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AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
APRIL 21, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY TYLER SAGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
-The announce team ran down the card for the evening.
-A premed video of Ricky Starks was shown as he went to the ring, it seemed like a subdued version of Starks character compared to the one we have seen as of late.
(1) ADAM PAGE vs. RICKY STARKS
Ricky Starks and Adam Page started by trading holds while rolling around on the mat. Starks tried to leap frog Page, but he was caught by Page, who then slammed Starks. Page then began to work over Starks in the ropes, he was then thrown over rtes rope and on the apron. Here Page sent Starks down and then Page dove down onto Starks. Back in the ring, Starks was able to make a comeback by slamming Page into the middle rope.
Starks then threw Page into one of the corners and then hit several strikes on the seated and prone Adam Page. Page then reversed a sleeper and turned a waist lock into a German suplex. Page then hit a last second clothesline on Starks, leaving both men laying. Page then hit a fall away slam and followed that up with a standing brain buster for a near fall on Ricky Starks. Page went for a sliding lariat, Starks dodged and then hit a really impressive power bomb on Page for a near fall. Page followed this up with a fall away slam off of the top rope. Adam Page then hit a big lariat for a near fall.
Page then went to the apron to set up the Buckshot Lariat, Starks read it and speared Page once he entered the ring. Starks tried another power bomb, Page rolled out and got Starks in a cross-face submission, in which Starks tapped out.
WINNER: Adam Page in 8:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A good opener, full disclosure I am a huge Ricky Starks fan. That being said I though this was a good evolution for Page. AEW leveled up his level of opponent and added another way for him to win matches, which is always a good thing. I Thing Starks looked great, especially when he showed off his strength. I think that he can and will have a really good run, I just hope it happens sooner, rather than later.)
-Taz called out Page post match, he said that Page needed to watch his back. Hook then came in and took out Page from behind. Hook and Starks were beating up Page when Brian Cage entered. The Dark Order came out and made the save. [c]
-The Elite arrived and walked into their personalized trailer.
(2) TRENT? vs. PENTA EL ZERO MIEDO
Trent and Penta started with a brief finger lock, leading to a back and forth between the two men. Penta did his zero fear hand sign a few times before Trent hit a kick to drop Penta, he then rolled out of the ring. Trent tried to attack, but Penta got back into the ring and then back out to the floor. This time Trent hit a dive on Penta on the outside. Back in the ring, Penta was in control with strikes and a super kick. Trent and Penta traded forearms, Trent then hit a move and Penta responded with a Destroyer. [c]
When the match returned, Penta was in control of Trent, laying in slaps in the corner. Trent made a comeback with a half-in-half. Penta countered again and he hit a back breaker form the middle rope. Penta then laid in some more stiff chops, then a pump handle power bomb for a near fall. Penta then had Trent on the apron and tried a pile driver. That did not work and both traded chops on the apron. Trent then tried a pile-driver on the apron that didn’t look perfect. Trent then hit a spear, and Penta’s mouth piece got the mic. He said that Trent, Orange Cassidy, and Trent’s mom suck. Orange Cassidy entered the ring to stop the mouth piece from attacking Trent. Penta then hit Cassidy and Alex (mouthpiece) and Penta team dup on Trent. Penta hit a package pile driver for the pinfall win.
WINNER: Penta El Zero Miedo in 9:00
(Sage’s Analysis: I liked the first 8 minutes of this match. As soon as the announcement that Trent’s mom sucks I though it was pretty contrived. I think Penta should win this match, and I’m ok with the heel way he won. But, grabbing a mic mid match to say you and your mom suck was really lame and made the whole match seem minor league.)
-JR in a prepped interview with The Pinnacle. He asked the team about Blood & Guts and what Chris Jericho had to say a few weeks ago. MJF defended his Burberry scarf and had Wardlow grab the gift that Tully got for him, it was a silk Burberry scarf. Wardlow asked if JR said Jericho’s promo was the “immortal promo,” Wardlow said that he stumbled his words when he got to his name, because he is scared. MJF then said that Jericho hangs out with B’s to look like an A, and wrestles A’s to not look like a B and then he gave Jericho an F grade. He said that he is the only guy that Jericho can’t outsmart. MJF said he is a top guy now and he hangs out with top guys. MJF said he didn’t need to beat low level guys because ehe has already beaten Jericho. He then offered his team vs. Jericho’s team. He said he was coming for Jericho’s spot. [c]
-A video package setting up the Women’s title match was shown.
