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***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** “Le Champion” Chris Jericho and Tony Schiavone welcomed viewers to DYNAMITE and ran down tonight’s card, which featured a double main event! Up first: in a TNT Championship Tournament Semi Final—“The American Nightmare” Cody (accompanied by Brandi Rhodes) vs. Darby Allin! Jericho said he was impressed with the previous performances in the match between Darby and Sammy Guevara, as both wrestlers left everything they had in the ring. It showed how important the TNT Championship is to both of them, and everyone in the tournament. Shawn Spears was watching behind the ringside barrier, still stewing over his loss to Cody. Cody and Darby locked up in the center of the ring. Cody tried to pin Darby after a shoulder tackle, “just to show him he has the upper hand,” added Jericho. After some excellent amateur wrestling was put on display, Cody bridged out of a pinning attempt by Darby, and in the process, tweaked his knee. Darby seized the moment and clipped Cody’s knee! They brawled outside, and Cody shot a mean look at Shawn Spears. Darby charged Cody, and Darby inadvertently knocked Brandy into the barricade as Cody sidestepped him! Billy Gunn helped Brandi to the back to get her medical attention. Back in the ring, an infuriated Cody kicked it into high gear, stomping and kneeing Darby. Cody put Darby into a bow and arrow type submission hold, but Darby escaped for a quick pin attempt. Cody kicked out and went right back on the attack, injured knee and all. Cody dropped Darby’s abdomen right across the top rope with a forward suplex. “Look at him, he’s trying to hurt Darby,” said Schiavone. “He’s still blaming Darby for his own mistake that took out his wife Brandi,” added Jericho. Cody lifted Darby for a vertical suplex but Darby countered with a knee to Cody’s head, and then chop blocked Cody’s leg. They traded strikes and Darby hit a Code Red on Cody for a two count! Darby went right back to working on Cody’s wheels with a leg lock. He then secured Cody’s leg in the turnbuckle and gave him a running splash. Darby slammed Cody’s knee onto the mat. Cody limped outside to buy himself some time. While the referee was distracted, Dr. Britt Baker, who was watching from behind the barricade, hit Cody with her shoe! Darby was head-butting Cody’s knee in the ring. Cody knocked some of the face paint off Darby with an uppercut, then the Disaster Kick! Cody’s leg was in bad shape. Cody removed his weight belt and possibly contemplated whipping Darby with it, but he handed it to ref Aubrey Edwards in a sign of good sportsmanship. Cody wrapped up Darby with an inside cradle for a two count! Darby got up and gave Cody the Cross Rhodes, Cody’s own finishing move, for a near fall! “That took a lot of balls to do that. That’s like slapping him in the face,” noted Jericho. Darby applied the figure four to Cody, another of Cody’s favorite moves. “You can tell that Darby has scouted Cody very well here,” said Schiavone. Brandi Rhodes limped back out to the ring. She handed Cody a bottle of water. Cody took a swig from the bottle, but Darby grabbed it and smashed it across Cody’s face! Darby went for a Coffin Drop but Cody caught him and gave him a ripcord clothesline! Cody went for another but Darby countered with a stunner. Darby went for an Asai moonsault but Cody caught Darby again. Cody connected with the Cross Rhodes but Darby kicked out at the two count! Now Cody went for one of Darby’s own moves—the Coffin Drop—but Darby had it scouted and raised his knees in time to meet Cody’s lumbar region! Darby went for the Coffin Drop but Cody was able to maneuver his shoulders, rollup Darby, and get the pin on Darby! Cody is going to the finals of the tournament! A video package aired on Scorpio Sky (part one was shown last week). “Frankie and Chris were looking for a third guy for a while then and I was completely on board because I always looked up to those guys.” He said he didn’t want to be just the third guy in a team that had been established as stars years ago, but things clicked when the “This is the worst town I’ve ever been in” catchphrase took off, thanks in part to the Being The Elite YouTube series. He said that Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels have been a huge part of his career and his growth. “I’m never satisfied. I don’t want to be good. I don’t even want to be great. I want to be a legend,” he concluded. Next we had an update on MJF’s condition, from Max’s Rat’s Estate, in Massapequa, NY. “Because of my unapologetic courageousness, I was able to rehab my horrible injury” (his hangnail). MJF said he was so excited to get back to DYNAMITE, and while he was getting “TV ready,” he was shaving and the unthinkable happened: he nicked his neck. MJF revealed a neck brace. Despite this, MJF said he is a warrior, and he’ll be back, because “…he’s the storm thundering across the horizon, the candle lit in the darkness. I am the only hope this company has left. I am better than you and you know it.” Musa vs. “Mr. Mayhem” Wardlow was next! “If you were going to create the perfect wrestler in a lab, Wardlow is what