AEW Dynamite 2/10/21 Quick Takes

TNT Championship Title Match: Darby Allin vs. Joey Janela 

Once again, we have a fantastic opener that sets the tone for the rest of the show. This match played off of Darby and Joey’s history very well. This was essentially a GCW showcase match and I dug it. Joey had his best showing so far in his AEW tenure. There was a moment where Janela countered a Coffin Drop into a German suplex that was picture perfect. Darby felt like a champion here. Switching up his face paint and his gear for a big match is a detail that I always appreciate. Darby wins after going for another Coffin Drop but Janela stepped up tonight. I would love to see a full program with these two.

The Inner Circle, Inner Turmoil

This was a fun segment. MJF trying to record Sammy Guevara saying something negative about Chris Jericho but getting caught was entertaining. I thought Maxwell was going to get away with it but I was wrong. Guevara showed some fire, tossing MJF’s phone and socking the Salt of the Earth square in the stomach. MJF sold that like a champ.

Cody Rhodes and Lee Johnson vs. Peter Avalon and Cezar Bononi

There wasn’t a ton here. Cody and Avalon’s pseudo feud continues. I guess this gives Cody something to do until the Shaq match happens. Lee Johnson was the featured performer here. He got a few moments to shine. Once by hitting a big dive that takes out Bononi and again by getting the win for his team (and first win in AEW) by rolling up Avalon. The big news coming out of this one is that Lee Johnson has officially signed with the company so I expect we’ll see a lot more of him soon.

Pac vs. Ryan Nemith

Another showcase match. Nemith has been popping up a lot lately and I would not mind if he ended up signing one day. He reminds me a lot of his brother and I think that’s OK. He can sell and make everything look devastating. Case in point, this match with Pac. The Bastard wins decisively after a Black Arrow and Brutalizer. Nemith looked half dead.

The Acclaimed vs. Chris Jericho and MJF

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This was OK. It was a heel vs. heel match and I’m not usually sold on those. MFJ was selling the punch from earlier by taping up his midsection which was a nice touch. This had your typical heel shenanigans. We had eye-gouging, outside interference, and Anthony Bowens nailed Jericho with the boombox for a convincing near fall. Chris Jericho connects with a Judas Effect for the win. After the match, Sammy Guevara comes down and reiterates that if MJF tried another fast one, then Guevara is done. MFJ tried so, Sammy is out. Guevara quits the Inner Circle and leaves the arena.

Thunder Rosa vs. Leyla Hirsch

The Women’s Eliminator Tournament is officially underway. I thought this was great for what it was. “Legit” isn’t just a clever moniker for Hirsch, her style brings a level of credibility to the division that I like to see. Rosa continues to be a dominant force in AEW. Leyla tries to outwrestle Rosa but eventually gets caught by going for an uncharacteristic moonsault. Rosa goes for a powerbomb for the win and advances in the tournament.

Kenny Omega and KENTA vs. Jon Moxley and Lance Archer

This was absolutely bonkers! On paper, this seemed like something out of Fire Pro Wrestling and that’s what made this match so fun. This had pretty much everything. We had kendo sticks, garbage cans, ladders, and…potatoes.Moxley and Omega had a few callbacks to their Lights Out match from a while back so that was nice to see. Having KENTA do his thing in an AEW ring was cool. He got a chance to hit all of his classic spots, KO’ing Peter Avalon with a GTS, going for the shotgun dropkick, and even did the KENTA Rush. Moxley and Archer worked well together and I loved the idea of two unhinged psychopaths working together against a common foe. The Good Brothers find a way to get involved here so have a Bullet Club delegation from three different companies which is kind of cool. Kenny Omega gets the win over Archer after a V-Trigger, Magic Killer, and One-Winged Angel.

Final Thoughts

1. All in all, a solid episode. It moved some storylines along and had a killer main event.

2. There was an interaction with The Young Bucks and The Good Brothers that left me confused. I know this is going somewhere but I don’t know where.

3. IF the Forbidden Door is truly open, get me Suzuki-Gun!

#JonMoxley #BulletClub #ChrisJericho #AEWDynamite #wrestling #AEW #KennyOmega