AEW

***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** Tonight’s show opened with Jake “the Snake” Roberts discussing his client, “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer. “You know when TNT came up with this championship and wanting to put somebody out there in front, I think it was made for us, and I’ll tell you why: they would love to have Lance Archer there. You want to take somebody to a party, take him into a party. Everybody’s gonna look. Everybody’s gonna bow down. When he walks into a place, he commands attention. Lance was made for this. “In our minds, that championship belt is a bone. Do you really wanna come and try to take this bone away from that dog? Lance is going to enjoy this because each time he wins he knows he’s going to be getting a little bit closer to what we want. “Colt Cabana—I’ve watched you for years. I know what you’re capable of. And you got some stuff…but not near good enough. You look at Lance Archer. 275 lbs. of raw steel, man. He’s got an attitude. He’s got a chip on his shoulder. He was pushed out of this country, man, and forced to go to Japan just to make a damn living. And he’s pissed off. “He’s got something none of you people have: he’s a friggin animal. Listen to me or regret it. It’s your choice.” Tony Schiavone and “Le Champion” Chris Jericho ran down tonight’s card from the broadcast table. Our opening contest tonight was match #2 in the TNT Championship Tournament! In the tournament quarter final, it’s “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer vs. “Boom Boom” Colt Cabana! Colt and Archer met face to face in the ring and Archer belted Colt with a stiff shot, knocking him off his feet before the bell rang. Colt tried to fight back with strikes of his own but Archer rocked Colt again. “Colt’s not going to back down. He’s a veteran,” said Schiavone. Colt fired up and started chopping Archer’s chest. This only angered Archer, who plowed into Colt with a shoulder block. Colt wrenched Archer with a wristlock. Colt ran into the corner but Archer caught him midflight and manhandled him right down to the mat! “Colt is going to have to change his style here because Archer just wants to fight,” noted Chris Jericho. Archer raked Colt’s eyes. Archer caught a chop from Colt and turned it into a lariat. Archer was dropping fists onto Colt. While Colt was on his knees, Archer dared him to punch him in the face! Colt gave it a shot, but Archer shrugged it off. Archer spun off the turnbuckle and splashed onto Colt! “Colt’s not going to give up,” said Le Champion. Colt moved out of the way from a big splash from Archer. Colt nailed Archer with an elbow right on the dome and followed up with flying head scissors! Colt scored a close near fall on Archer. Colt tossed in some jabs at Archer, but Archer just smiled. “He likes being hit in the face. He likes being punched,” said Schiavone. Archer ran into Colt, nearly pouncing him right out of his boots! He chokeslammed Colt. Archer pinned Colt after the blackout, propelling him into the semifinals of the tournament! “Colt Cabana had a good showing but Lance Archer is going to be tough to beat,” said Jericho. Ariel Helwani from ESPN gave some insight via video into tonight’s #HagerVMox match. His pick to win was Jake Hager, “…my fellow MMA guy. A rising star still in the sport, still breaking barriers. He has been in a cage. He is undefeated as an MMA fighter. This man has seen it all, he has done it all. I’m going with Hager to beat Jon Moxley.” Next was AEW announcer “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz: “You know the deal, it’s no-holds-barred, it’s empty arena. It’s knuckle up time. And I do think that’s exactly what our champion Jon Moxley has to do—knuckle up. Avoid the mat as much as possible. I do think Mox turns this thing into a straight fight. It’s gonna be hard but I do think Mox retains the AEW World Title.” “The Golden One” Cassandra Golden vs. Dr.Britt Baker was next! Hikaru Shida was watching from the ringside area behind the barricade. Anna Jayy was also in the crowd. Baker kicked Golden’s knee out from under her. She followed up with a superkick! Golden was draped over the middle rope while Baker pushed down with her bodyweight, putting pressure on Golden’s esophagus. Baker forced Golden to bite onto the bottom rope and then stomped the back of her head! Baker then pinned Golden for the victory. “Look at that! She’s going to need a root canal,” said Jericho. Mike Goldberg from Bellator MMA gave his prediction for tonight’s #HagerVMox match: “My buddy Jake Hager is going to put a beating on the champion and leave with the belt. Here we go!” A vignette of “The Bubbly Bunch” aired, wherein Chris Jericho and “The Inner Circle” cracked jokes about their competition. This was followed by Suge D (aka “Pineapple Pete”) vs. “The Spanish God” Sammy Guevara! Guevara started with an impressive go-behind and then a float-over on Suge. Sammy floored Suge with a big knee to the face. Sammy clubbed Suge with a forearm to the lumbar region, and then a kick. Sammy sent