AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from November 25
Will Hobbs pledged his allegiance to Team Taz in the closing moments of last week's show with his attack on Darby Allin and Cody Rhodes, and Wednesday night on TNT, the big man saw his first in-ring action since his career-altering decision.
How did the blue-chip prospect fare, and what further dominance would The Human Suplex Machine's collection of talent establish on the eve of Thanksgiving?
The answer to that question and more lies within this recap of the November 25 episode of All Elite Wrestling Dynamite.
Hangman Page vs. John Silver
"Dark Order is going to get a win tonight. Know why? Cuz Johnny Hungeee!"
Or so John Silver put it in a prerecorded promo ahead of his showdown with Hangman Page in the night's opening contest.
Silver showed off his arms early and then mocked Page's, only to eat a discus forearm to the face. Silver recovered and continued to take things lightly as Tony Schiavone pointed out on commentary that Page came to the ring without a beverage, perhaps hinting at a more focused Hangman than ever before.
Silver finally focused on the task at hand and wore Page down, packing his punches with power and delivering a German suplex for two. Page answered with a springboard clothesline that dropped his opponent off the apron.
Page fired up, building momentum on the strength of a Samoan Drop and standing shooting star press. Silver countered a Buckshot Lariat with a hurricanrana and roll-up for two. A big kick and brainbuster followed for another near-fall.
Page countered a lariat attempt but ate a series of kicks to the body. He shook them off and delivered a lariat of his own, followed by a Liger Bomb for two. He added the Buckshot Lariat to finally put Silver away.
Result
Page defeated Silver
Grade
B+
Analysis
Every time John Silver wrestles on an episode of Dynamite, he leaps off the screen, stealing the attention of the audience and enhancing his reputation. He has been a breakout star of the Being The Elite YouTube show, and with every passing performance on TNT, he threatens to be the next breakout star in AEW.
Page was his typically great self, turning in another steady and consistent performance you hope to see out of a guy pegged by many as the future of the company. He could easily win the world title now and fit right in at the top of the card, and that is a testament to both his own growth and the depth of the AEW roster.
The Dark Order trying to recruit Page after the match was an interesting development and should keep the anxious millennial cowboy busy for the foreseeable future, especially if it results in a feud with the faction.
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Lee Johnson
Just seven days after turning on Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin, the newly dubbed "Powerhouse Hobbs" battled Lee Johnson in singles action.
The smaller, faster Johnson tried to stick and run early, but Hobbs got his hands on him and proceeded to demolish the overmatched competitor.
He put him away with a massive powerslam for the uncontested victory.
Taz joined Hobbs in the ring with the FTW Championship. He took exception to AEW not recognizing the title for what it is. He claimed he would not leave the ring until someone from management came to the ring and acknowledged the title as meaningful.
His mic cut twice, Taz threatened to head to the commentary team. Rhodes appeared and said Taz was done. Claiming to come to the ring out of respect, Rhodes said they needed to end this because next week at Winter Is Coming, they will leave it all in the center of the ring.
As the segment turned heated, Rhodes asked Taz why his son was training with him instead of his own father. The Human Suplex Machine applied the Tazmission to the Executive Vice President of the company before leaving, his son Hook carrying the FTW title out of the arena.
Result
Hobbs defeated Johnson
Grade
A
Analysis
There are certainly arguments to be made about fake shoots in wrestling, an overabundance of friends and family running rampant in AEW and the spotlight put on Taz rather than Powerhouse Hobbs in this segment, but it is impossible to deny the heat and intensity between Rhodes and the former ECW champion here.
It was compelling television that introduced Hook to the fray.
What role he plays moving forward and whether he will have an impact on next week's tag team match pitting Rhodes and Allin against Hobbs and Ricky Starks remains to be seen.
Top Flight vs. The Hybrid 2
Moments after their breakout match with The Young Bucks, Top Flight's Darius and Dante Martin suffered a sneak attack at the hands of The Hybrid 2's Angelico and Jack Evans. This week, they did battle, the young babyface team now official members of the AEW roster.
During the picture-in-picture commercial break, Evans and Angelico downed and isolated Dante until a hot tag sparked the comeback.
