AEW “Fighter Fest Night 1” Dynamite Results
July 14, 2021
Cedar Park, TX (HEB Center)
Results by: Josh Boutwell of Wrestleview.com
“Fyter Fest” opens up with a big “A-E-Dub” chant in the arena in the Lone Star State and we head straight to the ring.
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship
“The Death Rider” Jon Moxley (c) w/Eddie Kingston vs. “Machine Gun” Karl Anderson w/DOC Gallows
Moxley came out first despite being the reigning champion. Kingston jumps Gallows as The Good Brothers were making their entrance and they spill into the crowd. Moxley attacks Anderson and goes to work on the challenger. They exchange forearms in the center of the ring as it looks like they think they’re in Korakuen Hall right now.
Moxley hits the ropes but eats a Running Uppercut from Machine Gun. Moxley comes back with a clothesline that sends Anderson to the floor. Moxley tosses Anderson into the barricade and chokes him with a cable. Moxley bites Anderson before rolling him back in the ring. Anderson manages to catch Moxley with a Jawbreaker onto the top rope as Moxley tried to climb back in. Anderson dropkicks Moxley knocking him into the barricade on the floor.
As Moxley rolls back in the ring, Anderson attacks Moxley and beats him down in the corner. Anderson hits a Spinebuster for two and goes to the top, but Moxley cuts him off and hits a Superplex. Moxley hits a Snap German and then a clothesline. He attempts a Suplex but Anderson blocks it and goes for the Gun Stun. Moxley blocks it and they clothesline each other at the same time.
Moxley ducks a clothesline and locks in a Sleeper. He then releases the hold and goes for a Piledriver but Anderson blocks it and kicks Moxley before hitting a sort of modified Bernard Driver for two. Anderson goes up top and dives off with a Flying Neckbreaker for another nearfall. Anderson attempts a DVD but Moxley counters into a Paradigm Shift attempt. Anderson counters into the Gun Stun but Moxley manages to roll towards the ropes to get away from a pin attempt.
Anderson lifts Moxley up on his shoulders and spins him into the Swivel Gun Stun! 1…2…NO Moxley kicks out! Moxley counters another Gun Stun attempt and hits a Ripcord Lariat and the Paradigm Shift for the pin.
Winner & STILL IWGP U.S. Champ: Moxley via pinfall (Paradigm Shift)
(Solid match between the two. Anderson doesn’t get a chance to work singles matches anymore, so it was good to see him have a solid outing. The result was never in doubt, though. ***)
Jake Roberts talks to Lance Archer backstage and then Archer says that Moxley took that title away from him originally and says it is time for him to finally get his rematch. He says since they had a Texas Death Match in Japan, it’s time they have another one next week.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Earlier today, Andrade el Idolo asks where Death Triangle is and asks Alex Abrahantes to give them a message. He tells Alex to let them know that “el Idolo” is looking for them.
FTW Championship
“The Machine” Brian Cage vs. “Absolute” Ricky Starks
Cage takes Starks down early and Gorilla Presses him around the ring. The rest of Team Taz is watching at ringside. Cage tosses Starks into the corner and starts kicking him as he gets hung up in the ropes. Cage crotches Starks on the top rope and then pulls him back in the ring with a Powerslam for two.
Starks manages to come back and starts working on Cage’s arm. He dives off the top with a Missile Dropkick and goes back to work on the arm.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Starks spent the entire break working over Cage’s injured arm but as he dove off the top Cage caught him and used his one good arm to literally do curls with Stark’s body before attempting to lift Starks up to his shoulders only for Starks to counter it into a Crucifix Bomb for two.
Cage runs Starks over and Starks rolls out of the ring where Starks grabs the FTW Title. Cage kicks Starks and slams him into the ring post. He tries to toss him into the post again but Starks shows off his athleticism by sliding between the ropes and the canvas to the other side of the ring and then he clotheslines Cage.
Back in the ring, Starks jumps on Cage’s back and puts him in a Sleeper but Cage backs him into the corner and slams him into the turnbuckles. Cage hits an Enziguri and attempts a German Suplex but Starks blocks it only for Cage to come back with a modified Drill Claw! 1…2…NO Starks got his foot on the bottom rope. Cage goes for a DVD but Starks blocks it and goes for a Tornado DDT only for Cage to block it and hit a Superkick for a nearfall.
