AEW TITLE TUESDAY REVIEW

Last night AEW Dynamite held a special Tuesday edition due to the MLB playoffs! This would see the promotion running head to head with the WWE NXT brand. The special edition was dubbed "Title Tuesday" and came to us live from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Missouri.

 

The show actually got started with a buy-in match on YouTube for the ROH & NJPW Strong titles.

 

Buy In Match: Eddie Kingston defended both titles against Minoru Suzuki.

 

This match was as hard hitting and brutal as you can imagine. The amount of chops each man hit on one another made me want to rub icy hot on my chest just watching from home. After a brutal series of back and forth chops and forearms Eddie was able to hit the NOTHERN LIGHTS BOMB to retain the belts. (Interesting note is that Jeff Jarett, Jay Lethal and his whole crew were shown watching the match in the monitor. )

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Winner AND Still: Eddie Kingston

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Tony Khan announced that Mox was not medically cleared to challenge Rey Fenix for the International Championship tonight. Hook suggested that Tony give the shot to Orange instead. That match was made official!

   

Now the Main show on TBS begins with Christian Cage in the production truck. He talks about the #1 contender match for his TNT belt and the in ring debut of Adam vs. Luchasaurus. Then he tells everyone that the first 30 minutes being commercial free is all because of him. (Opening video rolls)

 

Match 1: TNT Title #1 contenders match: Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson. 

This match was everything you imagined it would be with 2 talented athletes squaring off. A healthy mix of counter chain wrestling as well as vicious strikes and Arial moves. Swerve focused mainly on the lower back and ribs of Bryan, While Danielson continued to single out that damaged hand that Hangman stabbed with the pen before WrestleDream.  There's no way I could do justice to the in ring (and outside the ring action) There were 450 splash attempts that Bryan got the knees up. Swerve got to the ropes on the LABELLE LOCK attempt. Just a great back and forth with multiple "This is awesome" chants from the crowd. The deciding factor saw Prince Nana slide Swerve that jeweled headpiece that was used to beat Hangman, then go to the opposite side of the ring to distract the ref. Just as Swerve was lining up to hit Bryan, Hangman appeared and snatched the headpiece from Swerve. Bryan tried to hit the running knee but Swerve reversed into a JML DRIVER attempt. Bryan rolled that into an inside cradle and ultimately nailed the running knee attack to get the pin and secure the TNT Title match on Collision.

 

Winner and new #1 contender: Bryan Danielson.

 

 Match 2: Powerhouse Hobbs (W/ Don Callis) vs. Jericho

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You don't often hear the words squash match and Jericho in the same sentence, but essentially this is what it was. In the best way possible. Hobbs got the upperhand early delivering Spine buster after Spine buster to Jericho. I feel like the match could have ended super early but Callis kept yelling instructions to continue to "Hurt him and make him suffer" instead of going for the win. Jericho was able to get a small flurry of offense in with a CODEBREAKER and even a Walls of Jericho attempt, but it was too little too late. The lower back damage has been done and Jericho had no strength to make the submission effective. After hitting yet another Spine buster Hobbs picked Jericho up in what looked like a fall away Slam position,  but instead just fell forward. After hitting 2 of those moves he covered Chris for the pin. 

 

Winner (In dominant fashion): Powerhouse Hobbs

 

(Now we cut to yet another scene at Roddys house with Cole doing more things. Adam said he needed to change his shirt, so they gave him a "Neck Strong" shirt to wear. Roddy had Cole cut his grass all the while The Kingdom has not had to do anything,  just sit and hold the stuffed giraffe. Cole pointed out how strange it was that Roddys house had no cell reception or TV! Roddy simply said that "TV was the Devil!" Adam again tried to leave to get surgery but Roddy called him back for one more favor.......)

 

Match 3: AEW International Championship match. Rey Fenix (C) defends against Orange Cassidy

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This started off with a flurry of forearms from Orange and clotheslines from Fenix. They are really telling the story of Reys injured back as he was unable to really perform any lift or throw moves on Orange. As they went to the outside Orange kept up the brutal attack on Reys back whipping him into the barricade and slamming him back first multiple times into the ring post. Rey attempted some traditional offense like his uppercut and multiple thrust kicks. In the end it wasn't enough as Orange hit the ORANGE PUNCH and the mousetrap pin to once again regain his International Championship. (Penta and Alex rushed in the ring to check on Rey. Orange looked legit concerned as well but Hook and the Best Friends came out to celebrate his victory.)

