Reviews by Dave
By David E Houston II
Show air date: July 21, 2021
AEW Dynamite got a lot done in their two hours. They were closing out Fyter Fest and leading into next week’s Fight For the Fallen in Charlotte.
Chris Jericho defeated Shawn Spears
Good match with “Le COVID is a Hoax” Chris Jericho beating “The Chairman” Shawn Spears in a match where only Spears could use a chair. I really could have done without Jericho kicking out of Spears’ finish but otherwise, it was good. MJF was less annoying on commentary than Jericho normally, but I do think commentary should back off taking sides as much as they do.
MJF announces Jericho’s next Labor for next week: a no DQ match against the king of the deathmatch, Nick Gage. A perfect role for a guy like Gage. You can’t have him in or on every week but in a bounty hunter role, he’s pitch-perfect, and Jericho was dead on showing visible concern.
Doc Gallows defeated Frankie Kazarian
Impact tag champ Doc Gallows (with Good Brothers tag title partner, Karl Anderson) beat “Elite Hunter” Frankie Kazarian in a solid match. At first, I thought that it was an odd decision but with Gallows and Anderson regained the tag titles. It would not be a good look at all for him to lose.
Hangman Page strolls down with a drink to face off with his former Elite cohorts, which by now included world champion Kenny Omega and Don Callis (who stays fire on the mic). Coming out alone like a moron, he got beat up like a moron until his Dark Order buds came to his rescue. Good segment to build their elimination match.
Darby Allin defeated Wheeler Yuta
Darby Allin beat Wheeler Yuta in a good wrestling match but damn, why was Allin wrestling in the first place? How about sell how tough that coffin match was last week and take the night off? Or, let Yuta get the upset. Give another guy some shine. I did enjoy Sting’s exchange with Orange Cassidy.
OC’s opponent for later, The Blade, got in a slick shot.
Great video package for the main event, a Texas Death Match for the IWGP US title between Jon Moxley (c) and Lance Archer.
Britt Baker, DMD (c) defeated Nyla Rose
for the AEW Women’s World Championship
Women’s champion Dr. Britt Baker, DMD successfully defended her title against number one contender and former champion, “The Native Beast” Nyla Rose in a good one. These two have had a couple of matches before and each one seems to be better than the last. Both women got to look good and either would have been a valid winner. Let that be the last time for a long time anyone does the old Eddie Guerrero move. There looked to be a botched pin attempt midway through but Rose’s shoulder did get off the mat.
PnP and FTR Press Conference
I don’t know why they got a press conference but FTR and Proud and Powerful had one, and they were all great but that damn Santana…man. He’s going to be The Man one day. There needs to be the unedited version put out ASAP.
El Idolo vs Any of the Death Triangle (instant classic)
So instead of just keeping him with Vickie, they’ve put Andrade El Idolo with Chavo Guerrero Jr (you’re not WWE, you can call him “Jr”). Fine.
El Idolo vs any of the Death Triangle (welcome back) will be classics, but he clearly needs a partner now and this segment was a bit disjointed. Considering who they’ve hired lately, Tony Khan can stop booking because Guerrero and Callis could take over and kill it.
Orange Cassidy defeated The Blade
OC beat the Blade. I didn’t care.
Jericho just keeps that Painmaker jacket around, huh?
Main Event: Lance Archer defeated Jon Moxley (c)
for the NJPW IWGP US Championship
New champion. Hometown favorite Archer wins the Texas Death Match (more a modern Last Man Standing match than an old school TDM since there were no pinfalls) in an excellent, bloody brawl that had tables, chairs, forks, and barbed wire. Helluva brawl that played to the strengths of both men. Hikuleo (Haku’s kid) got in the ring and…he shouldn’t have but they got to get their shit on New Japan World and this helped.
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