Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here for another night of recap action. It’s AEW Dynamite! We’ve got plenty on tap tonight, which I’ve previewed fairly extensively. (MJF vs. Hangman Page | Kenny Omega vs. PAC | Cody’s Return To The Ring | Chris Jericho’s Thanksgiving Thank You Celebrashon For Le Champion | Chris Jericho vs. Scorpio Sky)
And now, for the live play-by-play of the show as it happens! Watch this space.
We open seeing a marching band with trumpets, huge mascots, a portrait of Innercircle in the ring, and Soultrain Jones!!! Huge ovation. Soultrain welcomes us to the greatest night in television history. There are huge presents, balloons that spell out “Thank You”, something under a cover… he introduces the Greatest Of All Time, Le Champion Chris Jericho! And the band plays Jericho out as he carries a little bit of the bubbly with him. Jericho enters the ring as a deafening chant of “Thank You Jericho” starts. He of course tells Chicago to sit down and shut up, and the cheers turn to boos quickly. Jericho introduces the Thanksgiving Thank You Celebrashon for Le Champion. He says some people are getting coupons for 50 cents off his new T-Shirt!!!
Jericho says that after months of investigation, they found the greatest tasting drinks in the world from the mountains of Napal, and they have the official “Little Bit Of The Bubbly”, my God they’re finally selling Bubbly. Huge pop and chant for “Bubbly”. He then swiftly pops that Bubbly with Soultrain. Jericho then of course introduces the Inner Circle. Santana and Ortiz come out with a crate of goodies. Jericho insults the crowd as they make their way out.
Sammy Guevara calls Jericho his father figure as boos start pouring down. Sammy thanks Jericho. The heat for him is immense. Sammy says there won’t be a better gift than what he’s about to give him. He pulls forward the tarped object. Pulls off the tarp to reveal a standee of Jericho hugging Sammy. They then re-enact it. Santana and Ortiz show off the Boriqua gift basket. Mention that it’s flu season so they got him a cold remedy. Also a framed picture of their mother? Flip flops, double as a weapon. They also introduce “a little bit of the .40!” They drape a bandana of the Spanish flag around him, he’s apparently an honorary Mexican. Jericho points out Hager’s absence. And out he comes guiding a goat! Hager says it’s name is Chris Jerigoat! Huge pop and chant for “Jerigoat”.
Jericho then asks what’s in the big box. They say it’s the big surprise. They pull the present up… it’s Jericho’s dad, Ted Irvine! Ted says it’s great to be back in New York City! Huge boos. Jericho corrects him saying we’re in Chicago. “Let’s Go Blackhawks” chant. Ted points out how he played with the New York Rangers and they beat the Blackhawks all the time, they were brutal! Enormous cheap heat as he keeps ripping on them. Jericho then presents to the Inner Circle custom-made New York Rangers jerseys! Big chant of “Rangers Suck”. The jerseys say things like “Ruffian”, “Thug”, “Big Hurt”, “Spanish God” and “Le Champion”. Jericho then pulls out a thank you note from the TNT network brass. He says that he doesn’t feel like reading so he wants to get Justin Roberts to do it for him. “You can’t read” chant. Jericho has Justin Roberts introduce himself and notes that he comes from around here.
Gives him the note, Justin reads. Warner Media extends it’s gratitude for helping AEW become the most talked about league in the world. Not only is he Le Champion, they are proud that he is their champion. Thank you. Chris says it was nice but he didn’t like Justin’s tone. Asks if Justin thinks he doesn’t deserve a thank you. He jumps him and the Inner Circle start ganging on him! But then, some of the marching band – SCU in disguise! – come in to clear the ring! Inner Circle are chased off as Soultrain eats a clothesline! Pop as they stand tall!
We then cut to JR and Excalibur, Schiavone notably absent as they run down the card. Marco Martinez is here from the All Elite Fleet. Dasha Gonzalez is subbing for the now injured Justin.
Best Friends make their way out for the opener… but the Lucha Bros jump them down the ramp! They wanna piledrive ’em like they did with Christopher Daniels! But the Best Friends reverse, take control – Orange Cassidy with a dive off the top rope taking them all out! Throw them inside and the bell rings!
