By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 99)
Houston, Texas at Fertitta Center
Aired live August 18, 2021 on TNT
[Hour One] The Dynamite opening video kicked off the show… Pyro shot off on the stage while Jim Ross, Excalibur, and Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary and ran through the card. Dasha was the ring announcer…
Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston made their entrance from a side area to X’s version of “Wild Thing” (from the Major League movie). As they were walking through the crowd, the Daniel Garcia and “2.0” Matt Lee and Jeff Parker attacked them. The heels left Moxley and Kingston laying and then headed to the ring.
Lee addressed Sting and Darby Allin, saying they just took out their boys. Lee called for their match with Sting and Allin to start. Sting made his entrance. Schiavone noted that it was the first time that Sting has wrestled on TNT in 20 years and recalled being there the last time. Allin’s music played and he showed up in the ring and hit one of his opponents with a skateboard…
1. Sting and Darby Allin vs. “2.0” Matt Lee and Jeff Parker (w/Daniel Garcia) in a Texas Tornado match. The referee rewarded Allin’s attack by calling for the bell to start the match. The teams immediately brawled into the crowd and into a concourse area. Garcia helped 2.0 while the broadcast team noted that there were not disqualifications.
Allin was launched into a hanging wall. The heel trio brought Sting back to the main floor. Allin walked down a handrail and dove onto the heels. Kingston showed up and worked over Garcia. The two teams returned to the ring with the babyface duo bringing a table. Lee and Parker tossed Allin onto the ramp that was level with the ring and then suplexed him onto his skateboard, which was turned upside down. Ouch.
Back inside the ring, Lee and Parker set up the table. Sting fought back and threw punches in the corner at Lee while the crowd counted along. Parker cut him off and then joined Lee in walking Sting across the ring and powerbombing him through the table. Sting stood up and pounded his chest or a big pop.
Allin returned to the ring and took a shot at his opponents. Sting performed a double Scorpion Death Drop. Sting stacked Parker on top of Lee and then applied a Scorpion Death Lock on both men. Schiavone said he’d never seen Sting do a double version of the hold before and assumed it was a first. Lee and Parker both tapped out…
Sting and Darby Allin defeated “2.0” Matt Lee and Jeff Parker in 6:15 in a Texas Tornado match.
Powell’s POV: A hot opening match. Sting continues to be in tremendous shape for his age and the big brawl approach played to his strengths. The crowd ate this up. AEW continues to draw some great vocal crowds. I’m filling in for Jake Barnett tonight, but he will be covering WWE Smackdown in my place on Friday night.
Highlights aired from “earlier today” of Sammy Guevara proposing to his girlfriend Pam in the middle of the ring. She said yes…
Backstage, Shawn Spears and Tully Blanchard mockingly applauding Guevara. Spears said that he was giving Pam a gift by making her a member of The Pinnacle, and for one night only he said he would let her be on top… [C]
Powell’s POV: Congratulations to Guevara and Pam! I wasn’t sure what his big announcement would be and I get the feeling that she didn’t either. Very nice.
Sammy Guevara made his entrance in front of his hometown crowd. Shawn Spears attacked him from behind. Guevara recovered quickly and ended up performing a dive off the rope onto Spears on the floor. Blanchard leapt from the ring steps and helped Spears perform a spike piledriver.
2. Sammy Guevara vs. Shawn Spears (w/Tully Blanchard). Referee Aubrey Edwards called for the bell, once agin rewarding a pre-match attack. Guevara’s fiancee Pam was shown watching in the crowd. Edwards ejected Blanchard from ringside. Excalibur announced a special edition of AEW Dark Elevation for Thursday at 6CT/7ET. Guevara and Spears traded chops heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Coming out of the break, there was a piece of barricade propped up over the apron and the rest of the barricade, which Ross said was placed there by Guevara. Spears and Guevara ended up standing on the top rope. Spears flipped off Guevara, who gave him a top rope cutter and covered him for a near fall.
