AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the Liacouras Center in the Illy-Philly Philadelph.  After last week drawing 901,000 & 0.31 in the 18-49 demo.

*****

Renee welcomed us to the show along with MJF.  He had a phone call to make – to Cole.  But was immediately interrupted by Roddy Strong and the Kingdom.  Strong said MJF was obviously the man behind the devil mask but ‘let’s pretend you’re not’ and they’ll help him.  Max pushed him away – Strong was in a wheelchair – then got serious: saying he’s going to give Jay White a message ‘in blood’, he has a bullet with his name on it and ‘here in Philadelphia I am not going to miss.’

He shouted everything starting with addressing White.  A little OTT but he at least came across as serious.  They cut to the man in the devil mask staring into the camera before we cut away to the ring.  Not convinced they’re going to bring this story to a satisfying conclusion but it’s an interesting start to the show.  A little intrigue’s never a bad thing.

MJF vs Juice Robinson (Dynamite Diamond Ring)

Backstory: Juice beat eleven of the greatest stars in the history of our sport during last week’s battle royal, has a ring of his own but has vowed to knock MJF out with just his fist

Juice brought the Gunns but no Jay.  Max came out to a big pop, stormed the ring, no posing, double-legging Juice before stomping a mudhole in the corner.  Crowd hot here, about 5,000 strong, totally behind the champ.  Action spilling outside, Max rammed Robinson repeatedly into the barricade.

The champ spat water on Juice as the announcers discussed all the talent wanting the world title, including Kenny Omega just days ahead of Max breaking his record.  He booted Robinson over the barricade, at least I assume so, they went to a very tight shot so we saw Max running but not the actual contact.

Then see-sawed him into the ringpost before sliding back in, leaving a prone Robinson at ringside.  Crowd again chanting for the champ, they casually mentioned that Okada’s on the show – such a poor job promoting this.

Juice now bleeding a gusher as Max had promised, the champ set him against the steps, jawed with the Gunns and was tripped into the steps by Juice.  The heel taking Max to the apron and dropping him face first against it with a sort-of ddt, sliding back in to bag two with the first pin of the match.  Austin gave Juice Max’s scarf to choke him, of course Colten up on the opposite apron.  And of course the ref isn’t sending the Gunns to the back despite copious interference right in front of him.

Jay White arrived on the ramp just as the ads did.

Champ down, Juice hovering above, the Gunns pulled the same scarf routine only Max got it to choke Robinson, the ref caught him but just threw the scarf away.  White had joined on comms.  Series of slams from Max before ramming Juice into the buckle for ten.  Then punches to the same count.  Before biting Juice then throwing him to the buckle.

Kangaroo Kick – this is so dumb in a match he’s supposed to be all hot about.  Crowd loved it.  He prepared a tope, crowd clapping, the Gunns grabbed his legs, Juice hit a leg lariat for two.  White wasn’t sure the refs knew which number came after ‘two’.  That is a distinct possibility with AEW’s refs.

Robinson raked the eyes, MJF flipped under a lariat, poked the eyes himself, Juice spat at him coming off the ropes, Left Hand of God, powerbomb (nearly lost him), count of two.  Juice ran at him, Max got an elbow up, diving stomp to the shoulder off te top, Juice blocked a Heatseeker, Max ducked a lariat to take out the Gunns via flying double clothesline through the ropes, raked Juice’s eyes as the latter poked his head through – ‘He’s our scumbag!’.  Juice hit Juice is Loose, Max out at two.

White was convinced that was it.  The Gunns both tried to get in the ring repeatedly while the ref just kicked at the ropes as if they were dogs on the other side of a fence; Max whacked Juice with the ring, Heatseeker, win.

Just colossally lame booking.  As is becoming all too common.

Winner: MJF

POST-MATCH ANGLE

The Gunns were beating down Max when the Kingdom came to help, Strong observed from the ramp in his wheelchair.  The Gunns easily sent the Kingdom packing then held Max for a belt shot but were interrupted by the Acclaimed and Billy Gunn.  Weren’t Billy and Bowens dead against this?  What’s changed?

