SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
APRIL 20,2022
PITTSBURGH, PA AT PETERSEN EVENTS CENTER
AIRED ON TBS
REPORT BY TYLER SAGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
(1) CM PUNK vs. DUSTIN RHODES
The crowd chanted CM Punk as the match began, the two men then shook hands and then locked up. The two men went back and fourth while running the ropes and trading counter moves. Punk was able to get Dustin into a Bow-in-Arrow stretch, it was countered but Punk locked in another hold. Dustin then hit a number of arm drags and then took over control of the bout. Soon after Punk pushed Rhodes out of the ring, in which he landed and sold his knee. Punk threw Rhodes back in the ring and began to work over the injured knee of Rhodes [c]
When the show returned Dustin countered and slammed Punk into the ring apron. Back in the ring Rhodes continued to beat down Punk and rained down punches in the corner. Punk countered with a kick to the knee, and then tried a running knee. Rhodes dodged and hit a Code Red for a near fall on Punk.
Rhodes hit a combo and finished with a power slam for another near fall on Punk. Rhodes tried to set up Cross Roads, but punk rolled away and locked in a figure four leg lock, the two men were seated and traded slaps. Rhodes tried to reverse the hold and did, Punk grabbed the rope to break the hold.
Punk tried a springboard move, it was countered and Rhodes hit a Code Red and then a pile-driver for another near fall. Punk hit a roundhouse kick and then went for a GTS, but he cried in pain and countered a counter and rolled up Dustin for the pinfall win.
WINNER: CM Punk
(Sage’s Analysis: Another variant on a Punk opening match, his mission seems to wrestler a ton of face wrestlers until he takes on heel challengers as champion and is doing a silent Cody like bucket list of wrestling matches. I’m here for it and look forward to Punk matches being more grounded than other AEW matches.)
-Adam Page’s music hit and he walked on the stage area. Page and Punk locked eyes on the stage, and Punk walked off toward the back.
-A video of Wardlow showing up and being greeted by Mark Sterling and security was shown. He was told he would be escorted everywhere and had to wear handcuffs.
(2) BLACKPOOL COMBAT CLUB vs. DANTE MARTIN & LEE MORIARTY & BROCK ANDERSON
Dante Martin and Wheeler Yuta started the match and traded high flying moves. Bryan Danielson tagged in and worked over Dante Martin with chops and running knees. Jon Moxley was tagged in along with Brock Anderson. Moxley hit a suplex and tagged in Danielson. [c]
When the show returned Moxley was working over Anderson, but a Spin-buster on Moxley evened the odds as a fresh Moriarty tagged din and took out Danielson and Yuta. Danielson made a slight comeback, but then locked in a Motor City Stretch on Danielson. Martin was tagged in and hit a springboard move and then a dive out onto Danielson. Moxley entered and locked in a Bull Dog Choke. All of the BCC took out other members as Moxley continued working on Martin. A DDT by Moxley ended the match.
WINNER: Blackpool Combat Club
(Sage’s Analysis: A fun elevated squash match.)
– The Undisputed Elite were in all black backstage, Cole & reDRagon tried to convince The Young Bucks to stay allied with them. [c]
– A recap of Jay Lethal and Samoa Joe’s story from last week was recapped and shown.
-Tony Schiavone introduced Tony Khan to the stage area. Tony introduced the president of New Japan Pro Wrestling and he walked out to cheers. Adam Cole appeared on the screen and said that he should make the announcement. He announced that on June 22nd the two promotions would have a joint show in Chicago. He announced that Cole would take on Tomohiro Ishii on Rampage. Jay White then walked out and took the mic from TK. He said its not about New Japan or AEW; he said it was about the Undisputed Elite and Bullet Club.
– Jade Cargill and company were backstage and talked about her title defense against Shafir on Rampage.
(3) Wardlow vs. The Butcher
Wardlow walked out handcuffed and to no music, per MJF. When the mach started Wardlow and The Butcher traded shots, Wardlow then shoulder tackled Butcher a number of times. The Butcher went to the outside and threw in chairs, the two men then battled outside.
Back in the ring, Butcher hit a power bomb. But, Wardlow kicked out at one. Wardlow then hit a series of power bombs. After four bombs Wardlow covered and pinned his opponent. [c]
WINNER: Wardlow
(Sage’s Analysis: The handcuffs and no music was a good touch to the standard Wardlow match.)
-Eddie Kingston had a video and he talked about his singles match with Daniel Garcia on Rampage. He said that everything he does too Garcia is what he wants to do to Jericho.
(4) JUNGLE BOY vs. KYLE O’REILLY
The two combatants started by trying to get leverage, and they traded the wrist control advantage. Until O’Reilly broke the hold and started laying kicks down on Jungle Boy. The advantage did not last long as Jungle Boy laid in chops the two battle into the break. [c]
Jungle Boy sent O’Reilly to the outside and then dove out toward his opponent, and then a lariat on the outside. Jungle Boy then hit a DDT, O’Reilly had a hold locked in after and hit an exploder. Jungle Boy hit a lariat and both men were slow to get up. Jungle Boy hit a suplex into the ropes.
After a series of unimportant moves O’Reilly was in the tree of woe and Jungle Boy hit a drop kick. O’Reilly countered but then ate a kick, Jungle Boy tried a pin and O’Reilly tried an ankle lock. Jungle Boy locked in a hold and the hold was broken with the bottom rope. O’Reilly hit a superplex and then a brain buster and then he went up and hit a knee drop for a pinfall win on Jungle Boy.
WINNER: Kyle O’Reilly
(Sage’s Analysis: I did not like this match at all, these two did not have good chemistry and they match felt like it was in chapters, but pre planned moments to bridge those chapters. Also, O’Reilly has little to no charisma and the crowd was no super into the match.)
-MJF was backstage and he gave Jake Roberts an envelope of money. Roberts than cut a promo and Lance Archer pushed teh camera away.
(5) HOOK vs. ANTHONY HENRY
Hook hit a suplex with a bridge as Tony Nese looked on. Danhausen appeared and tried to curse hook again, Hook then tapped out Henry.
WINNER: Hook
(Sage’s Analysis: That was a hook match, I like him taking on Danhausen.)
-Danhausen got on the mic and challenged Hook to a fight and the crowd erupted with that notion.
-Frankie Kazarian was backstage, Scorpio Sky came in and asked Kaz to wait on a title shot until he gets his rematch. [c]
– A recap of Thunder Rosa’s title defense was shown as Rosa had a promo over top of the video.
-Sammy and Tay were in the ring as the crowd booed them. Sammy said that he loved Tay and that he does not have the same affection for the audience. Scorpio Sky and company came out and he said the room’s sentiment is saying screw you. Ethan Page said no one wants to hear him or Tay. Page said that was because of Dynamite Dan Lambert. He got on the mic and said that he threw away all the good will he earned in the ring by dating the wrong girl. Sammy said he doesn’t care about Lambert’s dead Grandpa. They set up future matches.
-The House of Black had a promo.
(6) BRITT BAKER vs. DANIELLE KAMELA
Baker controlled the match early and the match cut away almost immediately. [c]
Baker laid in forearms as the show returned, there were Steelers players on the outside cheering her on. Baker locked in the Lock Jaw and won.
(Sage’s Analysis: Almost the entire match was during the commercial break, maybe don’t have 7 matches on a card and avoid that in the future.)
-Baker said the women’s division is trash and took down Ruby Soho, Toni Storm and Jade Cargill. She said that Red Velvet is the newest Jade Baddie, and that she will take her out again. She said that she would win the Owen Hart Tournament.
– A recap of Serena Deeb and Hikaru Shida was shown, they said that match next week would be the end of their long feud.
– Excalibur, out of breath, ran threw the next two weeks worth of matches.
(7) DARBY ALLIN vs. ANDRADE EL IDOLO
The Blade attacked and Andrade came form behind, Darby countered and used his skateboard on Andrade. The AFO teamed up and beat up Darby. Andrade threw Darby into the crowd and hit him with a skateboard. Sting was in the crowd and took out the non-Andrade members. Sting then dove off the railing down onto the AFO. [c]
Darby hit a Code red in the ring when the show returned, he then tried a Coffin Drop. But, he was caught by Andrade and suplexed. Darby was put in the coffin but held the lid open. Andrade then slammed Darby on the entrance ramp. He then slammed Darby on a metal area on the stage area.
Andrade dragged Darby to the coffin. Andrade tried to rip the lid off, Darby did a suicide dive out and both men were in the coffin. Darby was able to close the lid.
WINNER: DARBY ALLIN
(Sage’s Analysis: I didn’t really like this either, the stuff with Sting was fun. But this felt pretty derivative and hopefully is teh end of the interaction between all these parties.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a weak episode of Dynamite, everything after CM Punk and Dustin was ok to poor in quality. Next week seems to be a loaded show so the lull will not be long. But, this felt like some call backs and “classic,” AEW style matches that just didn’t hit like they usually did. Most segments were similar to past weeks and not much felt like I needed to watch it in hindsight. That all is rare for AEW, but not every episode can be a classic.
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