(Promotion: All Elite Wrestling – Network: TNT – Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur – Location: State Farm Center, Champagne, IL – Episode 10 – Date: December 4, 2019)

Previously on AEW Dynamite: CLICK HERE!

Results

-Dustin Rhodes/Young Bucks d. Sammy Guevara/Proud & Powerful

-Rey Fenix d. Trent Barretta

-Nyla Rose d. Leva Bates

-Segment: Chris Jericho

-Kris Statlander d. Hikoru Shida

-Pentagon Jr. d. Christopher Daniels

-Jon Moxley d. Joey Janela

Notes

Dustin Rhodes/Young Bucks v. Sammy Guevara/Proud & Powerful

Santana & Ortiz are #1 contenders to the tag titles. Bucks are the #2 ranked tag team in AEW.

Rhodes’ arm is still in a cast.

This is the first time the Jackson brothers and Rhodes have ever tagged.

Ross calls Guevara a “young Eddie Guerrero.”

Guevara and Rhodes start the match.

The Bucks hit Guevara with an elevated dropkick. They then start doling out superkicks. A triple-superkick spot sends the Inner Circle to the floor. Rhodes puts an exclamation point on things with a flying senton!

Proud & Powerful powerbomb Matt into the corner. Guevara scores with a “Senton Atomico” for two.

Amidst the action, Rhodes stops to catch his breath.

“You still got it!” –Live Audience

Refreshed, Rhodes thrills with a diving crossbody onto his trio of opponents. He stuns Santana with a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall.

Guevara executes a breathing 630 senton for a two-count.

Rhodes hands out a hot tag.

Nick Jackson lights up his opponents.

Matt Jackson spears Guevara.

Nick superkicks Ortiz on the floor.

Audience: “A-E-Dub!”

The Inner Circle executes an atomic kneedrop/powerbomb combo to one of the Bucks.

The “Spanish God” gets his phone and records himself getting superkicked while attempting a Shooting Star Press.

Superkicks and Unnatural to Guevara.

Bucks hit a double senton piledriver to the Proud & Powerful for the win.

Observations: Killer match! So thrilling and lots of fun. Rhodes conditioning and ability at his age is inspiring.

The announcers give a rundown of the rest of the bouts scheduled for the evening.

Trent (w/ Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy) v. Rey Fenix

Jim Ross sells this as the one-on-one match of the night.

Trent comes out with Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy. Rey Fenix is out solo, as Pentagon is preparing for his match later in the evening against Christopher Daniels.

Fenix goes for a rollup and gets a nearfall. He connects with the Tiger Fake Kick (619).

Commercial break.

Fenix drives Trent into the barricade. Trent responds with a spear. Jim Ross commends Trent’s Fighting Spirit.

Fenix: Monkey flip into powerbomb for two. He runs the top rope and kicks Trent.

Trent: Lariat for two.

Chops are exchanged on the apron.

Fenix: Double-springboard stomp to Trent’s neck on the apron. Springboard splash blocked.

Trent: Running knees, stuff piledriver.

Ten-minute marker.

Fenix: Tumbleweed cutter and spinning Muscle Buster for the three-count.

Observations: Well, Fenix is clearly being heated up for something. Maybe a televised title shot? This was a very good, physical bout. It was a great showcase for both men.

Commercial break.

Cody Rhodes comes out wearing a three-piece suit. He clearly has a scar on his forehead. Tony Schiavone is in the ring, prepared to interview him. He sets him up to speak about the Butcher, the Blade, the Bunny and MJF. Rhodes says that the scar is a sign of his failure. And the attack last week feels more like failing. His brother was with the Bucks, his wife was cutting hair and MJF had kicked him square in the balls.

He says that Pepper Parks (the “Blade”) just had to ask for a match because he knew who he was from Beyond and Bar wrestling. He goes on to say that when they finally meet he will allow them to pick his partner.

Next, Rhodes addresses the fact that MJF has stated that he refuses to wrestle him. He says that he handpicked Friedman when everyone advised against it. He called MJF a “bush league NWO version of Chris Jericho.”

He wants to know what it will take to meet him in the ring.

He offers the keys to his truck, his watch, his Louboutin “Red Bottom” shoes and a briefcase containing $50,000 in cash. (To prove the money is real, his slipped a $100 bill out of one of the bands of cash and gave it to a fan at ringside.)

He says that he believes that “Max” is the future of (the company, wrestling) but he needs an education first. What is his price? What will MJF want?

*Super No Bueno Mystery Wrestling Review of the Week: CLICK HERE*

Interview: Joey Janela

Alex Marvez interview Joey Janela. Janela says that he wants to make a name for himself. He is coming for Jon Moxley.

Moxley appears and confronts him. He smirks and says “fuckin’ kids.”

