**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s episode had the semifinals of the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament!
Dasha Gonzalez interviewed Wardlow backstage before his match at the start of the show.
MJF interrupted Dasha. “Let’s get something straight. If Wardlow wins this tournament, and then beats the champion, I become the AEW World champion. Because Wardlow is under contract to me, which means his property is my property. Isn’t that right Wardlow?” asked MJF.
“Yeah, you got it,” replied Wardlow, and then subtly rolled his eyes.
Sammy Guevara walked onto the scene and interrupted MJF.
“What a nice way to talk to people, Max. I’m not your buddy. I’m not your friend. And tonight I’m gonna make sure you never join the Inner Circle,” said Sammy.
They had a stare down until MJF backed off, as Wardlow’s entrance music hit.
The first match of the night was “Mr. Mayhem” Wardlow vs. “Hangman” Adam Page!
Wardlow is on a 9-match singles winning streak.
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Jim Ross were the broadcast team for tonight’s event!
“Right now we have two men who have a chance to go to the championship of the Eliminator Tournament,” noted Tony Schiavone.
Page blasted Wardlow with a shotgun dropkick for a quick start to the match!
“‘Hangman’ Page not wasting anytime trying to take the fight directly to Wardlow,” said Excalibur.
Wardlow bounced back quickly by connecting with a forearm on Page. He hurled “Hangman” into the corner turnbuckles. Page used his speed to avoid a charging Wardlow, jumping off the middle rope with a clothesline to Wardlow, sending him to the outside! Page followed up with a pescado but Wardlow caught him! Page slipped out of Wardlow’s grasp and pushed him headfirst into the steel post!
“That just made the big man mad,” said Tony Schiavone of Wardlow.
Wardlow rammed into Page with a giant spear, sending Page’s body crashing through the steel guardrail!
“Speared him right through the safety rail!” said Tony Schiavone.
Wardlow dumped Page hard onto the mat with a slam for a near fall. He got some ground and pound offensive in on Page. Wardlow picked up Page for a vertical suplex and ended up tossing him halfway across the mat.
“In a short period of time, Wardlow has become one of the power forces here in AEW,” said Tony Schiavone.
Wardlow got another near fall on Page after executing a massive gut wrench powerbomb! Wardlow attempted to chokeslam Page off the corner turnbuckle but Page countered with a cross arm breaker over the top rope. Wardlow tried for a giant senton but Page rolled out of the way! Page clubbed Wardlow with a lariat, attempted a second lariat, but Wardlow countered with his own clothesline and dropped Page to his knees. Wardlow sprung off the ropes but Page met him with a double ax handle.
Wardlow went with a release German suplex but Page landed on his feet! Page took out Wardlow on the floor with a moonsault! Page came back with a running shooting star press in the ring, but Wardlow kicked out at the one-count! Page tried the buckshot lariat but Wardlow ducked it and connected with a thunderous clothesline onto “Hangman”! Page kicked out at two!
Wardlow sent Page for a ride with the wicked F-10! Page smartly rolled to the outside to create some distance. Wardlow grabbed Page and carried him up the turnbuckles. “Hangman” fired back with elbow shots. Page threw Wardlow across the ring with a fallaway slam! “Hangman” nailed Wardlow with two consecutive buckshot lariats and scored the pin!
“Adam Page is a finalist. He is one win away from earning a shot at the AEW World Title,” noted Jim Ross.
“He will go on to FULL GEAR in the finals of this Eliminator Tournament,” added Schiavone.
Page celebrated with a much deserved cold beer after the match.
“Mad King” Eddie Kingston (with The Butcher, the Blade, & the Bunny vs. Matt Sydal was next!
Kingston will be facing AEW World Champion Jon Moxley in an “I Quit” Match November 7th at FULL GEAR.
