Arena: Temple University

City: Philadelphia, PA

Last Week’s Rating: 1.039,000 overall; 0.35 in 18-49 demo

Guess AEW are taking a look at a couple guys tonight. Can’t help the morale/mood of Miro, Andrade and many others for whom TV time is an intangible concept.

It’s Wednesday night, it’s Dynamite. Let’s go.

Excalibur greeted us to a ‘new era’ of AEW along with Taz and Tony, referring to the number of new champions.

‘The Ocho’ and his crew emerged in matching purple satin/velvet/suede? suits. Garcia looked uncomfortable in more ways than one. Luigi Primo was also there for some reason.

Parker cut a generic, localized cheap-heat promo.

Jericho took the mic and said no one even knows ROH, presumably the crowd was supposed to boo, but didn’t, before putting over both how he’s going to put the company on the map and his opponent Bandido.

Next introducing Garcia to a nice response. For whom he’d brought a gift – a purple bucket hat. In which Garcia looked ridiculous as Schiavone wondered if they were trying to embarrass him. Garcia took out Primo, removed the hat and told Jericho he’d ‘finally had enough.’ About to announce his leaving the JAS, Jericho took the mic, warning him strongly about the decision he was about to make.

‘Are you a sports entertainer? Or are you, a pro wrestler?’

The crowd knew which. As did Bryan Danielson, whose music poured out the speakers before the youngster could answer. BD noted that it sounded like Jericho was trying to tell Garcia what to do. Danielson said it was his choice. He could stay, he could come to the BCC (huge pop), whatever he wanted.

Jericho snapped that Garcia ‘belongs to me… does what I tell him’. The youngster objected.

Before asking ‘Do you guys think it’d be entertaining… if I was in a tag team with Bryan Danielson?’ Then challenging Le Sex Gods to a match. 2.0 said they’d carried Garcia for a year. (Genuinely forgot he was even aligned with them.) Shouty threatened to punch Danielson. Danielson encouraged the idea. Menard vs Danielson set-up for ‘right here, right now.’

Apparently, ‘that is huge’. Per Excalibur. Regal joined on comms.

Bryan Danielson vs Daddy Magic

Backstory: Just arranged

Crowd almost silent for Menard’s offense. Not much louder for the match as a whole. They were not into this after being teased with a Garcia/Danielson combo.

The Dragon was shoved from the top to the outside as the break came.

Still on top as we returned, you could’ve heard a pin drop. Danielson finally had enough, climbing to his feet, ignoring Menard’s chops, then going to yes! kicks in the corner, the flip out of the corner, before running through Daddy Magic, waking the crowd a bit.

A trio of running leg lariats/kicks in the corner left Menard on his knees, a sitting duck for a series of kicks to the chest, Parker pulling his partner to safety. Whereafter, Danielson went for the tope but missed, allowing Parker to hit a ddt on the outside. The crowd didn’t care a lick about Menard’s pin attempt, but did when Claudio came out to drill Parker and literally carry him to the back.

Leaving Menard alone to face the Busaiku Knee and then tap to the LeBell Lock.

The crowd enjoyed Danielson. But would’ve preferred a more competitive opponent. As would I.

WINNER: Bryan Danielson

Video package talking up Moxley. Also introducing Juice Robinson. Who noted beating Moxley last they met.

They then teased that MJF was up next. To a huge response from those in attendance. Leading to Wheeler Yuta hijacking the segment, storming to the ring to light booing.

The youngster had had enough, but not because MJF attacked him. Because he’d attacked Schiavone, who’d done so much for the company. The last bit and Wheeler calling Philly ‘my city’ sort-of brought the crowd on board.

Yuta blathered for a bit, then requested they fight. Max’s music hit and he was mostly booed, helped by a Mets jersey. MJF called Schiavone a ‘fat old prick’ and a ‘coward’ before putting over Yuta as one of the best in the world.

Lots more localized cheap heat aimed at those in attendance. Yuta threatened to leave Max ‘in a pool of blood on Broad Street.’ ‘Bad things happen in Philadelphia’. Apparently, that’s a good thing since the crowd cheered.

As he was making a beeline for the heel, MJF brought out the Ass Boys before doing the generic ‘U wanna see us go tonight? … No’. Match made for next week instead.

Max said he was gonna go watch from the stands and might cash in on Mox later, leaving the Ass Boys to say his catchphrase.

This was really boring and continues to highlight the incessant swimming upstream they’re doing re: MJF, who’s having to work so hard to get booed. And it’s hurting his opponents.

Next, a Sonjay Dutt promo package along with Lethal. They challenged Darby Allin for next week. Allin said it’d be one-one-one, as did Lethal. Dutt wasn’t happy.

Jon Moxley vs Juice Robinson, Eliminator Match

Backstory: If Juice wins, he gets an AEW World Title shot next week

Because two guys with guaranteed title shots aren’t enough…

According to Juice himself, he’s now a free agent.

Robinson attacked before the bell rang, before Moxley even reached the ring. Taz talked about the ‘free agent’ thing so it’s clearly a storyline.