Darius rolled over both opponents, rocking Evans with a corner uppercut. A blind tag between the brothers Martin allowed for a double-team sit-out powerbomb. Angelico broke up the pin.
A pair of dives wiped out the heels at ringside, and a slingshot suplex from Darius, followed by a big frog slash from Dante, earned the team a two-count on Evans. The more experienced TH2 answered with some double-team offense, leading to a two-count.
The action broke down, Evans demolished Darius at ringside and Angelico forced a tapout from Dante for the impressive, hard-fought victory. When Angelico refused to break up the hold, The Young Bucks hit the ring to make the save, chasing TH2 off.
Result
The Hybrid 2 defeated Top Flight
Grade
C+
Analysis
The effort was there, and AEW certainly spotlighted Top Flight, but this one went a bit longer than it had to. As a result, the action broke down late, and there were more than a few disjointed spots down the stretch.
The Young Bucks chasing off Evans and Angelico after the match would seem to suggest Matt and Nick will go to war with TH2 sometime in the very near future. As a one-off television match to buy time between now and the pay-per-view, it is hardly a bad idea.
Nor is using the current AEW Tag Team champions as mentors to the Martins, who have the raw ability to be the next great tag team in an already-stacked tag division.
SCU vs. Chris Jericho and Jake Hager
The new, improved Inner Circle accompanied Chris Jericho and Jake Hager to the ring for a high-profile tag team match against SCU's Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian. The contest marked the first time in their Hall of Fame-worthy careers that Jericho and Daniels squared off with each other in any form.
Daniels and Kazarian out-quicked Jericho, downing him and adding a double stomp from the latter. A tag to Hager turned the tide in the heels' favor as the big man overpowered and punished Kazarian in the corner.
A trip-up by Santana at ringside allowed Hager to continue his dominance, this time over Daniels. The Inner Circle beat down The Fallen Angel heading into the break.
The heels worked over Daniels throughout the commercial timeout, but he ultimately made the hot tag to Kazarian. The former tag team champion exploded into the bout, wiping out both of his opponents and diving over the ropes and onto the Inner Circle.
Daniels tagged back in and wiped Hager out with a tope suicida and then scored a near-fall off a crossbody on Jericho. Daniels continued his roll, delivering a Best Moonsault Over to Hager.
Ultimately, it was MJF's interference by way of a shot to Daniels' face with the Dynamite Diamond Ring that led to Jericho's Judas Effect and Hager's pinfall victory.
Result
Inner Circle defeated SCU
Grade
B
Analysis
This was about putting over the Inner Circle in its latest incarnation, with MJF and Wardlow, and the effect it will have on Chris Jericho's success moving forward. In that regard, it worked.
MJF figured prominently in the outcome, his interference leading directly to Jericho's victory. Such a creative development plants the seeds for MJF to ultimately usurp Jericho's leadership role, staking claim to the top spot in the Inner Circle by way of his constant assistance of The Demo God.
Daniels, in his first major match on Dynamite in months, reminded fans why he is one of the most respected in-ring performers of his generation, while Kazarian again proved he may very well be one of the most underrated.
AEW World Championship Match Contract Signing
Justin Roberts delivered another over-the-top introduction of Kenny Omega, but before the top conteder to the AEW World Championship could make his grandiose entrance, Jon Moxley attacked, kicking his ass to the ring before delivering a Paradigm Shift on the world title.
"I don't know who you hired to take me out last week but they did a piss-poor job," Moxley said. "I thought we settled our difference a year ago, but then you had to go ahead and piss me off."
Moxley went into hype mode with an intense promo. "Win, lose or draw, Winter Is Coming for you, Kenny." He continued, "Steady your aim and take your shot because you only get one."
Moxley signed the contract before exiting as only he can.
Grade
A+
Analysis
Jon Moxley has quietly developed into one of the best promos in wrestling, culminating in this segment, one of the very best to date in AEW. He was tonally on-point, resisted the witty one-liners he tends to break out from time to time and really hammered home the overall significance of what will unfold on next week's broadcast.
