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KELLER’S AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
AUGUST 18, 2021
HOUSTON, TEX. AT FERTITTA CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TNT
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-The Dynamite opening theme played. Then they panned the rabid crowd as Jim Ross introduced the show. The announcers hyped the scheduled matches including Sting’s first match on TNT in over two decades.
-Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston made their way to the ring to “Wild Thing.” As they walked through the crowd, 2.0 (formerly Ever Rise) and Danny Garcia attacked them with weapons. The heels entered the ring and bragged to Sting that they just took out their guys. He told them to come to the ring “right here, right now.” Matt Lee called for a referee. The Sting entrance music played. Schiavone excitedly said he was at Sting’s last match on TNT. Darby’s music played, but he came at the heels from behind with a skateboard, knocking Garcia out of the ring.
(1) STING & DARBY ALLIN vs. 2.0 (Jeff Parker & Matt Lee w/Danny Garcia) – Texas Tornado match
Sting and Darby did stereo Stinger Splashes on 2.0 It didn’t take long for it to become a walk-n-brawl through the crowd. Fans chanted “You still got it!” at Sting. Schiavone said it was the second Texas Tornado match in AEW history (obviously, not counting virtually every Young Bucks tag team match). Darby leaped off the bleachers onto his opponents. Kingston ran into the scene and dragged Garcia away. Sting and Darby dragged 2.0 back into the ring and then slid a table into the ring. 2.0 took out Sting and then suplexed Darby onto his upside down skateboard onto the wheels. Sting got up and tried to fight back. Fans chanted “Sting! Sting! Sting!” 2.0 set up a table. Sting fought back and then mounted Parker. 2.0, though, pulled Sting out of the corner and powerbombed him through the table. Sting no-sold it, popping up and pounding his chest. Fans popped. Sting then delivered a stereo Stinger Death Drop to both members of 2.0. Fans chanted “Holy sh–!” Sting stacked 2.0 and then applied a double Scorpion Death Lock. Schiavone said he’s never seen it done before. 2.0 tapped out.
WINNERS: Sting & Darby in 7:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s what you call a crowd pleasing match. Not sure about Sting taking a powerbomb through a table, although the danger in that move is generally pretty low as the table breaks the fall, and two wrestlers were guiding him down for a flat-back crash. Still, though. It was fun to hear Ross and Schiavone reminisce about Sting’s last TNT match and even talk about his time in Mid-South in the 1980s and WCW as a main eventer in the early 1990s when he suffered an unfortunately timed knee injury.)
-They cut to Sammy Guevara proposing to his girlfriend Pam. He got down on one knee. She said yes.
-They cut backstage to Shawn Spears and Tully Blanchard. They mock applauded. Spears said, “Slim pickin’s in Houston, huh?” Spears offered Pam a chance to be an honorary member of Pinnacle “and for one night only, I’ll let you be on top.” [c]
-Guevara made his way to the ring. Spears attacked him from behind. Guevara made a swift comeback and took a running flip-dive onto Spears on the floor. He kissed his fiance at ringside afterward. Excalibur noted a few additional tickets were just put on sale for Friday in United Center. Schiavone said it’d be the biggest crowd in AEW history. Spears side-stepped Guevara and threw him into the ringside steps. Tully then leaped off the ringside steps to deliver a stuff-piledriver on the floor. Spears threw Guevara into the ring and the ref called for the bell to officially start the match.
(2) SAMMY GUEVARA vs. SHAWN SPEARS
Guevara rolled to the floor as soon as the bell rang. When Spears and Tully set up another stuff piledriver, the ref kicked Tully to the back. Ross said she should have done it earlier. Tully whipped the ref with his suit coat before leaving. They cut to a split-screen break with Spears in control. [c/ss]
After the break, they battled on the ropes in the corner. Spears had set up a security barricade bridged over the ring apron and ringside barricade. Another “Sammy!” chant broke out. They met on the top rope. Sammy gave Spears a top rope cutter for a near fall. The crowd roared. A “This is awesome!” chant broke out. Excalibur plugged the Young Bucks title defense against Jurassic Express was up next. Spears came back with a top rope Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Another “Sammy!” chant from his hometown crowd. Ross compared Sammy to Eddie Guerrero. Sammy gave Spears a leaping Death Valley Driver off the ring apron onto the bridged barricade, which bent upon impact. He then landed a top rope 630 splash for a near fall. Ross said Spears has one more trick up his sleeve. Sammy gave Spears, who was bleeding from his forehead, a GTH for the win. Sammy went to ringside and kissed his fiance, who didn’t seem to mind Spears’s blood smeared on the side of his face.
