AEW Dark

With the world in an unpredictable state right now, All Elite Wrestling comes to you once again this Wednesday night with another exciting edition of “Dynamite” on TNT! Hitting the airwaves LIVE at 8pm EST/7PM CST, the athletes of AEW aim to bring to you the unique and exciting in-ring action fans have to come to anticipate with each & every event! Last week’s chaos saw the arrival of Matt Hardy to apparently aid The Elite in their eventual Blood & Guts battle with The Inner Circle, and Brodie Lee revealed himself as The Exalted One behind The Dark Order! This week we’ve got the AAA Championship match between champion Kenny Omega and challenger Sammy Guevara, and one hell of an interesting singles match-up on tap between Cody and Jimmy Havoc! Plus, for the first time in their mutual history, former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho and “Broken” Matt Hardy (or perhaps it’s Damascus as Matt has referred to in tweets and on #FREETHEDELETE (Watch Here) will have an in-ring battle of words. ***RANKINGS AS OF MARCH 18TH*** HARDY AND JERICHO… December of 1999 marked the first time Chris Jericho and Matt Hardy competed against one another inside the squared circle. It was just a random handicap tag match in New York City, the three-on-two variety, and it would mark one of barely thirty confrontations over the course of the next decade. Their final meeting was just over a decade ago, a singles match in February 2010 in Memphis, and each man would go their totally separate ways from that point forward. Their paths have been quite different, each one evolving in drastically different fashions from the other, and expanding their horizons (physical, spiritual, mental, etc) far beyond the original habitat which the two shared. To say they are as far beyond where they started as they are far apart from one another wouldn’t do justice to the evolution of either individual. And yet, in all that time, despite the varied fashions in which they have battled one another, Jericho and Hardy have never found themselves engaged in a head-to-head war of words. Both are quite gifted in that aspect of their game, but Hardy (in his current incarnation) comes at his opponents from a realm far beyond the ken of your average bear. It’s metaphorical, psychological, bizarre, and yet still cuts just as deep the very direct insults of Jericho’s verbiage. The former World Champ leans towards the very direct, very crass, occasionally juvenile brand of insult, but still has no problem going straight for the jugular when the moment strikes. Pit these two minds against one another this week on “Dynamite”, and see what kind of verbal trauma is unleashed… AAA MEGA CAMPEON CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH (#3) Kenny Omega (c) vs. Sammy Guevara It has been over 150 days since Kenny defeated Rey Fenix at “Heroes Immortales XIII” in Veracruz, Mexico, and in that time he has successfully defended the championship on two occasions. One against Dragon Lee at “Triplemania Regia” in December, and the other. a few weeks prior against Jack Evans on an episode of “AEW Dark” from Indianapolis. But this 3rd defense will mark the first time Omega has defended his championship on “Dynamite”, and the first time a non-AEW Title is defended on an event since “All Out” when the AAA Tag Titles were defended in La Escalera de la Muerte between The Young Bucks and The Lucha Bros. This is a history-making contest going down on “Dynamite” this week, and who better to be involved than Kenny Omega. A week ago, his Elite brethren said they were in need of the version of Kenny worthy of being dubbed “The Best Bout Machine” and “The Best Wrestler In The World”, and this match will be the chance to show them just how strong that Omega lives inside the heart of the man. But, it’s also the perfect spotlight for “The Spanish God” Sammy Guevara to showcase what he has inside. The talent is clearly there, after all Chris Jericho isn’t going to waste his time recruiting someone without top shelf skill into The Inner Circle, and he has the quality of wins against men like Christopher Daniels and Dustin Rhodes to back it up (nevermind how he may have gotten there). He also has some AAA experience of his own, last competing there in August of 2019 on the same “Triplemania XXVII” card where The Young Bucks & Cody were defeated by The Lucha Bros & Laredo Kid. But here in AEW, this opportunity is undoubtedly the biggest one Sammy has experienced. That is not short-changing the two matches mentioned above, nor the ones opposite Darby Allin, Jon Moxley, or his failed bid at capturing the World Tag Team Titles from SCU with Chris Jericho. Rather this chance is one all his own, his first crack at a singles title since coming to AEW, and in the Mega Campeon Title, one with a