The main event of tonight's episode of AEW Dynamite was the incredible clash between Jon Moxley and Darby Allin. We also had Nick Jackson in singles action for the first time in over 4 years and also the AEW Dynamite debut of 10-time WWE Tag-Team Champion Billy Gunn. The packed show also saw Chris Jericho's next title challenger revealed as well as Proud and Powerful facing Private Party in a tribute match for Matt Travis.
Nick Jackson vs Rey Fenix
This was Matt Jackson's first singles match in more than 4 years and a result of Santana and Ortiz powerbombing his brother through a part of the stage last week.
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Fenix didn't look out of place in the singles match either and both men put on a fast-paced exhibition. Fenix showed some incredible skill and agility early on, flying around the ring and delivering his offense. Jackson replied with a high kick before going for an Escalera out to ringside but ended up crashing to the floor.. Fenix didn't let Jackson get a breather and immediately caught him with a Cutter onto the floor.
We came back from the break to see Nick Jackson and Fenix trading superkicks, with both men going down. They just managed to beat the 10-count. Fenix headed to the top rope and again and hit Nick Jackson with a hurricanrana off the apron and onto the floor. Jackson didn't stay down long but Fenix followed up with another Cutter as soon as Nick was back in the ring.
Nick Jackson was down but not out. He hit a stalling German Suplex right onto the hardest part of the ring. He rolled Fenix back in and hit a Springboard Facebuster. It wasn't enough to keep Fenix down. The Mexican star whipped Nick Jackson into the corner and landed a springboard kick. He then hit Nick Jackson with the Mexican Muscle Buster for the win.
Fenix def. Nick Jackson
Dr. Britt Baker vs Hikaru Shida
Hikaru Shida looked in great form early on in her AEW match as she toyed with Baker, using all her experience in the ring to take the fight to the doctor. Baker went for an early attempted Superkick but Shida blocked it. The doctor went for the Lockjaw early on but her experienced opponent had it scouted and easily broke free. Baker dominated most of the ad break, wearing Shida down.
Back from the break, Shida was back in control. Baker was busted open by this point but she still brought the fire with her, yanking Shida off the top rope and hitting a sling blade. Shida replied with a rising knee strike before both women traded forearm strikes. Shida followed up and hit her patented running knee strike. She went for the pin but Baker rolled her over and tried to go for the lockjaw again.
Shida squirmed free and poked Baker in the eye and tried to roll her up but Baker still kicked out. Shida then hit a Falcon Arrow but it still wasn't enough. The Japanese star finally took Baker out with her running knee strike before pinning her.
Hikaru Shida def. Dr. Britt Baker
12-man Battle Royale (featuring MJF, Adam Page, Pentagon Jr, Billy Gun and more)
The first man eliminated was Pentagon Jr after a distraction from Christopher Daniels who came down to the ring under Fenix's mask. The next man out was Jimmy Havoc and he didn't look happy. Sonny Kiss was the next person eliminated, after getting blindsided by MJF.
Jimmy Havoc came into the ring with a staple gun and started driving staples into everyone left in the ring. Joey Janela looked in good form tonight and he was all over Adam Page during the ad break. Just as Janela headed to the top rope, Shawn Spears came out and knocked him off with a steel chair, eliminating him in the process.
Billu Gunn took was in great form during this match and the WWE Hall of Famer took everyone out. It was at this point that Orange Cassidy, who'd literally been chilling in the ring, decided to get up. He unleashed his "lethal" kicks on Billy Gunn only for MJF to eliminate him from behind, garnering massive heat. Gunn almost eliminated MJF but was eliminated himself after a Buckshot Lariat from Adam Page.
Chuck Taylor was the next man eliminated. The man who took him out, Kip Sabian, was then eliminated by Jungle Boy. It looked like Page and Jungle Boy were the last two men left in the match but MJF was still in it. He eliminated Jungle Boy leaving him and Page as the last two men standing to face off next week.
