AEW Dynamite live results: Final build to Fyter Fest
Tonight’s AEW Dynamite serves as the go-home show for Fyter Fest.
The most heavily pushed thing on the show is a face-to-face confrontation between Chris Jericho and Orange Cassidy. Two weeks ago on Dynamite, Jericho and The Inner Circle attacked Cassidy with a bag of oranges.
Cassidy got a measure of revenge on last week’s Dynamite when he provided a distraction that cost Jericho and Sammy Guevara a chance to challenge for the tag titles at Fyter Fest. Subsequently, Jericho vs. Cassidy was announced for Fyter Fest.
Guevara was originally set to face Matt Hardy on tonight’s show. Following Guevara’s suspension, that match has been changed to Hardy vs. Santana.
Brian Cage will be in action tonight ahead of challenging for Jon Moxley’s AEW World Championship at Fyter Fest. Moxley was supposed to be in action tonight but was pulled from the show as a precaution due to having contact with someone who had contact with someone who has COVID-19.
QT Marshall is also off tonight’s show due to having brief contact with a non-wrestling acquaintance who has since tested positive for COVID-19. FTR were originally supposed to face Marshall & Dustin Rhodes and will now take on SCU’s Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian.
Luchasaurus vs. Wardlow in a lumberjack match, Mr. Brodie Lee & Colt Cabana vs. Joey Janela & Sonny Kiss, AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida in action, and highlights from a press conference for the TNT Championship match at Fyter Fest have also been announced for tonight’s show.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
**********
Lumberjack match: Wardlow defeated Luchasaurus
This was a solid opener featuring two athletic big guys.
They opened with dueling shoulder blocks. MJF tripped Luchasaurus on the apron allowing Wardlow to establish control of the match. Wardlow gouged the face and ripped at the mask.
Luchasaurus came back with chops and a tail whip. He followed with a standing moonsault for a two count. Luchasaurus hit a pump kick.
They climbed the ropes. Wardlow hit a superplex for a near fall. Luchasaurus reversed a whip and hit something resembling a Spanish fly for a two count. Wardlow rolled to the ramp where he hit a slam.
The lumberjacks began brawling. Wardlow and Luchasaurus fought to the stage. Wardlow threw Brandon Cutler and Marko Stunt off the stage on top of a pile of lumberjacks. Luchasaurus sent Wardlow off the stage with a roundhouse kick and followed up with a shooting star press off the stage.
Back in the ring, Luchasurus hit a chokeslam. MJF jumped on the apron and took the referee. Jungle Boy charged MJF and hit a tope.
With the ref distracted, Wardlow hit a low blow and an F-10 for the pin.
**********
After the match, MJF went after Jungle Boy. A brawl broke out in the ring and they had a pull-apart.
Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy vs. MJF and Wardlow was announced for Fyter Fest.
**********
A Taz video promo aired. He broke down the technique involved in some of Brian Cage’s moves, including the Drill Claw.
The announcers previewed the rest of the card.
Tony Schiavone read notes from Britt Baker. Baker was in a golf cart surrounded by plexiglass. She wanted a clinical diagnosis on why Luchasaurus had a green tongue.
**********
Hikaru Shida entered for her match. Penelope Ford took a swing at Shida from behind the barricade. The two exchanged words.
Hikaru Shida defeated Red Velvet
Shida hit a high knee and a falcon arrow for the pin. That was the entire match.
**********
After the match, Shida attacked Ford and Kip Sabian. They were pulled apart.
**********
The announcers threw to highlights from the TNT Championship press conference.
Jake Hager was not present as the press conference.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated reporters asked both questions. I could be wrong, but I think they used names of fake reporters from PWI history. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong.
A reporter asked Arn Anderson if he was surprised that Hager wasn’t there.
Arn cut a strong promo on Hager. He said he fired Cody up last week when Hager made a challenge from a safe distance. He said Hager might have the credentials to be a champion but he doesn’t have the heart.
Cody answered a question about what the TNT title means to him. He said it represents hope. He said Ricky Starks coming to Dynamite with just three dollars in his checking account last week and leaving with a job is hope.
Cody said he loves real wrestling, not cosplay wrestling or meta wrestling. He said he loves to taste his own blood and wrestling has fed him his entire life. This was a nice promo but I’m not sure what it had to do with Hager.
Hager and his wife Catalina entered. Hager and Cody faced off for the cameras. They did a brief pull-apart after Hager put his fist on Cody’s jaw but no punches were thrown.
