By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@barnettjake)
AEW Wednesday Night Dynamite on TNT
Aired live on October 16, 2019 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Liacouras Center
[Hour 1] The Dynamine opening package aired and the announce team if Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur launched right into the first match of the night. SCU made their entrance, but were attacked from behind by the Lucha Brothers before they could even reach the ring. Ray Fenix drove Kazarian into the apron, and Pentagon gave Christopher Daniels with a piledriver on the ramp. Fenix setup Kazarian for another piledriver, but Scorpio Sky ran down and ran off Fenix and Pentagon. Christopher Daniels was loaded onto a stretcher by medical staff. The Young Bucks came out in street clothes to check on Daniels.
The referee told Scorpio Sky that Daniels can’t wrestle and that the match would need to be forfeited. Scorpio told the ref he’d enter the match, and the ref allowed it. Best Friends made their entrance and the match will proceed.
1. SCU – Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian vs. Best Friends – Trent and Chuck Taylor: For some reason, Kazarian started the match for his team. Chuck knocked Scorpio Sky off the apron and Trent hit a cutter on Kazarian for a near fall. Chuck then hit a piledriver and covered, but Scorpio Sky broke it up. Chuck bit Sky’s foot, and then joined Trent on the outside, where he sent Kazarian into the barricade.
Trent then hit a spear on Kazarian, and tossed him back into the ring. Trent setup Kazarian in the corner, where Trent jumped on Chuck’s shoulder and hit a stacked vertical suplex out of the corner for a near fall. Kazarian fought his way out of the corner and made a tag to Sky. He came into the match on fire and hit several dropkicks. He then hit a double stomp on Chuck’s back, and sent Trent to the floor with a clothesline. Chuck sent Sky out to the floor to join Trent, and then hit a dive over the top rope that inadvertently hit his partner Trent.
Kazarian hit a head scissors off the apron onto Chuck, and then Scorpio hit a dive over the top rope that took out both Trent and Chuck. Scorpio Sky was down to one shoe, and tossed his other shoe into the audience. It was then thrown back, and the crowd popped. Sky got a strong reaction from the crowd for getting pumped up.
The action slowed back down, and Best Friends hit a Sole Food and Half Dragon Suplex Combo to put Kazarian down. They went for a hug, but Sky broke it up. After sending Sky out of the ring, the crowd got their hug. They then setup for a Doomsday Device with a knee on Kazarian, and afterward covered for a close near fall. Trent then setup for a piledriver on the apron on Kazarian, but Sky saved him. Sky then tossed Chuck into the railing, and Kazarian hit a back body drop on Trent on the apron.
Kazarian then picked up Trent for a Powerbomb, and they botched the finish a bit because Sky was late for the dropkick as the powerbomb was coming down.
SCU defeated Best Friends at 10:18
After the match, SCU celebrated as Best Friends looked dejected…[c]
My Take: I liked the pacing of that match, and I think they really put a nice spotlight on Scorpio Sky. I’m not a huge fan of the Best Friends gimmick or antics, but when they were serious in this match they delivered. The botched finish was a shame, as it left a bad taste on an otherwise very competently wrestled match.
Santana and Ortiz made their entrance as the show returned. Their opponents were already in the ring.
2. Santana and Ortiz vs. Alex Reynolds and John Silver: Santana started the match with Silver. He hit a head kick and a splash in the corner. Ortiz tagged in and he hit a powerbomb. Santana then hit Silver with a running knee before heading to the outside to punish Reynolds. Ortiz chewed on the top rope and took off his gloves. He raked the back of Silver and then picked him up in the powerbomb position. Santana went to the top and they hit the Street Sweeper on Silver to get the win.
Santana and Ortiz defeated Alex Reynolds and John Silver at 2:17
Santana and Ortiz celebrated and taunted the crowd before heading to the back. Jericho then appeared on the tron in a backstage promo. He said Santana and Ortiz did exactly what he said, and that’s dominate the competition. Jericho said they are thugs, and they run the streets, and they will kick your ass and take your wallet. He then issued a challenge for Full Gear to the Young Bucks on behalf of Santana and Ortiz. Jericho said if they accept they would get their asses kicked.