 

Winner AND NEW: Orange Cassidy.

 

 Match 4: Wardlow vs. Matt Sydal

     

Wardlow started with a shoulder tackle into the corner then began his powerbomb symphony! Just like with Griff Garrison last week the ref stopped the match after 5 powerbombs and Wardlow immediately powdered out of the ring and exited through the crowd before even having his hand raised.

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Winner: Wardlow

 

 Match 5: Switchblade Jay White (Accompanied by BC Gold) vs. Hangman Adam Page

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Match started fast with Page diving over the top and taking out Jay on the floor. Jay regained the upper hand with a dragon screw leg whip. The back and forth physicality continued with suplexes and strikes. There was a cool spot where Hangman went for the Buckshot Lariat and Jay reversed it into a BladeRunner attempt which Page reversed into the DeadEye! The rest of BC distracted the ref and Prince Nana came out with his headpiece in hand to strike Hangman. Page saw Nana and turned his attention away from Jay White whe rolled Page up and used the tights to get the 1-2-3. 

 

Winner: Switchblade Jay White

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(After the match MJF came out and asked for White to give him the Triple B back. They went back and forth verbally as MJF stayed at the top of the ramp not wanting to engage in a 4 on 1 situation. Juice Robinson announced that he entered himself into the Diampnd Dozen Battle Royal for a chance to fight Max for his Dynamite Diamond Ring.)

 

Match 6: Women's World Championship Match. Saraya (C) defends against Shida. (Ruby Soho banned from ringside) 

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The match started with Shida being pushed to the outside. While Saraya distracted the ref a person dressed in all black attempted to attack Shida with a spray can. Shida pulled down the hood and revealed Ruby Soho, she then turned the can on Ruby and sprayed her. Ruby attempted to retreat up the ramp but Timeless Toni Storm came out and started beating her with her shoe over the barricade and into the crowd. Once action returned back to the ring it was a very hard fought contest. Shida connected with a Question Mark kick for a near fall. Saraya hit not just one, but 2 NightCap DDTs. She used the spray paint on Shida and it still was not enough to put Shida away! She would not be denied tonight as she connected with a Falcon Arrow (Did the deal) and after a series of back and forth roll ups and reversals was finally able to shift her weight and pun Saraya to get the victory.

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Winner AND NEW Hikaru Shida

 

 Match 7: Main Event. The in ring debut of Adam Copeland vs. Luchasaurus 

 

(Before the match started Christian Cage cut a promo on Adam and ended it by talking to Adams kids and basically saying that after Luchasaurus destroys thier Dad, Beth should put clean sheets on the bed, because Christian will be their new father!)

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This of course brought Adam out sprinting to the ring. Christian got out quick but Nick Wayne slid in and grabbed Adam's foot so Luchasaurus could deliver his Extinction Lariat before the match even started.

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Finally Adam pulled himself up in the corner and the bell rang. Luchasaurus quickly went on the attack continuing to brutalize Copeland and focusing on the neck and back. Even Nick Wayne got involved on the outside running Adam into the ring post. Luchasaurus set up the ring steps on the side to deliver a choke Slam but Adam was able to fight out and hit a DDT. Then a running spear from the apron and across the stairs. Throughout the match Wayne and Cage interfered even setting up a chair in the corner that Adam speared himself into. While Nick had the ref distracted Christian pulled the TNT belt back to hit Adam, Adam saw this and grabbed the belt and nailed Luchasaurus in the back of the head and gave the belt back to Christian. Luchasaurus turned around and though Cage was the one that hit him. This allowed Asam to hit the Spear for the win! 

 

Winner: Adam Copeland

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 (After the match all hell broke loose! Nick Wayne took out Adams knee and Luchasaurus,  Christian and Nick began attacking Adam. So Bryan Danielson came out, then the BCC, so Swerve and the Mogul Embassy came out. A huge brawl broke out. Really hard to keep track of. Hangman Adam Page came out and started brawling with Swerve. Back in the ring Adam hit Nick Wayne with a Spear and Danielson Made Christian tap out to the Labell LOCK in the middle of the ring! What a wild finish and cliff hanger for Collision Saturday!)

 

Overall this was an extraordinary Dynamite. They knew what they were up against from the other company and they delivered with quality matches, promos that pushed the storyline forward and 2 Title changes! Plus... the Timeless Toni Storm silent movie clips during commercial breaks were absolutely perfection!! I give it 4.3 out of 5!

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            - Keehner Out -