**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight was a very special DYNAMITE as we celebrated 30 years of “Demo God” Chris Jericho’s career in pro wrestling!
The show opened with a montage of AEW roster members sharing their personal favorite Chris Jericho moments.
Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone were on commentary. Taz and “Absolute” Ricky Starks joined the broadcast booth at the beginning of the show.
Kicking things off—An FTW Championship Match—defended for the first time on DYNAMITE!
FTW Champion “The Machine” Brian Cage (with Taz) vs. Will Hobbs!
They started with a slugfest! Cage took Hobbs off his feet with a back elbow but Hobbs got right back up! Hobbs connected with a crossbody block!
“Hobbs bench-presses 475 pounds legit,” noted Jim Ross.
Cage kicked Hobbs in the face but didn’t go for the cover. Cage did a standing moonsault but Hobbs kicked out at two!
“Look at the explosiveness in the hips of Cage,” said Taz.
Cage went in for a headlock but Hobbs countered with a backdrop. Hobbs followed up with two consecutive clotheslines and then a shoulder tackle. He powerslammed Cage for a near fall. It was reminiscent of the late, great Buzz Sawyer, said Jim Ross.
Cage grabbed Hobbs with a pump handle face-first slam! It was an arrogant cover and Cage paid for it as Hobbs kicked out. Cage followed up with a German suplex but Hobbs popped right back up and hit Cage with a German suplex of his own!
“Both of these athletes fighting to their feet!” said Excalibur.
Hobbs ducked a discus lariat and used the Last Will and Testament spinebuster on Cage for a near fall! Hobbs went to the top rope for a frog splash but Cage moved out of the way. Cage finished off Hobbs with the Drill Claw for the pin!
Taz got on the microphone and said Hobbs was impressive. Starks jumped into the ring. Taz said Hobbs had two options now: “Option A—Be part of Team Taz. Option B—you say ‘no’ to Option A and Starks and Cage will beat the hell out of you! What’s it gonna be?” asked Taz.
Darby Allin’s music hit and he came to the ring with his skateboard. Starks and Cage left and Taz said Darby would live to regret it!
There was another montage of celebrities congratulating Jericho on his incredible career, including Slash, Dennis Miller, Jericho’s father Ted Irvine, and Hiroshi Tanahashi!
It was time for a Brush with Greatness! (20 Minute Time Limit Match!)
AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (with Tully Blanchard) vs. TH2—Angelico & Jack Evans!
TH2 are on a three-match win streak. The Young Bucks were seen watching monitors backstage.
Jack Evans rolled up Dax twice as the match started for two consecutive near falls. Angelico tagged in and connected with a high crossbody! Harwood and Wheeler collected their thoughts outside the ring with manager Tully Blanchard. Angelico went for a crossbody but FTR caught him, so Jack Evans flew off the top rope and landed on FTR (and his own partner)! Evans put Dax back in the ring and went right for the pin but Dax kicked out. While Tully distracted ref Aubrey Edwards, Cash knocked Evans off the top rope. They dropped Evans’ knee on the steel barricade, and then rammed it into the ring post!
FTR continued to punish the knee of Jack Evans, with Dax using a dragon screw leg whip. Finally Angelico got the hot tag and used to educated feet to take down Dax and Cash! He applied a double submission on FTR but Tully helped FTR by pushing the bottom rope closer so they could reach it. The ref then had to break the submission. After an assisted 450 splash from TH2, Cash kicked out at two!
FTR executed a series of tandem offense to change the momentum of this match again! Jim Ross was very impressed with TH2’s resiliency and thought that perhaps FTR took them too lightly going into the match. Evans hit a front flipping ax kick on Dax, but Dax plowed through with a lariat and then a tiger driver—but Evans kicked out at two!
Dax superplexed Evans and then Cash followed up with a splash off the top, and it was good enough to pin Evans!
The Bucks were shown again backstage watching the match off the monitor. They saw the cameraman filming them and superkicked him!
Best Friends—Chuck Taylor and Trent—walked out taunting FTR. They were wearing shirts that featured FTR dressed as hot dogs. “As comedy backyard wrestlers, what we’re trying to say, is that you guys are weenies,” said Trent.
