3/4 AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT: Keller’s report on Moxley & Darby vs. Jericho & Guevara, So Cal Uncensored & Colt Cabana vs. Dark Order, Pac vs. Chucky T

AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
MARCH 4, 2020
BROOMFIELD, COL. (a Denver suburb)
AIRED LIVE ON TNT

Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts

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Tonight after WWE Raw, join me live with guest cohost Zack Heydorn to break down the show with live callers, mailbag, and an on-site correspondent from Denver, Col.

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[HOUR ONE]

-They opened with a video package of highlights from AEW Revolution concluding with Jon Moxley’s post-title win promo for the crowd.

-The announcers introduced the show. They showed a fan with a sign that said “Cowboy Shit.” Fans chanted “AEW!” Justin Roberts introduced Moxley as the new champion. (Am I the only slightly nervous every time he announces Jon Moxley that he’s going to accidentally say John Cena?) As Moxley made his way through the crowd, Excalibur plugged the availability of a replay of the PPV. Ross said the tag team title match at Revolution arguably was the best tag match he has ever called. When his music stopped, fans chanted “Moxley!” He held up the mic for a few seconds. Then he egged them on. Then came a “You deserve it!” chant.

He said the AEW belt over this shoulder is beautiful because it represents professional wrestling, “the sport that I love, the sport that I have dedicate my life to.” He said the belt never belonged to Chris Jericho. “Hell, this belt doesn’t belong to me. This belt belongs to you. Each and every one of you in this building tonight, and every AEW fan watching all around the world that helped will AEW into existence.” He yelled, “We – Brought – Pro – Wrestling – Back!” He vowed to defend the belt “with my life.” He said he’ll crawl through any hell to defend the belt and climb any mountain to defend the belt, and there isn’t a man in the entire industry who has what it takes to pry it out of his cold dead hands. He asked someone to step up and try. He said he knows it’s not over between him and the Inner Circle. Boos. He said they tried to take his eye and end his career. He said he had a message for the whole inner circle. “I dare you,” he said. Jericho’s music played.

Jericho walked out. Ross said it’s the first time he’s walked out on Dynamite without the AEW Championship. He was joined by Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Santana, and Ortiz. They showed some fans singing to Jericho’s song. They stopped the music early and fans finished singing the song. Jericho said he doesn’t need the damn belt to be Le Champion. Fans chanted “Yes you do!” Moxley paced and listened. Jericho called the fans idiots for not even chanting in unison. “Why don’t you shut your ass and let Le Champion say what I gotta say.” He said it’s typical Mox to challenge all of them. “It’s typical Mox. It’s your M.O.,” he said. “Reckless abandon. A maverick. A rebel. More guts than brains. The lunatic fringe.” He said it all paid doff because the Moxley Era has begun. He asked the fans if they like the Moxley Era. “I don’t,” he said. “I think it sucks ass.” Fans chanted “You suck ass!” Ross chuckled. Schiavone said, “Well, we’ve heard just about everything now.”

He said Moxley’s championship win was based on a lie. He said he’s a cheater and a liar. He said he spent the better part of three months training to fight a man with one eye, and the fact that he could see out of both is not an action that is worthy of a champion. “That makes you a snake oil salesman,” he said. Boos. He said the fans are all liars, too. “You turned the Inner Circle from a group of good-natured and very good looking guys into a damn hit squad.” Moxley broke into a sarcastic wide-eyed look. Fans chanted “Bullshit!” Jericho said they are putting the entire AEW roster on notice. He listed Michael Nakazawa and the Librarian and vowed to tear everybody apart and hurt people. “And Mox, we’re going to start with you,” he said. He plugged the main event – Moxley & Darby Allin vs. Jericho & Sammy Guevara – and said he won’t walk out of “this dumb state” on your own. He said if Moxley walks out on his own, he’ll take a leave of absence from AEW of 30 days. He upped it to 60 days. He said he always has a plan, and Moxley isn’t as smart as he thinks he is.

Moxley said nobody ever said he was genius. “Hell, I didn’t graduate high school,” he said. He said he’s so sick of hearing Jericho talk, so tonight he’s going to send his ass packing for 60 days and make him look like a stupid son of a bitch. Moxley’s music played as the announcers summed up the stakes.

(Keller’s Analysis: I like the first segment with Moxley as the “face of the brand” and celebrating his title win and defining what it means to him. He seems so sincere talking about the fans owning the belt. It’s so easy for that to sound pandering and corporate, but Moxley has credibility as a true pro wrestling fan who lives the business and was frustrated in that other place. Jericho continues to be great in pretty much everything he does in AEW, including his straight delivery of the preposterous reason he feels cheated.)

-They went to the announcers on camera who hyped the rest of the line-up: Pac vs. Chuck Taylor, Leva Bates vs. Big Swole, Jake Hager vs. Q.T. Marshall, SCU & Colt Cabana vs. Dark Order.

