All Elite Wrestling
Dynamite: Winter Is Coming
December 2, 2020
Daily’s Place
Jacksonville, Florida

Meet Our Reviewers

Jeri Evans: Jeri has all their plushies facing the television so they won’t miss a moment of Moxley/Omega II. This is completely normal behavior. They are hyped up for the  main event and will try to keep their over excitement to a minimum, but the potential for overuse of caps is possible. Jeri can be found on Twitter @TheJerriest_Jer. 

Suit Williams: Suit Williams definitely isn’t upset that this episode of Dynamite was supposed to be in the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans. Suit isn’t upset that the biggest match in AEW history could have happened in front of his eyes. He’s not bitter at all. No sir, not at all. You can see Suit remain not bitter on Twitter @SuitWilliams.

Griffin Peltier: Griffin is back to review the biggest episode of Dynamite ever! Other than Dragongate and Lucha Libre AAA, All Elite Wrestling is the only wrestling he’s been keeping up with since the COVID era began. For meh Tweets and takes, follow him on Twitter @HiImGriffinP.

AEW DYNAMITE DIAMOND RING BATTLE ROYAL
ORANGE CASSIDY & MJF ADVANCE TO THE FINAL NEXT WEEK

Jeri: If anyone can get me to enjoy Battle Royals it’s usually the AEW crew. Lots going on which isn’t always the best for my ADHD tendencies but at least everyone seems to be moving and keeping it going. I won’t attempt to recap everything, but there were small stories and nods to various feuds throughout.. At one point Dark Order saves Adam Page from being eliminated, but it’s all for naught soon after. Miro got to be dominant for a bit, which is some of the most fun I’ve enjoyed him in AEW, which isn’t high praise, but it was fun. It would come down to Wardlow and MJF and Orange Cassidy who was laid out from Miro and everyone forgot wasn’t eliminated until Wardlow realized and brought him back in. Orange Cassidy would pull it off and win. It was fine, I am glad they didn’t go with the MJF thinks he won and then Orange Cassidy reveals he hasn’t been eliminated, instead having Wardlow smartly realize the situation. Depending on how you feel about Orange Cassidy will probably play a huge factor into how you feel about the result. I like Orange Cassidy, but also feel tired of him so I rather have someone else. **1/2

Suit: Battle royals always stink, but AEW has done a few good ones in the past. I was excited for this match when everyone ran into the ring and started brawling. AEW did a good job of continuing their midcard stories (Dark Order recruiting Hangman, Spears/Scorpio Sky, arrogant Matt Hardy). Miro got a chance to run wild, which would be cool if he wasn’t a complete geek. Jungle Boy took on all three of the Inner Circle entrants, but MJF eliminated both him and Guevara, with Guevara being very unhappy about it. That left MJF, Wardlow, and Orange Cassidy. Orange ran wild and eliminated Wardlow to set him up with MJF next week. I think Guevara would’ve been a more interesting second to MJF, but they still added to their tension. Orange is what he is, and I can’t see him winning the ring while dealing with the Video Game dorks. The battle royal didn’t stink, so by battle royal standards, it was a rousing success! **1/2

Griffin: There’s not much that I can say that hasn’t already been said by Jeri and Suit. There was some nice story progression for quite a few hot feuds such as Hangman Page potentially joining the Dark Order, the eventual Inner Circle implosion, and it also progressed some boring feuds like Big Money Matt Hardy, and Scorpio Sky vs. Shawn Spears. Miro had a very fun hot streak of eliminations and looked like a beast – I hope we see more of this Miro going forward. Next week has Orange Cassidy and MJF in the finals which will be a match. **1/4

CHRIS JERICHO DEF. FRANKIE KAZARIAN

Jeri: Jeebus, that spanish fly in this match was kind of scary, but thankfully it worked out. Not a bad match, and there were things I like, but not remotely exciting either. When Kazarian had Jericho in the Walls MJF teased throwing in the towel but Sammy and Wardlow stopped him BUT Jericho only saw Sammy holding the towel and misinterpreted the situation. Kazarian went for some near falls before getting caught with the Judas effect for an admittedly flat feeling ending. MJF takes credit for the victory. I’d call this solid if unspectacular. Jericho had enough of inner fighting shenanigans and next week they are going to have a discussion to keep the Inner Circle together or break it up. ** 1/2

