AEW Dynamite Live Coverage - April 8th, 2020

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AEW Dynamite

This week on DYNAMITE, Chris Jericho joins Tony Schiavone in the commentary booth. Hikaru Shida battles Dr. Britt Baker. Murderhawk Monster Lance Archer continues his path of rage. And, the quest to crown the first ever TNT Champion begins with Shawn Spears taking on The American Nightmare Cody in the first quarter finals match-up of the TNT Championship tournament!


:aew:

- Jake Roberts sits down in a chair, "My history will not be my destiny." Asks if someone steps in the ring and would think they have a prayer against Lance Archer. If someone does, they're done. We saw what happened to Marko Stunt last week, calls him an idiot for trying. He tells Cody to not let tonight's match against Shawn Spears slip, so he doesn't have to face Archer. "Cody, are you a man or a mouse?"

- Quite a few wrestlers (Gunn Club, Sammy Guevara, Jack Evans, Anna Jay, Jimmy Havoc, and others) are standing around the ring as we get to our first match of the night.

- Chris Jericho on commentary with Tony Schiavone

Lance Archer vs. Alan Angels

Lance Archer gets in the ring and immediately drops his opponent with a big kick. Continues to dominate, his opponent lands a few shots, but then takes a one-handed release overhead suplex! Archer runs into him with a big elbow. Archer lifts him up over his shoulders and lands Black Out for the 1-2-3 win.

Winner: Lance Archer

Britt Baker vs. Hikaru Shida

Shida drops Baker first, she's up, shoving contest in the middle of the ring ensues. Shida with a couple forearm shots, Baker bails out to the ring. Back and forth action. High knee lift, fameasser, cover, two. Baker with a choke in the ring, then another with her foot. Kick to the face, cover, two-count.

Baker continues to talk some smack. She then says to the camera to Tony to let everyone know "This is my division." Shida heads out and attacks from behind, but gets sent into a barricade. Shida asks some of the wrestlers to keep Baker against the barricade as Shida lands a rising knee, then hits a suplex. Back from back they are in the ring, Shida with a suplex, cover, two-count. Shida throws a kick, misses, roll-up, but Shida goes right into an armbar, but Baker gets to the bottom rope. Baker with slingblade, butterfly suplex, pin, two.

Baker goes for lockjaw, but Shida is able to get a foot on the ropes before too much damage is done. Back and forth shots, Baker with a superkick. Shida with Michinoku driver, cover, two. Baker is busted open now from the nose. Baker goes for lockjaw, gets it in, wants the referee to give her a glove and goes for the mandible claw, but Shida fights it off.

Twisting suplex, cover, two. Baker with a kick to the face of Shida. A bloodied Baker is smiling at the camera. Baker ends up on the apron, both throwing forearms now. Shida brings Baker up to the second rope. Baker rakes the eyes, kicks Shida off the ropes. Both end up on the second rope again, Shida just lifts and drops Baker down on the top turnbuckle. Shida with a running knee strike, cover, and that will do it.

Winner: Hikaru Shida

- Earlier today, Omega talks with Nakazawa and says he's feeling super nostalgic since they have tagged in years. Omega says they need a tag name, Nakazawa says "Best Friends!" Omega says they already have a team with that name. Nakazawa says Omega is an EVP, just change it. Omega responds he'll think about it. Orange Cassidy comes in randomly from a different room. Trent and Chuck Taylor walk in and say they heard everything and don't appreciate the two trying to take their name and livelihood. Trent and Chuck says whoever wins the match, gets the name.

- Excalibur runs down this week's AEW Rankings with Jake Hager, Hikaru Shida, and The Dark Order at number one in their respective divisions.

- We see a recap of the feud between AEW World Champion Jon Moxley vs. Jake Hager in an Empty Arena No Holds Barred Match. Hager says he fights to provide for the people he cares about, we see clips of him training. Hager's wife says in their house they come back winners or don't come back at all. Moxley comments on how he hit Hager with his DDT, but found himself in an ankle lock real quick. Called that a humbling moment, but since this is No Holds Barred, that changes things for Hager. Jake says Moxley will get hit harder than he's ever been hit before, and that he wants to be both Bellator and AEW Champion.

- Cody talks about WarnerMedia wanting the TNT Championship, a belt to represent not only the promotion, but the channel, as well. Cody says with his record, it's appropriate for him to be in the tournament. Shawn Spears says winning the match and the title would be a way to put him on the map. Says he's been waiting eight months for a rematch. Spears talks about hitting Cody with a chair, says he'd do it again in a heartbeat. Cody doesn't think Spears will ever beat him.

