Venue: Esports Stadium, Arlington, TX

*****

Elton’s gone.  New up-tempo, aggressive theme.  If generic.  Schiavone welcomed us to the countdown to All In and the start of their summer residence.  Arkady’s ring announcing.  They showed Darby’s return Weds.

Darby Allin vs Beast Mortos

Backstory: NONE

Darby slipped behind, was flung free, grabbed in a headlock and spun to the mat.  Mortos back to his feet maintaining the hold, finally whipped off but smashing through Allin on the rebound.  Allin ducked a lariat, dropkick and bullet tope, both down outside.

Nigel said he couldn’t think of anyone worse to face ahead of Blood and Guts…

Allin was caught trying a rana off the apron and swung into it.  Small crowd, small-time feel, fans lively though.  Romero Special back inside from Mortos who booted Allin free into the buckle.

A pop-up Samoan drop continued the assault.  Count of two.  Allin rolled him up for two.  Springboard cross body for the same, tried a coffin drop, caught, but countered a sunset flip into a cradle for another two.  Then grabbed a choke.

Until Mortos ran him to the buckle; Darby ole’d Mortos through the ropes, coffin splash to the floor.  Mortos hit back with a tornijo through the ropes.  Rapid spear back inside.  Two.  Mortos then slapped Allin to the mat.

He mocked Allin, who came up with a big chop which barely registered.  He was then smashed back to the mat.  Mortos offered his face, Allin hit his flurry into a code red for two.  Fans solidly behind Darby.  As he headed upstairs, was cut off and took a gorilla press/bodyslam from the top.  Hurt Mortos more as he landed hard on his knee.

Back up there, Allin fighting free to land a crucifix bomb from the top, Coffin Drop, win.

Good atmosphere, good action, ultimately pointless.  Schiavone said Darby now had lots of momentum.  Which is the fundamental point re: lots of AEW tv – how is struggling to beat a guy who never wins a good thing?

Think what I liked so much about Wednesday was there was no time for anything like this: matches for the sake of matches.

Winner: Darby Allin

Allin caught his breath then took a mic.  He said people always told him to slow down but he’s 30 now and feels great.  It’s fitting he’s in Blood and Guts because at Sting’s final match people saw his guts hanging out and it stings every day.

He addressed the Bucks, criticizing them for never coming to Collision like him, ‘AEW’s my baby now.’  He said he wouldn’t be here if not for the Bucks (thought it was Cody?), ‘that’s no secret but man you suck real bad now.’  He almost said this with a smile.  Like it was an off-camera in-joke.

He said the TNT title means everything to him and he’ll stop at nothing till he gets it back.  He challenged Perry for All In.  He said he’s ready to die at B&G, he’ll see us Weds.  Then said into the camera – ‘That sucked, that hurt so bad.’

Schizophrenic is probably the best way to describe this promo.

*****

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn.  Caster was being a f’ing goof for a change – ‘stomping nuts’ and such.  When Gunn lived up to the ‘Daddy’ moniker by telling them off and saying B&G is about being the best wrestler alive and bringing it to the Elite.

He stormed off, the Acclaimed nodded like they’d got the message.

Tough as it is to praise Gunn, this was good.

Skye Blue vs Hikaru Shida

Backstory: Blue challenged Shida

Decent reaction for Shida, crowd chanting.  Schiavone blathered about Blue being 13 of her last 14.  She raced at Shida with a boot at the bell, then stomped away in the corner.  Exchange of forearms, very quiet now, Blue hit a very slow back elbow.

Each followed the other into the ropes with strikes until Skye snapmare’d Shida out, Shida ducked her low enziguri and booted her outside.  Following via cross body from the middle rope.  Which Blue just barely got underneath, taking most of it with her legs.

Doctors came to check on her.

Ads.

Shida left up the ramp during the break so presumably Blue is done.  As we came back, the ref raised Shida’s arm atop the ramp.  She did her best to play this up while doc’s continued working on Blue.  Seems this could be a bad one – torn-up knee or a break.