(3) HIKARU SHIDA vs. TAY CONTI
The women did not shake hands, Tay Conti won a test of strength against Hikaru Shida. Conti then hit a big strike, but Shida responded and hit a series of knees to the midsection. Conti was then able to take down Shida and then Conti hit to running kicks and then got a near fall. Conti then locked in a waist lock and she tried to get a submission, but Shida got to the ropes to break the hold. Shida hit a kick, and had Conti laid out hanging over the apron. Shida took advantage and kicked her, then threw Conti into the barrier and ring post. Shida then hit a suplex on the floor and threw Conti back into the ring. Shida locked in a bow and arrow submission, then transitioned to a seated waist lock, that transitioned into a rear naked choke. [c]
Shida was still in control and hit a knee on Conti, who was perched on the middle rope. Conti hit a pump kick to give herself some space, Conti then got wrist control and then hit Judo throws and hit a pump kick in the corner, then a big boot. Shida was able to counter briefly. Conti fought back and hit a senton on Shida for a near fall. Shida followed that with a high knee and a falcon arrow for a near fall. Shida then put Conti on the top turnbuckle, Conti was seated there. Shida then picked up Conti and she tossed Conti back onto the top rope. Shida went for a katana kick, Conti hit a pump kick and a Tay KO for a near fall. Shida then hit a sit out and she got a near fall of her own.
The two women then traded slaps and chops. Shida hit a backbreaker and a Katana kick for a pinfall for Shida.
WINNER: Hikari Shida in 19:00
(Sage’s Analysis: This was a really good match. It was back and forth the whole time and I though both worked really well with each other. This is Shida’s first memorable title defense and I look forward to her match against Baker.)
-After the match Dr. Britt Baker’s music hit and a graphic on screen showed that she was now the #1 contender for the Women’s title.
-A video of Miro was shown, he said there was no Kip again. He again said that anyone with a title needs to look out.
-Tony Schiavone brought The Inner Circle out to the arena. Tony asked if Jericho heard the words of MJF and The Pinnacle. Jericho said who cares and he praised the fans. Jericho then said May 5th was Blood and Guts for the first time ever. He said that it will be one of the most violent things to ever be on TNT. He talked about Mike Tyson breaker Cash Wheelers jaw. Jake Hager then gifted The Pinnacle members staws because they will be eating though those after their fight. Santana then called out Pinnacle for being cowards and waiting until they had numbers in a fight. Santana called them bitches for doing that, he said they would see the size of everyone’s heart on May 5th. Jericho said that it sounds like MJF is reading off of a script, and that he is signing showtunes. Jericho said he can sing, he said he wrote a song about MJF. He then sang that. Jericho said that he washed himself with the scarf that MJF got tonight. He said it’s fun to make jokes, but Blood and Guts will be something they never forget. Jericho said next week the two team’s would meet next week to discuss the rules of Blood and Guts. [c]
(Sage’s Analysis: This was a mix of comedy, sales pitch, and tangents. The first two worked well, but there was 20% of this promo that could have been tightened up to really make it a home run. It was fun, but it felt uneven in spots.)
(4) BILLY GUNN vs. QT MARSHALL
Billy Gunn attacked QT and the members of The Factory as the walked into the arena. Gunn then threw QT Marshall over the top ropes and then hit a clothesline to knock QT onto the floor. Gunn worked over Marshall on the floor and then threw him back into the ring. Marshall hit a kick when he was on his back and tried some offense. Gunn immediately picked up Marshall and slammed him, QT rolled out of the ring and laid in pain. Gunn went to the outside and kept up the fight on Marshall.
The factory attacked Billy Gunn, the Gunn son’s attacked and the four men battled out of the arena. QT was in the ring and had the advantage against a beaten down Billy Gunn. QT hit a piledriver and got a near fall. QT continued to work over Billy, until Gunn fought back and slammed QT to the mat. QT tried to hit a diamond cutter and was pushed away. Ogogo came out and punched Gunn in the gut. QT then hit a Diamond Cutter for the pin.
WINNER: QT Marshall in 6:00
(Sage’s Analysis: This was very predictable, which isn’t ideal. I realized that QT is just AEW’s Miz. Dustin making that save was the best part of this segment.)
-Post match Dustin Rhodes made the save. [c]
-The Elite were in their trailer. Don Callis said the talent in the room was amazing. He said Omega would soon be Impact champion. Matt Jackson then said that they made business boom in Japan, in Hot Topic and they made All Elite Wrestling, not Moxley and Kingston Wrestling. They then called out the two men to come and find them. Omega said that he was gonna get serious, he had a message for all the haters but a car horn was breaking his concentration. They looked outside to see where it was coming from. Moxley and Kingston were in a pickup and they rammed into the trailer. Moxley had a pipe and broke the window. They noticed that The Elite had run away after the attack.