The announce team then threw to a video of Cody and Brandi at home. Cody stared at his hands while Brandi read off a busy itinerary. We then got some video of Cody interspersed with interview footage of Brandi, DDP, and his Mom Michelle explaining his passion for AEW and his desire to be AEW World Champion. We also heard from MJF and JR about how much pressure Cody is under in his dual role as VP and as a wrestler. We then got some training montage, and more background information from Tony Schiavone and MJF. DDP invoked Dusty Rhodes to explain the importance of a wrestler winning a first World Championship…[c]
My Take: It was nice to see a squash match, and they used the extra time they gained back from freeing up a few minutes to air a good video package that hammered home Cody’s journey as a babyface. MJF being featured like he is in this story both last week in the Main Event, and now extensively in this video package, makes me think his actions will likely dictate the finish at Full Gear.
Britt Baker made her entrance, followed by Riho for the AEW Women’s Championship match.
3. Britt Baker vs. Riho for the AEW Women’s Championship: Baker backed Riho into the ropes in a collar and elbow tie up until the ref backed her up. She then landed some arm drags, and Riho showed some frustration. There was some confusion as they attempted some mat wrestling, and they ended up reaching the ropes without doing a whole lot. Baker nearly locked in her Lockjaw finisher, but Riho escaped to the ropes again. I’m assuming that was what they were going for the first time.
Riho climbed up top and hit a diving crossbody, but Baker rolled through. Riho escaped with a bridge and hit a dropkick. She then went for a suplex, but Baker shifted her weight and blocked it. Riho took Baker down with a body scissors and then hit a double stomp. She then hit a suplex and climbed back to the top. Baker moved out of the way and hit a sling blade. Baker picked up Riho and hit a TKO after a struggle. She then hit a single leg dropkick for a near fall.
Riho attempted several pins that failed. Britt hit a fisherman’s neckbreaker that got a near fall. Riho successfully applied a single leg crab. Britt reached the ropes, but Riho followed up with a double stomp off the top to the back for a near fall. Riho went for diving double knees, but Britt moved out of the way and hit a suplex. She then attempted to apply Lockjaw, and nearly had it before being rolled up and pinned by Riho.
Riho retained the AEW Women’s Championship at 9:10
The two women shared a handshake after the match and Riho celebrated as she left the ring…[c]
My Take: This match was sloppy at moments, but both women worked very hard, and the last moments were well executed. I’m surprised they went with this match so early, and even more surprised that we didn’t see Bea Priestley involved in the finish. Riho got a strong initial reaction, but the crowd was pretty quiet for the majority of this. They came alive for the big moments down the stretch. We’ll see where they go next with Riho with her next defense, most likely at Full Gear.
The announce team gave an update on Christopher Daniels and said he was ok. Luchasaurus is out of the Tag Tournament due to injury, so Marko Stunt will stand in for him. The Lucha Brothers vs. Jurassic Express is next. Stunt and Jungle Boy made their entrance first, followed by the Lucha Brothers. Private Party was shown at ringside. Excalibur explained Luchasaurus’s thigh injury, and sounded very uncomfortable doing so…[c]
[Hour 2] 4. The Lucha Brothers – Fenix and Pentagon Jr vs. Jurrasic Express – Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt: Penta and Stunt started the match. Penta tried to bully stunt, and Marko flossed in response. Jungle Boy put Stunt on his shoulders so he could hit a head scissors. Stunt then got tossed at Fenix by Pentagon, but he turned it into a DDT. Jungle Boy hit a rolling DDT on Pentagon, and Stunt dove on the outside at Fenix. Stunt hit another DDT on Pentagon in the ring for a near fall.
Jungle Boy tagged in and hit a German Suplex for another near fall. Stunt then quickly tagged back in, but got killed by a Superkick by Pentagon. Jungle Boy then got one of his own. Fenix tagged in, and ran into a knee from Jungle Boy. He recovered and fired back with an Enziguri on Stunt on the top rope, and then an arm drag on Jungle Boy. Fenix then tagged Penta and dove on Jungle Boy on the floor. Penta hit a pump handle driver on Stunt and got a close near fall.
Fenix tossed Jungle Boy into the steps and Penta hit two hard kicks to Stunt’s legs in the ring. Penta slapped Stunt’s chest and taunted the crowd. Fenix kept Jungle Boy out of the match by continuing the assault on the floor. Penta then picked up Stunt for a press slam, and tossed him into a kick from Fenix.
