Welcome everyone to the latest edition of #MouthingOff (with MikeJC): Dynamite Weekly, the weekly review feature on AEW Dynamite here on SLTDWrestling.com. I will be giving my thoughts and opinions on all the highlights of the show as well as giving the “Remarkable Wrestler” of the week. So here are the highlights of the Wednesday, September 8th edition of AEW Dynamite.
Malakai Black vs. Dustin Rhodes
Dynamite kicks off with this first time match up and Dustin was very aggressive early, taking advantage early and taking the fight outside. They brawl outside and Malakai eventually hits a back body drop through the timekeeper taple at ringside. Malakai would remove the turnbuckle pad while Dustin recovered and take control here and eventually lock in a great looking heel hook. I love the versatility of Malakai’s offense and he worked over Dustin’s leg enough where Dustin had a hard a hard time walking.
The action continued and Black would pull out one of Cody’s boot which he took which would fire up Dustin and he would eventually build to hitting a destroyer which he does for a near fall. As the action continues the exposed turnbuckle eventually comes into play as Dustin goes for a bulldog out of the corner but Black sleeps the leg and Dustin lands face first into the exposed turnbuckle, followed by the spin kick for the three count.
Segment Rating: 5.5/10
This was a fine match and was the first time Malakai had an opponent who actually challenged him in the ring. Malakai is just too good, too smart and Dustin was the next Nightmare Family member to fall to Black. We all know where this is going, it was later announced that Cody would face Malakai Black at Arthur Ashe on the 22nd which is odd they just announced it without Cody making a return first.
CM Punk Asks What’s Next
CM Punk makes his entrance and the crowd loses it and sings Cult of Personality. Punk teases jumping in the crowd but doesn’t, and wastes no time. Getting straight to the point. He thanks Darby Allin and Sting for the match on Sunday and he mentions how getting back in the ring after seven years is like riding a very violent bike.
He said he’s ready to get back on that bike and get his gear on again. He mentions how he will be glued to his tv to watch the main event tonight of the King of Pancrase and Japanese legend Minoru Suzuki versus Jon Moxley. He then asks where “Aunt Linda” is and fhe camera pans to Brian Pillman Jr’s Aunt and sister of the late Brian Pillman. He calls her an angel and says he watches dark side of the ring and loves how she takes care of her family.
He then mentions all the new names that showed up on Sunday, Ruby Soho, Adam Cole, and Bryan Danielson. Then says the first person he spoke to after his match Sunday was his wife and she asked what’s next? So he asks the fans, and mentions a few names and is interrupted by Taz who is on commentary since Excalibur is away this week, CM Punk says he’s gonna let Taz speak but to never interrupt him ever again.
Taz tells Punk to never mention any of the members of Team Taz ever again, Punk interrupts and mentions how nobody mentioned Team Taz at all tonight, and Taz says he did during all his interviews. Hobbs and Hook come out and Punk says send Starks, Hobbs and Hook, and uses Taz’s catchphrase, “Beat me if you can, survive if I let you.”
Segment Rating: 6/10
I loved this segment, until Taz got involved. Now sure Punk could have a great match with Starks, or Hobbs but I’m concerned because we’ve seen Team Taz feud with people and its never all that great, all I hope is the matches are good. They mentioned later that Starks and Cage are not done and they need to be because that isn’t working.
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Dante Martin
This match, was off and running at the beginning as Martin tried to quicken the pace immediately but Hobbs would get control once they end up on the outside and keep it in dominating fashion throughout a commercial break. Hobbs would stay in control for the most part until Martin would show signs with a missile dropkick followed by a running and goes for a dive out of the ring and Hook gets on the apron in his way, so Martin jumps over him.
This ends up back in the ring and when Martin runs right into a huge spine buster by Hobbs which both Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross both incorrectly called a powerbomb and scores the victory.
Segment Rating: 5/10
This match was fine, and we all know what it was especially after the previous segment. A match to some more momentum behind Hobbs for the eventual match with Punk. This is the kind of match Dante should be having, being so young and has a lot of time he shouldn’t be having 20 minute matches with Young Bucks.
MJF Addresses All Out Match
MJF comes out with Wardlow and says that he beat Chris Jericho three times and he also beat him a fourth time until he was robbed. He calls the city of Cincinnati, “Shit-cinnati” and says its the biggest dumpster fire in the world. He says twitter marks will cite this as “cheap heat” and he says that its called the mid-west because everything in it is mid. He says Skyline Chilli is mid, The Cincinnati Reds who haven’t won the world series since 1990 are mid, and every single person who lives here is mid.