Best Friends vs. Lucha Bros
They take Fenix and Penta down in the ring, big hug! Trent with a high knee, cover for 2 on Fenix. Penta with a cheap shot kick on the running Trent cuts off his momentum. Penta tags in, double team, Wheelbarrow Flip Splash for a nearfall! “Cero Miedo” chant. Commercial, match continues in the inset. Penta getting the heat on Trent. Hooks him in the ropes, shot to the gut. Dramatic leg kick! Tag to Fenix who refuses to take off his hoodie, thrust kick to the face. Snapmare, hits the ropes over and over… then just stops and hits another thrust kick. Takes Trent to the Lucha corner, double teaming continues. Penta tags in, superkick! Taunts Chuck with the Cero Miedo. Covers Trent, but he grabs the rope to break. Penta with an arm wringer, tag to Fenix, comes in with a stomp to the arm! Big chop. Back from break to see this continue, standing dropkick to Trent, immediate step-up spinning back kick to Chuckie!
Tag to Penta, Fenix hoists Trent onto his shoulders, WWE Headkick into a Powerbomb! Fenix hikes up Trent’s legs, Pentagon with a missile dropkick to the backside! Penta setting up the Package Piledriver but Trent escapes, tag to Chuck Taylor! Series of clotheslines, Standing Shiranui to Fenix, Rolling Single Leg Crab to Penta – Fenix nips up and nails a superkick to break it up! Chuck evades Penta in the corner, overhead belly to belly forces Fenix to do a headstand on his brother! Takes them both out, Tope Con Hilo wipes them all out! Trent tags in, but eats a superkick from Fenix, Canadian Destroyer from Pentagon for a nearfall!
Cassidy in full Turkey attire distracts Pentagon, roll-up from Trent gets 2, but then he eats a superkick. Fenix tags in, wants a roll-through DDT but Trent counters into the Dudebuster!!! That is that, bit of an upset!
Winners: Best Friends
Good opener as always, interesting to see the Best Friends back on the rise.
Noting the rankings for the women’s division. Hikaru Shida currently #1, therefore next in line for Riho.
Bea Priestley & Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida & Kris Statlander
Statlander starts us out as Bea and Sakura with cheap shots takes out Hikaru. Kris dumps Bea, taken to the apron, hits Emi, moonsault press to Bea to the floor! Big standing dropkick to Emi, tag to Shida! Shida goes out, grabs a steel chair and sits it up. Wants to launch off it, but Emi sits on it to stop her. Hikaru kicks her off, launches off for a high knee to Sakura! Priestley starts pummeling her though. Throws Shida into the ring and I guess it turns out Bea’s been legal this whole time. Throws Hikaru to the heel corner, Emi tags in, hairmare. Hooks her for a suplex, Hikari tries to counter it but gets taken to her knees. Emi with the Romero Special. Reeeeaally taking her time with it. Eventually lifts her up into the surfboard! Lets her go after a few moments, tag to Bea. Priestley grinds Hikaru in the middle rope. Hits the ropes, facewash kick! Cover for 2.
Tag to Emi who takes up her mic stand and starts taunting with it. Hikaru tries to take her from behind but gets reversed into an Abdominal Stretch, with Emi mock singing in the mic as she applies it. Ref pulls the mic stand away and tosses it away. Tag to Bea, Hikaru reverses a whip into the corner, Bea taken up into the middle rope, Emi comes in, snap suplex lands her boots into Bea’s face! Hikaru struggles for the tag but Bea cuts her off. Eats a release German Suplex! Bea hits the ropes – Hikaru with a big high knee! Statlander finally gets the tag, as does Emi. Statlander with a big clothesline, Matrix dodge, enziguri! Running knee in the corner, Hikaru with a running knee of her own, Oklahoma Roll with several rolls, 2 count. “AEW” chant. Emi counters a bodyslam into a Twisting Facebuster. Emi goes for the clap chant, charges for the crossbody in the corner, Priestley hops to the top rope, double footstomp to the back!
