stop staring at each other, but neither of them do a very good job.
Jericho now believes everything is fine, so he wants the Inner Circle to focus on the future. MJF interrupts, so Jericho gets him to stop talking. Jericho leads everyone in a salute and a show of solidarity (which means they all flip a middle finger in the center of the ring).
Backstage
Alex Marvez welcomes FTR and Tully Blanchard. Cash Wheeler takes full responsibility for losing the AEW Tag Titles when he tried to beat the Young Bucks at their own game. Tully Blanchard won’t let Wheeler take all that blame though. Unlike the other teams in AEW, Wheeler, Harwood, and Blanchard share all of their successes and failures equally. Dax Harwood reiterates that FTR’s goal is still holding the AEW Tag Titles.
Match 4
Eddie Kingston & The Butcher & The Blade w/ The Bunny vs The Lucha Brothers & Lance Archer w/ Jake Roberts
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: The Blade pins Rey Fenix after a tandem powerbomb (The Butcher) and neckbreaker (The Blade)
Time: 8:28
Match Thoughts
Good match. Lance Archer started the action by leaping at Kingston before the opening bell, but the ensuing pre-match brawl backfired on Archer’s team. Penta El Zero M was driven through a table at ringside, and he was taken away as the match commenced in the ring. So effectively this was a handicap match with Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade versus Archer and Fenix. Fenix got isolated a lot, and he took the brunt of the attacks for his team. Archer came in a few times and helped a little, but the numbers were too much for him and Fenix.
Ring Area
After the match, Archer attacks Kingston and his family. Kingston leaves the ring, and The Butcher saves The Blade before Archer can hit him with Blackout. Kingston and his family retreats as Archer stands alone in the ring.
Backstage
Jade Cargill and the Vicious Vixens (Vickie Guerrero and Nyla Rose) are attacking Red Velvet. Before Rose can use a chair, Serena Deeb and Big Swole intervene. Ivelisse and Diamanté run up and shove Deeb and Swole, then referees come in to break everyone up.
Match 5
Abadon vs Tesha Price
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Abadon wins via pinfall after the Widow’s Peak
Time: 1:14
Match Thoughts
A squash. It was fine as a buildup for Abadon.
Ring Area
After the match, Abadon continues to attack Tesha Price. Hikaru Shida comes out to the stage with a kendo stick. Shida hesitates, but then she enters the ring and hits Abadon in the head with the stick. As Shida helps Price get up, Abadon sits up. Shida looks nervous as she continues to help Price get out of the ring and head to the backstage area.
Backstage
Chris Jericho tells Dasha Gonzalez that the Inner Circle are all on the same page, and they’re going to stand with MJF as he beats Orange Cassidy later in the show.
Outside the Venue
Kenny Omega and Don Callis arrive at Daily’s Place via helicopter. Alex Marvez is waiting for them, and he tries to get a word. Omega and Callis blow Marvez off and head inside.
Ring Area
Kenny Omega and Don Callis head to the ring. In the ring, Tony Schiavone describes to Omega and Callis how upset he is about what they did last week. Callis says last week was the result of years of planning. Callis says he and Omega essentially created AEW through their time together, so they didn’t steal the AEW World Title. After all, you can’t steal what you create.
Omega is happy about how successful his and Callis’s plan was. Not only was last week a seven-star match, but it was a sensational performance. And we all fell for it. Most importantly, Jon Moxley fell for it. Omega says Moxley is the real deal in the ring, but he’s not smart enough. Last week was a great surprise, and this past Tuesday’s Impact was a great surprise, but Omega and Callis are just getting started. Callis stops Omega before he can elaborate, and Omega bids us “goodbye and goodnight.”
Match 6
Dynamite Diamond Match
MJF w/ Wardlow, Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Ortiz vs Orange Cassidy w/ Best Friends
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: MJF wins via pinfall after a lariat (from Miro)
Time: 13:22
Match Thoughts
Very good match. For the first part of the match, Orange Cassidy was getting overwhelmed by MJF and the very active members of the Inner Circle at ringside. Best Friends did what they could to neutralize Inner Circle, but they weren’t super effective. After a while, Trent and Chuck Taylor went backstage and came back to the ring with Brandon Cutler, The Varsity Blondes, and Top Flight. Now with twelve guys at ringside, this essentially became a lumberjack match. With the odds more even, Orange Cassidy started to get his first real advantage in the match.
There was still a fair amount of interference whether direct or indirect, but at least now it was more even for Cassidy and MJF. Cassidy pretty much had the match won, but some foot-on-the-rope assistance kept MJF in the match. That also started a big brawl with everyone at rinside. With the referee completely distracted by everyone outside the ring, Kip Sabian and Miro showed up. Sabian watched as Miro made a strong impact on the finish of the match.
I enjoyed the action in this match. Even among the chaos that it ended up being, there were a few very tense moments as Cassidy seemingly inched closer and closer to a win. Realistically I figured MJF would win because that’s just what he does, but there was a little hope there. So yeah, I enjoyed this a little more than I thought I might.
Ring Area
After the match, a brawl continues at ringside with the Inner Circle and all the guys that joined Best Friends at ringside. Best Friends approach Sabian and Miro, but referees and security get in-between them and prevent a secondary brawl. ince they can’t get their hands on Miro, Best Friends walk away. Moro goes crazy though, and he starts attacking the security guys. Miro violently takes down all the security members, going so far as to throw one of them off the stage more or less face-first (we don’t see him land, but it looked vicious). The show ends with Sabian smiling as Miro poses with his foot on one of the fallen security guys.
Show Impressions
This was a pretty good show. The biggest intrigue for me was seeing what Omega and Callis had to say, but having seen their segment on Impact, tonight’s segment was a little underwhelming. Omega and Callis didn’t say anything new tonight, but it was good for the people that hadn’t seen them on Impact. On that note, it was cool to see Sting too, but he really didn’t say anything of note either. It seemed clear last week that he has an interest in Darby Allin, and the only thing tonight’s segment did was to reinforce that idea. Again though, it was still a nice enough segment. Plus, if you didn’t already know that he’s been signed to a multi-year contract, then you found that out tonight.
I wasn’t surprised by Inner Circle choosing to stay together. The ultimatum was a fine segment, but it felt like a step towards Sammy Guevara deciding to leave the Inner Circle more than anything else. The six-man tag also felt like a step towards something, but I’m not sure what. Taking Penta out of the mach completely makes me feel like they might be planting more seeds for him leaving his brother, but hopefully I’m reading too much into that. It could have just been a way to have Archer on the losing side tonight while protecting both him and Kingston heading into their inevitable clash.
Also, I’m not super into the thing with Brandi, Cody, Jade Cargill, and Shaq, but tonight’s segment was pretty fun. Brandi is definitely a good talker, and seeing her angry is always enjoyable to watch.
Match of the Night
Young Bucks vs The Hybrid2
I liked the main event a lot as well, but I think the opening tag match was a bit better throughout.