WINNER: Gueverra in 10:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s too much for Spears to kick out of. Seriously, he was slammed onto a bridged metal ringside barricade and given a 630 splash. Come on. Maybe a top heel could do that in a PPV main event world title match, but not Spears on Dynamite. Guevara came across as a big star there, and having him show that part of his real life seems to solidify him as a babyface for a while.)
-Backstage Schiavone was about to interview Christian Cage when Don Callis interrupted. He said it’s going to be fantastic seeing him get his opportunity against Kenny Omega at All Out “and have that five-star match you’ve always wanted.” Callis talked about how he knew him back when he started. He said nothing has changed and it’s so good to see him. Christian said Callis is not in his head, as he obviously thinks he is. He said he is actually in Omega’s head, because he’s going to take his AEW Title. Christian said things never change, because Callis thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room, but he’s actually a carny piece of shit. When Christian walked away. Callis told Schiavone not to say anything.
-A commercial aired for “Rhodes to the Top” premiering on Sept. 19. [c]
-A promo aired with Dante Martin, who said he did something last week that he didn’t think he could do, which was take Kenny Omega to the limit. He said he’s young and next time he’ll know a little bit better what to do to get the job done. He said Dante Martin will be a name everybody knows.
(Keller’s Analysis: Nice to see him get some follow-up after last week’s impressive performance.)
-Schiavone handed the mic over to Dan Lambert, who was joined Andre Arlovski and Junior Dos Santos. He ranted about the rich and powerful being able to silence free speech and open debate. He accused AEW jumping aboard the cancel culture train. He said AEW sent Lance Archer out to punch him to shut him up because they didn’t want him to speak. He said AEW doesn’t allow MMA fighters in wrestling rings, but he made one phone call to “my friend, Dana White” and that solved it. He told the locker room that if they’re feeling froggy, come on out and jump. He said he doesn’t expect anyone to accept that offer. He said he will instead finish what he was saying last time. He said just because they love to show up and chant “AEW,” that doesn’t mean they’re a united group of hardcore fans celebrating a new company. He called the fans idiots. He said they’re only there because their only other option is being back at their mom’s house where they live playing “Dungeons and Dragons” and looking up weird stuff on the dark web. Archer made his way to the ring. Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky attacked him on the ramp. Ross said they’re beating him “like a government mule.” Lambert, JDS, and Arlovski smiled in the ring as Archer caught his breath.
-Chris Jericho cut a promo backstage about facing MJF later. He talked about what he has had to go through so far in the MJF Labours of Jericho. He said tonight he gets the ultimate prize – MJF one-on-one “right here in Houston.” He said even if he doesn’t Judas the music or Judas the elbow, he has 5,000 Friends of Jericho who will send him to the ring. He said MJF isn’t as good as he thinks he is, and tonight he gets his revenge. He said he’ll beat his bitchy little ass tonight.
(3) THE YOUNG BUCKS (w/Matt & Nick Jackson w/Brandon Cutler) vs. JURASSIC EXPRESS (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus w/Marko Stunt) – AEW Tag team Title match
Jurassic Express made their entrance to Jungle Boy’s “Tarzan Boy” theme. The Bucks came out next with Don Callis, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and Brandon Cutler. Excalibur plugged the next two Dynamites in Milwaukee, Wisc. and Cincinnati, Ohio. Ross said, “The Crusher will not be in Milwaukee, but his spirit will.” When Ross called Callis stupid, Callis said he was being abusive. Great action from the start with JB and the Bucks going at it. They cut to a split-screen break after Nick dove onto Luchasaurus at ringside. [c/ss]
Back from the break, JB superplexed Nick off of Luchasaurus’s shoulders from the top rope, leading to a near fall. Cutler distracted Luchasaurus on the ring apron. The Bucks went after him, but he ducked and then chokeslammed both of them at once. The crowd popped. Four-way action broke out. Luchasaurus scored a near fall on Matt in the ring after JB dove through the ropes at Nick on the floor. The Bucks came back with stereo superkicks to both Luchasaurus and JB. Next, they delivered an assisted Indy Taker for a near fall. Callis called on the referee to be fired. Marko stood on the ring apron to cheer on JB, but Omega ran out and hit Marko from behind with a chair. Anderson and Gallows DISTRACTED the referee. Christian ran out and speared Omega on the ramp and fought him to the back. With the ref still distracted, JB countered Matt’s attempt to suplex him onto a chair he set up mid-ring, but JB countered and put Matt through it. He shoved the chair out of the ring and made the cover for a near fall, broken up by Nick at the last split-second. JB and Luchasaurus delivered an assisted sitout powerbomb on Matt for a near fall, again broken up by Nick. JB fended off Cutler and Michael Nakamzawa. Luchasaurus dove onto them at ringside. Back in the ring, JB used a blackslide for a near fall on Matt, but Nick jumped in and they delivered a BTE Trigger for the win.