The heels fled, White grabbed a mic from the ramp to address MJF.  He told Max to forget about Omega, Joe, Wardlow, the Man in the Mask – he needs to focus on the title belt which he’s never getting back.  He’ll pummel Max and he’ll ‘breathe with the Switchblade’ (what does that mean?  It’s never been explained here).

The Gunns tried to cap things off, Max yelled at them to shutup, a weak ‘Ass Boys’ chant started.  Max gave the Gunns a shot at the ROH tag belts at Full Gear (I think, there was a lot going on).  Next week’s Dynamite main event is BCG vs Max and three partners of his choosing with a chance to get his title back.  He vowed to get his belt back then because ‘no-one’s on the level of the Devil’.

Strong yelled ‘MAAAAAX’ from right below.  MJF said to cool it cause he’s right near him.  Strong said Max was going to pick him and the Kingdom right?  MJF told them to roll Strong off a cliff and called him a ‘bland bitch’.  Caster said that meant Max was going to pick them right?  Crowd weren’t exactly scorching hot for this.

MJF told Caster he never liked him and he wouldn’t tag with him even if he was on fire and tagging with Caster was the only way to put it out.  The crowd booed, Max said ‘I don’t care what they think’.  Know he’s an ‘edgy’ babyface but man.

‘So you’re saying there’s a chance?’ said Caster.  Not only old and lame, it makes no sense.  The characters in that movie are supposed to be dumb.  Apparently Caster is too.  Bowens was annoyed at both Max’s, did the ‘everyone loves the Acclaimed’ line out-of-nowhere.

Caster then asked Max to do him a favor before he left, ‘SCISSOR ME!’.  Caster held his fingers out, Max blew him off.  This was absolute horrible.

Max reached the top of the ramp, Omega’s music stopped him, Omega came out to face off with Max, crowd liked this stare down.  ‘Holy S’ chant.  Kenny said Max had a lot going on so he’s gonna get to the point.  He has something Kenny wants, but Kenny has something Max wants.  Omega said if Max is a real scumbag he’ll blow him off but if he’s ‘their scumbag’ he’ll do what the people want and give Omega the right to defend his streak.  MJF agreed to the match for this coming Collision.  Happy to see the match but man is that the definition of hot-shotting.

Max held out his hand and said may the best man win.  Omega shook it, Max said the best man will win and did his catchphrase.  Omega topped him by ending with ‘goodbye, goodnight’ then pulled him in and said ‘three days bitch’ a la what Max did to him last week.

I’m all over the place here.  Liked the Max/Kenny exchange but would like it more if it wasn’t totally rushed.  Also, err, Jay White has the belt?  I mean they setup the fact that Max is wrestling to try to get it back next Wednesday.  Which is after Saturday.  Further limiting the possibility of Omega winning.  As usual AEW have half-assed this, what seemed just a positive start last week with Omega was basically the whole story.  On top of which, Jay White is not yet established as a top guy and needs more booking help than this.  He was just one among many here and needs more focus.

As for the action: nothing match, crowd didn’t give a crap about any of BCG, not helped by the usual copious interference.

*****

Wardlow package.  He was going to a dark place sitting home watching a bad guy like Max become everyone’s favorite.  A guy he beat.  That sort of thing changes a man, he’s ‘felt the devil’s claws dig deeper and deeper into my back’.  He’s going to take everything from MJF.

Liked this, made total sense from a storyline perspective.  More booking like this please.

RVD & Hook vs John Silver & Alex Reynolds

Backstory: NONE

Man I feel sorry for the DO boys here.  They’re a really good team and Silver has a ton of personality.  Yet they didn’t even get an entrance.  Hook’s hair is out of control.  Van Dam came out to Walk and got the biggest pop on the show, MJF the possible exception.