Making the mistake of posing, Mox drilled Juice with a lariat and a suplex on the ringmats. Cut to MJF with his chip and his thumb down, Roman Emperor style. Finally back inside, the two faced-up, talking trash and exchanging shots, Robinson getting the better until again pausing to flex, Moxley landing a wicked kick but backing off after Robinson targeted his eye.

Knocking the champ down in the corner, he raced in but was blasted with a KKL, Mox seeking the Death Rider as Robinson dragged both over the ropes to the outside.

Seems one more week was too much to ask. For a Moxley match without blood that is. The champ dripping from the head as we came back.

Juice sat him on a chair at ringside but missed with a cannonball, crashing right through the chair. A tope was followed up with a charge into the corner by Moxley but Robinson got his foot up, the two going at it like bulls in the middle.

The champ then working the legs before heading to the corner for ten punches. Again targeting the eyes, the challenger fought out, blasting Mox with a powerbomb from the top.

Then going back up for an axe handle but landing into a death rider before countering out into Pulp Friction – brief delay, cover, 1,2, kickout! Crowd kinda bought that one as the challenger fought the inclination to harass the ref.

Then hauled Mox to his shoulders, Mox slipping out, Regal Knee to the face for two, ‘kick your head in’ kicks to the head, cross armbreaker for the tap.

Instantly we’d finished, Hangman flew straight to the ring, no messing, face-to-face as the crowd chanted ‘Cowboy S***’. After a brief exchange, it seemed the two were about to fight when MJF interrupted from his box. Telling them they weren’t fighting for the title but to lose to him.

As staff arrived in the ring to separate the title challengers, Yuta appeared behind Max. Huge response as he hurled MJF into the fans, fighting both him and security, who came to break it up.

Nice segment to end the match, furthering two feuds at the same time.

WINNER: Jon Moxley

Bandido package incorporating snippets of ROH clips/commentary and Schiavone putting over the challenger. Riccaboni compared him to Eddie Guerrero. No pressure kid…

Maybe heeding the threat, Schiavone made sure to pronounce ‘Sir-rey-uh’ correctly, before handing over to Justin Roberts to introduce the former Paige. Response wasn’t the same as last week but then the crowd was significantly smaller.

Said she was ‘damaged but not broken’, promising to ‘create change’ in the division, alluding to doing the same in WWE. She then asked ‘all the ladies’ to come out, the faces coming out led by Toni Storm.

Paige ‘reintroduced’ all the women, starting with the champ. Britt interrupted to cheers (there were boos when Paige said Storm was the best champ the women’d had). She came out with her usual crew and Penelope Ford.

Baker said she’d often put her ‘neck on the line; unlike yours, mines actually strong enough to handle it.’ Saraya responded that Britt’s name rhymed with ‘shit’. As Britt continued, a ‘Jamie Hayter’ chant sprung up.

Baker warned Storm that if she made one mistake against Deeb, she wouldn’t be the champ anymore. Saraya said she’d talked to Tony Khan – ‘a boss that actually listens to me’ – and this would be a lumberjack match.

Before heading up to join on comms for the forthcoming match. Making one think she’s nowhere close to being cleared to compete in any way, shape or form.

This did Saraya no favors. It took too long and didn’t really go anywhere.

Toni Storm vs Serena Deeb, AEW Women’s Title

Backstory: Deeb pinned Storm 2 wks ago w/ help from Baker

Just to be clear, I’m aware this is the ‘interim’ title.

Beginning before absolute silence with a mat display, Storm locking in an arm-capture and a front facelock. Deeb then snatching a headlock but the champ didn’t budge after a shoulder block, hitting one of her own, sending Serena to the outside and the lumberjacks.

Back inside, Deeb hit machine gun chops in the corner, Storm fought back, attempting an avalanche belly to back but Deeb turned it into a cross body in mid-flight. After Toni was sent to the outside, the face/heel lumberjacks stared each other down as the ads arrived.

The fans a bit more into it as we came back, Toni landed a shotgun dropkick, following up with a cross body from the top for two.

Athena hurled Deeb back inside, Storm hauling her into a German suplex but missing with the hip attack as Serena snatched a rollup, finally emerging from a nice sequence of counters into a nasty looking submission with the arms stretched wide apart, transitioning into a neck crank, the lumberjacks doing a nice job trying to bring the crowd into it.

Another big German led to Hayter dragging Storm outside, Willow Nightingale attacking as most of the lumberjacks brawled to the back. Back in the ring, the Serenity Lock was on in the middle, the champ struggling as the crowd chanted her name, obliging them by making the ropes but clearly still struggling.

A back body drop saw her turn the tables: to the top, another diving cross body but Serena had it scouted, single leg crab, again right in the middle, Toni finally kicking her way out, Deeb falling into the corner, blasted with the hip attack, Storm Zero for a very close two.

The crowd were now clapping along.

