AEW Dynamite: Bash at the Beach Results, Grades, and Analysis

AEW Dynamite: Bash at the Beach opened with a tribute to Rocky Johnson, and JR mentioned all the wrestlers that have died in the past week. This was very nice.

The opening match off AEW Dynamite was the four way match for the #1 contendership to the AEW Tag Team Championship.

Hangman Page (1-0) & Kenny Omega (2-0) vs. Santana & Ortiz (0-0) vs. The Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent) (0-0) w/ Orange Cassidy vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) (0-0) – #1 Contendership for the AEW World Tag Team Championship

Trent and Nick Jackson started the match, hitting shoulder tackles, but Trent was bigger, so he took him off his feet. Trent chopped Nick, but Nick flipped over a back drop attempt and hit a lucha armdrag. Both men exchanged attempts to strike, but all of them dodged. Hangman and Chuck ended up in there, and started with fast offence too, but it ended with Page hitting a fallaway slam.

Kenny Omega tagged in and he faced off against Matt Jackson. They fist bumped and locked up, but Santana & Ortiz came in and attacked them both. Santana tagged in and hit Omega hard, but ate some double team offence from Nick Jackson and Omega, as they can’t help but work together despite being on opposite sides this time.

Omega and the Bucks played to the crowd, and Omega pointed to Hangman, who looked really unsure and unsettled. That was fantastic foreshadowing of Hangman turning on the Elite. Matt Jackson hit a series of Northern Lights suplexes on Trent, and went back to a corner, but Trent held on and rolled into a Tornado DDT.

Chuck Taylor hit a huge belly-to-belly on Matt Jackson, and hit a pop up powerbomb, but Ortiz broke the pinfall. Chuck hit Sole Food on Matt, and Trent hit a half and half suplex. Chuck and Trent went for a hug, but Ortiz and Santana broke it up though to boos from the crowd. Ortiz hit an O’Connor Roll on Santana which sent him into a cutter on Matt Jackson.

Both men hit dives to the floor onto everyone they knocked out there, to a roar from the crowd. Ortiz planted hit foot on Matt Jackson’s chest and said, “Come on, baby!” like Jericho to a pop from the crowd. Santana hit a series of rolling suplexes, but stalled with Matt on the third, and tagged out to Ortiz, who took over the vertical suplex and hit Matt with it.

Matt Jackson managed to hit a spear on Santana and almost made the tag, but Ortiz pulled Nick off the apron and sent Chuck and Trent to the floor. Matt went to tag Page but skipped over him and tagged Omega. Again, they are slowly getting more and more blunt with what is happening with Page. Omega and Page hit a double team You Can’t Escape on Trent, and Page hit a moonsault to everyone on the floor!

Santana hit a running dive off the top rope to the floor on everyone, and Chuck and Trent both hit dives off their own. Trent put Matt Jackson on the top turnbuckle and hit a superplex to the floor onto everyone! All eight men tried to suplex each other, and they tried to suplex one another. Orange Cassidy rolled into the ring and slowly went into the suplex, to help Trent and Chuck, and they suplexed The Elite.

Chuck and Trent hugged Orange Cassidy and the Best Friends hit stereo Gotch style piledrivers on Page and Omega. They then hit Strong Zero on Omega but the Bucks broke up the pinfall! Hangman took out Chuck with a lariat, but Trent took out Page. Santana and Ortiz took out Trent, but Nick Jackson hit a superkick on Ortiz and a huge kick on Santana.

They ended up hitting a double team Liger bomb on Nick Jackson, but Matt broke it up, and a superkick party went wild. Chuck caught a superkick, and Page tagged himself in and as Matt argued with him, Chuck threw Matt out. Omega hit a V-Trigger on Chuck and then they hit a double team Buckshot Lariat and V-Trigger for the win!

Result: Kenny Omega & Hangman Page

Rating: ****3/4 (4.75 stars)

This match was absolutely incredible. Page and Matt Jackson argued, but Kenny played peace maker, fist bumping Page and getting all four to celebrate. Matt gave a fist bump to Page, and all four left the ringside area as Page drank a beer. This was phenomenal, as the hinting of Hangman Page’s heel turn has just been masterful storytelling.