Spears came back with a Death Valley Driver from the middle rope for a near fall of his own. A loud “Sammy” chant broke out. Spears took Guevara to the apron and set up for a DVD onto the piece of barricade, but Guevara escaped, superkicked Spears, and then performed the DVD onto the barricade.
Guevara placed Spears back inside the ring and then hit a top rope 630 splash, which Excalibur said was the move Guevara used to win Stadium Stampede. Guevara covered Spears for a near fall. Guevara acted stunned that Spears kicked out. Guevara blasted Spears with a pair of knee strikes, flipped him off, and threw one more. Guevara performed his GTH finisher and scored the pin.
Sammy Guevara defeated Shawn Spears in 9:50.
Afterward, Guevara went to ringside and kissed his bride to be…
Backstage, Tony Schiavone tried to interview Impact World Champion Christian Cage, but Don Callis interrupted. Callis said it was great that Cage would get to have a five star match with Kenny Omega. He said Cage would take a One Winged Angel and lose, but it would still be great.
Cage pointed out that he said he would take the Impact Title from Omega and he did, and now he’s going to take the thing he cherishes the most, the AEW Championship. Cage said Callis thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room, but he is and always will be a carny piece of shit…
An ad aired for the Rhodes To The Top reality show that premieres on September 29 on TNT… [C]
Powell’s POV: While I could have done without Guevara and Spears kicking out of some of those huge moves, it was definitely a crowd pleaser. Guevara presented Fuego Del Sol with a contract on AEW Rampage and now he got engaged on Dynamite. Is he running for office? Meanwhile, I get a kick out of how simple and effective it’s been to let Cage be the guy who gets to cuss on the last couple of episodes. Both crowds have eaten it up.
A video package aired with footage aired of Dante Martin’s performance in last week’s six-man tag match. Martin spoke about how he would keep rising up the ranks and he would become a name that everybody knows…
Schiavone stood in the ring with Dan Lambert and former UFC Champions Andrei Arlovski, and Junior Dos Santos. Lambert complained about Tony Khan silencing him and how UFC contracts don’t allow current fighters inside the pro wrestling ring. He said he made a call to Dana White and that’s why Arlovski and Dos Santos with him. Lambert heeled on AEW and its fans and got the crowd to chant the company’s name.
Lance Archer made his entrance, but he was jumped from behind by Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page. Lambert and the UFC fighters stood in the ring and laughed by Sky and Page left Archer lying…
Powell’s POV: I got a big kick out of Lambert’s last AEW appearance, but I didn’t care for this promo. He came off as overly intense (what’s he mad about again?) and too wordy for my taste this time around. He’s shown that he can be a good talker in the past and I am curious to see if this is going somewhere or if someone just likes having UFC fighters on the show. Realistic or not, the ultimate payoff would be Brock Lesnar showing up with Lambert.
Chris Jericho stood backstage in front of an AEW backdrop. He said he endured the four labours of Jericho and now he gets the ultimate prize. He said the blood and sweat was worth it because he gets MJF in a singles match. He said he might not have his music or the Judas Effect finisher, but he has the momentum and 5,000 friends. Jericho said it would be Jericho up and his jerk off friend down…
Ring entrances for the tag title match took place…
3. “The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson (w/Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson, Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa) vs. Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus (w/Marko Stunt) for the AEW Tag Titles. Don Callis sat in on commentary. Matt was in offensive control and gyrated his hips heading into a PIP break. [C]
Luchasaurus performed a handspring slip to avoid a double superkick and then threw kicks at both Bucks. He got a near fall on Matt moments later. A short time later, the Bucks performed a dropkick version of the Indy Taker on Jungle Boy for a near fall. Stunt stood on the apron.
Kenny Omega ran out and hit Stunt from behind with a chair. Christian Cage came out and speared Omega on the stage and worked him over as they headed backstage. Jungle Boy suplexed Matt onto a chair while the referee was distracted by the Good Brothers. Jungle Boy had the pin, but Nick broke it up. There was another good near fall moments later.
