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AEW Reviews

“Where is Tony Schiavone? You Put Him On A Friendship Time Out!” – AEW Dynamite – 17th June 2020

ByGeorgia Madden

Jun 19, 2020 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

AEW Dynamite this week featured the debut of Abadon against Anna Jay and Ricky Starks as he challenged Cody for the TNT Championship. The AEW World Tag Team Championship was also up for grabs as Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page were challenged by the Natural Nightmares. Did Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page keep their titles? Did Best Friends successfully defend their number 1 contender spot? Keep reading to find out.

AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: The Natural Nightmares (w/ Brandi Rhodes) Vs Kenny Omega & Hangman Adam Page (C)

This match up had a sour start, as we jumped straight into the match with only Kenny Omega having an entrance. While I’m a fan of all competitors in championship matches getting an entrance, at the very least both of your champions should have one. I would have preferred this match to have gone later in the show, maybe switched with Best Friends vs Le Sex Gods. Does it reduce the creditability of your current champions if they are always opening the show in recent weeks instead of main eventing?

It was nice to see Hangman Adam Page sober enough to have a match this week. Though Kenny Omega started the head butting with Dustin. After a few backs and forth, Omega tried to get a one-winged angel to no avail. Dustin hit a hurricanrana. Kenny tagged in Hangman who faced up against QT Marshall. Hangman went straight for a series of headlocks before chopping into his opponent. QT hit a superb dropkick, but Hangman knocked him down and Kenny tagged in.

Dustin went to work on Omega and received an unsuccessful two-count. The Natural Nightmares worked hard to isolate Omega and focused on breaking him down so he couldn’t tag Hangman into the match. Omega found some fight and hit a Kotaro Crusher on Dustin, which allowed him time to escape the ring. Hangman went straight to striking anyone in his way, flying into Dustin and knocking down QT.

After a breather, Dustin climbed to the top rope and crashed into both tag champions, Dustin knocked both out of the ring and flew into them. At the same time, QT hit the QT Special into Kenny Omega. Once we were back into the ring, QT tried to hit a Diamond Cutter but was countered by a snapdragon. After a back and forth again, all four competitors were down which led Allie to run down to ringside.

Hangman and Omega went back to working as a team to knock down both of the Natural Nightmares. Kenny attempted a pin. Hangman hit the Last Call onto QT. Kenny covered and the champions retained their belts.

This was an extremely good match. Even though the lack of entrances wasn’t a great decision by AEW. The actual wrestling was superb. At first, I thought that the Natural Nightmares weren’t ready to challenge for the titles but after watching the full match I changed my mind. The Natural Nightmares challenging for the titles actually helped their cause as it increased the price of their real estate. It made them look extremely and showed how QT is an excellent wrestler who could become a strong competitor within the company.

Winner: Still AEW World Tag Team Champions, Hangman Adam Page & Kenny Omega

Anna Jay Vs Abadon

A blink and you miss it match featured next. Anna Jay was AEW’s latest female signee and therefore we all knew this would be a squash match. Though Anna Jay did not win. The living dead girl Abadon won. She crawled out of the entrance ramp and into all of our black broken hearts. This match outcome was such a shock that I am still trying to make sense of what happened.

For the last week, we saw tweets from Tony Khan, AEW and most of the roster raising up Anna Jay. I truly did not expect her to lose. But, it was brilliant, one of AEW’s smartest calls since starting a women’s division. The second Abadon crawled onto the ramp I thought it would a be a brilliant signing for AEW, they need a creepy woman someone like Impact’s Rosemary or Su Yung. It has now been announced they have, in fact, signed Abadon to the division. While some may be worried that Anna Jay was buried because she got zero offence in this match. It also worked in her favour as the Dark Order came out to help Anna Jay backstage. Another smart call from AEW as Jay is still new and shiny to the industry, she is the perfect person to be in a fraction where she will learn from the other members and be brought up to another level.

Winner: Abadon

MJF (w/ Wardlow) Vs Billy (w/ Austin & Colten Gunn)

This match was created due to the salt of the earth MJF insulting Billy Gunn last week. Billy, of course, was aiming to show up MJF and take his oversized ego down a peg. MJF being the traditional heel he is rolled out of the ring the second Billy tried to get his hands on him. After Billy did finally get his hands on MJF and he knocked him down, MJF got up and walked back up the entrance ramp. Billy followed and brought him back on his shoulders.