Winner: Hikaru Shida via stoppage

We legged it backstage to Lance Archer wrecking dudes.  Kevin Sullivan included.  Guessing this is what they improvised.  Archer said it was time to remind us all what he can do.  As with Daniel Garcia, you’ve told us this too many times.

*****

Suzuki/Jericho segment from Weds.

And a taped Jericho promo to follow.  He said he and Suzuki have been waiting a long time for this match.  He put it across as four years in the making.  ‘It’s a dream match for sure.’ (Isn’t everything in AEW that’s not a squash?)  It’s a dream for him but a nightmare for Suzuki.

He said their match will be far more violent than B&G.  He can’t wait to teach him lessons, one of which is he shouldn’t have turned him down.

If the idea of a ‘Dream Match’ wasn’t already dead, the fan reaction being restricted to individual calls for him to shut up and such did the trick.

Rey Fenix vs Tony Nese

Backstory: NONE

No-one recognized Nese’s music (myself included).  Sterling and Nese cut off Arkady so Nese could talk.  AEW completed the small-time feel of a show in a small, dark arena by having Nese call fans fat and heel on local sports teams.

‘Why would someone say things like that on the air?’ asked Schiavone, quite correctly.

Nese blathered on and on about giving an opportunity to someone.  Fenix’ music interrupted, fans went wild after being served several minutes of nothing.  In your usual AEW planning, Schiavone said Fenix had answered Nese’s challenge, despite there being a graphic earlier in the show.

Chants of ‘Lucha’ as the bell rang.  Nese began working the arm.  Slowly.  Fenix sped things up by doing the same with the aid of the ropes.  Nese flipped through to counter then aimed a thrust to the throat.  Running punt and nice reverse spin kick.  For two.

Crossfaces now with Fenix on the mat.  Rey kicked free of a suplex, lost his balance on the middle rope, announcers wondered whether he was tripped so seems someone missed their cue.  Nese went after the knee, chop battle followed, crowd loud for Fenix’ efforts, including a dropkick which sent Nese outside.

A baseball slide saw Sterling drag Nese out the way, all of the Premier Athletes distracted Rey, Nese hit a cheap shot and the others stomped him, somehow the ref didn’t see this.  Crowd heated at this unfair advantage against their guy.

Ads.

Rey fighting up from his knees, asking Nese to bring it, crowd chanting for Fenix, Nese got a one count with an arrogant cover.  Nese cut Rey off with a cheap shot, snapped him across the top rope then dragged him up for a one-armed powerbomb.  For two.

Nese battered Rey in the corner, Fenix rolled out into a rana with the legs hooked for two, pump kick, springboard spin kick, Daivari hit the apron, Fenix avoided a Nese charge then tope’d onto all three heels.

Rolling Nese back in, crowd chanting for Rey again as he headed upstairs, rope walk punt to Sterling, Nese took advantage and went upstairs himself, 450, near fall.  Rey slipped free of a pump handle, thrust kick, rope walk punt, right back up, frogsplash, win.  The only exciting sequence of the match.  Because Nese controlled 98% of it.

Heel we know won’t win takes most of the match, vastly more popular face snatches a win, no-one benefits.  That hasn’t happened for at least thirty minutes.  At least the fans were really into this because of Rey’s popularity in Texas.

Winner: Rey Fenix

Schiavone brought FTR to the ring.  Nigel intro’d last week’s segment with FTR/Callis/Dynamite Kid.

Cash said Billington has a very bright future and there’s no way they’ll let Callis ruin it.  Then said over the past two years they’ve had the greatest run of their careers.  He said he’s been going through stuff personally over the last year that stressed him out, name dragged through the mud – ‘it was not true’ – and etc.

And coming out to the ring was his only solace from all that ‘shit.’  He said he has a temper but only inside the ring.  He said it’s time to go ‘Buck hunting.’  Not much of a reaction.  Dax listed their resume, matches with the Briscoes, clash with BCG, beating the Bucks at Wembley.

