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It's Wednesday and we're at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City and it's time for AEW Grand Slam, it's Dynamite! Our commentary team is Excalibur, Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone.
Kenny Omega (AEW Champion) vs Bryan Danielson Non Title match
Our first match with the American Dragon (yep, he has that nickname back) on AEW to kick off the show. Don Callis is with Omega. Bryan has the biggest smile on his face I have seen in ages and Omega has his game face on. The crowd is deafening and they take their time to get started.
They lock up to the ropes and Kenny appears to break clean, but gives Bryan a chop and Bryan slowly brushes it off. Nice start to set the stage. The next time they go to the ropes, Bryan breaks clean and then kicks Omega as payback. The structure of the match is that they engage, and when one of them gets an advantage they break apart and pause. Bryan is working mat wrestling and Omega is going more for kicks and leaping power moves.
They then turn to trading chops and kicks in the corner. After they go to the outside, Bryan starts working on Omega's shoulder to prep for the LeBell lock. Omega takes control and chops Bryan as well as other strikes, and the pace of the fight is slowly picking up. Feels a lot like one of Omega's New Japan matches, with a slow build through the match.
Each of them get a good, long time of being in charge, two to three minutes each. Bryan is able to lock of Cattle Mutilation, which he hasn't used in ages. They also go to picture in picture during the match, which I have never seen in an opening match, but they are letting this one take its time. Omega gets to beat down Bryan during the commercial.
When they go big screen again, Bryan is out on his feet and Omega gets a two count. Omega is able to cut off Bryan's comeback this time and starts attacking Bryan's neck with snap dragon suplexes and kicks. Bryan's second comeback is more successful and he is able to take down Omega with kicks and strikes and gets a German suplex and holds it for a two count.
Omega hits an avalanche Dragon Suplex from the top rope and Omega gets a two count. Bryan's is able to twist around and land on his side, but it still looked brutal. Bryan escapes a One Winged Angel with a Hurricanrana and gets a two count. We now are in the part fo the match where they each hit a huge move and get a two count. Bryan then chops down Omega with chops and kicks again.
Omega is able to stop the LeBell lock as we get a one minute warning for the 30 minute time limit and we get the bell as they are trading blows.
We have a 30 minute time limit draw.
The Elite show and pulls Bryan off of Omega, as he was still trying to get the Labell lock on. After they check on Omega, they give Bryan a kick, drawing out Christian Cage and Jurassic Express to drive the Elite off.
After the commercial, Punk comes to the ring and says he's glad he doesn't have to follow that. Punk says he tried to come to the ring mad but the crowd cheered him up. He then talks about what Team Taz did last week, and them trying to put him thought a table, it made him mad, but when he hears his music, he comes out and it's a love fest. He says then he gets mad become no one will take this from him again. He then says Team Taz should have taken him out.
He says Team Tax must have slept on the legend of CM Punk and Friday on Rampage, Powerhouse Hobbs will Go To Sleep.
A transition promo from “Gee I am glad to be back” to a feud based on an issue other than just wanting to have a good match, and it wasn't a blow the roof off promo, but the crowd loved it.
MJF w/Wardlow vs Brian Pillman Jr. w/Julia Hart
MJF offers a handshake and Pillman responds with a takedown. Pillman starts out hot, brawling and just beating the tar out of MJF. MJF slaps Pillman and starts yelling at him, but Pillman slaps back and drops MJF. I like that Pillman doesn't want to WRESTLE and instead is just wanting to beat the crap out of MJF. MJF turns the tide and is able to stomp down Pillman, and then MJF keeps him on the mat in a arm bar.
MJF takes over as we go to picture in picture. When we go back to the big screen, Pillman is able to reverse and get chops in the corner. He then gets a arm drag from the top, but the punishment MJF has put on his arm, starts to weaken him. Pillman slams MJF's head into the turnbuckle, get a spinning power slam for a two count. MJF goes outside the ring and pulls Hart in front of himself to stop Pillman. As MJF is yelling at Hart, Pillman gets a kick from the ring.
They return to the ring, and MJF is able to catch Pillman and lock him in the Salt fo the Earth and makes Pillman tap out.
Your winner: MJF
Pillman got in good offense, but MJF had to go over as one of the biggest heels. He outsmarted Pillman, and their match was even up until then. A good match where MJF gets to put their feud behind him.
In the back, Alex asks Jericho and Jake Hager about the challenge from The Men Of The Year. Hager brings back the Fat Faced Dips*** chant. Jericho says if Dan Patrick gets involved he will bite off his nose like Haku did in Japan and spit it into the 5th row. Quick little promo to set up their match and Jericho is in full fledged babyface mode on the mic now.
Back in the ring, the lights go out. They come back on and Malaki Black has arrived. Cody has returned with a new American Flag style costume with Arn Anderson and his Denny's Menu (with Grand Slams on it) and Brandi Rhodes
Cody Rhodes vs Malaki Black
They start by going for each other's legs to take them down, and then go to strikes. Cody goes outside the ring and Black sits in the middle of the ring. Brandi joins him, flips him off and yells “$#@k You” before Cody comes in, and she bails. Cody is able to kick Black out of the ring and the crowd boos. When Cody leaps and gets nailed by Black outside the ring, the crowd cheers.