Jungle Boy dropped all of the sidekicks off the apron. The Bucks came back and hit the BTE Trigger on Jungle Boy and then Matt pinned him…
“The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson beat Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus in roughly 12:00 to retain the AEW Tag Titles.
After the match, Omega, who was wearing a “Chick Magnet” t-shirt, returned with Gallows, who put Cage over his shoulder and brought him to the ring. The Elite members roughed up Cage. Omega put Cage down with a One Winged Angel and then covered him while Callis counted the pin. Omega put his foot on Cage and jawed at him.
[Hour Two] After The Elite left the ring, the Jurassic Express trio checked on Cage…
Powell’s POV: There was a some online speculation that The Elite would take out Cage so that he would be replaced in the pay-per-view main event. While this was obviously a beatdown, it didn’t come off like it was designed to write Cage out for any length of time. The match featured the expected big spots and was fun, but all the outside interference is becoming tired and predictable.
AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker and Rebel were interviewed by Tony Schiavone. Baker introduced Jamie Hayter as “the answer to everything that’s wrong here.” Hayter dared Red Velvet to step into the ring to face her. Baker said the three of them would have a little fun in Milwaukee next week… [C]
A video package aired with Matt Hardy talking about his issues with Best Friends. They cut to Best Friends and Orange Cassidy saying that Hardy says he can kick his ass and they should find out about that…
Schiavone stood in the ring and introduced Paul Wight. Schiavone thanked Wight for helping him and his family last week. Wight said he was happy to do it and then got amped up while saying it was amazing to be back inside the ring. Wight said he had an announcement that he couldn’t wait to share.
QT Marshall interrupted on the mic and was accompanied by Nick Comoroto and Aaron Solow. Marshall said he didn’t know how things went in the first four decades of Wight’s career, but they don’t say things in AEW and then let the fans down. Wight challenged Marshall to enter the ring.
Marshall said there’s a reason why Tony Khan hired Wight to be an announcer and not a wrestler who chases titles. Marshall asked producer Keith Mitchell to put a photo on the screen. X-Rays and a photo of Wight’s surgically repaired hip were shown.
Wight asked Marshall if he thought that he was embarrassed to have five pounds of titanium in his hip. Wight said he already talked to Khan, who gave him a match against Marshall at the AEW All Out pay-per-view. Marshall acted shocked…
A Mark Sterling and Jade Cargill video aired. They set up Cargill facing Kiera Hogan on Friday’s AEW Rampage… [C]
Schiavone interviewed Callis and The Elite backstage. Callis suggested the Bucks take two months off and go to Hawaii. Schiavone said Tony Khan informed him that there would be an eliminator tournament with The Varsity Blonds, Private Party, Lucha Brothers, and Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus. The winners will get a tag title shot in a cage match at All Out…
Powell’s POV: Well, that explains all the interference in the Bucks’ matches. I mean, they could just ban everyone from ringside, but it’s fine if they avoid booking any interference in the cage match. By the way, it will be nice to see Wight debut for AEW, but Marshall continues to feel like a flat opponent.
Taz and Hook stood in the ring and introduced Ricky Starks, who came out with a mic in hand. Starks showed off his FTW Championship and called out Brian Cage for a talk. The cameras cut backstage where Powerhouse Hobbs was standing over Cage, who started to fight back. Starks said they had to go and rushed backstage…
Schiavone interviewed Pac, Penta El Zero Miedo, Rey Fenix, and Alex Abrahantes. Pac hyped his match against Andrade El Idolo for All Out. Andrade and Chavo Guerrero Jr. showed up with Andrade’s other associate. Andrade had the associate present Pac with a thick list of demands for their match. Chavo told Penta and Fenix that they would never win the tag titles with a boss like Pac…
4. Thunder Rosa vs. Penelope Ford. Both women received televised entrances. Ford shoved Rosa into the ring post and then dropped her with a cutter heading into a PIP break. [C] Ford applied a Muta Lock in the middle of the ring, but Rosa escaped it and applied a single leg crab. Ford reached the ropes to break it. Rosa hit a DVD for a near fall. Ford came back with a gutbuster and then reapplied her submission hold, but Rosa escaped it again and countered into a rear naked choke for the win…
Thunder Rosa defeated Penelope Ford.