As they were leaving, Catalina threw a glass of water on Cody.
**********
A Sonny Kiss and Joey Janela vignette aired.
Kiss gave Janela a pep talk as they drove along. Kiss said everyone loses themselves now and again and Janela will be fine.
They pulled into a gas station. Kiss filled up the car while Janela went inside to get food. A group of dudes showed up and started trouble with Kiss. Janela and Kiss fought off the dudes and drove off.
Kiss said he could get used to this team thing. Janela said he could too.
I found the execution of these vignettes a little clunky, but an excellent idea to give both Kiss and Janela some depth to their characters and explain why they’re now a team. An overall win.
**********
Mr. Brodie Lee & Colt Cabana defeated Sonny Kiss & Joey Janela
This was a good match but it felt like the wrong duo won. Kiss and Janela came off as much more interesting than whatever this Cabana/Dark Order story is.
Kiss and Lee began. Lee hit some power moves and Kiss tagged out. Lee dropped Janela with a shoulder block and tagged Cabana, giving instructions on how to attack from the apron.
Cabana was immediately cut off. Kiss and Janela hit some nice tandem offense including a Hart Attack clothesline. Kiss tagged in and used a crab on Cabana. Lee interfered to break it up. Dark Order creepers interfered and Cabana got the heat on Kiss.
Lee and Cabana used quick tags in working Kiss over during a commercial break. After, Cabana missed a flying apple. Janela got a tag. He flipped off Lee and hit a DVD on Cabana for a two count.
Janela hit a moonsault off the post onto Lee on the floor. Kiss hit a moonsault off the post to Cabana on the floor. An awesome spot. Back in the ring, Kiss hit Cabana with a 450. Janela covered but Lee broke up the pin.
Cabana slid out of a doomsday device and used a cradle on Janela for a two count. Kiss hit a high cross off the post onto Alex Reynolds and John Silver. Lee hit Kiss with a lariat on the floor.
Janela tried a tope suicida but Lee threw Janela into the barricade. Lee hit Janela with a discus lariat and allowed Cabana to cover Janela for the pin.
**********
Lee raised Cabana’s hand after the win. Cabana celebrated with Dark Order.
Kiss helped Janela out of the ring. Lance Archer ran in and laid out both Kiss and Janela. Jake Roberts pulled Archer away saying this wasn’t worth Archer’s time.
**********
A video package aired showing Shawn Spears laying out Pineapple Pete with a loaded glove on Dark.
**********
FTR defeated SCU
These guys had a tag match straight out of 1988 and I mean that as a compliment. This was superb.
FTR got the first bit of offense. All four then brawled to the floor before a commercial break. Kazarian and Daniels worked over Wheeler during the commercials.
Harwood got a tag and hit a series of snap suplexes. Harwood hit a slingshot suplex on Daniels for a two count.
Kazarian took the ref. Daniels used an inside cradle on Harwood. Wheeler jumped in and reversed the cradle with the ref’s back turned. Daniels kicked out.
Kazarian and Wheeler got tags. They traded chops and lariats. Kazarian hit a back stabber and an unprettier for a near fall.
Daniels tagged in. Wheeler escaped an SCU Later attempt and launched Daniels into the buckle. Wheeler held Daniels while Harwood hit a legdrop off the buckle for a two count.
SCU hit a powerbomb/neckbreaker combo but Harwood kicked out. Daniels hit Angels Wings on Harwood but Wheeler broke it up. Harwood cradled Daniels for two.
Wheeler blind tagged in. Wheeler and Harwood hit the Goodnight Express and pinned Daniels.
**********
Harwood cut a promo after the match. He said FTR weren’t welcomed when they arrived in AEW. Harwood said there are good guys and bad guys and he and Wheeler are the baddest guys.
Harwood cut a promo on Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus, then The Young Bucks.
Harwood was interrupted by The Blade. Butcher and Blade were in FTR’s truck.
Lucha Bros entered the ring. Blade challenged FTR and the Bucks to face Butcher, Blade and Lucha Bros at Fyter Fest in an 8-man tag.
Lucha Bros hit FTR with their package driver double stomp combo. The Bucks ran in for the save.
Lucha Bros, Butcher and Blade drove away in FTR’s truck.
**********
A video package for the tag title match at Fyter Fest aired. This was good.
