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KELLER’S AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
FEBRUARY 9, 2022
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. AT JIM WHELAN BOARDWALK HALL
AIRED LIVE ON TBS
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur introduced the show as the camera panned the crowd and pyro blasted.
-Wardlow walked out with life-sized cardboard cutouts of MJF putting C.M. Punk in a sleeper and then MJF sitting on the mat with his arms extended in celebration while mocking Punk. The announcers said Wardlow didn’t look happy doing this task. Wardlow handed Justin Roberts a sheet of paper. Justin then seemed reluctant as he gushed about “living legends” Tully Blanchard and FTR. Wardlow looked disgusted and shook his head. Justin then introduced Shawn Spears, again with superlatives he wasn’t thrilled to read. Spears came out with a chair while sipping from a Champaign bottle. He handed Justin a folder. Schiavone snuck in that Tony Khan will have a big announcement about a new wrestler. “The Forbidden Door is going to be opened tonight, guys,” he said. Justin then read a statement about MJF, touting him being undefeated, a three-time Diamond Ring winner, and something about “rats” and “the greatest of all-time” and “the past, present, and future” and the man who beat “P.G.” Punk twice in the “dumpster fire of Chicago in the Mid-Mid-Midwest.”
MJF then came out to his music. He was carried to the ring on a throne-like chair by six men. He smiled and waved like a royal figure. Schiavone said he’d pay $1,000 to see those men tip MJF over. Women then kissed him when he stepped onto the ring apron. He actually made out with one of them for nearly ten seconds. Ross said he was getting sick. MJF then celebrated mid-ring by jumping up and down with Blanchard, FTR, and Spears as Wardlow rolled his eyes in the background. Confetti dropped.
MJF then took a mic as fans booed. He gloated about his win as fans booed and chanted “Shut the f— up!” MJF said if anybody deserved a thank you, it’s the person without whom he wouldn’t have been able to beat Punk in Chicago. The camera focused on Wardlow who looked ready to accept credit, but MJF said Spears instead. Wardlow was surprised. Spears and MJF hugged. He then pointed at the big screen on the stage with MJF’s new shirt: “Better than Best in the World.”
MJF said he’s not just there to celebrate, he’s there to make a statement. He said it’s time for him to become the AEW World Champion. Out walked C.M. Punk on the stage. Schivaone said he has to go talk to Punk. Fans chanted for Punk. Schiavone brought a mic to him. Punk said MJF’s wins over him Chicago are as suspect as his spray tan. He said he has learned from his mistake, so tonight he has some friends. Out walked Darby and Sting. He told MJF & Co. to take off their jackets and dress shoes because if MJF doesn’t agree to give him a rematch, they’ll beat them down. As MJF protested, Punk said he wants a rematch against the man who actually cost him the win in Chicago – Wardlow. He told Wardlow to accept the challenge or have the balls to walk away from MJF.
MJF yelled that he beat Punk all by himself. Punk asked Wardlow if he’s hearing MJF. MJF said Wardlow didn’t do what he did because he’s under contract to him, but because he’s his best friend. Dax said he is hungry for a rematch. Punk whispered something to Sting, then said he wants a rematch from Greensboro so he can get his hands on MJF in a six-man match. MJF said there’s no way he’s wrestling in New Jersey. He suggested they roll the dice. He said if Punk can beat FTR with a partner of his choice, he can have a rematch against him anyplace, anytime. He said the only catch is it can’t be Sting or Darby. He wished him luck finding anyone else backstage who doesn’t hate his guts.
(Keller’s Analysis: I got a little mixed up when Punk challenged Wardlow, then the switched to Punk wanting MJF in the ring with FTR against him, Sting, and Darby. Ultimately, though, having Punk find a mystery partner to face FTR in order to earn a future match against MJF has both high-stakes and the element of mystery, so it ended up in a good place. MJF’s over-the-top gloating accompanied by Wardlow’s clear discontent with his current alignment with MJF made for a fun segment. I’m glad Punk stated the truth, which is MJF’s wins were tainted and “as suspect as his spray tan.” Punk went on Twitter and asked if Samoa Joe was “in the country.”) [c]
Are you in the country? @SamoaJoe
— player/coach (@CMPunk) February 10, 2022
-Backstage Schiavone interviewed Andrade who told Sting he finally found Darby’s boss. He told Sting he is sure “this kid works for you.” Sting said he’s not a kid, and he can talk to him one-on-one. Darby told him to quit wasting his time because he has bigger things to do than work for him, like becoming the next TNT Champion. Andrade said, “You will work for me.” He said they have something in common because Darby won the TNT Title and he is the next TNT Champion. He turned and walked away.