strong lineage that includes Rey Fenix and Dr. Wagner Jr. in its history. Oh, and one last thing to keep in mind when watching this match; the shadow of Blood & Guts looms strongly over this one, just as it will any time a member of The Elite and The Inner Circle square off until the day inevitably comes that they are all locked inside that massive steel structure. ONE-ON-ONE… (#4) Cody vs. Jimmy Havoc Undefeated in 2020, wins in four out of his last five matches, and one of the most intimidating presences on the AEW roster. One would think that Cody was the competitor being described here, but it is in fact Jimmy Havoc carrying those impressive statistics into this Wednesday night’s edition of “Dynamite”. That being said, Cody only carries two blemishes on his 2020 record and the lone singles defeat comes from the battle against MJF at the “Revolution” PPV event. He was taken to the limit, but won, against Darby Allin, survived a Cage Match against “The War Dog” Wardlow, and Cody even survived the ten brutal lashings from Max. He has been pushed to his physical and emotional limits already in 2020, just shy of four months into the year, but has persevered in the face of it all. Yet he still has not seen anything like Jimmy Havoc. Well that’s not entirely true, three years ago they did compete against one another in a singles bout in Georgia, but both have grown so much in the time since that April 2017 evening. Unfortunately for Cody, much of Jimmy’s growth has been of a rather violent, sadistic bent, and many a man in AEW has experienced that firsthand. Still, blood and guts is only a part of what Havoc brings to the table. He has demonstrated on numerous occasions throughout his career as equally capable of grappling and chain wrestling as he is wrapping a chain around his fist to punch a face. Havoc brings something to the table much harder to predict than possibly any opponent Cody has faced in AEW, and in the rather unpredictable situation that Wednesday nights have become, Havoc may be the one best suited to thrive. SINGLES MATCH Kip Sabian vs. Darby Allin Two men who have been labeled as the future of professional wrestling, yet two men who could not be more different on every level save their desires to be the best at what they do (even if sometimes what they do is not very nice). Sabian definitely ticks all the boxes: stylish, attractive, beautiful girl on his arm, damn good at his chosen profession, he knows it, and intends to make sure everyone else knows it too. Not bad things necessarily, but the arrogance that comes with the Sabian/Penelope Ford package, the sense of entitlement, the willingness to bend (or break) the rules at leisure, those are the things that can make even the most talented individuals in the world utterly insufferable. Darby Allin, on the other hand, is someone who has proven, since even before he set foot in the ring, that he’s willing to grind it out to accomplish his goals. He’s been homeless, he’s done the monotonous hours of driving for little-to-no money while cutting his teeth, he’s suffered career threatening injuries during the evolution of his career, yet has stood in face of that opposition and said “more”. No matter the bump or bruise, whatever the hurdle of life, Darby has remained, as his tattoo says, relentless, and his career thus far in AEW is testament to that. He was the man who stood up when Jon Moxley demanded a fight. He was the one who took Cody to a time limit draw the first time out, and then pushed “The American Nightmare” to his limits in the rematch. Several weeks ago, just days removed from “Revolution”, he even fought Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho BY HIMSELF, after The Inner Circle assaulted Moxley to remove from the match. Do any of these things sound like something Kip Sabian would step up to, much less ask for himself? Does he have the inner reserves of Darby to fight every second as if life depended on it? Fans will find out this week on “Dynamite” when Sabian takes on Darby in their very first televised singles match! During the Jericho Cruise back in January, the two competitors had a match only witnessed by the fans on the ship, and that ended in a victory for Darby. But this one carries the weight of live TV and getting witnessed worldwide, and, most importantly, of being reflected in the AEW record books. Who will step up to the challenge in that contest? And what will happen with Jericho and Hardy in the ring together? Can Guevara ascend to that next level, or will The Best Bout Machine rear its head for this AAA Mega Campeon title bout? Will it be Havoc or Cody who has their hand raised in that singles contest? All this and more comes to our fans this Wednesday night on “AEW Dynamite”, dropping on your television screens at 8pm EST/7pm CST!