Penta hit another leg kick and tossed Stunt into the corner. Stunt avoided a charge and hit running knee. Jungle Boy then got a tag and cleared the ring. He hit a reverse slam on Fenix. Stunt then climbed up top and landed a 450 splash. Jungle Boy followed up with a standing shooting star press for a near fall.
Penta re-entered the match and hit a Destroyer on Jungle Boy. He then swung Stunt around by his hair. He then applied his armbreaker. Fenix went up top and they hit a spiked package piledriver on Stunt for the win.
Lucha Brothers defeated Jurassic Express at 10:51
Lucha Brothers celebrated after their win…[c]
My Take: A good match as long as you can suspend your disbelief for Marko Stunt. I think everyone performed well, but I couldn’t help but think of how much more interesting it could have been with Luchasaurus involved. The finish seemed obvious from the start, but I think given the circumstances everyone did the best they could. Fenix moved so quickly at times the camera couldn’t even keep up with him.
Pac made his entrance, followed by Moxley. We got a picture in picture promo from Moxley, who said people writing him off after one injury are mistaken. Mox said Kenny is confused by thinking he is ready to fight him, and Pac is confused in thinking he wants his help. He called himself top of the food chain in AEW, and at Full Gear he was going hunting. Moxley said he wanted to mount Kenny Omega’s head on his wall, and that he hunts alone…[c]
My Take: I like that Moxley got some mic time, but I would have rather the previous tag match trim off a few minutes so we could have gotten it live.
Hangman Page made his entrance as the show returned, followed by Kenny Omega.
5. Kenny Omega and Hangman Page vs. Jon Moxley and Pac: Page and Omega jumped both Pac and Moxley early then they turned their backs to talk strategy. Omega and Moxley ended up in the ring brawling, and Pac and Hangman fought on the outside. Hangman entered the ring and took a shot at Moxley, but Pac tagged himself in and hit a quick enziguri that sent Page to the floor.
Moxley and Pac worked over Omega in their corner. Moxley tagged himself in, and he and Pac had a minor disagreement as Mox tagged himself in. Omega and Moxley traded back and forth offense before Page made a tag. He hit a lariat on Moxley and set up for Deadeye, but Mox grabbed the ropes and escaped. Page climbed the turnbuckle, but Pac provided a distraction so Mox could shove him off onto the apron and the floor.
Both Pac and Moxley continued the assault on Page on the outside. Omega attempted to even the odds, but got sent into the barricade. Back in the ring, Pac pressed the assault on Page while taunting the crowd. He then talked trash to Omega while Page struggled to get to his feet. Moxley tagged in and hit a lariat on a seated Page for a two count. Moxley then applied a Texas Cloverleaf, but Omega broke it up.
Page went for a Buckshot Lariat on Moxley, but he avoided it. Page followed up with another lariat and succeeded. Both men made tags, and Pac and Moxley squared off again. Omega hit a rolling senton and a moonsault for a near fall. He then set up for a snap dragon suplex, and ended up hitting several on both Pac and Moxley. He then followed up with a dive on Pac out on the floor.
Moxley then hit a dive of his own on both Pac and Omega. Page then hit a Moonsault that landed on both Moxley and Pac. Omega hit a buckle bomb on Pac, and Page hit a discus forearm. Omega then hit a powerbomb, and Page hit a standing shooting star. Moxley broke up the fall, but ate a V-Trigger for his trouble.
Pac entered and took out Omega with a cutter. Page took Pac out of the ring and they brawled on the outside. Moxley and Omega had a staredown and then started a brawl. Omega got the better of it early, but Mox fired back with a big lariat. Both men then went outside and grabbed their weapons from last week. Kenny had a barbed wire broom, and Moxley had his bat.
Moxley hit Omega with the handle of the bat, and then Pac ran in and threw the weapons out of the ring to avoid a DQ. Moxley hit his Paradigm Shift DDT on Pac in response before storming off. Page then hit a buckshot lariat on Pac. Omega landed a v-trigger, and Page hit Deadeye and got the win.
