10/16 AEW DYNAMITE TV RESULTS: Keller’s detailed report and analysis of Danielson vs. Fish, Dark Order vs. Super Kliq, Dante Martin vs. Malakai Black, Moxley vs. Yuta, more

By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor


SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

KELLER’S AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
OCTOBER 16, 2021
MIAMI, FLA.
AIRED LIVE ON TNT

 aCommentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts


[HOUR ONE]

-Jim Ross introduced the show alongside Tony Schiavone and Excalibur. C.M. Punk came out to his music and slapped some hands around ringside before joining the announcers on commentary. The announcers hyped the scheduled matches as the camera panned the fans at ringside cheering.

(1) MALAKAI BLACK vs. DANTE MARTIN (w/Lio Rush)

As Black made his entrance in darkness, Punk said it’s a real change of mood from his entrance where everyone is smiling and happy. Ross noted the crowd response to Black is mixed, with some loving him and others frightened by him. Schiavone said the intimidating entrance is a part of what he’s all about. As Dante came out with Rush, they replayed Black spraying Dante in the face with black mist.

Dante got in a few early moves on Black, but Black countered with a deep armdrag takedown that Ross compared to Ricky Steamboat’s. Around 5:00 Dante springboarded at Black on the ramp and took him down. Back in the ring, Black fought back with elbows and kicks. Dante countered with an enzuigiri. Both were staggered. Black landed a meteora and a roundkick to the head followed by a German suplex into a bridge for a near fall. Fans chanted “This is awesome!” Dante countered Black on the top rope with a huracanrana. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” Martin clutched his knee. Excalibur said he landed on his kneecap. Ross said that landing could loosen the patella, which he noted is also known as the kneecap. Dante springboarded at Black but Black ducked and then landed his spinning hook kick. Black took his time making the cover and got an uncontested three count. Lio looked disappointed. The announcers said he was telling Dante to stay off the top rope with his injured knee. Black stopped on the stage and looked back at Dante. Dante looked at him. It appeared Black nodded as if to say his respect was earned. The announcers noted it.

WINNER: Black in 9:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: A really good match given this match-up, where both styles were on display, and Black was able to counter Dante’s flying but Dante looked good in putting up a hard fought battle. The nod by Black is an interesting, and intentional, moment for his character. It’s not at clear where the Dante/Rush situation is going, but likely Dante will end up feuding with Rush and another wrestler who falls under Rush’s influence.) [c]

-Schiavone interviewed Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus. JB was holding the back of his head, still selling the eight-man tag last show. He said Christian is at home with some neck issues and his head still isn’t right. He said it’s amazing Luchasaurus can still walk after that powerbomb. Kenny Omega and Adam Cole walked in and mouthed off to them. The Young Bucks jumped JB and Luchasaurus. Ross said it was uncalled for and unnecessary. Kenny, with help from the Bucks, powerbombed Luchasaurus through a table. Nick got in the lens of the camera to celebrate. Kenny grabbed JB’s hair and said he kicked his friend in his bean bag.

-Chris Jericho led The Inner Circle to the ring as the fans sang his entrance theme. Santana spoke. He said he’s been noticing his boys have been dealing with the Top Team. Dan Lambert and his faction (Ethan Page, Scorpio Sky, Paige VanZant, Junior Dos Santos, Austin Vanderford) interrupted. He asked: “Is this all the members of the Inner Circle Jerk or do you bring in fresh hands for variety’s sake?” Lambert yelled over the boos that American Top Team has brought so many championships to Miami, they should give them a parade.

Jericho said, “Ladies and gentleman, please welcome Dan Lambert, fat-faced dipshit. Fans chanted “Fat-faced dipshit!” Jericho said he had a question for VanZant. He said she’s always showing up around them. He asked if she has a thing for him and is going to try to “slide into my DMs.” He said he wouldn’t touch her with her husbands genitalia. He took more digs at her, including a joke about what filter she uses on Instagram. Jericho said they stand before them as the reunited Inner Circle. He said they’re ready for five-on-five, and they want a ten-man tag team match. He said they can pick whatever MMA guys to team with Ethan and Sky “because there is nobody crazier than the Inner F’n Circle.”