They began with chain wrestling but Kingston powered Sydal to the mat. He pushed Sydal to the corner and tried for a chop, but Sydal escaped and hit Kingston with a knife-edge chop! Sydal took down Kingston with two consecutive deep arm drags. Matt rolled up Eddie for a two-count! Sydal dropkicked Kingston right in the face! Matt Sydal was fishing for the grounded cobra clutch finisher that he’s been using lately but Kingston grappled his way out of it. Sydal attempted a roundhouse kick but Kingston caught him and slammed him.
“You can tell Eddie’s been training,” noted Jim Ross.
Sydal connected with a sunset flip, good for a two-count on Kingston, but Kingston stood right up and knocked down Sydal with a lariat! Sydal didn’t take it sitting down, though, as he used a leg sweep and then a standing moonsault on Kingston! Sydal blasted Kingston with a knee and a roundhouse kick, but Kingston kicked out at the two-count!
“That was very nearly a homerun shot for Matt Sydal,” said Excalibur.
Kingston used a spinning back fist on Sydal, wiping him out! Next Kingston applied the bulldog choke, the same one Moxley uses, forcing Sydal to tap!
Excalibur had a sit-down interview with The Young Bucks—Matt and Nick Jackson—and the AEW World Tag champs, FTR—Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, along with Tully Blanchard.
They will be facing off at FULL GEAR on pay-per-view on November 7th!
FTR were at a separate location, via satellite, while Excalibur was in-person with the Bucks.
Excalibur asked about Matt Jackson’s leg injury, and Matt said it was fine, while Nick disputed it and said it wasn’t.
“I’ll hop on one leg. Yes, I’ll be at FULL GEAR,” said Matt Jackson.
Matt said sometimes good people do bad things. He has the killer instinct again thanks to the arrival of FTR on the scene, and the old Young Bucks are back!
FTR felt like they were being disrespected by Excalibur and his focus on the Bucks, so they stormed off.
“At FULL GEAR, we’re putting it all on the line. If we don’t successfully win the AEW World Tag Team titles, we will never, ever challenge for the titles again,” declared Matt Jackson.
It was time for the Inner Circle’s Town Hall Meeting!
Tony Schiavone and Dasha Gonzalez were sitting at a table on the ramp.
“We’re here tonight to discuss whether MJF should join the Inner Circle,” said Dasha.
“The Demo God” Chris Jericho and the Inner Circle were brought in first.
“Ratings Ruler” MJF was introduced next.
MJF said there are financial benefits to him joining the Inner Circle. He showed off a chart that displayed the Inner Circle’s earnings would spike if he joined the group. Jericho said if MJF tried to turn on the Inner Circle, they’d knock MJF’s teeth down his throat.
“C’mon guys, I would never turn on any of you,” said MJF.
Eric Bischoff approached the podium and asked a question: “MJF, what can you do for the Inner Circle?”
“Friendship,” replied MJF.
“What is it that you believe the Inner Circle can do you for?” asked Eric of MJF.
“I firmly believe that once I join all these great men in the Inner Circle, I could learn how to be a team player,” replied MJF.
“Chris Jericho is a prima donna and you possess many of those same traits. What’s to guarantee that if you join Inner Circle, you and Jericho don’t wind up killing each other?” asked Eric.
“No, no, no, this is so preposterous,” answered MJF.
Jericho demanded that MJF answer Bischoff’s question.
“After all I gave to you, what haven’t I done, Christopher?” replied MJF.
“You haven’t beat me. But I’m gonna give you a chance to do that. At FULL GEAR on November 7th it’s gonna be MJF versus Chris Jericho one on one, and if you win, I’ll allow you to join the Inner Circle,” said Jericho.
“I will do whatever it takes to win,” said MJF.
Ortiz hated this idea, and said that just because Jericho was entertaining the idea, didn’t mean he and Sammy agreed with it. He issued a challenge for next week: Sammy and Ortiz vs. MJF and Wardlow!
For the first time ever—a lumberjack match for the TNT Championship!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (with Best Friends—Chuck Taylor & Trent) vs. champ “The American Nightmare” Cody (with Dustin Rhodes, QT Marshall, & Arn Anderson)!
