AEW Dynamite
February 2nd, 2022
Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL
Commentary: Jim Ross, Excalibur & Tony Schiavone
Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta (w/ Orange Cassidy & Danhausen)
This match was originally supposed to be Moxley against Brian Kendrick, but due to current events, Kendrick was switched out for Yuta right before the show started. The last time these two wrestled, Moxley beat him in less than a minute, so Yuta goes right after Moxley to start the match as Ross questions Danhausen’s relationship with the Best Friends and the ‘curses’. Yuta hits a dropkick knocking Moxley to the outside, where he comes face to face with Cassidy, before stopping a suicide dive from Yuta into a sleeper hold. Back inside, Moxley chops Yuta until he lands outside, just to come back and get a piledriver from Moxley for a two count into a modified STF. Moxley puts Yuta on the top rope and rakes his back, as Tony Schiavone mentions not being back at Boardwalk Hall (the home of next week’s Dynamite) since 1989. Yuta goes to the top himself, but Moxley escapes to the apron where they start fighting. Moxley hits a bunch of headbutts, and a front-faced DDT onto the apron, before getting in Cassidy’s face again. Danhausen surprises Moxley from behind, distracting him from Yuta who hits a cross body to the outside. Back inside, Moxley hits a German Suplex for a two count, followed by a cutter for a two. Yuta reverses out and hits a top rope splash for a two count. They get into a slap exchange before Moxley stops Yuta putting him into a sleeper hold, followed by a hard lariat and elbow strikes, before ending with the Paradigm Shift for the three-count.
Winner: Jon Moxley by pinfall at 7:29
Creating Greatness
As Moxley is getting up, he turns around to see Bryan Danielson in the ring as they have a stare-down. Danielson reveals a microphone and asks the crowd if they want to see them fight, which of course they say yes for. Danielson said for a long time he wanted to see them fight too because Moxley was different and he wanted to see what he had, but since Moxley came back we saw a new Jon Moxley. Danielson said he wanted to test Moxley, and he watched him and said Moxley was the best AEW World Champion. And with a little support, Moxley would still be the AEW World Champion and that’s when he realized that Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson shouldn’t be fighting, they should be fighting together. Danielson continues and says there should be no reason why millennium cowboys, dinosaurs, and vlog creators are champions and says together he and Moxley can run this place and they can be champions together, whether it be World Champions or Tag Team Champions together. Danielson suggests taking people like Wheeler Yuta, who is coming out here with jokes such as Orange Cassidy and Danhausen, and they can take him under their wings, as well as guys like Daniel Garcia and mentor them. Danielson mentions Lee Moriarty as well as training the future of professional wrestling. And even if the fans don’t like him, they know what he’s talking about right now and there’s a lot on Moxley’s plate right now so he doesn’t have to answer right now, but he wants him to think about the greatness that they can create and the legacy that Moxley wants to leave. Danielson extends his hand to Moxley, but he doesn’t give it back. Danielson says again it’s a lot of pressure and tells Moxley to think about it before leaving.
Paige Turner
When we come back from the commercial, Brandi Rhodes is in the ring and calls this town Cleveland, before getting corrected by the Chicago crowd. Right away, Dan Lambert comes out with Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page who says Brandi might have a reality show, but she needs a reality check. Lambert says Rhodes can pretend like her title is something real, but she can’t pretend that she isn’t getting booed out of this ring even by standing in the ring with someone like him, and he even feels like a decent human being standing next to her. Brandi tells Page the only reason they hired him was to get closer to getting Josh Alexander. The crowd starts chanting ‘shut the fuck up’ to Brandi and she asks if they are done. Brandi tries to get the crowd back by mentioning Lambert’s fighters losing and tells Lambert to stop spending time here and more time in ‘America’s Top Tits’. Lambert makes a joke about the Rhodes family turning face and says Brandi needs to go being face down, which Brandi smacks Lambert for. Lambert says he has a better idea for her tonight as Paige VanZant makes her way to the ring. Paige starts attacking Brandi as the women’s locker room comes out and separates them. This whole segment came off pretty bad.
Where is Darby?
