***CONTAINS SPOILERS***
November 27, 2019, ALL ELITE WRESTLING (AEW) made its return to Chicago, to the Sears Centre Arena, for the Thanksgiving episode of ALL ELITE WRESTLING DYNAMITE on the TNT Network!
Excalibur and Jim Ross were the broadcast team for tonight’s event. Tony Schiavone was away on assignment.
Soul Train Jones welcomed the audience to “the greatest night in television history!” A marching band played as Chris Jericho made his way to the ring for the start of his “Thanksgiving Thank-You Celebration for Le Champion.”
Jericho told the crowd to sit down and shut up. Jericho was holding a bottle of his new signature beverage, “A Little Bit of the Bubbly,” currently available to purchase over at LittleBitoftheBubbly.com. Jericho toasted Soul Train Jones and invited out his friends from “the Inner Circle,” Jake Hager, Santana and Ortiz, Sammy Guevara.
“The Spanish God” Sammy gifted Jericho a life-sized cardboard cutout of the pair.
“Proud & Powerful” presented Jericho with an assortment of items from a gift basket, including their own signature beverage, “a little bit of a .40!”
“Big Hurt” Jake Hager gave Jericho his own…goat, which he named “Chris JeriGOAT.”
And from the NHL and the NY Rangers, the great Ted Irvine, Chris’ father, was a surprise gift from the Inner Circle, as they pulled him out of a huge box! Mr. Irvine had gifts of his own for the Inner Circle—custom-made Rangers jerseys. The Chicago-area fans were vocal about their dislike of the hockey jerseys.
Jericho called in AEW ring announcer Justin Roberts to read the official “thank you” from the AEW brass. Jericho didn’t like Roberts’ tone, and he began slapping the ring announcer. Three of the members from the marching band came to the aid of Roberts, and it was none other than SCU (Scorpio Sky, Christopher Daniels, and Frankie Kazarian), in disguise. SCU chased out the Inner Circle and clotheslined Soul Train Jones!
Dasha Gonzalez, taking the place of Justin Roberts, introduced The Best Friends, Chuck Taylor and Trent, (accompanied by Orange Cassidy—dressed as a turkey). Marco Solis Martinez, representing the All State Elite Fleet, joined the broadcast team for this match.
Before the bell rang, the Lucha Bros attacked Taylor and Trent. Turkeys can fly after all! Cassidy jumped from the top of the ring post and landed on the Lucha Bros for the save! A swiftly delivered Sliced Bread from Chuckie T. took out Pentagon, but as Chuckie was posing for the TV camera, Fenix hit a stiff kick. Then Fenix blasted Trent with a kick, while Pentagon executed a destroyer for a near fall. Meanwhile, Orange Cassidy distracted the Lucha Bros, allowing Trent to hit a crunchie on Fenix, and the Best Friends grabbed the victory!
Bea Priestley and Emi Sakura vs. Hikaru Shida and Kris Statlander was up next!
Shida launched herself off the chair to take out Sakura on the outside. Sakura brought in her microphone stand and was using it to gain the upper hand on Shida. The referee had enough and tossed the mic stand outside. Priestley was draped over the middle turnbuckle, and Shida suplexed Sakura right onto Priestly, rattling Priestly. Statlander had a version of the Oklahoma roll applied to Sakura, but Sakura reversed it and gave her a twisting facebuster! Sakura hit a backbreaker on Statlander, and then missed a Vader bomb. Statlander cut down Sakura with a scissor kick for an ultra near fall, but Priestly made the save for her team. While the ref was distracted, Sakura hit Statlander with the mic stand, and Priestley and Sakura picked up the victory by employing their veteran savvy.
Jon Moxley was in the bowels of the arena, and said “This is a call to arms for anyone that wants to step up and be a hero” by challenging him to a match.
“The American Nightmare” Cody made his in-ring return tonight against Matt Knicks!
Cody was quick to sweep out Knicks’ legs. Cody hit a cutter off the middle rope, and then forced Knicks to tap when he applied the figure four leg lock. This one was all academic for Cody tonight.
On the mic, Cody called out MJF, but there was no sign of his former best friend. Suddenly the wrestling ring was sliced from underneath the mat. Rising to attack an unsuspecting Cody was the duo known as “The Butcher and the Blade,” who were accompanied by “The Bunny.” Cody had to be helped to the back.
