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AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
OCTOBER 14, 2020
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-The AEW opening theme aired followed by Jim Ross introducing the show as the camera panned clusters of fans in the stands. They showed Penelope Ford and Kip Sabian playing a video game in cartoonish fashion off to the side of the ring.
(1) FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. BEST FRIENDS (Chuck Taylor & Trent) – AEW World Tag Team Title match
Justin Roberts did formal ring introductions. FTR got a stretch of offense against Trent. Schiavone noted it’s been a great year of AEW on TNT. He said they’re proud of the action they’ve brought fans since Oct. 2, 199… at which point he caught himself and laughed and said, “2019.” Excalibur said he was only 20 years off. Schiavone said the last year has been the most fun he’s ever had in wrestling. Ross said he agreed and said wrestling was fun for him again. Chuck tagged in and took control until Tully swept his leg from ringside. When Taylor bent over to grab Tully, Cash hit him from behind. (The timing wasn’t great, as you could see Taylor looking peripherally just waiting to get hit from behind.) Dax knocked Taylor down at ringside, which led to another stretch of offense by FTR against Trent. Chuck eventually recovered and four-way action broke out.
Cash and Trent brawled to ringside. Cash threw Trent into the arcade cabinet that Sabian and Ford were playing. Sabian ran to the back. Back in the ring, Dax took it to Trent, who was hobbled. Taylor eventually tagged in and went after Dax. Cash tried to hit Chuck with a tag belt. Chuck ducked. Dax shoved Taylor into the ropes. The ref moved out of the path and took cover for some reason. Cash then hit Chuck with the belt and Dax got the pin.
WINNERS: FTR to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles in 17:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: The timing is often just sloppy at times with Taylor, but overall a solid lengthy tag match. That finish was utter nonsense, though. Why did the ref duck? If he saw Cash swinging the belt, he certainly knew it was being used as a weapon. Unless that’s an angle where the ref is crooked or fired for incompetence, that can’t be what they had in mind.)
-After the match, Miro came out and attacked Taylor and Chuck, getting back at Trent for ruining Sabian’s videogame. Excalibur said Miro & Sabian were scheduled to wrestle next. Miro cleared the ring and was fuming mad as he and Sabian looked at a broken piece of video game circuitry.
(Keller’s Analysis: The whole spot with Sabian playing a video game at ringside for no apparent reason and having that play into a post-match angle just felt forced and corny.) [c]
(2) MIRO & KIP SABIAN vs. SEAN MALUTO & LEE JOHNSON
Miro overpowered Maluto first and then Johnson. Sabian landed a top rope splash on Johnson, then tagged Miro back in. Miro let out a big yell and then put Johnson in his camel clutch finisher.
WINNERS: Miro & Sabian in 2:00.
-Sabian yelled afterward, “You’ve gone too far. You’ve destroyed my most prized possession. How dare you!” Miro ranted on the mic, too, in Bulgarian. “Game over,” he closed.
-Ross said there was something going on backstage. Lance Archer was beating up Jon Moxley in the back hall as Jake Roberts cheered him on. Several agents including Jerry Lynn ran in to restore order.
-They went to Ross, Schiavone, and Excalibur at the announce desk. They discussed the World Title Eliminator Tournament starting next week, with the finals taking place at the Full Gear PPV on Nov. 7, and the winner gets the first title shot after Full Gear. Opening round is Pentagon Jr. vs. Rey Fenix, Kenny Omega vs. Joey Janela, Colt Cabana vs. “Hangman” Page, and Wardlow vs. Jungle Boy.
(Keller’s Analysis: They had yet to run down the line-up of matches for the viewers tuning in. Do they assume everyone knows, or it’ll make no difference to those who don’t know because they’d rather surprise them? I mean, they have an AEW World Title match, a Cody title defense, and an MJF announcement still to come.) [c]
-MJF and Wardlow walked out. MJF asked if the fans still want to boo him. The audience booed. He said they’re just jealous and called the fans “meaningless schmucks.” He said he’s not only going to get to the top, but he’s going to stay on top. He said the man he’s going to call to the ring has stayed on top of the industry for 30 years, and he’s going to witness his groundbreaking statement. Out came Chris Jericho with Jake Hager, Santana, Ortiz, and Sammy Guevara. The audience sang. MJF said they were all off key a little.
MJF noticed Sammy was holding a jacket he got for him. “When I promise, I deliver,” he said. Sammy didn’t want to put it on. Jericho pushed him to put it on because it was a gift. Sammy resisted. Jericho yelled, “Put it on!” Sammy gave in. It was greatly oversized. MJF said, “That’s great!” MJF then touted Jericho’s body. He said he looks like Popeye the Sailor Man if he was injected spinach. He then said Jericho has luscious, bodacious hair. He said the fans are mostly prematurely balding. He asked Jericho if he could touch his hair. Jericho asked, “You want to touch my hair?” MJF said he does. Jericho agreed. MJF touched it. “Smooth as a baby’s bottom,” MJF said. Jericho then told him to “cut the shit.” He told him to make his big announcement.