Hook and Reynolds started, Reynolds talked trash, Hook quickly took him down: headlock takeover, working the arm.  Van Dam in.  He was really dumb and turned his back for no reason, Silver attacked from behind.

RVD countered a whip, monkey flip out of the corner, ‘Rob…Van…Dam’, Hook in – the faces cleared the ring with clotheslines.

Ads.

Silver firing crossfaces, Hook popped up to hit a release Northern Lights, tag to RVD, lariats and kicks, spinning legdrop, Reynolds in, elevated to the apron and spinkicked off, Silver taken down, rolling thunder, Reynolds saved the pin at two.  RVD Northern Lights as fans chanted ‘You still got it’.

Hook back in, crossfaces of his own to Silver, Redrum coming, Reynolds in illegally – again – to break the hold.  Uno in with a chair while Aubrey chatted amiably with the heels.  Van Dam hit a Van Daminator, to the top, Five Star Frog Splash to Reynolds, the legal man Silver in to take Redrum and lose.

This interference is just totally out of control.  Know they want to get the Van Daminator in but couldn’t Uno just run in after the match?  Not hard.

Taz said Hook calls Van Dam ‘Uncle Rob’.  The pair posed atop the buckles.

Winner: RVD & Hook

Backstage to RJ City, Toni Storm interrupted him to introduce her latest film.  P-in-p time.

She was changing, City came in to tell her fifteen minutes till showtime.  She couldn’t hear so he yelled it through a megaphone thing.  She was upset cause she’s sick of Philadelphia and this dreary set.  City told her on November 18^th it was her biggest picture yet, her Hollywood Homecoming.  She asked where her butler was, City told her he was behind her like he’d been the whole time, she asked his name, he said ‘Luther’, she said she’d call him Luther.

Assume it’s Jericho’s buddy.

*****

Schiavone in the ring – he called Philadelphia the greatest wrestling city in the world, Excalibur said he bet Tony said that in every city.  Schiavone introduced Darby Allin and ‘STIIIIIIIING’.  The vet took the mic to thank ‘two people in particular’ that he forgot last week.  He wants to thank Philadelphia since he has so much history here.  He also wants to thank Darby.  Sting said he could not have come this far without him.  ‘By far the best tag partner I’ve ever had’.  Sting said some of the crowd were surprised by this but it’s true.

He also wants to thank Tony Khan for calling him four years ago and allowing him to come back and wrestle a little longer.  Schiavone asked for the mic back to say Tony Khan thanked Sting for coming to the company then pushed his final match at Revolution.

Thirty-five years ago Sting put wrestling on the map on TBS.  It elevated him to becoming the icon he is now.  A ‘Thank you Sting’ chant broke out before Schiavone introduced the gift – Ric Flair’s music hit.  Most importantly meaning I was right 😉.  Flair came out looking like someone desperately trying not to look old – three-piece suit, tee and a bunch of gold chains.  Like if Paulie Walnuts wrestled.  TBF they really pushed this gift and for once it lived up to its billing.  Not my cup of tea but guessing most people are happy with this.

Flair hugged Schiavone who welcomed him to AEW.  Then said there are moments in life that are magical that are few and far between.  Thirty-five years ago he and Sting made history.  To go fifty-five minutes in a match is hard and Sting never took a deep breath.  ‘He’s probably the nicest guy I’ve ever known’.  So when he got an invitation to come and be a part of this he was glad to do it.  He wants to ‘ride it out’ with Sting till March.  Flair whoo’d, hit the ropes and playfully chopped Sting.

Christian Cage’s music continued Oldies Night here on Dynamite.  He came with Saurus and Wayne.  ‘Tony Khan is a billionaire and this is the gift he gave Sting!?’, he asked incredulously.  Great line.

He said you couldn’t even see the puppet strings helping Flair stand up, implying he’s basically dead.  He also said there’s no god cause if there was, Flair would’ve been dead twenty years ago.

‘Fuck you Christian!’ started in the crowd.