A cruel-looking dragon screw on Storm, using the ropes for leverage, led to both fighting their way to the top, from where a crazy avalanche-Storm-Zero brought the victory.

This was excellent post-break. Easily the best women’s match in a long time. This segment did not seem like it was having the desired effect, either in the talking phase, or early in the match. But by its end, the crowd – this one at least – cared about the women.

WINNER: Toni Storm

Acclaimed & Daddy Ass with Schiavone. Next week is ‘National Scissoring Day’. Open challenge for Friday. Keith Lee interrupted, claiming Billy Gunn won the belts, not them. Billy had ‘two words’ for him as Lee walked off: ‘Scissor Me’.

Private Party, Butcher & Blade were going at it in the back. Andrade interrupted. He’s PP’s ‘boss’; Jose told them to ‘shape up or ship out.’ Matt Hardy told them that last week ‘felt right’ and to get out of their contracts with Andrade.

Ricky Starks vs Eli Isom

Backstory: None

Ricky was very popular with the crowd. Roshambeaux in under a minute as the crowd counted along with the pin.

WINNER: Ricky Starks

Video package highlighting the JB/CC/Luchasaurus feud. Again, JB was much better in this format, short as it was.

Chris Jericho vs Bandido, ROH World Title

Backstory: None

Ian Riccaboni joined on comms; Cruise ring announced.

‘AE-Dub’ chants as they showed the ROH belt.

Jericho again made a mockery of the handshake, flipping off Bandido. This story of him, Garcia and the cheating is excellent.

Beginning quickly, the challenger landed a tope after sending Jericho to the outside, immediately taking to the air again as the break beckoned.

Jericho sent to the apron, to the top, caught with a thrust kick as he landed. Bandido then hauled the vet up for a delayed suplex with one arm as he counted with the other, leaving the crowd to continue all the way to the minute mark as those attending flew to their feet.

Hottest they’d been all night.

After a quick breather, he too went topside, crashing down via frogsplash for two as ‘Eddie’ chants rang through the arena. Turning the tables, Jericho caught Bandido running in, taking him to the corner for heavy chops, then to the opposite one where they continued. Thinking avalanche suplex, Bandido fought him off but was planted with the Codebreaker as he came off the top.

Both on the apron, Jericho hammered on the back; Bandido fought back with an elbow then hurled himself and The Ocho to the floor with a hurracanrana as the final ads arrived.

With blood on his mask, Bandido met Jericho attempting the springboard dropkick, turning it into a sunset bomb from the top for two. Responding with a Lionsault, the BWBC bagged two of his own. A crucifix bomb saw another two for the challenger as he pleaded with Aubrey that it was three.

Hauling Jericho onto his shoulders for the X-Knee, the vet slipped out, into the Walls, nowhere for the challenger to go. Urged on by a crowd who were firmly behind him, Bandido finally scrambled his way to the ropes, Jericho assuming he’d won, taking it out on the younger man, bringing him back in from the apron via suplex.

Then heading to the top, met at the summit with an enziguri, Bandido joining him up there, spectacular fallaway slam from the top. Crowd erupted. The cover followed, the crowd begging for three but getting only two slaps of the mat.

Gut-wrench onto the shoulders, this time landing the X-Knee, following immediately with the 21-plex. Still no good as Jericho kicked out. Just.

With Bandido well on top, Jericho went for the eye, to heavy boos, Bandido coming back with a rollup for two but as he got up Jericho swept the legs into the old-school Lion Tamer, whereafter the challenger finally tapped. But not before firmly winning over the local crowd in a way almost no-one had all night.

Post-match, Jericho cut-off Bobby Cruise.

‘I’m changing ROH’. Then vowing to ‘desecrate its legacy’, beginning with Danielson on October 12th in his home country of Canada, and to destroy anyone associated with ROH, including… ‘ring announcers’. Thereafter blasting Bobby Cruise with the Judas Effect to end the show.

This was a hell of a main event. I was completely out on Jericho ‘the Wizard’. But recently, he’s been fantastic. This was a clinic on how to establish a new opponent, beginning with the promo which began the show and ending with a spectacular main event. Not to say that Bandido didn’t do his part. A dazzling moveset winning over both the local crowd and those watching at home.

WINNER: Chris Jericho

Next Rampage:
• Silver vs Rush
• Acclaimed vs Butcher & Blade vs Private Party
• Hook appears
• Lee Moriarty vs Fuego del Sol
• Willow Nightingale vs Jamie Hayter

Next Dynamite anniversary:

• Yuta vs MJF
• Jay Lethal vs Darby Allin, One-on-One
• National scissor day
• Luchasaurus in action
• Le Sex Gods vs Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia (Daniel-Son? Yeah, that’s awful)
Overall impressions

Considering the circumstances, this was a good episode of Dynamite. Almost every talking segment went too long. But it’s clear they were working with a reduced crew and had to stretch a few things out. To keep it short – give us a main event like that, we’ll go home happy.

Check Out…

• Jericho vs Bandido
• The second half of Deeb vs Storm

Thanks for reading.