WINNERS: The Bucks in 13:00 to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles.
-Callis carried a knocked out, dead weight Christian back to the ring on his shoulder as Omega followed. Omega mounted Christian in the ring as Callis, the Bucks, Anderson, Gallows, Nakazawa, and Culter cheered him on. Ross said he hasn’t seen a match as good as Omega vs. Christian in years. Callis stomped him, too. Excalibur called Callis a scumbag. Omega gave Christian a One-Winged Angel. Callis counted to three. (I bet Shawn Spears would’ve kicked out of five of them.) The Elite celebrated together and posed as Callis continued to trash-talk Christian, who was out on his back next to Luchasaurus and JB.
NOTE: If you plan to attend a future AEW Dynamite, WWE Raw, or WWE Smackdown, let me know if you’re interested in being an on-site correspondent for us on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show. We’d bring you on the live post-show for 10 minutes, give or take, to talk about your experience at the event and share off-air details and crowd notes. Email: wadekellerpodcast@pwtorch.com and include the city in the subject line.
In particular, we still need correspondents for:
- SD 9/3 in Jacksonville, Fla.
- Raw 9/6 in Miami, Fla.
- SD 9/10 in New York City, N.Y. at MSG
- Raw 9/13 in Boston Mass.
[HOUR TWO]
-Schiavone interviewed Britt Baker and Rebel backstage. Baker said she brought the answer to all that is wrong with AEW, Jamie Hayter. In walked Hayter. Hayter said she and Baker go way back, so when she asked her to come to AEW, her answer of course was yes. She dared Red Velvet to face her next week. She said she’ll knock her down a peg or two. Baker said red may or may not be her color, but gold is. [c]
-A Matt Hardy vignette aired where he said people say he’s picking on Willard Yuta because he’s the youngest member of the Best Friends. He said he’s an equal opportunist ass kicker. He told Orange Cassidy if he keeps sticking his nose in Big Money Matt’s business, he’ll kick his ass too. They cut to Orange Cassidy who said he’d like to find out if Matt can do that.
-Schiavone introduced Paul Wight. Excalibur said they’re glad to have him as one of their broadcast colleagues. As Wight walked out, Excalibur plugged a special Thursday night episode of AEW Dark Elevation tomorrow night on YouTube. Wight yelled that it was amazing to get back into the ring last week. He said he’s so hyped up. He talked about sending Aaron Solow for a ride he’ll never forget last week. He said he has a huge announcement. He was interrupted by Q.T. Marshall. He walked onto the stage and said, “Houston, we have a problem. A really big-ass problem.” He had Solow and Nick Comoroto with him.
Marshall said he doesn’t know how it’s been for the first four decades of Wight’s career, but here in AEW, they don’t hype things only to let them down. Wight said that’s not what he was going to do. Marshall said they forgive him for what he did last week. Wight mockingly said he’ll sleep better knowing that, then he invited them into the ring. Marshall said there’s a reason Tony Khan hired him to be an announcer, not a wrestler. Wight said he’s starting to upset him a little bit. Marshall said that because of his backstage role in AEW, he’s privileged to learn a lot of information. He asked Keith Mitchell to put a photo on the screen. It showed X-rays of three medically implanted devices in Wight’s hip and a 14 inch scar from his surgery. Marshall said he’s had five operations in the last 18 months just to try to have the quality of life he once had. He said it’s heroic he’s still standing in front of them, “a miracle before our very eyes.” He told fans to show him some respect. Wight asked if he thought if it was a good idea to show pictures of his hip and “my big beautiful ass on national TV.” He said the hip surgeries won’t limit him if he wants to do something to him. He then revealed that he actually has a match at All Out against Marshall. Marshall got bug-eyed.
