AEW Dynamite live results: Christian Cage’s in-ring debut
Christian Cage makes his AEW in-ring debut on tonight’s episode of Dynamite.
Cage, whose signing was announced at the March 7 Revolution PPV, will face SCU’s Frankie Kazarian.
The rivalry between Orange Cassidy/Best Friends and Miro, Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford will continue tonight as Cassidy and Chuck Taylor face Miro and Sabian in an Arcade Anarchy match, where arcade machines will be placed around ringside.
AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida will team with Tay Conti against Nyla Rose and The Bunny.
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega will team with Impact Wrestling’s The Good Brothers against The Lucha Brothers and Laredo Kid.
In an exhibition match, Cody Rhodes will face fellow Nightmare Family member QT Marshall. Arn Anderson will serve as the guest referee. Cody said on last week’s episode that he won’t hurt Marshall in the match if given the opportunity.
Jon Moxley will face Cezar Bononi in a singles match. JD Drake and Ryan Nemeth will be in Bononi’s corner.
MJF giving a gift to The Pinnacle has also been advertised for tonight’s show.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
**********
Christian Cage defeated Frankie Kazarian
This match was extremely decent, if that makes sense. Nothing was wrong with it, the work was pretty flawless, but it lacked energy and urgency from the start, especially going longer than 15 minutes.
Neither man could establish an advantage early on as they performed chain wrestling. A back elbow from Kazarian was the first big strike of the match, sending Christian to the ramp. Christian struck Kazarian with a hard slap but was backdropped back into the ring. Kazarian then laid in strikes in the corner before sending him off the top rope all the way to the floor.
Christian tried to attack upon-re-entry, but Kazarian surprised him with a leg drop before applying a cravat. Kazarian turned it into a front sleeler, and Christian began to fade before Kazarian hit a neckbreaker for two. He followed it up with a back suplex for another two.
A frustrated Kazarian shrugged off from shots from Christian and dropped him with one of his own. Christian made his comeback by fighting out of a corner attack and hitting a swinging DDT for two. He dropped to the floor and hit his draping right hand and the diving European uppercut for two. Christian attacked in the corner with a ten-count of right hands as the ten-minute call sounded.
Kazarian surprised Christian with a jackknife but was turned into a cradle himself for two. He went for the crossface chickenwing, but then Christian turned it around and went for the Killswitch. Christian escaped a suplex and hit a reverse DDT. He headed to the top rope, but Kazarian rolled out of the way of a diving headbutt.
Once again, Kazarian went for the crossface chickenwing, locking it on tight this time. After a long fight, Christian’s foot reached the ropes. Christian rolled Kazarian up but fell victim to a strike combination and a springboard leg drop for two. They went to the top rope and fought until Kazarian attacked with a well-placed headbutt. Kazarian followed it up with the Flux Capacitor for another near fall.
Christian avoided a springboard leg drop and landed a frog splash for a close near fall. He rolled out of a chickenwing attempt and sent Kazarian shoulder-first into the corner post before hitting the Killswitch for his first AEW victory.
**********
A Darby Allin video played where he addressed Matt Hardy. He put over Hardy’s legacy while pointing out how he’s changed. He said Hardy would have to earn Allin’s respect, because Hardy’s money doesn’t mean anything to him.
**********
A Jade Cargill video aired. She talked about Red Velvet before talking about all her physical gifts. Just like last week, she’s “that bitch.”
**********
Unsanctioned exhibition match: Cody Rhodes vs. QT Marshall w/ special guest referee Arn Anderson went to a no contest
This was a crazy angle.
All the Nightmare Factory trainees, including guys like the Gunn Club and Lee Johnson, were at ringside for this match.
Cody took Marshall down with a shoulder tackle before a criss-cross led to a series of arm drags. He teased stomping on Marshall until the latter reached the ropes. Cody then hit the Rhodes drop-down right hand but ran into a dropkick, allowing Marshall to target Cody’s shoulder through a commercial break.
Back from break, Cody turned the tables with a body slam before going for the figure four. He then opted not to apply it, based on his words from last week, before doing the same with the Cross Rhodes. Marshall starched Cody with a slap but missed a crossbody on the follow-up.
– Marshall snapped and attacked Arn with a cheap shot right hand. All the trainees ran into the ring to ostensibly make the save, but they all turned on the veterans and coaches (and Lee Johnson). Johnson took a powerbomb on the apron before a busted-open Dustin Rhodes took a piledriver from Marshall on the steel steps. The boxer Anthony Ogogo dropped Cody with a body shot.
They propped Cody up on the steel steps and Marshall was about to crack him with a chair shot, but Red Velvet ran out and got in the way of it to stop it.