Men’s Rankings Women’s Rankings Tag Team Rankings

PHILADELPHIA As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, the AEW DYNAMITE show on April 22 in Philadelphia, PA, will be relocated.  The relocated show will be televised live on TNT on April 22.  Until further notice, live episodes of DYNAMITE will be produced at closed set locations with essential personnel only. The DYNAMITE show in Philadelphia will be rescheduled for Wednesday, July 29, at the Liacouras Center.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Philadelphia show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on July 29.  Additional details will be forthcoming. HOUSTON As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, the AEW DYNAMITE show on April 29 in Houston, TX, will be relocated.  The relocated show will be televised live on TNT on April 29.  Until further notice, live episodes of DYNAMITE will be produced at closed set locations with essential personnel only. The DYNAMITE show in Houston will be rescheduled for Wednesday, November 4, at the Fertitta Center.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Houston show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on November 4.  Additional details will be forthcoming. NEW ORLEANS As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, the AEW DYNAMITE show on May 6 in New Orleans, LA, will be relocated.  The relocated show will be televised live on TNT on May 6.  Until further notice, live episodes of DYNAMITE will be produced at closed set locations with essential personnel only. The DYNAMITE show in New Orleans will be rescheduled for Wednesday, December 2, at theUniversity of New Orleans Lakefront Arena.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the New Orleans show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on December 2.  Additional details will be forthcoming. ALBUQUERQUE As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, the AEW DYNAMITE show on May 13 in Albuquerque, NM, will be relocated.  The relocated show will be televised live on TNT on May 13.  Until further notice, live episodes of DYNAMITE will be produced at closed set locations with essential personnel only. The DYNAMITE show in Albuquerque will be rescheduled for Wednesday, December 30, at the Santa Ana Star Center.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Albuquerque show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on December 30.  Additional details will be forthcoming. We appreciate your understanding as the safety and well-being of our fans and talent is always our top priority.  We will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation related to COVID-19 and be guided by government officials, health organizations and venue management.

Our goal every week with AEW Dynamite on TNT is to produce great shows for our fans, and I believe we do.  We felt especially motivated to serve our audience this past Wednesday night given what the entire world is coping with, and hopefully we gave them a well-deserved escape during these trying times.  Everyone at AEW is very proud of what we delivered and humbled by the response and the kind words we’ve received from fans and partners throughout the world.  Thank you! We plan to continue answering that calling with live weekly shows every Wednesday night on TNT, but the time and circumstances aren’t right for the card we had planned next week for Blood and Guts.  That show will happen when the time is right, but what you can count on instead this coming Wednesday night is a great live episode of AEW Dynamite featuring Chris Jericho confronting Matt Hardy, face-to-face, one-on-one, for the first time ever and a tremendous night of wrestling action. In the meantime, until AEW Dynamite this Wednesday night, please follow us via social media and please be safe and smart so we can get back to seeing you all on the road as soon as possible. Thank you for making this all possible for everyone here at AEW, it’s a dream come true to be able to do these shows for all of you.

Best of AEW DYNAMITE from March 18, 2020

