3/10 AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT: Keller’s report on Darby Allin’s TNT Title defense against Scorpio Sky, Christian addresses audience, Revolution fallout

AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
MARCH 10, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR

Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts

---

[HOUR ONE]

-The opening theme aired, and now includes Christian Cage.

(1) MATT JACKSON (w/Nick Jackson) vs. REY FENIX (w/Pac)

A minute into the match they showed Christopher Daniels & Kaz watching from the bleachers. Early on Matt regrouped at ringside, but Fenix leaped off the ring apron with a head scissors that sent Matt into the ringside barricade. Excalibur plugged Schiavone and Paul White hosting AEW Elevation on YouTube at 7 ET next Monday (the hour before Raw starts). Ross talked about Fenix and Pac being hungry because of so many struggles and setbacks due to COVID in 2020. Ross said when he signed with AEW, one of the matches he wanted to call was the Young Bucks vs. Lucha Bros. Ross said he’s interested to hear from Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley after this match. At 9:00 Rey caught a charging Matt with a sudden cutter. Both were down and slow to get up.

Matt came back with a Destroyer a couple minutes later. Pac gave Fenix a pep talk at ringside. Fenix popped up and beat the count. Matt then landed a top rope flying elbow for a near fall. Schiavone said, “That was Randy Savage-like.” Matt protested the count, then applied a sharpshooter. Fenix went for a low dropkick, but Matt moved. Fenix’s feet connected with Nick at ringside. Matt slid to ringside and superkicked Pac as Pac was approaching Nick. Fenix and Matt exchanged mid-ring strikes. Matt flipped out of Fenix’s move and then superkicked him. Fenix kipped up after a second superkick and dropkicked Matt. Both went down and were slow to get up at 14:00. They countered each other, and Fenix ended up hitting a leaping tombstone piledriver for a win.

WINNER: Fenix in 16:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: This was good, but there was something about the intensity most of the way by Matt that gave off a vibe his head wasn’t into it or his mind was elsewhere. He just seemed a little checked out and was going through the motions. This follows the WWE formula of a singles match featuring the challenger in a future tag match winning.)

-They went to Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston sitting in front of a fire table. Moxley seemed to be still dealing with a headache and other injuries from Sunday as Kingston talked about the heat he felt in the ring. Mox said he thinks Omega really wanted to blow them up. Mox said, “Impact paid for the bomb.” He asked if the bomb came in a box marked ACME. “I made more explosive volcanoes in fourth grade science class,” he said. “What the hell was that?” He said Omega was the better man and kept the title, “but I did get a drinking buddy back.” He said he could have come out a little earlier, though. Eddie and Mox talked over each other a little, but in a comedic way. Mox said he’s glad he didn’t get blown up, but he would have liked to see a bomb go off. He said if you’re going to flash a weapon, you better use it. He winked and swigged a drink.

(Keller’s Analysis: AEW is leaning into blaming Omega and Don Callis for bad explosives since they were the ones who “built the gimmicks” themselves. It’s done a bit tongue-in-cheek and there aren’t many who could pull off this wink and nod better than Moxley and be forgiven by disappointed fans. But will they see him as a “company guy” who’s selling them a bill of goods because the company is trying so hard to save face on a mistake?)

-Ross said he loved the candidness. Then Schiavone plugged Cody and Arn Anderson would be out next. [c/ss]

-During the break, they showed split-screen highlights from Revolution including Scorpio Sky winning the ladder match.

(Keller’s Analysis: That was good use of the split-screen format.)

(2) CODY RHODES (w/Arn Anderson) vs. SETH GARGIS

Cody presented his weight-lifting belt to a fan in a wheelchair at ringside. The announcers said Cody won’t disclose the extent of his shoulder injury. Excalibur said earlier Arn wouldn’t let anyone near the trainer’s room where Cody was getting his shoulder worked on. Cody landed an early running powerbomb, then applied a figure-four leglock for a quick win.

WINNER: Cody in under 1:00.

