***CONTAINS SPOILERS***
This evening AEW presented Saturday Night Dynamite on TNT!
Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, and Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
#FTR—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (with Tully Blanchard sporting an FTR jacket at ringside) vs. Private Party—Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy was our opening bout!
“I believed in FTR a lot more last week than I do this week, after that assault on Ricky Morton,” said Jim Ross.
“A sneak attack and they used a knee brace to do it,” added Tony Schiavone.
Dax and Quen traded arm drags, and then Private Party hit stereo dropkicks on FTR!
“Quicker than a hiccup, I can tell you that, and they are controlling the pace,” said J.R.
FTR rolled to the outside to get some advice from Tully Blanchard and to regroup.
Cash came into the ring and distracted ref Aubrey Edwards while Dax gouged the eyes of Marq Quen. Finally Cash got a legal tag and gave a stiff European uppercut to Quen. Jim Ross noted that FTR are the number one ranked contenders at the moment.
Quen and Kassidy were utilizing quick tags in and out of the ring to capitalize on their tandem offense opportunities. Kassidy stretched Dax back and Quen leapfrogged over his partner and landed with a double stomp onto the back of Dax’s head for a near fall!
FTR used savvy old school tag team strategies to get Quen into a position where he was outnumbered. They cornered him, dropping him then with a double lariat
“It’s so smart, the way they cut that ring off,” observed Jim Ross.
Cash applied a drop toehold on Quen and then Dax dropped a hard elbow, wasting no time.
“They like to taunt their opponents,” said Tony Schiavone.
“Well they’re not trying to make friends with anybody and that’s what I like about FTR. You’re here to win money. You’re here to win championships,” added Taz.
Dax clotheslined Quen while Cash rolled him up, good for a two-count. Cash employed leverage on a tight grip rear chin lock submission right across Quen’s jawline, wearing him down. Marq Quen got to his feet and countered it with a back suplex. Dax was tagged in before Quen could get to his corner for the tag. Dax forced Quen outside the ring. Cash tagged back in and jumped off the apron for a double ax handle, but Quen moved, sending Cash crashing throat-first onto the steel barricade! As Cash ate the guardrail, Quen used the opportunity to get the hot tag to Kassidy!
Kassidy fired up with clotheslines and forearms on FTR! He connected with a springboard off the bottom rope, pushing Cash’s throat across the top rope! Kassidy blasted Cash with a side kick off the apron. He followed through with an enziguri on Dax inside the ring, and then a flip-thru stunner over the top! Dax kicked out of a pin just in the nick of time! Marq Quen got a blind tag and hit a cross body off the top onto Dax for another near fall!
“We can talk about a clash of styles but this is a damn good tag team match,” said Taz.
Quen used an inside cradle on Dax, and Dax narrowly escaped the pin. Dax bridged out of a jackknife cover and attempted to win with a backslide, but Quen pushed out! After a pair of leapfrogs from FTR, Cash planted Quen with a spinebuster! This time Kassidy made the save!
“That spinebuster really reminded me of Arn Anderson,” noted Taz.
Kassidy tried for a plancha onto Dax but Tully pulled Dax out of the way. Kassidy crashed and paid a steep price for the high-risk maneuver!
“FTR is taking over. Now they’re controlling the pace,” said Jim Ross.
FTR finished the match with the Goodnight Express on Marq Quen, with Dax grabbing the emphatic pin for the team!
“Well they’re 6-0 now, but they earned number six,” commented Tony Schiavone.
Cameras caught up with AEW World Champion Jon Moxley earlier in the day.
“MJF has said a lot of bad things about me. I’m an easy target but he missed most of the good stuff. People who feel the need to talk about themselves all the time really rub me the wrong way. Because where I come from usually the toughest guys don’t have to say much. They don’t hide behind words. And you talk a lot. Which makes me wonder MJF: what exactly are you hiding? One day you’ll become world champion, but that day ain’t September 5th. I’ll tell you what’s gonna happen on September 5th—I’m gonna beat the hell out of you and split your head open with a Paradigm Shift. And the whole world will find out exactly what you’ve been hiding.”
MJF was with Wardlow and the rest of his team at MJF 2020 campaign headquarters. He was wearing a neck brace and gripped a walker.
