2/2 AEW DYNAMITE TV RESULTS: Sage’s “alt perspective” report on CM Punk vs. MJF, Ruby Soho vs. Nyla Rose, Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta, More.

AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
FEBRUARY 2, 2022
CHICAGO, IL AT WINDTRUST ARENA
AIRED ON TBS
REPORT BY TYLER SAGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

(1) JON MOXLEY vs. WHEELER YUTA

Wheeler Yuta walked out with Orange Cassidy and Danhausen. Jon Moxley tried a finishing lariat to start that the match, Yuta dodged and rolled to the outside. Yuta and Moxley battled in the ring, where Wheeler hit a drop kick. Moxley went to the outside as Yuta dove out, Moxley caught him and put him in a sleeper. Back in the ring, Moxley hit a suplex slam and then continued on with his offense.

Moxley locked in an STF hold, Wheeler was able to break the hold. Moxley then hit several chops on Yuta, he then perched he opponent on the top rope. Yuta countered and then hit a drop kick on Moxley and then a head kick, followed up with a top rope near dive. Moxley rolled out of the ring and then the two men met on the apron, where he hit a DDT on Yuta.

Moxley got in the face of Orange Cassidy, Danhausen then distracted Moxley as Yuta dove off the top rope. Yuta hit a German and then got a two count, Moxley countered with a cutter and then tried his finisher. Yuta then hit a slam and then hit a frog splash on Moxley for another two count.

Moxley and Yuta traded some shots until Moxley locked in a sleeper. He then hit a lariat and a Paradigm Shift for the pinfall win.

WINNER: Jon Moxley

(Sage’s Analysis: A fun elevated squash match for Moxley. I like the pivot to Yuta here as his opponent for many reasons. The angle with Danielson at the end was really good. My guess is that was JR’s favorite promo in AEW history.)

-Bryan Danielson entered the ring and asked if the crowd wanted to see the two of them fight. Danielson said he wants to fight him for a long time, but he said that he has been different since he came back. Danielson said that Moxley was the best AEW champion. He said with a little support he would still be the champion. Danielson said that they should not be fighting, but fighting together. Danielson said there is no reason Adam Page should be a champion, or someone dressed as a Dinosaur should be a champion, or that someone who only does a vlog should be TNT champion. Danielson said that they can do anything in AEW together.

Danielson suggested that they take young talent that are jokes right now and train them. He named Daniel Garcia, Lee Moriarty and Wheeler Yuta. Moxley went to the rope and looked like he was thinking about it. Danielson said the crowd doesn’t’t like him, but they like his ideas. He then told Jon that he could think about it, the greatness that they can create. As well as the legacy that Moxley wants to leave. Danielson extended his hand, Moxley did not shake it.

-A video recap of the CM Punk and MJF feud was shown. [c]

-Brandi Rhodes was in the ring, she called Chicago Cleveland to get booed. Dan Lambert came out with men of the year, he said that she needed a reality check. He said that her and Cody can think that they earned their spots and that her accent is fake as well as her chest. He said that he feels like a good person next to her. Brandi then said that they hired Ethan Page to get to Josh Alexander.

Brandi started talking and the crowd implored her to please stop talking. Brandi powered through and said that Lamberts best fight was taken out by Jake Paul. She said that he should spend more time with his gym and made a bad joke. Lambert said that Cody and Brandi should turn heel, or turn face down like she did at an old job. Lambert then evoked cancel culture as Paige VanZant walked out and took out Brandi. Women from the back came out.

(Sage’s Analysis: This was a loser of a segment. Based on who came out at the end, it would appear that Brandi is somehow more of a face than Paige VanZant. This is why a heel/heel feud is hard to pull off and usually is not. This feud is not starting off right and if the match is Paige and Brandi I am gonna call that match a dud right now.)

-Matt Hardy was backstage with the AHFO, he said that he was disappointed in Private Party. Hardy said that Isiah Kassidy would take on Sammy on Friday for the TNT Title. Hardy asked why Darby was not signed yet, Andrade said he needed more money to sign.