(Keller’s Analysis: I get a kick out of Andrade wanting Darby to work for him, and thinking Darby is a little boy who works for Sting. I don’t understand what he wants with Darby, but if it leads to Andrade vs. Darby, with or without the TNT Title in the mix, that works for me.)
(1) THE BLADE vs. WARDLOW (w/Shawn Spears)
Excalibur said Wardlow agreed to this match on very short notice. Blade attacked Wardlow from behind and stomped away at him in the corner. Twenty-two minutes into the show, they made the first mention of “Hangman” Page defending the AEW World Title against Lance Archer later on the show. (Waiting that long and treating it as virtually “an aside” or passing comment diminishes the value and prestige that should be part of presenting any world title match on cable TV.) Wardlow made a comeback with a power clothesline. Then he overhead tossed Blade. Spears cheered on Wardlow from a chair at ringside. He was munching on something, which intrigued Ross who said it must have some meaning. Wardlow rammed Blade spine-first into the ringpost as they cut to a split-screen break two minutes into the match. [c/ss]
Wardlow beat up Blade at ringside. He told Spears to back away at one point, indicating he didn’t want his help when Spears approached Blade. That gave Blade the opening to recover and go after Wardlow. Wardlow, though, reverse-whipped Blade into the ring apron and then back into the ring. Wardlow told Spears to go sit down. Spears did and seemed conciliatory. Blade put up a fight, but Wardlow brushed him off repeatedly. Back to full screen, Wardlow landed the first of his powerbombs. He delivered a total of four, then stood on Blade’s chest for the win. As Wardlow celebrated his win, Spears bashed Blade with a chair. Wardlow looked over, clearly irked. Excalibur said Spears is once again stealing the spotlight from Wardlow.
WINNER: Wardlow in 6:00.
-They went to a video package on Penta El Zero Miedo who had a shovel in a graveyard.
-Chris Jericho walked out to his theme song, followed by Sammy Guevara and Jake Hager. The announcers said attendance was mandatory, but Santana & Oritz weren’t there. Jericho said he hadn’t seen Santana & Oritz all day. Suddenly, Santana & Ortiz made their way to the ring. They stood opposite of Jericho, Hager, and Guevara. Jericho said he sees what they did there, and it’s cute because he knows they want their own spotlight. Jericho said what wasn’t cute is when they didn’t tag him into their tag match. He said it was embarrassing and demeaning, and worst of all, took away from the fans a chance to see him perform. He asked why they did it.
Santana said, “Enough of this corny shit.” He said at the of the day, Jericho only cares about himself. He said anytime they’ve had any kind of a spotlight or were heading toward the tag team titles, it got shut down and thrown to the side so they could come to his rescue. (Jericho seriously looked so much healthier than he did a few weeks ago.) He said Jericho was the one who always stood in their way. He said it was the fans who kept them going. The fans seemed receptive to his case. He said if it weren’t for Ortiz, he would have dropped his ass a long time ago. He said, “Now you can speak.”
Jericho said he reminds him of his old friend, Eddie Guerrero, who’d get all worked up and blame everybody else. He said Eddie Kingston has planted stuff in his head, but he asked what Kingston ever did for him. He said Kingston has no stroke. “I’m the influencer in this company,” he said. He touted that their payoffs have gone through the roof and they’ve had more main events on TV and PPVs. Fans seemed less receptive to Jericho’s case. He said on Feb. 17 last year, they had a chance to win the tag titles, but they lost to the Young Bucks. He said that has nothing to do with him. He said he brought them into the Inner Circle, so he could kick them out as well. Excalibur said things are unraveling for the Inner Circle. He said he is thinking he might have invited the wrong two members of LAX to join Inner Circle. Jericho asked Jake if he has the phone numbers of Homicide and Hernandez. Santana went after Jericho. Guevera stepped between them. He said they’re family. Jericho said, “Shut up, Sammy!” He caught himself and took a deep breath as Santana got in Sammy’s ear. Sammy shot Jericho a look.