(Keller’s Analysis: Why is Marshall talking about having a backstage role in AEW in the cannon of Dynamite? It doesn’t make any sense and serve any purpose. The crowd didn’t seem to care all that much about Marshall. It wasn’t nuclear heat or anything close. But they liked Wight.)
-A promo aired with Jade Cargill and Mark Sterling. They accepted a match on Rampage on Friday with Keira Hogan. [c]
-Schiavone told The Elite backstage that Khan has had enough from them. He said they’re going to have an Eliminator Tag Team Tournament with the Varsity Blondes, Private Party, Jurassic Express, and the Lucha Bros. and the winner will get a title shot at All Out in a cage. Callis, the Bucks, and the rest of The Elite freaked out.
-Taz stood mid-ring with his son Hook, who was chomping his gmn as usual. He called Ricky Starks to the ring. Ross called Starks “a very talented young man.” Starks strutted out and cut a promo. He called out Brian Cage, but then the big screen showed Powerhouse Hobbs standing over a beaten down Cage backstage, trash-talking him.
-Schiavone interviewed Pac backstage, with the Lucha Bros. and Alex Abrahantes. He asked what chance a man like Andrade El Idolo stands against a man like him. Andrade and Chavo Guerrero walked in. Andrade said if Pac wants a match against him, they have to agree with their conditions. They handed Schiavone a giant stack of paperwork, apparently with their demands and stips.
-A clip aired of Penelope Ford winning a match on Dark, with Thunder Rosa breaking up the post-match beatdown.
(4) “SUPERBAD” PENELOPE FORD vs. THUNDER ROSA
Ford came out wearing what appeared to be a lingerie-style top and leather pants. As Rosa made her entrance, Excalibur said she has made Texas her newly adopted home. Fans enthusiastically chanted “Thunder Rosa!” at the start of the match. Rosa dropkicked Ford off the ring apron to the floor, but Ford shoved Rosa into the ringpost and then hit a cutter on the floor. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Back from the break, Rosa hit Ford with a basement dropkick against the ropes. She followed with a butterfly suplex for a two count. Another “Thunder Rosa!” chant rang out. Ford countered a Thunder Driver into a roll-up for a near fall. Ford set up an Indian Death lock with a bridge submission, but Rosa rolled out of it. Ford leveraged Rosa down for a two count. Rosa countered with a single-leg crab; Ford grabbed the bottom rope to force a break. Rosa gave Ford a fireman’s carry spin into a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. She followed up with a back stabber into another Indian death lock with a bridge. Rosa rolled out of it and countered into a sleeper for a tapout.
WINNER: Ford in 8:00 via tapout.
(Keller’s Analysis: It was strange they went to the same sequence with the Indian Death lock and a similar reversal a minute apart. Good spirited fight and non-stop action. The crowd loved Rosa.)
-They replayed Malikai Black spin hook kicking Cody.
-Schiavone interviewed Arn Anderson and his son Brock. Arn talked about Malikai Black attacking him and Cody weeks ago, which set their world upside down. He said now he has learned that Brock has been signed to face Black next week. He said he appreciates Brock trying to avenge him, but he told his son that he will hurt him. Brock said he won’t air their dirty laundry on national TV, but the match is signed, so he’s not asking him, he’s telling him. He turned and walked away.
-The announcers hyped next week’s matches on Dynamite: Varsity Blonds vs. Lucha Bros. Red Velvet vs. Jamie Hayter, Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Hardy, and Malakai Black vs. Brock Anderson. They also hyped Rampage this Friday: Private Party vs. Jurassic Express, Jade Cargill vs. Keira Hogan, and Jon Moxley vs. Daniel Garcia. A loud “C.M. Punk!” chant broke out as Excalibur plugged the United Center event.
-A commercial for Rampage said “Darby Allin is so close to becoming Best in the World.”
-A vignette aired with Miro, who said he serves God the Old Testament way by day and his wife by night. He bragged about by beating Fuego del Sol. He then called out Eddie Kingston.
