AEW Dynamite Diatribe (10/2/19)

Though cliché as it may sound, this first episode of AEW Dynamite is history-making. Following four pay-per-views under the All Elite Wrestling banner, it’s on this night that the show makes its primetime TV debut on TNT. The network’s history with wrestling has been well-documented and after over a decade and a half, it will once again air the sport. Without any further ado, let’s get into episode one of AEW Dynamite!

The first episode of AEW Dynamite comes from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. On commentary, we have the trio of Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur. Justin Roberts takes over ring announcing. Tonight’s matches include Hangman Page vs. Pac, the AEW Women’s World Championship match between Riho and Nyla Rose, and The Elite’s Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks vs. Santana, Ortiz, and AEW World Champion Chris Jericho. Before we get to the first match of AEW on TNT, a video package plays.

Match 1: “The American Nightmare” Cody (w/Brandi Rhodes) vs. Sammy Guevara

They lock up to start, jockeying for position. Loud “AEW” chants emit from the crowd. Guevara uses his agility, including a leaping sunset flip, before taunting Cody. Guevara lands a dropkick, a kip-up, before following up with a cartwheel standing moonsault. Cody takes control with a grounded headlock. Guevara slaps Cody across the face, which Cody responds to with an uppercut. Cody lands a powerslam for the two count. Cody cinches in the figure four leglock. Eventually, Guevara grabs the bottom rope.

Cody maintains control, chopping Guevara across the chest before landing a stalling inverted suplex. 1… 2… Guevara kicks out! Guevara lands a hook kick, but Cody responds with a springboard cutter! 1… 2… Guevara kicks out again! Guevara lands a springboard cutter of his own! 1… 2… Cody powers out! Cody kicks Guevara, who’s on the apron, sending him to the outside. Cody goes for a suicide dive, but Guevara pulls Brandi in the way, causing her to get hit instead! Cody checks on his wife, who appears to be okay. Guevara takes advantage, eliciting “asshole” chants from the crowd.

Back in the ring, Guevara misses a moonsault, but recovers with a standing shooting star press on Cody! 1… 2… Cody kicks out! Cody drops Guevara across the middle rope, Brandi gets a slap across Guevara’s face, and Cody lands a Disaster Kick! 1… 2… Guevara kicks out! Off the top rope, Cody hits an avalanche reverse suplex! 1… 2… Guevara powers out! Guevara catches Cody on the top rope and hits the Spanish Fly! 1… 2… Cody gets the shoulder up! Guevara goes for the shooting star press, but Cody gets the knees up, locking in the inside cradle for the surprise pin!

Winner: Cody

Following the match, Schiavone makes his way to the ring, embracing Cody. Guevara interrupts, getting in Cody’s face. However, the two shake hands. As they speak, Chris Jericho attacks Cody from behind! The AEW World Champion hits the Codebreaker on Cody as we cut to commercial.

The show returns with Jericho continuing to attack Cody, planting him with a powerbomb across two chairs! He snatches the microphone from Schiavone before declaring his status as champion.

Match 2: Brandon Cutler vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

As Friedman makes his entrance, he runs down the crowd before targeting Cutler, calling him a loser. Friedman says that Dungeons and Dragons isn’t real, but he is. The opening bell rings with Friedman taunting Cutler to begin. Cutler lands a top rope backflip, slapping Friedman across the face. Cutler hits the sunset flip for a two-count. Friedman escapes to the apron before sending Cutler to the ring post. Cutler blocks an Irish whip attempt, sending Friedman out of the ring. Suicide dive from Cutler followed by mounted punches!

Cutler goes to the rope but drops, his knee impacted. Friedman locks in Salt of the Earth for the tap out victory.

Winner: Maxwell Jacob Friedman

The show cuts to Chris Van Vliet, who is at ringside with Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, promoting the Jay and Silent Bob reboot. Jack Evans and Angelico interrupt the segment. Mewes says they don’t think they can win a match. This brings out Private Party, Isiah Kassidy, and Marq Quen, who will be in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament starting next week.

We then cut to a segment featuring SoCal Uncensored’s Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky. They call D.C. the worst town they’ve ever been in. SCU is seen at the entrance with Schiavone, hyping Dynamite to begin. They also declare that, in the aforementioned tournament, Daniels and Kazarian will represent SCU. The Lucha Bros., Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix walkout to declare themselves the best team in the universe. This leads to a pull-apart brawl between the teams before we cut to commercial.

Match 3: Hangman Page vs. PAC

Early in the match, Page seems to be in control. The show comes back to commercial, where they exchange blows. PAC hits a series of kicks, but Page returns fire with a discus clothesline. On the outside, Page sends PAC into the barricade. Page hits a suicide dive on PAC! In the ring, Page hits a fallaway slam followed by a standing shooting star press! PAC drops Page to the outside, where he continues the attack. PAC lands an Asai moonsault! PAC lands a springboard 450 splash, but it’s only good for a two-count.