-Schiavone entered the ring to interview Cody after his win. Schiavone’s mic didn’t work. Cody got him a replacement. Schiavone asked how his shoulder is doing after Shaq threw him around last week. He was interrupted quickly by Pentagon Jr. He had a translator with him to trash-talk Cody a bit. Penta said if Cody is the Prince of Pro Wrestling, then he’s the Lord of Lucha Libre. He said at Revolution, he lost. He said if it was just them one-on-one, he still would have lost. His translator said he’s lucky he didn’t focus on hurting his arm even more to the point he wouldn’t have been able to pick up his baby girl. Cody charged after Penta and they were separated by a crowd of wrestlers and officials.

(Keller’s Analysis: Good to see Cody move into a regular feud with a trash-talking heel wrestler. It’s clear and simple and effective. Penta’s struggles with English could drag things down, but the interpreter was just smarmy enough to add to the act.)

-Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy were hanging out at an arcade. Taylor asked for another match. He said he’ll be his butler again if loses, but this time for life. Taylor said they’ll put video games around ringside and put their heads through all of them. Cassidy stood up and said, “Then we break you.”

(Keller’s Analysis: It doesn’t ring true at all that anyone would offer to be someone’s butler for life if they lost a wrestling match. Why even go there? Just have a damn match where the pride of winning and losing is enough.)

-Ross plugged Schiavone would interview Sting next. [c]

-Schiavone interviewed Sting who talked about Darby taking risks. He said it makes him a very dangerous man. He bragged about winning on Sunday. He was (thankfully) interrupted by Lance Archer and Jake Roberts. Archer said if they aren’t given time, they’ll take TV time. Archer said he didn’t need a ladder match victory to be the Face of the Revolution. He said if things don’t change, he’ll be taking much more than time. Schiavone said this is Sting’s time to talk. Archer sarcastically apologized and left. Sting then thanked Tony and left.

(Keller’s Analysis: Not sure that counts as a heel turn for Archer, but it crossed from assertive to rude territory. But anything that keeps Sting from talking for too long is a net positive.)

-Dasha interviewed Q.T. “Please Don’t Turn the Channel” Marshall and Lee Johnson. She asked about Marshall walking out on his partner Dustin Rhodes at Revolution. Marshall said he’s human and he let his emotions get the best of him. He said tonight is about Johnson, who faces “All Ego” Ethan Page.

(3) “ALL EGO” ETHAN PAGE vs. LEE JOHNSON (w/Q.T. Marshall)

A soundbite interview aired during Page’s entrance, but the sound mix was all off and it was difficult to hear him. He complained about Marshall stealing his spotlight. They cut to an early break. There were still sound issues. They stayed with the action on split-screen. [c/ss]

They were still having sound-mix issues after the break, and it was actually an NBA feed. Ross said Page isn’t very popular in the locker room. Page won with a released Razor’s Edge called The Ego’s Edge.

WINNER: Page in 8:00.

-After the match, Marshall watched Ethan stomp away at Johnson. Then he turned and left. Dustin ran out to check on Johnson. Marshall just walked to the back. Schiavone asked what was going on with Marshall.

(Keller’s Analysis: I couldn’t tell if the NBA game sound was piped into the arena or not, but it was hugely distracting either way. It finally stopped as Dustin helped Johnson to his feet.)

-Alex Marvez stood outside and asked “Hangman” Page what he’s doing with Matt Hardy’s money. He was sitting on a new lawn mower he bought. He said he bought whiskey and vinyl albums and donated a bunch to a local kids education charity. Dark Order showed up and piled onto the lawn mower. Page drove away. Only Alan Angels couldn’t fit, and they drove off with him. He waved goodbye, but he seemed a little sad being excluded from the fun. [c]

-Schiavone stood on the stage and said one of the biggest happenings at Revolution was the arrival of Christian Cage. He said he’s one of the greatest competitors of all-time. Schiavone was interrupted by Omega’s women with brooms. Schiavone asked if they are part of Christian’s entrance. Omega then came out, smiling at his success at stealing Christian’s spotlight. Don Callis, Doc Gallows, and Karl Anderson joined him on the stage. They all headed to the ring.