We go to the AHFO where Matt Hardy tells the Private Party he is disappointed in them for not winning the tag titles and tells Sammy Guevara that Isiah Kassidy wants a TNT title shot before Andrade interrupts. Hardy asks Andrade what happened with Darby Allin, and Andrade says Darby wants more money. Hardy tells Kassidy not to fail him this Friday on Rampage and to bring home the TNT title.
Kings of the Black Throne (Brody King & Malakai Black) vs. Penta El Zero Miedo & PAC (w/ Alex Abrahantes)
Brody & Malakai are announced as the ‘Kings of the Black Throne’, but their graphic says, ‘Knights of the Black Throne’. PAC comes in with his blindfold still on as he starts the match with Malakai, but PAC attacks him and reveals the blindfold to show that his eyes are okay, before he and Penta dive onto Brody and Black on the outside. PAC tags in Penta who hits a dropkick to Black while PAC was holding his legs apart. Brody gets tagged in and attacks PAC as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back Penta is hitting sling blades on Black and Brody, followed by a DDT to Brody and a kick knocking down Black as PAC takes out Brody on the outside. Penta hits a backstabber on Black for a two-count. Black comes back with a sliding knee strike to PAC for a two count, but PAC hits a brainbuster for a two of his own. Penta and Brody come in and start trading strikes, before fighting on the apron, as Penta dives onto Brody before hitting a step-over dive. PAC charges Malakai inside, but he dodges and gets a kick from Penta. Penta and PAC try to double team, but PAC gets thrown off the top turnbuckle before Malakai spits the black mist into Penta’s eyes followed by Dante’s Inferno as Brody gets the pin.
Winners: Kings of the Black Throne (Malakai Black & Brody King) by pinfall at 10:22
Still Undefeated, Bay Bay
Adam Cole is backstage with the Cutler Cam and says he is still undefeated in singles competition as last week’s match didn’t count and the match with Orange Cassidy was a fluke. Cole still doesn’t get the respect he deserves and has been one of the best wrestlers for years and in two nights’ time, he will fight Evil Uno and prove to the world why he is.
Nyla Rose (w/ Vickie Guerrero) vs. Ruby Soho
Jim Ross says that Nyla Rose has won 82% of her matches since aligning herself with Vickie Guerrero, as Ruby Soho makes her way over to Lars Frederiksen of Rancid who’s sitting ringside, before throwing her jacket over to Rose to start the match. Rose takes over and starts biting the fingers of Ruby while holding her down. Rose continues by choking out Ruby on the bottom rope, as Ruby tries to chop her way back up but gets headbutted right back down, followed by a leg drop by Nyla for a two count and continues to work on her as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Ruby has Rose up on her shoulders and drops her face first onto the apron. As Ruby is showing injury to her back, Rose hits her with a spinebuster on the outside before sending her back inside. Rose goes for the Beast Bomb, but Ruby escapes and hits the No Future Kick, as Ruby is going for the pin, Vickie moves Rose’s leg to under the ropes. Ruby starts chasing after Vickie, but Rose grabs Ruby the hair and pulls her back in with a neckbreaker. They end up on the top rope, as Ruby tries to go for a hurricanrana, but Rose knocks her down. Ruby goes for the No Future kick but misses and ends up on the mat, where Rose hits a senton followed by the Beast Bomb for the pin.
Winner: Nyla Rose by pinfall at 10:49
Bare Necessities
The Gunn Club is backstage where they corner Jungle Boy before jumping him and sending him outside where they toss him onto a pile of snow, before getting chased away by Christian Cage and Luchasaurus.
Not Waiting for Next Week
Tony Schiavone introduces AEW World Champion ‘Hangman’ Adam Page and asks him what he thinks about his upcoming Texas Death Match with Lance Archer. Page says he has been champion for 81 days and has only defended his title twice and every week he’s been asking for challengers and today there’s nothing. Page says he has a 5-month baby at home throwing smashed peas and his flights probably getting canceled, and he doesn’t need it next week, he needs it tonight, so he calls out Archer. Instead, Dan Lambert and Jake Roberts come out and start talking trash to Page, but Lance Archer runs out and gets into a brawl with Page. Lambert tries to stop Page with a chair shot, but Archer hits a chair shot himself before choke slamming Page onto the steel steps. Archer picks up Page and hits him with the Blackout through the table. Archer picks up the mic and says he will be the new AEW World Champion and doesn’t care what they think or want.
