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AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
JUNE 17, 2020
LIVE IN JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
AIRED ON TNT
Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
[HOUR ONE]
-The AEW Dynamite opening theme aired. Ross, Schiavone, and Excalibur introduced the show. They showed Baker being pampered on a golf cart
(1) KENNY OMEGA & “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. NATURAL NIGHTMARES (Q.T. Marshall & Dustin Rhodes w/Brandi Rhodes) – AEW World Tag Team Title match
Schiavone explained that Dustin is trying to keep Marshall focused. They noted that Allie wasn’t present. The announcers said a lot of the issues with Natural Nightmares happened on Dark. They explained the backstory a bit and noted Allie was asked to not come to ringside for the match tonight to help Marshall focus. Omega and Dustin battled early. Dustin ate a knee from Omega when he was trying to duck out of the way in the corner. They replayed it in slo-mo. Schiavone said he was given a note from Brit Baker, who said she is isolating herself, but she’s a role model through all this pain. Page eventually tagged in and rallied against Marshall including an overhead suplex into a kip up. Then he slingshot himself over the top rope onto Dustin. He followed with a sliding lariat on Marshall for a near fall. Page tagged Omega back in, who gave Marshall a moonsault off the middle rope for a near fall.
Marshall caught Page with a handspring roundkick to the head. Both were down and slow to get up. Dustin and Omega both tagged in. Dustin got the better of him and rallied with a reverse atomic drop and a running bulldog followed by his snap powerslam. Dustin played to the crowd and climbed to the top rope. He leaped onto both Page and Omega who were conveniently standing in position. Dustin tossed Omega and Page out of the ring, then connected with a running cannonball senton. Marshall then landed his handspring flip over the top rope onto Omega. “It’s ugly, but it’s effective,” said Excalibur. Marshall landed a top rope elbow and then kipped up and played to the crowd. He went for a Diamond Cutter, but Omega blocked it and landed a Snap Dragon. Dustin entered and gave Omega a Canadian Destroyer. Page caught Dustin with a lariat. Marshall gave Page a Diamond Cutter. Allie walked onto the stage and applauded. Ross called her a Jezebel.
Page tagged in. Omega whipped Page into Marshall in the corner. They executed some tandem offense, and Dustin broke up the cover. A minute later, Omega kneed Marshall from behind and scored a near fall. Allie continued to applaud from the stage. That distracted Marshall, who missed on a moonsault as a result. Omega waited for Marshall to stand, and then Page and Omega hit the Last Call for the win. As Page and Omega celebrated, Allie came to ringside and stood next to Brandi.
WINNERS: Omega & Page in 14:00 to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles.
(Keller’s Analysis: Decent action throughout. Solid opener and a nice win to improve the record of Omega & Page, but it might be a net negative since Marshall only lost, it seemed, because he was distracted by Allie. It seems Omega & Page should be showcased more, and this felt as much like a showcase for Dustin and Marshall to get their spots in.)
-They went to the announcers at ringside. They hyped that Cody would defend the TNT Title tonight against a hand-picked opponent from outside AEW. Also Superbad Squad vs. The Young Bucks, Le Sex Gods vs. Best Friends, and Anna Jay in action. [c]
A vignette introduced Anna Jay. She talked about falling in love with pro wrestling in middle school. She said as soon as she signed, she knew she had to work ten times harder. She said her biggest thing is having a character that entertains the fans and giving people something to talk about later.
(Keller’s Analysis: How about her goal is winning her matches and making more money because of it? Storyline-wise, that’s the part you say out loud. What she actually said out loud is the ingredient that should just speak for itself without actually saying it explicitly.)
(2) ANNA JAY vs. ABADON
Abadon crawled to the ring and looked really freaky. A slideshow crawler on the bottom of the screen showed results from AEW Dark from the night before. Abadon drove Jay’s head into the mat with a head scissors and scored a quick win. The announcers called it an upset.
WINNER: Abadon in under 2:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Abadon’s look is impossible to forget. For some, impossible to look at for long, it’s so horror movie creepy.)
-Dark Order’s Brodie Lee walked out with six Dark Order members. Colt Cabana was at ringside and they approached him. Private Party had a few words for Dark Order. Dark Order handed Colt an envelope. He looked at the paperwork inside and seemed impressed by what he saw, almost to the point of being in shock. Dark Order then helped Anna Jay leave the ring and led her to the back. Schiavone said Brodie Lee is making lots of moves in AEW.