Schiavone, Taz, JR and Excalibur served as talking heads during this segment. They contrasted the odd couple of Omega and Page with Best Friends.
Omega said he and Page might not be best friends but they’re the best wrestlers.
**********
A Moxley/Cage hype video aired. Moxley said he realized when Cage put him through a windshield that if Cage wasn’t after his title they might have been friends.
The same talking heads discussed the match. This was well done.
**********
Taz joined commentary for the next match.
Brian Cage defeated Jon Cruz
Cage won a squash after hitting a variety of throws and suplexes and pinning Cruz with the Drill Claw.
**********
Taz went to the ring and cut a great promo after the match. He called out for Moxley and asked where he was. He mocked Moxley for being home with a bullshit excuse.
Taz said Cage is Moxley’s fate and Moxley’s championship is in grave danger. He said it’s good Mox isn’t there because Cage is unsafe.
Taz told Mox to ask himself if he can stop the path of Cage at Fyter Fest.
**********
Lee and Cabana were backstage discussing their win. Cabana said winning feels good. Lee said our lives are filled with defeats but it’s how we come back from them that makes sense.
Lee cut a promo on SCU. He said he’s bringing his best men to Fyter Fest and he wants them to do the same. Cabana acted unsure if this was a good idea. Lee assured him it would be fine.
**********
Jurassic Express vs. MJF & Wardlow, Private Party vs. Santana & Ortiz, Hikaru Shida vs. Penelope Ford for the AEW Women’s World title, Cody vs. Jake Hager for the TNT Championship and Omega & Page vs. Best Friends for the tag titles were announced for night one of Fyter Fest.
Night two will have Nyla Rose in action, Lance Archer vs. Joey Janela, SCU vs. Brodie Lee, Colt Cabana & Stu Grayson, Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho, Young Bucks & FTR vs Lucha Bros, Butcher & Blade and Jon Moxley vs. Brian Cage for the AEW World title.
**********
Britt Baker had Tony read a note. Baker said Big Swole was the biggest piece of trash on the roster. Swole appeared and dumped trash on Baker.
**********
Matt Hardy defeated Santana
This was all about setting up Private Party vs. Santana and Ortiz.
Matt was not moving well tonight. He has a lot of value as a mind and as a character, but a TV match every week isn’t good for him at this stage of the game.
Santana started off with some chops. Hardy came back with chops of his own as the action spilled to the floor. Santana took the referee and Ortiz tripped Hardy on the apron. This allowed Santana to work Hardy over during a commercial break.
Santana countered a side effect with a uranage for a near fall. Santana hit a quebrada for a near fall. Santana missed a frog splash and sold his ribs.
Hardy made his comeback. He hit a side effect but Santana kicked out at one. Hardy hit a second side effect and Santana kicked out at two. He hit a third and Santana kicked out again.
Hardy caught Santana coming off the top rope and hit a kick. Hardy hit an inverted DDT and made a cover. Ortiz took the referee.
For the finish, Santana hit a sit-out DVD and cradled Hardy. Hardy reversed the cradle and got the flash pin.
**********
Santana and Ortiz beat down Hardy with a madball after the match. They then hit the Street Sweeper. Private Party ran in for the late save.
**********
Orange Cassidy and Chris Jericho entered for the main event segment.
Jericho told the “why did the chicken cross the road?” joke three times. He compared Cassidy to the joke. A little bit funny and amusing at first, but stupid when you think about it.
Jericho said when he heard that AEW signed Cassidy he called Tony Khan, Kenny Omega and The Bucks and asked why. He said he then watched some of his stuff and understood that he got over on his own by being different.
Jericho said Orange got out of his lane when he stepped in Le Champion’s face. He said if he tries any bullshit, kick the shins offense at Fyter Fest, Jericho will knock his teeth down his throat.
Jericho said Cassidy will run out of Juice at Fyter Fest. This was a superb promo. It was everything that it should have been.
Cassidy hit his light shin kicks to Jericho. Jericho took Cassidy’s glasses off and crushed them.
Cassidy got a takedown and began beating Jericho around the arena.
Jericho made a comeback and pulled Orange’s jacket over his head. Cassidy then made a comeback. They continued going back and forth as they brawled into the stands.
Jericho hit Cassidy with pieces of barricade and a camera boom. Cassidy dropped Jericho’s face on a railing. Cassidy was bleeding from the ear.
Cassidy hit a superman punch and sent Jericho crashing through a table. Cassidy stood tall as the show ended.