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AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
APRIL 13, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LA AT UNO LAKEFRONT ARENA
AIRED ON TBS
REPORT BY TYLER SAGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
(1) CM PUNK vs. PENTA OSCURO
The crowd had dueling Punk and Penta chants as the match began. Each man pushed and chopped the other in the ring, and continued as the crowd erupted at the exchange. Punk then did a springboard arm drag and then suplexed Penta into a two count cover. Punk went for the GTS, but it was countered and Penta was soon thrown into the turnbuckle pad. Penta then hit a sling blade and a shoulder tackle for a two count on Punk. CM Punk was thrown to the outside, Penta went for a baseball slide, but Punk got back into the ring and dove out onto Pentagon as the first break started. [c]
Punk was perched on the top turnbuckle, Pentagon went up and and battled with Punk. Both men were on the top, Punk sold that he missed a move and then sold that resulted in a knee injury. Penta disregarded the Referee and attacked the injured limb. Punk quickly countered and got Penta into position for the GTS. Penta countered and went for an arm bar. The men countered back and fourth until Penta was able to get a rope break once Punk had the Anaconda Vice synched in.
Penta and Punk teint battled on the apron, trading chops and strikes. Penta then went for a pile driver, Punk countered and tried for one of his own. Neither hit and Punk hit a springboard clothesline and then hit a knee strikes. Punk called for the GTS, got Penta up, but it was countered into a pile driver. Punk dodged that and hit a kick, Penta then tried for a submission that punk rolled and turned into a pin.
They countered back and fourth, until Penta ended up in the fireman carry position and Punk hit a GTS for the win.
WINNER: CM Punk
(Sage’s Analysis: A fantastic match, one of Punk’s more athletic since coming into AEW. Penta is such a great dance partner for all and he really elevated the intensity of this match with no story. Punk selling the intentionally botched move, in my opinion, to convey the selling of the knee was really masterful stuff. Great opening match.)
-A video was shown of the Jericho Appreciation Society landing in a private jet form earlier in the day. Eddie Kingston and Santana and Ortiz yelled at them from a car near their jet. They drove off and Magic Daddy and Cool Hand were left laying.
(2) JURRASIC EXPRESS vs. REDRAGON
Bobby Fish and Jungle Boy started the contest, with Fish and JB trading grappling moves until Jungle Boy hit a tackle form the ropes. Fish followed that up with kicks and pushed Jungle Boy into Kyle O’Reilly and tagged in his partner. Luchasaurus was quickly tagged in, he took out both members of the opposing team. O’Reilly caused Luchasaurus to get caught in the ropes. Here they tagged in and out to work over LS.
Luchasaurus was able to tag in Jungle Boy, he and O’Reilly battled until Fish entered. Jungle Boy then did an outside dive onto each man. Luchasaurus then did the same as the two heels fled. Fish and O’Reilly then teamed up and hit a dragon screw leg twist in the ropes on Jungle Boy. [c]
O’Reilly countered a JB move into a cross arm breaker, Jungle Boy got a rope break and then tagged in Luchasaurus. He took out both members of reDRagon and hit a double choke slam into a standing moonsault press. Jungle Boy was tagged in once more, and did a flying elbow onto Fish who was being held up by Luchasaurus. This lead to a near fall on Fish.
O’Reilly was able to get a blind tag, they teamed up and got a near fall on Jungle Boy. O’Reilly immediately locked in an arm breaker after the pinning attempt, JB broke the hold. Jurassic Express tried to set up a Doomsday Device, but Fish turned that into a top rope falcon arrow, that was a near fall because Luchasaurus threw O’Reilly into the pin.
Luchasaurus and O’Reilly traded stiff shots, Jungle Boy then hit with a head strike and then a DDT on O’Reilly. Jurassic Express then hit a group move and pinned Bobby Fish for the win.
WINNER: Jurassic Express
(Sage’s Analysis: Another fantastic match, one that took the best parts of AEW matches and did not abuse some of the worse aspects of those same matches. FTR coming out proved and presented them as big stars.)