He then points out Linda Pillman again, and makes fun of Brian Pillman Jr’s sister standing next to her, and goes down to her and she says she is the daughter of The Loose Cannon Brian Pillman and MJF mocks how she looks which brings out Pillman Jr wearing the Cincinnati Bengals jersey of his father.
The crowd goes crazy for Pillman Jr. and calls MJF, Maxwell Jerkoff Friedman. He doesn’t like MJF talking trash about his town, and he knows MJF had a silver spoon upbringing but he’s currently in a town full of badasses. Badasses like his father and Jon Moxley and says Welcome to the Jungle. MJF said Pillman Jr. made a mistake coming out here and calls his mother “Meth-anie” Pillman then says he meant to say Melanie. He continues by saying that his could have birthed 500 2nd generation wrestlers but she forgot to do with him and thats swallow. Wardlow gets in front of MJF and MJF says that Wardlow did a great job helping him on Sunday and sends him to the corner.
MJF tells Pillman if he doesn’t leave he’s going to do to him what his mother should have did to him twenty eight years ago and starts to say he’s going to abort him before Pillman attacks him. Wardlow takes his time making the save, letting Pillman get some shots in before realizing what was going on and clotheslining him and Griff Garrison comes out to help and gets knocked out by a shot with the ring and wants to continue to beat up Garrison before Pillman jumps on him to make the save as MJF and Wardlow choose to leave.
Segment Rating: 7.5/10
I absolutely loved this entire segment, MJF had nuclear heat for the stuff he said and I’m assuming, Tony Khan, MJF, and Pillman Jr had to discuss what was said her because MJF got super personal here and it was great. It’s odd to me they are doing this at Arthur Ashe (which I will be there for) but I think its because Pillman Jr. won’t be winning that match and thats why he got a match on Rampage which was taped in Cincinnati after Dynamite either way I love this for Pillman Jr. him and MJF should have a great match. As for the Wardlow stuff they continue to tease a slow build to a breakup with MJF but I still think it’s way too eary and probably won’t happen until early next year, The Pinnacle is too fresh still for Wardlow to not be associated.
Jamie Hayter vs. Ruby Soho
Earlier in the night Ruby did an interview and it was mentioned that she sent out an open challenge to prove she belongs and Jamie Hayter answered the challenge. The interview is interrupted by Britt, Hayter, and Rebel. Ruby discusses how she helped Britt break into the business and she discusses all of Britt’s nicknames, and Britt says Ruby calls herself The Runaway and says she run away to catering like she did the last four years and warns her that Hayter will beat her tonight. Ruby tells Tony Schiavone that he knows Britt is her girl but she’s gonna whoop her.
The match was not bad at all, and Ruby came out firing at the beginning and Hayter takes control into the commercial and remains in control after. Ruby regains control with a back elbow to the face and hits a big DDT for a near fall. There seemed to be some miscommunication on a move and Taz tried to say it was a modified flatliner very confusing spot. The fans were super behind Ruby and Hayter was in control again until Ruby hits a kick to the head to secure the victory.
After the match Ruby hugs the ref and is then attacked by Britt and is getting triple teamed by Baker, Hayter and Rebel until Riho comes out to help but she gets overwhelmed as well. They set up Ruby to curb stomped by Britt onto the championship but Kris Statlander runs out with a chair to make the save to end the segment.
Segment Rating: 5.25/10
I enjoyed this match for the most part. I’m very happy Ruby is in AEW and is front and center to start because AEW needs stars and Ruby is already very over among the wrestling fans of AEW and she deserves every ounce of that. They announced a trios match for Rampage this week so looking forward to that one.
Trios Match: The Pinnacle (FTR & Shawn Spears) vs. The Dark Order (Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, & John Silver)
This was the first time we’ve seen a combination of The Pinnacle together in a while which didn’t make sense to me, The Pinnacle needs to be together on screen more and they looked good here in this match for sure. The story of this match was a lot of miscommunication between The Dark Order members. There was a lot of great offense by Stu Grayson and John Silver in particular but they just weren’t on the same page and The Pinnacle did a great job of cutting off the ring and isolating Silver. The Pinnacle get the win seemingly out of nowhere after Spears hits a Death Valley Driver.
After the match Silver and Evil Uno were arguing and shoving each other and a lot of the guys needed to be separated and Anna Jay and Tay Conti would come out looking disappointed about what is going on between the guys of the group.
Later in the night Tully Blanchard did an interview discussing he wants a match between Darby and Spears and Tully says he’s eventually going to teach Sting a lesson.
Segment Rating: 5.5/10
I like the story progression here by The Dark Order which of course I think was the point here, and I’m sure this will lead to something with Adam Page returning from maternity leave and I’m still very intrigued of how this is going to go to ultimately lead to Page winning the world title. The Pinnacle are at a stand still as of right now, Spears versus Darby intrigues me and we’ll see where that goes and hopefully we’ll get something for FTR after the Santana & Ortiz feud assuming that is officially over.