Suge crashing to the mat with a standing vertical suplex. Sammy turned Suge inside out with a lariat. Suge moved out of the way of a splash, and then ducked a punch from Sammy. Suge followed up with some offense but it was short-lived as Sammy countered with a running knee to Suge’s head. Sammy had Suge up in an inverted torture rack and then dropped Suge right on his knee! This was more than enough for Sammy to finish off Suge. “Let me give you an example of how I’m going to beat the hell out of Darby Allin,” said Sammy on the microphone. Sammy started stomping a mud hole on Suge until Darby ran in for the save! Darby Allin invited Sammy into the ring, but “The Spanish God” retreated to the locker room. “Big” John McCarthy of Bellator MMA gave his prediction for tonight’s #HagerVMox match: “I gotta say Jon Moxley is a tough dude but Jake Hager has been arm-triangling everyone in professional wrestling, in MMA, and that’s what’s gonna happen to Jon Moxley. Standby…Jake Hager, AEW World Heavyweight Champion, it’s gonna happen, I guarantee it!” Next was “Superbad” Kip Sabian (with Penelope Ford) vs. Chuck Taylor (with “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy)! The match began with excellent chain wrestling, but Chuck got the best of it after a shoulder block. Kip stopped Chuck’s momentum after he caught him with a kick from the second turnbuckle. Chuckie T. fired up and dropped an elbow onto Kip. He lit up Kip’s chest in the corner with knife-edged chops. Chuck stepped out of the way of a baseball slide dropkick from Kip to the outside. Chuck Taylor set up Kip for a suplex and dropped him on the edge of the ring! Kip moved out of the way of a moonsault attempt from Chuck and then connected with a missile dropkick. Kip hit European uppercuts onto Chuck. Kip threw Chuck to the outside of the ring where Penelope Ford kicked him with her heels on. Back in the ring, Kip worked over Chuck’s back with more knees. Chuck was stuck on the top turnbuckle but fought Kip off him. Chuck attempted a moonsault but landed on his feet. He was able to follow up with a sit-out powerbomb to Kip for a near fall. Chuck called for the Falcon Arrow but Kip slipped behind. Kip ran into Chuckie who used Kip’s momentum against him, sending him crashing to the mat with another sit-out powerbomb. Chuck missed a double stomp from the top rope and Kip blasted him with a knee and a right cross for a two-count. Kip, frustrated, began windmilling punches onto Chuck’s back. Chuck countered Kip’s swinging DDT, but was distracted by Penelope Ford, who had climbed onto the ring apron. Orange Cassidy jumped onto the ring apron to do the same to Kip. Jimmy Havoc jumped the barricade and spiked Cassidy onto the ground! Penelope Ford connected with a top rope hurracarana onto Chuck as the ref had her back turned. Kip rolled up Chuckie T. for the victory! Justin Law vs. “The Chairman” Shawn Spears followed! Spears sized up Law before the bell rang. He snapmared Law over. Spears sandwiched Law into the corner and the beating started. Spears finished Law with a running C4 for the three-count, not even taking the time to remove his t-shirt for the match. This was a quick and decisive victory for Spears. He didn’t even break a sweat. It was time for the main event! In an Empty Arena, No Holds Barred Match for the AEW World Championship, the challenger—Jake Hager vs. the champion—Jon Moxley! Jim Ross was on commentary by himself for the main event. Paul Turner was the official for the match. “Jake Hager has been training for an MMA fight in Bellator since February. He’s lean. He’s got great cardio,” noted J.R. Mox walked to the ring holding his heavyweight championship title. “If this goes outside and becomes unconventional, I like Moxley in his very first title defense since defeating Le Champion Chris Jericho back at REVOLUTION,” said Jim Ross. Both wrestlers began feeling each other out as the match began. Mox got the first takedown with a quick back heel trip on Hager. Moxley was looking for wrist control and then some submission action, but Hager got a rope break. Hager pulled out and gave a stiff right hand to Moxley. Mox changed levels, trying to control the right ankle of Hager. After a clean break, Hager’s knees found their mark in Mox’s abdomen. Mox started chopping back, and then dropped several elbows onto Hager’s head. Moxley gave up a wristlock in favor of an STF. Hager slipped out of it and started working over Mox’s lower abdomen again with clean shots. The two right-handers slugged it out in the middle of the ring! Mox tossed Hager over the top rope to the outside. “This might be more in Moxley’s world,” noted Jim Ross. Mox hit a plancha onto Hager to the outside and went for the cross arm-breaker. Hager escaped and started dropping sledgehammers onto Moxley. The two began brawling, with Hager whipping Mox into the barricade. Mox raked Hager’s eyes and then flipped Hager over the security railing. Mox attempted a Gotch-style piledriver onto the concrete floor but Hager reversed it with a backdrop. “The concrete