Kenny Omega and Hangman Page defeated Jon Moxley and Pac at 11:31
After the match, Page and Omega celebrated…[c]
My Take: A lot of star power in this match, but there were a lot of spots that ended up repeating themselves from earlier in the show, and it lessened the impact of some of it. All that considered, I liked Moxley refusing to compromise on what he wanted to do, but the ref saw him hit Omega with the base of the bat, so I’m not certain why the match didn’t end there. Pac doesn’t really lose anything in the defeat, but might have opted to do the DQ there since it would have helped the Omega and Moxley program. I don’t know why Pac would have given a shit about being Disqualified.
Moxley vs. Pac was announced for next week, along with the continuation of the Tag Tournament. Justin Roberts announced the main event, and Darby Allin made his entrance, followed by Chris Jericho for their Philadelphia Street Fight. Jericho wore his NJPW painmaker makeup on his face.
6. Chris Jericho vs. Darby Allin in a Philadelphia Street Fight for the AEW Championship: Darby hit a running dropkick and landed a series of mounted punches. He then clotheslined Jericho out to the floor and hit a diving tackle through the first and second rope. Jericho recovered in the ring and landed a back suplex. He then hit a clothesline in the back of the neck in the corner. Allin pulled off an impressive code red on Jericho for a two count. Jericho quickly recovered and sent Allin crashing to the floor with a clothesline…[c]
Jericho hit Allin with a kendo stick across the back, and then in the gut. Allin had an abrasion on the back of his head. Allin continues to throw punches that are not his wheelhouse. He then applied the crucifix on Jericho and got a near fall. Allin got another near fall off of an O’Connor roll, and then transitioned into a fujiwara armbar. Jericho fought out and applied a Boston Crab, but Allin escaped to the ropes. I’m not clear why rope breaks are available in a Street Fight. Jericho then hit a Codebreaker and got a near fall.
Jericho grabbed a chair and cracked Allin over the back with it. He then propped the chair in the corner. He looked to lawn dart Darby into the chair, but Allin reversed into a Stunner for another near fall. Jericho recovered and reapplied the Boston Crab, but Allin yet again reached the ropes.
Jericho applied some tape from ringside and tied up his wrists behind his back. Darby got to his feet, but Jericho kept up the abuse by tossing him around the ring. JR brought up the possibility of a ref stoppage. Darby avoided a splash in the corner, and Darby hit a lionsault with his hands behind his back. Jericho rolled outside, but Allin dove through the ropes and landed on him. Jericho tried to escape back into the ring, but Allin hit a moonsault from the top for a near fall.
Jericho recovered and hit a lariat. He then hit a powerbomb onto Allin’s skateboard for another near fall. Jericho then grabbed a chair and missed. Allin hit a dropkick that sent the chair into Jericho’s face. Allin climbed up to the top rope, but Jake Hager knocked him back into the ring. Jericho then applied the Boston Crab again for the win.
Chris Jericho retained the AEW Championship at 13:25
The rest of the Inner Circle made their way down to celebrate with Jericho after the match as the show came to a close…
My Take: A very good performance for Darby Allin that likely won some people over. Some of the street fight rules were a bit confusing, as they had rope breaks, but Jericho was able to tape up Allin’s hands and use weapons without any ref involvement. Otherwise, Jericho and Allin did a nice job of filling out the Main Event, and the crowd was very into this match and just about everything on this show. AEW is doing a nice job of delivering quality matches every week, and I think with a few tweaks to the show balance around presenting promos and stories, they’ll have something really special on their hands. I also wish they would clear up some of the odd enforcement of rules in matches, but that’s probably just a pet peeve of mine that nobody else cares about.
Regarding the Moxley/PAC match, I think the idea was that PAC didn’t want the disqualification loss because in AEW, wins and losses matter. I actually like that a lot, but you are right to point Moxley should have already been disqualified by then anyway. It’s been an early niggle with AEW that refs are just ignoring things going on write in front of their eyes with no explanation as to why.
Did everyone notice JR and Schiavone advocating for the ref to stop the match for Allin’s safety despite it being a street fight? So they agreea ref stoppage still makes sense in a no DQ match. LET ME IN.
Sorry but what a load of horse sh*t story execution everthing,its just a bunch of has beens that were out of work desperate for a pay check with cheesy overworked storie lines from a old age .
We have been here seen this read the book got the pen got the hat got the mug bored been there done it.Nothing new watched tonight for the first time and wont ever watch again.