AEW: Dynamite Review - May 28th, 2021

AEW Dynamite

Friday Night Dynamite

May 28th, 2021

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, & Taz

It’s the first ever Friday night edition of Dynamite and the start of Double or Nothing weekend. Plus, we are back to a full capacity crowd which I forgot until we went live and man... it’s something else 

1) Darby Allin (w/ Sting) vs. Cezar Bononi 

I can’t think of a better way to kick off this show than this. Darby coming out with Sting to an insane reaction from the first full house in over a year. This deadass gave me goosebumps. Such a special feel. I’ve said it before, but Darby is such a star and exudes so much emotion. This wasn’t anything monumental, match wise. Run of the mill, lesser known big guy vs. fan favorite smaller guy. Bononi throws Darby around a little and targets the ribs, but nothing sticks. Darby wins with the coffin drop. This was a blast, honestly. 

Match rating - **1/2

Post match, Darby gets on the mic and calls out Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky. They come out and Sky cuts a promo, but there’s no physicality.. until Bononi and his goons attack from behind so Page & Sky join in. The Dark Order makes the save to a BIG pop. Sting & Darby fist bump Dark Order, thanking them for the help. Good way to gather hype for the tag match on Sunday. 

2020 Pro Wresting Truth Year End Awards (Elite 80, Best Matches of the Year List + more)

 2020 PRO WRESTLING TRUTH YEAR END AWARDS

THIS IS HELLA LATE AND WAS WRITTEN BACK IN JANUARY BUT I NEVER GOT AROUND TO POSTING IT AND I WILL NOT BE REVISING IT ANY FURTHER SO HERE GOES...

Hello, it is about a month late, but life and the world has been crazy. I haven't done anything like this since 2014, I think? Or 2015, actually now that I think about it. Pretty crazy! I'm not sure what dove me fully back into wrestling in the last year and a half after an on/off break in 2016-2018. Maybe it's just having more time on my hands now that I'm not doing much of anything with music and work is the only thing on my plate. Regardless, it's been a very enjoyable, but tedious dive back into doing this stuff.

Having to rebuild my audience after years away from reviewing has been tough, but I'd like to think I'm starting to build some consistency back and I hope to meet more new people through this outlet in the new year. Thanks to anyone who's stuck around from the old glory days of 2014-2015 and thank you to anyone who's new to reading my stuff. I appreciate you taking the time to check this blog out and see what I have to say. I truly do this just for fun and because I love compiling lists and trying to keep up with a sport I've loved since childhood. I'd also like to shout out my friends Donnie and Mike, both of whom have contributed to this site in some form in recent years, and are my 100% consistent in real life wrestling buddies that I watch almost everything with. I love y'all <3

Now, onto this. So this year I'm doing things like how I used to. I'm bringing back my PRO WRESTLING TRUTH ELITE 80 wrestlers of the year list (with a sliiiiightly different format) and am also doing Top 10 Wrestler lists for WWE, AEW, and NJPW with write ups on each plus a Top 25 Overall Matches of the Year List consisting of any promotion. Individual promotion Top 10 Matches of the Year List will be listed on my 2020 Year in Review tab at a later date, probably a few days from now. I just needed to get the main stuff out before I let it slip under the rag as the year starts pressing onward. Also, if you want a month by month list of every match I watched and rated that was ***+ you can find that here!

Without further a due, let's start this thing off with the 25 Best Matches of 2020::::::

Best Matches of the Year (Overall): 

1) Kenny Omega & Hangman Page (c) vs. The Young Bucks - AEW World Tag Team Title Match - AEW: Revolution - 2/29/20 - *****

AEW: Dynamite Review - May 19th, 2021

AEW Dynamite 

May 19th, 2021

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

Commentators - Excalibur, Jim Ross, & Tony Schiavone 

1) Christian Cage vs. Matt Sydal 

This developed off of a backstage segment last week. Both men have recent history with Team Taz and Powerhouse Hobbs, though. And Taz is on commentary so it’s all sorta intertwined. This is a very interesting match, though. On one hand you’ve got the vibes of 2009 ECW where these two were keeping that show afloat and on the other hand you’ve got two extremely seasoned veterans, but they both come from completely different backgrounds and styles. I felt like Christian would be a perfect opponent for Matt as he will keep him working a less spotty style, which to me, in the year 2021, is better for Sydal. This isn’t the Sydal from 04-05 tearing it up with AJ Styles in IWA MS & ROH, this is a Sydal who matured stylistically very similar to someone like AJ. Now that I mention it, that’s a good comparison. Anyway, yeah, Christian grounds Sydal and forces him to work tight which rules, as said before. It makes the fun flurries from Sydal more pop worthy as he hits moves like the meteora for a near fall and it feels like an actual false finish rather than just another spot. I’ve written a lot about this match, more than I ever expected for a 7-8 minute match, but it was just such a blast. Nice and simple opener worked to perfection. Christian wins with the killswitch. 

Match rating - **3/4

Taz stands up from the commentary booth and starts jawing at Christian. An injured Ricky Starks shows up to provide a distraction for Hook, Brian Cage & Powerhouse Hobbs to attack Christian & Sydal, who hugged & embraced post match, from behind. They beat them down until HANGMAN PAGE WALKS OUT. He hands Starks his shot glass and stomps to the ring and goes after his opponent for Double or Nothing, Brian Cage. This was a nice way to hype two different matches for the PPV. Page looked awesome in his role and he & Cage had a sick exchange that made me stoked for their rematch at Double or Nothing. Cage gets the last laugh though as he plants Hangman with a powerbomb following help from Hook, much to the pleasure of Taz. Team Taz stands tall.