As Jericho began to speak, Guevara told Jericho to save it. He said he doesn’t know what’s going on, but they’re all family. He said they always said Inner Circle forever. Guevara said he wants to be honest with Jericho. He said he wants to be a great champion and this isn’t helping. He took off his Inner Circle jacket. He said he’s quit the group before, and unless they can figure it out, he’s going to quit again. He dropped his jacket on the mat and walked out of the ring.
Ortiz asked Jericho what he expects. He told Jericho he couldn’t be more wrong about their relationship with Eddie. “He’s one of our brothers in arms.” He said their bickering and moaning isn’t going to settle anything. He said where they come from, if they have an issue, they’ll deal with it by using fists, not talking. He challenged Jericho & Hager to a match so they “can settle this shit once and for all.” Hager stepped up. Jericho said he never wanted it to come to this, but if they want a fight, he’ll give them an attitude adjustment. He said if it doesn’t work, there will be changes. Santana looked into the camera and laughed.
-Schiavone interviewed Roppongi Vice (Trent Baretta & Rocky Romero) about facing The Bucks. The Bucks interrupted and said they just wanted to say hello. Adam Cole attacked them from the other side. In walked “Switchblade” Jay White. He picked up Baretta and threw him into the AEW truck. Excalibur exclaimed that he has walked through the Forbidden Door.
-Isiah Kassidy made his ring entrance alongside his partner Marq Quen and Matt Hardy trailing behind. Excalibur said they’d see who his opponent is after the break. [c]
(2) KEITH LEE vs. ISIAH KASSIDY (w/Matt Hardy, Marq Quen)
Ross gushed about Lee’s size and what an athlete he is. Schiavone said they just saw Inner Circle disintegrate, the arrival of Jay White, and the arrival of Lee. Ross said he looks like a young Mark Henry. Lee took off his jacket and looked like he put on about 30 pounds since his WWE days. He was as wide sideways as frontways. Kassidy poked him in the chest. Lee tossed him across the ring and then flexed his pecs. Fans sang “Bask in his Glory!” Lee landed a crossbody and the crowd went bonkers. Lee slingshot himself over the top rope with a crossbody onto Kassidy. He set up a powerbomb, but took too long and Kassidy slipped away. Lee checked him out of the ring when he charged at him. Hardy had enough and just left. Excalibur noted that during the break before the match began that Hardy said if Kassidy didn’t win there’d be changes. Quen held onto Lee’s boot. Lee brushed him off. Kassidy tried to land a flying neck snap. Lee sorta no sold it. Kassidy then landed a flying corkscrew dive onto Lee. Lee went down and was slow to get up. Back in the ring, Lee again swatted Kassidy out of the air and then delivered his lift-and-drop powerslam (formerly the Big Bang Catastrophe).
WINNER: Lee in 5:00.
-After the match, Kassidy and Quen tried to double-team him, but Lee fended them off and then powerbombed Quen onto the edge of the ring apron.
(Keller’s Analysis: So that debut encapsulated why WWE grew frustrated with Lee and cut him, but also why it was so difficult for them to do so and why they gave him so many chances. He’s so talented and so charismatic and has an undeniable connection with fans and is athletically gifted. He’s also carrying way way more weight than he ought to for what he’s known for and it affects his cardio and his agility, which is what made him so special and gain acclaim early on the indy scene and stand out in NXT. If he doesn’t switch to treating his body like a serious professional athlete ought to, I think AEW is going to grow as frustrated with him as those rooting for him in WWE did over time. Private Party had to create all the movement in that match and they bumped like crazy to make Lee look as good as possible.)
-A video package aired with Britt Baker saying she brought in Mercedez Martinez. They aired clips from Rampage. Martinez talked about having a no-DQ rematch against Thunder Rosa next week.
-The announcers hyped Hangman Page defending against Lance Archer later.
-Sammy Guevara made his ring entrance. They cut to a split-screen break where Guevara held up cue cards talking about the unraveling of the Inner Circle and how his focus is on his TNT Championship reign. He then shifted to signs about Andrade, Darby, and now Keith Lee coming after him in the Face of the Revolution ladder match to earn a TNT Title match. He said he is a fighting champion, so let the revolution begin. [c/ss]
(Keller’s Analysis: Is that the smallest total minutes of in-ring action in a first hour of Dynamite ever? If not, it’s got to be close.)