“But what’s not a joke, is that we are the number one contenders,” said Trent.
It was announced that Best Friends would be challenging for FTR’s gold next week, per Tony Khan!
A video package played of MJF offering his version of a tribute to Chris Jericho. MJF said he was proud and inspired by Jericho.
Lars Ulrich of Metallica, Gene Simmons of KISS, Don Callis, Shaq, and Diamond Dallas Page offered their congratulations to Chris Jericho in a video montage.
It was time for another AEW First—a Dog Collar Match!
TNT Champion “The Exalted One” Mr. Brodie Lee (with John Silver and Anna Jay) vs. “The American Nightmare” Cody (accompanied by Brandi Rhodes and “Nightmare Family” head coach Arn Anderson)!
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine was sitting ringside to commemorate the most famous Dog Collar Match of all time—Valentine vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper!
Brodie Lee and Cody were each connected by a steel chain and a dog collar. Cody got a shot into John Silver who was on ringside, busting Silver open! Cody got cracked hard early by Brodie. Cody went for a springboard cutter off the top turnbuckle but Brodie used the chain to pull him down to the mat! He pulled Cody outside and faceplanted him on the ring apron! Brodie Lee returned to the ring and used the chain to clothesline Cody! Brodie DDT’ed Cody’s head onto the steel chain, opening a wide laceration on Cody’s head!
“He’s pouring blood here, guys,” said Tony Schiavone.
Anna Jay walked John Silver to the back, per Mr. Brodie Lee’s instructions.
Cody used the chain for an assisted Russian leg sweep on Brodie! Cody hit a tope suicida, driving Mr. Brodie Lee into the steel guardrail. Brodie pulled back on the chain, rag dolling Cody into the barricade, and then over it onto the arena floor!
Brodie Lee pulled the timekeeper’s table closer to the ring, and then winged some steel chairs into the ring! Brodie was on the ring apron but Cody, with perfect timing, pulled the 16-foot steel chain, and Brodie along with it, straight into a cutter on the floor! Cody was sporting a “crimson mask” and cracked a smile after pulling off the move on the champ. Cody crashed Brodie through the table with a package piledriver, busting open Mr. Brodie Lee! Cody fired up and began whipping Mr. Brodie Lee with the chain! He wrapped the chain around his fist and began punching “The Exalted One” in the forehead!
Cody wrapped the chain around the ring post and began to choke Mr. Brodie Lee! The tables were turned as Brodie launched Cody to the outside and pulled the chain, using leverage. Brodie followed up with the Bossman Slam for a near fall on Cody! Brodie Lee launched a chair at Arn Anderson’s head! John Silver of the Dark Order ran in and Arn took him out with a spinebuster. Brodie hit Anderson though, knocking him down. This outraged Cody, forcing him to turn up the heat on Mr. Brodie Lee! Cody wrapped the chain around Brodie’s neck and started chocking him again. He followed up with a moonsault off the top rope for a near fall on Brodie!
Mr. Brodie Lee hit a thrust kick but Cody followed up with Cross Rhodes! Mr. Brodie Lee kicked out to Cody’s surprise! Brodie connected with two thrust kicks and then powerbombed Cody onto the steel chain, and somehow Cody found the fighting spirit to kick out at two!
“The fight, the heart of Cody, coming to the front,” said Jim Ross.
Brodie Lee superplexed Cody off the top rope! Brodie used a release dragon suplex on Cody! Brodie attempted the discus lariat but Cody countered with the Final Cut. He wrapped the chain around Mr. Brodie’s entire face and hammered down with elbows! Cody hit Mr. Brodie Lee with CrossRhodes and pinned “The Exalted One!”
Once again TNT Champion…”The American Nightmare Cody!
Dustin Rhodes and Brandi Rhodes came to the ring to celebrate with Cody. Tony Schiavone interviewed Cody after the match.
Cody: “There is no feeling on earth like being able to compete and perform in front of a live crowd. I spent from the time I was 15 years old to this moment to reach across the aisle and touch your hand. I’m sticking with you people until the very end. It’s my life’s work to be a pro wrestler. I want to come next week to DYNAMITE’s anniversary to defend the TNT Title.”