is remorseless,” said Ross. Hager kicked Mox square in the jaw! He connected with a straight right hand to Mox’s jawline. Mox fired up with big time forearms and knee shots. Hager went on the defense, blocking most of the knees. Mox applied the figure-four leg lock onto Mox as his legs were wrapped around a guardrail. “Hager went down but he doesn’t stay down,” said Ross. Mox had Hager in a front facelock but then the challenger whipped Mox into the guardrail. He dropped Mox shoulder-first onto the guardrail. Mox spat at Hager! Hager hurled Mox into the steel ring steps. Back in the ring, Mox moved out of the way of a Hager-bomb and followed up with a nice running knee! After the two combatants traded forearms and knees, Hager planted Mox with a gut wrench powerbomb for a two-count! Like a locomotive, Hager ran into Mox again and again! Mox momentarily neutralized Hager with a running clothesline. Mox went for another Gotch-style piledriver but Hager picked the ankle and went for the ankle lock. Mox countered with an inside cradle for a two-count! Hager jumped off the turnbuckle and Mox caught him with a DDT! Mox went to roll-up Hager but Hager countered with a chokehold submission! Mox grabbed the rope and got the break. “It’s anybody’s ballgame here,” said J.R. Mox was on his knees with Hager standing above him. Mox encouraged Hager to punch him. “Yeah?” asked Hager. Hager answered the call. Hager then took a steel chair to Mox’s abdomen. Hager placed the steel chair between the second and third turnbuckles. Mox charged Hager who sidestepped him. Mox ran headfirst into the steel chair! Hager got a two-count here. “He almost won it again,” said Jim Ross. Hager swung the chair at Mox’s ankle, and then put the ankle lock on Mox! Mox countered, taking down Hager, trying to get a submission from the bottom. Hager was able to power up and hoisted Mox up to his feet. They began exchanging strikes again! Hager used a low blow on Mox, but Mox slung a chair at Hager’s face, and then dropped him onto the chair with the Paradigm Shift! Jon Moxley covered Jake Hager and pinned him for the three-count! Catch all the explosive action as AEW DYNAMITE is broadcast on TNT next week!

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AEW’s DOUBLE OR NOTHING event will be televised on pay-per-view as scheduled on Saturday, May 23, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT).  Additional details related to DOUBLE OR NOTHING, which was initially scheduled to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, will be revealed in the weeks ahead with features of the event itself ultimately being determined by the latest guidance of national and global health authorities. The highly anticipated event will be available for purchase via iN DEMAND cable operators, DirecTV, DISH Network and B/R Live.  International fans can purchase the event at FITE.TV. The DOUBLE OR NOTHING live event originally scheduled May 23, 2020, has been rescheduled for the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, May 29, 2021.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the May 23, 2020, show will be offered a refund via the point of purchase or have their original ticket valid for admission to the event on May 29, 2021. The AEW DYNAMITE show originally scheduled for Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Las Vegas has been canceled.  Fans who have already purchased tickets to the DYNAMITE show will be issued a full refund within 30 days by their financial institution. As illustrated in our mission statement, the safety and well-being of our fans and talent is always our top priority.  AEW is grateful to MGM Grand Hotel and Resorts and everyone close to and within the AEW family – including fans – for their patience and understanding, and sends thanks around the world to healthcare and other frontline workers who are answering the call to protect and serve their communities.

It’s almost Wednesday night, and you know what that means! Time for another exciting edition of AEW “Dynamite”, coming at you on TNT at 8pm EST/7pm CST , and continuing to offer the most exciting wrestling action available via your television screen! Last week fans witnessed Cody advance to the semi-finals of the TNT Title, Shida and Baker have a match that became a bloody fight, Archer and Mr. Brodie both destroy their competition, and Matt Hardy extend an invitation to Chris Jericho. This week AEW presents, not only the second Quarter-final match of the TNT Title Tournament with Colt and Archer, but also an AEW World Championship Match pitting Jon Moxley against his challenger Jake Hager. But the caveat here, what might be the biggest game changer, is that this one is coming under No Holds Barred stipulations inside the Empty Arena. Plus a slew of other bouts on top for you Wednesday night! **RANKINGS AS OF 4/8** AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH EMPTY ARENA/NO HOLDS BARRED JON MOXLEY(c) VS. (#1) JAKE HAGER The very first defense for a World Champion is often just as important as the match in which