Reviews by Dave
Show air date: May 13, 2020
Of top, props to AEW for having their talent wear masks at the open since they’re at ringside.
Of course, Garbage Juice Janela wasn’t wearing one. I guess he thinks people need to see his face to not mistake him for a random fan that snuck in. Excalibur is the second non-WWE announcer this week to call the title belt a “championship” and not a “belt”. I appreciate Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone correcting that later.
Show Opening: “MurderHawk” Lance Archer with Jake Roberts
I liked the first segment. “MurderHawk” Lance Archer makes his first appearance, apparently having jumped on Shawn Dean (that’s who it looked like to me), leading into Jake Roberts cutting a great promo straight out of Georgia Championship Wrestling on TBS. CODY finally coming out and getting into a pretty good brawl with Archer after what they did to his wife, Brandi, last week takes him off the top of the “Worst Husbands in Wrestling” list (Edge, you are the king this week) even if his little F150 stunt at the beginning was a little too precious and made him look stupid.
The Best Friends vs Jurassic Express
A good opening match with The Best Friends beating Jurassic Express. Typical AEW tag match: good action, good spots, a ref that can’t count to ten for sh-t, wrestlers that don’t even try to break counts and a little overbooked at the end. Why would Orange Cassidy go up there in the first place? Rey Fenix hit that jawn like he just graduated from the School of RVD Potatoes.
I’m glad Luchasaurus ain’t my damn friend. Stop looking at the ho and whoop his ass!!!
Best Friends were workhorses for AEW when most of the roster was away, so they’ve earned a run as tag champs.
Hikaru Shida vs Dr. Britt Baker vs Kris Statlander vs Penelope Ford
In a four-way match, Hikaru Shida beat Dr. Britt Baker, Kris Statlander, and Penelope Ford.
Nothing special. A lot of hard work but just a typical multiperson match with a lot of spots and people waiting for spots. Then a silly finish where Baker just chooses to take herself out of the pin by locking on her submission on Statlander on the floor. Shida is set to challenger Women’s Champion, “The Native Beast” Nyla Rose at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
Suge D aka Pineapple Pete Promo
Suge D–aka Pineapple Pete–cuts a great promo. Lock him down, AEW. Don’t build him up for someone else.
Kenny Omega and Matt Hardy vs Santana and Ortiz
Kenny Omega and “Damascus” Matt Hardy beat Santana and Ortiz (I guess AEW isn’t going with “Proud and Powerful” as a name) in a good match. But hey man, the former LAX should not be the underneath team for the Inner Circle. It’s been a while since they had a big win. Too many convenient spots when Omega was in, for my taste. Match went a little long, and I could have gone my whole life without the Guevara stuff.
Darby Allin Interview with Tazz
Darby Allin keeps looking like he wants smoke with Tazz and then some ECW match he saw flashes through his mind and he decides he doesn’t.
Backstage Interview with Hikaru Shida
Nyla Rose shows Shida that “Native Beast” isn’t just a nickname. I love her.
MJF vs Lee Johnson
MJF beat Lee Johnson in a good tv squash. Then cuts a promo on his DoN opponent, Jungle Boy Jack Perry, announcing he’s signed Marko Stunt’s open contract. Why does Stunt have an open contract?
Chris Jericho vs Suge D
Le Champion, Chris Jericho beat Suge D, possibly settling their feud. Great Judas Effect to end it. I’m not really interested in the IC vs Elite anymore, but they were doing it so hurry up and close this out so the Elite can get their big win. An empty stadium match is fine.
Main Event: Brodie Lee vs Christopher Daniels
“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels got his shot at settling the feud with The Dark Order’s corporate cult leader, The Exalted One, Mr. Brodie Lee. He got the wheel beat off him. Daniels had a chance to win and it turned into a big schmoz where Daniels looks like an idiot, turning his back to a monster. I like both guys, but this went on too long. Jon Moxley came out (as expected), beat up a dozen DO members, and still didn’t get his belt back. He’s tough but dumb apparently.
AEW Dynamite was fine as a show. The first half was slightly stronger than the second and reminded me of the shows they were doing before that felt like the new Nitro and not a 21st-century wrestling show. Onto NXT.