-O’Reilly grabbed a chair and hit both Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus with those. FTR then came out and stared down both teams as they held their belts up.
-A recap of Wheeler Yuta and Jon Moxley’s match on Rampage. It cut to the Blackpool Combat Club, with Yuta. They said they were taking on the undefeated Gunn Club. [c]
-Jamie Hayter and Toni Storm were backstage. It was announced that they would battle in the first round of the Owen Hart Tournament. Hayter said this would be her crowning moment.
(3) MJF vs. SHAWN DEAN
MJF had a hard time taking his jacket off as the match started, MJF used the planned distraction and took out Shawn Dean. He then easily took his jacket off and flexed for the crowd. The camera then cut like the last two weeks to knocked out members of AEW security.
Wardlow then appeared behind MJF in a security shirt and then entered the ring area and chased after MJF. Spears hit Wardlow in the back with a chair, which he no sold. Security then rushed the ring and overwhelmed Wardlow. In all that, MJF was counted out and MJF lost the match.
WINNER: Shawn Dean
(Sage’s Analysis: An angle more than a match, I do wonder how MJF will get his revenge one day on Shawn Dean for having two wins over him. The Wardlow stuff was more similar than not, but the live crowd ate it up, and Wardlow certainly feels like a star in you randomly turned on AEW.)
-A Darby Allin video was shown, he challenged Andrade to a coffin match. [c]
-Malakai Black had a video, he was speaking to Fuego Del Sol. He told of some nightmare that he had as a child and then talked about the House of Black. I think Malakai wrote Elden Ring based on this promo.
(4) CHRIS JERICHO & DANIEL GARCIA & JAKE HAGER vs. EDDIE KINGSTON & SANTANA & ORTIZ
Santana and Chris Jericho started the bout, Santana hit a straight punch and then worked him in the corner. The two men then traded chops as the other four men all battled on the outside. Jericho and Santana joined the fight on the outside and then reentered the ring. Kingston & Co then teamed up and worked over Jericho.
Ortiz then tagged in and raked the face of Jericho, Hager entered and teamed up with Jericho to lay out Ortiz. Hager was no legal and he traded shots with Ortiz. Jericho entered and beat up on the beaten down Ortiz as the break started. [c]
Ortiz made a comeback as the show returned to full screen, Jericho cut him down and missed a Lionsault and Ortiz went for the hot tag, but was cut down. Kingston was finally tagged in and took out the side, Santana was tagged in and hit three amigos on Garcia. Santana then hit a frog splash for a near fall on Garcia.
Kingston was tagged and hit machine gun chops and then Santana was back in and continue the beat down. Kingston hit a dive out onto Hager, while Santana & Ortiz took out Garcia and Jericho. Magic Daddy and Cool Hand Luke came out and were taken out. Kingston was tagged in and hit a exploder suplex, Kingston was hit with Jericho’s bat and Garcia rolled up Kingston for teh pinfall win.
WINNER: Jericho Appreciation Society
(Sage’s Analysis: A better tag match than I would have guessed looking at the card. This story still has a long way to go, once they find two more friends and have a big 5 on 5 match, I am interested who those men will be.)
-The Jericho Appreciation Society beat up Kingston & Co as the crowd booed.
-MJF was backstage, he said that his loss to dean is not funny. He said he is the Devil and doesn’t need anyone’s sympathy. Mark Sterling said that MJF can book Wardlow, he booked him in a match with The Butcher.
(5) MARINA SHAFIR vs. SKYE BLUE
Marina Shafir took down Skye Blue and Judo slammed her into the mat. Shafir then hit forearms on Blue as she tried to get to her feet. Shafir hit a pump handle slam and then Blue got a step on her, but Shafir took out Blue and locked in the Triangle for the submission win.
WINNER: Marina Shafir
(Sage’s Analysis: An odd presentation, Shafir is obviously talented and feels like she could have some star potential. But her music and slow walk did not do much for the live crowd, and she was not really presented as a good guy so this felt more like a missed opportunity.)