the championship was won in the first place. A win in that first defense validates the original victory, proves it was not just a fluke, solidifies that combatant as truly deserving of being called champion, and marks the true beginning of a title reign. That being said, it’s not often that first defense falls under THESE stipulations, and with two warriors the likes of AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and his number one contender Jake Hager. We have seen Mox go through wars, Unsanctioned Lights Out ones with Kenny Omega and Joey Janela for examples, not to mention the general violence he has experienced since coming to AEW. The violence that nearly cost him his eyesight at the hands of Chris Jericho, that laid him out with a powerbomb off the stage by Hager, and saw Mox routinely assaulted by The Inner Circle during his pursuit of the AEW World Title. So to must we look at the violence perpetrated by Moxley himself; the key used to try and take the sight of Santana, the bottle of the bubbly broke across the skull of Jericho, even the glass table that met Omega’s head and heralded the arrival of Moxley to “Dynamite”. He has experienced the violence, he has dealt it out, Jon Moxley is equally comfortable on both ends of that stick. Hager has also experienced violence in his life; as a two-sport athlete in college, before choosing to focus on amateur wrestling, then inside the professional wrestling ring, and now also inside the cage for Bellator MMA. He is an All-American record holder on the amateur mat, inside the squared circle Hager has been a champion several times over, and has not been defeated in his MMA career. He is a dominant force in AEW, and a member in great standing of The Inner Circle, meaning he has several other man supporting him at the drop of a hat. But all that being taken into consideration, he has never experienced the level of violence Jon Moxley can bring under these circumstances. That being said… Unrestrained, unrestricted, uncontrolled; we all know what that means when it comes Moxley, but we’ve never seen Jake Hager in that light. What darkness lies in that man’s soul just waiting to be unleashed in a situation such as this World Title match? How much hurt can Hager bring down on his opponent when there isn’t anything preventing him from opening up without consequence? And will it be enough to put down Moxley long enough to become the new AEW World Champion, and bring the title back into The Inner Circle? Questions to be answered this Wednesday night, and the announcing legend himself, Jim Ross, will be at the helm to call this main event! TNT TITLE QUARTER-FINAL MATCH… “MURDERHAWK MONSTER” LANCE ARCHER VS. COLT “BOOM BOOM” CABANA Colt Cabana, Lance Archer, the two undefeated men who will square off in this week’s Quarter-Final bout of the TNT Title Tournament, and they could not be more different. Colt Cabana is world traveled, just as comfortable with throwing elbows as throwing one-liners. He has toured the UK to adopt aspects of the British Styles of wrestling into his own, and he has traveled throughout Japan to experience the varied styles of wrestling there as well. Colt has flourished Stateside, acquiring championships from coast-to-coast, and served as an inspiration for many a wrestler to follow in his footsteps. His influence on the wrestling world, both inside and outside of the ring, cannot be stated enough, and he’s pretty adept at commentary to boot. Lance Archer may be a psychopath. But that is not all he has to offer, no, see the Murderhawk Monster is also a world-traveled athlete, with a resume in Japan that is as impressive for the victories as it is for the path of destruction left in his wake. Archer has also collected his fair share of championships over the last 20 years, and now has his sights set on one more in the TNT Title. Near 7 feet tall, well over 250 pounds, with the veteran experience and the twisted mind of Jake Roberts guiding the path, Archer is truly a monster and has to be considered a favorite to win this entire tournament. But Colt Cabana has faced monsters before in his career, including Archer, and found ways to come out victorious. Whether or not that will be the case here remains to be seen Wednesday night. ONE-ON-ONE “SUPERBAD” KIP SABIAN (W/ PENELOPE FORD) VS. CHUCK TAYLOR (W/ ORANGE CASSIDY) Quite an intriguing match-up as one-half of The Best Friends goes into singles action, for just the second time in his AEW career, against “Superbad”. Sabian falls into that category of athletes who are supremely talented, they know it, and it makes them arrogant no matter what their win-loss record make look like here in AEW. Kip could win every match, or lose every match, and he would still present as cocky, confident, and entitled, but imagine how much more insufferable Kip would be if his 2020 record was over five hundred None of those descriptors seem remotely applicable to Kip’s “Dynamite” opponent this week: Chuck Taylor. If anything, pretty much every detail of Chuck Taylor, save his in-ring skill, is