AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the Sasktel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  After last week drawing 855,000 & 0.29 in the 18-49 demo.

Also, I have Pac (ie Bastard) Flu so apologies if this isn’t as comprehensive as I’d like it to be.

*****

Komander vs Chris Jericho

Backstory: None

Either the audio’s bad, there’s hardly anyone there or fans are not remotely interested in seeing the Ocho.  Based on the lighting, seems the middle one applies.  These camera shots are tight.

Komander’s now with Alex Abrahantes apparently.  No explanation as to why.

Jericho pie-faced him, Komander threw rights backing Jericho to the corner; Jericho pushed him back out with chops, Komander did the Ultimo Dragon balance atop the buckle thing with his feet to the sky – Jericho stood there for a while then took a very tame ‘kick’ to the chest.

Speeding up, a tejeiras followed, running shot in the corner, Jericho was nice enough to stand still for ages again while Komander jumped from rope to rope for no reason then launched a hurracanrana and impressive tornillo after the vet bailed outside.

Then flung him into the steps and hit a running knee off the apron.

But telegraphed his re-entry and ate a forearm out of a springboard, Jericho going to work via underhook suplex, his old bicep-pose pin for a count of one and chops to the chest.  Following via brainbuster, bagging two with a late cover.

Komander tried to fight back, Jericho elevated him over via body drop, Komander landed on his feet, series of kicks, lastly a heel kick, Jericho shook them off to fling the youngster through the ropes.

Ads.

Jericho – very much playing heel here after last week – was taken down with a very weak tejeiras, responding via his old double powerbomb then missing a Lionsault and being wrapped into a magistral as Komander got two.

A seatbelt followed after the two rolled around looking for leverage.  Same result.

Komander got a head of steam but ran into a big lariat, got a boot up in the corner only for Jericho to sweep the leg and place him atop the buckle.  Komander threw incredibly weak body blows trying to block a superplex – he succeeded – Jericho crashing prone to the mat; rope walk shooting star for a close count.

Beautiful move.  Incredibly agile.

Komander sent to the apron, avoiding Jericho’s springboard dropkick, to the top once more – just about pulling off the buckle-to-buckle rope-walk into a dive to the outside.  Crowd loved that.  Phoenix splash bagged him two as he went close once more.

A very sloppy Codebreaker out of a cross body got two, crowd clapping, Komander a series of thrust kicks, big open palm, dragonrana attempt, caught – just about – into the Lion Tamer, immediate tap.

If you like being able to suspend your disbelief, this will not be for you.  Sloppy and ‘light’.  Komander does have his moments but he’s not for me thus far.

And the youngster was immediately an afterthought, disappearing as Don Callis hit the scene.  ‘Hell of a match kid!’ he said to Jericho – that was funny.  Even Jericho acknowledged being called ‘kid’.

Callis said the whole world is buzzing at the potential of the two joining forces.  Referring back to a faction they were part of 28 years ago, led by Bad News Allen.  They played some retro footage of the pair with Allen as a team from the mid-90s.

Most of which couldn’t be heard.

Jericho said it’s funny that he still has all his hair and Callis ‘well…’.

They remembered Bad News telling them to always stick together, Callis said Allen would be smiling now up in heaven at the possibility of Jericho joining the Callis Family.  Noting there was no pressure but also emphasizing that he knows which choice their dead mentor would like him to make.

That was some nice slimy heel work there at the end.  Still totally confused as to whether Jericho’s heel or face.  Suppose at least some of that’s intentional.  Could even end up being the BCC’s fifth.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Recap of the Hook/Perry story so far, emphasizing that eventually Perry will have to face the music.

‘Alex Scoops’ – as no-one but Excalibur has ever called Marvez – was on the scene in the parking lot.  Perry wouldn’t get out of his car – ‘unsafe working environment’ (that’s original) – Hook broke into the car, Perry somehow got away again.  ‘Keep runnin’ Perry’ said Hook.

This made the word contrived jealous.

*****

Renee to ask Callis further about Jericho.  Callis said that’d be big but his focus was on later tonight when he’s going to announce the 5^th for the BCC team.  Alone.

Renee wondered if this was a good idea.

‘If there’s one person in this business I’m not afraid of, it’s that gutless coward Kenny Omega… he’ll be hiding behind the skirts of the Young Bucks’.