Starks tries to roll out of the ring but Cage stops him and tries to Superplex him back into the ring only for Starks to block it and Super Liger Bomb Cage off the top! 1….2…NO Cage kicks out! Starks tries to grab the FTW Title again but Powerhouse Hobbs takes it from him and Starks walks into the F5! 1…2…NO Starks kicks out!
Hook gets on the apron and distracts the referee allowing Hobbs to hit Cage with the title belt! Starks Spears Cage and gets the pin!
Winner & NEW FTW Champ: Starks via pinfall (Spear)
(Great match, they do a good job with the swerve making it seem like Team Taz was going to stop Starks from cheating only to do it in the end. ***1/2)
Cody Rhodes walks out to the announce desk and says that a phone call would have worked just fine for Malakai Black and then screams about him attacking Arn. Cody says he doesn’t think he’s getting his point across and demands a microphone. Cody says that he may not win every fight but he has a damn sure better job when he sees it coming. He says this is Ftyer Fest and he feels like fighting.
Black appears on the screen and starts saying weird shit about seeing a man kill a horse. Black says that the man saw that all the wear and tear of this championship horse had taken a toll on him and eventually his owner put him out of his misery. He says when he looked Cody and Arn in the eyes last week the fight wasn’t there.
Cody screams at Black to come down right now and take a better look and Black says he was hoping he would say that. The lights go out and Black appears in the ring when they come on. Black and Cody attack each other – Black wearing black and Cody wearing white – until security and referees run out to separate them to a massive ovation from the crowd.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
In the back, Alex Marvez was trying to interview Tully Blanchard when PNP interrupts and threatens to attack him with a crowbar. They reveal it’s fake and Santana says they were taught to respect their elders but next time it won’t be fake.
Tony Schiavone welcomes Hangman Page to the ring and he says since day one he said he wanted to be AEW Champion and he came so close but failed. He says he tried to run from it and hide from it but the Dark Order is right and he still needs that championship. Page challenges Omega for the World Title but Callis interrupts him along with his whole crew minus Omega.
Callis says that deep down Page knows that he isn’t “that guy.” Nick Jackson agrees and Matt Jackson says he wants to say something right to Page’s face. Matt asks Page if he even remembers them and says that Page abandoned them for a bunch of losers. Matt says by the smell of Page’s breath he can tell he’s still hitting the bottle.
Matt says that Page fits the narrative of a drunk lonely cowboy all alone and he only has himself to blame. Matt says that Page is the next great wrestling tragedy and Page gets in his face. Jackson says he doesn’t have the balls to hit him and Page proves him wrong. Page attacks the others but Omega appears behind him with the title belt only for Dark Order to hit the ring and chase him off before he could attack Page.
Page says he isn’t leaving without a fight and Omega obliges by making a 5-on-5 Elimination Match, Dark Order vs. The Elite for next week! Page says that’s not the match he wanted but they’ll do what they have to do and says if they accept the match then the stipulation is he gets his shot and the Dark Order also gets a shot at the Tag Titles. Omega freaks out but eventually relents and agrees as the fans chant “Cowboy shit.” Omega says there is one catch and that catch is if The Elite wins then Page has to agree to never challenge him again.
Omega says you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take but you also don’t fail when you don’t take those shots and says that is what Page is really afraid of, failing. Page says the Dark Order doesn’t back down from a fight so he is on!
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Backstage, Chris Jericho cuts a promo about MJF and he says he doesn’t care who MJF puts in the ring with him because he will knock them all out. Jericho says he will walk through fire to get to MJF and ruin his life the way MJF tried to ruin his life. Spears appears and hits Jericho in the throat with a chair.
MJF says the first challenge that Jericho has to face is a match with Shawn Spears next week and the stipulation is Spears can use a chair but Jericho can’t.