(2) MALAKI BLACK & BRODY KING vs. PENTA & PAC

Malaki Black and Pac started the match, with Pac wearing his blindfold. Pac dodged the first strike and then ran the ropes and dodged out of the corner, Pac then hit several moves while still blindfolded. Penta and Pac then did dives at the same time out onto Black and King. Pac and Penta then teamed up and Penta hit a stomp on the groin of Pac. Penta and Pac then continued to work over Black with quick tags. [c]

Pac made a hot tag to Penta as the show returned, Penta took out both Black and King. Black got a rollup two count on Penta, but Penta quickly countered with a backstabber and got a two count of his own. Black hit a jumping knee and a combination series of punches and got a two count on Pac. A release German was Pac’s response on Black, King and Penta battled after, with Penta hitting a big dive out onto King.

Pac and Black were now alone in the ring as legal men, until Penta jumped up and was tagged in. Black hit black mist in the eyes of Penta. Black and King then hit Dante’s Inferno for the pinfall win.

WINNER: Malakai Black and Brody King

(Sage’s Analysis: A really good tv tag match, that felt like the first in a long journey. Something that is much needed, a longterm tag team feud.)

-Adam Cole had a video, he said that he is still undefeated in AEW. He said that if you say Cassidy beat him he will slap you in the face. He is undefeated and he will be respected, he will take what is his going forward. He will take on and defeat Evil Uno on Friday, people will know what he wants after that. [c]

(3) RUBY SOHO vs. NYLA ROSE

Ruby threw her jacket at Nyla as the match started, Nyla quickly took down Soho and started to beat down her opponent. Ruby made a quick comeback and tried to get things started, Nyla continued the yo-yo pace of the match and hit a suplex and got a two count pinning attempt. Nyla was then in full control of the match and hit elbows and even bit the knuckles of Soho.

Nyla then transitioned and worked Ruby in the corner as Vicki laughed in the face of Ruby. From a kneeling position, Ruby hit a few chops, but Nyla hit a head strike. This was followed by a scoop slam and then a leg drop for a near fall, a few moments after Nyla hit a Death Valley Driver for another near fall before the break. [c]

When the show returned Ruby and Nyla were on the apron, here Ruby hit a fireman’s carry cutter on the apron. Nyla followed up with a spine buster on the outside of the ring. Back in the ring, Ruby hit the No Future kick and Vicki put Nyla’s foot on the bottom rope to save the match. Ruby then went to the outside to face Vicki, Nyla pulled Soho up and then hit a cutter through the ropes. Nyla was now seated on the top rope, eventually Ruby fought out of a Beast Bomb. Nyla then hit a Senton off the top and then a Beast Bomb to get the pinfall win.

WINNER: Nyla Rose

(Sage’s Analysis: I liked this match a lot, I think the rehabilitation of the Nyla Rose character should make the creative team and obviously Nyla herself very proud. She went from feeling like a bad wrestler who was a generic monster that would be a gatekeeper in the division, into a legit good wrestler for her style and character, as well as a real threat with whoever she is in the ring with. Having Ruby take the loss here and maybe hit rock bottom as a character also could work out really well in the long term in my opinion.)

-Billy Ass and the Ass Boys had a video of them backstage confronting Jungle Boy. They made a Jungle Book joke and then took Jungle Boy outside and threw him in a pile of snow, until Luchasaurus and Cage made the save.

-A UFC main event like split screen hyped the main event of MJF and CM Punk. [c]

-Tony Schiavone introduced Adam Page to the ring. Tony asked Page what he thought about having a Texas death match next week. Page said that he has been champion for 81 days and has only had two matches. Page said he doesn’t care what kind of match it is, he just wants any match. He said that he wanted to fight tonight and called out Archer. Dan Lambert and Jake Roberts came out. Page cut off Lambert, Roberts then cut of Page. He asked if Page has had nightmares and then Archer came out and the two men brawled at ringside. Hangman threw Archer into the stairs and then threw Lambert into the ring. Archer came up and slammed Page on top of the stairs. Archer then hit the Blackout and threw Page through the ringside table.

(Sage’s Analysis: The action was good, but almost all of the mic work and the addition of Lambert was weird at best. This feud has no juice and the faster it is over the better. I do think the match will be good.)

-Jericho was backstage and he called out Santana and Ortiz for their actions last week. He said that they started AEW together, are they choosing Kingston over him? He said he wants to hear face-to-face what happened and said that next week they will have a Inner Circle team meeting.

-A brief recap of Jay Lethal and Ricky Starks was shown, check out Starks video on Twitter if you are interested that did more for this feud than this brief video.

-MJF came to the ring. [c]

-CM Punk came out to a raucous crowd.

