Every week for almost a year now, fans have been greeted to an episode AEW Dynamite. With this first anniversary creeping closer, let’s take a look back at the debut episode of one of the best wrestling shows in recent memory.
This show came right after the first All Out event, and would be opened by one of the men who started the company, Cody Rhodes, as he would welcome the sold out crowd in the Capital One Arena to Dynamite, a show which sold out 30 minutes after they went live.
This would lead into the first match in AEW Dynamite history, as he took on the up and coming star of Sammy Guevara, who was still rocking his ugly panda hat.
Getting Things Started Off With A Bang
Action would start off quick, Rhodes & Guevara locking up but getting nowhere, forcing a standoff as the crowd loudly chanted ‘Sammy sucks’. He’d grab a headlock on Rhodes, be shoved off but using his agility remain in control of his opponent getting a rollup, forcing Rhodes to the outside, taunting him as he climbed back into the ring.
Guevara launched a superkick at Rhodes, missing by a mile. Rhodes would try to run Guevara down, but the agility of Guevara let him backflip over his opponent, and hit a picture perfect dropkick. A roll into a moonsault press would get a one count, it’s not that easy to beat a Rhodes.
Rhodes finally got his hands on Guevara and took him down with a strong headlock takeover, being sent off the ropes once Guevara got back to his feet. A shoulder tackle leveled Guevara, who’d kip up and slap Rhodes in the face. Rhodes would hit a signature kick to the gut and a drop down throat thrust, sending Guevara into the corner.
Guevara would dodge as Rhodes rushed in, but still end up hit with a quick snap powerslam. The Figure Four leglock would be applied in the middle of the ring, forcing Guevara to struggle his way to the ropes, forcing the break.
Guevara would be hit with an arm breaker, and some open hand chops to the chest in the corner. Rhodes set up a stalling vertical suplex, letting the blood rush to the head before dropping him face first to the mat, getting a two count. Guevara would get back to his feet, and hit a hook kick to the face of Rhodes, but Rhodes would come right back with the springboard cutter, only getting a two count.
Cody Rhodes & Sammy Guevara Had A Classic Match
Rhodes sent Guevara over the top rope, but would be kicked in the face and Guevara hit a springboard cutter of his own, getting a near fall. He’d go back to the apron, but eat a pump kick and crash to the mat, before Rhodes dove onto him, but Guevara stuck Brandi Rhodes in his way at the last second!
Having taken his wife out, Rhodes was rattled and Guevara would run him into the corner post before sending him back in the ring. Guevara went for a moonsault, missed but stuck the landing, went for a standing moonsault and stuck the landing again, before hitting a running Shooting Star Press for a near fall.
Guevara would be tripped onto the middle rope, and Brandi got some revenge with a shoe to the face, before being hit with the disaster kick. Rhodes would set him up on the top rope, bringing him down with a top rope reverse superplex, Guevara surviving again. This would bring Cody back to his draw with Darby Allin from earlier in the year, just not being able to put his opponent away.
He’d set up the double underhook reverse piledriver, but Guevara fought out, only to be knocked to the mat. Rhodes went up top, but Guevara leaped to the top rope and hit a Spanish Fly, for a near fall. Guevara went to the top rope for a shooting star press, but Rhodes got the knees up, and rolled Guevara up to win the first match in AEW Dynamite history.
What Came After This?
Following the match, Rhodes would be beat down by then AEW Champion Chris Jericho, setting them up for their match later that year at Full Gear. There would be big things in the future of Sammy Guevara as well, also involving Chris Jericho. He would never bring that ugly Panda hat back to AEW. Did you remember the first match of AEW Dynamite? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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