Tonight on AEW Dynamite, CM Punk finally gets his chance in his hometown of Chicago to battle MJF after weeks of trying to get his hands on the Pinnacle leader.
AEW DYNAMITE
February 2, 2022, Chicago, IL
Commentary: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone & Excalibur
MATCH 1
Jon Moxley vs. Wheeler Yuta (with Orange Cassidy & Danhausen)
Mox charges at Wheeler who drop toe holds him. Moxley shoulder tackles him and we see some arm wrenches and escapes. Yuta hits a dropkick, but it is Moxley who takes control and that includes a stomp to the mid-section for a two count. Piledrive to Yuta for a near fall before locking in an STF. Mox goes for a superplex, but Yuta headbutts. Connects with another dropkick. Manhattan drop followed by a step-up enziguri. Mox sees Yuta go up top and rolls to the apron. Mox hits a bulldog to Yuta on the apron. Big dive from Yuta onto Mox and he does hit a nice bridging German for a two count. Mox however comes back with a cutter and then a Paradigm Shift attempt. Yuta hits an Angle Slam and big diving splash for a near fall. Mox caatches Wheeler in a sleeper and then nails a King Kong lariat. He delivers some harsh shoulder elbows and then nails a Paradigm Shift. 1-2-3.
WINNER: Jon Moxley
Post-match, a white tee laden Bryan Danielson pops up in the ring and grins at Mox. He grabs the mic and asks the crowd “Do you guys want to see us fight?” Bryan says for a long time, he wanted to see them fight too. Mox was different. He wanted to see what he had, but we’ve seen a new Jon Moxley. He wast watching him as the AEW Champion and Danielson said he was the best AEW World Champion and if he had a little support he think he would still be AEW World Champion. That’s when he realized Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson shouldn’t be fighting, but they should be fighting together. Bryan says there is no reason why some Millenial Cowboy should be a World Champion, a dinosaur should be a Tag Team Champion, or a vlogger should be TNT Champion. Together, Bryan and Mox could run this place. Whatever they wanted, they could do it all together. He said what if they took someone like Wheeler Yuta or Daniel Garcia their wings? Dante Martin? Lee Moriarty? What if they took that on together? Even if they don’t like me, they like what I’m talking about right now. He knows this is a lot to put on Mox’s plate right now, he just wants him to think about the possibilites. He wants him to think about the greatness they can create and the legacy he wants to leave. Danielson extends his hand. Mox thinks and Danielson tells him to think about it.
Back from break, we see Brandi Rhodes. She ellicits boos calling Chicago “Cleveland.” Out comes Dan Lambert with Men of the Year. He says Brandi needs a reality check. She can pretend Cody earned his spot in this company and she can pretend Chief Branding Officer is a real thing and she can pretend her “Brandi From The Block” attitude is a real thing. He feels like a great guy in front of her. She remarks to Ethan Page that the only reason they hired him was to get to Josh Alexander. Brandi starts talking and Chicago starts “Shut The Fuck Up” chants. Brandi asks if they’re done. They’re not. She says it is a little telling that his best fighter got knocked out by Jake Paul. Lambert should spend a little more time with American Top “Tits” or Team. Doesn’t she think all the Rhodes should turn heel because the only face turn she’s making is when she’s face down at her old job. Brandi slaps him. Lambert has a suprise for her. Paige Van Zandt. This leads to a pull-apart brawl from the locker room.
Matt Hardy expresses his displeasure to Private Party losing. Matt Hardy wants that TNT Championship from Sammy Guevara. Enter Andrade. Matt tells Isaiah Kassidy he’s going to fight Sammy for the TNT Title on Friday. Andrade asks about the status of Darby Allin. Why isn’t he signed? Matt says it could be a money thing.
MATCH 2
Penta El Zero Miedo & PAC vs. House Of Black
PAC is blindfolded and starts off the match that way. He outwits and outmanuevers Black before removing the blindfold. He and Penta do diving attacks to the outside before the duo nails a top rope shotgun dropkick to the groun of Black. Brody King hits a massive sledge to PAC and we go to break. Back from it, Penta hits a DDT while PAC hits a kick to King. Backstabber to Black gets a near fall. Black feeds knee strikes to PAC and a running one downs him for two. He hits another sliding one for the same result. PAC hits a brainbuster on Black and King makes the save. Penta soon takes the big man out on the outside. Penta nails a flipping senton to Brody. PAC sizes Malakai up. Penta hits a thrust kick to Malakai, PAC does the same and tags in Penta. Penta goes for the Fear Factor, but PAC gets shoved off the top. This gives Malakai the opportunity to Black Mist PENTA. Dante’s Inferno is hit. 1-2-3.
WINNER: Malakai Black
Adam Cole is with Brandon Cutler. Cole makes clear he is still undefeated in singles competition in AEW. Orange Cassidy didn’t beat him. That was a fluke and his record reflects that. He doesn’t get the respect he deserves. Everyone is going to see a new Adam Cole. He’s going to beat Evil Uno in two weeks time.
MATCH 3
Nyla Rose (with Vickie Guerrero) vs. Ruby Soho
Before the match, Ruby meets up with Rancid’s Lars Fredrickson who is at ringside. Ruby however wastes no time in attacking Nyla to ring the bell. Nyla trucks her over. Body slam to Soho. A Samoan Drop to Soho gets a near fall. Ruby is fighting from underneath for quite awhile. Scoop slam and leg drop to Ruby gets Nyla a two count. Ruby fights on but Nyla hits a DVD for another near fall. We cut to break.
