The show teased starting with Dustin against Joe but Swerve circumvented that. The beatdown of Samoa Joe by Swerve Strickland was very one sided. I do like that it prevented the Dustin match as Dustin Rhodes deserves much better than to be used as meaningless match.
The action does start with Penta El Zero Meido against Adam Copeland. This is the first defense of the TNT Championship by Copeland. Penta hits a spear and attempts to finish the match quickly. I know why the rush on the match. Penta's hits are loud. Adam Copeland pulling out some more lucha style moves is cool of him. The series where they exchange clotheslines and the moves leading up to them were pretty sweet. That was not a sequence I would expect from Copeland. Excalibur mentions that the countdown clock to the All In footage can change if this match goes the full 30 min. I am not sure if that helps or hurts what the TV audience just seen. Adam Copeland does a modified Scorpion Deathlock. Copeland did not step over. That was a nice powerslam on the apron. Penta running on the edge of the ring made it just that much more impressive. Alex Abrahantes took a spear. Penta would his impressive moves himself like a Avalanche Code Red which Adam Copeland would have to kick out. A spear out of no where secures Adam Copeland the win.
Body King comes out to bead Copeland down after the match. Willow Nightingale out for the save. She attacked Hart which distracted Brody King. I guess it works to build both matches at Dynasty.
Jericho already showing his arrogance in a backstage segment. Also gave away the game plan. It was weird Katsuyori Shibata using a word bank as it wasn't a translation app.
The Bucks gave some storyline to further their story against FTR. Matthew used the nickname for Jack Perry. Both are not stating the name of the other individual. Nicholas states that FTR and their relationship with CM Punk may have been the culprit for this. The Young Bucks also say that due to the backstage fight they lost against FTR. I wish the video had audio. It clearly shows Punk as an aggressor. Is this a way to include Jack Perry in The Elite?
Below is partial footage of the incident. It leaves out where Jack Perry was by himself. AEW's twitter did not post the video. Their two tweets of the segment end right before it and pick up right after it.
An angry FTR comes out. Cash asks for a mic. Cash calls it a smoke screen and is tired of the All In incident. Cash does a Simpsons reference while wearing a Simpsons shirt; that makes me giggle. FTR do a good job about refocusing this on how AEW matters and stupid things like the backstage fight don't matter.
Ospreay comes out and is his charismatic funny self. He makes a reference to HHH insulting him. The Areal Assassin shot a bullet from his machine gun. Ospreay then turns his attention to Danielson. He gives Bryan Danielson his props.
The Wooooo! Energy Match of the Night is finally happening. The Trios division needs Shane Taylor Promotions to win. Early Lionsault by Jericho on Lee Moriarty. Jericho's team is not gelling. Hook shows his swiftness and punching prowess when facing off against Shane Taylor. Ogogo looking good in his first match back. Hook takes the beat down in the match. A rare thing to see from him. I really enjoy Katsuyori Shibata. The dissention between Jericho's team costs them the match.
I hate them putting Okada in a squash match. Enough said on that match. At Dynasty it will officially be PAC against Kazuchika Okada.
Toni Storm wastes no words and attacks Thunder Rosa. Out comes Deonna Purazzo showing that that feud is not done yet.
Mariah May then comes out for a match against Anna Jay. The ladies trade slaps and Mariah May definitely gets the better of the hits in. Anna Jay hits a low block buster. Mariah May has the majority of the offense but Anna Jay has the bigger moves when she gets offense in. Towards the latter part of the match Anna Jay and Mariah May started looking bac by missing steps and just making weird sequences. Mariah May wins. Anna Jay attacks afterwards and chokes out Mariah May. Mina Shirakawa comes out for the save. Mina is a Stardom Joshi.
Marves talked to Mercedes Mone about watching the TBS match at Dynasty. The lights went out and Mone is left beaten on the floor.
I think it would have been better story wise if Joe could not compete. Both men started the match with aggression. Dustin is bleeding. No proof but he probably bladed as Samoa Joe walked away. Samoa Joe has control of the match from here. As this article started out Dustin Rhodes deserves much better. At least Dustin is able to get his patented powerslam in. That move was the start of a comeback that did not last. Dustin contemplated hitting Joe with the title belt before hitting him with a CrossRhodes. Samoa Joe cheats by using the belt for the win. After the match a rear sleeper on Dustin before Swerve comes out to attack Joe.
Tonight was more about story telling than action. With the exception of the All In footage it worked well. The footage to me just distracted from FTR/Young Bucks IV.
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