Observations: Mox’s response was so disrespectful. I’m curious about what the company’s plans for Janela actually are. Now that we are approaching 3 months into the television “experiment” some names have fallen off the radar (Sonny Kiss? Shawn Spears?). Where does Janela rank as a project?

Vignette: Dark Order

Candidates are out in the woods by an open fire. They are being sworn in one-by-one. The bearded guy from the previous videos is there. They ask him if he will disown his own family to join. He says he will. He is asked his motive for joining. He says that he just wants friends. Stu Grayson boots him in the face and he is swarmed by Creepers and given a mask.

Observations: God these are great. They are well-produced and evocative. My biggest concern is the A.) the number of factions in the company and B.) the number of spooky factions. Besides the Dark Order there are at least two other horror factions: the Butcher, the Blade and the Bunny and Brandi Rhodes & Awesome Kong. It is going to feel watered down rather quickly unless strict care is given to differentiate and cultivate each group. And even then, it’s probably too much.

Nyla Rose (#4) v. Leva Bates

Nyla Rose starts the bout by booting Leva Bates in the jaw. She hangs her over the top rope and jumps off the top.

Peter Avalon interferes and instructs Rose to “shhhhhhhhhh.” She grabs his finger. Bates cracks her with a book from behind. Rose hits a double-chokeslam.

Rose buries Bates with a Beastbomb for the win.

Not pretty. Not pretty at all.

She hits a second Beastbomb.

Shanna runs out to make the save. She flies in with a crossbody.

Observations: I’m not feeling Rose at all. She shows no personality or visible charisma. It seems as if she is taking up a spot of more deserving talent.

Commercial break.

The Lexicon of Le Champion.

He stopped on "Marty" lol#AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/x1dr1kCiYo — GIF Skull – R-TruthMania #RAW (@GIFSkull) December 5, 2019

Segment: Chris Jericho

Jericho’s music hits. He comes out with Jake Hager.

JR says that Hager looks like a “bottle of Merlot” because he is dressed in all maroon.

He says that no one in Champagne has made anything of themselves and also announces that he has sold 12k bottles of “A Little Bit of the Bubbly” in just one week.

The AEW champion also reveals that he is contractually obligated to have one more match in 2019. He pulls out a clipboard that contains a list of ineligible contenders. He calls it “The Lexicon of Le Champion.” He lists of ineligible contenders like Jon Moxley, Cody Rhodes, Jon Moxley, 2 Cold Scorpio, Dean Malenko, Jon Moxley, etc…

The Jurassic Express’ music hits to interrupt him. Luchasaurus, Marko Stunt and Jungle Boy make their way to the ring.

Luchasaurus: “It doesn’t surprise me that dinosaurs are on your list. We’ve been marginalized for 65 million years.” He is shockingly eloquent.

He goes on to say the Marko Stunt is more of a man than Jericho will ever be.

The audience erupts for Jungle Boy when Jericho designates him the challenger. Le Champion points out that he hasn’t even won a match or said a single word and called him a “piece of shit.” Jericho said that he couldn’t last 10-minutes in the ring with him. d

JB took the microphone and said that not only could he last 10-minutes with the champion but he could kick his ass, too. He then slapped the AEW World Champion.

The match is then set for the 12/18 edition of Dynamite.

Observations: The Jurassic Express came off well. They didn’t back down from the threats and insults of the incumbent heel champion. In fact, I wracked my brain think of who they remind me of…and it occurred to me that they have the same chemistry and wacky charisma that Kane and X-Pac had when they won the WWF tag belts back in 1999. That is some pretty decent company.

I also like that AEW is setting up matches not one but two weeks out. It gives time to build things on tv and online and also allows for fans to ANTICIPATE the bout. It’s Wrestling 101…but how often is it done these days? Hell, when is the last time the Fed booked something two weeks out for television?

Hikaru Shida (#1) v. Kris Statlander

This is going to be an interesting encounter.

JR comments on Statlander’s “body art.”

It’s announced that Nyla Rose has been suspended for putting her hands on an official earlier in the evening.

Statlander is from the Create-a-Pro Academy.

The two briefly exchange moves before the announcers throw to commercial break.

When the show returns, they are battling on the apron.

Shida scores with a running knee strike from the apron. She combos that with a missile dropkick from the top.

Next week: Cody Rhodes & QT Marshall v. The Butcher & The Blade. Yes!

Shida gets the Fujiwara armbar but Statlander gets to the ropes. She then rocks Statlander with a second rope superplex.

Statlander: Enziguri, lariat, electric chair faceplant, scissor kick for 2.5.

Shida counters and rolls up Statlander for two. Knee strike for two.

Statlander hits a high roundhouse kick, “Big Bang Theory” (cradle tombstone) to get the pinfall and upset #1 contender.

The lights cut as the music plays.