Black keeps control through the commercials on the small screen. When we come back, Black nails the spinning kick and Cody drops out of the ring. Black tried to bring Cody back in the ring, but he has to go back into the ring to break the count. Cody rolls in to take a cover and a two count.
Cody goes after Black's leg and even gets a Dragon Screw into the ropes. The crowd is NOT liking Cody's being in charge and the announcers are trying to explain the Cody is getting revenge for his whole family. When Black tosses Cody, the crowd cheers. The crowd reaction is surprising me. Cody gets a cutter and a crossroads and a two count. Arn gets on the apron after Black kicks out. Arn slips off the apron and when he gets up, Cody runs into him.
Cody drops Black with a pump kick and then goes to check on Arn who tells him to get into the ring. Cody works over Black in the corner. When the ref tries to pull Cody off at the five count, Cody punches the ref. When the Ref isn't looking, Black sprays black mist into Cody's face and gets the three count.
Your winner: Malaki Black
A tough brawl of a match, but it looks like the attempt to make Black a truly hated heel has backfired, and the crowd in New York loves him.
Sammy Guevara and Miro cuts promos on each other, and Sammy actually says that attacking someone after a match just isn't right. Bwa-ha-ha!
FTR w/Tully Blanchard vs Sting and Darby Allin
Darby gets the start, but Sting tags in after FTR start to double team. He waits until Cash leaves the ring so that it's just Dax and Sting. But FTR jump back into to try a double team quickly so that Sting can body slam each of them a couple of times. Dax gets in some offense before Sting is able to hit him with a clothesline, and because he's taken so much damage, Sting drops face first onto Dax's nether regions.
Darby is tagged in to clean house which ends when he tries a coffin drop onto FTR outside the ring. They toss him into the apron, and go to the small screen for Darby to get a beatin'. FTR is using more heelish tactics like double teaming, assisting each other when the ref isn't looking and the like.
Back on the big screen, Darby is trying to fight his way out of FTR's corner, and after a few tries, he tags in Sting for him to clean house. After a two count, Cash is able to knock Sting down, and drag Darby into the ring. Sting is able to fight back, Darby gets out of the ring, and Sting hits the cross body off the turnbuckle for a two count. Much faster pace in this match than any of the other matches tonight. Dax gets a two count on Sting and he tries to follow up with a tombstone.
Sting escapes and gets in a couple of splashes, and while Sting and the Ref are disabled, Tully helps wedge a chair in the corner. And when they bait Sting into it, Sting avoid it and Dax goes into it instead. Tully gets a punch from Sting as well. Sting locks Dax into the Scorpion Death Lock, and Cash is pulling Dax toward the ropes. Darby hits a coffin drop on Cash, and Dax has to tap to Sting.
Your winners; Sting and Darby Allin
A fun, fast paced match where the heroes overcame cheating by the bad guys, and Tully takes a punch to the head from Sting. Crowd pleaser of a match.
We get a recap of Britt Baker and Ruby Soho's promo war from Rampage last week.
Before the main event, we get a rundown of Friday's Rampage and some of next week's show.
Britt Baker (AEW Women's Champion) vs Ruby Soho
Baker comes out with Jaime Hayter and Rebel.
They lock up and trade holds and take downs. The announcers are positioning this as Ruby bringing Baker into the business and one of Baker's trainers, making it a teacher taking on the student. When the fight goes to the floor, Ruby takes down Hayter and Rebel, and Baker uses it as a distraction to take control as we go picture in picture.
That means every single match has gone through commercials. Look for us to talk about this on the post show Party, if you are a subscriber. And if you aren't, then become one! Geez, I can't be the only one doing the hard sell for subscriptions, am I?
Lots of heel work by Baker on the small screen. Ruby gets her comeback when we go back to full screen. They trade kicks and strikes until Baker drops her and goes for a lockjaw, and Ruby escapes. Baker gets a sling blade and gets her glove from Rebel. She goes for the stomp and Ruby is able to grab the foot and goes at Baker's legs. She hits a catapult, and enzuigiri, and then climbs to the top, nailing a senton and covering Baker for a two count.
Baker is able to get up and hit a neck breaker and covers for two. They battle in the corner and flight to the top turnbuckle. Baker gets a avalanche air raid crash for a two count. Baker then drops Ruby on the steel steps. Ruby crawls into the ring to take a stomp and a two count from Baker. Ruby gets a two count rollup while Baker complains to the ref.
Ruby hits the No Future kick on Baker. Rebel gets up on the rope and Ruby takes her out. While the ref is with Rebel, Hayter drops Ruby's head on the top rope, and Baker is able to get the lockjaw and Ruby has to tap out.
Your winner and still champion : Britt Baker
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