That could be a great who said it?:

a) Don Callis ; b) Jim Cornette; c) CM Punk

*****

This show is just impossible to keep up with.  As we moved to another ‘bonding session’ with MJF and Adam Cole.  They were doing shots at the bar.  Max wasn’t happy Cole wasn’t wearing the shirt.  Cole said he’d lost it, Max didn’t believe him.

A few ladies walked by and made eyes at them.  Max tried to talk Cole into joining them.  Cole said he loved Britt.

Max came back after apparently f****** all four girls.  Cole said he’d wear the shirt if Max agreed to do what he wanted next.  Cut to them playing Fight Forever.  Max was dead against it but really got into it.

Max said games were more fun with friends – he’d never played a multiplayer game before – he got all sad and said ‘You need to have friends for that’.

(This would actually be great character stuff if it didn’t all seem BS since MJF’s the one saying it – some vignettes like this about a real team could do wonders)

Cole paused to say when this all started he’d planned on ‘blindsiding’ him; Max said he’d planned the same thing.  But now they each thought the other was ‘cool’.

They vowed to win the AEW tag titles –‘bay bay!’ – then did so, in the game of course.

I’ll let Tony Schiavone speak for me: ‘No-one trusts MJF… he (Cole) shouldn’t trust him’.

Orange Cassidy & Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia (Elim Tag Tourn)

Backstory: Winner faces MJF & Cole in the final

Considering this match hosts two recent #1 contenders to the world title and a current champion, shouldn’t this be a main event?

Excalibur emphasized the heels were coming out to their own entrances, not the JAS theme.  He also mentioned Jericho was solo in the opener.

‘Freshly squeezed’ chants as Orange and Sammy got going – Cassidy mocked Garcia’s ‘loco’ pose, Sammy returned the favor via his pockets.  They went back and forth with armdrags until Orange stopped dead, leaving Sammy to go splat, then each avoided the other, culminating with a Sammy senton which Orange avoided, until being blindsided by Garcia.

Guevara wasn’t happy about this.  Allin came in, offering a handshake to Sammy, Garcia took another cheapshot and paid for it with Darby’s bullet tope, jackknife pin inside on Sammy for two, he and Garcia then doubled Darby, Cassidy badly missed a tope and was dumped outside by Garcia.

He then front chancery-d Allin, heels on top as the break beckoned.  At least Garcia’s a heel anyway, Sammy’s clearly not supposed to be yet is still being booed.

Fast start with some nice exchanges, pretty loose with the old tags and rules though.

Back to Allin with Sammy in the Scorpion Deathlock, Garcia in immediately to break it, Sammy got Darby with a leaping knee in the corner, Allin fought back, shots to the gut, Code Red, Garcia the legal man though, so the pin didn’t count.

Tag to Cassidy, he ran Garcia buckle to buckle, headed upstairs, cross body, duck under, tornado ddt – blocked, Garcia ran the ropes right into a Michinoku Driver for two.  More ‘freshly squeezed’ chants.

Orange Punch ready, Garcia slipped behind into a sleeper, Cassidy fought free, Garcia slipped under to snag the Dragon Tamer, releasing it when Darby entered for a double-team sequence: Cassidy stundog, Allin stunner, Cassidy tornado ddt, Sammy made the save at two.

Hit a knee strike to Darby, blocked a Cassidy tornado ddt, Cassidy hit Beach Break but was rolled into a crucifix by Garcia, the pair rolling in and out of pins for two, maybe six or seven of them.  Garcia popped up with a knee strike, both hit simultaneous boots; both down.

Garcia and Allin once more, rapid fist fight, Allin avoided a splash in the corner, the two bumped heads and crashed to the mat.  As Garcia hit a uranage to Cassidy on the apron.  To their feet, Allin was blasted again via Sammy knee strike, who badly missed with a shooting star (nasty landing on his shoulder) Garcia had Cassidy in the Dragon Tamer on the ramp as Prince Nana came down it.

He gave Garcia the skateboard, Darby tried to disarm him, Swerve blasted Darby with a heel kick, the ref of course ‘distracted’.  Sammy – who hadn’t seen any of this, hit the GTH on Darby to win.

Afterward, Sammy & Darby shook hands.

Guess that adds more to the Wayne/Swerve match since Allin is aligned with the youngster.  And there was good action here, but a lot to critique too.

Since this is the second tag in a row AEW have used the ‘pinned the illegal man’ thing.  And on Saturday it was fine since the match generally followed the rules.