Lambert said if it was up to him, they’d beat their asses every night of the week and collect bigger paychecks, but they have bigger plans having to do with gold. He said Jericho has the biggest mouth, Ortiz & Santana have the longest rap sheet, and Jake Hager has the biggest head he’s ever seen on a human being. He asked if he steps feet-first into his t-shirts and pulls them up. He called Sammy Guevara “Tiny Tim” and said he’s the only one with a belt. He asked if Sammy will step up to the plate and agree to their terms. He said he’ll tell him their terms next week, because he wants out of this dump of a city he used to call his hometown. Sky said Jericho’s brain might be fuzzy because of a Jorge Masvidal knee, but he has pinned the GOAT twice. Guevara said he’ll see them next week and he’ll kick each of their asses.

(Keller’s Analysis: That was a lot of fun. It’s great to see Santana & Ortiz showing a more serious edgy side and not leaning into zany comedy anymore. Jericho is a master on the mic and the fans are into everything he says and does. Sammy was strong there reacting to Lambert. Lambert had nuclear heat, but actually stayed away from the anti-AEW and anti-internet fans stuff and focused more on insulting his opponents and the city. It was more storyline-based insults than usual. Hager just held a stare the whole time, which worked for him.) [c]

(2) THE LUCHA BROS. (Rey Fenix & Penta) vs. “LOS SUPER RANAS” / THE SUPER FROGS (w/Andrade El Idolo, Alex Abrahantes) – AAA Tag Team Title match

Punk said it’s clearly FTR under the green body suits. He asked Schaivone if he’s unsure of who it is. Schiavone said they brought Punk on as an expert commentator for a reason. The Lucha Bros. yanked off the Frogs’ masks, revealing it was Dax and Cash. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]

Schiavone compared Punk to Tony Romo, saying he’s an analyst who knows it before it happens. Punk said he knows he’s a quarterback, but he doesn’t know the reference otherwise. Schiavone explained it, saying Punk knew it was FTR before anyone else. (It seemed like the good-spirited back and forth with Punk might have had a little undercurrent of tension.) Penta backdropped Cash onto Dax on the floor. Then Penta and Fenix dove onto Cash and Dax on the floor. Cash swung a AAA Tag Title belt at Fenix, but Fenix leaped over him and kicked him off the ring apron. Dax rolled up Fenix and yanked on his tights for a two count. Fenix caught Dax with a spinning hook kick to the chin. Tully Blanchard ran out to the ring. The ref blocked him. Fenix went for a moonsault press, but Dax hit him mid-air with a belt. Dax gave him a brainbuster for the three count.

WINNERS: FTR to capture the AAA Tag Team Titles in 9:00.

-Schiavone interviewed Dante and Lio backstage. Lio said what happened tonight was meant to happen. He called it “growing pains.” He said in order to succeed, you need to fail. He said Dante failed because of his own doing, but he knows that. He told Dante that he told him to listen to him and then “everything will be money.” He said from this day forward, Dante is going to have a new tag team partner, “and his name is Lio Rush.” Dante paused before accepting a fist-bump offer. He was still down from having lost earlier. [c]

-Schiavone was backstage with FTR. He accused them in a staircase that they stole the AAA Tag Team belts. He said Andrade orchestrated all of it, and now they’re fleeing to the parking lot. MJF showed up and hugged FTR. Andrade asked if he wants cash or a check. MJF said both. Alex gave MJF an envelope. MJF loved it and hugged Andrade. He said it was just one night that he got to use FTR. MJF then ran off happy.

(3) WHEELER YUTA (w/Orange Cassidy) vs. JON MOXLEY

Wheeler came out first to Cassidy’s music. Mox burst into the ring and clotheslined Yuta at the bell. As he pummeled him with forearms and punches, the announcers plugged his new book coming out soon. The ref warned him. He then gave Wheeler a Paradigm Shift for the win. Moxley then retreated through the crowd. After the match, Wheeler was on his back, talking to a trainer. They helped him sit up and he looked really shaken up. Either great selling or he took a real beating.

WINNER: Moxley in 1:00.

-Schiavone interviewed Serena Deeb. He asked about her attitude change lately. She said it was only a matter of time before she had to drag the division up to her level. She said during her sabbatical, she sat back and saw the division get way too comfortable. Hikaru Shida jumped her and beat her up for a few seconds before they cut away.