(Keller’s Analysis: I’m enjoying Dark Order’s signature being recruiting people who are down and out or feeling insecure and in need of an edge or a new support group. Anna Jay’s character with a top hat and bow tie was a little obnoxious as an upstart babyface act, so maybe she can get an early refresh.) [c]
(3) MJF (w/Wardlow) vs. BILLY GUNN (w/Austin Gunn)
MJF yelled at Jungle Boy at ringside before getting into the ring. Ross said MJF isn’t the biggest wrestler, but he has the biggest IQ. Gunn no-sold an early armbar attempt by MJF and laughed condescendingly at him. Excalibur said MJF’s only loss was in a four-way where he wasn’t pinned or submitted, so he’s effectively undefeated in AEW. MJF tried to leave a couple minutes in, but Gunn grabbed him and carried him back to the ring. MJF snapped Gunn’s neck over the top rope and then strutted, turning his back on Gunn. Gunn stood behind MJF and kicked him as soon as he turned around. MJF went after Gunn’s legs to take control. [c]
They stayed with the action during the break. Gunn made a comeback, but favored his injured leg. MJF avoided a Gunn charge in the corner. The ref Aubrey Edwards forced MJF to break when he held the ropes for extra leverage. MJF complained. When Wardlow stepped onto the ring apron, the ref told him to get down. Wardlow secretly tossed MJF his Diamond Ring. Gunn hit Wardlow, knocking him to the floor. Wardlow then hit Austin. Gunn threw Wardlow into the ringside barricade. MJF used the weapon to finish Gunn.
WINNER: MJF in 10:00.
-After the match a brawl broke out with Wardlow and Luchasaurus. It expanded into a big brawl with everyone else at ringside.
-They cut away to Alex Marvez interviewing Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho. Jericho told Marvez he has a fat head. Jericho said Orange Cassidy wants to be a funny guy, but there wasn’t anything funny about what they did to him last week. Guevara said they beat the pulp out of Cassidy. He laughed. Jericho said they beat him to a pulp, then vowed to become the top contenders for the AEW Tag Team Titles. Jericho said he and Guevara are blood brothers, and blood is thicker than water, “or in this case, orange juice.”
-Schiavone interviewed Baker. He announced that Penelope Ford will get a title match at Fyter Fest. Baker didn’t like that Schiavone talked about other women instead of focusing on her. She said Schiavone waddled himself over there for nothing because she was cutting off the interview. Big Swole was the driver of the golf cart and had a sinister look on her face before she sped off with Baker, who cried out in a panic.
-Cody made his ring entrance with Arn Anderson. The announcers said he’d reveal his hand-picked mystery opponent next. [c]
-Cody said last week he was on the receiving end of a beatdown by Jake Hager. He said there was no Hangman, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, or Dustin to help. He wondered if he was even in The Elite anymore. He wondered if they were even a family anymore. “It kind of makes you wonder,” he said. He then handed the mic to the Head Coach of the Nightmare Family. Arn took the mic. Arn said you have to listen sometimes to your voice of reason in your head. He said he knows he thinks he can beat Hager, and he believes it, too. He said timing is everything, though, the timing just isn’t right. He said they’re going to move past it and focus on tonight. Arn said he picked a strong opponent against whom he can hone his skills. Ricky Starks appeared on the big screen and said he’s the hottest free agent and a former NWA World TV Champion. He said he saw the TNT Title Open Challenge was his opportunity to get his foot in the door. He talked about his work ethic and grit. He said Cody has it too, so his boots are tied tight and he’s ready for this challenge.
(4) CODY (w/Arn Anderson) vs. RICKY STARKS – TNT Championship match
Excalibur talked about Starks’ international travel as a wrestler so far in his career. Justin Roberts did formal ring introductions. Schiavone said as long Tony Khan agrees to it, anyone from anywhere can get a title match against Cody. Starks slapped Cody early. Cody fought back aggressively, but Starks stayed right there in the fight toe-to-toe. Cody dropped him with a dropkick. Cody lifted Starks’ legs as Starks held the top rope and then kicked him between his legs – another hint of him journeying to being a heel. He then dove onto Starks at ringside, driving him hard into the ringside barricade. Starks side-stepped Cody and shoved a charging Cody into the middle rope. He went to ringside and beat up Cody before returning to the ring to score a one count. When Arn yelled at the ref that Starks was working over Cody against the ropes, Starks yelled down at him.