Schiavone interviewed Arn Anderson and Brock Anderson in the backstage area. Arn recalled Malakai Black attacking him and Cody Rhodes last month. Arn was upset that his inexperienced son took a match against Black. Brock said the match was signed. He said he wasn’t asking his father, he was telling him…
Excalibur announced Varsity Blonds vs. Penta and Fenix in the tag team eliminator tournament, Jamie Hayter vs. Red Velvet, Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Hardy, and Malakai Black vs. Brock Anderson for next week’s Dynamite.
The broadcast team also hyped Private Party vs. Jurassic Express in an eliminator tournament match, Jade Cargill vs. Kiera Hogan, and Jon Moxley vs. Daniel Garcia for Friday’s AEW Rampage. A video package aired on Friday’s Rampage at United Center…
A Miro video aired. He said he wanted Fuego Del Sol should not be forgiven for not earning his contract. He spoke about serving God every day and his wife every night. Miro said “The Redeemer” wants to talk… Excalibur hyped the main event… [C]
Jon Moxley delivered a promo from an undisclosed area backstage. Moxley said everyone wants a piece of AEW and they are coming from everywhere. He asked what makes them think it’s so easy. He said Kenny Omega need an army to keep the title around his waist. He said Adam Page thinks he’s a cowboy and can’t get over his high school drama and the BTE emo crap long enough to get the job done.
Moxley said he would walk through Christian Cage. Moxley said he’s the guy who carried the company through dark days and in empty buildings. He said they planted the flag and now people want in. Moxley said it’s time to send a message about what it takes to be on top of AEW and who is really at the top of the food chain. Moxley told Daniel Garcia that he’d give him a taste of the main event, but he told him to ask himself if it’s what he really what he wants. Moxley said the referee and ringside doctor are there for Garcia’s safety, but that’s not really his concern. He told Garcia to ask himself if this is really where he wants to be and added that it’s no joke…
Powell’s POV: A hot promo. Moxley reestablished himself as a guy who isn’t just buddies with all the babyfaces. He’s a loner who will take on all comers. I like that he’s not just a pro-AEW guy, as he called out Hangman Page and Kenny Omega in addition to Cage and others who want in. But this sets him up as a potential adversary for new signees. Heck, it sets him up as a potential adversary for everyone. I love it.
MJF made his entrance. Chris Jericho made his entrance without entrance music. The live crowd sang “Judas” despite the track not playing…
5. Chris Jericho vs. MJF in the Fifth Labour of Jericho. MJF stalled a bit. Jericho eventually worked him over. Jericho threw several forearm shots at MJF, who caught Jericho with a cheap shot while Jericho was tied up with the referee. MJF kicked Jericho’s bad arm heading into a PIP break. [C]
Jericho had another stretch of offense before MJF cut him off and went back to work on the bad elbow. Jericho rallied and placed MJF on the top rope and then fired punches at his head while standing on the ropes while the crowd counted along. Jericho performed a huracanrana. and then covered MJF for a two count.
MJF immediately applied the Salt of the Earth (Fujiwara armbar). Jericho escaped and went for the Walls of Jericho, but MJF quickly rolled out and caught Jericho with a shot to the jaw. Jericho and MJF traded punches. MJF ended up wrenching Jericho’s arm over the ropes and then piledrove him for a near fall.
Jericho put MJF in a sleeper. MJF had the referee shielded when he kicked Jericho below the belt. MJF put Jericho in the Walls of Jericho. The fans chanted for Jericho, who eventually reached the ropes to break the hold. Jericho reached out and grabbed his baseball bat while MJF put on the Dynamite Diamond Ring.