Their win/loss isn’t great but watching the Bucks leapfrog them as the best team in the world didn’t sit well with him.  He sat home with his injury hoping the Bucks would take the division back to the promised land but didn’t even see a title defense (yep).

So maybe he’s about to make a big mistake but starting next week their road to the tag titles begins and it ends at Wembley.  He promised to give everything to the fans and be ‘your’ three-time tag champs.

Fans had been quiet, chanted ‘FTR.’  ‘Young Bucks, this whole thing’s for you, Top Guys… out.’

I love tag wrestling.  I really like both teams.  I do not want to see that match again (guessing they chuck the Machine Guns or Acclaimed for a triple threat or something).  It’s a sad reflection of the division that after four years they’ve done nothing to raise another combo anywhere near their level.  And have let the Lucha Bros drop from it.

*****

Shida backstage with Lexy.  She cut Lexy off, yelling frustratedly that she came for a fight (the audio’s been off all night btw).  She wants a fight with Britt.  She’s just come back and wants to skip the line.

Shida made her bleed before when she broke her nose.  She’ll do it again Wednesday.

Your standard Wrestler X hasn’t been on tv for ages, gets one win then challenges Star Y so they can lose to them.  Because AEW don’t plan ahead and give wrestlers momentum.

Roderick Strong vs Tomohiro Ishii

Backstory: NONE

One for the sickos?  Not much of a reaction for Ishii, or ‘the Stone Cold Pitbull,’ as Schiavone called him.  Fenix comfortably most over so far, then Darby, #3 far in the distance.

Ishii’s apparently part of that group with Orange, Kyle and Briscoe.  Strong snapped off a vicious chop, Ishii didn’t blink.  Stiff exchange saw him finally register a bit.  Exchange continuing, fans coming alive a bit, Bret Hart disgusted.

Strong hit a knee to the gut, Ishii literally ran through a Strong chop then crashed him down with a shoulder block, fans into that.  Strong down in the corner, up to aim shots to the chest and chin, Ishii just stared at him.

Strong realizing what he’d got himself into and trying to duck through the ropes, then aiming a final shot; Ishii snapped off a single shot which knocked Strong on his ass, suplex following for two.  Fun sequence.  Strong hip tossed in from the apron, Ishii avoided a sick kick then ran through Strong with his shoulder.

Strong bailed outside.  In to break the count before bailing back out.  Making Ishii follow him and nailing a dropkick through the ropes and uranage against the apron.

Ads.

Back to Ishii trying to fight out of a headlock, snatching a powerslam, incredibly quiet as they exchanged more forearms in the middle.  Ishii again not selling, walking through the shots till Strong was stuck in the corner, chops that rocked Strong all the way back (either legitimately or incredible selling from Strong).

Whip out, reversed, they crashed, Ishii landing behind, release German, I gasped, Strong absolutely crashing to the mat.  Then set atop the buckle, delayed superplex, crowd coming alive a bit, near fall.  Ishii seeking a piledriver, Strong back bodying free, flurry of kicks, Ishii blocked End of Heartache by landing on his feet, Strong ducked a shot, sort of, but took a running shoulder.

Though dropstepped under another, Olympic slam, End of Heartache, Ishii out at 2.9.  Think that’s what they were going for a minute ago when things went slightly awry.  Back to exchanging forearms, Ishii blocked a leaping knee, enziguri, blocked/ignored another knee, pair of lariats, two.

We’re into gone too long territory.  Just as the Kingdom hit the apron and Strong used the distraction to win.  Fun earlier, not the strongest toward the finish, which was itself crappy.  But then Strong’s competing for the vaunted ROH title on Friday so couldn’t lose.  Not that winning like this makes him look strong.

Winner: Roderick Strong

The Kingdom held Ishii for Strong but Mark Briscoe and Kyle came out and the heels fled.