But this was all-but a tornado tag.  For the last five minutes all four were constantly wrestling, whether inside or out.

The entire point of that spot is fans are screaming in frustration since they know the illegal man’s being pinned and want their favorites to realize it. And in this, it was utterly impossible to keep up with who was and wasn’t legal.

Winner: Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia

Nick Wayne package – showing the ring where he learned with his dad and Darby.  He started training at age 9.  Then recalled his mum telling him his dad had died – he cried, felt lost – they showed him training with his dad as a kid.

He always wanted to be a wrestler but now even more so for his dad.  He keeps being asked if he’s ready – he said ‘yes’ emphatically.  ‘I knew professional wrestling was meant for me’.

This was excellent.  Wayne was very good in front of the camera, very natural and likeable.  I’m now rooting for him and want him to do well.  Which is the point of these things right?

Though I’m begging them not to have a heel rip on Wayne’s dad, can we please leave the dead dad stuff alone for a bit?

*****

Renee was backstage waiting for Adam Cole to get off the phone with Britt – who seemed mad at him.  As was Roderick Strong who appeared to question Cole again about Max.

Cole basically defended MJF/ignored Strong as he rushed off since MJF had texted to say he’d just seen Brian Cage and was now ‘sick’.

The basis of this appears to be that we’re supposed to wonder whether the guy who might be fighting for the world title soon is stupid.

MJF & Adam Cole vs Brian Cage & Big Bill (Elim Tag Tourn)

Backstory: Cole & Max are becoming friends, seemingly

Will we see Max & Cole take their relationship to the next level and get freaky in the ring?

Cole’s obviously a hell of a salesman since Max came out thirty seconds after being ‘sick’ and enthusiastically headed to the ring slapping hands with the fans.  Max performed all of Cole’s entrance with him like last week.

Again, it was amusing out of context.  Schiavone was ranting about how stupid this all was.

As the crowd chanted for MJF, Cole took off his jacket to reveal he was wearing their team shirt.  Max was pleased, starting a ‘bodyslam’ chant as he faced-off with Bill.  He tried it, didn’t work, he tagged Cole and headed up the ramp.

Cole talked him into coming back.

Cage did push-ups.  So did Cole.  This enraged Cage.  Crowd going wild for all of this.

MJF back in, he demanded Bill come back in and promised a bodyslam.  He lifted him a little but couldn’t get it.  Bill messed with Max by telling him not to let Cole outshine him. Max started pushups, Bill stomped him, bashed Cole off the apron then did pushups.

Excalibur told us ‘the action continues’ after the break.  So more push-ups then.

Bill was beating on and mocking Max when we came back, ripping his precious shirt off and wiping his ass with it.  Max was furious, firing up, crowd firmly behind him – ‘You F’d up’ chant as Max bit the hand to free himself then hit the bodyslam to a massive pop.

Straining for the tag, Cage came in to block it, Max escaped a powerbomb, thumb to the eye, tag to Cole: pumpkick, thrust kick blocked – thumb to the eye – he then hit the thrust kick, he and Max yelled ‘double clothesline’ at the same time, Cage avoided it, Bill took down both with a ­double clothesline, Max and Cole hit thrust kicks to the knee, Cage ran them over with another double clothesline then slammed both guys simultaneously.

With great ease.

Cole hit a superkick on the apron, Max the Heat Seeker, Cole the Boom.  Win.

As with the last match, not a bloody clue who was supposed to be legal.

This is the worst tournament ever.

Max took the mic to ask if there were any Devil worshippers.  There were.  He said he was ‘over’ and so was Cole, starting a ‘do the thing’ chant.  Cole did the thing.

He promised the double clothesline was comin’.  A ‘double clothesline’ chant started.  Cole wasn’t happy with Max touching him.  Then said he hadn’t expected their team to work.  But now was targeting not only the tournament but the tag titles themselves.  Since they get a shot if they win the tournament.

Cole promised that if they stayed on the same page, ‘you are looking at the new AEW tag team champions’.  ‘Max, why is that?’ – ‘Because we’re better than you’ – ‘Bay,bay’.

Strong was shown watching backstage.

It’s hard to argue with something the crowd absolutely adored.  That bodyslam got a bigger pop than anything all night and nothing touched this act in terms of crowd response.