***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** Excalibur, Taz, and Jim Ross were the broadcast team for tonight’s event. Cody opened up the program standing alone in the ring with a microphone. The arena was dark and there was a spotlight shining on him. “As human beings we need to stand together, and for many of us that means we have to stand at a distance. I refuse to live in a prison of fear. I feel alive and I hope you feel alive. “Matt Jackson I know you are listening. I think you’re a tag team master. You need to put your anger aside. And I am tired of putting over “Hangman” Page. I need you to get over it—be the difference maker, be the reason we win at ‘Blood & Guts.’ “And then there’s Kenny Omega. We don’t always like each other, and that’s ok, this isn’t a wedding. It’s ‘Blood & Guts.’ I need you. But I need the real Kenny Omega—the “Best Bout Machine.” In short…I need the Elite to be…the Elite.” Kenny Omega and Matt Jackson joined Cody in the ring. Kenny said, “Here we are, just friends talking amongst friends. The entire world is falling part around us. If it’s up to me, I want to go out the way we came in, and that’s as the Elite!” “I love the whole call to action for the Elite,” said Matt Jackson. “You saw what the Inner Circle did to my brother Nick. He’s out indefinitely. He couldn’t even get on a plane because of what they did to them. Where’s Adam Page?” Adam Page walked out onto the ramp from the backstage area. “We’re asking you,” said Matt Jackson, “will you stand with us?” Page raised his glass and nodded in the affirmative. Kenny looked into the camera and said, “Everybody needs some positivity so all we can do is give you the best possible show. So hit the lights. Hit the pyro. And let’s start DYNAMITE!” The first match saw the Lucha Brothers (Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix) vs. (#4 ranked) Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent, accompanied by Orange Cassidy)! Tony Schiavone interviewed MJF ringside. MJF wasn’t impressed with the winner’s purse for tonight’s event, so he decided he’d sit back tonight, rest, and watch the matches from the front row. Lance Archer, Jake “the Snake” Roberts, Wardlow, MJF, Tully Blanchard and Shawn Spears were also watching from the ringside area. On the other side of the ring, in the front row, Colt Cabana, Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, Joey Janela, and Sonny Kiss rooted for the Best Friends. MJF and Shawn Spears had money riding on the match. Brandi Rhodes was the ring announcer for tonight’s show! Trent and Fenix were trading shots with one another. Chuck Taylor was tagged in and he began working over Fenix. Trent was tagged back in and Fenix got the advantage after a poke to the eyes. Fenix tagged in Penta and they nailed stereo thrust kicks on Trent! Both teams brawled outside the ring! Orange Cassidy was…chilling at the commentary booth, as only the King of Sloth Style can. Trent was able to connect with some desperation offense on Fenix and got the tag to Chuck Taylor! Meanwhile, from the top of the ramp, Orange Cassidy jumped onto the Lucha Bros (of course keeping his hands tucked in his pockets the entire time)! Chuck Taylor used the stuffed piledriver on Pentagon for a two-count! The Best Friends were looking for Strong Zero but the Lucha Bros countered it. Penta hit a low blow on Trent, and after a package piledriver-stomp combo, the Lucha Bros pinned Trent for the victory! Tony Schiavone interviewed the Best Friends after the match. “Death Triangle, you’re a bunch of chumps for kicking my partner in the d—! Next DYNAMITE, we want to meet you in the streets, or a parking lot!” said Chuck Taylor. In a Fatal Four-Way, it was Hikaru Shida (ranked #1) vs. Riho (ranked #2) vs. Kris Statlander (ranked #3) vs. Penelope Ford (accompanied by “Superbad” Kip Sabian)! Sabian pulled Shida and Statlander out of the ring by the ankles, and they began clobbering him. Riho used a diving cross body onto the three competitors on the outside of the ring! Statlander ordered Shida to suplex her onto Riho! Statlander then clotheslined Shida. Shida tried for a double suplex on Riho and Ford, but they reversed it. Riho and Ford started striking one another. Riho was distracted by Kip Sabian, allowing Ford enough time to perform a backflip elbow onto Riho! Shida used a Falcon Arrow on Ford for a two-count! Shida followed up with a running knee to gain the victory, cementing her position at the top of AEW’s rankings! Tony Schiavone interviewed “Boom Boom” Colt Cabana (2-0) from ringside. Having watched the women’s match from the front row, Colt noted that Penelope Ford would be much better off without her scheming boyfriend. Sabian took exception to the comment and got into Colt’s face. Sabian was shoved away by Colt, who warned Sabian that he’s a wrestler, too! Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus & Jungle Boy) vs. The Butcher & The Blade! After some dynamic chain wrestling, Jungle Boy went for a quick pin attempt on the Blade, to no avail. Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy executed rapid tags in and out for the tandem offense on the Blade. The Butcher and the Blade caught Jungle Boy on a dive outside the ring and jolted him with a toss into the metal barrier! Now they had the advantage and were using tandem offense against Jungle Boy! “Jungle Boy is hanging on by a thread!” said Jim Ross. Jungle Boy threw every last ounce of strength into a clothesline to the Blade, but he was cut off before making the tag to Luchasaurus. Finally Luchasaurus got the tag and he completely changed the tenor of the match, noted Excalibur. The Butcher and Luchasaurus were slugging it out like the two big hosses that they are! MJF screamed from ringside at the Butcher and the Blade: “Full Death right now!” However, Jurassic Express countered as the Butcher and the Blade were distracted by MJF’s orders. After being planted on the mat, Luchasaurus pinned the Butcher! The Dark Order—Evil Uno and Stu Grayson—walked down to the ring to reveal the identity of the Exalted One! “I have promised the arrival of the Exalted One! Together we are one,” said Evil Uno. Christopher Daniels yelled at ringside for Evil Uno to stop. Daniels grabbed a microphone. “I’m tired of these lies Evil Uno. You’ve wasted our time. We are sick of it. The biggest lie that you’ve told is that there is an Exalted One. It’s just you two!” A video began to play of a bearded man shrouded in white, surrounded by beams of light! The bearded man began to speak and said, “Christopher Daniels, you are not the first old man not to believe in me, but you will be the last. My name is Brodie Lee and I am the Exalted One!” When the video ceased playing, Brodie Lee was in the ring, and like a big rig, he kicked Christopher Daniels, nearly taking his head off! #JoinDarkOrder Tony Schiavone was ringside to interview Lance Archer. Jake “the Snake” Roberts grabbed the microphone from Tony and said Lance was not here to talk. Jake said Cody better pay attention to them because they don’t play games. “To ignore us is like spitting in our face, and we just don’t have that. We won’t have that! Shut me up if you can, and I don’t think you can. So Cody, it’s time for you to stand up and meet the man. We came here for a specific reason and it has become personal. You had your chance—but now we will get your attention.” It was time for the main event! The Inner Circle (“Big Hurt” Jake Hager, Santana and Ortiz, accompanied by “The Spanish God” Sammy Guevara) vs. The Elite (“The American Nightmare” Cody, accompanied by Arn Anderson, Matt Jackson, and “Hangman” Adam Page, with Kenny Omega at his side)—with the winning team earning the advantage at “Blood & Guts!” Le Champion Chris Jericho joined the broadcast team for this match. Santana blindsided Cody at the start of the bout. Cody countered with a powerslam! Matt and Cody utilized quick tags to cut the ring in half and work on Ortiz. Page ran in illegally with a boot to Ortiz. Matt speared Santana, gaining a bit of revenge for his brother Nick Jackson, who wasn’t medically cleared to be at the event after last week’s brutal assault. Page got the tag and followed through with a clothesline to Santana. “You can’t go into a match with the Inner Circle with any animosity amongst your own team, and they’re too stupid to realize that,” said Jericho about the Elite. Hager handed Cody over to Ortiz for the stalled suplex. Santana whipped Cody into the guardrail. Jackson had seen enough and began nailing Ortiz with stiff shots to the head! “Cody has got to try to get one of his partners from the Elite into the match-up,” said Taz. “I don’t like him but I respect him,” added Jericho. Hager started the ground and pound on Cody. Hager put the pressure on Cody, who was trying to reach for his corner and a tag. Hager rammed Cody into the turnbuckles of the Inner Circle’s corner! Cody rallied back with the Cross-Rhodes on Ortiz! Cody began crawling to his corner, but Hager tagged in and tried to stop him. Cody flipped Hager over the top rope! “Hangman” was tagged in finally and cleaned house! He scooped up Santana with the fall away slam, and then went over the top rope onto Hager! Cody connected with a tope suicida onto Ortiz! Cody went after MJF at ringside, but Wardlow grabbed him by the throat. “Nightmare Family” head coach Arn Anderson hit Wardlow with his clipboard! Back in the ring, Page and Jackson suplexed Hager! Jackson had Santana up and called for the IndyTaker to Page, but Jackson was rolled up after Page was pulled from the ring apron! The Inner Circle won the match and the advantage in “Blood & Guts”! Chris Jericho took a microphone and celebrated with the Inner Circle at the top of the ramp, rubbing the victory into the face of the Elite. Jericho said at “Blood & Guts,” the Inner Circle would have the Elite outnumbered, since Nick Jackson was out indefinitely with an injury suffered at the hands of the Inner Circle. There was a loud buzzing, and down came a drone, landing in the center of the ring! Matt Jackson said he had called in a favor to help the Elite. Piano music began to play, and there, standing in the balcony of the arena, was MATT HARDY! Catch all the explosive action as AEW DYNAMITE is broadcast on TNT next week!