(4) DARK ORDER (Evil Uno & Alex Reynolds & John Silver) vs. ADAM COLE & THE YOUNG BUCKS (w/Don Callis)

The Young Bucks, Brandon Cutler, and Don Callis walked out to the Bucks’ entrance theme. Adam Cole then made his ring entrance separately to his AEW entrance theme. Ross said Cole is electrifying. Punk said he is also arrogant, but he can back it up. Schiavone said Callis’s spray tan does not work on him. Dark Order then made their entrance, with Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver accompanied by many other members of Dark Order on the stage. The Bucks and Cole attacked Dark Order from behind. Reynolds leaped onto the Bucks from the top rope onto the stage. The bell rang once they returned to the ring. Dark Order got in early offense.

[HOUR TWO]

The heel trio took over a minute in. Punk said the Bucks get you to hate them and it makes you wrestle emotionally. Excalibur said that leads to unforced errors. Punk said Silver would rather punch the Bucks and Cole in the face instead of tagging out. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]

After the break, Silver hot-tagged in Uno. He caught a Cole superkick and then delivered a neckbreaker. Uno yanked off one of Nick’s shoes, then backdropped Matt over the top rope. Uno then put Nick’s sock on his hand and thrust it into Nick’s mouth. Punk asked if that was Mick Foley. Cole superkicked Uno. Ross called it “El Socko’s cousin.” The Bucks then ran the ropes, but Silver and Reynolds yanked them out of the ring, then kissed Cole on the cheeks instead of the Bucks. They threw Cole out of the ring and celebrated together. Ross said Silver looks like Ivan Putski and Brute Bernard had a kid. Dark Order hit rapid-fire offense against Cole. Uno landed Something Evil. The Bucks broke up the cover. Fans chanted “This is awesome!” Nick flip dove onto Uno and Silver on the floor. Back in the ring, Cole and Reynolds battled back-and-forth. Ross touted Reynolds’ great showing. Cole hit Panama Sunrise. The Bucks then landed dual BTE Triggers and then Cole finished him The Boom.

WINNERS: Cole & The Bucks in 11:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Another example of AEW matching wrestlers against each other where the ones who lose ultimately gain because they looked strong enough during the match. Reynolds, especially, shined here before taking the pin.)

-After the match, Jungle Boy ran to the ring. He blocked Cutler’s cold spray with a chair, then bashed him with a chair. JB put Cutler in a Snare Trap while spraying his face with the cold spray. Cole and the Bucks didn’t ran to his aid. JB’s music played and the crowd sang along.

-Excalibur threw to a video package on the Cody Rhodes-Arn Anderson relationship. They went to the Rhodes Wrestling Academy where the students accused Cody of being “Big Hollywood” and being late again. Anderson led a training session verbally as Cody worked out with some of the students including Brock Anderson and Red Velvet. They filmed it cinematic-style with background music. Anderson told Cody he vowed to never let the kids down. He showed an incident between Dusty Rhodes and himself. He said he had it coming when Dusty beat him to the point that he needed 30 stitches. Anderson said he never thought he’d say he had it coming, but he did. He said Black has it coming too. Cody blocked a Lee Johnson suplex attempt and back elbowed him.

(Keller’s Analysis: We’ll see if this works. They are having the wrestling students act as surrogate spokespeople for the fans and their gripes with Cody. It might have been a bit overproduced for the vibe they were going for. It was cool, but it also played into the idea that Cody can’t do anything without going 20 percent “too grandiose” in how it’s presented.)

-As MJF made his way to the ring, the announcers talked about how Arn is trying to get Cody back on track. Punk said he trusts Arn. MJF entered the ring and said it’s bad enough he is in a place that reeks of hookers and gasoline known as mid-Miami. He said Justin Roberts can dress up like Miami Vice, but he can’t introduce him properly. He introduced himself, while also taking a dig at the fans for looking poor. He pretended to have a scheduled match with Darby Allin. Schiavone said he knows Darby wasn’t there because he was injured. MJF said it’s still unprofessional not to show up. He said Darby, just like Miami, he will always be “m-m-m-mid.” He said he knows the fans wanted to see him in action tonight, so he’s going to give it to them. He called on Wardlow to come out. Wardlow dragged a ref to the ring with him. He told MJF to count to ten, and if Darby doesn’t count to ten, he will raise his hand which will prove he is the past, present, and future of pro wrestling. Schiavone said, “God, I hope not.” Schiavone stressed that this is not a sanctioned match. Schiavone said, “This is one of the worst things I’ve ever been part of.” The ref began counting. The lights went out at the count of five. Then Sting’s entrance theme played and he walked out, through falling snow. MJF threw Wardlow between him and Sting, then ran away. Sting hit Wardlow with his bat. MJF threw a fit on the stage. Fans chanted, “Sting! Sting! Sting!” MJF teased entering the ring, but then turned and left. Excalibur said Sting even dropped the bat, but MJF is too much of a coward.

