(Promotion: All Elite Wrestling – Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur – Location: Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN – Episode 7 – November 13, 2019)

*Click HERE* Last Week on Dynamite *Click HERE*

*Click HERE* Full Review of AEW Full Gear PPV *Click HERE*

Quick Results

Jon Moxley defeated Michael Nakazawa.

Dark Order defeated Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Marko Stunt).

Darby Allin defeated Shawn Spears and Peter Avalon.

Nyla Rose defeated Dani Jordan.

PAC defeated Adam Page.

SCU defeated Inner Circle (Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara).

Observations

A recap of Full Gear airs.

The announcers reveal the matches scheduled for the evening.

The #AEW Doctors let Omega know that he's not medically cleared to compete pic.twitter.com/y8z9xGpVmQ — All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) November 14, 2019

An update airs about Kenny Omega’s health. A camera follows him on his medical examination. He has a black eye and torn up back. He is not cleared to participate this week. He asks the physician if Jon Moxley has been cleared and he has. Omega is clearly dejected. He runs into Michael Nakazawa who is in the hallway, and who will be facing Mox in the opening match of the night.

Overall: This was a nice segment. It got over the actual brutality of the Lights-Out match, as well as subtlely made comment about the egos of premier athletes and competitors. It clearly bothered Omega that Moxley was cleared but he wasn’t. It chips at one’s masculinity. It was a tiny thing but something that adds texture to rivalries.

Jon Moxley v. Michael Nakazawa

Moxley hits the “Paradigm Shift” in 2-3 minutes to secure the win. Short and sweet. Mox didn’t even break a sweat.

Moxley: “So that one counts, right?”

He says that he isn’t a liar. He delivered what he promised at “Full Gear.” He calls Omega a “radical son of a bitch” and that he respects him because he had the balls to do what no one else in the locker room will. He declares that he is on a pilgrimage to scorch the earth of AEW, one broken neck at a time. He calls out anyone who wants to face him.

Overall: Mox comes across and dangerous and scary. The visual from the previous segment of the damage he did to Kenny Omega along with a strong promo combine to make Mox feel like the Abdullah the Butcher of the organization.

Dark Order (Stu Grayson & Evil Uno) v. Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Marko Stunt)

Stunt and Uno start the match. Stunt feels more serious and aggressive this time around, as opposed to his most recent televised tag match.

JE are employing lots to quick tags to hold on to the momentum of the match.

Grayson hits a slingshot senton to Stunt on the apron.

Commercial.

Stunt holds on through the break before hot tagging Jungle Boy. JB goes crazy on his opponents, hitting a backflip knee drop.

The Express is heavily relying on tandem offense.

JB hits a stereo tope on the Dark Order.

Grayson hits “Nightfall” on Stunt. Uno pins Stunt after the “Fatality.”

Uno is on the microphone. He says that Stunt has potential and that he should join the Dark Order and become a Creeper. Stunt declines and is beaten down by Uno and Grayson.

JR: It’d be wonderful if someone came to help them.”

On cue, Luchasaurus’ music hits. He comes out and destroys the Creepers and the Dark Order.

The JE all embrace and pose mid-ring.

Overall: I liked this appearance by this particular combination of the Jurassic Express. They felt more aggressive and thought-out this time around. Luchasaurus was sorely missed from the act, so it is good that he is back.

Shawn Spears (w/ Tully Blanchard) v. Peter Avalon (w/ Leva Bates) v. Darby Allin

Avalon briefly gets on the microphone to irritate the crowd.

Allin skates down the ramp and beats his board on the steps when he arrives at ringside.

Avalon leaps from the top rope and proceeds to miss both opponents. Splat. They toss him from the ring.

Allin rocks Spears with a slingshot armdrag.

Spears dumps Allin over the top rope. Allin takes a bad spill.

Janela is out and attacks Spears.

Allin rolls up Avalon for two. He hits a “Floating Stunner” and the “Coffin Drop” for the victory.

Audience: “Darby! Darby!”

Allin: “Jon Moxley, I accept.”

Short, sweet and effective.