Cage then got to why he was out here – Sting and Darby got in his business again.  He asked how Allin’s arm was.  He held his belt up to show Allin something neither he or the Phillies will ever be – a champion.  He again said their feud wasn’t going to go away till he made it go away (wasn’t that the premise of their last match?).  And he wants to get rid of Sting before Revolution.

He said Flair could be their partner if they wanted but he’s one superkick away from death.  Either way they’ll be facing off in a six-man at Full Gear.  Cage called for his music.  Sting interrupted, sneezed and said he was allergic to jackasses.  He accepted and said they’d find a partner.  Sting’s music played and the seg ended.

Don’t know if Flair’s not capable of speaking for very long anymore but this didn’t exactly get the most out of him.

*****

Renee’s sitdown with Jericho.

He’s still beat-up after what Hobbs did.  Renee basically asked if he was on the down slope.  Jericho said he’s always had immense self confidence that he can beat anybody on any night.  He didn’t see what happened against Hobbs coming.  And sometimes he wonders if he has what it takes but also wonders if he needs to double down and ‘get some sort of revenge’.  He took his shades off.  Said Callis has a lot of friends.  But he has a lot of friends too.  Some of those are even bigger than Hobbs.  ‘Maybe it’s time to give ‘em a call’.

Curious who that could be.  Initial thought is Mark Henry but please no enough with the old guys.  Ditto Paul Wight.  Nothing special but continues the story.

Awful lot of talking, and very little – interference dominated – wrestling so far.

Young Bucks & Hangman Page vs the Hardys & Brother Zay (ROH Six-man Titles)

Backstory: NONE

Goddamn this really is Oldies Night isn’t it – the Hardys got their usual nice pop.  The Elite came out to Wayward Son.  They again half-ass remembered Okada’s on the show.

Nick and Isiah to kick things off.  What the hell is Brother Zay btw?  They haven’t explained that.  All they did say was the Hardys have taken him under their wing.  Nick grabbed a headlock, athletic series of ducks and dodges until Nick hit a slam, then a neckbreaker against the ropes while tagging Matt who came in via senton and ran wild on the opposition before landing a cannonball on Zay in the corner.  Page in via lariat off the top.

Matt Hardy demanded in as the crowd chanted ‘Cowboy Shit’.  He slapped Page then fled to the corner.  Page tagged Matt Jackson back in.  The Matts locked up, Hardy slammed Jackson down by his hair, a pissed Jackson fired rights but took a knee to the back from Jeff from the apron into a Side Effect for two.

The Elite seem to have their fans among the crowd but it’s a sub-section rather than wholesale support.

Zay cheapshotted Page and Nick down off the apron.  Then hit a tornijo to both outside.  The heels…? mocked the Bucks’ pose.  Crowd dead here.  Ads.  Weird booking to make these guys heels and also present them as any sort of threat when all they’ve done for months is lose.

Matt Jackson stuck in the heel corner; Matt Hardy caught off the top, Zay too, into Northern Lights, rolling tag to Page, they switched cameras so we missed his initial flurry, he knocked Matt off the apron via springboard lariat, caught Zay in a fallaway then propelled himself over onto Hardy at ringside via vaulting cross body, DVD on Zay for two.  Nice flurry from Page.  Crowd a little more into it but still easily the quietest they’ve been all night.

Continuining the flurry, Page rolled smoothly into a fireman’s carry but Jeff interfered from the apron, assisting Zay with Silly String.  Nick in, superkicks for all, Matt in too, Zay redirected Nick’s superkick at his bro to take him out, pop-up dropkick to both Bucks, Jeff hit a Twist of Fate to Matt, Zay then launched off both onto Nick and Page at ringside, Matt-on-Matt Twist of Fate, Jeff Swanton, Nick saved the belts at the last.  They’re on the line btw.