“Genghis Khan, Castro, Napoleon—all these men were homicidal maniacs. And they all pale in comparison to Dictator Jon. Last week Jon you attacked me from behind like a gutless coward. Guess you’re too afraid of me to try me from the front. Jon, I supposed you don’t realize your unwarranted actions have consequences. Look at me, Jon. Look at the state of me. The Paradigm Shift isn’t a move, Jon, it’s an abomination!”
MJF’s attorney had to take over for his distraught client at this point: “I talked to medical professionals and the Paradigm Shift is dangerous, possibly deadly. If Jon Moxley can come out and end anyone’s career just willy nilly, who’s next? That’s why last week we put up a petition online calling for the banning of the Paradigm Shift, also known as the double arm DDT. And wouldn’t you know it—five million signatures! Five million people that care about the future of this business,” he said, pointing to MJF.
“So myself and my law firm, we spent all week and we drew up this contract. This specifically states that the Paradigm Shift is banned from the AEW World Championship match at ALL OUT between MJF and Jon Moxley. And all Jon has to do is sign it! And why wouldn’t he sign it? Why would a bad ass need one little move to beat one guy? And frankly, if he doesn’t sign it, Jon I’ll sue your ass so hard you’ll have to part your hair to poop! Don’t test me, don’t test my law firm! We’ve never lost and I’m not starting now. We’ll take your money, we’ll take your house, we’ll take your cars, and then when you have nothing, Max will take your title! Sign it Jon. I’ll fax it over. The ball’s in your court.”
“Sign it Jon,” said MJF through gritted teeth.
Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero M and Rey Fenix) & The Butcher & The Blade vs. Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy, accompanied by Marko Stunt) & The Natural Nightmares (Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall)!
As AEW ring announcer Justin Roberts was making the formal introductions, the Lucha Bros and the Butcher and the Blade jumped the opposition, catching them off guard. The Lucha Bros took flight with stereo tope con hilos to the outside! The Lucha Bros singled out QT Marshall with chops, then tossed him back into the ring where the Butcher and the Blade were waiting! They steamrolled QT in the corner with running shoulder blocks.
“It’s basically four on one here, guys,” said Tony Schiavone.
QT fought back! He hit a handstand off the ropes and followed up with a high kick to the Butcher! He smashed the Blade with a brutal forearm! He tried to jump to the outside onto the Lucha Bros but the Butcher pulled him down before he could make the leap! QT was able to tag out to Dustin Rhodes before incurring much more damage.
Dustin paint brushed Butcher and the Blade with rights and then dropped Blade with a lariat!
“Dustin Rhodes is as sharp as ever,” noted Tony Schiavone.
Dustin connected with a big-time right hand on the Butcher, but he was pulled by the ankles to the outside by Rey Fenix! The Butcher, Rey Fenix, and Penta El Zero M ganged up and stomped on Dustin!
Penta El Zero M was tagged in and began blasting Dustin’s hamstrings with devastating round kicks! Rey Fenix tagged in and distracted the referee, cutting Dustin off from the herd. Dustin was in enemy territory, as his opponents kicked and choked him. The ref finally saw what was taking place and stepped in.
“Right now Dustin has to somehow, someway, get over to that corner,” said Taz.
Rey Fenix had a keylock arm submission on Dustin. The Blade tagged in but Dustin scooped him with a slam! Finally Dustin made it to his team’s corner and tagged in Luchasaurus, who dished out massive boots and thrust kicks to the competition! Jungle Boy ran and launched himself like a rocket through the ropes at the Butcher! And then another dive outside, this time propelling himself at Rey Fenix! Jungle Boy didn’t stop there—he followed up with a tope con hilo on the Butcher and the Blade!
“Man, what a daredevil! A lot of aerial artistry,” said Jim Ross.
Luchasaurus whipped Penta El Zero M with a roundhouse kick, and then spiked him with a chokeslam! Luchasaurus hit a standing moonsault onto Penta El Zero M for a near fall!
Butcher tagged in and rammed into Luchasaurus with a shoulder tackle.
“Battle of the bulls right there,” said Taz.