Overall: This was a clever way to mask what was essentially a squash. I like that AEW doesn’t stuff every piece of talent into every episode. We haven’t seen Allin since he challenged for the title back in week 3. It’s that type of presentation that helps talent remain fresh and exciting to the weekly viewer.

Nyla Rose v. Dani Jordan

Moxley v. Allin is announced for next week.

Rose boots Jordan. Jordan escapes a chokeslam. Rose assaults her with a clothesline, followed by another in the corner. She hits the “Beastbomb” for the pinfall.

Overall: Rose is physically impressive but I don’t care about her. I don’t feel a connection with the fans.

Update airs about Dustin Rhodes’ health.

Next week: There will be a “Dynamite Dozen” battle royale. The last two participants left in the ring will compete the following week against one another for a diamond ring.

Interview: Allie

Tony Schiavone and Allie are on the ramp for an interview. Allie is #4 in the rankings. Allie says she is happy to be in Nashville. She has proven herself on “Dark” and would now like to prove herself on Dynamite.

The lights go out.

Awesome Kong and Brandi Rhodes appear on the stage. Allie tries to attack Kong but gets destroyed in the process. Kongs cuts off a lock of her hair…and smells it.

Overall: Eww…

Le Champion Speaks

Chris Jericho enters the rings wearing aviator sunglasses, black tights, and a blue glittery jacket.

He demands a “thank you” for defeating Rhodes at Full Gear. He brags that he has beaten everyone put before him.

Lights out.

MJF rises from stage to Rhodes’ complete entrance including music and pyro.

Audience: “Asshole. Asshole”

MJF says that the people don’t like him because they are upset that he threw in the towel last Saturday. He states that if he didn’t do it, Cody’s career would be over. He goes on to say that Cody has actually been the villain all along because he doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself and that he is the only one who knew the truth. He calls Rhodes a liar, user and abuser who only wanted to make him his puppet.

Audience: “Bullshit!”

Friedman says that the only “bullshit” is that Cody cared about him. He only wanted to hold him under his thumb. He proclaims that he is the new “face” of AEW. He is better than Cody, and Cody knows it.

He then addresses Chris Jericho. The two play a cat-and-mouse game of “I heard you wanna joint the Inner Circle” and Do you want me to join the Inner Circle. It’s funny and childish. Neither wants to be the one to be rejected by the other. They also take shots at one another.

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MJF says that Jericho might like the bubbly a little too much.

Jericho says that “both are from Long Island, both have three-letter nicknames, both love scarves…(both are) funny guys (and) crushingly handsome.”

He thinks MJF wants to BE him.

“It’s like your parents got horny while they were watching me beat up Juventud Guerrera 25 years ago on WCW Saturday Night and nine months later your little twerp-ass popped out.”

MJF: “Who the hell is ‘Juvi?'”

Jericho: “Google it, baby, Google it.”

More back-and-forth about joining the Inner Circle.

Both men agree that Rhodes is the biggest jackass in the company. They hug.

Cody Rhodes walks out to no fanfare. He bolts to the ring and jumps both guys. Out of nowhere, Wardlow enters the ring dressed in a tailored suit and wearing a dark tailored suit and a Burberry tie. He levels the “American Nightmare” with a clothesline and then falls him with an “F5.” He rips off his necktie and forces it over Rhodes’ head.

JR shouts for help. Cody is visibly busted open.

Overall: Another great segment. In some ways, the pissing contest between Jericho and MJF is reminiscent of the AEW champion’s famous debut on Monday Night Raw against the Rock (Dwayne Johnson). That was his coming out as a main-event-level mouth. This served the same function for MJF. They are better served as equals rather than partners. Foes would be fun, as well, though.

Interesting way to debut Wardlow. As Jericho’s heavy, I hope he is booked to have personality, unlike the way Hager is presented. (Note: Hager has been used perfectly so far, I just want there to be a line of delineation between the two heaters.)

PAC v. “Hangman” Adam Page

PAC misses a “Shooting Star” press.

Page dazzles with a “Tope Suicida” to the floor. He follows up with a power bomb.

Audience: “Cowboy shit!”

Page counters a dropkick with a big boot.

Ross compares PAC to Tom Billington (BKA: the Dynamite Kid).