The Influencer
Chris Jericho is backstage and says what Santana and Ortiz did to him last week was disrespectful, and says why did they do that, because of Eddie Kingston having an influence on them, and says that he and Santana and Ortiz started AEW together and he’s more of an influencer than Kylie Jenner is on Instagram. So, Jericho is demanding a full Inner Circle team meeting next week on Dynamite in the middle of the ring and they all better show up, as attendance is mandatory.
Upcoming Rampage
· Adam Cole vs. Evil Uno
· FTW Championship: Ricky Starks (c) vs. Jay Lethal
· Mercedes Martinez vs. Thunder Rosa
· TNT Championship: Sammy Guevara (c) vs. Isiah Kassidy
Next Week on Dynamite
· Inner Circle Team Meeting
· AEW World Championship Texas Death Match: Adam Page (c) vs. Lance Archer
CM Punk vs. MJF
As the bell rings for this main event, it is 9:20 pm with 40 minutes to go on the show as MJF takes a cheap shot to start the match. Punk comes back by punching MJF on the ropes until he knocks him to the outside. MJF starts running up the steps in the crowd, as Punk runs right after him, attacking him up the steps before eventually sending him back inside the ring. Punk hits a bunch of body slams as the crowd cheers him on. As Punk goes to hit the top rope elbow drop, MJF rolls out and dodges a spear from Punk who hits the post and goes flying to the outside. MJF goes after him and keeps attacking as they go picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Punk is attacking MJF and body slams him on the apron before going for another top rope elbow, only for MJF to take him down by hitting the ropes. Punk comes back with a Pepsi Twist as the crowd gets fully behind him, but MJF grabs the referee right in front of him. As Punk and the referee walk away, MJF comes from behind and starts choking Punk with a garrote, but the referee doesn’t see it. Punk tries to escape out, but MJF brings him down to the mat until CM Punk finally chokes out.
As MJF’s hand gets raised, the garrote comes down and the referee sees it so he tells Justin Roberts to announce that the match must continue. Punk goes right to the attack before getting thrown to the outside as they go back to picture-in-picture.
When we come back MJF tries the Heatseeker piledriver on the apron, but Punk reverses out and hits a springboard clothesline. They fight on the apron, with Punk hitting a step-up dropkick knocking MJF to the outside followed by a suicide dive. Back inside, MJF tries a submission, but Punk turns it into an STF but let’s go as his hand is injured. Punk goes for the GTS, but he collapses down as they point out his left knee gave out. They start trading pin attempts before Punk sends MJF flying face-first into the middle turnbuckle. They start trading shots before MJF hits Punk with a thumb in the eye, Punk follows it with a poison rana, but looks to land on his own neck/head in the process. Match slows down a bit, until MJF takes out Punk’s knee and tries to go for the Salt of the Earth, but hits Made in Japan as Punk slowly kicks out. The fans start chanting ‘deep dish pizza’, as MJF hits a low blow and goes for a cover with his feet on the ropes, but Punk still kicks out as they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Punk rolls up MJF for a two count followed by a leg lariat. MJF starts biting Punk in the corner, but Punk bites back on the top rope and hits a Pepsi Plunge. As Punk slowly tries to go for the pin, MJF rolls to the outside. When they go inside, MJF goes for the Tombstone, but Punk tries to reverse it, until MJF rolls him up for a two. Punk comes back with a roundhouse kick, climbs to the top rope, and hits a top rope elbow but MJF kicks out at the very last second. Punk calls for the GTS, but MJF spills to the outside as Wardlow makes his way to the ring. Punk and Wardlow have a stare-down, before Wardlow steps aside and lets Punk pick up MJF and throw him back inside. As Wardlow distracts the referee, MJF hits CM Punk with his diamond ring and gets the pin.
Winner: MJF by pinfall at 38:09
After the match, they show the replay in which Wardlow passed MJF the diamond ring when he was on the outside.