Butcher was forced down to one knee and Luchasaurus tried for the Shining Lizard, but Blade interfered with a stunner. Butcher ran his shin into the face of Luchasaurus. QT flipped over the rope and then used a diamond cutter on Butcher! Penta El Zero M surprised QT with a sling blade maneuver! Jungle Boy entered the fray once more with a swinging DDT onto Penta El Zero M! Dustin came back in too, but the Lucha Bros caught him with a Canadian destroyer! Penta El Zero M was setting up Jungle Boy for the package piledriver when Blade tried to get his attention for a combo as he was climbing to the top turnbuckle. Penta El Zero M released Jungle Boy and looked puzzled at Blade, asking, “What are you doing?” He pushed Blade, and the referee counted this as a legal tag. They argued and pushed one another until Penta El Zero M shoved Blade hard into Jungle Boy, who was then able to roll up Blade for the victory!
The Butcher and the Blade and the Lucha Bros kept shoving each other after the match, upset over the loss.
“Man, this is disintegrating in a hurry between Butcher and the Blade and the Lucha Bros,” said Jim Ross.
Eddie Kingston came out with a microphone and told them to chill out!
“All of you listen up. We were out on the indies. We were suffering. And now we’re on TNT. ‘They know drama.’ Why do we have to have drama?” asked Kingston.
Kingston pointed at the Lucha Bros and then the Butcher and the Blade and asked them, “Why aren’t you tag champs? You four guys are better than every tag team here. They only beat you guys when you’re divided. No more! Come walk with me. Come with me. And everything we want will be ours.”
Eddie Kingston coerced the Lucha Bros and the Butcher and the Blade into a group hug and then he winked at the camera.
Earlier in the day, the camera crew caught up with Dr. Britt Baker, “Reba”, and Penelope Ford and Kip Sabian.
Dr. Baker warned Kip and Penelope about the dangers of exchanging saliva, as Kip and Penelope kissed one another. Baker said she could help because she is a dentist and a role model, and she was willing to give them her couple’s special discount. “Free dental care for one year. All I need is help with a little problem I have, super minor, not a big deal. Big Swole signed a contract stating she can have a match with me, however she didn’t state what kind of match. So I figure why not make it a handicap match. We’d like to cordially invite you to join our team against Big Swole. What do you say?” asked Baker, on behalf of herself and “Reba.”
Baker then added that “Reba” would do their make-up for free for a full year if they accepted.
“Yeah, you got it,” said Penelope Ford.
Tony Schiavone was standing in the ring and wanted to talk to Orange Cassidy about one of the biggest moments on DYNAMITE, and certainly the biggest moment of Orange’s career, that being his victory over Chris Jericho last week.
“Freshly Squeezed” strolled out to the ring with Best Friends—Chuck Taylor and Trent.
“Congratulations on the biggest moment of your career. What a moment here on DYNAMITE, Orange,” said Schiavone.
Before Orange said a word, the Demo God, Le Champion Chris Jericho walked out on the ramp as the familiar sounds of “Judas” played throughout the arena.
“Forgive my interruption but I know Orange is a man of few words and I wanted to get a few words in first, and those words are this: congratulations Orange Cassidy for beating me last week on DYNAMITE. I’ve only been pinned three times since October 2nd, 2019—our very first show—and one of those times was to you, the guy who puts his hands in his pockets,” said Jericho.
Jericho continued: “I’m proud of you because you proved you have what it takes to be a main event star here in AEW. And for that I applaud you. As a matter of fact, Orange, I want to give you a toast right now. But before I do that, there’s something that’s stuck in my craw here and that’s this: as it stands now you have one win over me and I have one win over you and where I come from that tells me we need to have a third match to find out who the better man really is, right? We can have that rubber match in that ring, but we’ve done that twice already, so I wanted to take things to a different level. Considering I’m the genius who came up with one of the greatest gimmick matches of all time involving a briefcase and a ladder, I wanted to do something special. So I have an idea based on…us. You’re all about the orange juice and I’m all about the bubbly. So it makes sense that we have this rubber match and find out who the better man really is in my new creation: The Mimosa Mayhem Match. You might wonder what that is and maybe this can answer your questions.”
Jericho turned to the entrance screen. A video package aired for Saturday, September 5th and the first ever Mimosa Mayhem Match! What will happen when 80 gallons of 100% pure orange juice is mixed at ringside with 500 cases of a Little Bit of the Bubbly?! And the only way to win is by pinfall, submission, or being thrown into a tank of straight mimosa! You have to see it to believe it at ALL OUT!!!