Suit: At what age would Frankie become Frank? Just thinking out loud. The first notable spot was a scary Spanish Fly from Kazarian for a close nearfall. This match developed into the first big signs of Inner Circle dissension on all angles. Hager and Ortiz disagreed on interference, Sammy stopped MJF from throwing in the towel, but Jericho only saw Sammy with the towel. Jericho eventually got the Judas Effect and won. A solid little tv match. Afterwards, Jericho said that the Inner Circle would either get their act together or break up forever. A nice hook for next week’s show. **1/2

Griffin: This was wrestled like a preliminary bout on a 1970s MSG card. It wasn’t bad at all but it was a showcase of a main eventer against an established midcard veteran. There were a few good spots with Jericho selling for Kaz and even taking a Flux Capacitor. The Inner Circle continued to implode when Guevara stopped MJF from throwing in the towel but Jericho only saw Sammy G with the towel. After some shenanigans, Jericho hit the Judas Effect for the win. **1/2

BRITT BAKER, D.M.D. DEF. LEYLA HIRSCH

Jeri: This was okay. I keep saying stuff like fine, solid, and okay but that’s how everything has been so far. Commercial break also hurt things but I can’t imagine it being excluded would’ve increased things anyway. Hisch and Baker did work well together so that was nice. Thunder Rosa would have a pull-apart with Britt and that’s all she wrote. **1/4

Suit: This was fine. Hirsch looked decent here in another appearance on Dynamite, and Britt got the win with the Lockjaw. Thunder Rosa came out and had a pull-apart with Britt. Nothing to see here. **

Griffin: Both Hirsch and Baker worked hard and they looked fine in the ring but this suffered the usual Dynamite problem of the match going too long. Towards the end of the match, Hirsch and Baker had a fun back-and-forth trying to lock on their respective submission finishers. I think this would’ve been better if they didn’t have to go so long (which is a problem for both women’s and men’s divisions). After the match, Thunder Rosa rushed the ring and got into a pull-apart with Baker. **1/2

CODY RHODES & DARBY ALLIN DEF. RICKY STARKS & POWERHOUSE HOBBS

Jeri: ALRIGHT! I just finally got into using CAPS so you know things are about to PICK UP! “Sighs” Ricky Starks is on my T.V screen, that automatically guarantees an adequate star rating. Um er, oh yeah the match itself! After a hot start Darby Allin finds himself getting worked over by the team I’m giving the generic name of Pretty Powerful too. (You can figure out which one is which). At one point POWERHOUSE HOBBS just rag dolls Darby  when he tries to make a tag and it rules. To be fair if POWERHOUSE HOBBS is doing it, it probably rules. The hot tag comes and Cody gets back in on the action. He does some moves and then after putting down Starks, Darby gets tagged back in, Coffin drop boom done. We get post match pandemonium with everyone. Dustin Rhodes runs down, Brain Cage runs down. LIGHTS GO OUT AND IT’S ZOD DAMN STING! Team Taz bails and Sting (DID I MENTION IT’S ZOD DAMN STING) comes out and stares down Arn, stares down Dustin, stares down Cody, and has a LONG staredown with Darby. I’ve got nothing on where this leads, but I’ll follow. Oh yeah, match was good. BUT STING THOUGH!  ***¼ 

Suit: Alright, the business end of the card getting started here, 10 minutes to the top of the hour. Omega and Moxley are gonna get a ton of time. Only losers and herbs can hate the name POWERHOUSE HOBBS. Even typing it, I feel like it deserves all caps. POWERHOUSE HOBBS got 8 points in the 2003 Real World Tag League. POWERHOUSE HOBBS main evented Wrestlerock 86. POWERHOUSE HOBBS is awesome, and you’re wrong if you think otherwise. Look at him literally squeezing the life out of Darby Allin! I love it! Cody runs wild on the hot tag, and he and Darby put Starks away with a Cody Cutter into a Coffin Drop. Post match, it breaks down into a brawl with Dustin Rhodes and Brian Cage getting involved. The lights go out before WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IT’S STING! Team Taz bails out, and Sting stares down every member of the Nightmare Family and Darby before leaving. I don’t have a clue where this goes, but I’m all the way in. ***1/2