MJF said he senses hostility and it doesn’t have to be that way. MJF said they are both the top minute-to-minute draws. He called him the Demo-God. “That makes me the Ratings Ruler, baby!” Jericho noted it was “crickets” in the arena. MJF said they’ve never gotten physical in the squared circle. He MJF mentioned “Animal Planet,” Jericho interrupted and said, “I hate Animal Planet.” MJF called it random and very specific, but he gets it because it’s not under the Turner umbrella. (He means “Warner Media umbrella!”) He said you never see turtles eating each other because they are predators and they respect each other. “We’ve been great separate, but what if we worked together,” he said. Jericho asked what he’s getting at. MJF said he’d like to join them. He struggled to say “Inner Circle,” though, and had to talk himself into actually saying the words: “I’d like to join the Inner Circle.” Sammy didn’t like the idea at all. Santana told him they don’t want him in the Inner Circle, end of story. Jericho said they’re a team and a family and they make decisions together. He said maybe next week they meet up one-on-one for a steak dinner. MJF asked if he wanted steak. Jericho said he’s never wanted anything more in his life. MJF yelled, “You’re on!” They had a tense handshake. Jericho said he’d see him next week at the restaurant.
-Schiavone plugged Jericho’s “Little Bit of the Bubbly” on sale.
-They cut to a skit with Schiavone and Brit Baker side by side on massage tables. Baker was getting a facial and Schiavone was getting a neck and shoulder rub. Reba entered with Brit’s rules written on a big sheet of paper. Brit sat up and said Rule #5 is “be the baddest bitch on the block.” She then noticed Schiavone was naked and yelled in horror. Then they gave Schiavone a chest waxing. (If you think this sounds strange, you ought to watch the latest “Being the Elite” where Kenny Omega asked Michael Nakazawa to “suck me off” after they did a whole oral sex gag skit with Colt Cabana doing a voiceover for Nakazawa who got on his knees, closed his eyes, and opened his mouth as Omega stood a few inches in front of him in his bikini brief underwear and shoved a tubular tanning bottle in his mouth instead of his, well, you know. That all happened.) Schiavone shrieked as he was waxed. They sat side-by-side later for pedicures as Baker talked about her epic comeback next week.
(Keller’s Analysis: The spa music was soothing and relaxing, if not mesmerizing.)
-Orange Cassidy made his entrance. [c]
(3) CODY (w/Brandi, Arn Anderson) vs. ORANGE CASSIDY – TNT Title match
As Cody made his entrance, they showed Darby Allin sitting alone in the stands. Ross said there is no way Cody is a 100 percent after last week’s Dog Collar match. They were about to lock up mid-ring, but Cassidy dropped his hands into his pockets. Cody shoved him in the chest. His sunglasses fell off. Cassidy kicked them out of the ring and upped his intensity. They locked up. Cody took control. They cut to a break around 3:00. [c]
After the break, Cassidy caught Cody with a superkick and then dove at him through the ropes. Cody shoved him down. John Silver ran and grabbed the TNT Title belt. Cassidy yanked it away from him. The ref kicked out a crowd of Dark Order members. Silver freaked out. Cassidy eyed the belt, but then handed it to Arn and threw Cody back into the ring. Cassidy leaped onto Cody off the top rope, but Cody rolled through and set up a Crossroads. Cassidy slipped out and rolled up Cody for a near fall. Orange gave Cody a Stun Dog Millionaire. Cody hit a Cutter seconds later. Both were down and slow to get up. They went to a cool overhead shot for a few seconds.
[HOUR TWO]
Ross said Cody has had lapses in this match that are uncharacteristic of him. Cody went on methodical sustained offense for a couple minutes. Cody set up Cassidy for a double underhook, but Cassidy slipped out and slowly crawled into the corner. Ross said if he was a wrestler, that’d be his speed all the time. Cody set up a yank of Cassidy crotch-first into the ringpost. Cassidy broke free and landed a top rope flying DDT for a near fall.
Cassidy landed a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Cassidy set up Beach Break, but Cody blocked it and applied a quick figure-four leglock. Cassidy reversed it, but Cody rolled back. Cassidy then rolled to the bottom rope to force a break. Cassidy delivered the Beach Break on the ring apron. Both tumbled to the floor. Cassidy grabbed his left knee in pain, but threw Cody back into the ring. He made the cover, but Cody countered with a crucifix for a two count with one minute left. Cassidy gave Cody a swinging DDT and then he showed real fire. He delivered the Beach Break for a near fall that popped the audience. Cassidy’s leg gave out as he went for the Orange Punch. Cody moved in, but Cassidy put him in a mouse trap pin for a two count before the time limit draw bell rang.
WINNER: Time Limit Draw in 20:00, so Cody retained the TNT Title.
-They cut to Alex Marvez backstage interviewing Archer and Roberts. Moxley jumped Archer. They were separated quickly.