Backstage, we have the Varsity Blondes & Julia Hart. It’s the first time we’ve gotten a promo from them on Dynamite (that I can remember) and it’s honestly really good. They introduce Julia Hart as part of their group, now I think and Pillman Jr says that all he ever knew as a kid was the Dark Side of the Ring until he met the Young Bucks and they are the reason he decided to give the business a chance, but now they need a reality check and they will get it tonight when he & Griff defeat them for the tag team titles!! Loved this!

2) Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston vs. The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) 

AEW Dynamite Review - May 12th, 2021

AEW Dynamite

May 12th, 2021

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

Commentators - Excalibur, Jim Ross, & Tony Schiavone

1) Jon Moxley (c) (w/ Eddie Kingston) vs. Yuji Nagata (w/ Ren Narita) - IWGP United States Championship Match 

Shocked this opened things, but damn if it didn’t own. Eddie & Mox look sick together in their entrance and MOX CAME OUT TO “WILD THING” god dammit. This was so fun but also SERIOUS. Lil Ren Narita showed up with Nagata which was a nice touch and showing for him. These two worked exactly the style match you’d expect. Stiff and strike/throw heavy. Mox gets a bloody cheek from one of the many elbow shots to the face. Tight, simple sub 10 minute match with Moxley retaining. Post match, they stare down, but show respect. This was a fantastic little New Japan style showcase. 

Match rating - ***

Backstage, we have Sammy Guevara, Ortiz, & Jake Hager. I guess Jericho is out selling the bump from last week and according to Ortiz, Santana was detained last week for using the work by authorities or something. Guevara and Hager say they want another match and that this isn’t over yet between the Pinnacle and the Inner Circle. 

AEW Dynamite (Blood & Guts) Review - May 5th, 2021

AEW Dynamite 

BLOOD AND GUTS

May 5th, 2021

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

Don Callis is out to start the show with MT Nakazawa. He says Kenny Omega couldn’t make it tonight so Nakazawa is gonna take on Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston by himself... 

1) Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston vs. Kenny Omega & MT Nakazawa (w/ Don Callis)

So, Don is a liar as usual and Kenny attacks Mox & King during their entrance through the crowd. This was everything it set out to be. The only reason it’s happening is because Mox & King blackmailed Don Callis into making the match as they held Omega in the ring threatening to break his ankle last week. So, Kenny snuck around a lot here. We got some great action though and the momentum stuck around the whole match which saw Kenny walk out after a few minutes. Mox seemingly had Nak beat, but instead held him in a choke while trying to coax Omega to come in to make the save. Omega walks out and Mox & King debut what I’m guessing will be their finisher as a team - King half & half suplex powered by a Mox lariat. That ends the match.

Match rating - **1/2

“This is disgusting.” -Tony Schiavone

Post match we get the works. The Young Bucks and Gallows & Anderson show up and beat down King & Mox. Omega comes back down and his cohorts help him hoist Kingston up for a one winged angel. They do a fake three count and mock him. 

Tonight, Tony Schiavone announces Kenny Omega’s opponent for Double or Nothing. Meanwhile, the first announcement for the PPV (Live on May 30th) is Hikaru Shida vs. Britt Baker for the Women’s Title. Yessssss. This was pretty expected, but I am so stoked for it. 

2) Cody Rhodes (w/ Arn Anderson) vs. QT Marshall (w/ Anthony Ogogo & Nick Comorato) 

AEW Dynamite Review - April 28th, 2021

AEW Dynamite

April 28th, 2021

Daily's Place - Jacksonville, FL

Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone & Taz

1) Brian Cage vs. Hangman Adam Page 

Never in my life did I think I’d be happy to see Brian Cage beat Adam Page in five minutes, but I LOVED it here. The build to whatever the main event of Double or Nothing will be seemed pretty predictable with Hangman Page being undefeated and #1 the rankings, plus, everyone has been expecting the ultimatum of Kenny’s reign being a title match with Page. Admittedly, I knew they had to do something because it is way too soon to go into that story, I just had no idea how or if they would. Well, they did. And this is exactly what needed to happen and I would’ve never thought of it. This makes Cage look better and honestly gives Page more to work with because he just lost in virtually a squash and we all know Page is best fighting from underneath. Plus, Cage needed an extra boost and something to get him away from just being a part of Team Taz drama. This was a win for all involved. Cage gets the 1..2..3.. though. Now, does he challenge Omega? Will it be a triple threat? Who knows, but that’s the best part about all this. 

Match rating - ***

The Elite are in their limo outside. They say despite what happened last week with their bus getting slammed into with Jon Moxley's truck, they aren't afraid of Moxley & Eddie Kingston. Only for them to hear a horn and freak out, pretty much canceling out that claim which was pretty hilarious. Omega says that where they go, the money and the gold follows. He addresses Eddie Kingston and says if he wants a fight, he can have one, but he has to go against MT Nakazawa first.

2) The Young Bucks vs. Matt & Mike Sydal

AEW Dynamite Review - April 21st, 2021

AEW Dynamite

April 21st, 2021

Daily’s Place - Jacksonville, FL

Commentary - Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, & Taz

1) Hangman Adam Page vs. Ricky Starks (w/ Hook)

Wasn't really feeling this one despite being a fan of both guys. They just did stuff and there was a miscue or two, particularly the clip that made it's rounds on Twitter of Starks botching a spot where he was supposed to land on his feet off a suplex. (I also watched this after the stellar Shingo/Ospreay match so my standards may be way too high). Page wins, Taz shit talks him from the booth and Hook attacks Page from behind.

Match rating - **

2) Penta El Zero M vs. Trent?