-FTR made their ring entrance with Blanchard. Punk then made his ring entrance. The crowd popped for him.
[HOUR TWO]
(3) C.M. PUNK & JON MOXLEY vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler w/Tully Blanchard)
Punk made his way down the ramp, and then his partner’s music played. It was Jon Moxley. They cut backstage to MJF with Spears looking upset. Mox made his way through the crowd and entered over the barricade as fans went nuts. He shot middle fingers to FTR as he circled the ring. Mox looked at Punk and nodded; they both looked ready to go. (This is one hell of an unadvertised tag match.) Some fans loudly chanted “GCW” when Moxley tagged in at 2:00. Punk slingshot himself onto FTR at ringside at 6:00. FTR caught him. Moxley dove onto them and knocked them all down. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
They brawled at ringside during the break. FTR back suplexed Mox through a table at ringside. Mox got up, but then fell over. Mox barely beat the ref’s ten count. FTR isolated Mox for several minutes as Punk reached for a tag. Mox tagged Punk at 13:00 and he went to work against Dax. Punk was still selling a sore knee from a spot early in the match, but he landed a flying knee in the corner for a two count. Mox lifted Dax onto his shoulders, then Punk landed the Doomsday Device. Mox leaped onto Cash at ringside as Punk made the cover in the ring for a near fall. As Punk and Dax recovered on the mat, Cash gave Mox a tornado DDT at ringside. He picked up the ringside bell. Punk rolled up Dax, but Dax kicked out and knocked Punk (conveniently) right toward Cash who hit him with the belt. Dax covered Punk, but Punk kicked out. A loud “C.M. Punk!” chant broke out.
Dax methodically worked over Punk in his corner. Punk went for a backslide, but Dax blocked it. Punk went for a GTS, but Dax blocked the and then they gave Punk their finisher, The Big Rig. Mox broke up the cover. A four-way brawl broke out in the ring. FTR avoided simultaneous GTS and Paradigm Shift attempts. When FTR set up a stuff piledriver. Mox came up behind Dax and put him in a rear naked choke. Punk then leaped onto Cash and applied the Anaconda Vice. Cash tapped out, but the ref was concerned with Mox and Dax. Tully entered the ring and whipped Punk with his coat. Punk sat up and laughed. He then gave Tully a GTS, although it was clunky. Cash rolled up Punk from behind for a near fall. Punk then gave Cash the GTS for the win as Mox gave Dax his Paradigm Shift to thwart his interference. They cut backstage to MJF throwing a fit.
WINNERS: Moxley & Punk in 19:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Intricately booked and exciting tag match start to finish, but maybe a bit too convoluted in the closing minutes. Seeing Mox and Punk team up had a cool novelty feeling to it.)
-Excalibur plugged the next two title matches. [c]
(4) JADE CARGILL (w/”Smart” Mark Sterling) vs. A.Q.A. – TBS Title match
A soundbite aired with A.Q.A., who said she was trained by Booker T and has already defeated some of the best women on the planet, and she’s going to further prove herself against Cargill. (How did she earn a title match, exactly? Should AEW be giving title matches to wrestlers who have never appeared on Dynamite or Rampage before?) Cargill stood and lifted A.Q.A. as she was locked in an armbar. She powered her backwards and then flexed. A.Q.A. dropkicked Cargill out of the ring, but when she went after her, Cargill forearmed him hard to the mat. They cut to a split-screen break at 2:00. [c/ss]
A.Q.A. came back and hit a shooting star press off the top rope for a near fall. She set up another, but Cargill stood. The match fell apart a little here, but Jade caught her midair as she went for a crossbody off the opposite turnbuckle. Jade then landed a turning powerslam and her underhook sitout slam for the win.
WINNER: Cargill in 6:00 to retain the TBS Title.