Back from break, Ruby is just about to get the pinfall on Nyla Rose, but Vickie puts her client’s foot under the ropes. Ruby gets ticked and grabs hold of Vickie. This allows Nyla to hit a neckbreaker to Ruby over the ropes. Ruby goes for Frankensteiner up top, but Rose tries to turn it into an avalanche Beast Bomb. Ruby escapes that, but she does get caught with a Beast Bomb after a top rope senton for the win.
WINNER: Nyla Rose
Backstage the Gunn Club confronts Jungle Boy backstage. He fights with them and they throw him outside and into the snow as Luchasaurus and Christian Cage come to check on him.
Hangman Page joins Tony Schiavone. Page makes clear he doesn’t care what kind of match he has with Lance Archer next week, but is interrupted by Dan Lambert. Jake Roberts tells Hangman he smells fear on Hangman and Archer says he’s sick of talking. The fight breaks out and Lambert tries hitting Hangman with a chair. Hangman sets his sights on Dan, but that allows Archer to attack and hit him with a Blackout through the timekeeper’s table. He gets on the mic and says he’s going to be World Champion next week.
Chris Jericho makes clear that he was embarrassed by Santana and Ortiz last week. He wants to hear face-to-face why they did such. He wants a full-on Inner Circle conference next week.
MAIN EVENT
MJF vs. CM Punk
Obviously, major “CM Punk” chants. MJF immediately tangles himself in the ropes and it allows Max to rake the eyes. Punk kicks back. MJF goes to tangle himself in the ropes once more and it allows Punk to hammer away at him. MJF topples out and the fight goes to the outside. They fight in the crowd and CM Punk crotches MJF on the stair railing. Punk puts MJF in a side headlock and punches him back down to ringside. He gets Max in the ring and “CM Punk” chants charge up once more. Punk gets the offense in on Max. Bodyslams. Fans chant “one more time” and Punk obliges. Punk relaxes like Eddie Guerrero in the corner. He goes for his Macho Elbow, but Max rolls to the opposite corner. Punk charges at MJF and hits the ring post. MJF stands on the arm of Punk and drops the knee on Punk’s wrist. We head to pic-in-pic.
Back from it, MJF works the arm of Punk as Chicago chants “New York sucks.” Punk hits a high cross body onto Max. Right hands to MJF. Float through neckbreaker by Punk. He charges at Max in the corner with his knee and running bulldog. Punk signals for the end. Max rolls out and Punk makes him pay by having a fan slap him. Punk gets him back in the ring, Punk climbs up top, but MJF crotches him. He suplexes Punk down and gets a two count soon after. Punk hits a Pepsi Twist. MJF soon puts Punk in a sleeper utilizing his wrist tape and has something under his arm to cinch in tighter, Punk goes to hit a GTS but MJF locks it back it. It takes some time, but soon enough, Punk passes out. He calls for the bell. The referee signals MJF as the winner, but sees the tape and rules that this match will continue. Punk rolls him up for a two count. Punk sends MJF pillar to post in the opposite corners. He hits a 20-punch in the corner. Manhattan Drop into a lariat. We go to break.
Punk and MJF duke it out on the apron. Punk soon tries to do a GTS with one arm, but MJF fights back to the apron. Punk kicks him to the outside. Punk dives onto MJF and it appears his knee is hurt. Fans start chanting “Go To Sleep.” Max kicks Punk’s leg back in the ring. MJF hammers at Punks leg and does a modified cloverleaf. Punk turns it into an STF. His left arm hurts to much and he has to bail on the hold. Punk goes to hit a GTS and Punk’s left knee gives out. MJF goes for a roll-up and gets the pin count for two. Pin attempts are traded. “This is awesome” chant. MJF grabs Punk’s leg, but Punk rolls through and sends Max crashing into a turnbuckle.
Hard elbows from Punk but Max thumbs him in the eye. Punk hits a poison rana. Punk covers: 1-2-no. “CM Punk” chants and Punk collapses. MJF goes for the Salt of the Earth, but Punk shoves him off. Max favors his shoulder and quickly attacks Punk. Chop block and hits a pump handle slam for a near fall on Punk. MJF hits a low blow on Punk in the corner (Ric Flair style) and rolls Punk up with his feet on the ropes: 1-2-no! We go to the final commercial break.
Punk hits a leg lariat and then his running knee in the corner. MJF bites Punk. Punk bites him from up top. He hits a Pepsi Plunge. “Holy shit” chants. MJF rolls out of the ring once more.
Back in the ring, MJF goes for a tombstone, Punk reverese for an attempt of his own, but Max rolls up for a pin. Kickout. Punk kicks him and hits the Savage Elbow: 1-2-kick out!
MJF gets out of the ring once more and a well-dressed Wardlow walks out. Punk stares him down as Wardlow steps over MJF’s body to stare eye-to-eye with Punk. Wardlow walks away to the side as Punk watches him carefully. He puts MJF back in the ring. MJF nails Punk with the Dynamite Diamond. He covers: 1-2-3.
WINNER: MJF
Post-match, we find out Wardlow passed MJF the ring as he walked over him.
