AEW Dynamite: August 18, 2021
by Samoa Rowe
Live from the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas. Our hosts are Jim Ross, Tony Shiavone, and Excalibur.
The show opens with Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston making their way to the ring to talk. They're ambushed in the stands by 2.0 and Daniel Garcia. They effectively steal the opening segment for their advertised match against Sting and Darby Allin.
2.0 (Jeff Parker and Matt Lee, with Daniel Garcia) vs. Sting and Darby Allin (Texas Tornado):
Darby sneaks in to smash his skateboard into 2.0, setting them up for stereo Stinger Splashes. They fight into the stands while fans chant "You've still got it." Garcia interferes to give 2.0 the upper hand as they head into a box suite, and Darby gets flapjacked into the ceiling. They pummel Sting against the wall and haul him back into the arena. Darby walks down the rails and splashes onto 2.0 and Garcia. Kingston wakes up to neutralize Garcia. 2.0 stop Sting from setting up a table and then suplex Darby onto his own skateboard. Sting fights back to a crowd pop, but 2.0 POWERBOMB HIM THROUGH A TABLE! Sting pops right back up and hits a stereo Scorpion Death Drop! Fans chant "holy sh!t" while Sting applies a double Scorpion Deathlock for the submission win at 6:21! This was a silly good time, and how surreal is it that we watched Sting wrestle on TNT in 2021, with Tony Shiavone calling the action? **½.
Winners: Sting and Darby Allin
Earlier today, Sammy Guevara proposed to his girlfriend in front of the live crowd and she said yes. Shawn Spears and Tully Blanchard make fun of the moment ("Slim pickings in Houston") and promise to give Sammy a turn on top when they meet in the ring later.
Sammy Guevara vs. Shawn Spears (with Tully Blanchard)
Sammy is enjoying the hometown pop when he senses Shawn Spears running in for an ambush and they brawl on the stage. Guevara hits a crazy somersault senton off the stage to the floor! Spears recovers and Tully helps him hit a spike piledriver. The bell rings as they hti the ring. Tully gets ejected for attempting another spike piledriver, so he swings his coat at referee Aubrey Edwards. Spears hits a series of knee strikes to the face and takes a break to threaten Sammy's fiance. Sammy hits an enziguri but then misses an elaborate springboard attack. Cue the commercials! They return with Spears preparing to superplex Sammy onto a bridged guard rail. Instead, they both go for stereo springboards (the fans GASP) but Sammy hits an avalanche cutter for a great nearfall and "this is awesome" chant. Spears answers with an avalanche C4, but Sammy kicks out! Sammy counters with a slam through the bridged rail, and then nails a 630 senton, but SPEARS KICKS OUT! Sammy hits a series of knee strikes and then a GTH to win at 9:51! Really terrific, epic encounter that came totally out of nowhere. Probably Spears' finest moment in AEW, and a big win for Guevara, ****.Winner: Sammy Guevara
A bloodied Sammy plants a kiss on his fiance and celebrates with his hometown fans. AEW has really stumbled onto this amazing concept of having wrestlers win matches at home.
Tony Shiavone tries to interview Impact World Champion Christian Cage, but Don Callis interrupts to schmooze him. Christian isn't falling for the head games, because he knows that Kenny Omega is terrified of him. Also, Don isn't the smartest guy in the room, just a carny piece of sh!t.
VIdeo promo with Dante Martin, who is flying high after taking Kenny Omega to the limit. He plans on working his way up the rankings so he can see Omega again.
Tony Shiavone hosts Dan Lambert, accompanied by some MMA guys, and he rants and raves about freedom of speech and cancel culture. He dares someone to jump him when he's got former UFC champions on his side. Lambert lashes out at the fans for chanting for "AEW" and supporting a roster full of wannabe tough guys. Lance Archer has heard enough and heads to the stage, but he's jumped by Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page and stomped into the stage. And that's about it.
Chris Jericho talks to the camera. He puts himself over for surviving the first four Labours of Jericho, and it was all worth it because now he gets his hands on MJF. He may not have his music and finisher move tonight, but Le Champion will kick MJF's b!tchy a$$.
AEW Tag Team Championship:
The Young Bucks © (Nick and Matt Jackson, with The Elite) vs. Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus, with Marko Stunt)
Nick hits JB with a shoulder tackle and cartwheels around to showboat. Nick backflips off the apron but JB catches him with a dive anyway. Luchasaurus tags, but Nick sneaks through his legs to tag in Matt. Sidewalk slam on Matt gets 2. JB jumps off Luchasaurus' shoulders for a senton for 2. The Bucks look for an early Meltzer Driver, but JB sends Nick off the apron with a rana. Matt hits baseball slide dropkicks to clear Jurassic Express into position for a top rope crossbody. Cue the commercials! They return just in time for the Luchasauurus hot tag. Nick blocks a chokeslam and hits a roundhouse kick. Luchasaurus sets Nick up for Jungle Boy to hit an avalanche brainbuster off of his shoulders! Luchasaurus throws Nick at Culter on the apron, and hits the Bucks with tail whip kicks and a double chokeslam! JB assists with a tandem slam and dives onto Matt, but Nick kicks out at 2! The Bucks answer with a SUPERKICK PARTAY and the Indie Taker only gets 2! Kenny Omega sneaks in to put Stunt down with a chair and passes the weapon to the Bucks. Christian Cage spears Kenny, but the Good Brothers and Cutler keep interfering. JB hits a cutter onto a chair for a painfully close nearfall, and then nearly wins with a Liger Bomb. Luchasaurus moonsaults onto the endless army of Elite members, but JB eats a BTE Trigger and gets pinned at 11:26! Crazy stunt show that was overshadowed by the (intentional) parade of over the top outside interference, ***½.Winners and still AEW Tag Team Champions: The Young Bucks
Kenny brings Christian back into the ring so he can suffer the same Elite beatdown as Jurassic Express. Christian takes One Winged Angel and Don counts the visual pinfall. Oh, Kenny is wearing a Chick Magnet t-shirt, for those of you who care about CM Punk easter eggs.