The salt of the earth then gets a small advantage over Billy and he played it to the max, repeatedly hitting and injuring the left knee. After working on the knee for a while he attempted to slam Billy’s knee into the steel ring post. However, MJF got distracted by Austin Gunn Billy pulled him face-first into the post. Wardlow then ran over while the referee was distracted to repeatedly slam Billy’s injured knee into the post.

Back in the ring, MJF took greater control over his opponent. Targeting the knee while mocking Jungle Boy, who was sat in the crowd. Billy tried to fight MJF off as he limped around the ring clearly struggling on his left knee. After Billy missed a move MJF locked him into a figure four submission. Referee Aubrey Edwards broke the submission after MJF used the ropes for support.

With a distracted referee, Wardlow threw the Dynamite diamond ring to MJF who set about preparing to knock Billy out. To let MJF set up the punch Wardlow attacks Austin Gunn which brought Billy out of the ring. After Billy threw Wardlow into a barrier, he returned to the ring and got knocked out by MJF.

Another really enjoyable match. It was set up in a clever way as Billy put over a younger competitor without making it obvious or burying himself. Billy could have believably won and only lost due to Wardlow’s help and MJF’s cheating.

Winner: MJF

After MJF touted Jurassic Express the whole match, we saw a huge brawl break out between MJF, Wardlow and Jurassic Express. Setting up a lumberjack match between Wardlow and Luchasaurus on Dynamite next week.

We then jumped to a segment where Tony Schiavone told Dr Britt Baker that Penelope Ford will be challenging for the AEW Women’s World Championship at Fyter Fest. After telling her this announcement, Britt screamed that she and Tony are on a friendship time out. She screamed to Rebel to drive away but instead, it was Big Swole at the wheel who speeded off with Britt.

TNT Championship Match: Cody (w/ Arn Anderson) Vs Ricky Starks

After Cody contemplated if he is still an Elite member or if there even is a Nightmare family anymore, it was time for the open challenge for his TNT Championship. This week, we had no idea who would be coming down to the ring, Arn Anderson quickly announced that it would be former NWA Television Champion Ricky Starks.

After some back and forth between the two, Cody seemed to take control quickly, diving out of the ring after Ricky rolled out. Ricky saw his opportunity as he threw him into the ropes and then continued to beat him down. Cody started to really struggle as he was being beaten down by Ricky. You could see him losing a battle with fatigue. Ricky traps his opponent in the ropes and pressed onto Cody’s neck.

Ricky hits a swinging DDT, but Cody started to counter back. This is until Ricky kicks him back down into the ring and locks in a headlock. Ricky tries another swinging DDT but Cody counters again. Flying his opponent into the ring, he attempted a cross-Rhodes, but Ricky fought out. Cody slammed him into the ring, but Ricky counters he climbed to the top rope and suplex Cody back first.

Ricky Starks hit a beautiful spear but it’s only a two-count. Ricky took a moment to regroup but this gave Cody some fight once again who repeatedly rolls him up. Cody then saw his chance to hit a cross-Rhodes and he won the match.

Great match a proper hard-fought brawl. Didn’t bury Ricky in any way, made him look like an amazing competitor. He controlled the match and Cody, who generally seemed beaten down. Cody’s win wasn’t down to control it was a quick outsmart move against Ricky.

Winner: Still TNT Champion, Cody

Superbad Squad (w/ Penelope Ford) Vs Young Bucks

The Bucks of Youth started off strong, focused on teaming up against Sabian and Havoc. The fighting left the ring as both teams brawled with one another. The Bucks got distracted having a screaming match with The Butcher and The Blade at ringside. Once both teams were back in the ring Kip tried to attack the Bucks but that didn’t go to plan. Nick and Matt seemed to be having fun outsmarting and beating the Superbad Squad.

After a pretty even competition within the ring from both teams, Kip sought some relief as he rolled out of the ring. Unfortunately for him, Matt flew straight through the ropes into Kip. Butcher and Blade jumped over the barrier trying to confront the Bucks but instead, FTR came running to the ring and these two teams spent the rest of the match bickering amongst themselves.

Havoc took advantage of the distraction as he hit Matt with a wet floor sign, which only got him a two-count. Havoc and Sabian now started to turn the match, mocking the Bucks. Superbad Squad had some superb double-teaming moves. In true Jimmy Havoc fashion, he hanged Matt Jackson using Matt’s bandages. There were lots of distraction tactics from Superbad Squad. Including Penelope Ford coming into the ring and hitting Nick with the wet floor sign.