*****

Ospreay/MJF package from Weds.  Including clips from Max afterward, ‘Easiest night of my life, practically a night off,’ with the oxygen mask still attached.

Hologram vs Gringo Loco

Backstory: NONE

If this was truly a big debut, it wouldn’t come mid-way through the show.  Hologram’s a dude in a silver suit whose entrance is in the dark with a big light-up ‘H’ on his chest.  His opponent got more of a pop because he’s presumably a local.

Weird how AEW do that even against faces.

Hologram avoided a charge, ran and stood on the guy’s shoulders, vaulting off, twisting rana, springboard into a tejeiras off Loco’s shoulders.  Crowd far more into this already than the last match.

Beautiful tope outside, rolling from the apron into a rana back inside.  Loco cut him off and hit a slap, military press and standing moonsault for two.  But took ages on the buckle and missed a spinning dive.  Hologram avoided Loco in the corner several times, then things got a bit ‘Lucha.’  As he rolled into a preening pose for several seconds while Loco just watched.

Then paused atop the buckle for several seconds while Loco just watched.  Before springing off into a sloppy suplex.  Then a dragonrana to the floor.  Heel kick back inside, airplane spin into a nice sit-out powerbomb to win.  Schiavone called this the ‘Portal Bomb.’

Dude certainly has some impressive moves.  Lost me toward the end when they made it obvious this wasn’t a real contest.

Winner: Hologram

Dustin Rhodes backstage with Kevin von Erich and his sons.  Kevin said he learned so much from Dusty and said wrestling is different from when he wrestled.  So asked Dustin to help out his sons.  Dustin said the von Erichs and Rhodes’ were together for the first time since the late 70s.

He said he had their back.

*****

Mark Briscoe promo.  It’s hot outside and so is the schedule for the ROH champ.  ROH ppv Friday for the title.  He again said he was wiser and tougher than last time he met Strong.  And every Friday one thing is certain, two days ago it was Wednesday.

So moved on to pushing B&G.  He said the Elite were representative of what’s wrong with the world: powerful, privileged and think they can just step all over the little man.  He and his team are representing AEW and the grinders worldwide.

He hopes the heels are ready to fight.

Deonna Purrazzo vs Thunder Rosa (Lumberjack Match)

Backstory: Rosa recruited a bunch of ppl who don’t like Deonna to stop her cheating/running

The lumberjacks were just at ringside as we came back from break.  I recognized very few of them.  ‘We’ll try to identify them as best we can,’ said Schiavone.  Very AEW to have a lumberjack match and not emphasize them.

They raced to scrap at the bell, Deonna fled outside, the heel/face lumberjacks nearly got into it before Deonna was forced back in.  Rosa hit a kick to the gut and running dropkick, senton splash for two.  Deonna bailed again and was forced back in.

Cross body off the middle buckle as Rosa got two.  Deonna sent her to the apron and hit a draping ddt.  Deonna stopped to pose.  So much better as a heel.  The lumberjacks started grabbing and hitting both women, who ended up atop the buckle as the lumberjacks squabbled below.

Deonna superplexed Rosa onto them all.

Ads.

Deonna hit a lungblower for two then threw Rosa among the heel lumberjacks.  Rosa fought them off.  Returning to aim a flurry at Deonna who ended up down in the ropes.  Rosa hit a running dropkick, Deonna onto her shoulders, airplane spin into a DVD for two.

Deonna rolled through into an armbar, Rosa pinned her to break it, took a pumpkick, a roundhouse barely connected, Deonna hit a suplex for two.  Then said it was over, Rosa countered through, hooking the arms, Deonna again transitioned into the armbar.

Rosa got the ropes.  As Nigel said B&G had ‘huge implications for the gold here in AEW.’  Which is one of the problems, there are no ‘implications.’  None.