Tony Shiavone interviews AEW Women's Champion Dr. Britt Baker, Rebel, and the answer to everything that's wrong here, Jamie Hayter. Jamie says she and Britt go way back, and she couldn't resist the opportunity to knock down all the silly little girls bothering her friend. Britt promises some fun for next week.
Big Money Matt Hardy video promo, directed against the growing Best Friends stable. He'd like to break the lazy nose off of Orange Cassidy's face.
Tony Shiavone hosts Paul Wight in the ring. Tony thanks Paul for helping him in his time of need. Paul admits that it felt amazing to get back into the ring. They're interrupted by QT Marshall and The Factory. They want to spare Wight from making promises he can't keep, and QT thinks there is a reason why Tony Khan hired him to be a commentator and not a wrestler. QT shares a slideshow of Wight's recent medical history, including x-rays of his surgically repaired hip and surgery scars. Wight questions why QT would share pictures of his "big beautiful a$$" on TV, and reveals that they'll face each other at All Out. QT looks properly spooked by this news.
Mark Sterling and Jade Cargill talk to the camera. They are accepting Kiera Hogan's challenge on Rampage. Jade wants to squash her the same way Miro squashed Fuego (or whatever his name was).
Backstage interview with The Elite, who are still flying high after their latest victory. Shiavone says that Tony Khan has had it with them, and the next Young Bucks' title defense will be inside a steel cage. Taz introduces FTW Champion Ricky Starks to the fans. Starks has branded himself "For the World" and calls out Brian Cage. The camera finds Powerhouse Hobbs ambushing Cage somewhere backstage. Been a lot of sneak attacks tonight, eh? Anyways, this feud continues to be totally bland, and is diminishing everyone involved.
Tony Shiavone interviews Death Triangle. Pac accepts Andrade's challenge for All Out. Andrade and Chavo interrupt to change the conditions… which I guess we'll learn about later.
Penelope Ford vs. Thunder Rosa
The fans LOVE Rosa, as she's relocated to Texas. Rosa hits a quick shotgun dropkick. Ford stumbles taking an Irish whip, Rosa stomps her into the buckles. Rosa dropkicks Ford off the apron, but Ford sends her into the ring post and hits a cutter onto the floor. They cut to commercials. They return with Ford missing a high boot, allowing Rosa to hit a slingshot dropkick into the buckles. Missile dropkick by Rosa and then a butterfly suplex gets 2. Ford counters into a Muta Lock, Rosa reverses into a half crab. Ford gets the ropes, so Rosa hits a spinning DVD for 2. Ford reapplies the Muta Lock, Rosa reverses into a tight chokehold to win at 8:05. Match was alright, but the fans gave Rosa the star treatment, **.Winner: Thunder Rosa
Tony Shiavone talks to Arn and Brock Anderson. Arn is trying not to get emotional, but he's really worried that Brock is going to get hurt when he wrestles Malakai Black. Brock cannot be dissuaded and will meet Black next week.
Video promo with TNT Champion Miro. He is loving his life of serving God by day and his hot wife by night. He now has his sights set on Eddie Kingston.
Jon Moxley talks to the camera. He's annoyed by Kenny Omega and everyone else who is ahead of him in line for the title. Moxley carried AEW through uncertain times as champion. He's going to make an example out of Daniel Garcia on Rampage.
The 5 Labours of Jericho: Chapter 5 - Jericho cannot enter to Judas or use The Judas Effect
MJF vs. Chris Jericho
As expected, the fans are ready to sing "Judas" for Jericho, even without the song being played. MJF hates all of it, and almost gets caught in the Walls. Jericho improvises with a springboard dropkick and slingshot senton to ringside. MJF sends Jericho into the rails, and steals a camera so he can film himself flipping off the fands. Jericho blindsides MJF and gives the camera a proper middle finger. MJF comes back by attacking Jericho's bad arm (from the stunt bump at Blood N Guts) and they cut to commercials. They return with Jericho hitting a desperation clothesline. Double axe handle by Jericho, but then MJF judo throws him into the buckles. MJF missile dropkicks the bad arm, Jericho answers with a Lionsault for only 2! The crowd is fully behind Jericho as he rallies and hits an avalanche rana. MJF counters into an armbar, but Jericho reverses into the Walls! MJF escapes by kicking the jaw, and they trade closed fists. MJF hits a pendulum piledriver for 2. Jericho goes for a sleeper, but MJF uses a low blow to reverses into a stolen Walls! Jericho gets the ropes and retrieves Floyd while the ref disarms MJF of his dynamite diamond. Jericho then cheats with a weapons shot, but can't bring himself to use the Judas Effect (the ref wasn't looking) and MJF uses the Judas Effect himself and wins via Salt of the Earth at 15:21! 95% of this was an excellent, heated grudge match that played off their history expertly, but I'm sadly left wondering why Jericho was willing to cheat with a baseball bat but not use the Judas Effect, ***¾.Winner: MJF
Final Thoughts: This was a loaded Dynamite with various pay-per-view level matches and a rare Sting match. I found myself feeling a little more bothered by some of the things that are overdone (constant ambushes, interview interruptions) and the feuds that aren't working (Cage vs. Team Taz, whatever Dan Lambert is supposed to be) so I wish there'd been a tad more editing of the script this time around. Still, at the end of the day, Dynamite is FUN, and I can say that without any conditions.
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