polar opposite of Sabian. Chuck is self-deprecating, humble, and endearing to others, someone you’d actually want to be around, and, in terms of AEW, someone who has fought hard his whole career to get where he is today. And although his AEW career has been very much tag team focused, one need only look at the battle with PAC to see just how capable Chuckie T is of standing on his own when the times comes. Keep your eyes on this one. A PROMISE… “SPANISH GOD” SAMMY GUEVARA VS. SUGAR DUNKERTON (AKA PINEAPPLE PETE) Go back and check out last week’s episode of “Dynamite” and you will quickly pick up on just how annoyed Le Champion is with a certain group of individuals watching the matches at ringside. He labels them with creative nicknames, gets mad if they even breath wrong, and one individual in particular bears the brunt of that wrath: Pineapple Pete! In truth, Pineapple Pete is independent wrestler Sugar Dunkerton, or Suge D as he is often billed, and who was recently seen on “AEW Dark” in a losing effort against Kip Sabian. A veteran of over 15 years, Dunkerton has wrestled all around the country, and spent a great deal of time the last several years competing in the United Kingdom. But between the Sabian match in March and (for better or worse) “Pineapple Pete”, Sugar has had his greatest exposure these last several weeks in AEW. Unfortunately for Dunkerton though, part of that exposure was raising the ire of the former AEW World Champion, and Sammy Guevara has taken it upon himself to set the things right. Jericho has been saying for weeks that The Inner Circle is always on the same page, that they are a united front, and this is just another match that proves that fact. This is not Sammy’s battle, it may not even be a battle at all in reality, but it is enough that Jericho was annoyed by “Pineapple Pete” last week to cause Guevara to promise he would take on this match. Is it the smartest move for Sammy to take on this match that he doesn’t need to (yet requested) just as the TNT Title Tournament is getting underway? That’s debatable, the risking of injury and whatnot for example, but clearly it is worth it for Sammy to appease Jericho. And while this match may be one Guevara is considering a lock, it is the absolute biggest opportunity of Sugar Dunkerton’s career and rest assured he is plenty aware of that fact. A victory here, on TNT, over a member of The Inner Circle, and right before Sammy starts his run in the TNT Title Tournament, it’s the potential for a career changing moment. Can “Pineapple Pete” seize the opportunity? SHAWN SPEARS IN ACTION… “The Chairman” is coming off a loss in his Quarter-Final match-up of the TNT Championship Title Tournament last week, and a truly heartbreaking one at that seeing as how it was Cody who handed him the defeat. This week for Shawn Spears it is time to, as the song goes, dust yourself off and try again. Time to get back in the saddle, to lace up those boots, to get back on the horse; take your pick of these old idioms and they all apply to the situation Spears finds himself in here in AEW. The TNT Title Tournament was not the launching pad Spears had hoped, but it is a lesson he can learn from, as it is certain Tully Blanchard has told him, and that experience can pay dividends starting this week. Whomever is standing across the ring from Spears come Wednesday night best be wary. DR. BAKER LOOKS TO REBOUND… The number four ranked women in AEW, Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D went through an absolute fight last week against Hikaru Shida. It left her battered, beaten, and bloodied, but also proved to the other women in the division, as well as to Baker herself, that she could get just as down and dirty as anyone else on the roster. At times, Britt even seemed to relish the crimson streaming down her face courtesy of Shida, and it certainly brought out a side of the good doctor fans had not seen before. Unfortunately for Baker, that added motivation of tasting her own blood, it wasn’t enough to power her on to a victory over the top ranked woman in AEW. So, as with Shawn Spears, so to does Britt find herself in a position to rebuild, and reclaim the position at the top of the mountain that she feels is rightfully hers. After all, how can you call yourself the face of the division when you aren’t the one carrying the World Title with you? PRE- & POST-DYNAMITE… And make sure you tune into AEW’s official YouTube page (Click Here) BEFORE and AFTER “Dynamite” hits the air to join the discussions! Alex Abrahantes brings you the “Dynamite” Pre-Show starting off at 6:30pm, while Taz and Excalibur bring to you the Post-Game immediately following “Dynamite”! It’s your chance to hear the break down of the event before it happens, and analyze it after the fact with the voices of All Elite Wrestling! With a World Title match on tap, a second Quarter-Final match in the TNT Title Tournament, and a whole lot more on tap, this is shaping up to be one explosive edition of “Dynamite” coming to you this Wednesday night on TNT at 8pm EST/7pm CST!

