Post by sethisthegoat on Jul 27, 2023 20:20:13 GMT -5
AEW Dynamite: Fight for the Fallen
July 19, 2023
We get a special Dynamite intro, highlighting the Homes for Our Troops charity, where a portion of ticket and ad revenue will be donated after tonight’s show.
The New Day is the first out to the ring, wearing camouflage-inspired outfits — all three members. Kofi and Xavier bring up their recent singles matches against RVD and Sabu. It’s clear that they’re on a collision course. In fact, why don’t they kick off tonight’s show? RVD, Sabu and Dean Malenko answered the challenge, and Fight for the Fallen kicked off with a six-man tag team match.
1st match - The New Day vs. RVD, Sabu and Dean Malenko
The action was frantic and fast-paced as the teams exchanged tags frequently. After about 8 minutes, The Natural Selection trio of Brian Cage, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander came out, flanked by Cesar Duran. Cage started jawing with Big E, who hopped down off the apron. Cage simply held his All-Atlantic Championship in E’s face, while Malenko used the New Day’s distraction to roll Xavier Woods up for the pinfall victory. As soon as the match ended, Cage smashed Big E in the face with the belt, then his trio went back up the stage.
Woods and Kofi Kingston checked on Big E, then worked their way to the back. In the ring, RVD and Sabu were arguing with Malenko — RVD asking what’s gotten into Malenko lately. The Iceman shrugged him off and RVD and Sabu walked away as Miro’s music hit, and the Redeemer walked out angrily and rushed to the ring. Malenko slipped out and hit the ramp before Miro could grab him. As we head to break, we see a replay of last week when Malenko attacked Miro with the ring bell after their match.
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After the break, we see AEW World Champion Bill Goldberg arriving in a suit.
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Wrestling legend Harley Race is at ringside tonight. Pat McAfee announces that Race is All Elite!
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2nd match - First Round of TBS Title Tournament: Tay Melo (12-4) w/ Sammy Guevara vs. Serena Deeb (9-7)
Melo gets the big win with a GTH at 8:49. After the match, she and Guevara celebrate briefly before Guevara grabs a microphone. Guevara says he feels a little naked without the TNT Championship. That title was supposed to belong to the Spanish god for a long time, but Hook took it from him. So he’s got a proposal for Hook — one more match, for the title. May the best man win.
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Goldberg is sitting with Kenny Omega in a locker room. The Young Bucks are standing in the background. Goldberg asks Omega why he wanted to talk to him. Omega replies that he wants Goldberg to know that he will do whatever it takes to keep Cody Rhodes out of the title picture and, ideally, out of AEW all together. But he also intends to become AEW Champion.
Goldberg - “Unfortunately for you, the only way to get that scum out of AEW is for me to walk out of All Out as AEW Champion. So, will you do the right thing? Tar and feather Cody Rhodes tonight. Then lay down for me at All Out. Then it’s bye-bye Mr. Rhodes.”
Omega stands. Goldberg stands. They get nose-to-nose before Omega extends his hand and they shake. Goldberg walks out, and the Bucks ask Omega what he’s thinking. “First things, first. We will take Cody out tonight. Then I’ll figure out what to do at All Out.”
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3rd match: Rey Mysterio vs. Kota Ibushi
Kota played the bigger man during the match, doing his best to keep Rey down with a variety of kicks and knee strikes. Rey turned the tide when he ducked a roundhouse kick and hit a springboard DDT. Rey went for the 619, but Kota slid out of the way and tripped Rey to the floor outside, where he hit a Golden Star Powerbomb on the outside, before sliding Rey back into the ring for a nearfall.
The action intensified as both men started hitting flying moves. Rey tried for a top rope hurricanrana, but Kota landed on his feet, then responded with a lariat. Kota hit a Northern Lights suplex, followed by a springboard corkscrew 450 (Golden Star Press) to go for the pin…Rey kicked out at 2!
Kota went for another Golden Star Press, but Rey rolled out of the way and tripped Kota into the ropes, where he went for another 619. This time it connected! Rey went to the top rope, where he hit a Frog Splash and got the win in 23:18. After the match, the competitors shook hands and hugged, while Kota waved to the fans.
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Miro busts into RVD and Sabu’s locker room and asks where Malenko is. They say they haven’t seen him since their match, and as far as they’re concerned, their little partnership is over. Miro roars and punches a hole through the wall before leaving.
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4th match: First Round of TBS Title Tournament: Britt Baker (0-0) vs. Madison Rayne (11-4)
Baker and Rayne have a back-and-forth match that ends with Baker cinching in the Lockjaw for the submission victory at 9 minutes.
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We head backstage, where Cactus Jack, Taz and Raven are watching the broadcast. Taz asks Jack what he thinks about Baker using the mandible claw. Jack smiles and says that you’d probably rather have Britt’s hand down your throat than his. Miro storms by and asks if they’ve seen Malenko. They shake their heads and he storms off.
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Main event: Cody Rhodes vs. Kenny Omega II
Commentary notes that Rhodes has never defeated Omega, dating back to their mutual time in ROH and their battles over leadership of the Bullet Club.