DDP was working out backstage, preparing for his match later tonight.

Cody came out and talked about MJF’s conditions for the match. Cody talked about the steel cage match that MJF wanted him to have with Wardlow. Cody said he’s been in tag teams, so it surprised him that he wanted this match to happen, because maybe MJF should be afraid that Wardlow might show up MJF up, and instead of being his lacky, MJF should be his.

Cody talked about the 10 lashes on live TV that MJF wanted too. Cody said that that if MJF thinks the worst thing that MJF could do to him, then he has another thing coming. He said the last one about not being able to touch him before Revolution. Cody said he had no problem with that, because he lived rent free in MJF’s head.

Cody accepted all three stipulations, with accepting the lashes last, and he promised that MJF was going to learn what everyone else did when they came against the Rhodes family: That this isn’t their story, but a road bump in Cody’s story, and at Revolution he was going to give MJF his own scar, right as the camera zoomed in Cody’s scar from the last PPV.

MJF was backstage wearing a shirt that suggested he had relations with DDP’s daughter. Darby Allin was backstage too, prepping for the match with PAC later in the night. PAC was walking backstage too, and he broke a skateboard symbolically.

Joey Janela was backstage, and he talked about how Penelope Ford attacked him backstage, ruining how he wanted to start his new year. Janela said that the only way that Ford could get noticed was to attach her name to him. He challenged Kip Sabian, and then talked about how his record was less than stellar last year. He talked about how he was Rey Fenix next week and promised to beat him.

The Nightmare Collective (Brandi Rhodes & Mel) w/ Luther vs. Hikaru Shida & Kris Statlander

Mel and Brandi attacked Statlander before the bell, and Shida ran down and made the save. Statlander missed a moonsault off the apron, barely hitting Mel, but she helped Shida hit a flying knee off the chair. They hit a double dropkick on Mel back in the ring, but Mel was able to cut her off and hit a dropkick to the back of the head.

Brandi hit a kick to the ribs for a 2 count on Shida. Brani and Mel continued to work over Shida, getting the heat on her. The beat on the Shida for a bit, to little reaction from the crowd. Mel knocked Statlander off the apron and she went crazy trying to get back in the ring, but Mel pulled Shida back to the opposite corner and the referee got Statlander back on the apron.

Shida managed to make the tag after hitting a knee on Mel, but Mel tagged out to Brandi. Brandi immediately paused and wanted to tag out, but Statlander kicked Brandi and hit a fisherman’s buster for a 2 count that Mel broke up. Mel managed to stay on top of Statlander for a little bit, but Shida flew off the top rope with a knee. Statlander hit an inverted piledriver on Mel for the 3 count, and that got a nice pop. Mel did not tuck her head on this one, and I’m seriously concerned she just got dropped on her own head.

Result: Shida & Statlander

Rating: * (1 star)

This was mostly fine, but the crowd wasn’t with them except for the hot tags and the finish.

The Dark Order aired a promo about how they were trying to get a recruit from the Elite, and an update about how they are trying to get Omega, Brandon Cutler, and others. This was actually really good. It seems The Exalted One has a grudge against The Elite. As I listened closely to the promo, I noticed how much it sounded like Raven. Could Raven be the Exalted One? It definitely fits, as he’s been known to attract cult like followings.

Sammy Guevara came out with his signs, telling Moxley that they have revoked his right to the car. He also asked Vanessa Hudgens on a date, which the crowd popped for. Moxley came in driving the car to ringside, and he came down to the ring with a big pop.

Jon Moxley (1-0) vs. Sammy Guevara (2-0)

Guevara attacked Moxley right off the bat, but Moxley managed to hit a lariat to drop him. Guevara responded in the corner with a kick and a springboard cutter and a running flip dive on Moxley on the floor. Moxley still managed to overpower him for a bit in the ring, but Guevara was able to do damage to the back with flying double knees on the apron and then driving Moxley into the guardrail and stairs.