Jackson blocked another Twist of Fate, shoving Hardy to be clocked by Hangman from the apron, Hardy avoided a Meltzer Driver, Zay booted Matt Jackson, missed a springboard and was smashed via Buckshot as he landed, the Hardys knocked off the apron via superkick, BTE Trigger, win.

Creative finish but just a bunch of stuff.  And not stuff on the usual level of the champs.  Not helped by the Hardys and Zay being heelish but the announcers being fine with it.  Also, have they just dropped the Bucks being #1 contenders after winning a match at a ppv?  Because that’s the sort of thing a very badly organized company would do.

Winner: Young Bucks & Hangman Page

SWERVE INVADES PAGE’S HOME

Cut to Prince Nana and Swerve at Hangman’s house.  Page legged it up the ramp as the heels examined his kitchen, tearing children’s pictures off the fridge and reading his son’s book.  They heard a noise, Swerve asked for the camera and headed in its direction.  It was Page’s son in his crib (they never actually showed the kid here) – the crowd ‘oohed’.

Swerve repeated what he said about Page taking something from him – a title opportunity – so ‘Hangman Jr.’ might have to pay the ‘debt’.  Swerve was addressing the child – saying he’s forever indebted to him and it’s his father’s fault.  He draped one of his tees over the cradle, Nana said they had to go.

This was excellent.  Gritty and real and different from all the other silliness on this show.  It didn’t go too far or verge into the unbelievable.  Strickland just wanted to send the message that he could’ve done something if he wanted to.  And was great here – calmly, matter-of-factly evil like he believed threatening an infant was justified.

*****

Adam Copeland with Renee to ask about ‘what we just saw’, which here meant the Christian Cage segment.  Darby and Sting walked in – Allin told him he basically needed to get real.  Copeland said he respected Allin but was about to protest when Sting cut him off to say he can’t believe what he’s hearing.  He knows about putting ‘blinders’ on, he was friends with Lex Luger.  Copeland needs to take his off ‘before it’s too late’.  He asked if Copeland was hearing him, physically grabbing him and telling him to ‘get with it’.

Excellent from Sting here and the Luger comparison is fairly apt, if you know it.  As usual, they just assumed you do.  Copeland’s story remains inconsistent.  The show also remains packed with middle-aged guys.

Ruby Soho vs Hikaru Shida (Women’s Title)

Backstory: NONE

Excalibur briefly mentioned what Strickland did just to say Hangman had left the arena.  Should’ve been a little more on that – ‘Swerve’s gone too far, he should be suspended’… something.

Crowd silent as these two got going.  Shida’s dyed some of her hair blonde, makes her look more flashy.  The pair had stalemates on backslides and kicks, Shida reversed a whip, kick to the gut, couple missed elbows, the two had already seemed on different pages when a cross body saw them collide awkwardly.

Shida tried to get the crowd back with rights and yelling, the pair rolled a full circle in a cradle ending with the champ bagging two.  Crowd still dead silent.  Making a little noise as Shida fired ten rights in the corner.  A missile dropkick left Soho outside, another awkward exchange saw Soho hit No Future off the apron – looked very weak – fans seemed to be booing it rather than the heel.

Ads.  Not a good start.  AEW should be concerned that outside of MJF the only people to get real pops are ex-WWE guys.

Yay/boo, Shida hit a big right, torture rack, low running-elbow-strike, Soho slammed Shida off the buckle, stripped the buckle pad away, Aubrey turned round to get rid of it, Soho got spraypaint, threw it to Shida (that spot is so played out), Aubrey turned round and began to question her, Soho brought the belt in, they fought over the paint and kind of sprayed the belt, crowd groaned, Aubrey got rid of the spraypaint, Soho took a cheapshot, hit Destination Unknown, Shida kicked out.

Soho hit No Future, Shida came back with a Katana, Soho kicked out.  Soho blocked a Falcon Arrow, Shida blocked No Future, hit a knee strike, hit a Falcon Arrow, Soho countered into a pin, was sent to the buckle she’d removed, Katana, win.