The reason for the lumberjack match stipulation tonight was to prevent the Dark Order from interfering.
Orange tried for the Orange Punch, but Cody dodged it! Cody countered with CrossRhodes, but Orange escaped it!
“Orange Cassidy picking up the pace. It’s so unlike him,” said Tony Schiavone.
Cassidy took down Cody with a go-behind transitioning into a side headlock. Cassidy grounded the champ.
“Cassidy has changed his approach here,” said Jim Ross.
Cody whipped Orange into the corner turnbuckle. Orange Cassidy returned the favor and sent Cody flying into the turnbuckles. On the outside, Evil Uno grabbed at Cody’s boot. As Cody was distracted, Orange tied up Cody with a backslide for a near fall.
Orange nailed Cody with a standing vertical suplex. Cody was quick with a dragon screw leg whip on Orange. Cody was sent to the ropes after Orange hit a dropkick on him, and Trent used the opportunity to sucker punch the champ! Orange followed up with a flying crossbody. He attempted a swinging DDT but Cody countered with the figure four, but before Cody could apply it, Orange booted him! Orange pancaked Cody with the swinging DDT! Orange tried for a splash off the top rope, but Cody was able to lift his knees in time!
The lumberjacks broke out into a brawl on the outside! Cody superplexed Orange Cassidy to the outside, crashing down onto the pile of lumberjacks! Cody followed up with a CodyCutter! Orange kicked out at the two-count! Orange lured Cody in and nailed him with a thrust kick! Orange hit the Stun Dog Millionaire and then planted Cody with a diving DDT! Orange used the Beach Break on Cody for good measure, but somehow Cody kicked out at two!
While the referee was distracted, John Silver nearly took off Orange’s head with a pump kick! From the outside, Arn Anderson decked Orange Cassidy! Cody was oblivious to all of this interference from both sides. He connected with the CrossRhodes on Orange Cassidy and pinned him!
Darby Allin was scouting Cody from high up in the arena, as he will be facing TNT Champion Cody at FULL GEAR on November 7th!
Backstage, Kip Sabian and “The Best Man” Miro assaulted Trent and Chuck Taylor!
Newly crowned NWA World Women’s Champion Serena Deeb vs. “Legit” Leyla Hirsch was next!
“Former amateur wrestler,” said J.R. of Hirsch.
They locked up in a collar and elbow tie-up. Deeb dropped Leyla after two arm drags. Leyla put some distance in between the two of them. Leyla smacked Deeb with a lariat, and followed up with a double knee stomp in the corner! Deeb used a hanging neck breaker on Hirsch for a near fall!
Hirsch walloped Deeb with palm strikes and then a follow-up knee strike to the face! Hirsch utilized a release German suplex on the champ!
“She’s a powerhouse,” said Tony Schiavone.
Hirsch went up top for a moonsault press but Serena Deeb rolled out of the way! Serena began punishing the neck of Hirsch with neck breakers. Deeb captured the arm and leg of Hirsch and made her tap out from the submission hold!
“What a hot streak! She won the title last night and defended it tonight,” said Schiavone.
Backstage Alex Marvez interviewed AEW Women’s Champ Hikaru Shida.
“Nyla Rose, you want me? I want you at FULL GEAR,” said Shida.
Next: Shawn Spears (on a 10-match winning streak), accompanied by Tully Blanchard vs. VSK, making his DYNAMITE debut!
The broadcast team talked about the bad blood that Spears and Scorpio Sky have against one another.
Spears scooped up VSK in a fireman’s carry and then unleashed the C4 on him! Spears effortlessly pinned VSK for the victory!
“It was brutal but it was efficient,” said Excalibur.
Someone dressed in a Halloween costume sitting ringside was heckling Spears, throwing Halloween candy at him. Spears pulled the costumed fan into the ring. Spears turned his back and asked Tully to load up his glove, and while this was taking place, the fan removed his mask. It was Scorpio Sky in disguise! Sky hoisted up a shocked Spears with the TKO!