(4) MJF vs. CM PUNK

The crowd chanted CM Punk numerous times, Punk went toward MJF. Who did his best Kenta impression and leaned out of the ropes. Punk then got MJF to the corner and got some shots in before MJF did the rope bit again. Punk then tied up MJF in the ropes and punched MJF machine him bounce down the apron and then back up. The two then battled on the outside of the ring. MJF went to exit the arena and slammed a beer from a fan into the head of MJF on the concourse steps. Punk then picked up and slammed MJF’s groin on a handrail.

Punk dragged MJF back to the ring and threw him over the barricade. Punk then controlled the action I the ring with several scoop slams as MJF laid prone after each slam. Punk was about to hit the Macho Man elbow, but MJF rolled away. Punk then went for a tackle, MJF dodged and CM Punk’s left arm and shoulder hit the ring post. MJF then stood on the arm of Punk and then smashed his knee onto the hand of Punk and sent it through the ringside table. [c]

When the show returned MJF had Punks bad arm twisted on the top rope, he was able to counter and hit a cross body on MJF to the middle of the ring. Punk then hit a neck breaker as Punk then sold the arm more, this was followed up with a CM Punk running bulldog. MJF rolled out of the ring once more, but was stopped don the apron as Punk hit a body slam up there. Punk had a fan chop MJF, he then went for the elbow drop, but MJF hit the top rope and sent CM Punk’s groin into the turnbuckle.

MJF then began to control the match with his offense and focused on the left arm of CM Punk. A Pepsi Twist by Punk countered MJF as he used the Ref as a human shield. MJF then pulled out a foreign object and placed that under Punk’s throat and choked Punk with that. On the mat, MJF had the hold locked in and the ref called for a stoppage.

The ref saw the object and realized that this was a Dusty finish match! The match was ruled to continue.

Punk tried a quick roll up leading to a two count. Punk then hit several punches and then hit more punches in the corner on MJF. Punk hit an inverted Atomic Drop and then a lariat. Punk then went for a submission hold and MJF pushed him outside of the ring. [c]

Punk made a comeback and hit a springboard clothesline on MJF. Punk went for the GTS, but MJF was able to wiggle himself to the outside as he sold the left arm. Punk then dove out onto MJF and both men were selling hard on the outside. Punk now was selling one of his legs. MJF quickly put both of Punk’s legs in a submission hold in the middle of the ring. Punk was able to power out and tried to lock in the STF hold, but he had to abandon the hold because of his bad arm.

Punk then went for the GTS but collapsed with the weight of MJF on his shoulders. MJF took this opportunity and the two men grappled for a bit, until both men were laying. Once both were back on their feet, the two men traded shots in the middle of the ring. Punk then hit a kind of insane reverse hurricanrana on MJF, leading to a near fall.

After that exchange both men fell to the mat and were struggling to move. MJF tried to counter and get a submission, but he was able to chop block Punk twice and then he worked the left arm of Punk. MJF then ht a pump handle slam and got a near fall on Punk. MJF hit a low blow on Punk going into the break. [c]

MJF had Punk where he wanted as the show retuned, he was focused on the left leg of CM Punk. Punk was able to counter into a roll up. MJF bit the hand of Punk and then the head, both men were on the top rope where Punk took a bite of MJF. Punk then hit the Pepsi Plunge on MJF, which the crowd erupted for. MJF rolled out of the ring before Punk could get the cover. After a while MJF tried a pile driver, that was reversed by Punk and then Punk went to the top rope and hit the elbow for a near fall.

Punk called for the go to sleep, but MJF again flopped out of the ring, now Wardlow walked out to MJF and looked in the eyes of Punk. Punk threw MJF back in, he then looked out onto Wardlow. MJF used the Diamond ring as Punk and the ref were distracted for the pinfall win.

WINNER: MJF

(Sage’s Analysis: Another classic Dynamite match, up there with Omega-Danielson; Page-Danielson 1 & 2. This is a great way to continue this story if you want into an epic PPV match to get C.M. Punk a big win over MJF. Or you can move on and set up the Page and MJF title match and come back to this match down the line. Either way this match over delivered and felt like the best version of the Triple H and Shawn Michaels battles from the mid 2000s.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: A different show, format wise, but that is a good thing to do to keep the show feeling fresh. A lot of really good wrestling top to bottom with lots of logical storytelling and big time angles being advanced. A really strong episode of Dynamite.