The students that turned heel to join Marshall included Anthony Ogogo, Nick Comoroto, and Aaron Solow. The babyfaces were the Gunn Club, Dustin, Cody, and Lee Johnson.
**********
A video package played where Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky essentially cut the same promo overlapping with each other. They said everybody would see what they mean on Monday.
**********
Red Velvet was interviewed by Dasha about the attack but was immediately attacked by Jade Cargill, who tossed her into some crates before screaming that she’s “that bitch.”
**********
Jon Moxley cut a promo about the Good Brothers’ attack on Eddie Kingston last week. He’s confused and pissed off about everyone’s motivations and everything else going on before talking about Cezar Bononi. He said someone Bononi might be a big moneymaker, but not if Moxley kills him first.
**********
Jon Moxley defeated Cezar Bononi (w/ Ryan Nemeth & JD Drake)
Bononi overpowered Moxley at the start before Moxley took him down with a leg crank and a dragon screw. Nemeth grabbed Moxley’s boot, allowing Bononi to down him with a vertical suplex for two.
This match surprisingly went through a commercial break, where Bononi maintained control. Moxley came back with strikes but couldn’t knock the big man down before suckering Bononi in for a German suplex. Bononi’s associates got involved, but Moxley downed Nemeth with a Paradigm Shift before transitioning into a rear naked choke on Bononi for the win.
**********
Team Taz relayed a message. Taz tried to explain everything, but Ricky Starks interrupted to ask for Brian Cage’s thoughts. Cage got heated about how it took them a long time to put their opponents away, but Taz calmed everyone down and said they couldn’t be stopped.
**********
MJF’s gift to The Pinnacle
MJF introduced the gift: their new personal Pinnacle stylist. He also got them an interior decorator to remodel the locker room, including the bathroom, but when he opened the door, the Inner Circle was incide. The two stables brawled all over the backstage area, with the individual Inner Circle members gaining the upper hand each time.
Guevara sent Spears through a door, Hager tossed Wardlow through a table, Santana & Ortiz put Wheeler in an ice bath and beat down Tully and a busted-open Harwood, and Jericho gave MJF a swirlie in the toilet before sending him through a vending machine and dumping bubbly on him. They put the Inner Circle sign back on the locker room.
**********
The Young Bucks were interviewed by Alex Marvez but were interrupted by Don Callis, who told Marvez to beat it. Callis talked to Matt one-on-one, saying he loves Kenny Omega and he thought Matt did too, but last week, Matt broke Omega’s heart.
Callis tried to guilt Matt by bringing up the attack on Matt’s dad, clearly trying to provoke Matt into attacking him. Callis slapped Matt across the face, leading to Matt getting in Callis’s face, but Matt didn’t end up doing anything. Callis ended the segment saying “You make me sick.”
**********
The Lucha Bros and Laredo Kid cut a promo before the match, with Alex Abrahantes translating by saying they’re coming for all the championships.
Callis joined commentary for the match.
Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) defeated Lucha Bros (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fénix) & Laredo Kid
This was a fantastic, all-action tag match, with Laredo Kid in particular looking impressive in the same way Fénix has in recent months.
Kid attacked everyone right away with a dive, as did Fénix. They triple-teamed Omega in the ring with superkicks for two. The three luchadors then landed stereo dives on all three opponents on the floor.
With the match reset, it was Omega and Kid in the ring. Kid landed a couple moonsaults for two. Omega countered a corner attack with a running takedown before tagging in Gallows. Involvement from Anderson allowed Gallows to down Kid with a roundhouse kick.
The Good Brothers and Omega isolated Kid on their side of the ring with frequent tags and double teams, including throughout a commercial break. After the commercial, Omega and the Good Brothers landed a triple splash on Kid for two. Kid eventually reached Penta for the hot tag.
Penta hit slingblades before taggin in Fénix, who hit a double cutter. They hit their assisted cazadora splash before tagging for three consecutive dives on Anderson for two. The Good Brothers and Omega regained control with a triple team on Fénix, with Penta barely making it back in the ring to break up the count. Anderson hit a Claymore kick for two, then the Good Brothers set up for Magic Killer, before a Penta interruption led to a parade of big moves.
Fénix hit a hook kick and Penta hit a destroyer on Omega, but Anderson cut Fénix off with a spinebuster. Kid broke up the pin with a dive. Omega and Kid tagged in with a strike exchange, but Omega countered a dive into a powerbomb and a V-Trigger for two. Omega then set up for the One-Winged Angel, but Kid escaped and landed an insane tope on Omega.
