Reviews by Dave
By David E Houston II
Show air date: August 25, 2021
The very first thing I noted on this episode of AEW Dynamite was the awesome sign held by a front-row fan: Keep Wrestling Alive–Get Vaxxed. Damn right!
Orange Cassidy defeated Matt Hardy
Good match to open the show with a bloody Big Money Matt Hardy went down in defeat to Orange Cassidy. I liked this more than any of OCs matches with Chris Jericho. There was the right amount of shenanigans with a lot of good work. Matt was rocking the old-school crimson mask off a body press. Jim Ross with a Ray “The Crippler” Stevens reference. Already in the zone.
Intense promo from Malakai Black on his scheduled match with Brock Anderson.
Jericho Puts His Career on the Line
“Le Insurrection” Chris Jericho puts his career on the line against MJF at All Out. For the first time in at least two years, I’m rooting for Jericho. If he retires from wrestling, he might become a commentator full-time. No one wants that.
Lucha Bros defeated Varsity Blonds
Varsity Blands bore me so badly. They invalidate the entire ranking system. I didn’t like them when they were the Simpsons in World Class, I don’t like them now. They’re a heartbeat from getting Dynamic Dudes heat. I did not know that building was the old Mecca, a historic building. That kind of thing is why Ross and Tony Schiavone are so important.
The Varsity Blonds got beat by the Lucha Bros. So Penta and Fenix advance to the finals of the number one contender tag tournament to face world tag champs, the Young Bucks, at All Out in a steel cage. They faced Jurassic Express on Friday’s episode of Rampage.
Jamie Hayter defeated Red Velvet
Jamie Hayter’s Dynamite return win against Red Velvet was going pretty good but that miscue on the standing moonsault was horrible. It looked like Hayter was meant to move and didn’t, making Velvet look bad. Not in love with Kris Statlander rushing down to save Velvet and running right past her All Out opponent, Women’s champion Dr. Britt Baker DMD, and hitting Rebel and then Hayter. Huh?
Evil Uno has lost control of the Dark Order but he did that a long time ago.
No Way Punk Matches His Rampage Emotion
No way CM Punk matches the emotion of his return on Rampage and he didn’t have to. He just cut a great promo on his All Out opponent, Darby Allin. So good Schiavone’s beard dye and earring didn’t even distract me.
TNT champion Miro with another great promo in the basement somewhere. I could definitely go for him vs The Mad King, Eddie Kingston.
Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston, Darby Allin defeated The Wingmen
The Wingmen–Cezar Bononi, Ryan “Baby Dolph” Nemeth, and JD Drake (dressed as Big Bubba Rogers) made their Dynamite debut as a trio and got their whooped by Jon Moxley, Kingston, and Allin. It was fine. Some good work, a lot of shenanigans. Danny Garcia jumps Allin after the match. Okay.
Do they really have nothing else for Mox?
Good stuff from FTR.
The Vince/Verne/Fritz/Gulas Playbook
I enjoyed the Kenny Omega/Don Callis-Christian Cage segment. Callis was right: putting family over the business is straight from the Vince/Verne/Fritz/Gulas playbook.
The Gunn Club defeated The Factory
The Gunn Club beat the Factory. Why this was on this late boggled my mind. Talk about cooling off a hot crowd.
Lambert and The Men of the Year Click
Dan Lambert’s an asshole and Men of the Year–Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page–click well with him. I love him. He’s channeling the energy of a lot of AEW haters. Very good.
Main Event: Malakai Black defeated Brock Anderson
Arn Anderson eulogizing his son before Brock’s match with Black was the best thing in the last 30 minutes of the show. He should have given himself some words too. A one-sided main event, but they gave Black some character with him demanding Arn throw in the towel for his son and being irate when he doesn’t. One thing Brock has done pretty well is taking a good bump as he went down from that spinning kick like he was shot. Lee Johnson came down a whole lot late for the save. Maybe he’s next up for Black.
Good show that limped to the finish with some odd matches to close.
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