“The Bastard” PAC, master of the Brutalizer, vs. Kenny Omega, in a rematch from their contest at ALL OUT!
Omega took out PAC with a basement dropkick, and then planted PAC right on his head with the snapdragon suplex. Omega was highly motivated with this burst of offense and nearly scored a quick victory against PAC!
PAC reversed momentum with back elbows to Omega, but Omega used another snapdragon suplex on PAC. “The Bastard” finally knocked Omega to the outside with harsh elbows, and followed up with a moonsault onto Omega. Back in the ring, Omega and PAC slugged it out. Omega used the Polish hammer on PAC for the two count, and then the fishermen’s buster for another near fall on PAC.
PAC turned Kenny inside-out with an explosive clothesline. PAC placed Omega on the top rope and blasted Kenny with the avalanche falcon arrow, but Kenny kicked out! PAC missed the Black Arrow, and Kenny capitalized with the V Trigger knee strike. Kenny neutralized PAC’s legs and rolled him up for the pin fall victory, becoming only the second man in AEW history to pin “The Bastard” PAC!
MJF, escorted to the ring by Wardlow, wrestled “Hangman” Adam Page, competing tonight for the first annual Dynamite Diamond Ring (with a price tag of $45,000!).
Page and MJF traded punches on the outside, and an eager “Hangman” tossed MJF over the guardrail. A fall away slam greeted MJF, and then a tope suicida drove MJF into the barricade! Page’s arm was bothering him, but he still hit a high risk moonsault onto MJF. A buckshot lariat created big time impact on MJF, but Wardlow broke up the two count as he placed MJF’s foot on the bottom rope. While the ref was distracted, Wardlow hit a sickening right hand on “Hangman.” MJF won the match (and the diamond ring) after using Cody’s finisher, the CrossRhodes, on “Hangman” Adam Page.
“Diamond” Dallas Page was introduced to present MJF with the first annual Dynamite Diamond Ring. MJF placed it on his pinky finger and then kissed it. DDP said that some of MJF’s actions have been very disappointing to him, “but tonight, you’re the man,” and tried to shake MJF’s hand. MJF spit his chewing gum into his hand, and before DDP could get a piece of MJF, Wardlow got in DDP’s face. The AEW officials ran down to separate Wardlow and MJF from DDP.
Jenn Decker interviewed Dustin Rhodes in the ring. Dustin Rhodes said Jake Hager broke his arm, and Hager wasn’t the same man he used to be. Santana, Ortiz, and Sammy attacked Rhodes like a pack of jackals. The Young Bucks came to the aid of Dustin with a Super Kick Party on the Inner Circle!
Another eerie vignette for The Dark Order was played.
It was time for our main event! AEW Men’s Champion, Chris Jericho, defending against SCU’s Scorpio Sky.
AEW Officials banned seconds from ringside tonight. Aubrey Edwards was the referee for the championship main event.
Jericho and Sky locked up in the center of the ring. Jericho hit a shoulder block on Sky, and then Sky delivered a clothesline to Jericho.
Jericho connected with a dropkick to Sky. Le Champion used forearms and kicks on the challenger. Sky rallied back with a suplex on Jericho, and then a hanging neck breaker. Sky used a modified Thesz Press on Jericho, and then an Ace Crusher for a near fall.
Sky went for a dropkick off the turnbuckles, but Jericho shifted his body out of the way. Jericho applied the Lion Tamer on Sky, but Sky was able to reach the ropes. Sky hit another crusher, and then applied a dragon sleeper on Jericho. Hager stormed the ring to distract Sky. Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian joined the fray to even up the odds, brawling with Hager to the back.
Sky hit the TKO for a 2.999 count on Jericho! Scorpio Sky had the full support of the arena as he laid in lefts and rights to Jericho. Sky hit a step up enziguri on Jericho for another near fall. Jericho countered on Sky (who was midflight), driving his knees into Sky’s chest! Jericho tried for the Judas Effect but Sky moved. Sky missed a kick and it was enough for Jericho to catch Sky in the Lion Tamer a second time. Sky was forced to tap, and Jericho is still the world champ!
Jericho continued to wrench the Lion Tamer on Sky, but Jon Moxley’s music hit! Mox walked down the arena steps and stared at Jericho, causing Jericho to stop dead in his tracks! Jericho held up the AEW World Title and pointed at Moxley!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Tune in next Wednesday, December 4th, for another can’t-miss episode of AEW DYNAMITE on TNT!