***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** We fade in to Jake “the Snake” Roberts, sitting alone in a room. He addresses “The American Nightmare” Cody. “Tick…tock…tick…tock, here were are again folks. My history will not be my destiny. Famous words…quoted by me. Let me ask you a simple question: Would you stand in front of a train that was barreling down that track? “Would you jump out of an airplane without a parachute? “Would you stand in the ring and look at Lance Archer and think you’ve got a prayer of winning? “See all three things, you’ll wind up in the same position: done. You step in the ring with Lance Archer and it is done! “You see what happened to poor Marko, and I know what happened to you, Marko. Nobody else wanted it and you saw that as an opportunity to prove to everybody—you thought—that you were willing and you were a man. Marko sometimes it’s better to be thought a fool than to speak up or take action and erase all doubt. You’re an idiot. “Now Cody please don’t let this one slip away from you. I gotta funny feeling about this one that you might just get beat by Shawn Spears. That’d surprise everyone but me. See I’m looking for you to do that, to let him get away from you, banana peel slip, ‘Oh, I didn’t mean for that to happen.’ So you don’t have to face us. Cody are you a man or a mouse? Squeak up. Tell me.” Fade out. This week’s DYNAMITE kicked off with Tony Schiavone and Le Champion Chris Jericho doing commentary. Tony asked Jericho what he thought of Jake “the Snake” Roberts’ comments. “He’s the master of manipulation. Jake Roberts is one of the greatest minds the wrestling business has ever seen and now he’s instilling all of that knowledge and attitude into Lance Archer,” said Jericho. Our opening contest was The Murderhawk Monster Lance Archer against Alan Angels! The Murderhawk Monster began right away mauling the competition. Archer gave Angels an overhand suplex from a chokeslam position! “I’ve never seen anything like that before, Tony!” said Jericho. “Archer will face Colt Cabana in the first round of the tournament coming up,” added Tony. Lance Archer finished up with a running elbow and then “the Blackout” for the three-count! “He blacks out another one, decimating Alan Angels,” said Tony. “Lance Archer dominates tonight!” concluded Jericho. Our next match was Dr. Britt Baker vs. Hikaru Shida (10th week as #1 Title Contender)! Baker ducked out of the way from Shida. They got into a shoving match, but Baker pulled Shida’s hair. Shida fought back with forearm strikes. Baker took out Shida’s educated feet, and began pulling Shida’s hair again. Shida had enough and started pulling Baker’s hair. Baker gave a high knee lift to Shida and almost scored an early victory. Shida kicked out at two! Baker was throwing hard punches to Shida’s face! Baker stretched Shida over the ropes, pulling back on her arms. Baker and Shida started brawling on the outside. Baker was draped over the steel barricade and Shida delivered a running knee! Shida almost got the win with a vertical suplex on Baker. Shida rolled up Baker with a triangle choke/armbreaker combo, but Baker was able to grab a rope to cause the ref to break the hold. Baker countered with a sling blade and then a butterfly suplex for a near fall! “These two ladies have turned it on!” said Tony. Baker used a side leg sweep and tried for the mandible claw, but this time Shida grabbed a rope! The two slugged it out in the center of the ring and then traded thrust kicks. Baker was bleeding from the nose. “She might have a busted nose,” observed Jericho. Shida hit the Tiger Driver on Baker! Baker countered by rolling up Shida for a two-count! Baker trapped Shida and asked the ref for a rubber glove before she applied the mandible claw. Shida capitalized on the momentary delay and blasted Baker with a running knee to the bloodied nose! “These girls are pounding the hell out of each other,” said Tony. Shida deadlifted Baker on the turnbuckles and dropped her straight down! Shida finished Baker with a giant running knee for the three-count! “We have seen a battle!” said Tony. Kenny Omega and Michael Nakazawa were shown from earlier in the day getting ready for tonight’s match. “What’s it been like, six, seven years? We made a good team in DDT. But we need a name. Any ideas?” asked Kenny. “Yeah. The Best Friends,” replied Nakazawa. “AEW already has a team named ‘The Best Friends,’” laughed Kenny. “Yeah, but we really are best friends. You’re an EVP. You can make it happen. Change it,” said Nakazawa. “I’ll think about it,” said Kenny. The door opened from inside their trailer and Orange Cassidy popped out, seemingly having listened to the entire conversation. Cassidy was not pleased and he let Trent and Chuck Taylor inside. “We heard everything you said and you should be ashamed. You wanna take our name?!” yelled Trent. “We’ll put it on the line!” added Chuckie T. “I guess it’s a match and if we win, we’ll be ‘The Best Friends,’” Kenny said to Nakazawa. A highlight package aired previewing next week’s Empty Arena No Holds Barred Match! It’ll be “The Big Hurt” Jake Hager challenging the champ Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship! “Me and Jake Hager are not in the business of putting smiles on people’s faces. This is a fight. This is gonna be ugly. This is violent,” said Moxley. Hager: “I’m a prizefighter. I don’t want to be champion for the love of the sport. I