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The AEW fans had a stacked episode of AEW Dynamite this week. Sting was on the show this week as well as NBA legend Shaq. The new AEW Champion Kenny Omega was also there with Don Callis to address his actions. We also had a number of big matches on the card including the match between MJF and Orange Cassidy for the Dynamite Diamond Ring.
The Young Bucks vs TH2 kicked off AEW Dynamite
The AEW World Tag Team Champions faced TH2 in the opener on AEW Dynamite in a non-title match. Evans and Angelico blindsided The Young Bucks as they were still in the midst of their entrance. Matt and Nick Jackson soon regrouped and Nick Jackson wiped out TH2 with a dive out to ringside.
Jack Evans and Matt Jackson officially started things off but both men soon tagged out. Nick Jackson came in and cleared house. Out at ringside, Matt Jackson powerbombed Jack Evans into The Acclaimed who were in the crowd. The Bucks then hit Angelico with the Risky Business but only got a nearfall out of it.
Jack Evans tagged back in and hit Nick Jackson with a springboard 450 for a nearfall. Angelico tagged back in and went for a Buckle Bomb but Matt Jackson reversed it with a hurricanrana. The Bucks followed it up with a Doomsday Device to Jack Evans on the ramp before hitting Angelico with a double superkick. Angelico kicked out once again.
Matt Jackson leaped off the top rope but landed awkwardly after Angelico rolled out of the way. Angelico then locked in the Navarro Death Roll to Matt Jackson. It was broken up by Nick Jackson with a Swanton Bomb from the top rope. The Bucks then hit Jack Evans with an Indytaker out at ringside. They followed it with a BTE Trigger to Angelico before Nick Jackson pinned him for the win.
The Young Bucks def. TH2
GRADE - B
The Acclaimed were about to hit the ring after the bell rang but were driven off by Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels.
Sting speaks for the first time on AEW
Cody and Arn Anderson were in the middle of the AEW ring with Tony Schiavone when the lights went off and Sting's music hit. The Icon made his way down to the ring.
Arn Anderson and left the ring leaving Sting, Tony Schiavone, and Cody in the ring. Tony also made his way out of the ring soon after that leaving Cody and Sting inside the ring. Cody then thanked Sting for the assist last week before adding that he had been waiting to share the ring with The Icon for many years. Sting then said that he wasn't here for Cody before pointing out to TNT Champion Darby Allin who was sitting in the rafters. Sting then added that he had come full circle, back in the jungle and back on TNT again.
Sting then added that he was signed to AEW and that he planned to spend a lot of time in the promotion before patting Cody on the back. He then told Cody, "see you around, kid" before leaving the AEW ring and making his way to the back.
Team Taz has a message for Cody
Team Taz appeared in a backstage AEW segment following the Sting segment. Taz said that Tony Khan signed Sting to save Cody from the beating Team Taz were handing out. Taz's son Hook was backstage with Team Taz and Ricky Starks added that Hook was now training with Team Taz.
FTR vs Varsity Blondes on AEW
Brian Pillman Jr and Cash Wheeler started the match off. Wheeler took the bigger man down quite easily before tagging in Dax Harwood. FTR did not look in the best of moods as Hardwood continued to dominate Pillman.
Wheeler tagged back in before Pillman took out both members of FTR with a crossbody from the top rope. Pillman then tagged in Griff Garrison before The Blondes hit Wheeler with a double-team neckbreaker-leg drop combo.
Harwood and Pillman came back in as the legal men Harwood has Pillman in an abdominal stretch. Wheeler tagged in as Pillman has looking to tag out. FTR isolated Pillman in their corner. With the referee distracted, even Tully Blanchard got a shot in at ringside. Pillman finally created an opening and tagged in Griff Garrison. Griff went after both Harwood and Wheeler, taking them down with a double spear and getting a 2-count off Dax Harwood. Pillman tagged back in but Harwood met him with a brainbuster. Wheeler then tagged in and FTR hit the Goodnight Express to Pillman for the win.
FTR def. Varsity Blondes
GRADE - B+
Dustin Rhodes vs 10 on AEW
10 initially overpowered Dustin Rhodes but the veteran hit back with rights and lefts as their AEW match started. After Rhodes' initial flurry, 10 hit a big spinebuster, taking Rhodes down and then sent him crashing out to ringside with a boot to the head. 10 followed Rhodes out and took out Aaron Solow who was in the crowd.
Back in the ring, Dustin Rhodes hit 10 with a running bulldog in the middle of the ring. That was enough to put 10 away and Dustin Rhodes pinned him to pick up the three count.
Dustin Rhodes def. 10
GRADE - C
Evil Uno came down to the ring after the match and told Dustin Rhodes that his last name came with pressure. He then added that Dustin was only the third-most important Rhodes in AEW. Uno then offered Dustin Rhodes a spot as '7' of The Dark Order.
The Dark Order were on the verge of hitting the ring to take out Dustin Rhodes when Evil Uno told them to back off. Uno said that Dustin Rhodes would eventually see the light and seek him out.
Shaq addresses AEW
Tony Schiavone saw down with Shaq and AEW CBO Brandi Rhodes backstage. Shaq said he and Jade Cargill went way back but he didn't appreciate what she had done to Brandi Rhodes' arm. Shaq said he was interested in seeing Brandi Rhodes face Jade Cargill.
Brandi Rhodes wasn't happy with Shaq and tossed a glass of water in his face before saying she didn't appreciate the disrespect, calling Shaq an "overgrown a***ole".