-Hook was backstage and it was said that he had a match next week, he didn’t say anything as Mark Sterling and Tony Neese crashed the interview. Hook then threw a medicine ball at Danhausen. [c]
-American Top Team were backstage, they called out Sammy and Tay and Scorpio announced he would defend against Sammy.
(6) RICKY STARKS & POWERHOUSE HOBBS vs. KEITH LEE & SWERVE STRICKLAND
Swerve and Starks started, but Starks backed out and Powerhouse Hobbs entered and grappled with with Swerve. Hobbs hit a fallaway slam and taunted Keith Lee after. Starks entered and he walked the ropes and did a jump punch down onto Swerve. Starks and Swerve then countered one another and Keith Lee was tagged in.
Lee and Swerve teamed up and worked over Starks. Swerve was tagged in again and he did a moonsault off of the chest of his teammate Keith Lee and connect with Hobbs and Starks as the commercial break started. [c]
Swerve hot tagged in Keith Lee and he took out Starks, but Hobbs was behind him and attacked. Lee held off both men and then leap frogged a Charging Hobbs, who speared his teammate Starks. Lee tagged in Swerve and hit tandem moves leading to a near fall.
Swerve went for a leading move, but Starks hit a spear and then took out Lee. Starks then got a near fall on Swerve after a destroyer DDT. Swerve and Starks were on the top, Swerve fireman carried slammed Starks into a charging Lee. hobbs broke up the pin. Taz then walked out as Hobbs took out Swerve, until he was thrown into the ring post. Starks then hit a spear off the middle rope and went for the pinfall, but Swerve hit a 450 to break up the pin.
Lee powered up and ran the ropes, and was tripped by Taz. This led to Hobbs slamming Lee and getting the pinfall win.
WINNER: Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs
(Sage’s Analysis: Another really good match, this story has been told over the last few weeks and has been one of my personal favorite stories in AEW since Revolution. This match had lots of great spots and all four men are higher in my mind after the match.)
-Thunder Rosa was backstage, it was interrupted by Nyla and Vicki. They had a cake for her shortest title reign, Rosa threw the cake in Nyla’s face and Nyla took out Vicki on accident. [c]
-A video hyping the World Title match on Rampage was shown.
(7) SAMOA JOE vs. MINORU SUZUKI
Samoa Joe and Minoru Suzuki started by chopping and forearm chopping each other. Then they traded chops as their chests became red and you could see the broken blood vessels. They then moved onto trading big time elbows and forearms to each other’s head.
Joe got Suzuki off his feet with a rebound tackle, Suzuki went out onto the apron and caught Joe in a hold and then got Joe to the outside and the two traded chops and slaps out there like they did in the ring. [c]
As the show returned Joe had Suzuki in a rest hold in the middle of the ring, Suzuki worked his way out of the hold. Suzuki hit a big boot to get Joe of his feet, then a soccer kick to the chest. Suzuki acted like he would hit a pile driver, but let Joe out and the two traded chops again.
Joe countered a sleeper attempt by slamming Minoru to the ground. Suzuki hit a running drop kick and then tried the sleeper once more and tried for the pile driver once more, but Joe backed out. Joe put Suzuki on the top rope and tried for the muscle buster off the top and hit it for the pinfall win.
WINNER: Samoa Joe
(Sage’s Analysis: The match the I expected and really enjoyed. I do wonder if someone had seen a lot of people hyping this match and maybe they were disappointed a bit. I suppose we will see. The post match angle was one of the worst in AEW history and really deflated a greta night and will now be the narrative coming out of this show.)
-Jay Lethal got on the mic and offered Joe a gift and opened it a flipped off Joe. The lights went out and Jay Lethal revealed a former NBA player who helped Lethal Beat up Joe to end the show.
FINAL THOUGHTS: A grade A+ episode of Dynamite top to bottom, every match was well worked or at least had a purpose to build a feud or a future match. It also felt like a validation for AEW “home grown,” talent like Wardlow, Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs. The reveal at the end of the show sucked as the person premiering there needs to be known. It is gonna be really hard to overcome a debut like that and it will now be the only narrative coming out of an amazing show.
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