The Elite is Complete/Omega & Danielson Confrontation
So Tony Schiavone is out to interview The Elite and once again Don Callis takes the mic from him and Matt Jackson introduces the newest member of The Elite and their best friend, Adam Cole. Cole gets in the ring and immediately addresses Tony Schiavone for his friendship with Britt Baker (who Adam is dating) and says he even looks her weird he will whoop his ass and tells him to leave by saying “get out of the ring nerd”.
Cole says AEW is the greatest professional wrestling company in the world and that’s because of The Elite. He said he may be new here, but he’s been doing this for fourteen years and he’s a once in a generation wrestler. Now he’s with the best. The Young Bucks are the greatest tag team of all time. Kenny Omega is a once in a lifetime wrestler. Now, The Elite has Adam Cole and he will be making his in-ring debut next week on Dynamite.
Omega takes the mic next and says he hates being interrupted, like he was on Sunday by Bryan Danielson. and then he gets interrupted by Bryan Danielson again. Omega asks the rest of The Elite to leave so he can speak to Danielson face to face. He takes the mic from Kenny and asks the fans if they want to see him face Kenny Omega. Kenny says it doesn’t work that way here. Danielson continues and says that Kenny calls himself the best but he knows Kenny is afraid to step in the ring with him because he knows that he is better then Kenny. Then he mentions he would kick Kenny’s head in and that he’s not on Danielson’s level. Kenny takes his jacket off, and goes to strike Bryan but he catches the hand goes for the LeBell Lock but all The Elite enter the ring but Jurassic Express and Christian Cage make the save and Marko Stunt & Jungle Boy jumped on the pile while Kazarian ran in as well and landed a kick.
Segment Rating: 6.25/10
I enjoyed this segment and I don’t mind Bryan Danielson wanting to face Kenny right away, now yes they acknowledge there’s a system in place of who gets title shots but it’s Bryan Danielson he’s been around we know how good he is that’s how I look at it. I love Adam Cole as well and am very excited about his future with AEW and him being with The Elite obviously just makes sense.
Jon Moxley vs. Minoru Suzuki
This match starts off with a lot of hard hitting action between both guys as they are trading hard hitting elbow shots to the head early on. Later on after exchanging headbutts they once again are exchanging elbow strikes to the head. Moxley goes for a clothesline and Suzuki ducks and gets a sleeper on but Moxley slips out. Suzuki then attempts a Gotch style piledriver but Moxley fights out of it and hits a Paradigm Shift without lifting Suzuki up instead the standard DDT version. Suzuki is now bleeding from the eye after this and kicks out of a pin attempt by Moxley.
When they get back to their feet Moxley is repeating clothesline attempts but Suzuki won’t go down keeping his balance and staying on his feet and counters with a dropkick. Suzuki goes for the sleeper again but Mox fights out again and hits a bunch of punches and hits the Paradigm Shift for real this time and secures the pinfall victory. Moxley celebrates in the crowd with the fans as they lose it for the hometown hero.
Segment Rating: 6.5/10
I loved this match as it was exactly what I expected and it wasn’t amazing but it was fun and it wasn’t better then their first encounter in Japan. I fully expected a message from Tanahashi here as him versus Moxley is inevitable but still no sign of that happening yet so who knows what’s next for Moxley, at the moment that’s unclear.
Remarkable Wrestler of the Week
For this episode of AEW Dynamite, the Remarkable Wrestler of the week is Brian Pillman Jr.
I’m giving the RWOW to Pillman Jr. because this was his big moment in his hometown not only going up against the biggest heel in the business but doing it in front of his hometown and his family he seemed like he was super ready for this moment and he hit it out of the park as far as I’m concerned and I hope he has a hell of a match with MJF on the 22nd.
Overall
This was a fine episode of AEW Dynamite with more great story progression and new people in the spotlight then the in ring work itself which is new for AEW and other then the main event the wrestling wasn’t amazing tonight but it was fine. Overall I give this episode of Dynamite a 5 out of 10. Middle of the road show but not a bad show at all. As far as things that didn’t get a rating there was another video promo of Miro and Eddie Kingston, a video of Santana & Ortiz wanting to move up in the tag team division, another video between Ricky Starks and Brian Cage and a video of Matt Hardy saying he wants to cut Orange Cassidy’s hair (for what reason I don’t know) and Orange Cassidy responding by saying “whatever”. So next week should be interesting and then after that is the Arthur Ashe show.
What are your thoughts on this special AEW Dynamite? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @SLTDWrestling.
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