Chris Jericho addresses The Inner Circle's inner conflict
Chris Jericho came down to the ring with the rest of The Inner Circle. He said that the squabbling we had seen last week wasn't why he put together The Inner Circle.
MJF took center stage and said that he loved everyone in The Inner Circle before adding that he felt that he was the issue. MJF said that although everyone was saying that he wanted to break up The Inner Circle but he actually wanted to be a part of the top faction in AEW and pro wrestling.
Sammy Guevara and MJF almost got into it again but Ortiz encouraged Sammy to shake MJF's hand and be the better man. Sammy did it but said that another transgression from MJF would make him quit the faction.
Lance Archer, Pentagon, and Fenix vs Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade on AEW
The Butcher sent Pentagon through the announcer's table before the AEW match officially started. Penta was led to the back by referees leaving it a three-on-two situation.
Kingston and The Butcher and The Blade had Fenix isolated in their corner. They kept trading tags and wearing out Fenix. Even The Bunny got a shot in from ringside. Fenix hit back with a cutter to Eddie Kingston, both men going down momentarily.
Fenix tagged out and Lance Archer came into the AEW ring like a house on fire. He took out both The Butcher and The Blade with a massive crossbody before clubbing The Blade across the head. Archer then headed to the top rope but Eddie Kingston took him down from behind with a shot to the back of the knee. Kingston tagged back in and went right after Archer, trying to keep the big man grounded. The Blade tagged in.
Jake Roberts grabbed Blade by the foot from ringside, creating an opening for Lance Archer who hit The Blade with a German Suplex. Fenix tagged in and took out Kingston at ringside. However, he was soon outnumbered and finished off by The Butcher and The Blade who planted him with a double team combo and pinned him for the win.
Eddie Kingston, The Butcher and The Blade def. Lance Archer, Pentagon and Fenix
GRADE - B+
Lance Archer attacked the trio while they celebrated their win and cleared the AEW ring.
Abadon vs Tesha Price on AEW
Next up on AEW Dynamite, Abadon was in singles action against Tesha Price. Abadon went right after Tesha Price, taking her down with a clothesline. Price looked a little taken aback by her opponent but didn't hold back. Abadon bludgeoned Price in the corner before taking her down with a leg trip.
Abadon quickly finished off Tesha Price and picked up the win.
Abadon def. Tesha Price
GRADE - C
Abadon continued attacking Tesha Price after the bell rang. Hikaru Shida's music hit and she came down to ringside with her trusty kendo stick. Shida got into the ring and smashed Abadon in the head with her kendo stick and helped Tesha Price out of the ring. However, Abadon did not stay down for long despite being struck with the kendo stick. She sat up as Hikaru Shida was helping Tesha Price out of the ring.
Chris Jericho happy that The Inner Circle decided to stay together
The Inner Circle and Chris Jericho were backstage with Dasha. Jericho said that he was happy that The Inner Circle had decided to stick together before announcing that they would be at ringside for MJF's AEW match against Orange Cassidy.
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega addresses his recent actions
The new AEW World Champion Kenny Omega was out next, flanked by Don Callis. They flew in on a helicopter before making their way into the arena. Omega and Don Callis were greeted by a shower of boos.
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Omega. Don Callis took the mic and addressed everyone being upset with how Kenny Omega won the AEW World Championship last week. Callis addressed Tony Khan and welcomed him for the lesson he had been taught.
Callis and Omega took credit for helping create AEW after the Chris Jericho-Kenny Omega match three years ago in New Japan. Omega said that he and Callis had planned their move for over a year and that they pulled off their plans successfully.
Kenny Omega then addressed Jon Moxley and spoke about hitting him with the microphone last week. He then added that it wouldn't have mattered because no one kicked out of the One-Winged Angel.
Kenny Omega and Don Callis then made their way out of the arena.
MJF vs Orange Cassidy (for the AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring)
MJF was all over Orange Cassidy in the early stages of the AEW match. The fight spilled out to ringside and MJF hit Orange Cassidy with a powerbomb onto the ring apron. Back in the ring, Cassidy tried to fight back but MJF raked him across the eyes before planting him face-first in the middle of the ring. MJF then tossed Orange Cassidy out of the ring and the members of The Inner Circle laid the boot into him.
Best Friends were unhappy with The Inner Circle getting involved and headed backstage, returning with a number of wrestlers from the back to even the odds, making this match closer to a lumberjack match.
MJF continued to mock Orange Cassidy and booted him across the head. Orange Cassidy hit back with a dropkick before hitting MJF with a dive out to the AEW ringside. He rolled MJF back inside and caught him with a top rope crossbody. Cassidy followed it up with a diving DDT from the top rope for a two-count. Cassidy then rolled MJF up for a nearfall.
MJF replied with a Tiger Driver for a two-count of his own. MJF looked to follow up with a Heatseeker but he was dumped out of the ring. Cassidy then leaped out of the ring, taking out a number of Inner Circle members.
With the referee's back turned, MJF tried to make it look like Cassidy had hit him with the baseball bat but he turned the tables. Cassidy then hit the Beach Break for a nearfall. He followed it up with the Orange Punch but it still wasn't enough to put MJF away on AEW. Orange Cassidy followed it up with a second Orange Punch but Wardlow put his foot on the bottom rope. This led to pandemonium at ringside. While this was going on, Miro came and wiped out Orange Cassidy with a clothesline. MJF covered Orange Cassidy and it was enough to put him away as he was able to retain his AEW Dynamite Diamond ring.
MJF def. Orange Cassidy
GRADE - B
Best Friends attacked Miro and Kip Sabian as security tried to separate them. Miro destroyed security as AEW Dynamite went off the air.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