A beaten-down Matt finally got the strength to tag back out of the match. After multiple superkicks and a rising knee strike, Nick locked Kip Sabian up in the sharpshooter. Havoc then got involved and hit Matt with a fisherman DDT before Superbad Squad performed an assisted DDT on Nick, for a two-count.

Matt hit a Northern lights suplex, Nick jumped into the match and the Young Bucks focused on working together to beat Superbad Squad. They hit risky business but Havoc managed to kick out. Matt threw Havoc into Sabian. Hit a double suplex. Then the Bucks have a Superkick Party, threw Havoc into Sabian’s arm and forced him to piledrive his own teammate. Bucks pinned and won the match.

This was easily the best match of the show. There were so many near misses you truly didn’t know who would win. Both teams put on an incredible tag match which is rather spectacular when you realise Havoc and Sabian haven’t been a team for long.

Winner: Young Bucks

We then joined Rebel who was running through a car park trying to find Dr Britt Baker. Rebel found Britt in a dumpster. After Rebel tried to get Britt out of the dumpster, she was fired, but only for a second. Britt screamed that neither Rebel nor Tony Schiavone tried to save her.

AEW World Tag Team Championship Number 1 Contender Match: Le Sex Gods (Sammy Guevara & Chris Jericho) Vs Best Friends (Trent & Chuck)

What possible team is crazy enough put their number 1 contender spot on the line? Well, Best Friends did this week, all to protect the honour of Orange Cassidy. Cassidy was attacked last week by the Inner Circle and beaten with a bag of oranges, so naturally, Best Friends wanted revenge.

Trent and Chuckie T didn’t focus on sticking to the rules as straight away they started beating Le Sex Gods, taking the action outside the ring. After throwing both Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho into different barriers Best Friends returned to the ring with Jericho. After moments of continued control from Chuckie T Jericho starts to counter back. Sensing trouble Chuckie desperately focuses on targeting his opponent’s knee before he tagged out to Trent.

The action returned outside the ring as Trent flew into Jericho, not realising Jericho had picked up Floyd the baseball bat. Jericho used his cheating ways to take over control. Throwing Trent into barriers and the side of the ring.

Sammy returned Trent to the ring and Le Sex Gods continued their control. The team got a few near falls as they focus on double-teaming. Another desperate move by Best Friends as Trent spotted a mistake stomps into Sammy’s chest and tagged out to Chuckie. After knocking Jericho out of the ring, Chuckie hit a Falcon Arrow on Sammy, but ultimately it is only a two-count. Succeeding the unsuccessful count, Trent tried to counter against Jericho but, to no avail, as Jericho hit the Walls, he crawled his way to freedom, but Chuckie was nowhere to seen to tag in.

Best Friends managed to regroup. Sammy tagged in but the Best Friends hit a well-defined assisted suplex off the top rope, getting an extremely close count until Jericho broke it up. Le Sex Gods focal point now became hitting big moves on Trent to get the win. Sammy hit a shooting star press and then lift Trent up, quickly though Trent broke the hold. After interference from a cameraman pulling Sammy down, Trent got the win for Best Friends.

The said cameraman started to climb into the ring, revealing he was, in fact, Orange Cassidy. Cassidy was certainly fired up as he beat down Jericho repeatedly and then hit a superman punch. Quickly announced by the commentary team that Orange Cassidy will face Chris Jericho at Fyter Fest.

Le Sex Gods and Best Friends put on another awe-inspiring tag team match. This match had everything, they brawled, hit impressive moves and both teams fought until there wasn’t much left in the tank. While Sammy Guevara was the one to be pinned he wasn’t sacrificed unlike we have seen in previous weeks. Sammy hit his own superb moves and even took control over Best Friends. The ending was also a nice to preview to a more fired up, caring Orange Cassidy, who may be the Cassidy turning up to Fyter Fest.

Winner: Best Friends

Another tremendous Dynamite show by AEW. While the first match had problems and it’s start left a sour taste, you quickly forgot that as the show continued with a noteworthy match after a noteworthy match. Superbad Squad vs Young Bucks was simply exceptional. Abadon’s win against Anna Jay was a complete shock, one I am still trying to complicate. Ricky Starks also had an outstanding debut match against TNT champion Cody, one that didn’t squash him in the slightest. I cannot wait to see what AEW Dynamite features next week.

All images and videos courtesy of All Elite Wrestling

By Georgia Madden

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