Men’s Rankings Women’s Rankings Tag Team Rankings

It has been a chaotic week, to say the least, since “Dynamite” went off the air last Wednesday night in Salt Lake City. But we are committed to bringing our fans the best wrestling action in the world each and every week that we can, and as such, the face of “Blood & Guts” will be determined this week on “Dynamite”! Plus tag team action with two titanic matches, contention in the Women’s Division, and The Exalted One will finally be revealed before the world! It will be one heck of a night this week when AEW hits the airwaves Wednesday night at 8pm EST/7pm CST LIVE on TNT! The Advantage… The Inner Circle vs. The Elite A six-man tag will go down this week on “Dynamite” pitting members of The Inner Circle against members of The Elite, and to the victor goes the advantage for “Blood & Guts”! And what a difference that advantage can make in a match certain to be violent, certain to leave a lasting effect on its participants, and certain to injure the men involved. But it can be argued, as members of The Inner Circle make in the “Road To…” video above, that they already have the advantage going into “Blood & Guts” regardless of the outcome of this 6-Man tag. Nick Jackson is out for the foreseeable future after being assaulted last week, Kenny Omega is still recovering from a broken wrist, and those are just two examples of the PHYSICAL damage within The Elite. Psychologically speaking, they haven’t all been on the same page for months, most notably Hangman Page. After all, he has repeatedly told his estranged brethren he wants nothing to do with them, and even his team with Omega (in spite of the successes) is not one he pursued but rather was foisted upon him by Kenny. Even the instances when Page has assisted the others have seemed more like Hangman just rubbing it in their faces that they needed his help, especially doing so after he and Omega bested The Young Bucks at “Revolution” in their epic World Tag Title match. Watch “Being The Elite” this week (Watch Here) and see for yourself how disconnected Page is from the reality of what’s going on with the others. And that is the situation surrounding this 6-Man tag match for the “Blood & Guts” advantage. The numbers game leaning in the favor of either team for five minutes is clearly desired by both units, but all of the other factors offer another kind of advantage to The Inner Circle that cannot be equaled. They are a well-oiled machine, they are all on the same page, The Elite is not and has not been for a long time. That is an undeniable fact that will loom over everything they try to accomplish, that may sabotage any goal they may have. The Death Triangle… Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr & Rey Fenix) vs. (#4) Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent) At “Revolution”, PAC bested Orange Cassidy, but fans also witnessed The Best Friends get assaulted by the Lucha Bros seemingly out of the blue. Days later on “Dynamite”, the scene was repeated in the aftermath of the PAC/Taylor match when Pentagon, Fenix, and PAC declared themselves The Death Triangle, and put all of AEW on notice. Private Party and Joey Janela felt the wrath of the trio last week, as you can see in the video above, and it has all brought us to this week’s tag team battle! The Lucha Bros find themselves on the outside of the rankings at the moment, but a victory over the fourth ranked team may bump them back into the top 5, and continue the momentum Death Triangle has had since forming in Chicago. For Best Friends, it would be a step closer to proving they deserve a shot at the World Tag Team Titles, as well as a measure of revenge for what has gone down at the hands of Pentagon, Fenix, and PAC in recent weeks. Tag Team Fight… Jurassic Express (Luchasaurus & Jungle Boy) vs. The Butcher & The Blade (w/ The Bunny) Last week fans witnessed Trios action with the full Jurassic Express taking on MJF, The Butcher, and The Blade, with Max picking up a submission victory on Marko Stunt. That may have given MJF some satisfaction, but it did little to quell the competitive fire between the units. It was pretty evident, especially in the moments where The Butcher and Luchasaurus shared the ring, that there was plenty of gas in this tank. The fans wanted to see the two hosses of the AEW roster go toe-to-toe, while Luchasaurus and Butcher certainly wanted to fight it out themselves. This week on “Dynamite”, they will get the chance as JurEx goes to battle with B&B in a tag team grudge match! Both pairs are on the outside of the rankings looking in, so this could also play heavily into their respective chances of getting into title contention. AEW is undoubtedly home to the best tag team wrestling on the planet, and this is just another example of that fact! Four Way Fight… (#1) Hikaru Shida vs. (#2) Riho vs. (#3) Kris Statlander vs. Penelope Ford Last week saw a bit of a shift in the Women’s division within AEW. A tag match pitting Women’s World Champion Nyla Rose and Bea Priestly against Shida and Statlander saw the champion’s team pick up the victory, but then Rose’s partner attacked her, held up the championship belt, then tossed it onto the prone form of Nyla. Bea very clearly declared her intentions in the ring, and again in an interview with Alex Marvez after the fact (Watch Here). Later on, as part of “AEW Dark”, the former AEW Women’s World Champion Riho was in action against Penelope Ford and, in shocking fashion, Ford picked up the victory over Riho! Calling it a shocker to Riho and fans alike would be understatement, but calling it a game changing moment for Penelope Ford would be right on the money. With those two moments in mind, but Bea unfortunately unable to make the travel, officials signed this Four Way Contest for “Dynamite” pitting the top three contenders, and the upstart Ford, against each other this week! You can be sure Nyla Rose will have a close eye on this one as it will certainly impact her life, and the next challenger for the AEW Women’s World Championship! The Exalted One… The time has come for The Exalted One to be revealed. After months of speculation from fans, and within the locker room, after months of listening to Evil Uno rant about the Exalted One being near, or watching, or whatever the case may be, the identity of this individual will finally be brought to light on this week’s “Dynamite”. What will this mean for the future of AEW? Will the revelation bring more people to the side of The Dark Order? There is a lot to be determined when the truth finally comes out, but based on this week’s “Road To…”, Leva Bates and Peter Avalon may already know the answer to a query that has been haunting All Elite Wrestling for months. The answer is nigh… Make sure your eyes are glued to AEW “Dynamite” this week as the face of “Blood & Guts” is determined, the tag team division gets showcased, the women’s division fights over contention, and the truth behind The Dark Order finally comes to light. It all goes down on TNT at 8pm EST/7pm CST when All Elite Wrestling goes LIVE with “Dynamite”!!