you would want. Look at him!” said Chris Jericho. Musa charged at Wardlow and Wardlow choke slammed him hard to the mat. It was like running into a freight train. Wardlow tried a running powerslam on Musa but Musa put the brakes on and tried to get Wardlow down. Wardlow chuckled. Wardlow pulled Musa by the throat off the top turnbuckle and smashed him face-first to his knee! “Wardlow is not done with the man. This is an assassination,” said Jericho. Wardlow used the airplane spin on Musa and rag dolled him down for the victory! Another episode of The Bubby Bunch aired. Jericho said that word on the street is people actually think Sammy beat him in the Flim Flam challenge last week. The members of The Inner Circle debated on who they thought was the winner—Sammy or Le Champion. Jericho said they should agree to disagree and instead, had an old fashioned Manitoba Melee. A virtual melee ensued, one that needs to be seen to be believed! “Stop! Because that was awesome! That was one of the best Manitoba Melees that I’ve ever been a part of. Long live The Inner Circle! Was that Lou Ferrigno with a Taser?” asked Jericho. Up next in a No DQ, No Count out match—Jimmy Havoc & “SuperBad” Kip Sabian (with Penelope Ford) vs. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor and Trent, with Orange Cassidy)! Kip and Havoc attacked Best Friends as Trent and Chuck entered the ring! They battled to the outside, but Trent used a tope con giro on Kip and Havoc! Jimmy pulled out a steel chair and threw it at Orange Cassidy’s head, knocking him down. Jimmy suplexed Chuckie onto steel chairs on the outside of the ring. Jimmy tried to whack Chuckie with a chair but Trent saved him with a spear to Jimmy! Kip launched himself with a tope con giro onto Trent! Kip worked over Trent inside the ring while Jimmy assaulted Chuck with chairs on the outside. Jimmy threw a ladder at Trent inside the ring! Jimmy bit on Trent’s ear. Kip and Jimmy double-teamed Trent while Chuck tried to recover on the outside. Kip opened a steel chair and set it up in the corner. Havoc launched Kip at the chair and a prone Trent, but Trent moved, sending Kip crashing! Jimmy tried to ram Chuck with a chair but Chuck raised a knee, and Jimmy’s skull crashed into the steel chair! Trent and Chuck each picked up chairs and swung them at Jimmy’s head, and then Best Friends hugged! “Got to give people what they want!” said Schiavone. Kip tried to attack from behind as Best Friends were hugging, but they were smart to him and sent him flying with Chuck’s sole food maneuver! It was good for a two count on Kip. Chuck wedged a chair into the corner turnbuckle, but Kip countered and rammed Chuck into it! Trent ran up the turnbuckles, though, and blasted Kip with a tornado DDT! “Trent’s got star quality written all over him,” said Jericho. Trent used his knee with the chair as a battering ram on Kip! Trent went for the pin but Jimmy jumped in for the save. Trent propped Kip onto the ladder that had been set up in the corner, but Jimmy came to the aid once again, pushing Kip out of the way. Jimmy got on the ladder and used it as a standing platform. While Trent was sitting on the top turnbuckle, he and Jimmy duked it out! Jimmy pulled Trent by the ankles and sent Trent crashing down on the ladder! Jimmy set up two chairs in the ring and crunched Trent’s back again! Kip did a flying foot stomp onto Trent, who was still on the chairs. Kip and Jimmy went for a double pin but Chuckie made the save and broke the pin attempt! Chuckie body slammed Jimmy onto the chair, and then gave a pile driver to Kip onto the chair! Chuck went for the pin on Kip but Penelope grabbed Chuck’s leg, interfering to stop the count! Chuck propped up the ladder in the corner again, but Jimmy backdropped Chuck onto the ladder. Orange Cassidy ran to the ring with a chair. Kip went after Orange but “Freshly Squeezed” evaded him and Kip crashed into Penelope instead. Orange climbed to the top rope and jumped backwards, landing onto Kip and Penelope, neutralizing them! Chuckie saw Jimmy on the top rope and caught him with the Awful Waffle onto a pile of chairs for the three count from ref Paul Turner! From on location at her dental practice, Dr. Britt Baker gave a behind the scenes glimpse into what goes into producing her “Role Model” segments. Britt introduced Rule #2: Not everyone can be a role model! “The Chairman” Shawn Spears vs. Baron Black followed this! Spears used a full arm drag and twist on Black, and then rubbed his elbow into Black’s face. Spears flexed his glutes and then pancaked Black to the mat! Spears used a wicked snapsuplex on Black. Spears blasted Black with the C4, and then submitted his opponent with a picture perfect sharpshooter! “Shawn Spears is on a roll!” said Schiavone. “Mr. Fun Size” Marko Stunt vs. “The Exalted One” Mr. Brodie Lee was next! Stunt charged Lee but ran right into a big boot from The Exalted One! Lee chopped Stunt, nearly caving in his chest. Lee manhandled Marko, hurling him right across the ring! Marko tried a running dive but got caught on the outside by Lee, who then hit a nasty thrust kick on Marko! Lee tried for a suplex on Marko, but Marko landed on his feet! Marko jumped