PAC hits a basement dropkick in the corner and goes to the top, but Page catches him. Page hits an avalanche fallaway slam! Page follows up with a corner dropkick and a flapjack slam, but PAC kicks out at two. PAC sends Page into the ring post, ejecting him to the outside, as we go to commercial. From break, PAC remains in control, keeping the pace of the match deliberate. Page starts to fight back, landing a spinebuster. Page goes for the Deadeye, but PAC escapes to the apron. Page catches PAC with a powerbomb! 1… 2… PAC kicks out!

Page executes a standing moonsault to the outside on PAC! Inside the ring, Page goes for The Buckshot, but PAC reverses, hitting a low blow behind the referee’s back. PAC hits the Black Arrow before following up with the Brutalizer, scoring the submission victory!

Winner: PAC

The show returns to Britt Baker making her entrance before going to the announce desk, joining commentary for our next match.

Match 4: Nyla Rose vs. Riho (AEW World Women’s Championship)

Riho evades Rose to begin, firing back with quick strikes. Riho lands two dropkicks followed by a head scissors takedown. Rose cuts off Riho’s offense with a shoulder tackle and a body splash, Riho bridging up at the count of two. Riho double stomps Rose’s back, but the latter pops up, causing the smaller wrestler to fall. Rose locks in the STF, but Riho slowly makes it to the bottom rope. Rose goes for a stalling suplex, but Riho once again evades. Riho lands two running knee strikes, causing Rose to fall to the outside. Riho goes for a cross body to the outside, but Rose catches her with a backbreaker!

Rose takes the chair, but the official quickly takes it from her. Nonetheless, Rose continues the attack on Riho. Rose continues to look for weaponry, pulling out a series of chairs. Rose sets Riho on the pile of chairs and goes for a senton, but Riho moves, causing Rose to land back-first on them! Riho executes a double stomp! Riho rolls Rose back in the ring, where she lands another double stomp! 1… 2… Rose kicks out! Riho hooks an STF of her own as the show goes to commercial.

The show returns to Rose in control of the smaller Riho. Though Riho tries to fight back with forearms, Rose hits a big kick. Riho rolls up Rose for a near fall! Rose lands the Death Valley Driver for the 1… 2… Riho kicks out! The crowd is hot for this match! Rose goes to the top, but Riho catches her with even more forearms. Avalanche northern lights suplex by Riho for the two-count! Riho hits the double knees for the 1… 2… 3!

Winner and the first-ever AEW World Women’s Champion: Riho

Following the match, Michael Nakazawa comes to the ring to interview Riho in Japanese. However, Rose attacks them both, planting Nakazawa with a Ligerbomb! Rose is about to attack Riho, but Kenny Omega makes his way out to stop the attack. Omega checks on Riho as Rose storms to the back.

Match 5: The Elite (The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega) vs. Santana, Ortiz, and AEW World Champion Chris Jericho

The main event begins with Omega and Jericho, the latter of whom demanded an early tag-in. Jericho quickly tags back in Santana, who is met with a series of strikes by Omega. Omega lands a basement dropkick followed by a bulldog. Ortiz is soon sent out of the ring. Jericho reverses a head scissors attempt into a Walls of Jericho, but The Young Bucks intervene. They perform dual dives on Santana and Ortiz. Omega goes for a dive of his own, but suddenly, Jon Moxley appears behind him! Omega turns around into a series of strikes by Moxley. They brawl into the crowd.

Back in the ring, Jericho takes control of the match for his team. Omega takes control of his own brawl with Moxley, striking him with a mop ala The Cleaner. They brawl into the VIP area, where Moxley sends Omega’s head into the door. Moxley hits Dirty Deeds into the nearby glass table as we go to commercial! The action continues in the ring, with Jericho’s team in control of The Young Bucks. Matt Jackson goes to make the tag to brother Nick, who is pulled off by Santana. This allows the duo to hit a series of splashes on Matt. Jericho is tagged in and he goes for the Lionsault, but Matt gets the knees up. Jericho tags in Ortiz, who continues the attack on Matt. With a burst of momentum, Matt lands a series of northern lights suplexes!

Matt finally makes the tag to Nick, who attacks Santana and Ortiz with a series of moves off the hot tag. Nick tags Matt back in and they go for their finish, but Jericho intercepts with a Codebreaker! Jericho lands the Judas Effect on Matt for the 1… 2… 3!

Winners: Santana, Ortiz, and Chris Jericho

Following the attack, the winners continue the assault. Cody storms the ring to help his friends, but Guevara comes out, hitting Cody in the groin. This brings out Dustin Rhodes, who helps to even the odds! From behind, Rhodes is attacked by Jake Hager, former WWE Superstar and Bellator fighter! Hager lays out everyone as he, Guevara, Santana, Ortiz, and Jericho stand tall. Hager hits Rhodes with a gut-wrench powerbomb through a nearby podium! Jericho slaps a restrained Cody across the face before laying him out with the Judas Effect! This inaugural episode of AEW Dynamite ends with the Rhodes’ and the Bucks’ fallen.