Team FTW looked to make a statement tonight on AEW and they had a major surprise up their sleeve.
AEW World Tag Team Championship match: Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs Top Flight (Darius & Daunte Martin)
After a good primer package that gave some context about brother tag team Top Flight to the audience, the two teams went at it.
Darius Martin and Nick Jackson started out as he managed to get the better of Nick Jackson and allow him and his brother to hit some impressive acrobatics and swift kicks to the champions.
Check out the hops here ? @TopFlight612 #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/X8y89m9GKL
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
The Young Bucks were forced to uncharacteristically slow down the pace of the match as they looked to prevent Daunte Martin from getting the tag and wearing him down in their corner as much as possible.
Daunte managed to fight his way out with a shove to Matt knocking down Nick and an impressive corkscrew tor-knee-do. This gave him the room to make the hot tag to his brother.
Cleaning house off the tag, Darius hit a standing Spanish Fly that got a two-count and followed with a lightning-fast combo with his brother of a suicide dive and a Tope Con Hilo.
Big respect to @TopFlight612 after that match ? #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/ejzagOXjhH
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
A tremendous running avalanche Frankensteiner still couldn’t put the Bucks away who eventually took the win after isolating Daunte once again and hitting him with the BTE trigger.
After the match, the Hybrid 2 attacked Top Flight before the Bucks chased them off.
This was a great, frenetic opener that made it clear Top Flight is a team to keep an eye on. A match between these two and Private Party would likely be sensational.
The Inner Circle slays Las Vegas
Look, half of why this segment was so enjoyable to watch was due to the jokes so I won’t spoil them here. Needless to say, there was plenty of drinking, hilarity and one-upmanship between the group members and even a surprise cameo buried in a silly homage to The Hangover.
Moxley hides a personal announcement in a fantastic promo
Moxley gave a great to camera promo backstage where he discussed how he managed to be the AEW World Champion for so long. He told a story about his dad who told him that “we’re the good guys” no matter what. During his promo, he announced his wife, Renee Paquette, was pregnant and finished off by saying he would sign the contract and make sure Kenny Omega knew he was the best wrestler in the world.
Great promo once again from Moxley and congratulations to him and Renee on their news.
Orange Cassidy vs Kip Sabian w/ Penelope Ford
Miro joined commentary while Cassidy made it clear that Best Friends could stay in the back for this one.
Cassidy’s sloth gimmick didn’t faze Sabian as he immediately started utilising British mat wrestling with Cassidy to wear him down. Despite this, Cassidy managed a deft counter from a drop toe-hold into a casual walk away. He followed with his trademark impressive athleticism all with his hands deep in his pockets.
.@orangecassidy you are absolutely amazing #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/LZ5TeUFNeD
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
A distraction from Ford allowed Sabian to take advantage as the show headed into the break. Coming back, Cassidy attempted a comeback with a diving DDT getting a close two-count but Sabian wouldn’t let up the control for long.
A stiff punt from Sabian got a close two-count but a follow up draping neckbreaker was countered into a roll-up and mouse trap pin by Cassidy who took the victory.
Look at @TheKipSabian go here, impressive work ? #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/UZdwsll5kh
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
Almost immediately, Miro bolted to the ring and assaulted Cassidy before bolting with the bride and groom to be when Best Friends showed up to even the odds.
An entertaining match that demonstrated Cassidy’s ability to morph his game plan as the match progresses, which is a nice addition to his mind-game style that’s been developed.
These guys seem to be having fun with the feud and have good chemistry but Miro needs something meatier to get his teeth stuck into after this.
Winter is coming: AEW World Championship signing
Omega came to the ring in aviators coming as close to the cleaner aesthetic as we’ve seen in AEW so far. Moxley’s music hit but he didn’t appear. A cut to the back showed he’d been assaulted by a mystery assailant.
Looking at the footage, Omega told Tony Schiavone that he thinks Moxley is making excuses like he did with his elbow injury last year. He signed the contract and said there was no way Moxley was getting out of this match.
What happened to the champ @JonMoxley ? #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/E8HmBgsmnd
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
Big things are expected from this match and the mystery assailant is interesting. Could it be the Bucks paying off their heelish antics and bring a heel Elite to fruition? Was it a still bitter Eddie Kingston or could it even be a torn Hangman Page?
One thing I will mention though, I question the wisdom of naming a huge marquee match after something that’s lasting legacy is having a terrible finish.