Emi with a double arm backbreaker, nearfall, Shida breaks it up! Emi now up top, moonsault but Kris barely avoids it – running knee to the back of the head from Hikaru! Statlander gets Sakura up into the Electric Chair! Shida with a Falcon Arrow to Bea, Statlander with the Scissors Kick to Sakura – narrow nearfall! Statlander with a Michinoku Driver, Bea barely breaks it up! Statlander with a big roundhouse kick to Bea, Emi catches her with the mic stand on the charge! Comes in for the Oklahoma Roll, covers her for way longer than necessary after the 3.
Winners: Emi Sakura & Bea Priestley
Little surprised, setback for Hikaru though a minor one I suppose. Might be setting up a singles between here and Emi for contendership. Statlander very impressive in flashes here. I saw her on Dark and she is very rough around the edges but can be made to look real good when handled carefully like she was here.
Jon Moxley backstage says with every new scar on his body he continues to move forward blazing a trail up the mountain. Says he is napalm death. Most people would wanna hope the inevitable doesn’t come. But he makes another call to the world to try and step up, be a hero or get seriously hurt… come try it.
Cody makes his way out to a great reception. Still has a very noticeable scar over his eye. Big chant for “Cody”.
Cody vs. Matt Knicks
Surprisingly Knicks got a big pop. Cody with a side headlock, taken into the corner. No clean break, Knicks with a boot to the gut. Cody knocks him away, Springboard Cutter! Takes off a weight belt and tosses it into the crowd! Figure Four Leglock in, Knicks taps quickly!
Winner: Cody
Swiftly takes up a mic afterwards. Huge chant of his name. He mentions MJF, big boos. He says we don’t have to wait, let’s do this right here! A man called the Blade slices his way out from under the ring and blindsides Cody! The Butcher follows, double team takes him down! I have seen these guys in graphics before, that’s about it. Indy tag team. Also out from the hole in the ring is the Bunny. Hearing Excalibur just matter of factly name these people is kind of hilarious.
PAC vs. Kenny Omega
Loud chant of “Kenny” as the bell rings. Lock-up. Into the corner, no clean break from PAC. Kenny blocks a shot, gets shot off to the ropes, Kenny with a shoulder block. PAC leapfrogs, rolls over him, Kenny ducks and dodges around him, dropkick to the shin! Goes for the leaping Bulldog, PAC handstands and bounces to avoid it, poses but eats a Dragon Suplex! Pop-Up Spinebuster for a nearfall! PAC bails, Kenny wanting the Terminator clap as the crowd goes for it. Hits the ropes, springs from the opposite, Terminator Dive! Omega throws PAC into the ring, but seems hobbled off that dive. He goes up to the apron, but a running dropkick from PAC takes him into the barricade! PAC throws him back inside, Kenny with a swing but PAC with a shoulder thrust, flips into the ring, Kenny wants a Snap Dragon, PAC back elbows his way out of it, hits the ropes – eats a Snap Dragon again anyway!
PAC rolls out to the apron, Kenny follows and looks for a brutal German! PAC holds onto the ropes. Kenny singles out an arm, PAC escapes, knocks him to the floor. PAC up top, triangle moonsault wipes Kenny out! Commercial. In the inset, they each enter the ring, PAC avoids a corner charge, slingshot cutter! PAC up top, wicked missile dropkick, nearfall – Kenny with his boot on the bottom rope to avoid the pin! PAC with a power whip to the corner. Kick to the head! Kenny tries to fight his way off his knees, but eats a knee to the face. Snapmare, chinlock. Kenny fights his way to the feet, hits the ropes, eats a double axe handle. PAC with kicks to the face as we come back from commercial. Kenny fights back with body shots, eats a forearm but they’re exchanging now. Boo/Yay spot in full effect. PAC with several forearms, but takes a wild push kick that sends him flying against the bottom turnbuckle post! Kenny with a polish hammer, and another. PAC with a kick to the gut, hits the ropes but eats a third! Cover for 2. Fisherman’s Buster for a nearfall!
