AEW Dynamite continues. Cody defends the TNT Championship shortly. Backstage, Alex Marvez is speaking to Le Sex Gods, asks Jericho why the beatdown on Orange Cassidy last week. Jericho says everyone loves Orange Cassidy, he’s so cool, doesn’t care about anything. But he had the audacity to interrupt the Inner Circle twice. He wants to be a funny guy but what happened last week, nothing funny about that. They say this even as they make puns about beating him to a pulp. They say they will be the new No. 1 Contenders to the AEW World Tag Team Championship because they’re not just best friends, they’re blood brothers, like the blood streaming from Orange’s head. And blood is thicker than water, and oranges.
Tony Schiavone now on the mic next to Britt Baker as he announces that at Fyter Fest, Hikaru Shida will defend her Women’s title against Penelope Ford. Britt says Tony is now in a lot of shit because he just lost TNT a major interview and her and Tony are on a friendship time out. She demands Reba roll her out on the Role’s Royce but Big Swole is the one driving the vehicle instead! She drives her right out of the arena, laughing as Baker shrieks in terror!
Now out comes Cody for his TNT Championship Open Challenge! He comes to the ring for the mic to introduce his mystery opponent. Says it’s time for the open challenge but the air is getting a bit a thin. It’s a bit lonely at the moment. Last week on the recieving end of a Jake Hager beatdown, he finds himself with no Dustin, no Matt, no Nick, no Kenny, no Hangman so is he even in the Elite anymore? He hopes so. Is the Nightmare Family even a family? Kinda makes you wonder. Makes you wonder but without further adieu, he wants to hand the mic to Double A, Arn Anderson!
Arn says with age comes maturity and with maturity comes wisdom. He knows Cody can beat Hager but he also knows that in this business, timing is everything and the timing is just now right. Says let’s move on and move past it, today he has an opponent that is more than qualified, very talented. As his coach, he’s found someone very skilled and qualified and someone he can take it to hone his skills… and on the video it’s revealed to be Ricky Starks!! He introduces himself as a former NWA star and the hottest free agent in wrestling, as soon as he heard the open challenge was open invitational, he knew it was the perfect in for him. Says he’s slept in cars and on couches just to be here, and the only two things he had in this world was work ethic and grit, the same two things Cody Rhodes has. Says Cody thinks he can go on the treadmill with anybody, well his laces are tied up. This is big here man!
TNT Championship: Cody (c) vs. Ricky Starks
They lock a hand and both go for a takedown, neither work. Cody with a hammerlock, Ricky counters. Starks ducks a back elbow, shoots him off, Cody with a shoulder block, Starks kips up! Cody with a kick to the gut, duck under uppercut! Starks with a right hand to the face rocks him! Cody fights back with shots into the ropes, Ricky exchanges, hits the ropes but Cody with a standing dropkick! Starks pulls himself up in the ropes but Cody with a Hardcore Holly like Legal Low Blow! Starks rolls to the floor, Cody with a tope suicida takes him into the barricade! Throws him into the ring. Wristlock, whips him but it’s reversed, Cody with a boot on the back body drop attempt but when he hits the ropes, Starks throws him right into the ropes and he bounces off them painfully! Ricky takes him to the apron, Starks with a legdrop out there! Rolls him into the ring for a 1 count.
Chokes him against the middle rope. Starks starts to hit the ropes but Arn actually shoves Cody off the middle rope for the save! Starks doesn’t appreciate that, staring Arn down. He still takes over on Cody though, Springing Tornado DDT for a nearfall! Body shot, takes him down, chinlock wrenching. Cody rips his hands away, Starks with an elbow to the head! Takes him up, whip to the corner, Cody stops short but Starks charges right into him and they collide heads! Starks pulls him up slow, wants another Tornado DDT but Cody shoves him away, high kick, ducks a shot, Snap Powerslam for a 2 count!
Cody takes off the weight belt and tosses it into the crowd, wants a Cross-Rhodes but Starks blocks it, charges him but Cody with a Front Facelock, turns it into a Front Suplex! Cover for 2. Cody goes up top but Starks stops him, Cody kicks him away. Starks still battling though, pursues and looks for a superplex and nails it!! They struggle their way up, Cody with a crossbody that takes both of them over the top rope! They both make it into the ring on time. Exchange of blows continues, Cody with a knee to the gut, hits the ropes, wants a Disaster Kick but Starks avoids it, huge spear!! Close nearfall! Hooks both arms for a Butterfly Suplex, Cody counters with a jacknife, exchange of cradles continues until Cody surprises him with a spike Cross-Rhodes! That is that!
Winner: Cody
Heck of a match and a great debut for Ricky Starks who I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of.
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