The question remains whether they can turn funny into money when it’s time for these two to feud.  And it seems impossible to avoid either Cole looking dumb or Max being stuck as a babyface after being way too entertaining.

Winner: MJF & Adam Cole

Renee outside Jericho’s dressing room with Jake Hager.  He asked whether Jericho was really considering joining Callis.  Jericho said he really doesn’t know, he needs time.

Hager took his hat off.  This is serious.  He said that he and Jericho have history too: he saved Jericho’s life in Abu Dhabi (might be a stretch but there was some threat on Jericho’s life and Hager basically became his legit bodyguard – dunno if they’ll explain that story –  they didn’t).  And gave up his MMA career when Jericho asked him to join him in AEW.

He deserves to know what’s happening.  And until Jericho can ‘be straight’ with him, he can’t ‘give you a hundred (percent)’.  Ceremonially handing in his hat.

People who hate the hat thing will probably loathe this.  I thought it was fairly effective in continuing the will he/won’t he story.

Ruby Soho vs Skye Blue

Backstory: None

My stomach sinks the second the Outcasts’ theme hits.  Groan city.  While Blue made her entrance, Schiavone emphasized that it was 3-on-1.  So someone in AEW noticed anyway.  Maybe he can tell some of the other babyfaces.

Ruby got a headlock, ran through Blue with a shoulder and pounded her chest; Blue slapped her, introduced her to the buckle, was elevated to the apron where Toni Storm joined her.  About 90 seconds into the god damn match.  Seriously.

The ref went for a chat while Ruby choked Skye from behind.  Blue hit a kick to Soho and punted Toni.  Then fought Ruby off to slam her face-first into the apron.  Until Toni again interfered, flinging her ‘into the steps but it was right in front of referee Stephon Smith’.

Excalibur’s words.

The cameras almost missed it.  The ref certainly shouldn’t have.  And apparently didn’t since he ejected Storm and Saraya.  Though it might be asked why that isn’t a DQ.

Toni was as annoyed as I am watching their matches.  No doubt they’ll be back out before the end.

Soho violently slammed Blue’s head against the ringside mats to bring the break.

Scrapping on the apron, Blue hit a nice thrust kick, but missed off the top, landing badly on her knee which Excalibur told us was already injured.  When?

Blue won a fist-fight, nice elbow strike, knee to the face, swinging neckbreaker, count of two.  She avoided Destination Unknown, Ruby used the ropes to trap her in a knee bar.  Blue fought to the ropes, hit a really nice flatliner out of a Queenslayer position then headed back upstairs.

Ruby crotched her, pulling her off the top into No Future for the win.

Guess the entire tournament’s being tainted with Outcasts’ stank.  Could even see Ruby winning it so both she & Toni have something and Saraya doesn’t – cue jealousy.

Blue had some nice flurries here.  She’s certainly getting better; more aggressive.

Winner: Ruby Soho

Recap of Collision and pushing this Saturday’s card.

*****

Harley Cameron’s rap video.  Which I really didn’t want to like but the girl can rhyme.  Seriously.  Don’t know if this was edited, smoothed or whether she’s just this good.

They then threw back to the announcers ahead of:

Nick Wayne vs Swerve Strickland

Backstory: 18-year-old Nick’s debut

Haven’t seen Nick wrestle, know he’s supposed to be prodigiously good.  And has wrestled Strickland before in his local area.

He came out with Darby and looked genuinely awed – but crucially, not over-awed.  The announcers said he turned 18 on Monday.

He and Swerve circled, lockup, break in the corner, Strickland patronizingly patted the youngster, who returned the favor.  Swerve whip, snapmare, roll-up, kickout at two.

Strickland handstand-ed to avoid a waiting Wayne, Nick came back with a sunset flip – Swerve blocked it, looking for a leverage pin, Nick to the top, he and Swerve then avoided everything the other did – kicks and flips, leading to a stalemate.

‘Let’s go Nick’.

Strickland boot to the face, Wayne a hurracanrana off the ropes, spinning elbow, kip-up, pausing very heelishly to pose and paying for it.  Though countering a belly to back into a fisherman’s suplex for two.

Momentum with him, Prince Nana grabbed his boot, Swerve looked for a DVD on the apron, the youngster countered into a hurracanrana.  Again stopping to pose and celebrate afterwards.  Not a massively babyface thing to keep doing.

Break.  Some good sequences but a lot of this has looked very rehearsed so far, like a routine.