(5) CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. POWERHOUSE HOBBS
Cage and Hobbs started in a collar and elbow tie-up, with Hobbs getting the advantage in that exchange. Hobbs threw Cage out onto the stage area, Cage looked befuddled as he reentered the ring. Cage was able to work into a waist lock, but Hobbs reversed it and took Cage down. Cage got Hobbs to the outside, and Cage hit a drop kick to the outside. Hobbs then threw Christian into the barrier and then over the guard rail into the heel wrestler section. Hobbs then pulled Cage’s arm through the barricade and smashed his face in the metal. [c]
Hobbs was in control when the show returned. Cage made a brief comeback and almost hit the Killswitch. Hobbs pushed Cage around and continued working over Cage. Hobbs walked on Cage and then tried drop onto Cage. Christian made a comeback with a diving uppercut getting him a two count. Christian then had Hobbs in the ropes and he jumped over and punched Hobbs.
Hobbs then hit a spine buster on Cage for a near fall. Cage hit a power bomb off the second rope. Cage hit a frog splash for a near fall. Christian then called for the spear, but Hobbs took him out and put him in the corner. Hobbs got a near fall once more. Cage locked in a sleeper, but Hobbs threw Cage into the top turnbuckle. Christian hit a Killswitch and got the pinfall.
WINNER: Christian Cage in 10:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A solid match that told a good story in ring. Christian looked good, in the older babyface role. His trajectory is a lot like Adam Page. This week he leveled up his opponent and won the fight. Here is a serious questions. When was the last time a Team Taz member won a singles match on an episode of Dynamite?)
-The announce team ran down the card for next week.
-Jade Cargill said that a lot of people are trying to sign her. Then Matt Hardy and Vicki Guerrero made a pitch to the camera. Jade said she is her own boss, but if someone wants to sign her they will have to pay up. [c]
(6) DARBY ALLIN vs. JUNGLE BOY
Darby and Jungle Boy had a stare-down, then the two battled into a turnbuckle. The two then did a test of strength, that was even. Then they did it once more and both then traded mat based moves, with the advantage biting split down the middle. Jungle Boy then got the advantage outright and he hit a series of moves to get an arm-bar locked in that Allin had to get out of. Darby then hit a springboard arm drag. Jungle Boy responded by trying to lock in a snare trap, but Darby grabbed date rope immediately. Darby did a press and then the match moved to the outside. The two men then battled over the barricade. [c]
Jungle Boy hit a belly-to-belly suplex into the turnbuckle, after that the two traded fast an impressive moves after that. Darby then hit an innovative stunner for a near fall on Jungle Boy. Allin hit splashes in the corner, Jungle Boy countered with knees and a body scissors. Jungle Boy then did a dive through both ropes and a third dive over the top onto Darby. Jungle Boy set up Allin on the apron, Allin hit a submission move using the ropes in two different ways. Allin then went to the top rope and hit a Coffin Drop onto the apron onto Jungle Boy.
Both men were down on the floor after this. Allin got in before the count. Jungle Boy got into the ring just before. Luchasaurus and sting then battled on the stage area, they fought into the back area. Jungle Boy hit a lariat and Brain Buster, and running elbow for a near fall. Jungle Boy then locked in the Snare Trap, Allin went down and got to the bottom rope. Jungle Boy hit a surfboard hold, into a Snare Trap once more. Allin then gouged the eyes of Jungle Boy, who in turn smacked a downed Allin. Darby hit a Last Supper to beat the TV time window closing for the pinfall.
WINNER: Darby Allin in 17:00
(Sage’s Analysis: Another great match by both men. If the rating is like last week (meaning the main event number is similar to the start of the show) I see no reason why Darby Allin should not continue to main event Dynamite. He and Jungle boy will no doubt have many battles like this in the future, count me in.)
-Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky attacked both men after the match. Lance Archer then came out to try and make the save. Sting came out with a bat and he stood din the ring with Archer.
Final Thoughts: This was a solid show that is building off of the success of the last few weeks of story telling. There are always things to nitpick (Inner Circle promo being a little loose, Page and Cage getting similar stories but just missing something.). But there were many good things this week. The Woman’s match, the main event, the Pinnacle story and overall build to Blood & Guts, the continued story of The Elite. I think there was a lot of good on this show and it was a solid entry of Dynamite.
MJF is AEW’s The Miz. Fixed it. Proofread dammit