want to be champion because it pays more.” The next match was Best Friends—Chuck Taylor & Trent (accompanied by “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy) vs. Kenny Omega & Michael Nakazawa! Shawn Spears was sitting in the front row and yelled to Michael Nakazawa to impress him, because Spears is still looking for a tag-team partner. Omega and Taylor squared off first for their respective teams. Taylor took down Omega with two quick arm drags a la Ricky Steamboat. Trent was tagged in and came down with a double-ax handle onto Kenny’s arm. Nakazawa poured baby oil down his chest. Trent tried to chop him, but he kept slipping off. Omega and Nakazawa showed off some tremendous tag-team strategies, working over Trent in the corner. “This is part of Kenny Omega’s brilliance. He has many different styles,” said Le Champion. The Best Friends showed off tandem offense of their own with twin topes. Orange Cassidy entered the ring and was able to distract Omega and Nakazawa for The Best Friends. Nakazawa squirted baby oil into Orange’s eyes, but Orange’s sunglasses protected him. Orange jumped onto Omega on the outside! Omega connected with a backstabber and then the snapdragon suplex on Trent! Omega went after Chuckie T., but Trent stopped Omega with a running boot. Chuck planted Omega with a powerbomb, but Michael Nakazawa stopped the count short with interference. Nakazawa put the Ultimate Venom Arm on Trent! He tried again and inadvertently connected with partner Kenny Omega! Trent gave Michael Nakazawa a nasty piledriver, and then The Best Friends spiked him with their combo for the three count! Both teams gave a big group hug of friendship after the match. A video aired of The Exalted One—Brodie Lee. He pulled up in a Mercedes and asked the minions awaiting outside if they understood the concept that perception equaled reality. “I am here to make every single life I touch extraordinary. And when it gets laborious, when it becomes a sacrifice to you, that means you are looking at the exit ramp and not the highway ahead where the next sign reads: Unlimited Power. Unlimited Success.” Mr. Brodie pointed to one of the minions who was wearing a necktie and said he had a job for him, and he escorted him through a back door marked with a sign that read:“AEW”. Matt Hardy greeted us at the Hardy compound. “Chris Jericho, last week you insulted my allies The Elite. I know the Circle that is Internal thinks they are going to take over All Elite Wrestling. But I cannot and will not allow that!” Hardy called for Vanguard 1, who had set fire to the shirt that it had taken from Chris Jericho last week. “It’s a dumpster fire. This is what is going to happen to the Inner Circle. They are going to become a dumpster fire because they shall be broken! Myself and The Elite shall Delete! Delete! Delete them!” Hardy challenged Le Champion Chris Jericho. “I have a very special offer for you. Accept my invitation. Come to the Hardy compound. Face me in the Elite Deletion!” Lee Johnson vs. “The Exalted One” Brodie Lee was next! Lee Johnson tried for a dropkick as the bell rang, but he was swatted away by The Exalted One! Mr. Brodie used a senton on his opponent, and then a spinning slam! He followed up with a spinning discus lariat, making short work of Lee Johnson! In a Quarter Final Match in the TNT Championship Tournament—it was “The Chairman” Shawn Spears vs. “The American Nightmare” Cody (accompanied to the ring by Brandi Rhodes)! The two locked horns and Cody took down Spears with a headlock. Spears grappled his way out from Cody’s grip. Spears lifted a knee to Cody’s midsection and lit him up with chops! Cody took down Spears again, this time with a leg sweep. Spears rolled to the outside to buy some time. Cody used the ropes to springboard into a cutter for a two-count on Spears! Cody worked over Spears arm, but Spears rolled Cody up for a near fall. Cody knocked Spears into the corner with stiff forearm shots. Spears kicked out of multiple pinning attempts by Cody. Spears rolled out of the way of a moonsault and then planted Cody with a piledriver! Spears whipped Cody into the turnbuckles. Cody rolled to the outside and Spears followed him. Spears disassembled one of the guardrails and propped it against the side of the ring. Spears suplexed Cody down onto the metal guardrail! Back in the ring, Spears scoop slammed Cody. Spears went for a springboard splash but Cody lifted up his knees just in time! Cody started a comeback with knees and a big powerslam! Cody missed “Beautiful Disaster” and Spears countered for a two-count! Spears slid a table from underneath the ring, but Cody knocked him down with a running dive! Cody climbed to the top rope but Spears met him there and launched him onto the mat! Spears countered the Cross Rhodes and went for his C4, and instead he flung Cody over the top rope, sending him crashing down through the table! Cody managed to get back to the ring before ref Aubrey Edwards counted to 10! Spears tried for the C4 again but Cody countered with not one, but two Cross Rhodes! Spears kicked out at two! Cody applied the figure four leglock onto Spears! Cody shifted his body weight, never letting go of the figure four, and the ref counted Spears shoulder down for the three-count victory! “The American Nightmare” Cody advances to the next round of the tournament! Catch all the explosive action as AEW DYNAMITE is broadcast on TNT next week!