It was intense, hyped next week's world title match and told the audience everything it needs to know about the rivalry between champion and challenger.
Everything about this was phenomenal, and next week's title match should be one of the best matches of 2020.
AEW Women's Championship Match: Hikaru Shida vs. Anna Jay
Anna Jay's first appearance on AEW Dynamite came on April 1 in a loss to Hikaru Shida. Wednesday night, she had the opportunity to right that wrong and capture her first women's title in the process as she squared off with her familiar foe, all while her Dark Order cohorts watched from the stage.
After seizing control of the bout on the floor, Jay spent the commercial break working the lower limbs of Shida. The challenger dominated during the break, grounding Shida and working a headlock in the process.
Back from the break, Jay dropped Shida and ordered Tay Conti to retrieve a steel chair. With the referee distracted, Jay caught Shida in the leg with a kendo stick and then applied the Queen Slayer.
Shida fought out but nearly fell prey to a quick roll-up moments later. The champion escaped and delivered a straitjacket suplex for a near-fall and followed with the Tamashii for the hard-fought victory.
After the match, as Shida made her way up the ramp, Abadon appeared. Shida crawled away in fear and watched as the undead competitor marked the title, insinuating she will be targeting it next.
Result
Shida defeated Jay
Grade
C+
Analysis
Again, the majority of a women's match took place during the commercial break.
While others will point to the Jericho match from earlier as a match that went through the timeout, it still featured a good bit of action following the commercial. This one went from zero to 60 rapidly, rushed to a finish and cut out everything in-between.
The dissension between Jay and Conti will ultimately lead to a feud between the two, which will be a nice secondary program in a women's division that doesn't have much in the way of those.
The introduction of Abadon to the title picture is welcome, but again, one has to wonder what the logic behind such a decision is when she has not been featured prominently in any way, shape or form and is now expected to be taken seriously as the next contender to Shida's crown.
The women's division needs considerable help, that much we know, but there were at least flashes of growth and evolution within here.
Which is not something that can be said every week.
Pac and Rey Fenix vs. The Butcher and The Blade
A week after reuniting in Death Triangle, Penta El Zero M accompanied Rey Fenix and Pac to the squared circle for a main event showdown with The Butcher and The Blade, accompanied by The Bunny.
Eddie Kingston watched as Butcher and Blade started fast and furiously, attacking their opponents on the stage. Pac and Fenix answered, building momentum for themselves until the (even bigger) heels momentarily isolated The Bastard.
A tag to Fenix saw a turn of the tide as Death Triangle sought its first victory in months.
The team worked over Butcher for a considerable portion of the match until a tag to The Blade saw the big man power his way into the match and punish the smaller Fenix.
Pac tagged in, took the fight to Blade and headed up top for a splash. Blade rolled out of the way and caught Pac coming back in with a powerslam. Butcher reentered and turned The Bastard inside out with a lariat. Blade delivered a Doctor Bomb for another two-count on Pac.
The action broke down, Bunny distracted the official and Eddie Kingston crotched Fenix on the top rope. Butcher and Blade capitalized and scored the pinfall victory. The victors, Kingston and The Bunny stood tall in the wake of their monumental win.
Kingston delivered a DDT to Pac onto a steel chair and sought to do more damage until Lance Archer made the save.
He pummeled anyone in his path, clearing Kingston out of the ring and standing tall.
Result
Butcher and Blade defeated Fenix and Pac
Grade
B+
Analysis
First things first, Butcher and Blade absolutely deserved a high-profile victory like this.
Dating back to this past summer, they have grown and evolved as a team, becoming one of the very best in the tag division. We saw two weeks ago just how good they are when they tore the house down against the Natural Nightmares in the bunkhouse match. Their performance here was not surprising, but it did provide them that signature victory they had been lacking.
The involvement of Archer absolutely made sense given the history between him and Kingston, dating back to Double or Nothing and the Casino Battle Royale. Kingston has repeatedly taken shots at Archer in promos and on commentary, so The Murderhawk Madman finally interjecting himself made sense.
His eventual showdown with Kingston will be all sorts of chaotic and violent fun.