AEW Dynamite: Road Rager Preview and Predictions

For the first time in a long time, AEW Dynamite will come to us from a location other than Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Fl.

While the promotion will stay in the state of Florida, it will travel to Miami and present its Road Rager edition of Dynamite on Wednesday evening.

The show will heavily feature the rivalry between the Inner Circle and the Pinnacle, as MJF and Chris Jericho are scheduled to meet up face to face so MJF can lay out his stipulations that Jericho must adhere to, to get another one-on-one match with him.

We have seen this before, as MJF laid out a similar scenario to Cody Rhodes not that long ago.  Part of that stipulation is that Cody would take ten lashes with a belt on an episode of Dynamite, and to this day that is an image that I can still see very clearly in my mind when I think about it.

While I do not believe that MJF will put Jericho through anything like that, it will be very interesting to see what the former has up his sleeve for stipulations.  If nothing else, anytime these two go back and forth on the microphone, we can count on some good one-liners.

In addition to the MJF-Jericho faceoff, there are also five announced matches on the card. They will include an AEW Tag Team Title bout, a mixed tag match, and the AEW in-ring debut of Andrade El Idolo.

What should we expect on the Road Rager edition of AEW Dynamite?

Let’s take a look at the announced match card and what we can expect from each.

Andrade El Idolo vs. Matt Sydal

The AEW in-ring debut of Andrade El Idolo will come against Matt Sydal.

Some will say that Sydal isn’t a big enough name and that Andrade should be put up against the best AEW has to offer right away.

But Sydal’s matches on Dynamite never disappoint. He is an excellent, well-rounded worker that is capable of excelling in any style of match and  Sydal will push Andrade’s limits before eventually putting him over.

This will make Andrade’s first AEW match even more memorable for the fans. Sydal’s ability to sell and to tell stories inside the ring make him an absolutely perfect first match for AEW’s newest signee.

As excellent as Sydal has become in the ring, it is hard to see him as anything more than a gatekeeper in AEW. So, much like he did when battling Christian Cage, Kenny Omega, and Brian Cage, Sydal will put on a show, but in a losing effort. Winner: Andrade El Idolo

Santana, Ortiz & Jake Hager vs. FTR & Wardlow

This one is tough to call and could really go either way.

The Inner Circle had been on a roll over the Pinnacle in recent weeks until MJF defeated Sammy Guevara last week (thanks to Shawn Spears’ interference). This match seems set up for the Pinnacle to start to swing momentum in their favor.

Notwithstanding the MMA Rules Cage fight, Wardlow has seemed to have Jake Hager’s number.  Additionally, FTR is still undefeated in any sort of tag team match against every team not named the Young Bucks.  So the heels would seem to have the inside track to a victory in this one.

However, if any tag team deserves a world title run, it is Santana and Ortiz.

The talented duo has been patiently doing the bidding of Chris Jericho and the Inner Circle for a long time and now it is time for them to be selfish, and to position themselves for a run at the Young Bucks and the AEW World Tag Team Titles.

For that to happen, they need to clear the first obstacle which is clearly FTR. This seems like a good night for them to do so. Winners: Santana, Ortiz, & Jake Hager

Cody Rhodes vs. QT Marshall in a South Beach Strap Match

The rivalry between the Nightmare Family and the Factory has been pretty one-sided thus far.  Cody has defeated both QT Marshall and Anthony Ogogo in singles matches and Dustin Rhodes handled Nick Comoroto in a bull rope match a few weeks ago.

But because QT continues to run his mouth about a tainted pinfall he scored on Cody in a tag team match, we will get the Nightmare Family versus the Factory one more time.

Whether or not the storyline between the Factory and the Nightmare Family goes on beyond this match, Cody Rhodes needs to find his way out of it. He is simply too talented to be stuck in this story any longer.

Cody needs to put QT down in this strap match and then move on to things further up the card.  Meanwhile, this feud would be a welcome edition on Dark as Lee Johnson and Austin & Colten Gunn could have some great matches with members of the Factory. Winner: Cody Rhodes

Orange Cassidy & Kris Statlander vs. Blade & Bunny

In a rare occurrence in AEW, Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander will look to even up the score with the Blade and the Bunny in a mixed tag match.

Last week on Dynamite, Statlander scored a pinfall win on the Bunny but in the post-match chaos, the Blade knocked Orange Cassidy out cold with a pair of brass knuckles.

While the women settled their score last week, it would make sense that the men would do the same this week.

With that being said, Orange Cassidy will have his revenge.

The most likely scenario is that the brass knuckles will resurface during this match but somehow, they will end up in the hands of OC.

Cassidy will use them in a devasting Orange Punch to knock the Blade out and earn the win for his team. Winners: Orange Cassidy & Kris Statlander

Penta El Zero Miedo & Eddie Kingston vs The Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championships

Penta and Eddie Kingston earned this title shot by defeating the Young Bucks last week on Dynamite in a very good match.

And we can expect a very good match this week as well.

It was awesome to see Penta and Kingston win their match against the Bucks last week. It felt like an eternity since anyone had had the upper hand on the Jackson brothers and it was a much-needed change of pace on last week’s Dynamite.

As good as Penta and Kingston are, however, this just doesn’t feel like the spot where the Young Bucks will drop their titles.

We have already had the tag titles on a pair of singles wrestlers not that long ago and there are simply too many good tag teams in AEW to continue to use this formula for the AEW tag team straps.

This is going to be an exciting match with a number of near falls that make you doubt your pick to win this match.

But at the end of Dynamite this week, we will see that all too familiar scene of the smug smirks on the faces of the Young Bucks, the Good Brothers, and Don Callis as the Bucks retain their titles. Winners: The Young Bucks