Rhodes and Omega start the match with a collar-and-elbow tie-up. Omega transitions into a wrist lock; Rhodes reverses it to a hammerlock; Omega counters with a snapmare. Rhodes hits Omega with a dropkick, sending him to the corner. Rhodes charges at Omega, but Omega dodges and hits Rhodes with a chop. Omega whips Rhodes to the opposite corner and follows with a running back elbow. Omega sets up Rhodes for a V-Trigger, but Rhodes ducks and hits Omega with a CrossRhodes out of nowhere for a near fall.
Later, the two are fighting on the top rope. Rhodes blocks a superplex attempt and hits a sunset flip, driving Omega to the mat and going for a pin that gets 2. Omega turned the tide and took advantage, hitting a few kicks and a DDT. Omega hit the One-Winged Angel, but it also only got 2.
At this point, both men were exhausted and the Young Bucks emerged from backstage, holding baseball bats. Before they could get to the ring, Dustin Rhodes ran out from the back to intercept them. He briefly caught them by surprise, but they got the upper hand for a moment…until Harley Race hopped the barrier and joined in! Dustin and Harley spilled with the Bucks into the crowd and fought to the back.
In the ring, Omega was distracted. Rhodes caught him with a CrossRhodes and hit a second one for good measure before getting the pinfall victory at 25:49.
A very tired Rhodes stands up and receives an ovation from the crowd, as Omega rolls out of the ring. Out of nowhere, Goldberg is in the ring and hits Rhodes with a brutal spear as commentary breaks in and says there’s been an incident in the parking lot.
Dean Malenko is holding a baseball bat and standing over a bloody Miro, before security drags Malenko away. McAfee and Coach tell the audience they’ll be back for the rest of Fight for the Fallen on Rampage. They wonder what’s gotten into Malenko.
AEW Rampage: Fight for the Fallen
July 21, 2023
Sasha Banks’ music hits, and she comes out before her first round matchup with Angelina Love. Banks says that she hasn’t been living up to her own high Standard since coming to AEW. The TBS Championship tournament is her chance to set things right and make her mark in AEW. She is still the Legit Boss and the Blueprint by which all other women measure themselves.
1st match - First Round of TBS Title Tournament: Sasha Banks (7-3) vs. Angelina Love (5-4) w/ the Beautiful People
Banks is clearly motivated and makes quick work of Love, putting her away with the Bank Statement at 3:39.
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Matt Riddle and Jeff Cobb are backstage, talking over strategy for beating the OC. Riddle is using a lot of “explosion” noises and talking about the new Mission: Impossible movie. Cobb, getting frustrated, grabs Riddle by the shoulders.
Cobb - “Focus, man! Gallows and Anderson will be focused on winning tonight. If we aren’t on the top of our game, we’ll be in trouble.” Riddle tells Cobb to take it easy, “bro,” and he’ll be on task when the time comes.
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2nd match - First Round of TBS Title Tournament: Willow Nightingale (5-3) vs. The Bunny (1-0)
Nightingale and the Bunny have a fun back-and-forth match, but Nightingale’s power overwhelms the Bunny and she gets the win after a gorilla press slam at 6:32.
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The Bloodline comes out to the ring, and Roman Reigns thanks the fans for acknowledging them. He’s here tonight to throw down a challenge for next week — any member of The Apex vs. any member of the Bloodline.
The Apex answers the challenge. Jeff Jarrett says that Reigns has never faced a threat like Wardlow. He’ll get more than he asked for next week. Reigns smiles and says he’s on.
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Main Event - AEW Tag Team Championships: Chosen Bros © (11-2) vs. The OC (1-0)
Anderson starts the match with a side headlock on Riddle and takes him down, but Riddle rolls through and Anderson pushes him into the ropes; Riddle ducks a clothesline, then hits a spinning heel kick on the way back. Anderson scrambles and tags in Gallows.
The bigger man boots Riddle down and takes control with a body slam and leg drop. Gallows tries for a chokeslam, but receives a knee to the head. Riddle tags Cobb, who clotheslines Gallows over the top rope and follows him outside. They exchange blows, until Anderson hops down to double team Cobb. Riddle runs around the ring and jumps on the group, but the OC get out of the way in time and Riddle accidentally lands on Cobb.
Gallows comes over and hits the Gallows Pole (inverted full nelson slam) on Riddle, before rolling Cobb back in the ring. Gallows and Anderson work Cobb over, tagging back and forth, before Anderson hits the Gun Stun on Cobb and goes for the pin. 1…2…No! Riddle just made the save. This allows Cobb to get a second wind, and he hits Anderson with a couple of suplexes before tagging Riddle in. They double team Anderson for a moment, until Anderson hits a surprise crossbody on both opponents, sending Cobb out of the ring.
Anderson whips Riddle into the corner and follows up with a running splash. He sets him up for a neckbreaker, but Riddle reverses it into a fisherman’s buster. Riddle crawls to his corner and tags in Cobb, who comes in fresh and takes down Anderson with a shoulder block. He hits Gallows off the apron and then tosses Anderson across the ring with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. He picks him up and hits a spinning back suplex, followed by a standing moonsault. He covers Anderson for a near fall, but Gallows breaks it up. Riddle comes in and kicks Gallows out of the ring. He follows it up with a suicide dive.
In the ring, Cobb hits Anderson with a Tour of the Islands to get the 3-count and the win at 22:55.
The Bros celebrate their win, while the OC members are disappointed, as the Fight for the Fallen comes to an end.