“Scorpio Sky just lit it up!” said Jim Ross.
It was main event time!
Kenny Omega vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (with Rey Fenix) in the semifinals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament!
“The man that wins this match will meet ‘Hangman’ Adam Page at FULL GEAR in the World Title Eliminator finals,” noted Excalibur.
Penta El Zero Miedo took the place of Rey Fenix in this match, who was injured last week.
Omega removed his t-shirt, revealing the Triple A Mega World Championship belt around his waist, the title he won by defeating Rey Fenix.
Penta El Zero Miedo challenged Omega to chop him. Omega obliged! Penta El Zero Miedo served up a sizzling chop of his own to Omega!
“He asked for it, he really did,” said Schiavone.
Penta El Zero Miedo removed his glove and tossed it to the referee but Kenny intercepted it and slapped his opponent in the face with it.
“I said chop me!” yelled Kenny.
Penta El Zero Miedo wound up for a chop but Kenny didn’t wait, kicking his opponent in the top of the knee. Penta El Zero Miedo went up and over Kenny Omega and connected with a backstabber! It was followed up with a tope con hiro onto Omega! They brawled on the arena floor! Kenny slid an ice cooler into Penta El Zero Miedo’s injured knee. Kenny then DDT’ed him onto the cooler!
Omega built up a head of steam and launched himself over the top rope with a tope con hiro, crashing onto Penta El Zero Miedo!
“That was perfectly executed,” said Tony Schiavone.
Omega was focused and fired up, but Penta El Zero Miedo managed to catch him off guard with a nasty roundhouse kick! Next he took flight and drove Omega to the arena floor with a crossbody block!
“These guys are throwing out all the stops here,” said Schiavone.
“You can bet ‘Hangman’ Adam Page is sitting on the edge of his seat someplace,” added Jim Ross.
Kenny missed the V-trigger and Penta El Zero Miedo countered with a brutal pump kick right in the teeth! He followed up with the sling blade off the middle ropes onto Omega!
“Omega kicked out strictly out of desperation. It seems Kenny Omega is fading thanks to the offense of Penta El Zero Miedo,” said Jim Ross.
Kenny got right back up to his feet with a sense of urgency, but Penta El Zero Miedo kicked out Kenny’s leg. Next came the diving foot stomp onto Omega! Somehow Kenny kicked out at the two-count! Omega fired back with a snap dragon suplex that was right on target! He hit a second snap dragon suplex! Omega caught Penta El Zero Miedo with a knee, and then a powerbomb, and then finally the V-Trigger! Penta El Zero Miedo kicked out at two!
Kenny wasted no time following up with another V-trigger from downtown! He followed up with a leg lariat to the back of the head. And yet another V-trigger, this time to the back of Penta El Zero Miedo’s skull! There was still fight left in Penta El Zero Miedo though, as this time he decimated Kenny with a destroyer from the corner turnbuckles to the entrance ramp!
Penta El Zero Miedo stuck Omega with the package piledriver! Omega kicked out!
“How he got out of that, J.R., I’ll never know,” said Schiavone.
Omega caught Penta El Zero Miedo with a knee right under the chin! Omega tried for the one-winged angel, but Penta El Zero Miedo fought out of it with an arm breaker, snapping Kenny’s arm straight back! This was followed up with a front kick to Kenny’s jaw!
“Kenny is out on his feet,” said Schiavone.
Penta El Zero Miedo used the ropes as a springboard but landed right into Kenny’s knee! Kenny planted him dead center in the ring with the one-winged angel and scored the pin!
“It was a long and winding road but Kenny Omega finally reached his destination,” said Jim Ross.
So at FULL GEAR on November 7th on pay-per-view it’ll be Kenny Omega vs. “Hangman” Adam Page in the World Title Eliminator Tournament Final!
Be sure to join us next Wednesday for all the explosive action as AEW DYNAMITE is broadcast on TNT!