Bad.  I don’t see what Ruby Soho brings to wrestling.  God knows the babyface champ can’t possibly pin her clean.

Toni Storm’s music immediately hit.  She came out to a muted reaction, not surprising since she bad-mouthed Philly earlier.  Luther was with her.  She danced weirdly on the ramp and Shida just stared.

Winner: Hikaru Shida

Renee with Max backstage to ask about Omega and the record reign.  Yet again he was interrupted before he could speak.  This time by a clapping Samoa Joe, who got a big pop and chants of ‘Joe, Joe, Joe!’.  He said Max needed someone to watch his back and offered to do it.  Max said it sounds good to him, shook his hand, Joe pulled him in and said the condition was he gets another title shot.  He left; Max looked contemplative.

So Joe’s going to cost Omega then?

Orange Cassidy & Kazuchika Okada vs Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli

Backstory: Cassidy challenged the BCC on BotB

Okada appearing here sums up AEW.  It’s really cool that they bring him in and pair him with their top guys, it’s really cool they’re willing to work with other companies.  But it’s just crazy that the appearance of New Japan’s biggest star, a guy who’d probably shift some tickets, who AEW’ll be relying on to sell ppv’s next June, was just casually announced on their lowest-viewed show all week.  And dropped into a tag with a comedy wrestler.

On top of which they have barely mentioned this match all night.  No promos, no talk of him breaking Danielson’s arm, no mention of their ‘Dream Match’.  AEW: no stories needed.  They didn’t even save his entrance for last since their team came out first.

Got a massive pop though.  Excalibur put him over as a huge star.  Healthy reaction for Danielson and Claudio too.  Excalibur finally mentioned the broken arm.  Too late now, viewers needed to be hooked earlier.

‘Okada’ chants as Danielson pointed at him, wanting him to start the match.  Cassidy did instead, chant switched to ‘Freshly Squeezed’ as Cassidy went for his pockets.  And looked a moron as Danielson just drilled his lower leg then got wrist control on the mat and began working the shoulder.

(Excalibur announced another new ppv – Worlds End – for December 30^th.)

Cassidy switched things around into a brief hammerlock but was taken down and caught in a legscissors, but kipped up out of it to a nice pop, Danielson offered a handshake as a ruse to boot Cassidy in the leg again.  So seems the BCC are back to being heels this week.  Claudio in to slam Orange and aim dismissive kicks.  Okada asked for the tag, big pop, big chant, stiff lockup, Okada pushed to the ropes, ducking under to face the Swiss, faking a right and dismissively patting him on the chest instead.

Then took a rushing Claudio down via drop toehold, dropped an elbow, rushed BD on the apron but Danielson dropped off.  Okada and Claudio exchanged shots and uppercuts – yay/boo – bodyslam at the end before tagging Cassidy who hit a lazy elbow from the top to mock ‘Holy S’ chants.  Flair-flipping to the apron but hauled back in via suplex all the way across the ring and draped across the top rope in the heels’ corner: Danielson in with a driving knee from the top for just about two as the ads arrived.

Orange avoided a rushing Claudio, elevated him up and over, crawling for the tag, Claudio intercepted him to boos, looking to slam Orange right in front of Okada.  Cassidy countered into a rollup but was dragged back up by the Swiss only to counter again into a ddt.  Nice sequence, both down, seeking tags.

Both got them.  Crowd loud as Danielson and Okada locked eyes across the ring, entering slowly, milking the moment, ‘Holy S’ from the crowd.  Slowly they came together, BD throwing chops, Okada rights and forearms, none of which were light.  Speeding up, Okada whipped in, ducking under twice, running back elbow, playing to the crowd, another in the corner, ddt, two.  Damn Okada was fast there.

To the top, Danielson ran at him, Okada leapt over, landed, caught Danielson running in for a flapjack, ‘nother two.  Danielson slipped behind out of a bodyslam, targeting Okada’s arm looking for revenge, literally yelling ‘I’m gonna break your arm’, before peppering him with stiff kicks, Okada ducked the last, rollup for nearly two, Danielson countered through into the LeBell Lock, Okada rolled his weight for another two, Danielson did the same (Orange and Claudio have stayed down at ringside for a while now to let this moment breathe).