Callis apologized and said they won’t get to hear from the brand new signee in AEW. “We call the shot around here and take what we want, then we take a little more,” he said. He said he is standing next to the greatest wrestler who ever lived, and the new “King of the Death Matches,” Omega. Callis said on Sunday, it all went according to plan. Omega said, “Maybe not everything Mr. Callis.” Callis said he must be talking about the explosion not heard around the world. He said they’ve taken a lot of heat in recent days by the company and the fans for the sparklers show. He said he will neither confirm nor deny they had anything to do with it, but they will confirm it made them happy to take away what they wanted. He said Tony Khan likes to make great memories. He said they took that away on Sunday. He said they took away Moxley’s chance to die a hero and Kingston’s star-making, heroic moment. He said it was a win-win situation for them. He said if the explosives went off, Moxley would be gone and Kingston would be maimed. But if the ring didn’t blow up, they win even bigger because Mox and Kingston “look like a pair of idiots and we walk out with (the World Title).” They bragged about winning.

(Keller’s Analysis: They’re spending way too much time trying to save face on the explosive debacle on Sunday. I get how clever they think they are being by having Callis act like a con man trying to spin this as a win, but it’s just way more TV time than is needed. In fact, I’d have written it off Sunday night and said, “It didn’t go how we wanted, but we’ll brush ourselves off and move on Wednesday.” Trying force-fix this with bullshit has potential to turn off a lot of AEW viewers who felt they were above this.)

Omega said he gets goosebumps thinking about seeing Moxley vaporized in the middle of the ring and never having to see him again. He said it was just as sweet to have the ever-lasting memory of leaving him in the middle of the ring looking like a loser. He said they didn’t account for Kingston, his childhood friend, dry humping him as sparklers shot off. Kingston then walked to the ring.

[HOUR TWO]

Callis said he had him in Impact Wrestling working for him because he saw his talent and toughness. He said Kingston, though, always finds a way to screw things up just when things are looking up for him. He said he had a moment in his grasp on Sunday, “and we took it away.” (So they’re now claiming they let the explosives fizzle to take away Kingston’s big moment even though they said they didn’t see his involvement coming.) Callis and the three wrestlers cornered him. They said they were giving him to the count of ten. The ominous countdown clock ticked down from 10 and then Omega fell onto his back and called for Don to “69 me.” Callis jumped on him. There were no explosives. Omega sat up and asked, “Did I blow up? I almost passed out there.” He laughed and asked Kingston what he hopes to accomplish. Omega said Eddie doesn’t break character, making fun of his unflinching expression. Omega said he doesn’t have the guts to punch him. He said the first one is free. Kingston punched him. Omega went down and was out on his face. (That’s a comically ridiculous overreaction considering what he usually absorbs in matches.) Moxley ran out for the save.

Christian’s music played and he walked out onto the stage. He looked around, then slowly walked to the ring. He eyed Omega in the ring. Excalibur asked, “Can you believe Christian Cage and Kenny Omega are on your screen?!” They had a staredown mid-ring and exchanged some heated words. Omega offered a handshake, then went for a punch. Christian ducked and set up an Unprettier. Callis yanked Omega to safety.

(Keller’s Analysis: I’m not surprised, given the hype and build, that they’d push Christian in a program right away with Omega, especially considering the lack of ready options on the babyface side. I’m just not sure enough people see Christian as that big of a deal. I thought Edge was a level short of a mega-big-deal legacy star returning to WWE last year, and Christian is a level below Edge for sure. It’s a good get for AEW, but they’re at risk of overplaying this hand. It’s a bit of a reach that Christian is instantly the guy you want your centerpiece heel World Champion selling for like that. He just was never pushed at that level in WWE, and he wasn’t a needle-mover during his time on top in TNA. The bright side is Christian in the alpha-male role was really good on the mic in TNA. On the downside, he’s also now approaching 50 instead of a guy in his mid-30s prime. It’ll be a real test for both Omega and Christian when they have a singles match. Can Christian rise to the modern style, or can Omega augment what he does to elevate Christian without rounding out the edges of what he usually does in the ring? Omega can’t help himself with the dumb and sometimes off-putting comments, including asking Don to “69 me.” He’s just coming across as kind of a creepy weirdo. That’s not big money. Score points with viewers by delivering money promos rather than tired fourth-wall-breaking insider crap like “he never breaks character.”) [c]