Kenny takes PAC to his feet, arm wringer, chops! You Can’t Escape attempt, but PAC slips away. Pump kick to the face. Kenny with his boots up off a charge, charges into a superkick! PAC hits the ropes, but takes a Bicycle Knee to the face! Kenny hits the ropes, PAC hits them as well, Kenny turns around into a fierce lariat! PAC takes Kenny to the top rope, pursues. Avalanche Falcon Arrow! Nearfall! PAC up top, “This Is Awesome”. Black Arrow, but Omega rolls out of the way! Running V-Trigger! One Winged Angel attempted, PAC slips out, tries a suplex, but Kenny trips him up, Oklahoma Roll, PAC kicks out but quickly gets transitioned into a crucifix – and this gets it!!!!
Winner: Kenny Omega
Omega with a strong win. It’s 1-1 between them now and I’m betting there will be a rubber match soon enough. Great stuff here, but you don’t need me to tell you that.
Dynamite Dozen Finals: MJF vs. Hangman Page
Loud chant of “Cowboy Sh*t” as Page charges and drives MJF out of the right. Hits the ropes but Wardlow appears in the way to stop the dive. Hangman gets in his face, MJF tries to take advantage but Page with a wicked uppercut. Sends him into the crowd and back! Kick to the chest. Throws him into the ring. Page again confronts Wardlow as we go to commercial. In the inset, Page looks for the Buckshot Lariat, Wardlow grabs onto his ankles. MJF drapes his arm across the rope. Distracts the ref as Wardlow pulls him off the apron, throws him into the barrier and then the apron. Thrown back inside, MJF pummels him. Arm wringer, big arm drag into the corner, cover for 2. Works over the arm. Inset disappears.
We come back to see MJF getting booed in the ring. Hangman evades a charge and hits a few chops. MJF with a strike to that arm to stop him for a moment, but Page with a Fallaway Slam. Clothesline to the outside, suicide dive to the barrier! “Cowboy Sh*t” chant, Triangle Moonsault! Throws him into the ring, throws the elbow pad into the crowd. Wants the Buckshot but MJF grabs the referee into his path. Hangman gets into the ring, pushes the ref away, grabs a kick but MJF with a poke to the eye. Page nonetheless nails a lariat, cover for a nearfall. MJF throws him to the apron, knee to the face! Wants a leaping piledriver, but Hangman tosses him away, Buckshot Lariat! Wardlow gets MJF’s foot onto the bottom rope and directs the ref to it for the break. Crowd with a ton of boos as the ref yells at him! MJF distracts the ref as Page confronts Wardlow, but eats a massive right hand! MJF pulls Hangman away, Cross-Rhodes, largely botched but it did look painful so that works. And that is that!
Winner: MJF
Good match, ending was funny if not perfectly executed.
DDP’s theme hits immediately after, and he’s out here now to present the ring. Into the ring, DDP with the mic. Asks Chicago if they’re ready, says “It’s Me” and lets them finish for him. Chant of “DDP”. Says he’s here to present the very first AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring to the very first winner, Maxwell Jacob Friedman. He has the ring in a box. It’s indeed much like a Super Bowl ring. “Asshole” chant as MJF takes it up and puts it on. DDP gets in MJF’s face and says some of his actions have been very disappointing to him. But he pats him on the shoulder and says tonight, he’s the man. So since he is the bigger man, he’ll congratulate him like a man.
DDP holds out his hand. MJF licks his palm and smacks his hand with it. DDP gets in his face, Wardlow gets between them. DDP tells him to step off, he’d look real stupid with a 63-year-old man kicking his ass across the streets of Chicago! They throw some hands until security breaks them up.
As this is cleared up we go to commercial. In the inset, eventually we see Dustin Rhodes making his entrance. He’s in street clothes and still has the cast on. Jen Decker is in the ring with Dustin, asking if he has his eyes set on Jake Hager. Dustin tells him he broke his arm and now he’s out for his blood. Says he is not the same man he used to be, he is not this as he puts his hand over his heart. But as he speaks, Sammy Guevara and P-N-P swarm in the ring. Guevara gets a snap powerslam but the numbers overwhelm him. Matt Jackson surprisingly makes his way out, back from injury, Nick out shortly thereafter, double superkicks. Sammy Guevara takes them out though. Knee to the gut of Dustin, he hits the ropes – Dustin and the Bucks with a triple superkick! Sammy, Santana and Ortiz taken into three different corners! Crowd rises, as they hit triple simultaneous Shattered Dreams! “Young Bucks” chant.