from the second turnbuckle but was caught by Lee who planted him to the mat. Mr. Brodie Lee finished off Marko with the sit out powerbomb! AEW Champ Jon Moxley gave an update to fans. “Tough times never last forever and I promise one day, we will all be back together, and I will be bleeding and swearing in a sea of fans once again. But right now it’s a good time to reflect on the things you’re thankful for. I, myself, have a lot to be thankful for. I’m thankful for my wife. I’m thankful for steel chairs. I am thankful most of all that AEW is live next week, and circumstances aside, I’ve still got a job to do. I will be live at AEW DYNAMITE next week. And I understand with AEW DOUBLE OR NOTHING coming up, I’ve got a big target on my back. Please remember before you step up to the World Champion, you do so at your own risk.” And announced for next week: The return of MJF! AEW World Champion Jon Moxley vs. Frankie Kazarian of SCU! In a Street Fight—Kenny Omega & Matt Hardy vs. Le Sex Gods, Chris Jericho & Spanish God Sammy Guevara! But first, it was time for our second of two main events tonight! In a TNT Championship Tournament Semi Final Match—“Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer vs. “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes (accompanied by Brandi Rhodes)! Archer pushed Dustin into the corner after they locked up. They were sizing up one another in the early moments of this match. Dustin hit Archer with a shoulder block and Archer barely budged. Archer returned the favor and knocked Dustin off his feet. Archer charged Dustin but Dustin pulled down the top rope, sending Archer to the outside. Dustin flipped from the ring apron and came crashing onto Archer. “It worked, taking Archer off his feet. Dustin is doing these things with 31 years of experience and he’s wrestling better now than ever,” noted Jericho. Dustin tried for the big powerslam but Archer blocked it. Archer pounced Dustin, knocking him to the outside! Archer grabbed for a steel chair and swung it at Dustin, but Dustin beat him to the punch, literally. He met Archer with strikes and a kick, knocking the chair out of his grip. Dustin grabbed the steel chair for himself but Archer kicked it, knocking Dustin in the face! Dustin’s forehead was busted open! Back in the ring, Archer continued to dismantle Dustin. “The Natural” fought back with a string of offense, but Archer clotheslined Dustin and then began the ground and pound attack! On the outside, Archer rammed Dustin into the steel post! They exchanged chops until Archer hit a stiff forearm on Dustin, ringing his bell. Archer rolled into the ring and commanded ref Aubrey Edwards to count out Dustin. Archer waited long enough and picked up Dustin and tossed him back into the ring. Archer suplexed Dustin, and then was driving Dustin’s face into the mat. The canvas of the mat pooled with Dustin’s blood! Dustin tried to rally back and set up Archer’s legs on the turnbuckles, forcing Archer into a leg split. Dustin punted the turnbuckle beneath Archer’s groin! Dustin took down Archer with a snapmare but then Archer got up and began pummeling Dustin with fists again! “Look at Archer! He still won’t stay down!” said Jericho. Dustin rocked Archer with a couple of overhand rights! Dustin landed the Code Red Canadian Destroyer on Archer, but was too exhausted to go for the cover! Both wrestlers got back up to their feet and slugged it out. Dustin connected with a lariat. Archer ducked a running bulldog but Dustin hit him with a powerslam! Dustin had Archer in the corner and climbed the turnbuckle to drop some fists on the MurderHawk Monster. Archer powered out but Dustin countered with the Cross Rhodes! Archer kicked out at one! Dustin methodically climbed to the top rope but Archer caught him, gripping Dustin’s throat. Archer choke slammed Dustin but Dustin kicked out at two! Archer walked the entirety of the top rope and then hit a moonsault on Dustin! Somehow Dustin found the energy to kick out at two, but just barely! Archer went for his Blackout finisher, but Dustin fought out of it, pushing Archer into the ropes! Dustin attempted a DDT but Archer countered and choke slammed Dustin! Archer went for the pin attempt but Dustin rolled him up. Archer escaped at the two-count! “Now Archer’s mad!” said Jericho. Archer booted Dustin. Archer removed the top turnbuckle pad, exposing the steel cable. He rammed Dustin’s forehead into the exposed corner. QT Marshall came to the ringside area and was about to throw in the towel. Cody ran down and grabbed the towel from QT. Cody checked on his brother; Dustin was telling Cody not to throw in the towel when Archer grabbed Dustin by the legs and pulled him to the center of the ring. Archer palmed Dustin’s head like it was a basketball and began bouncing it off the mat! Archer squeezed Dustin’s forehead and put all of his bodyweight on Dustin, pinning him in the process! With this victory Lance Archer has advanced to the finals of the TNT Championship Tournament! It’ll be Cody vs. Archer on May 23rd at DOUBLE OR NOTHING! Catch all the explosive action as AEW DYNAMITE is broadcast on TNT next week! ...

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