Men’s Rankings Women’s Rankings Tag Team Rankings

It’s that time, time for another exciting week of AEW “Dynamite” coming at you on TNT at 8pm EST/7pm CST, and it is going to be one for the history books! Why you ask? Because this week marks the beginning of the tournament to crown the very first TNT Champion! Between AEW “Dark” and “Dynamite” last week the eight men competing in this tournament were announced, as were their quarter-final match-ups, and now it all kicks off this week before your very eyes with an “All Out” rematch. In addition to that, two of the top athletes in the women’s division will collide with both looking to get a shot at the championship held by Nyla Rose and Kenny Omega will be in tag team action against The Best Friends with Michael Nakazawa as his partner! ***RANKINGS AS OF 4/1*** TNT CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER-FINAL MATCH… (#3) CODY VS. SHAWN SPEARS It’s a rivalry born many moons ago in a world far from that of AEW, one that exploded when Shawn blasted a chair across the skull of Cody, and one that was ultimately quelled when Cody defeated Spears at “All Out” last year. Between the commentary Cody offered on “AEW Dark” during a Spears match, the announcement of this first round match-up, and the tag team match that took place last week on “Dynamite”, it’s safe to state that eight months have done nothing to tame the animosity, especially from Spears towards Cody. Now put the factor of the TNT Championship into the picture, and this rematch has a whole new meaning beyond just some sense of redemption for Shawn Spears. The loss to Cody was devastating to his AEW career, it can be argued it sent Spears into a downward spiral and that even the tutelage of the legendary Tully Blanchard has not been able to bring consistency to Shawn’s career. But now he has the opportunity to be the first man to advance to the Semi-Finals, to be one step closer to being the first TNT Champion, those are things that may bring the fight in Spears to a whole new level. And in the case of Cody, also add in the factor that he now finds himself in a position to actually claim a singles championship in AEW after boxing himself out of the World Title picture with that heart-breaking loss to Chris Jericho some 6 months ago at “Full Gear”. Cody can become a champion, a destiny may thought was set in stone from the dawn of AEW, but he has to put down the challenge of The Chairman one more time to get closer to that dream. ONE-ON-ONE… (#1) HIKARU SHIDA VS. (#4) DR. BRITT BAKER D.D.S It was 5 months ago, Indianapolis, AEW “Dynamite” with Shida versus Baker on the card…and to the shock of many, it was Hikaru Shida who left with the win that night. And although she suffered a few defeats in the aftermath of that surprising win, Shida now sits at the top spot in the Women’s Rankings and has won seven of her last eight matches, with the one blemish there coming in a tag team contest. Baker, on the other side of the ring come Wednesday night, has been frustrated in her attempts to become the “Face of the Women’s division” in fact, and not just in her own words. Britt challenged, unsuccessfully, for the championship on two occasions during the reign of Riho, and as of late, has seemed content in running her mouth. She’s done it to Tony Schiavone, she’s done it to Big Swole, and as seen in that video embedded above, she’s done it to Hikaru Shida as well. Britt Baker has been disrespectful to her peers, because quite frankly she does not see any of them as her peers, even a chicken sandwich apparently ranked higher on her concerns than Shida last week. Well this week Baker will have to focus her concerns on the #1 Ranked Woman in AEW, because Brit is set to go one-on-one with Hikaru Shida on Wednesday night! It’s the good doctor’s first singles match since February 26th, and it is one tremendous opportunity for Baker to knock Shida off the top of the mountain and to move up from her #4 spot. And for Shida, well it’s a golden opportunity to knock some respect into Dr. Baker and continue to exert her dominance over the Women’s division in preparation for a match with AEW Women’s World Champion Nyla Rose. TAG TEAM ACTION… WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPION KENNY OMEGA & MICHAEL NAKAZAWA VS. (#5) THE BEST FRIENDS (TRENT & CHUCK TAYLOR) W/ ORANGE CASSIDY It’s starting to sound like a broken record these last several week’s on “Dynamite”, but last week when Kenny Omega and Trent collided in a singles bout, it undoubtedly stole the show. It more than demonstrated that Omega is firing on all cylinders after that wrist injury, and certainly showed the world that Trent can hang with the cream of the crop in singles action, just as he does in tag team competition. Now those two will meet once more, this time in tag team action, as The Best Friends of Trent and Chuck Taylor unite to take on Omega and his erstwhile tag team partner Michael Nakazawa! It has been nearly 6 years since the last time Kenny and Michael united as a tag team, and even longer since they were a duo competing together on the regular. But now, for this one night, they will reunite to take on Chuck and Trent! Will Omega and Nakazawa rekindle their old successes this Wednesday night, or will the #5 ranked team in AEW add another win to their 2020 record and clear that .500 mark? Tune in to TNT to find out first-hand! “THE EXALTED ONE” BRODIE LEE IN ACTION… Be it in the ring, or sitting at a dinner table, the presence of “The Exalted One” Brodie Lee is an intimidating one to foes and followers alike. The method in which he rules over The Dark Order strikes fear into the hearts of his minions, and the decimating force he brings into the squared circle strikes fear into the hearts of Mr. Brodie’s opponents. Just ask QT Marshall what it’s like to stand across the ring from The Exalted One, or ask #8 what it feels like to disappoint him…if that individual is still present in The Dark Order. So it is with great trepidation that we announce that this week Brodie Lee will be in action once again, and heaven help whomever is standing across the ring from The Exalted One. It’s AEW “Dynamite” coming to you at 8pm EST/7pm CST each and every week on TNT! Don’t miss a moment as the Quarter-Finals of the TNT Championship begin, Shida and Baker bring the best in Women’s wrestling, the finest tag team division in wrestling continues to shine, and plenty more coming your way this Wednesday night!!