Yay/boo, Deonna on the apron, Rosa inside, until Deonna snapped Rosa’s arm across the top rope.  Rosa speared her off the apron onto the lumberjacks.  Fans are as into this as any match all night.  The lumberjacks began to fight again.

Then Diamante began beating up Rosa.  Deonna’s in the ring.  Taya handed her a piece of buckle, she hit a very weak shot to Rosa to win.  Wow, unless this feud is still continuing, they’re really behind Deonna.

Winner: Deonna Purrazzo

If one screwy finish wasn’t enough, they showed the Patriarchy heading to the ring.  And Kip Sabian leaning on a wall in the background.

Ads.

Schiavone was disgusted at a ‘Christian adopt me,’ sign. He and Nigel argued.

Patriarchy vs Bang Bang Gang (Trios Titles)

Backstory: Titles were made vacant because Jay White was injured by Christian

Austin and Nick Wayne to start: lockup, crowd chanting ‘Gunns Up!’  Wayne go-behind into a headlock, blocking a whip, headlock takeover, Austin headscissors, takeover of his own, Wayne landed on his feet out of a hiptoss but not a second.

Really nice sequence.  Wayne bailed to tag his father.  Fans chanted for Juice.  And got some.  Cage circled then tagged Saurus.  Who shook off a series of chops, back elbow sending Juice to the mat.  Juice bit his hand then pounded his back.  Cage hit a cheap shot from the apron and snapped Juice across the ropes.

Ads.  Some nice heel work.

Tag to Colten who ran through Saurus and Wayne with lariats and dropkicks.  Splash in the corner, euro step neckbreaker for barely two.  Tag to Austin, working over Wayne in the corner but missing wildly on a splash, crashing at ringside.

Wayne grabbed a headlock and tagged Cage, who stood on Austin in the corner, snapmare out, raking the face, tag to Saurus.  Who hit a release belly to back for two.  Austin boot up in the corner, fighting out, diving tag to Juice, distracted by Cage, avoiding Wayne’s World, lefty jabs, left hand of god, senton, barely two.

Nick Wayne is not keen on near falls.

He fled to hug Cage, Juice vaulted onto both.  The Gunns fought off Saurus, sending him crahing over the barricade.  Juice nailed a lariat to Wayne back inside, corner cannonball, suplex, Cage broke the pin.

But was left alone with the faces.  Tried to flee but was snatched into a weird move which ended with him on his feet, then took a bunch of punches before the Gunns took him out via Cactus Clothesline.

Juice blocked a Wayne low blow, powerbomb for again barely two.  Guessing the kid is still a little nervous at staying down for three by mistake.  Juice upstairs, Saurus returned and grabbed a goozle, chokeslam off the top, Wayne moonsault to both Gunns, Cage frogsplash, near fall.

Cage had Juice in a full nelson, Juice elevated Wayne out, ducked and Cage knocked Saurus off the apron, we cut to the Gunns stomping outside so missed the next move, Nick Wayne broke the pin at 2.9.  All six in the ring now, Bryce Remsburg having himself a night (he did Fenix/Nese too, I think).

Speaking of, he went to give Cage head while Shayna sprayed something into Juice’s face, Killswitch, win.  Fun match, crowd into both sides.  The only thing remotely resembling a competitive match with a finish all night.

The lights began to flicker as Cage posed with three belts.

Winner: Patriarchy

Might have got a little carried away about Dynamite Weds.  But did really enjoy the show.  Mostly because everything had a purpose.  There was no wrestling for the sake of wrestling, no 50/50 booking and no dumb refs.

This was the antithesis.  The last two matches the only intriguing outcomes all night.  Both of which had screwy finishes, lest you think the show’s worth watching.

Next Dynamite:

• Blood & Guts: Elite & Hangman vs Swerve, Mark Briscoe, the Acclaimed & Darby
• Jericho vs Suzuki (FTW title)
• Shida vs Baker
• MJF promo
• Mariah May’s ‘debut’

Check Out

• Main event was fun

Appreciate you reading.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend.