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AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
MAT 20, 2020
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
REPORT BY MICHAEL TAYLOR, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
[HOUR ONE]
– The show opened with a video package hyping the card at Double or Nothing. After, a limousine pulled up to the building. The Inner Circle got out and said they had a surprise in store for the Elite tonight. The Dynamite intro video aired. The camera panned the arena before landing on the announcers. They ran down the card for the evening. 10 made his ring entrance alongside Mr. Brodie Lee. Lee was carrying the AEW title belt. Lee grabbed a microphone and said he wanted to address the viewers at home. He asked 10 to take a knee before he continued talking. Lee said he was at the top of the game and that no one at home related to him. He said he was not a god, but that he was a man and should not seem unrelatable to anyone. He said he had to win at Double or Nothing to justify the loyalty of The Dark Order. Lee said 10 was chosen because he was special, and that he was now a “high knight” of The Dark Order. 10 entered the ring as Jon Moxley walked into the building from the parking lot. Lee and the rest of The Dark Order returned to the back.
(1) JON MOXLEY vs. 10
The bell rang, and Moxley hit a running knee. Moxley hit a standing suplex before stomping 10 in the corner. 10 knocked Moxley to the outside with pump kick. They brawled around ringside. Back in the ring, 10 hit a cutter for a two count. Eventually, Moxley hit a pile driver followed by the paradigm shift for the win.
WINNER: Jon Moxley via pinfall in 5:00
-After the match, Moxley threw several chairs into the ring. He put 10’s arm in the chair. Over the mike, Moxley said he wasn’t going to chase Lee, but that he was going to give Lee 10 seconds to bring his title back before he broke 10’s arm. Lee showed up on the screen and said Moxley didn’t call the shots and that all Moxley had to do was ask for his belt back. Lee said at a time like this, we all had to make sacrifices and walked out of the building. Moxley took another steel chair and slammed it down on the chair attached to 10’s arm. The announcers hyped the match between Lee and Moxley at Double or Nothing as MJF made his ring entrance. [c]
(Taylor’s Analysis: While Lee has been effective in the role of The Exalted One, his promo style doesn’t seem like it matches the gimmick yet. He’s a “rough” speaker, which isn’t a bad thing. However, that doesn’t fit the gimmick and he needs to orate more efficiently.)
(2) MJF (w/Wardlow) vs. MARKO STUNT
Before the match, Jim Ross acknowledged the death of Shad Gaspard. The bell rang, and MJF hit a power slam. MJF picked stunt up and cinched in a bear hug. Stunt broke the hold, but MJF hit a belly-to-belly suplex. The pace quickened, and MJF hit a lariat. MJF attempted a suplex from the top rope, but Stunt countered with a hurricanrana. Stunt rallied and hit a diving uppercut. Both wrestlers went the outside and brawled. Back in the ring. MJF hit a shoulder breaker before cinching in the salt of the earth for the win. After the match, MJF said Stunt lasted longer than he thought he would. He suggested letting one of his “rats” kiss Stunt. Wardlow picked up Stunt and held him in place. MJF said Stunt could kiss his ring and punched him. Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy ran to the ring and saved Stunt from further punishment.
WINNER: MJF via submission in 6:00
(Taylor’s Analysis: MJF continues to be a great heel.
He is shaping up to be a credible world champion in the future.)
-Replays highlighting altercations between Lance Archer and Cody aired. The announcers noted Mike Tyson would be at Double or Nothing to present the winner of Archer vs. Rhodes with the TNT title. Jake Roberts walked to the ring, followed by Arn Anderson. [c]
-Tony Schiavone was in the ring with both men. Roberts and Anderson sat at opposite ends of a table with microphones. Schiavone threw to Roberts first. Roberts said it was surreal to sit across from Anderson because they crossed paths several times but never wrestled with each other. He thanked Arn for coming to the ring alone and told him to get used to the feeling. Roberts said Archer has destroyed everything that has been put in front of him, while Cody has only “wormed” his way around AEW. He said there are no more excuses and Cody would have to face the truth. He said Archer was going to rip Cody’s heart out at Double or Nothing. He asked Arn if this was the weekend he was allowed out of the home since they hadn’t seen him in a few months.
Arn agreed it was surreal to sit across from Roberts. Arn said for years, people wanted them to face off because it would be a dream match. He said he could see the evil permeating from Jake from across the table. He said people were always frightened by Jake and his snake in the bag. Jake interrupted him and said he had been to hell and back, and another trip with Arn wouldn’t be so bad. He challenged Arn to a fight, but Arn declined because he wanted to retain decorum. Arn turned his attention to Mike Tyson. He said Tyson would present the winner of the Cody and Archer match with the new TNT title. Jake said he promised Archer the first shot at Tyson because he wants to knock him out for fun. Jake said he was hoping Brandi would be presenting the belt and called her a bimbo. Arn said Cody told him he had to win the TNT title. He sternly told Jake not to interrupt again. Arn asked the crowd if they knew that Jake was doing DDP yoga. Arn said he was glad because he wanted Jake to be limber when he gave him a spine buster. Jake threw the table out of the way as AEW referees kept them separated.
(Taylor’s Analysis: It was great to hear these two legends talk to each other, however, the segment felt somewhat aimless. They sounded great but didn’t say anything that hasn’t already been said.)
-The announcers threw to a video package highlighting Darby Allen. [c]
-A Pac vignette aired. Pac called out Orange Cassidy and said tonight, Ray Pheonix was going to “kick his snout off”. Back in the arena, Orange Cassidy made his ring entrance. On the entrance ramp, Pheonix tried to attack Cassidy, but Cassidy moved slightly and dodged him. Both wrestlers entered the ring.
(3) RAY FENIX vs. ORANGE CASSIDY
The bell rang, and Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and hit a dropkick. Fenix retreated to the outside. Back in the ring, they traded pinfall attempts until Phoenix stomped on Cassidy’s head. From there, Cassidy hit a springboard leg drop for a two count. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
Fenix pounded on Cassidy in the corner. Cassidy rallied and hit a flying elbow followed by a diving crossbody for a two count. Fenix stood, and Cassidy hit a diving DDT for a two count. They scaled the top rope until Fenix hit a diving powerbomb. The pace quickened as Kip Sabian walked to the ring with a ladder. He set it up on the ramp and climbed it. Fenix hit a low blow on a cutter for the winner. After the match, SCU pushed Sabian of the ladder into the ring. Jimmy Havoc attacked SCU and a brawl ensued around ringside. Fenix dove from the top rope and missed the wrestlers on the floor. Ross speculated he might be hurt. Eventually, Colt Cabana and Best Friends ran down and joined the brawl. [c]
WINNER: Ray Fenix via pinfall in 12:00
-Kris Statlander made her ring entrance, followed by Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker, and Nyla Rose.
(4) KRIS STATLANDER & HIKARU SHIDA vs. BRITT BAKER & NYLA ROSE
Before the match, a replay of Rose attacking Shida with a kendo stick aired. In the ring, Nyla tried to use the kendo stick, but Shida dodged it. Referee Aubrey Edwards threw the kendo stick out of the ring and the bell rang. Statlander and Rose brawled until Statlander hit a dropkick. Rose responded with a shoulder tackle. Rose choked Statlander with the second rope before hitting power slam. Rose tried to tag in Baler, but Baker jumped off the ring apron. [c]
Shida tagged in and attacked both Rose and Baker. Shida hit a running knee, knocking both Baker and Rose to the outside. Back in the ring, Shida hit a suplex on Baker for a two count. Statlander tagged in. Shida and Statlander threw Rose into Baker int eh corner. Baker favored her leg as she stood. Rose interrupted a pinfall attempt and dragged Baker to her corner. Rose tagged in. Statlander hit a slam on Rose and tagged Shida. From there, Shida hit a missile dropkick on Rose. The AEW doctor attended to Baker on the apron. Rose hit the beast bomb on Shida for the win. After the match, Nyla pulled out a table from under the ring as Baker was assisted to the back. Rose placed Shida on the table and scaled the top rope. Statlander stopped Rose from jumping onto Shida. Shida climbed the top and suplexed Rose through the table.
WINNERS: Nyla Rosa & Britt Baker via pinfall in 10:00
-Alex Marquez interviewed Moxley in the back. Moxley said everything in the world always boils down to violence. He said his match with Brodie Lee at Double or Nothing would be violent. He said Lee would lose all the power he thinks he has and would be left with nothing but a group of creepy dudes in gimp masks. [c]
-A segment called “Shawn Spears News” aired. Shawn Spears sat in a makeshift newsroom and said Dustin Rhodes was on the verge of retirement. He said retirement was a hard pill to swallow, but swallowing pills isn’t hard for Dustin. Spears said he didn’t have a match at Double or Nothing and challenged Rhodes to a match. He threw back to the announcers at ringside. They ran down the card for Double or Nothing and said the match between Spears and Rhodes was booked.
(Taylor’s Analysis: Spears came off as genuinely unlikable here. This is a great way for him to get heat as an obnoxious heel.)
-A replay of the brawl between The Elite and The Inner Circle aired. Sammy Guevara said Matt Hardy tried to murder him with a golf cart. He said the Inner Circle are the good guys, but they were going to hurt The Elite. Back in the arena, Sammy Guevara made his ring entrance, followed by Matt Hardy. [c]
(5) SAMMY GUEVARA vs. MATT HARDY
The bell rang, and Hardy hit a flurry of offense and maintained control of the match. [c]
After Guevara rallied, Hardy hit a twist of fate for a two count. From there, Hardy targeted Guevara’s leg. He pulled off Guevara’s boot and bit his foot. Sammy responded with a diving knee for a two count. After, Guevara missed a shooting star press. Hardy responded with another twist of fate for the win. After the match, Hardy grabbed a chair. The Inner Circle was shown on the screen in an empty stadium. They attacked Kenny Omega with a baseball bat. The Young Bucks jumped from the stands and stopped the attack. A brawl ensued as both Matt Hardy and Hangman Page joined. The Inner Circle retreated as the announcers hyped Double or Nothing.
WINNER: Matt Hardy via pinfall in 11:00
FINAL THOUGHTS: While this was a solid show, it felt flat as a go-home show for Double or Nothing. The energy present in previous weeks wasn’t in the arena tonight. The brawl in the empty stadium was an effective way to end the show, as it built anticipation for the first match of its kind. It’s a shame both Pheonix and Baker were injured, and AEW should reevaluate the risks wrestlers are allowed to take before a major pay-per-view.
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