(4) DR. BRITT BAKER & NYLA ROSE & MAKI ITOH vs. HIKARU SHIDA & THUNDER ROSA & RYO MIZUNAMI

Itoh did her relentless over-the-top pop star routine during her entrance, singing and dancing even after her music stopped and the wrestlers in the ring began fighting. Excalibur laughed like it was the greatest thing he’s ever seen. Shida charged at her. Itoh “bopped” her on the head with the mic, but she stopped short on them and they just looked awful. Regarding the singing, Schiavone called it surreal and said you can’t deny she’s entertaining. A corner graphic hyped Darby vs. Scorpio Sky for the TNT Title later. They cut to an early split-screen break. [c/ss]

Back from the break, Rosa leaped off the top rope onto a crowd of wrestlers gathered at ringside. Excalibur noted she “took out friend and foe alike.” Guerrero held onto Rosa’s boot, and then Itoh landed a spinning DDT for a near fall. Vickie stood on the ring apron to distract the ref as Rebel tried to hit Rosa with a crutch (it was comically cartoonishly inept). Itoh then went after Rosa, but Rosa countered her into her Emerald Flowsion for the win.

WINNERS: Rosa & Shida & Mizunami in 8:00.

-After the match, Baker attacked Rosa with a crutch. Rebel rubbed the crutch against Rosa’s face. Vickie, Baker, and Rebel gloated. Baker stepped on her and kicked her. Schiavone called her vicious.

-Private Party consoled Matt Hardy at the bar that things will be okay. Hardy said he’s been reflecting a lot the last few days, and they need to bring more money in. Private Party agreed and high-fived. Hardy clarified, “I need to bring more money in.” Hardy said he has more than enough money to sustain their business through April 1, so he’s adding to his empire. He said he signed a new unit. He said he got them a huge money deal with AEW that’s so big they won’t even notice his cut. Butcher, Blade, and Bunny walked in. Private Party seemed apprehensive. Hardy said the four of them are going to destroy four wrestlers on AEW Elevation on Monday, and then they will destroy Dark Order for what they did to him. [c]

(5) DARBY ALLIN vs. SCORPIO SKY – TNT Title match

Sky made his ring entrance first. Darby came out next, walking out through the tunnel. The heel wrestlers at ringside countered a Darby chant by shouting “Sucks!” Darby out-wrestled Sky early, and Sky showed frustration. He shoulder-butted Darby out of his personal space after a break against the ropes. Sky sold a tweaked knee or ankle when he landed on a flip move. He grabbed at it and winced. Sky moved in on him. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]

Sky methodically dominated during the break. Darby elbowed Sky off of him while he was on the top turnbuckle. He went for a Coffin Drop, but Sky countered into a powerbomb for a near fall. Sky set up a TKO, but Darby countered with a small package for a three count.

WINNER: Darby in 14:00 to retain the TNT Title.

(Keller’s Analysis: Why no promo from Sky at some point in the show to set the stage for this match and how viewers should feel about his attempt to win the TNT Title? It’s not like he’s been a prominent figure on Dynamite in recent months and he did just revealed a new personality last week in his return to TV after time away. The match was fine. Not particularly memorable, but just fine, and it was nice to see Darby in a regular semi-lengthy straight-up match.)

-Darby respectfully consoled Sky afterward. When he turned his back, Sky attacked him and put him in a heel hook. Four referees tried to pry Sky off of Darby, who was yelling in pain. Sky finally released the hold and looked at his hands as if he wasn’t sure what overtook him.But then he smiled and licked his lips, as if he liked that side of himself coming out.

-They went to the announcers on commentary who said that post-match attack ruined an otherwise good match. They announced next week’s matches, billed as “St. Valentine’s Day Slam.”

• The Good Brothers (Anderson & Gallows) vs. Moxley & Kingston
• Cody vs. Penta El Zero Miedo
• Jurassic Express &  Bear Country vs. Butcher & Blade & Private Party
• Jade Cargill in action
• Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa in the main event for the Women’s Title

-Ross hyped that next would be the Inner Circle War Council.