Since their initial debut with All Elite Wrestling, The Dark Order has been a malevolent force, inflicting pain on their targets while simultaneously preying upon the more downtrodden individuals on the rosters. The ones in need of allies, the ones with a strong imbalance on the loss side of their win-loss record, the ones looking to find their place on a roster loaded with talent from top to bottom. Even outside the wrestling ring, if their propaganda vignettes are to be taken as fact, they have reached out into those in the civilian ranks to lure followers into The Dark Order. What the actual number of devotees may be is a guess, speculative, a quantity likely known only to The Exalted One and its public representatives, Stu Grayson and Evil Uno. When The Dark Order has appeared en masse, the numbers fluctuate, and in the earliest days, often took the form of a human throne upon which Uno would sit. It was an eerie sight, a mass of masked humanity upon which Uno sat, using the bodies as his pulpit from which to deliver the gospel of The Dark Order, while Grayson stood by his side in barely contained fury. As the weeks passed, the idea of just what The Dark Order truly was began to coalesce into form. Propaganda posters made their way into arenas, videos of that bent began to appear on TV and make their viral way through the internet via programs like Being The Elite, Road To, and others. Recruitment within the locker room began in earnest, and despite The Dark Order being unsuccessful in the World Tag Team Title Tournament, their message began to find a home in the ears of some, particularly John Silver and Alex Reynolds. Despite successful careers prior to coming to AEW, Silver and Reynolds could not seem to get out of the starting gate here. That frustration proved fertile ground for the seeds Dark Order had been planting, and ultimately led to the two men donning the masks of The Dark Order. But something was different here for Alex and John… For starters, they were not relegated to the nondescript gear worn by the Creepers who have surrounded Uno & Grayson since day one. Second, the masks they wear also bear unique markings that seem to separate John and Alex from the rest of the pack. And finally, as for the masks, unlike the fodder, Silver and Reynolds are not perpetually concealed behind those masks. They enter the arena with their faces displayed, and only don the coverings when it is time for the fight. Then you have the case of Stu Grayson who wears no mask, rather has something akin to war paint adorning his face. Clearly there is some sort of hierarchy within The Dark Order, some meaning to the designs on the mask and the fact Grayson has never worn one himself, but answers will not be forthcoming from anyone in that camp. The masks have also led to rampant speculation as to what other, if there are any, members of the All Elite Wrestling locker room have bought into what The Dark Order is selling. We have seen the likes of CIMA, Michael Nakazawa, and Orange Cassidy, among others, courted to join The Dark Order, on most occasions playing off of disappointing AEW records, and life frustrations, as they did with Silver and Reynolds. We have witnessed Evil Uno sew seeds of distrust and misdirection within SCU, causing Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian to question Christopher Daniels’ allegiances, and Daniels to even question himself. Fan even began to speculate that The Fallen Angel was The Exalted One, but Daniels put that all to rest at “Revolution” when he joined SCU and Colt Cabana to fight off The Dark Order. And that brings this exploration to the figure central to The Dark Order: The Exalted One. In the beginning, it appeared Evil Uno was the driving force behind The Dark Order. The human throne was formed for him, Grayson clearly serving as his violent muscle to enforce the intent of The Dark Order, while the Creepers are merely a weapon to be pointed at a target. But as time rolled on, as the recruitment videos began to proliferate, it became clear there was more than meets the eye. This was an organization preying on the disenfranchised, in and out of wrestling, and when The Exalted One was first mentioned, it provided an identity behind the whole organization. Or at least the idea of an identity… Immediately fans began to speculate the identity of The Exalted One with guesses ranging from the aforementioned Christopher Daniels to wrestlers not even on the AEW roster. The clues were sparse, forcing the inner detective in every one into overdrive as fans attempted to decipher the truth. All Uno had to offer was that the Exalted One was always watching, and always close. People even went so far as to try to voice analyze videos in which we were privy to the voice of