AEW Dynamite: Beach Break Preview and Predictions

AEW Dynamite is back this Wednesday with their annual Beach Break edition that will take place this year in Cleveland, Ohio, and be broadcast live on TBS.

Last week’s Dynamite packed a lot of stories into their two-hour show, including a stirring promo from the recently returned Jon Moxley.  It will be interesting to see where Mox goes from here as he seemed headed for a heel turn a couple of months back.

But with the crowd firmly behind him, as he made his triumphant return last week, it looks like AEW has decided to pump the brakes on this and ride his momentum as a crowd favorite in a very intriguing possible feud with Bryan Danielson.

Sting and Darby Allin stayed unbeaten as a tag team, by beating the number one ranked tag team in AEW, The Acclaimed.  With the win, one has to wonder if Sting and Darby Allin are going to start to make a push towards the tag team titles.

Brody King and Malakai Black had their first AEW match as a tag team, under the team name Kings of the Black Throne, and won a virtual squash match against the number four ranked, Varsity Blonds.

CM Punk, Serena Deeb, and Lance Archer all looked impressive in singles matches as we continue to move towards Revolution in early March.

And with four announced matches for the upcoming Beach Break show, let’s take a look at what we can expect from each.

What will happen on this week’s Beach Break episode of AEW Dynamite?

Adam Cole vs Orange Cassidy in a Lights Out Match

Adam Cole and Britt Baker picked up a win last Wednesday on Dynamite by defeating Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander in a mixed tag team match.

However, towards the end of that match, Orange Cassidy inadvertently knocked Britt Baker off of the apron and through a table that was set up outside the ring.

This incensed Adam Cole and led to a flurry of offense from Cole that would secure a victory for himself and Baker.

However, this wasn’t enough for Adam Cole, and shortly after the match he challenged Orange Cassidy to this week’s lights out, anything goes, unsanctioned match at Beach Break.

This would be a perfect spot to have Orange Cassidy pick up a win over Adam Cole as the result doesn’t count on either of their records and this feud has been extremely one-sided, with Cole and Company picking up wins at almost every turn.

And with the show being in Cleveland, Ohio, there may be a certain ex-NXT talent that just might be making his AEW debut in his hometown and costing an old rival a very personal match against Orange Cassidy.  Winner: Orange Cassidy, with an assist from Johnny Gargano

Chris Jericho, Santana & Ortiz vs Daniel Garcia & 2.0

Last week, Santana and Ortiz finally voiced out loud something that fans of AEW have been saying for over a year, Chris Jericho is holding them back.

And they are absolutely right.  Every big match that Santana and Ortiz have been a part of in AEW has always been as part of the Inner Circle against the likes of The Elite, The Pinnacle, and American Top Team & The Men of the Year.

It is very tough to remember the last time that the duo has had a high-stakes tag team match on a pay-per-view, or even as the main event on Dynamite.

It is time for Santana and Ortiz to break away from the Inner Circle and start to climb up the tag team ranks where they belong.  And as long as they are a part of the Inner Circle, their primary job will be backup for Chris Jericho.

Look for a Jericho miscue to cost the trio the match, and for Santana and Ortiz to take the loss out on Chris Jericho shortly after.  Winners: Daniel Garcia & 2.0

Leyla Hirsch vs Red Velvet

Ever since Leyla Hirsch suffered a loss to Kris Statlander on the Holiday Bash episode of Rampage she has been teasing a heel turn.  The tease turned to reality last week when she attacked Statlander and Red Velvet backstage.

The turn is a somewhat puzzling move simply for the reason that Hirsh’s minute stature is one that would suggest a crowd-pleasing underdog is the better role for her at this stage of her career.

However, AEW decided to go the other way, and one would think the heel turn would also come with some sort of a push for Hirsch.

Over the past couple of weeks, Hirsch’s issues have been directed more at Statlander than at Red Velvet, so it is safe to assume this matchup will be used to establish Hirsch’s heel turn as she will use underhanded tactics to take down Velvet, and then set her sights on Kris Statlander.  Winner: Leyla Hirsch

Cody Rhodes vs Sammy Guevara in a TNT Championship Ladder Match

While it seemed silly at the time to crown an Interim TNT Champion when the current TNT Champion was only slated to miss a week or two of TV, at least we get what should be a highly entertaining Ladder Match to unify the TNT Title on Wednesday out of that decision.

The Cody Rhodes character, as he stands today, is truly fascinating.  His expressed desire to remain a face, yet heel-like crowd reaction literally gives him free rein to act and say whatever and however he wants in both matches and promos.  He truly has complete artistic freedom right now as he has no set role to fulfill.

And as clouded as Cody Rhodes’ future may be, one thing is certain, he will go into that future as the TNT Champion.

While the decision to put the TNT Title back on Cody was a hotly contested subject, it is starting to look more and more like the right move.

AEW has a couple of young stars on the horizon that will be in the mix for that TNT title before too long in the form of Wardlow and Hook.

And the plan very well could be Cody putting over one of those two up and coming stars, and having one of them take the title off of Cody will do infinitely more for their credibility than taking the title from Sammy would have.

Expect this match to be a show-stealer as both Sammy and Cody are never shy about putting themselves through crazy spots to make the fans pop.  But at the end of the show expect Cody Rhodes to be holding the TNT Title, perched upon a ladder, as a chorus of boos rains down on him.  Winner: Cody Rhodes