-Moxley backstage said people are coming from everywhere to join AEW. He said they’re selling out buildings and changing the game. He said Omega needs an army to keep his belt. He took digs at the Bucks, Hangman Page, and Christian while he was at it. He then talked about Garcia wanting a main event match, so he’ll give it to him on Friday night. But he told him to ask himself if that’s what he really, really wants. “This is no joke,” he said.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good to see Moxley really step up and deliver a seriously intense promo there. He put himself right in the middle of the roster willing to fight anyone and everyone.)
(5) MJF vs. CHRIS JERICHO
MJF made his entrance. Schiavone said he doesn’t know a lower form of life than him. Jericho then walked out without his usual theme song. The fans got it together and sang his song on their own. Jericho looked pleased. Schiavone said that’s a ring entrance they’ll never forget. Ross said it’s another “moment” created by AEW. The bell rang 43 minutes into the second hour. MJF was snarling, but celebrated when he popped Jericho with a fist. Fans loudly chanted, “MJF sucks! MJF sucks!” When MJF bailed out to ringside to avoid an early Lion Tamer attempt, fans booed. Jericho landed a springboard dropkick to knock MJF off the ring apron. A loud “Jer-i-cho” chant rang out as he chopped MJF at ringside. MJF commandeered a camera and held it up while holding up his middle finger. Jericho walked up to the camera lens and punched it, sending MJF to the floor. Ross said MJF rolled back into the ring “like a scalded dog, a little puppy.” Jericho chopped away at MJF in the corner. MJF threw Jericho shoulder-first into the ringpost after the ref pulled Jericho away from MJF at the five count. MJF gloated as they cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
MJF methodically worked over Jericho during the break and worked the crowd into a frenzy. Back live, MJF and Jericho landed simultaneous clotheslines. Jericho rallied and leaped off the top rope with a forearm to MJF’s head. He then played to the crowd and was cheered for his efforts. MJF recovered and threw Jericho into the corner. He worked over Jericho’s arm. Ross said Jericho’s arm is going to be the “landing port” for MJF’s offense, foreshadowing the finish. Jericho hit a Lionsault for a near fall. The crowd was going nuts for everything Jericho did. They chanted “This is awesome!” The crowd shifted to an “F— him up, Jericho, f— him up!” chant.
As Jericho clotheslined MJF in the corner ten times and the fans counted along, Schiavone said he’s had control most of the match. Jericho mounted MJF on the top rope and punched away at MJF as fans counted along again. He then took MJF down with a huracanrana. He shifted to cover for a two count, but MJF transitioned into a Salt of the Earth armbar. They continued battling, escaping each others submission attempts and exchanging punches mid-ring. MJF landed a sudden Heat Seeker pendulum piledriver for a near fall.
Jericho surprised MJF with a sleeper. MJF mule kicked out of it, then then applied a Walls of Jericho. The fans booed. Jericho reached the bottom rope to force a break, which got a big pop. Ross called it the bottom of the ninth. Jericho grabbed his baseball bat as MJF put on his ring. The ref saw the ring and yanked it off of MJF. As the ref was handing off the ring to someone at ringside, Jericho jabbed MJF with the bat. Jericho decided to stop mid-Judas Effect even though the ref’s back was still turned. MJF then gave Jericho the Judas Effect followed by a Salt of the Earth. Jericho rolled MJF back for a two count, but MJF rolled back and applied the armbar tighter. Just as Ross said he’s never seen Jericho tap, Jericho tapped out.
WINNER: MJF in 15:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: This is another one of those matches where the crowd was so into it – crazy into it – that it elevated it to another level. It was well laid out and well-executed match. Jericho, in particular, seemed buoyed by the energy and huge pops for everything he did. He was even running the ropes and hitting the ropes hard! MJF getting a tapout win over Jericho, regardless of the special stipulation barring the Judas Effect, is another notch in his belt and cements him even more as a top tier heel in AEW. The Jericho-MJF feud has felt a bit overshadowed by the C.M. Punk buzz lately, and it does feel like it’s been going on forever. If this is the end, I’m fine with it. I wouldn’t be shocked if they find a way to raise the stakes – perhaps Jericho putting his career at stake to get a rematch with the Judas Effect legal – for rematch at All Out. I’m also eager to see MJF move into a feud with a fresh foe to play off of.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Just a high energy show in the ring, elevated by the rabid enthusiasm of the fans. It’s so fun to watch a show when the crowd is that into it.
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