Guevara stood on the neck of Moxley, who was across the middle rope, and then backflipped off into reverse Fargo Strut. Sammy put Moxley into a fireman’s carry and did two squats and fell back into a Samoan drop for a 2 count. Guevara ended up on the top rope and Moxley hit a superplex, but he couldn’t get there to cover him.

Guevara back flipped out of a German suplex and hit a standing shooting star for a 2 count. Moxley dodged a kick, but Sammy rolled him up for another 2 count. Moxley dodged another kick and hit the original Dirty Deeds for the 2 count. Guevara and Moxley were back up, and Sammy had Moxley in a burning hammer position. He flipped Moxley backwards and hit a knee, but Moxley kicked out. Guevara went for a moonsault, but Moxley caught him and pulled him into a Rear Naked Choke and Sammy immediately tapped out!

Result: Jon Moxley

Rating: *** (3 stars)

This was a fine match between both men that ended with an awesome finish.

Right after the end of the match, Jericho’s theme hit, and then the lights went out. When they came back on, and the whole Inner Circle was in the ring behind Moxley. They attacked Moxley and beat him down, with Jericho whipping Moxley with the title belt and Hager hit a knee to Moxley’s crotch.

Jericho took a spike off his jacket as they held Moxley, and he jabbed Moxley right in the eye with the spike! The announcers made the point that Moxley has no friends backstage, so there is no one to help him. The referees ran out and tried to get him out of the ring, as Jericho casually put on his jacket and posed for the crowd as the doctor checked on Moxley, who was slightly bleeding. The doctor put eyedrops in, and Moxley sold it like was burning.

Jericho was backstage, leaving the arena, where he gave an interview saying that it was Moxley’s fault this happened, by denying his offer to join the Inner Circle. Jericho said that PAC or Darby Allin should thank him, because whoever wins is getting a free pass next week because Moxley isn’t going to be able to wrestle, as he can’t see.

The Butcher & Blade (0-) w/ The Bunny & MJF (0-0) w/ Wardlow vs. QT Marshall (0-0), Dustin Rhodes (1-1), & Diamond Dallas Page (0-0)

Page was going to start the match with MJF, but he immediately tagged out to the Butcher. DDP tagged out to QT Marshall, so MJF got back in to wrestle him. Marshall flipped MJF off, but he poked his eyes and tagged out to Blade. Blade got nailed with a flying cross body, and then Marshall tagged out to Dustin, who hit a series of moves before being driven back into the enemy corner and eating a punch from MJF.

MJF was wearing the Dynamite Diamond Ring, and MJF handed it back to Wardlow, and they began to get the heat on Dustin as The Bunny and Wardlow attacked him on the floor. Butcher hit a stalling vertical suplex on Dustin for a 2 count. The Blade continued to get the heat on Dustin here for the next few minutes. MJF went to jump onto Dustin’s back, but Dustin rolled over and MJF crashed crotch first into Dustin.

Dustin hit a back drop over the top rope on MJF, who crashed face first into the apron. Butcher pulled Marshall off the apron, but Dustin hit Blade with a powerslam, and he was able to crawl over to DDP who got a big pop as he started beating on MJF! Page drove MJF into the ring post several times and hit a discus lariat on Butcher and a lariat on Blade.

Page went for the diamond Cutter on MJF, but he low blowed DDP. Page tagged out to Dustin, who hit a jumping Canadian Destroyer on MJF, and then Page hit the Diamond Cutter. Blade broke it up, but Dustin hit a cannonball onto everyone on the floor. QT Marshall hit a handspring flip dive over the top rope. DDP then hit a dive off the top rope on everyone! MJF rolled up QT and held the tights for the 3 count!

Result: MJF, Butcher, & Blade

Rating: **1/4 (2 stars, but 5 stars of fun)

DDP looked excellent here, despite his age, and I laughed that he still had his ribs tapped up, 23 years later after a kayfabe injury.