Back to a chin lock, Wayne fighting to his feet, Strickland knee to the gut, blows to the back, Wayne fighting back with a chop and leaping jab, shotgun dropkick, spin kick in the corner, handspring cutter (no idea if this was intended or a blip but he landed on his ass and Swerve flipped him over for Wayne to hit a reverse ddt).

Count of two.

Crowd chanting for the youngster again as he searched for Wayne’s World but was caught into a pair of backbreakers as Swerve got two.  Then took him upstairs as Darby hit the ramp to encourage him and distract Strickland.

Wayne hit a few shots then a top rope poisonrana (looked great and made we think both might die at the same time), Wayne’s World, Strickland got his foot on the ropes at 2.9.  Then went for an avalanche hurracanrana, Swerve countered into a powerbomb and hit Last Call, Wayne kicked out at the last second.

Looking to finish things, Strickland targeted the arm while looking right at Darby, Wayne sold that his shoulder was done as he was wrenched into the JML Driver for the win.

Much as this was Wayne’s debut, Swerve did not need to lose again.

As ever with AEW, it’s the follow-up that counts.  We’ll see what they do with both these guys going forward.  A decent match with some very nice moments and sequences.

Winner: Swerve Strickland

Don Callis out to announce the fifth man.  His (presumably) fake tan is so great, makes him seem so dodgy.  The man he’s about to introduce will ‘slaughter’ the Elite.  Including Kenny Omega, who’s a ‘coward and a punk’.

Kenny wasn’t hearing that; we were hearing his beasty entrance music though.  Using the darkness, the BCC attacked, dressed in black, until Pac hit a chair shot from behind on Omega.

‘Is he the fifth man?’

They then destroyed Omega for a couple minutes, stomping away, holding him for Callis to take a cheap shot.  Pac took the mic to say he’s been waiting for this since Omega broke his nose and took his title.  He’s the fifth man and ‘now, you pay the price’.

Heading to the top, the others held Omega in place for a Black Arrow with a chair wrapped round his throat.  Mox began talking trash on the mic, holding the mic near Kenny who began to smile and cackle – a chair still wrapped round his throat – to say they had a fifth too: ‘check the screen you bitch’.

‘HE’S COMING’ appeared on the screen until a Kota Ibushi package played and he was revealed as the fifth.  The Bucks and Page then appeared behind, hitting superkicks and a Buckshot to clear the ring.  As Excalibur yelled about the ‘Golden Elite’.

Page took the mic to say they were going to finish things once and for all next week.  Omega said Callis will never win the battle, saying what the heels have done to the Elite is nothing compared to what they’ll do next Wednesday.  And after they’ve dealt with their opponents, he’s coming for Callis.

They then had audio issues while Omega did the ‘goodbye/goodnight’ thing.  So close to a glitch-free show.

This was very contrived: firstly Omega maniacally giggling after being beaten by five guys with his throat wrapped in a chair; then the heels being so distracted by a video as to not finish the beating.  Also the idea that the Bucks and Hangman let Omega take this beating just assuming everything would go to plan.

It just didnt seem serious.

On a positive note – Pac, Takeshita and Callis is a hell of a group if the Bastard is indeed joining.  Kickass wrestlers who need a mouthpiece are perfect for Callis.

They’ve also just added two phenomenal workers to an already good-looking match next week.

 ________________________________________________________________

Next Collision:

• Soho or Blue vs Athena or Willow (Owen Hart Final)
• Bullet Club Gold vs FTR (Tag Titles, 2 out of 3 falls)
• Ricky Starks vs CM Punk (Owen Hart Final)

Next Dynamite:

• MJF & Cole vs Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia (Eliminator Tourn Final)
• Kenny Omega, Young Bucks, Adam Page & Kota Ibushi vs Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, Konosuke Takeshita and Pac (Blood & Guts)

Thumbs Up/Down

• Pac’s return
• Nick Wayne’s promo package – he was likeable, relatable and genuine
• Cole & Max – no doubting how entertaining they were or how much the crowd loved them

 *****

• Pacing of the show seemed worse than ever, probably not helped by Collision’s less frantic style
• Cole & Max – how does this lead to a serious feud for the world title without making either look bad?
• Are any champions important? Because none are really being featured as champions or involved in serious threats to/defences of their title (FTR the exception of course)  Does no-one want to win one?
• Nothing you really had to see
• Interference

Appreciate you reading.  Have a good week.