[HOUR TWO]
Stark stayed in control until Cody caught him charging with a defensive elbow. Cody landed a boot and a powerslam for a two count. Cody gave Starks a pancake suplex. They cut to Hager watching on a monitor. (He was looking right at the monitor like a normal person, yet we could recognize him from his profile. Amazing!) Starks came back and landed a superplex. He leaped at Cody with a crossbody and they both tumbled over to the floor. Back in the ring Starks landed a spear for a near fall. Cody and Starks exchanged several leverage near falls. Then he hit Crossroads for the win. Cody shook hands with Starks afterward. Excalibur said good sportsmanship was on display.
WINNER: Cody in 9:00 to retain the TNT Title. [c]
(5) THE YOUNG BUCKS (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. SUPERBAD SQUAD (Jimmy Havoc & Kip Sabian w/Penelope Ford)
The Bucks sent Sabian and Havoc to the floor and then stereo dove onto them at ringside. Butcher and Blade yelled at the Bucks from the front row. A few minutes later, Butcher and Blade jumped the rail and and then onto the ring apron. Havoc then hit Matt with a wet floor warning sign, good for a two count. Sabin tagged in next. Havoc eye poked Nick when the ref’s back was turned and scored a two count. Nick put Sabian in a sharpshooter and Matt landed an elbow to his back. Havoc entered the ring with a mallet. The ref told him to drop it. Meanwhile, Ford hit Nick with the wet mop sign to break the hold. Havoc tagged in and delivered a fisherman DDT. Matt broke up the cover. An assisted DDT led to a very near fall by Sabian. Ross said his arrogant cover cost him. Sabian was bleeding from his ear area. Matt and Havoc both tagged in. The Bucks landed stereo splashes for a near fall. Excalibur noted they’re approaching the 20 minute time limit. FTR approached Butcher & Blade at ringside. Havoc scored a near fall on Matt. Sabian tagged in and landed a double foot stomp off the top rope. Nick interrupted the count. The Bucks kicked Sabian in a way that made him drop down and give Havoc a tombstone piledriver. They then hit stereo superkicks for the win.
WINNERS: The Bucks in 15:00.
-A brawl broke out afterward with FTR and Butcher & Blade fighting. The Bucks joined in too. They hit stereo stuff piledrivers off the top rope and eyed each other. Ross said those two teams think alike “and somewhere, some day we have to know.”
-Taz talked about what happened last week on Dynamite. He said they were drinking whey protein in their trailer and heard a bunch of noise. He said he heard loud noises, and it turned out to be Jon Moxley who said he was going to shut him up for good. Taz called him a miserable son of a bitch, but “that gimmick was taken years ago by me.” Cage said what happens at Fyter Fest to Moxley is because he brought it on himself. Cage said he wishes Fyter Fest was tonight. He started listing the ways he’ll hurt him. [c]
-A Moxley vignette aired. He said he’s in the business for one reason. “I’ve got demons, bad ones,” he said. “The only thing that keeps them at bay is hurting people. And now your path has crossed my path.” He said he’s dragging Cage into deep water.
-The announcers hyped next week’s line-up: Wardlow vs. Luchasaurus in a lumberjack match, Natural Nightmares vs. FTR, and Moxley will wrestle with Taz on commentary. Then they listed the Fyter Fest matches: Cody vs. Jake Hager for the TNT Title, Hikaru Shida vs. Penelope Ford, and Moxley vs. Cage for the AEW World Title. Ross asked for the update on Brit Baker. Schiavone said they’re getting an update now.
-They went to Baker in a dumpster who was covered in garbage. She fired Reba for not finding her soon enough, then rehired her. She vowed revenge on Swole.
-Matt Hardy came to the announce desk for commentary during the main event. Le Sex Gods made their ring entrance. [c]
(6) LE SEX GODS (Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara) vs. BEST FRIENDS (Trent & Chuck Taylor) – AEW Tag Team No. 1 Contendership at Stake
Jericho and Guevara dominated most of the early offense. They cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, the Best Friends rallied. When they stopped to hug each other, Jericho and Guevara attacked them. Trent and Jericho battled as Guevara flip dove at Chuck at ringside, although he largely missed him. Jericho applied a camel clutch in the ring. Trent reached the bottom rope to force the break. A few minutes later Chuck grabbed a chair at ringside. The ref took it from him. Meanwhile in the ring, Guevara hit Trent with a bat and then landed a top rope shooting star press. Guevara went for a GTH, but Trent slipped free and drove Guevara into the mat for the win.
WINNER: Best Friends in 16:00 to retain no. 1 contendership.
-After the match, the cameraman revealed himself to be Orange Cassidy. He attacked Jericho at full speed and knocked him out of the ring with a punch.
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