The Exalted One but not the visual. Is it someone hiding in plain sight? The messages from Uno, the eerie images, they have become increasingly frequent on social media, and the spokesman from the recruitment videos has even made his presence known on live television on “Dynamite”. With the amped up social media presence, the Christopher Daniels incident, the recently started investigation by Leva Bates and Peter Avalon, it all felt like something big was just on the horizon for All Elite Wrestling and The Dark Order. It was beginning to seem like The Exalted One had wormed within the fabric of AEW, and only Uno & Grayson knew the end game. But, as it would be announced on “Dynamite” this past Wednesday, the Exalted One will be revealed this coming Wednesday when we go live on TNT at 8pm EST/7pm CST! It feels like this person has been in our midst for months, and now we will know for certain when “Dynamite” hits the airwaves this week. What will be the repercussions of this reveal for All Elite Wrestling, and will anyone else stand by the side of The Dark Order once this unveiling occurs? Tune in Wednesday night to find out!

As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, the AEW DYNAMITE show on April 15 in Boston, MA, will be relocated.  The relocated show will be televised live on TNT on April 15. Until further notice, live episodes of DYNAMITE will be produced at closed set locations with essential personnel only. The DYNAMITE show in Boston will be rescheduled for Wednesday, August 5, at Agganis Arena.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Boston show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on August 5. Additional details will be forthcoming. We appreciate your understanding as the safety and well-being of our fans and talent is always our top priority.  We will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation related to COVID-19 and be guided by government officials, health organizations and venue management.

MILWAUKEE As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, the AEW DYNAMITE show on April 1 in Milwaukee, WI, will be relocated.  The show will be televised live on TNT on April 1. The DYNAMITE show in Milwaukee will be rescheduled for Wednesday, October 28, at the UWM Panther Arena.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Milwaukee show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on October 28.  Additional details will be forthcoming. ST. LOUIS The AEW DYNAMITE show on April 8 in St. Louis, MO, will also be relocated.  This show will be televised live on TNT on April 8. The DYNAMITE show in St. Louis will be rescheduled for Wednesday, October 7, at Chaifetz Arena.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the St. Louis show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on Oct. 7.  Additional details will be forthcoming. We appreciate your understanding as the safety and well-being of our fans and talent is always our top priority.  We will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation related to COVID-19 and be guided by government officials, health organizations and venue management.

ROCHESTER: As a precautionary measure against COVID-19, we are relocating next week’s AEW DYNAMITE show on March 18 from Rochester, NY, to Jacksonville, FL.  This show will be televised live on TNT from Daily’s Place, and be managed under a restricted attendance policy.  The DYNAMITE show in Rochester will be rescheduled for Wednesday, July 8, at Blue Cross Arena. Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Rochester show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on July 8.  Additional details will be forthcoming. NEWARK: In addition, the DYNAMITE show on March 25 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, will be relocated to a new venue, which will be announced shortly.  This show will be televised live on TNT on March 25, and be managed under a restricted attendance policy.  The DYNAMITE show in Newark will be rescheduled for Wednesday, July 22, at the Prudential Center. Fans who have already purchased tickets to the Newark show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase, or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on July 22.  Additional details will be forthcoming. We appreciate your understanding as the safety and well-being of our fans and talent is always our top priority.  We will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation related to COVID-19 and be guided by government officials, health organizations and venue management.

***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live on TNT from the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City, UT! Excalibur, Tony Schiavone,…

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