“The Instant Classic” Christian Cage vs. “Big Money” Matt Hardy
Excalibur mentions that Christian has never defeated Hardy in a one-on-one match and according to CageMatch.net they have faced each other six times with Hardy winning every match. Hardy and Christian mat wrestle early on but it quickly evolves into a brawl on the floor. Cage tosses Hardy into the barricade and then hits a Plancha off the top!
Back in the ring, Christian hits a Reverse DDT for two. Christian works Hardy over the in the corner and mounts him for the 10 punches. Hardy rolls onto the apron and elbows Christian as he tried to pull him back in. Hardy drags Christian through the ropes and hits a Hanging DDT onto the ring steps!
In the ring, Hardy hits a Neckbreaker for two after choking Christian in the ropes. Hardy hangs Christian up in the ropes and Catapults him into the middle rope. Matt dives off the top with a Flying Elbow Drop for two.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Matt goes up top but Christian sweeps his legs out from under him and then chokes Matt in the ropes. Christian dives off the middle rope with a Corkscrew Uppercut for two. Christian goes for the Unprettier but Hardy blocks it and goes for the Twist of Fate. Christian blocks it and attempts a Spear but Hardy sidesteps him. Christian catches himself and hits a Spear for two!
Christian hangs Hardy up in the ropes and then goes up top and hits a Frog Splash! 1…2… NO Hardy kicks out! Christian goes back up and attempts a Tornado DDT but Hardy blocks it and hits a Superplex for another nearfall. Christian catches Hardy with an inside cradle for two and then goes for the Unprettier but Hardy mule kicks him in the nuts after grabbing the referee.
Hardy hits the Twist of Fate! 1…2…NO Christian kicks out! Christian rolls to the floor where Hardy follows and locks in The Leach (Hanging Guillotine). He chokes Christian out and then rolls back in the ring. The referee counts to nine but Christian dives back in the ring before 10. Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate but Christian counters into the Unprettier for the pin!
Winner: Christian via pinfall (Unprettier)
(Good match but it kind of feels like they could have a good match against one another with their eyes closed. It had a decisive finish but I doubt this is the end. ***)
The Hardy Family Office was going to attack Christian but the Jurassic Express hit the ring and HFO back down.
Miro cuts a promo talking about finally being himself in AEW. He tells a story about a hero that lost his way but then found himself and destroyed everyone in his path and became God’s favorite champion. Miro holds the title up and says that is his reward and says he will defend his title with his life.
Tony Schiavone welcomes Britt Baker to the ring and says that no one needs to worry about her because she is the baddest bitch on the block. She says if you think for one second you see fear in her eyes you better look again. Baker makes a quip about Nyla Rose being irrelevant and says that Rose might be at the top of the food chain but Baker is off the menu.
Baker says that Vickie Guerrero has a last name that will always keep her relevant, luckily for her, but Rose doesn’t have that benefit and says she has to have her title to be relevant. She says that title isn’t going anywhere except around her waist.
In the back, Vickie says that Britt’s days as champion are numbered. Nyla says everything has been handed to Britt her whole life and next week she will hand her an ass whooping.
We cut to Jon Moxley who cuts a promo about Archer. He says you don’t beat Lance Archer, you only survive him. He says that Archer wants to end his career but he will get him before he can get Moxley. He says that he is the hunter, not the hunted. He accepts Archer’s challenge. “You will not only be Texas born, Texas-bred, next week you will be Texas dead,” Moxley says.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Wheeler Yuta w/Best Friends vs. “The Spanish God” Sammy Guevara
This is Yuta’s Dynamite debut but he has been working on Dark and the Best Friends have taken him under their wing. Yuta takes Sammy down early but Guevara catches him with a dropkick and Yuta quickly rolls to the floor. Sammy sets up for a dive but Yuta takes off running and Sammy back flips into the ring and poses.
Sammy goes for a German Suplex but Yuta elbows him only to charge into a Powerslam from Sammy followed by a Moonsault attempt. Sammy lands on his feet but Yuta rolls out of the way only for Sammy to land on his feet and go for a Standing Moonsault. Yuta rolls out of the way again and again Sammy lands on his feet and then connects with a Standing Shooting Star for two.