To their feet, Danielson ducked a lariat, Okada sidestepped a busaiku knee, Rainmaker coming, Danielson ducked, more stiff chops, Okada walked through them, blistering right, Danielson whipped to the corner, kicking up and over, ducking a lariat, Okada did the same, car crash in the middle as both sought a cross body.

Fantastic few minutes.  So good.

Their partners reappeared on the apron, both crawled for tags, got them, Cassidy caught out of a cross body, Okada big boot-ed him down into a pin for two, Cassidy up, Claudio on his knees, the kicks were next though like against Mox they got faster and more physical.  Cassidy looked for a tornado ddt, caught into the Swing, Cassidy did a sit-up out of it looking for another ddt, Claudio flung him up looking for the Ricola Bomb, Cassidy countered into Stundog Millionaire.

These two ain’t bad either.

Tornado ddt followed, Danielson broke the cover at two, sent Okada off the apron, Cassidy sent BD out, vaulting cross body to take him out at ringside, back in to size up Claudio for a Punch, the Swiss caught him into the Swing, which went for a lot of reps.  A lot.  Speeding up even.  Before landing him down into a Scorpion Deathlock, dragging him back center, Okada broke the hold with a boot but had a second caught; used the buckle to haul Claudio up for his over-the-thigh neckbreaker and gave Danielson a receipt by knocking him off the apron.

Before slamming Claudio, elbow from the top, crowd hot as Okada hit his pose, Cassidy walked in for the stupid hug though have to admit I laughed.  Danielson didn’t, shotgun to both off the top – booed for doing so, he again targeted Okada’s arm but was sent to the ropes and hit with the big dropkick.  Okada grabbed Danielson chest-to-back, Rainmaker coming, Danielson tried to fight out, Orange nailed him with a Punch, right into the Rainmaker, Danielson rolled away, Claudio in to hit a springboard elbow, Cassidy ran right into a pop-up uppercut as the BCC won.

Wouldn’t mind seeing some more Claudio/Cassidy.  Nice chemistry. (Seems I got my wish, that’ll be next week for the title per Tony Khan since Claudio pinned Cassidy here).    Obviously the other two too.

Post-match, Danielson was holding his face/eye on the apron, being looked at by the doc.  I watched back and the Rainmaker seemed to get him more on the jaw so either this is an angle or the Punch was what did it.  The rest of the BCC came out, they checked him over and the doc was pouring fluid on his face.  The Best Friends and Rocky Romero hit the ring, Hook too.  He and Yuta were having words.

We left the air with them pushing stuff but not whole-heartedly and the crowd hushed.  Still don’t know if this was an angle or not.

Winner: BCC

 ________________________________________________________________

Next Collision:

• MJF vs Kenny Omega (AEW Title) (They’ll also both be speaking on Rampage)

Next Dynamite:

• Claudio Castagnoli vs Orange Cassidy (International Title)

Added to Full Gear:

• Sting, Darby and TBA vs Christian Cage, Luchasaurus & Nick Wayne

Thumbs Up/Down

• Wardlow package and his reason for wanting a piece of Max – we know what he wants and we know why he wants it – more please
• Strickland/Hangman angle
• Okada/Orange vs Danielson/Claudio, nice booking leading to the International Title match next week too

 *****

• Far too much comedy and too many really lame characters interacting with the world champion
• Far too many old and particularly old ex-WWE guys, this product is supposed to be an alternative, not a re-run
• Assumed there were going to be more developments with the Man in the Mask after the start, but nothing, why do a hook and then not deliver?
• Shida vs Soho
• Complete lack of build for a main event featuring a star we rarely get to see with an oh-so-easy to tell story

Appreciate you reading.  Have a good week.