“Who will you be defending against?” asked Tony Schiavone.
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy strolled out casually onto the ramp and gave Cody the thumbs up, and Cody replied with a thumbs up!
Three more names were announced for the AEW World Championship Tournament: Wardlow, Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana, and “Hangman” Adam Page!
Alex Marvez interviewed Kenny Omega backstage. Kenny said this was the tournament where he was going to stake his claim for the AEW World Championship. Marvez said Omega seemed awfully confident. Omega said it doesn’t matter who you throw at him, even if it’s “Hangman” Adam Page. Omega reiterated he is going to win this thing!
This was followed by #2 ranked Big Swole vs. Serena Deeb!
Deeb showed off her technical prowess by taking down Big Swole with arm drags and wrist locks. Deeb rolled up Big Swole but Swole escaped! Big Swole used her power and hit a back breaker on Deeb, but Deeb reached through with a vicious clothesline. Big Swole tweaked her knee after a dragon screw leg whip on the bottom rope from Deeb.
“Serena Deeb is putting on a clinic here. Swole has taken on a lot of punishment,” said Jim Ross.
Big Swole lined up several clothesline and then blasted Deeb with a headbutt to Deeb’s heart! Swole swiped at Deeb with a roundhouse kick! Swole missed a rolling elbow but charged in with an uppercut. Swole hit another headbutt to Deeb’s heart and then found the rolling elbow this time, pinning Deeb!
AEW World Champion Jon Moxley was shown sitting at a bar. “One does not simply beat Lance Archer. One survives Lance Archer. What happens October 14th, Lance? Maybe you win. Maybe I win. I got a lot of regrets in my life, but laying down in the ring for you ain’t one of them. It’s like you say, Lance—‘everybody dies.’”
Next our main event! 30 Years in the Making!
Chaos Project—Luther & Serpentico vs. The Inner Circle’s Chris Jericho & Jake Hager (accompanied by Santana, Ortiz, and Sammy Guevara)!
“Jericho and Luther met in the ring for the first time in 1991,” noted Excalibur.
Before the match began, another video package aired of famous friends offering their congratulations to Chris Jericho, including: Lance Storm, Kevin Smith, Eli Roth, Gabriel Iglesias, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Steel Panther, Ultimo Dragon, Paul Stanley of KISS!
Jericho blasted Serpentico with a forearm, but Serpentico followed up with a hurracanrana! Luther tagged in and he and Jericho traded chops to the chest! Luther took Jericho down with a big high boot and then a suplex! Serpentico and Luther worked over Jericho with quick tags in and out, utilizing tandem offense!
Luther grabbed Jericho by the hair and smashed his head into the mat from the top rope! Luther ducked the Judas Effect and caught Jericho with a German suplex! Serpentico nailed Jericho with knees from the top. Jericho called for his baseball bat and Sammy tossed it in to Jericho but Luther caught it instead. Luther swung it at Jericho’s abdomen while the referee was distracted! Sammy Guevara jumped to the ring apron—Luther turned to look at Sammy—and while Luther was preoccupied, Jericho dropped Luther with the Judas Effect! Jericho pinned Luther!
Jericho took the microphone and before he could make any type of speech, MJF’s music played. MJF came to the ring and said he wasn’t here to steal the limelight but he was here because he respected Jericho and wanted to help him celebrate. MJF instructed Wardlow to remove a sheet from a surprise. Under the sheet was a clown! The clown was holding another gift.
MJF told Jericho that next week he’s going to make a career-defining announcement. Jericho unwrapped the gift from MJF—and it was a framed photo of MJF! Jericho smashed the framed photo over the clown’s head and then clobbered the clown with the Judas Effect! Jericho told MJF he hates clowns and that he hates being interrupted! Jericho paused…and then Jericho and MJF smiled at one another and laughed!
Congrats to Chris Jericho!
Be sure to join us next Wednesday as we celebrate a major milestone in AEW history—AEW DYNAMITE’s 1st anniversary on TNT! And we’ll have the “MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer vs. AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, and so much more! Don’t miss it!