Guevara goes up top and attempts a Shooting Star Press but Yuta got his knees up and this a Flying Elbow in the corner. Yuta hits a Springboard Dropkick and then goes for a German Suplex, but Sammy blocks it and hits a big Roaring Elbow. Yuta comes back with a German Suplex and then he leaps to the top and hits a Superlfy Splash but Sammy kicks out at one.
Guevara and Yuta exchange elbows and chops and then Sammy hits a big backdrop. Sammy hits a Leaping Enziguri and then the Double Spring Cutter followed by the GTH for the pin!
Winner: Guevara via pinfall (GTH)
(This was a glorified squash. It worked for what it’s intension was, give Sammy a win after the MJF match and let Yuta get some offense in. *)
Guevara pats Yuta on the back and gives him a thumbs up after the match.
Earlier today, Schiavone interviews The Factory but QT Marshall cuts him off and pours Aaron Solow’s protein shake on Tony’s head.
Penelope Ford vs. “The Magical Girl” Yuka Sakazaki
Ford and Yuka spend some time chain wrestling but Yuka dives off the top with a cartwheel as Penelope charged at her. Yuka dropkicks Ford sending her to the floor and then connects with a Springboard Somersault Plancha onto Ford on the floor. Ford manages to take advantage by kicking Yuka in the knee and then choking her in the ropes.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Yuka and Ford exchange strikes until Yuka hits a Vertical Suplex followed by a Roundhouse Kick and a Sliding Lariat for two. Yuka hits a flying knee and a Diving Back Elbow off the top for another nearfall. Yuka goes for a Hammerlock but Ford fights her off and hits a Pump Kick for two. Yuka hits a crazy Hammerlock Side Slam and then the Magical Girl Splash for the pin.
Winner: Yuka via pinfall (Magical Girl Splash)
(This just didn’t work for me. There was nothing really bad but it just didn’t click. Yuka seemed a little off some and the timing was definitely off some. The finish was great, though. **)
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
Main Event
Coffin Match
Darby Allin vs. “All Ego” Ethan Page
Allin attacks Page as he comes in the ring and he reveals that he had a steel plate on his back under his jacket. He hits a Coffin Drop immediately on Page! Page rolls to the floor and he is still not safe as Allin hits a Tope con Giro! Allin opens up the coffin but Sky was in there and he blasts Allin and throws him into the ring steps. Sting appears and the fans lose their minds as he attacks Scorpio Sky! Sting and Sky brawl into the crowd.
—-COMMERCIAL BREAK—-
During the break, Allin dove off a balcony onto Page but he caught Allin and slammed him into some railing. Page heaves the ring steps into the ring and slams Allin into it. Page actually took apart the bottom rope during the break, too. Allin tries to fight off and dives off the top only to eat a Shoulder Block in midair from Page.
Page grabs the turnbuckle and uses the hook on it and attaches it to Allin’s necklace and slams him down with it. Page tries to throw Allin into the coffin but Allin hits him with the turnbuckle and then uses the hook to Fishhook Page with it. Allin dropkicks the ring steps into Page causing him to fall into the coffin, but Page stops him from closing the lid and drags Allin into the coffin with him.
Allin and Page exchange strikes in the coffin until Page starts slapping the piss out of Allin repeatedly. Allin bites Page’s hand but then Page backdrops him onto the floor. Page’s head is busted open. In the ring, Page drags Allin on top of the ring steps but Allin escapes him and hits a Flipping Stunner off the steps! He goes up top but Page crotches him and goes up with Allin.
Page hits a Super Egos Edge onto the ring steps! Page tries to slam Allin into the coffin but Allin rakes his eyes and starts biting him. Allin grabs his skateboard and then Ghetto Stomps that bitch into Page slamming him into the coffin and shuts the lid!
Winner: Allin
(Damn, what an insane match! For someone that doesn’t usually care for Casket Matches, this one was fun as hell. I especially loved the sort of mental warfare in the beginning with Allin outsmarting Page with the metal plate only for Page to outsmart him right back with Sky hiding in the coffin. The ending was just nuts, the bumps Allin is willing to take are just unreal. ****)
After the match, Allin hits a Coffin Drop through the coffin with Page inside it!