(Keller’s Analysis: Good segment. MJF was strong on the mic, pulling back on some of the lines that have felt like an unnecessary “step too far.” Sting played his role really well with his presence and body language. I love the detail at the end that Excalibur pointed out MJF ran even though Sting dropped his bat.)

-Backstage Schiavone was interviewing Anna Jay when Britt Baker interrupted quickly. She said Jay is nothing without Tay Conti and her other friends. Jay elbowed Britt. Ross called it a “cat fight.” (What, is it 1998 suddenly?)

(5) KIERRA HOGAN vs. PENELOPE FORD

Punk asked regarding Hogan if she’s “related.” Schiavone and Excalibur referred to some other Hogans, which seemed to irritate Ross. So they kept doing it. They cut to a break a few minutes in. [c]

Ford landed a springboard cutter and then applied a Muta Lock for the tapout win.

WINNER: Ford in 7:00.

-Afterward, Ruby Soho ran out and attacked Ford. Bunny walked out to help Ford to the back.

-A soundbite aired with Miro, lamenting his god not treating him well. He asked if he hasn’t given His name enough praise. He yelled, “You gave me a body of granite and a neck made of sand. Is that some sort of joke?!” He said his god will make him a champion again. He said everyone will feel his pain on his way to becoming champion again.

-Schiavone stood mid-ring and introduced “Hangman” Adam Page. He said Page has earned an AEW World Title match at Full Gear in Minneapolis next month after winning the Casino Battle Royal. The graphic noted Page is a “Frequent Question-Dodger.” He said he left his home in New Japan to start AEW with the goal of changing the world. He said it seems the world changed them, though. He said he set out to be the first AEW World Champion. He said when he came up short, he lost his confidence, his friends, and himself. The one thing that he didn’t seem to lose is fan support, as fans chanting “Cowboy Shit!” got louder and louder, week after week. He talked about what Cowboy Shit stands for, including learning to welcome new friends into his life. He said it was also having the balls during his hottest run of his career to be at home for the birth of his baby boy. “That’s Cowboy Shit,” he said. (They cut to fans chanting “Cowboy Shit!” including a kid around age 8 or 9, it appeared.) He said when you fall off the horse, you get back on and keep riding. “To me, that is Cowboy Shit!”

He said he’s not a fortune teller and he won’t predict how Full Gear will end for him, but he feels like the fans still believe in him. He said for the first time in his life, he believes in himself too. He said a promise he can make, at Full Gear he will give the fans everything. “I will give you my heart, I will give you my soul, every fiber of my being. I will give you my blood, I will give you my sweat, and one way or another I feel I may give you my tears.” He said he is 100 percent sure he will give them Cowboy Shit.

(Keller’s Analysis: Tremendous modern day and old-school babyface promo. That summed up his AEW journey and built up the AEW Title match as a culmination of that journey. He really delivered there.)

-The announcers hyped next Friday’s Rampage line-up: Pac vs. Andrade, Britt Baker vs. Anna Jay, and the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament begins. Then on Dynamite next Saturday night, Black vs. Cody, plus two more Eliminator Tournament matches. [c]

(6) BOBBY FISH vs. BRYAN DANIELSON

After some back and forth action, Danielson shoved Fish into the ringpost. When he went for a running kick on the ring apron, Fish knocked him off balance. Danielson fell and clutched his leg. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]

Fish worked over Danielson’s leg after the break. Danielson ended up getting Fish to tapout to a heel hook.

WINNERS: Danielson in 13:00 via tapout.

-They then revealed the brackets for the Eliminator Tournament: Moxley vs. Dark Order’s 10, Cassidy vs. Powerhouse Hobbs, Dustin Rhodes vs. Danielson, and Lance Archer vs. Eddie Kingston. Next week on Rampage is Cassidy vs. Hobbs. Next Saturday it’s Kingston vs. Archer and Dustin vs. Danielson.

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