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AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
JULY 14, 2021
CEDAR PARK, TEXAS AT THE HEB CENTER
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY TYLER SAGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
[HOUR ONE]
(1) JON MOXLEY vs. KARL ANDERSON
Before the match Eddie Kingston hit Gallows with a pipe, leaving Moxley and Anderson alone in the ring. Moxley had a short advantage to start, the two men then met in the middle of the ring and traded strikes for almost 40 seconds. Anderson used some unsavory tactics and he was in control, until Moxley used a clothesline to knock Anderson out of the ring. Moxley then threw Anderson into the barricade and the two men fought on the entrance ramp. Here Anderson took control and he took Moxley back to the outer ring area. Moxley quickly countered and threw Anderson back to the ring.
Anderson kicked Moxley off of the apron as he tried to enter the ring, from here Anderson attacked Moxley once he entered the ring and assaulted him with strikes in the corner. Anderson went to the top rope for a move, Moxley ran up and met him, Moxley then hit a superplex. Both men were slow to raise, with Moxley hitting a German Suplex and then a Clothesline. Both men then tried clothesline at the same time, leaving both laying again.
Both men got up, Moxley then immediately shot behind Anderson and got a headlock. Anderson countered with a slam for a two count. Anderson hit a move off of the top rope for another pinning attempt. Moxley tried to hit the Paradigm Shift, Anderson countered, Moxley and Anderson then battled back and fourth. Anderson went for a Gun Stun, but was caught. Moxley then hit a clothesline and a Paradigm Shift for the win.
WINNER: Jon Moxley in 10:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A solid opener, made successful with how the crowd reacted to him throughout the match. The match itself seemed to be missing an element of drama that this match could have used, maybe that was just form the lack of build up for the match.)
-The announce team ran down the show. Lance Archer had a promo where he challenged Jon Moxley to a Texas Death Match next week for the IWGP United States Title. [c]
-Andrade El Idolo was interviewed and it was said that he could win titles everywhere. Andrade then asked about Death Triangle, and he told them he was looking for them.
(2) RICKY STARKS vs. BRIAN CAGE
Cage started the match with strikes and a neck breaker, he then tossed around Starks and slammed him. Starks then was put on the top rope, where Cage kicked him and then Cage tried for a pin. Starks dodged an attack, he then focused on the bicep of Cage. Starks then did a missile dropkick off of the top rope going into the break. [c]
Starks had a pinning attempt as the show returned, the match then went to the outside. Ricky grabbed the belt, but Brian Cage took control and threw the belt back into the ring. Starks countered by sliding through the ring in the corner and hitting a move on Cage. Starks then locked in a rear naked choke, Cage countered that with a pump handle slam. Cage went to pin, but Starks was able to get a rope break with his foot. Starks then tried for a DDT, he was countered by Cage who got another two count on Starks.
Starks hit a Powerbomb on Cage, leading to a near fall. Starks went for the title, but Powerhouse Hobbs took the belt. Bria Cage hit a slam on Cage and got another near fall. Hook distracted the ref, Hobbs then hit Cage with the belt, Starks then was bale to get the pinfall.
WINNER: Ricky Starks in 9:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A good match that started slow, but was really good after the return from the break. The crowd was really into Starks, so much so that they have to make Starks a super heel, or embrace him and Team Taz as faces in the near future.)
-Excalibur and the announce team talked about Malichi Black. Cody Rhodes came out and said that a call to him would have been good. He said wrestlers do not kick 62 year old men and then he asked for a mic. Cody walked to the ring and said that he doesn’t win every fight, but he has. abetter chance when he knows it coming. Cody asked Black to come down and fight. Black appeared on video, he said the fans liked what he did last week. He then told an anecdote of how a man had killed a prized horse, because he respected it so much. He then compared Cody to that same horse. The lights went out after Cody asked him to come down. Black was in the ring once the lights came back on. The two men brawled, needing refs to break them up going into the break. [c]
-Tully Blanchard was asked backstage about his actions last week. Santana and Ortiz then grabbed him and faked out that they were gonna hit him with a pipe. Tully said he would get his boys to get back at them.