-Schiavone interviewed Matt Hardy with his wife and three kids. Matt said he feels “practically perfect in many, many ways.” He said it’s great to be celebrating one year of Dynamite. He said as of tonight he is 100 percent healthy and cleared to return to the ring. Then a video appeared on the screen with images of Hardy including a line-up of photos burning. Then the camera showed Sammy watching them burn. He said it was him all along who attacked him and left him lying at All Out. He said he’s the guy who every week he gets cleared, he’ll send him back to the hospital. He said it isn’t over until he sends him home for good. Hardy asked Schiavone if he knew about that. Schiavone said he didn’t. Hardy said his first order of business is Sammy now that he’s cleared. [c]
-Teams were assembled on stage. Schiavone drew names out of a tumbler for a four-way tag match next week for no. 1 contendership. He drew Private Party, Dark Order, Butcher & Blade, and The Young Bucks. The Bucks entered the ring and got in the face of FTR. They shook hands and then exchanged some tense words. Nick Jackson said they aren’t there to superkick Tony. He said they’re there to superkick “these guys.” They superkicked Blade and Dark Order. A brawl broke out everyone as FTR left the ring. When the dust cleared, the Bucks shook hands with Private Party, but then gave them surprise superkicks to drop them.
-Ross hyped the AEW Women’s Title match up next. [c]
(4) HIKARU SHIDA vs. BIG SWOLE – AEW Women’s Title match
Early in the match, Excalibur said Tony Khan just decided to make the Moxley vs. Archer match a No DQ match. Shida struggled to kip up after some early back-and-forth. She took control, though, and threw Swole onto the ring apron. Swole landed a running knee to the side of Swole’s head. Swole hit Shida from behind as she showboated for the camera. [c/ss]
Swole landed a cutter on Shida on the ramp and another cutter back in the ring before getting a two count. Shida gave Swole a German suplex. Although Swole’s shoulders were up, the ref counted to two because he was supposed to, but he shouldn’t have. Ross even noted that. Shida took Swole down with a sloppy running knee that showed light. Swole landed a spinning forearm out of nowhere for a two count. Shida did another running knee strike and then a running boot for the win
WINNER: Shida in 9:00 to retain the AEW Women’s Title
(Keller’s Analysis: Clunky match a lot of the way. It’s so clear they just need to be wrestling more to keep their ring legs and their timing.)
-The announcers said Cody would defend against Cassidy again in two weeks.
-Eddie Kingston and the Lucha Bros. walked to the announce desk.
-A video package aired on Scorpio Sky and Shawn Spears. Spears denied he’s stalking him. He said everyone likes him, but Sky stole a memory he planned to collect, so they’re going to get back at him by creating their own moment.
-Eddie joined the announcers on commentary. The Lucha Bros. stood behind him.
(5) JON MOXLEY vs. LANCE ARCHER (w/Jake Roberts) – AEW World Title match
Schiavone asked if they’ve had a bigger match than this on Dynamite in their first year. Archer came out first and dragged a victim with him. Moxley came out through the stands, as usual, and went right after Archer as Justin began his introductions. Justin ducked out as the match got off to a fast start, with Moxley hitting a Paradigm Shift for a two count. The announcers noted Mox was 19-0 in 2020 and Archer was 13-1. Excalibur talked about Pentagon vs. Fenix in round one of the tournament next week. Kingston said the winner will be one of his family members, and he said it’ll be a Match of the Year next week. They cut to a break, but stayed with the action on split-screen. [c]
Archer controlled the action during the break. Mox threw a chair at Archer and took control after the break. Ross said Moxley had his proverbial second wind. Mox applied an anklelock. Roberts pulled Archer to the floor. Archer grabbed a trash can and lifted it when Mox dove through the ropes at him. Archer smashed Mox with the can back in the ring. They fought on the ring apron where Mox countered Archer and hit a low-blow, then DDT’d him off the ring apron through two tables set up at ringside. Both were down and slow to get up. They replayed it three times as the audience chanted, “This is awesome!” Mox gave Archer a Paradigm Shift that looked more like a suplex for a two count, followed by his bulldog choke. Archer stood and shoved Moxley off of him. Moxley rolled him up for a two count. Archer then gave Moxley his Blackout for a near fall, but Moxley leveraged Archer into a crucifix for the three count. Archer yelled at the ref.
WINNER: Moxley in 13:00 to retain the AEW World Title.
-Archer attacked Moxley. Kingston sent the Lucha Bros. to the ring. Fenix hit Archer with a chair. Archer was more irritated than hurt by it. Archer and Jake left the ring. Kingston talked his guys into not hitting Mox with a chair. Instead, Kingston asked for applause for Mox. Kingston talked about good times they had years ago. He said he loves him to death. He said they had a great match, even though he never tapped out. He helped Moxley to his feet. Kingston said he’s proud of him. He put his arm around Moxley and kept saying how proud he is of him. Mox looked suspiciously at Kingston, who then hit him with a backfist and then applied a sleeper. The Lucha Bros. kept officials out of the ring as Kingston put Mox to sleep. Kingston held the AEW Title belt and ranted as the show went off the air.
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