The referee caught MJF and took the diamond ring away. While the ref was clearing the ring, Jericho hit MJF with the bat. Jericho set up for the Judas Effect and stopped himself because he wasn’t allowed to use it (even though he just used a baseball bat and the referee was still turned around). MJF came right back with a Judas Effect of his own and then applied the Salt of the Earth finisher. Jericho rolled him into a pin for a two count. MJF maintained the hold and Jericho eventually tapped out…
MJF defeated Chris Jericho in 14:55.
Powell’s POV: It looked silly that Jericho stopped himself from hitting the Judas Effect even though he had just hit MJF with the baseball bat and the referee was still distracted. Was the referee supposed to turn around sooner so that he had a reason to stop? Anyway, I like the idea of MJF scoring the upset win to keep his heat and to keep Jericho seeking revenge.
Overall, this was a chaotic show to cover, but it was definitely an entertaining show with another vocal crowd. I’m once again surprised that while they let us know the lineup for Rampage, they didn’t do anything at the end of the show to serve as a cliffhanger. For that matter, I thought they might lay it on thick with CM Punk teases, but that didn’t happen either. It’s an interesting approach. I will be back shortly with my weekly same night audio review of AEW Dynamite. Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
So, the opening match had a pre-match attack on a team that wasn’t even in it and brawling outside that should have resulted in a countout.
Then we had some interview/pretape nonsense that led to the next match having a pre-match attack and brawling outside the ring that should have resulted in a countout.
Next was an interview with an interruption.
We got a pretape that actually did what it should.
Following that we got an interview with an interruption and the person interrupting got jumped by a 3rd party not involved in the interview.
Two segments later a midget at ringside for the face team got on the apron only to be attacked by a heel who was then attacked by a different face. Those people disappeared and a different heel team than the one in the match distracted the ref and finally the Worst Tag Team in Wrestling Today pinned one of the few babyfaces in the company with any real potential.
Following that match, the three interfering heels reappeared with one of the interfering babyfaces and beat him up in the ring.
That was followed by a pretape that was interrupted and then an in ring interview that was interrupted.
That’s all with 40 minutes of TV time left.
Every now and then AEW puts on a good show, but for the most part this company is booked by a crackhead for morons.
“ all the outside interference is becoming tired and predictable”
Remember when TNA was gonna take over Monday nights and Dixie spent all her parents money on washed up WWE guys and then every single match and angle was over booked?
Pepperidge Farm remembers …
…And everyone had a blast, so maybe you are the one who is wrong?
Oh I agree. The people who go and who watch on TV seem to like what they see. It seems like a limited audience but a million happy customers is nothing to scoff at in 2021. I don’t know if this type of booking can have long-term success but time will tell
Just because it’s not for me doesn’t mean it’s not for everyone. I also hated “Friends” and they seemed to do fine without my support
Respect for acknowledging that just because you don’t like it something doesn’t mean that everyone else feels the same way. And even more respect for not liking Friends. Never understood what the fuss was about.
Friends was awful. No clue how it ever got popular.
Let me also join this party. Friends was anodyne dreck.
Interference or extracurricular activity is fine and can be effective in measured doses, but if the product moves into NWO style interference territory then that would be going too far. It’s a big reason (but not the only one) why people tuned out of WCW in the late nineties.
I have to agree with the other commenters here that the pre and post-match shenanigans, were way over the top this week, even more than usual. I loved the Moxley promo though.
“For that matter, I thought they might lay it on thick with CM Punk teases, but that didn’t happen either.”
It may have not been thick, but it was absolutely there.
1. Omega’s “Chick Magnet” shirt. CM.
2. QT Marshall’s line, “they don’t say things in AEW and then let the fans down.”
3. Moxley’s promo saying he would take on everybody. That is foreshadowing more signings like Punk.
Those are just three examples, but clearly they were subtly setting it up.
Small teases that those who already assume he will be there will pick up on. I’m saying that I’m surprised they didn’t lay it on thick so that the casual fans would pick up on it too.
2.0 rules!!!!