Penta landed a dive on both Lucha Brothers as Omega and Kid both re-entered the ring. Fénix hit his rope-walk kick and Kid hit an great Michinoku driver on Omega for an awesome near fall. Omega avoided a Phoenix Splash, hit a V-Trigger, and hit the One-Winged Angel for the win.
– Jon Moxley, followed by the Young Bucks, walked out to face off with Omega and the Good Brothers, who bailed out of the ring.
**********
Britt Baker was interviewed by her associate Rebel. Baker talked about the new AEW Dark: Elevation show, pointing out that Thunder Rosa is on the show, which is good because her victory over Baker didn’t count in the win-loss column. Baker will continue to put Rosa and AEW on the map.
**********
A Matt Hardy promo aired before the match, pointing out that tomorrow is April 1, meaning he’ll start to make his money back.
Nyla Rose & The Bunny (w/ Vickie Guerrero, Matt Hardy, Private Party, The Butcher, & The Blade) defeated Hikaru Shida & Tay Conti (w/ Dark Order)
The teams brawled before the bell, with Rose attacking Shida with a leg drop right away. Bunny tagged in, allowing Shida to take control with a throw before going for the Fujiwara armbar. Bunny reached the ropes, leading to Shida’s draping knee lift. Shida got in Hardy’s face, allowing Rose to blindside her ahead of a commercial.
Once back, Shida made a comeback by suplexing Bunny into Rose. Conti tagged in for the first time and hit repeated judo throws before hitting multiple nice knee strikes. Out on the floor, she hit a backbreaker on Bunny right in front of Hardy. Dark Order and Hardy’s group started to brawl as Conti hit the Tay-KO, but Rose broke it up.
Shida dispatched Rose and then the two hit a convoluted dive sequence on Hardy’s group. With the official distracted, Bunny grabbed a kendo stick and whacked Conti with it, leading to the pin.
**********
Next week’s Dynamite lineup:
- Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers vs. Jon Moxley & The Young Bucks
- Tay Conti vs. The Bunny
- TNT Championship: Darby Allin (c) vs. JD Drake
- The Inner Circle returns
- Jurassic Express vs. Bear Country
Jurassic Express cut a promo on Bear Country. They brought up Godzilla vs. Kong, but Stunt had a Kong tattoo even though Godzilla’s a dinosaur like Luchasaurus.
**********
Arcade Anarchy: Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy defeated Miro & Kip Sabian (w/ Penelope Ford)
As expected, this match was a wild brawl with a ton of fun moments. The big story will be the return of both Trent and Kris Statlander but the match was great on its own terms.
This was Falls Count Anywhere with video game machines all over ringside.
Taylor and Cassidy attacked before the bell, with Taylor pairing off with Miro and Cassidy with Sabian. Miro flattened Taylor with a fallaway slam as Cassidy sent Sabian through the Whack-A-Mole machine. Miro came out of nowhere and leveled Cassidy before beating him down on the floor. He then propped up a barricade, but Taylor and Cassidy double teamed him. Miro powered out and suplexed Taylor through the barricade.
Miro grabbed a chair and beat down Cassidy in the ring before wedging the chair in the corner and sending Cassidy headfirst into it. Out of nowhere, Taylor jumped off an arcade cabinet to save Cassidy, allowing them to regain control. Cassidy then waffled Miro with a trash can lid as Taylor teed off with a kendo stick. They then used the barricade as a battering ram to take down Miro before dumping plunder on him to bury him.
Cassidy went for a cover, but Sabian came out to break it up. Sabian made a one-man comeback on both opponents, dropkicking Cassidy through a wall, but Taylor cut him off and sent him into the ring. Taylor grabbed a teddy bear and dumped out the contents: Legos.
Taylor tried to suplex Taylor onto the Legos, but Sabian escaped and powerbombed him onto them. Cassidy ran in to break up the pinfall. Cassidy hit a tornado DDT and the Beach Break for two before hitting the Orange Punch. Cassidy would’ve had it won, but Penelope pulled the official out of the ring and punted Cassidy for a low blow.
It appeared as if Penelope was going to attack Cassidy, but Kris Statlander returned by popping out of a claw machine, following it up with a fisherman’s buster through an arcade machine at ringside.
Miro showed up and tossed Cassidy the length of the ring with a biel. He attacked both opponents with a chair and propped up a table. While he did so, Trent’s mom Sue’s minivan rolled up and Trent made his return as well. The Best Friends all beat down Miro, but Miro fought them all off. Miro then made his way to the minivan, but Trent made the save.
Trent avoided having a token machine sent into his face and tossed a chair at Miro before spearing him through the propped-up table. On the stabe, Taylor hit a running powerslam through some staged tables for the win.
The Best Friends, plus Statlander, all hugged before giving Sue the thumbs up to end the show.