AEW Buy In TV Report
By Paul Hemming
AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, MO. After last week drawing 800,000 & 0.28 in the 18-49 demo. That’s the lowest audience since May; there was also a lot of DVR weirdness and such.
Anyway, some pissing contest we have going tonight right? My urine’s got no ads! Well mine’s got no ads and goes ten minutes longer! My God.
*****
We’ll start with the ‘Buy In’ even though there’s nothing to buy. Since I’m nothing if not thorough. Or possibly because Danielson & Suzuki had a beast of a clash on one of these a couple years back. Reader’s choice.
From the ramp, RJ City and Renee really emphasized this was the ‘biggest Dynamite in history’, pushed the ad-free thing and overrun. Also fairly sure Renee called BCG the ‘Gang Gang Bang’, so maybe knows something we don’t.
To Schiavone, Excalibur and Taz who threw to:
Edward Kingston vs Murder Granpa (NJPW Strong & ROH Titles)
Backstory: None
Suzuki got his full extended theme and a big pop. Crowd shots tight again. Fans equally happy to see Herr Kingston. Loud ‘Eddie’ chants.
Bell rings, the two in opposite corners, more chants for Kingston as he immediately pulled his singlet down and the test of manhood commenced: flesh smacking, dudes yelling, crowd clapping as Suzuki asked for one to the face. Smiling through it to chants of ‘Suz-u-ki’ and knocking Eddie down via open palm.
Lifting him up to land a straight right, Kingston’s legs wobbly before again collapsing. Then going to work on the champ’s fingers. ‘Mur-der Gran-pa!’ from the crowd as he dismissively kicked Eddie against the ropes. Then back to the chop fight – as Jarrett and all his goons were shown watching – from the serious and sublime to the stupid & s*****.
Kingston made the mistake of flipping off the vet and saw the offending finger mauled. Yet more stiff chops, Kingston coming out better, Suzuki stumbling to the corner in pain, machine guns next, Suzuki walking through them to the center.
(Rather than sell the physicality, Excalibur made a catering joke about steak. Which’d be fine if he wouldn’t have done the exact same thing on broadcast television.)
Again he walked through machine guns, screaming ‘hit me!’ until being backed to the corner again, wild swing missing, exploder suplex from Kingston for two. Suzuki came back – boot in the corner, stiff kick with Eddie on his knees, the champ fired up, popped back up into a seated position, Suzuki nailed another kick to the chest, rinse and repeat, count of two for Suzuki.
Chest bright red, Suzuki beckoned the champ to throw even more chops: another battle ensued – Suzuki cackling maniacally, throwing forearms, Kingston firing up; Suzuki landed a flurry in which there was not a hint of daylight, Kingston hit the deck. Schiavone mentioned there hadn’t been many pin attempts – Excalibur quipped, ‘Is JR here?’.
They then showed Jarrett and etc. Again.
Back to Kingston stuck in a choke, Gotch-style coming, Kingston tilted his weight, back body drop, Uriken, two only. Kingston in disbelief. Suzuki drop stepped behind, took another Uriken and kicked out at one. With authority. A third Uriken, Suzuki’s head dropped but nothing else. Ducked a fourth, took a fifth, then an enziguri and northern lights bomb as Kingston retained.
Very physical, a good watch but a little chop heavy.
Back to Jarrett and etc. Poor Eddie.
Suzuki struggled back into the ring, the two came to the middle, crowd chanting for the vet, who clapped the champ, fired another chop to the chest, Kingston reciprocated, then the two hugged. Unique. And entertaining. Hard to think of a bigger disparity in wrestling than going from this to Jarrett.
Kingston hit the announce booth and told us watching to not ‘be idiots’ so we should ‘watch Dynamite’. He wrapped Taz in a big, sweaty hug. Then flipped off RJ and high-fived Renee. Very fun, a little house show-y, like we’re getting a peek behind the curtain.
Winner: Eddie Kingston
Tony Khan with an announcement. An ‘unfortunate one’ – Moxley isn’t cleared. Fenix will defend the title – Hook wandered in to say it should be against Cassidy. Khan agreed, asked Orange what he thought – Cassidy feigned being disinterested but when pushed made it clear he wanted the match.
He wished Khan happy birthday; Hook gave Khan a Dorito. Glad they’re being careful with Mox, who wasn’t cleared as of Sunday so tonight always seemed a risk.
