AEW Dynamite begins with a series of vignettes from Jake Roberts and Colt Cabana speaking about the TNT Championship Tournament match pitting Colt against Lance Archer. That match is our opening contest.
TNT Championship Tournament Round 1: Lance Archer vs. Colt Cabana
Colt gets in Lance’s face but right at the bell Archer drops him with a haymaker! Poses on the middle rope as he strips off his jacket. Colt tries to catch him on the way down and pelts him with punches but Archer responds with one and it drops him quick. Colt bounces off the bottom buckle in the corner off a whip attempt, fires some forearms to no avail. Hits the ropes but Archer with a shoulder block gets him. Colt low bridges him onto the apron, charges, Archer starts to leap forward but Colt fakes him out, knocks him to the floor! Starts to charge but Archer walks away before the dive and they’re at a bit of a stalemate.
Colt trying to mess with Archer by sliding in and out of the ring to avoid him. Back in the ring, Colt ducks a clothesline, wrist lock cinched in, arm wringer. Ducking some shots. Takes him into the corner and tries for the Flying Apple but Archer catches him out of the air with a Full Nelson Slam for a nearfall! Archer puts him against the middle rope and grinds his thumbs into Colt’s eye, yells at the ref for trying to make him stop. Colt fights back, tries some chops but they aren’t getting him anywhere. Archer blocks the chop, Short-Arm Clothesline! Clubbering shots to the chest. Gets him into the corner, open hand chop. Grinds against his face, forearms. Big boot nailed. Colt trying to fight his way up, Archer giving him some free shots, Colt just can’t hurt him. Archer with a big haymaker, Springing Tilted Splash! Very impressive. Commercial break.
As we come back, Colt still trying to fight his way up. Archer takes him into the corner, clothesline. Archer goes up top, Cabana rolls out of the way of a Frog Splash and he crashes and burns! Cabana with a Bionic Elbow, Flying Headscissor Takeover! There’s the Flying Apple in the corner and he’s got Archer down now! Goes up top, Second Attempt Frog Splash for a nearfall! Cabana with a combination of strikes, Archer laughs… goozle! Cabana knocks the hand away, Flip Flop And Fly Elbow, hits the ropes but Archer with the Pounce!! Pulls Colt up, huge Uranage! Archer just waiting for Colt to pull himself up. Charges, Colt with another elbow! Goes up top, but Archer catches him with an Open Hand Strike! Lists Colt from the top rope directly into the Blackout and that is that!
Winner: Lance Archer
Very good match, Cabana’s selling was really good and they did well to let him try and surprise him a few times with his antics without ever actually making Archer look silly. Nicely done.
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