AEW Dynamite: Results, Highlights, and Grades for October 23, 2019

Jenn Decker was backstage to interview Jamie Hayter and Brandi Rhodes shoved Hayter down and pushed Decker away. That was weird. Was that a full heel turn for Brandi?

Jon Moxley (1-1) vs. PAC (2-1)

PAC attacked Moxley right away with a chair before the match started and choked Moxley with his own jacket before the bell. PAC sent Moxley into the guardrail twice and stared a hole in Moxley. The referees checked on Mox as PAC slowly made his way into the ring. Moxley shoved the referees away and rolled into the ring and the match begun.

PAC hit an enziguri and went for the Black Arrow, but Mox rolled to the floor. PAC hit the ropes and nailed a Fosbury Flop on Moxley. Moxley fired up and tackled PAC into the corner and started stomping a mudhole, but PAC fought back with some hard kicks and got a 2 count on Moxley. PAC sent Mox back to the floor and into the guardrail.

PAC got another 2 count, and immediately locked on a chin lock. Mox hit hard forearms, but PAC hit a European uppercut and stepped on Moxley’s face. Mox hit 2 hard chops, but PAC responded with some hard kicks and Moxley begged fore more. PAC kicked him right in the head and then hit a standing shooting star press for a 2 count.

Back on the apron, both men were fighting and Moxley was able to hit a bulldog on the apron that drove PAC right into it. PAC and Moxley exchanged forearms and Mox hit a big lariat. PAC hit a pump kick and a back kick, but Moxley turned him inside out with a clothesline. Moxley threw PAC from a vertical suplex onto his back and got a 2 count. Mox pulled down his kneepad and went for the William Regal knee, but PAC rolled to the outside.

Moxley hit a suicide dive, and Justin Roberts let us know that there was 5 minutes remaining in the show. Moxley hit the Blackhole Slam for a 2 count. Moxley locked on the Texas Cloverleaf, but PAC made it to the ropes. Moxley climbed the top rope, but PAC dropkicked him in the leg and cut him off.

PAC hit a huge super falcon arrow for a 2 count! Holy cow. PAC climbed back up to the ropes and went for Black Arrow, but Moxley got up and avoided it. Mox tried to roll up PAC, but PAC kicked out and both men ended up on the apron. PAC kicked Moxley and then hit a 450 splash onto the floor! PAC rolled Mox into the ring and missed Black Arrow.

Moxley tried to drag himself across the ring for a pinfall attempt, but PAC kicked out. Moxley hit the Paradigm Shift as 30 seconds remained, and got a 2 count with just 2 seconds left. The match ended in a draw!

Result: Draw

Rating: ****1/4 (4.25 stars)

Moxley hit the Paradigm Shift on the referee as the show went off the air! PAC attacked Moxley after the show went off the air on the Fite feed and started to beat him down. PAC grabbed a chair from under the ring and put it around Moxley’s neck. PAC went to Pillmanize the neck of Moxley, but Kenny Omega ran out to save him. Omega then saw Moxley laying there and then gently removed the chair from Moxley’s neck before throwing it away.

Omega wants to fight Moxley at his best and as they stared at each other, PAC tried to attack both men, but they clotheslined him out of the ring. Hangman Page came down and sent PAC back towards the ring. PAC saw three men that wanted to kill him, so he ran into the crowd and ran away. Hangman grabbed a mic as Moxley left and he called out PAC.

Hangman challenged PAC to a match for Full Gear. Looks like we have another big match for the PPV! Hangman got a good reaction here. We need more of Hangman talking to get his character over.

Show Rating: ***** (5 stars)

This was an absolutely awesome episode of AEW Dynamite. AEW is building everything towards AEW Full Gear, and all the big matches are being setup. So far, we know Cody vs. Jericho, Moxley vs. Omega, Hangman vs. PAC, The Young Bucks vs. Santana & Ortiz, and I’m sure we’ll knew more soon! AEW is, pardon the pun, moving forward with full gear towards the PPV. It seems like AEW has corrected some of my past criticisms of the show.

AEW had more vignettes for the wrestlers, more hints about the motivations of The Dark Order, and showed highlights from AEW Dark. This was about as perfect a show you could get to build a PPV and the next week. I judge the show rating for TV shows based on how well it provides entertaining matches, good angles, and logical direction for the next show and PPV, and this episode of AEW Dynamite had it all.

AEW had clearly been listening to the criticisms and adjusting as they move forward. I applaud them for it, and I can’t wait for the next AEW Dark and Dynamite! It feels like AEW is creating appointment TV, in that you can’t miss. AEW is building momentum, and if they keep this up, it’ll pay off in the long term.