-Tony Schiavone was in the ring, he introduced Adam Page to the ring. He asked Page about Kenny Omega, he said since day 1 that he wanted to be AEW champion. He said that he lost his first attempt and has gone into hiding, The Dark Order was right, he needs that title. He was about to challenge Kenny Omega, but Don Callis and The Elite came out. Everyone in the group said he was not the guy. Matt Jackson then got in the ring and asked if he remembered them, his former best friends. Matt said he smelled booze, and that made the narrative of him being the next wrestling tragedy. Page then hit Matt and fought off some Elite members. Kenny was about to strike with the belt, but Dark Order made the save.
Page got on the mic and demanded a match. Omega answered with a 5 on 5 elimination match. Page said that when they win he gets a shot at the world title and Dark Order would get a shot at the tag tittles. Kenny said if they win, Page and Dark Order would lose their title shots. Kenny said you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, but you also don’t fail. He asked if he was just worried about failing in front of all these people. Page said that the fight was on. [c]
-Jericho was backstage, he talked about the five labors of Jericho. He said that if MJF read all the mythology he referred to he would know that Hercules won in the end, just like he will. Shawn Spears then entered and hit Jericho in the throat with a chair. MJF told Jericho that his first labor was next week. He would face Shawn Spears, who could use a chair, while Jericho could not.
(3) CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. MATT HARDY
The two men talked to each other as the bell rang, cage transitioned into a collar and elbow hold and had a test of strength. The hold stayed as the feel through the ring ropes, as Cage transitioned into a side head lock. Christian then got some offense in, he was able to throw Hardy into the barricade, Cage then jumped off the top rope onto Hardy who was standing on the floor. Cage continued the assault in the corner with strikes. Hardy was able to counter with a DDT of sorts into the ring stairs. Back in the ring, Hardy hit a neck breaker for a two count. Cage tried to fight back, but Hardy slammed him into the ropes and he then hit a catapult and an elbow drop leading to a near fall. [c]
Hardy was in control as the show returned, Cage made a comeback with a slap and a straight right. Cage got a two count on Hardy after that. Matt tried a twist of fate, Christian countered and went for a spear, but missed. He then hit a follow up spear and got a near fall. Cage got on the top rope and hit a frog splash for another near fall. Hardy and Cage battled on the top rope, with Hardy hitting a Superplex and getting a two count on Cage. Cage tried a roll up pin, Cage tried for a kill switch, Hardy hit a low blow. A twist of Fate was next, but it was only for a near fall. Hardy hit a submission on the outside, leading to a ten count, with Cage beating the count. Cage then hit a the Killswitch for the pinfall win.
WINNER: Christian Cage in 13:00
(Sage’s Analysis: If you take out all the baggage, this was a solid match with an entertaining, yet uninspired ending sequence. The story of Jungle Boy and Cage is interesting. I hope that pays off and is able to elevate Jungle Boy and hopefully Cage in the process.)
-After the match The Hardy Family office came out to attack but Jurassic Express came out and made the save. Jungle Boy was not happy about Cage being raised up on the shoulders of Luchasaurus.
-Miro had a video package, telling of his journey from being a joke to a champion – God’s favorite. He said he was the redeemer.
-Tony Schiavone was back in the ring. He said that Britt Baker would be defending her title next week, he introduced her. Tony said he was worried about her after the table spot last week. Britt said she has felt with worse and that she has no fear of Nyla Rose. She said that hard part was keeping Nyla relevant, she said that Nyla has beaten her but she will not lose again. She said Nyla needs the title to be relevant in AEW, but she would retain that title. Vicki and Nyla were backstage and then cut heel promos to signal the swap of heel/face dynamic between the two.