(Keller’s Analysis: They didn’t hype this at all until now, and that seems like a strange choice or a bad oversight.) [c]

-Inner Circle made their ring entrance with 13 minutes left in the show. Schiavone said Sky walked to the ring out of the right tunnel but left out of the left tunnel. Still no Sammy Guevara. It was Chris Jericho, MJF, Jake Hager, Santana, and Ortiz. They cut to fans – some without masks covering their faces – singing the lyrics of Jericho’s theme song. Jericho said when any great army needs to change its course in the middle of battle, they have a war council to decide how to continue on. He said they’ve gone off course lately, but it’s easily remedied. He said they are the smartest in the business. He said it’s time for a new attitude and outlook and maybe even a new member. MJF said with all due respect, he doesn’t think they need to add a new member. He said instead it might be time to let someone go. Sammy Guevara’s music then played and he walked out. Lots of gum chomping going on with him.

Jericho said, “Look who’s here. You remember his name, right?” He asked what he’s doing. Guevara told Jericho he knows he’s not happy with him and he’s the last person he wants to see, but he wants to show him something. Jericho said he’s dead to him. Sammy entered the ring and said after all they’ve been through, he needs to show him something. They cut to a video of Sammy setting up a hidden camera which filmed MJF entering the room later and talking to Hager, Santana, and Ortiz. He said tonight they cut the head off the leader. He said they’re going to give Jericho “a nice little dirt nap.”

Back in the ring, MJF said he didn’t want Jericho to figure it out this way, but “get ‘im!” Sammy and Jericho squared off against Santana, Ortiz, and Hager. However, they all turned against MJF. MJF suddenly got nervous and told everyone to hang on. Jericho called him a stupid son of a bitch. “You really think we don’t talk to each other every single day?” he said. He said they were waiting for him to hang himself. He said he brought him into the Inner Circle, so he’s the one who’s going to knock him out of it. He shoved him down. He said, “Your ass his fired!” He said they’re going to give him a little old school Inner Circle beatdown.

MJF cowered in the corner and swore he didn’t want to take over Inner Circle. He then took on a sinister tone and said he was “too busy building my own.” The lights went dark. And when the lights came back on, inside the ring stood Tully Blanchard, FTR, Shawn Spears, and Wardlow. They all began fighting. Tully watched as Spears kicked Sammy’s face into a chair wedged in the corner. Dax smashed a bottle over Hager’s head. Schiavone said MJF is a turd, but he’s also as shrewd and calculating as they come. Wardlow took out Jericho. MJF sat on the top turnbuckle and watched as the beating played out. Ross said some day they’ll be saying Wardlow’s name first. MJF hit Jericho with his diamond ring. They showed Jericho bleeding from the forehead. He reached for the bat, but MJF stood on the bat. Tully then handed MJF the bat. He jabbed Jericho with it, sending him out of the ring. They dragged Jericho to the stage. Wardlow then powerbombed Jericho onto some tables below the stage.

(Keller’s Analysis: So MJF knew Jericho knew all along? I stand by my stance that the lights out gimmick is overused. What if they had never used it until this moment, though? The new heel group feels a bit like AEW’s spin on the Four Horsemen, with MJF as the Ric Flair-level leader, FTR as the Tully & Arn team, Wardlow as the brute force member a la Ole Anderson or Lex Luger, and Tully in the J.J. Dillon managerial role. And then there’s Shawn Spears, who’s the Paul Roma tribute member, perhaps? I liked his darker demeanor in this segment, though.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: A good but flawed reset show after the PPV. A lot to digest. Ultimately the show would have better if they didn’t try to b.s. and spin their way out of the fizzle at the end of Sunday’s PPV. The double-swerve break-up of Inner Circle officially positions Jericho and Guevara as babyfaces now. Santana & Ortiz, too, of course. They also set up or intensified: Cody-Penta, Omega-Christian, Mox & Kingston-Good Brothers, Inner Circle-MJF’s new group, Baker-Rosa, Darby-Sky, and Bucks-Pac & Fenix.