Video sees a heavyset man in glasses again see some Dark Order propaganda. He shows up at an indoctrination site. They tell them that society has failed you, your friends and family have failed you. But with the Dark Order you will reach a potential you never knew you had. Stu Grayson is evidently the first student. Notes that they could be anyone. They could be a politician, a teacher, a caretaker of children. We are everything. We are one. Everyone there suddenly has Creeper masks, and the speaker is shown to be Evil Uno.
Main event time! I believe it was said earlier that all outside parties are barred from ringside for this one.
AEW World Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Scorpio Sky
Jericho with an arm drag at start, flex for a pop. “Stupid Idiot” chant I believe, as Jericho gets Scorpio in a side headlock. Scorpio shoots him off, Jericho with a shoulder block. Poses for rising applause. Shoulder block once more. Hits the ropes, Scorpio with a beautiful standing dropkick, clotheslines him to the floor! Tope, Jericho avoids it but Scorpio lands on his feet, single leg dropkick to the face! Throws Jericho into the ring, headbutt to the gut, springs into a sunset flip for 2, leaping back elbow! Throws him to the corner, Jericho back body drops him to the apron but Scorpio stops him, drives him into the adjacent turnbuckle pad! Jericho blocks him on another though, springboard dropkick takes Scorpio to the floor!
Commercial break. In the inset, Jericho riles up the crowd, doing the Hogan ear cup and flipping them off. Pursues Scorpio to the outside, knife edge chop. Throws him into the steps! Catapult sends Scorpio neck first into the barrier! Jericho confronts what seems to be Scorpio’s girlfriend in the front row – Melanie?! – before throwing Scorpio into the ring. Charging kick to the face. Crossface blows. Hits the ropes, dropkick to the face! Cover for 2. Hooks him for a suplex, body shots, but Scorpio is blocking the suplex. Reverses as we come back, hits the vertical himself! Scorpio avoids a shot, hanging neckbreaker! Forearms, kick, whip reversed but Scorpio with a Thesz Press and a few shots. Shoots him to the ropes, standing dropkick!
Hoists him onto his shoulders, Jericho escapes, takes a back elbow, Scorpio with a slingshot cutter! Knife edge chop in the corner. Whip to the opposing corner reversed, Scorpio with a boot up, comes off the top but Jericho counters this into the Walls Of Jericho! Scorpio struggling! Crowd is rallying as he inches his way to the ropes! Makes it for the break! Jericho keeps it in as long as he can. Gets in the face of Aubrey Edwards as he tends to. Scorpio with another Diamond Cutter, Dragon Sleeper applied now! Jake Hager rushes out. Scorpio knocks him off the apron, roll-up gets a narrow nearfall. Simultaneous clothesline collision. Hager onto the apron again as both men are laid out. Daniels and Kazarian rush out to take Hager back up the ramp! They brawl their way up, Aubrey’s trying to deal with this as they’re all banned. Jericho with the title in the ring, goes for a shot – Scorpio ducks it! TKO landed right as Aubrey slips back in! Cover – Jericho BARELY kicks out!!! Huge chant of “Scorpio” as he pulls Jericho up. Takes him to the corner, Jericho with the boot up. Goes up top – but Scorpio springs up for a Super Rana! Standing Enziguri! Cover for a nearfall!!
Scorpio wants another cutter, Jericho shoves him to the corner, Scorpio springs off the second rope – right into a Codebreaker out of the air! Jericho can’t cover right away. Eventually pins, for a nearfall! Jericho is shocked, “This Is Awesome” chant! Jericho wants the Judas Effect, Scorpio ducks it and a roll-up allllmost gets the win! Scorpio misses a spin kick, Jericho rolls him into the Walls of Jericho once more – and this forces the submission.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Lovely stuff, definitely an elevating match for Scorpio. It’s so cool seeing how everyone rises up after being in the ring with Scorpio! Jericho locks Scorpio back into the Walls… Jon Moxley’s theme hits! Mox makes his way down the steps of the crowd! Jericho breaks the hold to stare him down! Jericho points and yells as Mox stares him down from afar! Slowly makes his way down and I’m sure this will be a fun exclusive segment to see on YouTube and Twitter later, we fade to black!
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