-Jon Moxley had a backstage video responding to Lance Archer. He said that he has survived him twice, he said that Archer will never stop, he is the hunter. He agreed to the Texas Death Match next week. [c]
(4) SAMMY GUEVARA vs. WHEELER YUTA
The match started with a tie up and Yuta getting Sammy to the ground. Sammy sprung up and chased Yuta to the outside. Back in the ring Guevara hit a power slam and then missing the first two and hitting the third moonsault. Sammy then tried a shooting star press and Wheeler got his knees up and he countered with a drop kick. Yuta hit a big slash and got a one count. Wheeler and Sammy then traded slaps and strikes in the ring, Sammy tossed Yuta to end the exchange and he followed that up with a springboard cutter into the GTH for the pinfall win.
WINNER: Sammy Guevara in 6:00.
(Sage’s Analysis: A quick win for Sammy, but Wheeler Yuta was able to get some of his offense in. I hope that Yuta is signed and pushed in a real way, he is a super talented work and would be a great get for AEW.)
-Tony Schiavone was backstage talking to QT Marshall and he dumped his protein drink on Tony.
(5) YUKA SAKAZAKI vs. PENELOPE FORD
Yuka Took control early and she was able to hit a drop-kick on Ford to get her to the outside. Yuka then did a front flip out onto Ford to continue her dominance. Back in the ring Ford took control into the break. [c]
When the show retuned Yuka and Penelope traded strikes, Yuka then picked up and hit a brain buster on Ford. This led to a near fall for Sakazaki. A diving back elbow for Yuka led to another near fall. Ford hit two pump kicks, for a two count of her own. Yuka hit a spinning pump handle slam on Ford, she then did a springboard splash for the pinfall.
WINNER: Yuka Sakazaki in 6:00.
(Sage’s Analysis: It’s good to see Yuka back in AEW)
-The announce team ran down the show for next week.
-A promo video of AEW Rampage was shown, it had a lot of inspiration from the old WCW into video. [c]
(6) DARBY ALLIN vs. ETHAN PAGE
Darby attacked Page with a tackle, and a coffin drop from the ropes, in which he had a steel plate. Darby then dove out onto the floor. Darby opens date coffin and Scorpio Sky was inside, Sting came out to even the odds, as he and sky battled. While this was going on Page was messing with the bottom turnbuckle. Page dove toward Allin, but he was thrown into the crowd area. [c]
The match was even throughout the break, with Page in control as the show retuned. Page threw the stairs into the ring, in said ring Page threw Allin’s face onto the stairs. Allin tried a comeback, but he used his strength to stop that. Page then grab the turnbuckle and locked the metal hook around the chain on Darby, pulling him back by his neck. Darby then hit Page with the turnbuckle and then fishhooked him with the turnbuckle. Page was then thrown into the coffin, Darby entered and they traded strikes inside the coffin. Page slapped Allin, Allin bit the fingers of Page as a counter.
Back in the ring, Page put Darby on his shoulders and walked t the top of the stairs. Darby countered and hit a cutter on Page. Page hit an Ego’s Edge onto the stairs in the middle of the ring. On the apron near the coffinDarby gouged the eyes of page and bit his head. Darby then grabbed the skateboard and jumped don the back of Page and he fell into the coffin and the lid was shut.
WINNER: Darby Allin in 13:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A good, hard-hitting match with crazy spots. A classic Darby Allin match. I just wish that it was given 3-5 more minutes so it didn’t feel as rushed at the end.)
-After the match was over, Darby hit a coffin drop onto the coffin.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Another strong show that pushed storylines and had good matches and conclusions to intermediate stories. This continues the momentum of last week, and helped to increase excitement for next week. This is a textbook example of how to continue a hot product and how to reward an engaged crowd. The middle of hour two felt a bit slow, but beyond that this was a fast and entertaining two hours of content.
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