-SCU made their ring entrance. The announcers talked about Dark Order starting rumors about Daniels. Ross said that’s the society they live in. Schiavone agreed: “Guilty until proven innocent.” (Careful now, guys.). Then Colt Cabana made his Dynamite debut. They showed a clip of Cabana at Revolution coming to the aid of SCU. They showed the ring on split screen as Cabana and SCU just hung around. [c]

(1) SCU (Scorpio Sky & Frankie Kazarian w/Christopher Daniels) & COLT CABANA vs. DARK ORDER (Alex Reynolds & John Silver & Evil Uno)

Dark Order’s ring entrance took place after the break. Excalibur said the rumors are not true that he’s the Exalted One. First Colt and then SCU got in some offense. After illegal interference, Dark Order took over on Daniels. They cut to a break, but stayed with the action on split-screen. [c]

They worked toward Daniels hot-tagging Kaz. He took it to Dark order with a flurry of offense. Chaos broke out with a six-way brawl. The ref tired to restore order. SCU cleared the ring of Silver and Reynolds, then triple-teamed Uno in the corner. When Colt rallied, fans chanted “Colt Cabana!” Sky flip dove over Dark Order and pretty much overshot them all, but the collapsed anyway. Cabana then delivered a top rope Chicago Skyline and a Superman leverage pin for the win.

WINNERS: Cabana & SCU in 11:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Cabana brings a joy to the ring that fans eat up. He’s a good addition to the roster.)

-Afterward, Uno yelled that this isn’t how it was supposed to go and the Exalted One will be furious, so when he arrives, heads will roll.

-A highlight package aired on the Kenny Omega & Hangman Page vs. Young Bucks match at Revolution. It included on-screen quotes from pro wrestling reporters, including my review here at PWTorch.com: “Stupendous tag match with all the ingredients… huge moves, high stakes, great story in the match.”

-They went to the announcers who were joined by Brit Baker. She brought Schiavone a Starbucks and called him “Mr. Starbucks.”

(2) BIG SWOLE vs. LEVA BATES (w/Peter Avalon)

Baker asked if Big Swole is on her driver’s license and asked how she can call herself that if not. Swole won quickly with a cutter and a discus forearm.

WINNER: Swole in under 2:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Good to see a short match that gives Swole a win on her record and a chance to show off her personality and signature moves. It shakes up the pace of the show to have some shorter matches like this in the mix, too.)

-A video package aired on the Cody vs. MJF match with dramatic music in the background. Then they showed the entrance stage and Cody appeared wearing a long jacket. The tattoo on his neck is still there. [c]

-Cody was in the ring. Ross said fans were still going crazy for him “because they believe in him, they believe in what he stands for.” Ross said he’s not sure he wants to talk about what it means to him personally to lose to MJF, but professionally he can talk about it. He said you work your whole career to get on an actual PPV card, and it’s guaranteed money, and when when you win, you get the winner’s share of the purse. He asked MJF to come out there right now, look him in the eye, and tell him he beat him fair and square. Instead, Jake “The Snake” Roberts walked out. “What the hell?” said Ross. Jake walked to the ring. Ross said, “This is not an illusion.” Schiavone said Cody is completely shocked. He rubbed the ropes and smelled his hands, then he leaned in and smelled the turnbuckle. “I hate to spoil the party, but damn man I got tired of hearing you cry and bitch,” he said. “I never cried over one match in my career, and your’e going to let that little punk son of a bitch get you down to crying? He whipped you like a dog. Don’t you understand, you got your ass kicked. He handed it right to you.” He said that’s not why he is here.

Jake said he’s not there to praise him, he’s there to slay him. He said he has a client. “The Dark Side will be coming to AEW.” He said he when the roots take hold, it’ll be like a phoenix rising from the ashes soaring to the sun.” He said it’s been 20 years for him to get clean and to get right. Cheers. “By god, I earned it,” he said. Applause. He said he’s not going to be a nice boy and play right. He said for years he used to put a snake in a bag to make people think about it. He said once his opponents had their mind on the snake, he ended up kicking their asses. He said he’ll be at ringside when he client faces him. He told him to bring Arn Anderson, “that one trick pony,” with you. He said what a snake wants, it takes. He said he’s not in AEW to take the whole pie. “Just your share,” he said. He called him Caesar. He said a wise man once told him to never turn his back on someone he respects or who he’s afraid of. He turned his back and left, tossing the mic to Cody. Fans “oohed.”

(Keller’s Analysis: That was really good. Cody addressing the loss and then an unexpected swerve with Jake coming out and providing Cody with his next saga.)

-They abruptly cut to highlights of Pac vs. Orange Cassidy from Saturday night including interference from the Lucha Bros.

-As the Best Friends and Orange Cassidy made their way onto the stage, Ross referenced Jake again, then said Pac was out next. They stayed with the entrance on split screen including Cassidy moving very slowly around ringside interacting with fans with limp fist bumps. [c]

[HOUR TWO]

(3) PAC vs. CHUCK TAYLOR (w/Trent, Orange Cassidy)

Excalibur said Nick Jackson and Kenny Omega weren’t cleared to travel. Ross said it’s largely precautionary.