-Backstage, the Young Bucks and Cole talked about facing Roppongi Vice on Friday. Cole said Jay White is their man to back them up. Matt Jackson said Cole could’ve sent them a text to give them a heads up that White was going to visit. He said that at one point, he and Kenny Omega were arch enemies. Cole said at this point, he can trust him, and thus he can trust White. He said they are Elite now, but they once took an oath that when you’re Bullet Club, you’re Bullet Club for life. He said he has a statement he has to make tonight, and he headed out. Matt asked Brandon Cutler if he knew about White. Cutler said, “I may have read something about it on Reddit.”
(5) SERENA DEEB vs. KATIE ARQUETTE
Deeb walked out and said she beat Sky Blue in three minutes last time they saw her, and there’s not a woman in the back who is at her level. She issued a five minute challenge to rookies and told her opponent she will gladly dig her grave if she wants to put her life on the line. Schiavone said Arquette wrestled once before in AEW on Dark, but it’s her 2022 debut. Deeb took her time as she dominated, flaunting that she could easily win anytime despite the five minute time limit she gave herself. She won with an armbar easily.
WINNER: Deeb in 1:00.
-Excalibur plugged Rampage: Beretta & Romero vs. Young Bucks, plus Daniel Bryan would speak and Hook would wrestle Blake Li, listed as a top student of Q.T. Marshall, Robyn Renegade vs. Britt Baker, and Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus vs. Gunn Club for the AEW Tag Team Titles. A video package aired on the tag team title match with soundbites from both teams. Then on Dynamite next week: Jericho & Hager vs. Santana & Ortiz and Mercedes vs. Rosa in a no-DQ match. [c]
(6) “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. LANCE ARCHER – Texas Death Match for the AEW World Title
Justin stood mid-ring for formal ring introductions. Archer’s entrance music played, but they cut backstage where Page and Archer were already fighting. They fought onto the stage and the bell rang to start the match. Ross said there is no-DQ in this match. Page threw Archer through a glass wall in the entrance tunnel. Archer came out bleeding from his forehead. Hangman dragged Archer to the ring and then set up a Buckshot Lariat. He hit it. Archer rolled to the floor. The ref began his ten count. Archer beat the count, so the match continued. Archer threw Hangman head-first into the ringpost. Jake Roberts and Dan Lambert walked out. Lambert unscrewed the turnbuckle in one corner, which led to the top rope coming loose. Excalibur said that takes away Hangman’s Buckshot Lariat. Meanwhile, Hangman landed a moonsault bodypress in the crowd. Archer took over in the ring as they cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
During the break, Archer set up two tables at ringside. Hangman was bleeding heavily. As Archer lifted up a ringside mat, Jake gave him a short-arm clothesline. Jake was setting up a DDT, but Archer stopped him. Jake looked sad and frustrated. Hangman, meanwhile, recovered and DDT’d Archer on the floor. He threw Archer back into the ring as Excalibur plugged upcoming dates. Hangman bashed Archer with a kendo stick, but Archer stood and began no-selling them. Hangman hit him rapid-fire with four shots. Archer kneeled. Hangman then caught the stick and broke it over his knee, then chokeslammed Hangman through the trash can. Archer jabbed Hangman in the forehead over and over with a fork, then licked the fork. Archer landed a running cannonball senton off the ring apron onto Hangman on the floor. He held up the AEW Title belt, then threw it down and went back after Hangman. Archer threw four chairs into the ring, then produced a chair with barbed wire wrapped around it. He held it up. It didn’t get a huge pop, actually. He licked the barbed wire, then threw that into the ring.
Archer set the ringside steps sideways and then delivered a Blackout onto the stairs. Hangman’s face was covered in blood as Archer looked down at him, smiling. Archer threw him back into the ring and set up a powerbomb onto the barbed wire chair. Hangman punched out of it and then wrapped his fist in the barbed wire and punched Archer. He followed with a German suplex. Hangman then launched himself off the referee’s back as the ref was bent over to pick up the barbed wire and hit the Buckshot Lariat, sending Archer off the ring apron through one of the tables at ringside. The ref began his count. Hangman beat the ten count and Archer didn’t.
WINNER: Hangman in 16:00 to retain the AEW Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: AEW is not backing away from being the national cable home for bloody, gory, hardcore matches.)
-Afterward, Cole marched out to the ring. He entered the ring and took the AEW Title belt from the ref. The announcers said he is the no. 1 contender. He pointed at Hangman as the show ended.
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