“On September 5th, at ALL OUT, do you accept the challenge—Jericho vs. Cassidy III in a Mimosa Mayhem Match?” asked Jericho.
“Freshly Squeezed” replied with a thumbs up.
“I think you made the right decision, Orange, and now I’d like to give you a toast, but of course I want the rest of my friends to be out here, the whole Inner Circle. You deserve to hear it from us and see it from us face to face,” said Jericho.
The Inner Circle surrounded the ring, holding bottles of Jericho’s signature bubbly.
“Get ‘em, boys,” said Jericho.
The Inner Circle outnumbered Orange Cassidy and Best Friends and assaulted them in the ring. Jericho pulped Orange’s face with the Judas Effect elbow! The Inner Circle held up Orange Cassidy by his legs, upside down, as Jericho poured the champagne in his eyes. Together, Jericho and the Inner Circle stood over Orange Cassidy and then flipped the bird to the camera.
This was followed by The Elite (Kenny Omega—1/2 of AEW Tag Team Champs— and Nick & Matt Jackson—The Young Bucks) vs. Dark Order’s Alex “3” Reynolds, John “4” Silver, & Alan “5” Angels!
Nick Jackson began with a wristlock and then a dropkick on Alan Angels. Nick almost got caught with a rana from Angels, but he blocked it and showed off his agility by leaping off the center of the top rope with an arm drag on Angels.
Matt Jackson tagged in and the Bucks took down Angels with a double dropkick! They took out the other two members with dropkicks too! Matt executed two beautiful Northern lights suplexes before the other two Dark Order members saved their partner from a third suplex! It didn’t matter though, as Matt double suplexed them by himself! Matt tagged Nick who then instantly tagged in Kenny, so they could triple team Alan Angels.
“Here comes Kenny Omega and it’s just combo city right there,” said Taz.
The Dark Order broke up Omega’s pin attempt. The Bucks went over the top with stereo planchas to isolate Kenny in the ring with Angels. Kenny kept chopping at Angels, knocking him down after a chop and then picking him right back up to hit him with another! Kenny was about to jump off the turnbuckle when Silver grabbed his ankle to stop him. Kenny was knocked to the arena floor and he was blasted with a metal chair that was kicked at his head. Reynolds placed the chair on top of Kenny’s abdomen and Alan Angels jumped off the ring apron and stomped down onto it!
Matt Jackson came out to check on Kenny. Silver lifted Matt Jackson up in a vertical suplex position and then Reynolds jumped from the ring onto them!
“Matt Jackson went down headfirst!” said Schiavone.
Angels covered Kenny for a near fall. Angels was having a field day kicking Kenny. He went for a double stomp but Kenny moved and clotheslined Angels. Kenny rolled forward and tagged Nick Jackson, who cleaned house with superkicks, foot stomps, and a backstabber for good measure!
“Nick Jackson is awesome at stringing move after move after move together,” noted Taz.
Nick and Matt Jackson used a shotgun dropkick bulldog combo on Reynolds! Omega tagged in but it may have been a bit too soon, as the Dark Order utilized exceptional and effective triple offense on him!
“Amazing offensive sequence right there that somehow Kenny Omega survived,” said Jim Ross.
Kenny rallied back with snap dragon suplexes on the Dark Order and then a V-trigger to the face of Reynolds! Matt Jackson tagged in and the Bucks were going for the Meltzer Driver when the Dark Order members reversed it and hit piledrivers! Kenny saved Matt from a pin! Angels backflipped off the top rope but the Bucks stopped him with superkicks! Kenny and the Bucks executed an assisted IndyTaker, and then Kenny followed up with a one-winged angel on Angels for the victory!
“What’s going on with Kenny?” asked Jim Ross, as Kenny returned to the ring with a metal chair. Kenny was going to powerbomb Angels onto the chair when Matt Jackson moved the chair out of the way.
“Kenny has snapped, having issues and words with the Young Bucks,” noted Jim Ross.
The Bucks talk some sense into Kenny and cooler heads prevailed.