Awesome Kong and Brandi Rhodes appear on stage. Brandi has a microphone. She addresses the audience about what she and Kong have been doing recently. Rhodes says that their “crew” is called the “Nightmare Collective,” and they are part of a grander family. She asks Statlander to “pledge” herself to the group. In return, they will take care of her.

A female fan at ringside is begging to be allowed to pledge. Kong cuts her hair as the show throws to commercial.

Observations: I’ve been far more positive about the Rhodes-Kong storyline than most critics and online commentators, but (like I mentioned earlier) this is beginning to feel like a different riff on the Dark Order. How can/will the Nightmare Collective differentiate itself from the other groups?

“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels v. Pentagon Jr.

Daniels jumps Pentagon before the bell. The two battle on the ramp.

The announcers point out the this is Daniels’ first match since June.

Audience: “Fall-en An-gel!”

Pentagon sends Daniels into the ring with a running clothesline.

The bell finally sounds, signaling the official start of the bout.

Daniels: Spear, followed by belly-to-belly suplex.

Pentagon: Ghetto stomp. He gives his opponent and Irish Whip and downs him with a running kick to the head.

Daniels counter and hits an Exploder.

Announcers: Next week Santana & Ortiz v. The Bucks in a “Texas Street Fight.”

Pentagon comes back with a Slingblade and Backstabber for two.

Daniels: Falling lariat to the back.

Audience: “Zero Miedo/S-C-U!”

Daniels: Single-leg dropkick. He misses an Arabian Facebuster on the ramp.

The announcers sell that Daniels isn’t ready to compete despite medical clearance by doctors.

Daniels connects with the Angel Wings, however, the ref is distracted.

Fenix threw Daniels’ mic stand into the ring. Daniels intercepts it.

Pentagon doles out a low blow and stumps the Fallen Angel with a Package Piledriver for the finish.

Observations: This was a hot match between two talented veterans. Daniels is bloody ageless. He has never received the mainstream credit he deserves for being such a hand in the ring. The business will be for the worse when he eventually retires.

"This is the butcher, This is the Blade, and I'm the Bunny, and we are here to cut the head of the snake" – @alliewrestling

Watch #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama 8e/7c #AEWonTNT @AEWonTNT pic.twitter.com/rjd1GuYlUg — All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) December 5, 2019

Vignette: Butcher, Blade & Bunny

Bunny declares that they are the first order of chaos. She said they are sick of Cody Rhodes’ face and she sees him everywhere. The trio is here to cut the head off of the snake.

Observations: Earlier, Brandi mentioned that the Nightmare Collective is part of a larger family. Could that family be the Butcher, the Blade and the Bunny and that’s why this all feels repetitive?

Main Event

Jon Moxley (#1) v. Joey Janela

Joey Janela enters the ring first.

Jon Moxley enters the auditorium through section 137-136. The crowd explodes for their rebel hero.

Sign: “MOX.”

The two competitors last met in a Lights Out match at FyterFest in June.

Moxley gets in with a side headlock takeover.

JR mentions that Mox’s birthday is this Saturday. He even mentions his wife “Renee.” Curious.

The bout is off to a slow and traditional beginning. The pair is trading chops.

Moxley with a headbutt to his smaller foe.

Janela executes a diving ax handle to the ramp.

Mox with an Irish Whip & lariat on the ramp.

The men are fighting on the floor.

Moxley: Release flipping suplex. Ouch!

Tony Schiavone: “El Flippo.”

Janela leaps off the top rope and scores a swinging DDT on the ramp. He continues with a Crucifix Bomb, discus elbow and boot.

Mox: Lariat.

JR about Janela: “He’s like a rash. He just won’t go away.”

Janela dives off the top rope and puts Moxley through a table. He gives him a “Macho Man” Randy Savage elbow for two.

They are battling on the ropes.

Moxley rocks the “Bad Boy” with a Paradigm Shift to the top turnbuckle. He doles out a second on the mat, with both legs hooked, for the three-count.

As Jon Moxley celebrates, Chris Jericho’s music cues. Mimicking Moxley from the previous week, Jericho enters from the audience surrounded by the Inner Circle. This time the finish was better timed, as Dynamite went off the air.

Observations: Stiff, hard-hitting bout. Moxley is secure in his position as the #1 contender. As I queried earlier, does Janela fit into the overall picture? He feels upper-midcard at this time. Will AEW pull the trigger and allow him to be the main eventer that he clearly has the potential to be?

To be continued…

More Wrestling Coverage

AEW Dynamite: Jericho v. Sky (11/27)

AEW Dynamite: Moxley v. Allin (11/20)

AEW Dynamite (11/13): SCU v. Inner Circle

NXT TakeOver: Dallas

Renaissance Man: An Interview with Mike Quackenbush