AEW announced earlier today that not only has their Dynamite show been extended by TNT for the next three years, but there is also a second show coming to the network. With that extremely positive news ringing out, tonight’s Dynamite was a special edition “Bash at the Beach” episode. While the set was fairly normal (aside from a lifeguard/sand motif), it was a nice little change in the atmosphere and logo. I was hoping for an outdoor Club Le Vela (WCW Nitro Spring Break) style, but this may still bring in extra viewers on the nostalgic name alone. Let’s see how the show did.
Proud and Powerful vs. Young Bucks vs. Best Friends vs. Kenny Omega/Adam Page
AEW sometimes likes to open with a hot match, and the Miami crowd was tremendous for this. This four team fracus would determine the number one contenders for the Tag Team Titles, as the winners would get a shot at SCU next week. Proud and Powerful were the ones that really stood out in this match, as they took multiple chances to get heat by breaking up crowd-friendly spots. P&P are really good heels and their brawling is a bit different from a lot of other AEW teams. They told a slight story with Page being passed over for tags, and talked on commentary about the friendship of The Elite. Aside from that, this was a no-rules spotfest. Page and Omega get the win with a V-Trigger/Buckshot Lariat combo, but the Bucks contested that they had the match won. Page’s full heel turn has to be looming, possibly as early as next week.
Cody is out for a promo, to respond to MJF’s demands. The camera keeps cutting back to a vivacious woman on the lifeguard chair. Cody cuts a typically impassioned promo about how MJF can’t do anything other than be an “old school heel”. His intensity and delivery are among the best in the business. Cody accepts the demands, and will face Wardlow in a cage match in February, ten days before Revolution. This feud is the best that AEW has right now.
Joey Janela gets a brief backstage promo about how 2019 wasn’t his year, and now he gets a fresh start. While this wasn’t an exceptional promo, it also wasn’t bad. It’s nice to see a new face getting some mic time. Janela faces Fenix next week, and he desperately needs a win.
Brandi/Mel vs. Kris Statlander/Hikaru Shida
I was exceptionally hard on last week’s segment where Luther was revealed. I’m (rightfully) going to be even harder on this match, which was a next-level train wreck. Statlander whiffed on a moonsault to the outside, where she missed by about 3 feet. Shida was consistently missing on strikes, and was way off target on a top rope dropkick. Mel (Melanie Cruise) looked completely out of sorts, and Brandi in the ring was…well, Brandi in the ring. These four are far too good for this choppy, botch-filled, hot garbage. AEW even went to commercial WITHOUT picture-in-picture here, and I wish they’d stayed in commercial until this one was over. Nightmare Collective lose in their first match, as Statlander wins with the Big Bang Theory. Geesh.
Dark Order had a very solid promo, where the sharp-talking disciple went over the people that the Dark Order is trying to recruit. They talked about Nakazawa, Brandon Cutler, and Adam Page. The Exalted One was talking in the background as well. You have to wonder if that could be Matt Hardy or Luke Harper at this point (now that Marty Scurll is booking ROH). I love that they’re preying on people and wanting to show up The Elite, but my only beef here is…why would you want glorified jobbers (via record) on your team? Cutler and Nakazawa haven’t even won a match in AEW. Good package though.
Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara
They said the winner of this match faces the winner of Pac/Darby Allin next week to become the number one contender to Jericho’s championship. While Moxley is the obvious challenger here, I like that they gave these two matches major stakes. That’s a nice touch to make them feel important. Moxley comes out in the car he stole from Jericho last week. Guevara hit a top rope double stomp to Moxley on the apron, and tossed him around on the outside. This was physical, tight, and saw both men bust out new moves in their arsenals. Moxley even spiked Guevara with the old front-facing Dirty Deeds. This was tremendous, and Mox won with a rear naked choke. It’s good to have some matches end without a finishing move, to condition the fans that contests can end at any time. This did a lot to make Guevara feel like a star as well. After the match, the Inner Circle surrounded Moxley and beat him down. Jericho unscrewed a spike off of his jacket, and hit Moxley in the eye with it. This adds drama to Moxley’s contendership match next week. Great pair of segments.
Jericho cuts a promo with the Inner Circle backstage, saying they’ll beat the Jurassic Express on the cruise ship next week, and that Moxley is out of the contendership match now.
Dustin Rhodes/QT Marshall/DDP vs. MJF/The Butcher and The Blade
This six-man tag is a great use of the legendary DDP, even if QT Marshall feels a bit out of place as his partner. Marshall has gotten smoother in his counters and transitions lately though. MJF is stealing heat left and right here, and he’s wearing a shirt that says “I Banged DDP’s Daughter”. There’s no young talent in the wrestling world who “gets it” quite like MJF right now. Jim Ross calls MJF by the wrong first name about three times here. The camera and the microphones had several technical issues all night. The Butcher and The Blade feel real and old school, and The Bunny is an alluring, attractive glue that holds the package together. DDP hits a few Diamond Cutters, and also a dive from the top rope to the outside. MJF rolls up Marshall for the cheap win. This segment got the massive DDP pop and got the heels over. Good stuff.
SCU cuts a brief promo backstage, as a seemingly drunk Adam Page comes in and spills his drink on Chris Daniels’ jacket. Omega plays peacemaker, but the drama is about to hit the fan between those two.
Pac vs. Darby Allin
We join Pac on his way to the ring, as Dynamite seems to be tight on time. AEW has had a lot of timing issues with fitting their last segments in on these shows. It’s great that Darby is always in main events with top talents, but he needs to win one of these soon. This was the match of the night, during a night of good matches. Two lightning quick athletes hitting impressive bumps for each other and making the most out of their 12 minutes. Allin took a nasty powerbomb onto the steps that cut his arm and back pretty badly. This kid is SO good, I just hope he’s around in 10 years to enjoy the success he’s earned. These two are just on, and it seems like every move and near-fall is hitting perfectly. Pac wins with a Black Arrow on Darby’s back. Tony Schiavone is in the ring afterwards to talk to Pac, and Pac says Moxley forfeits next week. He says he’s the new number one contender, and then Moxley gets out of the ambulance and comes down to ringside (bloody, with his eye covered). Moxley says nothing will stop him from being there next week.
Overall, this was the best AEW show in weeks. The branding of Bash at the Beach gave this show a fresh coat of paint, and 3 matches (Allin/Pac, Moxley/Guevara, and the six man) truly delivered. With the women’s tag and the technical errors aside, the flow of the show was smooth and it set up its main feuds nicely. Darby and Sammy are poised to be breakout stars, and Adam Page is ready to turn heel. Next week’s show is on Jericho’s cruise ship (as Bash at the Beach part 2), so we’re set up with a few huge matches.
