AEW Dynamite Results and Grades: 30 Years of Jericho

This episode of AEW Dynamite featured a celebration of the 30 years of Chris Jericho’s career. The main event of Dynamite featured Cody against Brody Lee in a Dog Collar Match for the AEW TNT Championship.

AEW Dynamite opened with a promo montage of wrestlers talking about how Chris Jericho influenced their career, and then it was straight to business with Will Hobbs and Brian Cage opening the show.

Will Hobbs vs. Brian Cage for the FTW Championship

Cage used some speed early on to floor Hobbs, and then both men fought over a suplex with neither man getting the advantage. Hobbs then hit a running crossbody on Cage and started punching him in the corner. Cage countered and pulled Hobbs’ head into the corner and hit a kick and an electric chair for a 2 count.

Cage chopped Hobbs in the corner, rolled Hobbs up and hit a dropkick. Cage hit a fallaway slam and then a standing moonsault for a two-count. Hobbs hit a back suplex, but Cage kicked out. Hobbs hit a pair of clotheslines and a jumping shoulder tackle. Hobbs hit a powerslam for a two-count, and then hit a sit out spinebuster for another two-count.

Cage hit a pumphandle face slam and then hit the F5 for a two-count. Cage hit a German suplex, but Hobbs just stood up and hit one of his own. Both men stood up and then hit clotheslines on each other before crashing to the mat. Hobbs ducked under a clothesline attempt and hit the Last Will and Testament for a two-count. Hobbs went to the top rope and went for a frog splash, but Cage got out of the way and he hit a drill claw for the pinfall.

Result: Brian Cage

Rating: *** (3 stars)

This was a very solid opening match. Hobbs was given everything before losing and almost had Cage on several occasions. This is a perfectly fine way to introduce Hobbs to the Dynamite audience, and it helped Cage look good too because Hobbs came so close to winning multiple times.

Taz cut a promo offering Hobbs a spot in Team Taz, but Hobbs refused. Darby Allin then came out and made the save, keeping Hobbs from getting beaten down 2 on 1 by Cage and Ricky Starks. Taz then promised Allin that he would soon learn not to mess with Team Taz. I’m guessing this is setting up a tag match for next week with Hobbs and Allin against Cage and Starks.