Alex Marvez was backstage with FTR and Tully Blanchard and announced that next week, on a special Thursday night DYNAMITE, we are going to have a gauntlet tag team match to determine who will be facing Kenny Omega and “Hangman” Page at ALL OUT on September 5th on pay-per-view!
The match will start with the Natural Nightmares against the Young Bucks, and whoever wins that match will immediately square off against Best Friends, and whoever survives that is going against FTR!
Darby Allin vs. Will Hobbs was next!
Darby approached the ring and heathen kicked his opponent straight out of the ring! Darby sprinted through the ropes and crashed into Hobbs. Back in the ring, Darby jumped off the top rope but Hobbs caught him! Darby escaped Hobbs’ grasp and chop blocked his leg. This angered Hobbs, who backdropped Darby high up before gravity took over! Hobbs got a near fall on Darby. Hobbs used a fierce spinebuster on Darby for another near fall. Darby was finally able to counter Hobbs with a cutter, then a springboard elbow!
Darby Allin pinned Hobbs after a Coffin Drop from the top!
“I’ve got a little surprise here for Darby,” said Taz, standing up at the broadcast booth.
“Team Taz is flourishing, Darby. And we have a new member of Team Taz. I want you to meet him right now, Darby. And guess what? His name is Darby also. Except he’s bigger than you and better looking.”
“Absolute” Ricky Starks, dressed as Darby Allin, walked out from the entrance tunnel. He began to mimic and insult Allin on the microphone. While Darby was distracted, “The Machine” Brian Cage jumped Darby from behind, smashing him with the FTW championship belt! Starks called Darby “a joke” and then rammed a skateboard into Darby’s ribs! Starks followed up with a Coffin Drop of his own onto Darby!
Sammy Guevara was out next!
Sammy was holding up poster boards to the TV camera, with messages mocking Matt Hardy. Sammy wasn’t reading his own poster boards, and the handwriting on the posters changed a few cards in. The fans watching at home could see the message that Sammy was about to be…deleted! Matt Hardy came out and whacked Sammy with a steel folding chair, getting revenge for the chair that Sammy threw at Matt a few weeks ago! Hardy threw Sammy off the ramp, down onto the ring announcer’s table!
The NWA Women’s World Champion Thunder Rosa appeared on DYNAMITE!
“If you don’t know me, let me introduce myself. Thunder Rosa. Women’s World Champion from the NWA. I come here to bring the women’s division to the next level. To actually put it on the map and get some respect that we deserve. So on the pay-per-view, I don’t come here just for scraps. I come here for your championship, Shida. So at ALL OUT, Shida, I have a request—I am here for this championship and nothing else!”
That was followed by the finals of the Women’s Tag Team Cup Tournament—“The Deadly Draw”—Nightmare Sisters—Brandi Rhodes & Allie (with Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall) vs. Ivelisse & Diamante!
Veda Scott joined Taz, Jim Ross, and Tony Schiavone for this match at the broadcast booth. Shaul Guerrero was the special guest ring announcer.
Brandi walked to the ring holding two “Lil’ Bran Bran” AEW action figures.
Brandi and Ivelisse began the match for their respective teams. Brandi reversed a wristlock, applied a headlock on Ivelisse, and then took her to the mat with a side headlock. Brandi rolled through for a stacked pin but Ivelisse escaped it.
“This feels historic,” said Veda Scott.
(Side note: visit www.AllEliteHeels.com to join a new community for women who love wrestling!)
Ivelisse began chopping and kicking at Brandi, getting Brandi down to one knee. She hit Brandi near the throat with a thrust kick! Diamante was tagged in and they began double teaming Brandi with knee strikes and then a double hip toss. Brandi kicked out at one and tagged in Allie.
Allie hit consecutive knee strikes on Diamante before Diamante took her town with an arm drag.
Veda Scott added on commentary that she believes Brandi’s attitude is changing.
“That whole Nightmare Family thing is getting out of hand if you ask me. Last week you had a huge entourage with Cody. I mean it was ridiculous,” said Jim Ross.
Brandi stomped on Diamante and made a quick tag to Allie, who then clotheslined Diamante. Brandi was tagged back in and pulled Diamante’s face across the top ring rope!
“Very aggressive move by Brandi,” said J.R.