Backstage, Hangman Page went up to SCU, and he was clearly drinking. He was belligerent with them, and Kenny Omega had to play peace maker again, apologizing for Page, and promised SCU that he respected them and that he was looking forward to having a good match next week.

https://twitter.com/AEWonTNT/status/1217640880007307265

PAC (0-0) vs. Darby Allin (0-0)

PAC and Allin started the match very fast, trying to one up each other. It finally ended when Allin hit a shotgun dropkick on PAC, but PAC responded with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Allin. Darby hit another shotgun dropkick on PAC that sent him into the corner, and Allin hit a dive that sent PAC into the guardrail. PAC rolled into the ring and back out, but Allin responded with another dive that sent PAC into the guardrail.

Allin went for a hurricanrana to the floor, but PAC caught him and slammed him headfirst into the steps. That was brutal. PAC moved the stairs and pulled Darby onto the top of the steps before powerbombing Allin onto the stairs. That was even more brutal. Allin’s arm and back was bleeding after this, so either the guardrail, the floor, or the stairs cut him up.

PAC locked on a massive crossface submission, but then threw Allin into the guardrail on the floor again. PAC hit a huge missile dropkick that sent Darby crashing into the opposite corner, and PAC got a 2 count. PAC picked up Darby and put him on the top turnbuckle with a fireman’s carry, but Darby reversed it into a Crucifix Bomb.

PAC rolled to the outside, so Allin hit a Coffin Drop to the floor onto PAC! This is insane. Allin hit a flipping stunner in the ring and a Code Red for a 2 count. Allin went for a baseball slide, but PAC pulled the apron back and caught Darby in it before hitting a high kick. PAC killed Allin with a lariat for a 2 count.

PAC and Allin exchanged a series of pinfall attempts that ended with PAC hitting a Liger Bomb on PAC, which Allin kicked out of. Tony screamed that Allin’s neck was broken. All 3 commentators were heavily into this match, which I love. PAC then hit a series of headbutts in the corner and hit the Black Arrow on Allin for the 3 count.

Result: PAC (1-0)

Rating: ****1/2 (4.5 stars)

This was an excellent main event. Darby Allin has proven to be one of the best young stars in the company, and PAC is showing everyone how great he is as a main event draw. Tony Schiavone was at ringside with PAC, and PAC insisted that Moxley wouldn’t be able to compete next week, so he’s the number one contender, and that he was coming for Chris Jericho.

Jon Moxley was being loaded into ambulance, but he walked out towards the ring with an eye patch on, to a huge pop from the crowd. Moxley said that he didn’t care if he was blind, no eyes, or half dead, because that tile shot belongs to him. The crowd was super into this, and Moxley actually felt like Stone Cold Steve Austin here. The comparisons actually feel apt in this case, as he reacted exactly as Austin would. This was phenomenal. Give me more of this stuff. I love it. AEW has shown that they know how to book Moxley, and it’s been a delight to see him used to his best ability.

Show Rating: **** (4 stars)

This was an excellent episode of AEW Dynamite that furthered all the big stories in AEW right now. Hangman Page’s eventual heel turn, Cody & MJF, Moxley & Jericho, PAC & Moxley for next week, Guevara’s increased arrogance, and even the Dark Order. The Dark Order is specifically targeting The Elite and all their friends, and that voice, the more I listen to it, sounds exactly like Raven. If it is Raven, that is super exciting, and it makes this angle something I can really get invested in because Raven is awesome, even as just a mouthpiece.

AEW has been building long term stories, as we are seeing with how everything is playing out with PAC and Moxley. PAC lost a match due to Moxley abandoning him in the ring, and then they both went to a draw. Next week we finally get the payoff as both men face off again, and the winner because the #1 contender to the AEW World Championship. I loved this episode of AEW Dynamite. While last week felt off, this week felt right back on track for the most part.

AEW provided us with great action, lots of storyline development, and build intrigue for next week. In the end, this is all we can ask for in a wrestling show. AEW is in this for the long term, and coming off the news that they signed a new TV deal with TNT, I am very excited for AEW’s future, both in the immediate and years down the road. AEW is building something slowly, and they are clearly listening to the criticisms brought to them. They have answered many of them. I am excited for next week’s AEW Dynamite.