Griffin: POWERHOUSE HOBBS IS A GODDAMN BEAST! I could watch Hobbs ragdoll Darby Allin all day long! The rest of the match was very very good and all four guys put their all in the match. Darby Allin looks so great when getting his ass kicked that it makes his eventual comeback so much better. Cody Rhodes… WAIT A SECOND. STING IS HERE ON TNT! WHAT THE FUCK! This is worth it just for Tony Schavone’s reaction alone – that man was excited and marking out! Sting’s long staredown with Darby makes me think he’s going to be his on screen mentor/coach. Back to the match, quickly, it was very good and it made Powerhouse Hobbs look like a legit threat for the TNT titles. ***¾

AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
KENNY OMEGA DEF. JON MOXLEY (C)

Jeri: *takes a breath* HERE WE GO!!! I’ll try to be ‘professional’ and not fangirl in this review, especially if this match does something none of the local restaurants in my town does and delivers. We even get us some Don Callis on commentary. As the match ends, I find myself staring at my screen unsure what to write. The in ring work was very good, and there was flashes of fantastic. Both  men looked great, both men were connecting really well, and I was leaning forward and having a heck of a time. Then Kenny took at DDT to the outside and Don Callis made his way down. I got a feeling something was about to happen. Kenny back in the ring Don trying to say he’s hurt in a microphone. Moxley punches Callis, Omega gets the microphone and drills Moxley. Several impactful looking V-Triggers and the One Winged Angel and we have a new champion (and Moxley’s first loss) they bolted the fuck out of there with Callis explaining they’ll say more on Tuesday. That’s right Tuesday, because that’s when Impact is on. I probably should have seen an angle or some shenanigans play out to end the match, but I really badly wanted a clear victor and winner. Maybe that’s on me. Omega is a heel, we seem to be getting an AEW/Impact deal. I don’t know how I feel about that admittedly but I’ll give it some breathing room before making a full determination. I’m not against it, I just need to see more. I was really really hoping I’d be giving this match in the high fours or even that perfect five. Maybe my expectations were impossible to match. Again that would be on me. Alas, I don’t think it achieved it. Work was good to at time greats, I think the walk-and-brawl at the beginning needed to be cut down on. Then the ending while achieving the title change and heel turn just didn’t come off smoothly or great to me.I understand they had a destination they wanted to get to, I just felt it derailed my attachment to the match a bit. In the end though I thought the main event was very good to great, but damn I wish it had reached those heights I desperately wanted. ****

Suit: Don Callis is in on commentary for this one. This was a match of three parts. The first was before the first commercial break, where it was mostly a walk-and-brawl. Then the meat of the match was a strong back-and-forth battle where Omega had a good chunk of control before Moxley drilled Omega into a heater at ringside. Not a heater like Wardlow, I mean a big space heater for the ring. Then we got the finish. Don Callis slipped a microphone to Omega, who bloodied Moxley with it. Then Omega spammed V-Triggers before hitting the One Winged Angel and pinning Moxley to win the AEW World Title. Omega and Callis bailed out to a waiting car, with Callis telling Alex Marvez that they can find out what happened next Tuesday…ON IMPACT WRESTLING. I thought Omega was winning here. But in hindsight, it seems obvious that there was going to be some type of heel finish in the TV match to get this feud to the PPV. Omega going back on his “gentlemen’s agreement” to steal the title and screw over Moxley was one way to do it. I didn’t expect an AEW/Impact working deal to come of it, but I guess Don Callis doesn’t work for free. Did I hate this? No, but I didn’t love it. What I will say is that AEW has earned some leeway with me, so I will let this play out. With the players involved, Callis included, I think they can build to something quite special. ***3/4

Griffin: … I don’t know what to say about this. The in-ring work was fantastic and I bit on quite a few nearfalls and thought this was on its way to become a legit match of the year contender and something that felt like it was just heating up. And then they did an Omega injury angle where Don Callis ran down from the announce desk to check up on his fellow Canadian. Callis then left a microphone in the ring, Omega picked it up and used it, then proceeded to V Trigger the living Hell out of Moxley and finish with the with the One Winged Angel to become the AEW World Champion. The Manic Manitobians dashed out of the building and Don told us to tune into IMPACT on Tuesday to get some follow up on what happened. Omega is full on heel now and is affiliated with IMPACT Wrestling… and it’s completely believable that Omega may walk into 2021 as AEW World Champion, IMPACT World Champion, and AAA Mega Campeon. The match itself was great but I really wish it had a clean finish. By the way, they crashed the IMPACT website as soon as Callis vowed to give us answers on IMPACT. ****1/4