The Blade w/ The Butcher & The Bunny vs PAC
Pac, who is in remarkable shape, began dissecting the Blade with ruthless precision. He hit Blade with a devastating shotgun dropkick followed by a kip-up but got distracted by the Butcher and Bunny on the outside which Blade took full advantage of.
Coming back from the break the pair began trading hefty strikes with Blade getting a close two count after a powerslam.
Despite more shenanigans from Blade’s friends preventing PAC from capitalising off of a huge superplex, PAC didn’t let up and managed to hit a shooting star press into the Brutalizer for the win.
BIG time impact from @BASTARDPAC ? #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/jSiQMsYNuY
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
PAC looked to get on the mic and confront Kingston but before he could, Butcher blindsided him. As Kingston taunted him, Rey Fénix came down for the save but was quickly overpowered by the group.
Then Penta El Zero M came to the ring with a chair. After teasing finishing off his brother, he instead struck the Butcher and the Blade and sided with his brother. PAC and The Lucha Brothers stood in the ring as their old theme played, Death Triangle are back together.
Death Triangle is back in business ? #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/tAjGr3gkMx
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
A great match showing of PAC’s intensity and that he’s not missed a beat while he’s been away. Also, the remainders of the Family facing off with Death Triangle is a fantastic use of this talent and could easily span a long feud leading to a one on one confrontation between PAC and Kinston.
This is easily the most exciting programme in AEW right now.
NWA Women’s World Championship match: Serena Deeb vs Thunder Rosa
The pair performed some excellent mat wrestling to start out with Rosa showing aggression as she looked to get her title back.
The pair attempted to wear each other down more over the break before Deeb locked Rosa into the Figure-Four Leglock. A clever counter saw Rosa fight to reverse the pressure then quickly switching directions to roll Deeb over to the ropes to break the hold. Clever stuff.
.@thunderrosa22 must really want that belt back #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/9j5MrAocxU
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
Rosa fought back fiercely with a huge German Suplex but suddenly Reba came to the outside and began shouting at Rosa. Britt Baker used the distraction to attack Rosa and lay her out.
Deeb tried to take advantage with a big powerbomb but Rosa still held on despite the attack.
The pair continued their intense battle with Rosa even breaking out of Deeb’s serenity lock and following up with an inverted Samoan drop for a wafer-thin two-count.
Did somebody call the doctor? @RealBrittBaker #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/L4ZkOkW8se
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
The assault was too much to overcome however as Deeb managed to hit her finisher and retain the title.
After the match, Baker had come to ringside to taunt Rosa but Rosa struck her as officials had to tear the two women apart.
A great wrestling match for the women’s division complete with a storyline development? AEW, you really are spoiling us. This was desperately needed and with the announcement of Anna Jay facing Hikaru Shida for the AEW Women’s World Championship next week, let’s hope AEW are finally trying to give the deserved focus to its women’s division.
Brian Cage & Ricky Starks vs Darby Allin & Cody Rhodes
The two teams traded tags as Allin faced off against Starks before swapping out to Cody and Cage. Cage used his power game to control the ring as he brutalised Cody while keeping Allin away from his corner to tag in.
Starks tagged into to get some offence himself but Cody got the better of him and Allin got the hot tag. Despite taking the fight to Starks, Cage snuck up and German-suplexed both Allin and his own partner.
We repeat: @MrGMSI_BCage is an ANIMAL #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/EYhP6vj2ga
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
Cody fought back against Cage but Starks hit him with a huge spear. Allin took advantage of the confusion to counter Cage’s powerbomb attempt into a Yoshitonic for a close two-count.
An attempt at Cross Rhodes from both Cody and Allin was thwarted by Cage who decimated both Cody and Allin before hitting an avalanche Drill Claw onto Allin, with assistance from Starks, to win the match in decisive fashion.
Do not try this at home ?♂️ @MrGMSI_BCage @DarbyAllin #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/qbYqsSpnvd
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
After the match, Team FTW began attacking Allin and Cody. Will Hobbs seemingly came down to the ring to make the save but in a surprise swerve, turned on Cody and Allin. Taz revealed that Hobbs had joined Team FTW and they were just getting started.
And with the next pick in the FTW Draft, Team Taz selects @TrueWillieHobbs ‼️ #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/j0aIH6wblH
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) November 19, 2020
Hobbs turn was a real surprise and is an instant star-making turn. Hobbs has always been a man to watch since his signing and this move cements him as a potential big player moving forward.
A fantastic surprise turn ended a fantastic episode of AEW Dynamite. Great matches, more story integration into the women’s division and some great fun with the Inner Circle.
All pictures and videos provided by AEW