MJF and Adam Page face off next week
Chris Jericho addresses the AEW fans
Chris Jericho was out next with Jake Hager at his side. Jericho started off by saying he was sorry for destroying stuff around the ring last week on Dynamite after being pinned by Scorpio Sky. Jericho went on to say that he would get what he deserved next week on Dynamite, with a special celebration.
SCU came out to interrupt Jericho and Hage. Scorpio Sky told Jericho he was sorry for pinning him and their back and forth eventually led to Jericho granting Scorpio Sky a title match on next week's episode of Dynamite. Jericho and Hager then started unloading on SCU and the rest of the Inner Circle soon joined them. Michael Nakazawa and Brandon Cutler tried to come out and make the save but they were taken out in seconds.
We then saw Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt come out and they got swatted away as well. It was the massive presence of Luchasaurus who finally drove the inner Circle away after a brief face-off with Jake Hager
Luchasaurus vs Peter Avalon
Luchasaurus made short work of The Librarian. Luchasaurus caught Avalon with a boot before planting him chokeslam and pinning him.
Luchasaurus def. Peter Avalon
Santana and Ortiz vs Private Party (Tribute match for Matt Travis)
Ortiz and Isiah Kassidy started the match off and it was all Private Party in the early stages, forcing Ortiz to go outside for a breather multiple times. Quen tagged himself in and then launched himself at Santana and Ortiz, who were outside the ring, landing on his feet.
Quen was in total control till Santana and Ortiz's experience played its part. Ortiz distracted Quen giving Santana the chance to hit him with a Russian Leg Sweep off the middle rope. Proud and Powerful dominated Quen after this, trading tags and wearing him down. Santana and Ortiz hit an incredible stalling vertical suplex where they traded Quen a couple of times before Ortiz finally planted him.
Santana came in as the legal man and hit a backbreaker and Ortiz followed up with a leg drop. The tide finally turned after Quen tagged in Kassidy who came in like a house of fire. He made it look easy as he cleared house and took out both Santana and Ortiz. He took out Santana with a springboard moonsault out to ringside and then hit Ortiz with the Code Red in the ring.
Private Party went to hit Ortiz with the Silly String but Quen's back gave out after taking a ton of punishment. Kassidy was left helpless as Santana and Ortiz unloaded on him. Ortiz had the referee distracted. Santana was about to hit Kasidy with the stuffed sock when Nick Jackson came out and grabbed the weapon. Private Party used the opening to hit the Gin and Juice to pin Santana for the win.
Private Party def. Santana and Ortiz
Sammy Guevara tried to get involved after the match but Dustin Rhodes came out and cleared the Inner Circle off.
Jon Moxley vs Darby Allin
Darby Allin didn't wait for Moxley to come into the ring and launched himself into Moxley while he was still at ringside. The duo then brawled into the fans before Moxley tossed Darby back into the ringside area.
When the match officially began, Allin was on the offense again but it didn't last long. Allin launched himself off the top rope at Moxley and just bounced off the former WWE Superstar. Moxley then hit a dropkick, sending Darby crashing into the corner turnbuckle.
Moxley continued to punish Darby Allin into the ad break and transitioned into a Texas Cloverleaf hold. Moxley was forced to break the hold and Darby replied with a flying crossbody, sending both men crashing out of the ring. Allin then sent Moxley face-first into the steel steps. He then headed to the top rope but Moxley met him there and shoved him off.
Moxley followed it up with a release Vertical Suplex before hitting a nasty knee strike to the face, sending Darby crashing out to ringside. Moxley continued to boot Allin as he had the bodybag he used in his entrance wrapped around him. The referee forced Moxley to stop it, threatening to DQ him. Allin fought back once again and went for the Coffin Drop. Moxley tried to lock in a sleeper hold but Allin rolled it into a pin. Moxley kicked out and we soon saw both men on the top turnbuckle again. Moxley bit Allin in the face and hit him with a Paradigm Shift from the middle rope for the win.
Jon Moxley def. Darby Allin
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