Page drops PAC spine-first on the apron. Moonsault to the floor.

Commercial.

Page goes for the “Buckshot” lariat but eats a savate kick. Page lariat-oooo.

PAC attacks with an enziguri and cradle for two.

Audience: “This is awesome!”

Page hits a brainbuster on the floor. Back in the ring, it’s a “Buckshot” lariat for a nearfall.

PAC fires back with a pump kick. He stomps Page. During a fracas, Page hesitates. The announcers explain this is sportsmanship. PAC capitalizes and gets the “Black Arrow” and “Brutalizer” for the victory.

A WILD ORANGE HAS APPEARED! pic.twitter.com/dbw5Uw8wzg — All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) November 14, 2019

Backstage Brawl

Backstage, the Young Bucks and Santana & Ortiz are brawling.

Matt powerslams Ortiz through a table.

Santana leaps off a forklift.

Matt is down.

Santana and Nick brawl into the bathroom, where Orange Cassidy is casually standing.

Commercial.

The fight has now spread out into the arena. All four men are battling on the ramp. Matt is down selling an injured shoulder.

Nick is on his knees as the Proud & Powerful beat on him with a sock full of baseballs.

Santana paints a circle on a table and he and Ortiz powerbomb Matt through it.

Brandon Cutler is out for the save.

P&P pretends to back off, only to mug Cutler.

Finally, the Private Party is out to end the segment.

After the commercial, it’s announced the Private Party will face Santana & Ortiz next week.

AEW World Tag Team Championship

SCU (Scorpio Sky & Frankie Kazarian) (c) (w/ Christopher Daniels) v. Inner Circle (Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara) (w/ Jake Hager)

Kaz and Jericho hook up for the first time in their careers.

Kazarian snaps Guevara over his knee. He follows up with a “German.”

The “Spanish God” comes back with a dropkick. He combos a standing “Spanish Fly” and a missed “Shooting Star” press.

Sky tags in. He dropkicks both members of the Inner Circle. He lays out Guevara with a hanging neck breaker.

Jake Hager attacks Kazarian. Daniels dives on Hager, who catches and dumps him.

Jericho tags in.

Sky catches the champ with a “Lou Thesz” press, stomp to the spine and TKO for a nearfall.

Jericho misses a dropkick.

Sky misses an elbow off the top, but then he blocks a “Lionsault.”

Jericho fires off a “Codebreaker” for two.

Scorpio Sky catches “Le Champion” in a small package to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championship.

Jericho throws a tantrum as the show goes off the air.

Overall: Wow! Shocker! A clean unexpected finish that both avoids a messy schmaz finish, as well as set up a title bout between Jericho & Sky down the road. Earlier, the announcers made sure to point out that Jericho was undefeated in the company, which added to the punch of the three-count.

Overall

Another great edition of Dynamite.

I think there was a (welcomed) concerted effort to work in more enhancement matches (the opener and the three-way). PAC and Hangman covered the “good” match of the show. I like the ratio and formula. The show clipped nicely along.

The debut of Wardlow was unexpected and well-handled. Now that the first PPV cycle is over, the company can slowly filter some new names in the mix. MJF and Wardlow isn’t a combination that would have immediately come to mind…but now that I’ve seen them together they make absolutely perfect sense. New to a large percentage of the viewing audience, I think AEW fans are really gonna take to the monster Wardlow as a heel. He has the size, attitude and physicality to inspire hate.

I know that Moxley is presented as a long, but I’d rather prefer that he and Darby Allin become uneasy allies. Perhaps occasional tag partners? I’m hoping next week’s match between the two heads off in that direction.

And a final shoutout to Justin Roberts. He has always been good in his role as ring announcer dating back to his days in the WWE, but he has developed a gravitas and resonance as an announcer that has caught my attention. He has quickly developed into the Michael Buffer of the organization.

To be continued…

-Ted Zep

More Wrestling Coverage

AEW Full Gear (2019)

AEW Dynamite (11/6): Omega/Page vs. Jericho/Guevara

AEW Dynamite (10/30/19): Episode 5

AEW Dynamite (10/23/19): Episode 4

PCW: Sunday Melee (2016)