Brandi got a near fall on Diamante after a sharp, hard kick to Diamante’s face! Allie was tagged in and was going for a superplex, but Diamante fought out of it and pushed her to the mat. She followed up with a tornado suplex on Allie! Finally Ivelisse was tagged in and she ran through the opposition, sending Brandi and Allie to the mat with lariats. Ivelisse had a claw hook on Brandi and pushed her down for a near fall.
Brandi connected with a stiff right hand to Ivelisse and then speared Diamante! Allie took Diamante “down the Rabbit Hole” but Ivelisse broke up the pin attempt. Diamante dropped Allie with a nasty forearm and tagged in Ivelisse.
QT Marshall jumped on the ring apron to distract Ivelisse. Brandi put double underhooks on Ivelisse but Brandi was backdropped out of the ring onto QT!
Ivelisse pinned Allie after a snapmare roll-up/kick combo!
Madusa was on hand to present the championship cup to the tournament winners!
It was time for our main event of the evening!
It was a TNT Championship match—with “The American Nightmare” Cody (with Arn Anderson) defending his championship against “The Exalted One” of The Dark Order— Mr. Brodie Lee!
Cody got a quick start, charging right at Brodie, kicking him into the corner turnbuckles.
“Good strategy,” said Tony Schiavone.
The offense was short lived. Brodie pushed Cody back to create distance and hit a high dropkick! Brodie picked up Cody and tossed him over the top rope to the arena floor with ease! Brodie hurled Cody into the guardrail!
“Let’s think about the ribs and how they’ve taken a beating the last few weeks,” said Schiavone.
Brodie ran with a big boot to Cody’s head! Back in the ring, Brodie rammed his shoulder into Cody, and then sent him flying with a half-and-half back suplex!
“Arn Anderson is very concerned obviously, as he should be. This does not look good for the champion,” observed Jim Ross.
Brodie hit a nasty German release suplex on Cody. Brodie followed up with two thrust kicks that nearly took Cody’s head off! Cody was barely able to kick out of the pin. Brodie powerbombed Cody not once but twice!
Brodie connected with a discus lariat and pinned Cody!
“I can’t believe this!” said Jim Ross.
And new TNT Champion—Mr. Brodie Lee!
“He went right through Cody!” added Taz.
“I’m shocked that Cody got shut out,” replied J.R.
Dr. Sampson rushed out to check on Cody. The Dark Order came to the ring to celebrate with their leader. Tony Schiavone was down in the ring to interview the new TNT Champion—Mr. Brodie Lee!
“People like you created this monster, Tony, and now I’m a problem for AEW! With this championship comes the power. Dark Order is at the top now. Executives like you, Schiavone, created me. You held me down. You didn’t give me a chance. But when I had the chance, I knocked it out of the damn park,” said Mr. Brodie Lee.
Cody was being stretchered out, when Mr. Brodie Lee demanded that Tony leave the ring.
“J.R., Cody is in bad shape,” said Taz.
Near the entrance tunnel on the ramp, the Dark Order swarmed Arn Anderson and then Mr. Brodie Lee booted Arn in the abdomen and punched him in the face! The Dark Order wheeled Cody back out! Mr. Brodie Lee knocked the stretcher over, sending Cody crashing hard onto the ramp.
“This is chaos!” said Jim Ross.
Mr. Brodie Lee took a loaded canvas bag and swung it at Cody’s head, straight down like a mallet! Cody’s body went limp.
“I can only assume what’s in that bag,” said Jim Ross.
The Dark Order brought out QT Marshall and Dustin Rhodes, who must have been attacked backstage, and dropped them near Cody. Mr. Brodie Lee stood smiling, holding his TNT Championship! Brandi Rhodes ran out to protect her husband, acting as a human shield. She wanted all of this to stop! Mr. Brodie gestured to Anna Jay, who moved in and put a rear naked choke on Brandi Rhodes! Mr. Brodie Lee opened up the bag and emptied its contents onto Cody. The shattered and broken pieces of the original TNT Championship belt rained down from the bag onto Cody.
“A new day has dawned in AEW. And what will the future hold? The world changed in AEW tonight,” said Jim Ross.
Be sure to join us next week on Thursday, August 27th, for all the explosive action as AEW DYNAMITE is broadcast on TNT!