Best Friends (with Orange Cassidy) vs. Kenny Omega and Michael Nakazawa

Shawn Spears in the crow now, telling Nakazawa to impress him, he's still looking for a tag partner. Again, winner of this match gets the name "Best Friends." Taylor and Omega get started Omega with a wristlock,Taylor out it, but eats a shoulder tackle. Taylor with a couple arm drags. Trent tags in, double ax handle on Omega. Kenny gets away and brings in Nakazawa. Nakazawa with a chop to the chest, Trent lands one of his own. Nakazawa puts baby oil on his chest, asks for another chop. Trent's chops just slide right off.

Omega is back in there, stereo stomps. Taylor then takes a couple atomic drops. Omega stomps away at Trent in the corner, couple elbow drops, pin, only a one-count. Trent with a big lariat, both wrestlers tag out. Taylor brings down Omega and Nakazawa. Taylor with a drop toe hold on Nakazawa, he falls down face first between Omega's legs. Cassidy rolls into the ring after Omega and Nakazawa were cleared out. They go for a bit hug, Omega and Nakazawa pull Trent and Taylor out of the ring and go for their own hug, Cassidy slides out of the way.

Nakazawa sprays oil on Trent and Taylor. He goes to do it to Cassidy, sprays him, but his glasses blocked it. Nakazawa takes the glasses, tosses them, Cassidy puts on another pair, Nakazawa tries again, no luck. While the referee was distracted, Cassidy with a suicide dive on Omega. Omega and Taylor back in the ring. Omega chops down both guys. Omega looks for a snap dragon suplex on Trent. Taylor with a knee to the face. Trent with a jumping boot. Taylor with a powerbomb, cover, Nakazawa breaks it up. Omega powerbombs Trent into Taylor. Nakazawa with a second rope fallaway slam on Taylor. Nakazawa tagged in, Omega gets Trent on his shoulders, doomsday device, cover, no.

Nakzawa removes his jockstrap and looks to smash it into Trent's face! Omega with a v-trigger, Nakazawa cover, no. Nakazawa goes for another one, misses and gets it on Omega. Eat defeat / suplex combo, cover, Omega breaks it up. Trent with a jumping piledriver, cover, Nakazawa kicks out. Strong zero hits on Nakazawa, cover, and we're done here.

Winners: Best Friends

- Brodie Lee drives up to a building to meet some of his followers. One is wearing a tie, the other two are not. He calls them out for how they look. Says he wants to make every single life he touches, extraordinary, and says how they look is important. He tells them to get their act together and show him that they want it. He then tells the guy with a tie that he has an opportunity. He heads into the building with the follower.

- Backstage, a bloodied Britt Baker is asked about her match and if she thinks Hikaru Shida is number one in the division. Baker says no way, being number one is about being a leader and Shida is the dirtiest person she's been in the ring. Baker says Shida is just lucky she didn't mess up her teeth...but she could have fixed them anyways because she's a dentist.

- More clips from Jon Moxley and Jake Hager. Moxley wonders if Hager has what it takes to dig down deeper than him. Hager says nobody is better suited for a No Holds Barred Match than him. Moxley says there's no scorecards or judges, Hager's only option is to go through him. "I'm going to f--- you up," Moxley says.

- From The Hardy Compound, Matt Hardy responds to Chris Jericho and his comments from last week. He says Jericho made fun of The Elite, but he should look at the guys he surrounds himself with. He says the "Spanish God" Sammy Guevara is a false God. Says he will devour Santana and Ortiz. Calls Jake Hager, "Jakenstein" and just needs two bolts in his neck to complete the process. He didn't appreciate Jericho trying to recruit Vanguard 1. Hardy asks Vanguard 1 for Jericho's shirt, Vanguard 1 said it's a dumpster fire. Cut to the shirt being burned in a fire pit. Matt invites Jericho to come to The Hardy Compound to face him in The Elite Deletion.

Brodie Lee vs Lee Johnson

Johnson tries for a dropkick, Lee dodges it, and drops him down. Lee with a big boot and then stares down Marko Stunt, who's in ringside. Lee with a senton back into the ring on his opponent. Lee with a back elbow, half-and-half suplex, spinning slam, discus clothesline, cover, 1-2-3.

Winner: Brodie Lee

- Recap of the history between Cody and Shawn Spears with clips from the first time the two wrestlers met in the ring. Cody got the win in that match.

TNT Championship Tournament First Round Match: Cody (with Brandi Rhodes) vs. Shawn Spears

Cody getting the best of Spears early on, Spears heads to the ropes for a breather. Lots of back and forth action. Cody with a big boot, goes for a couple covers, but no luck. Cody goes for a moonsault, nobody home. Spears with a piledriver. Both wrestlers brawl outside the ring as we go to break.

Chops by Spears in the corner, then launches Cody across the ring. Cody rolls out to the floor, Spears with a kick from the apron. Spears pulls a piece of the guardrail off and leaned it against the apron. Cody throws Spears' face into the apron. Spears suplexes Cody on the guardrail. Back in the ring, Spears attempts a springboard splash, pool is empty though.

Cody drops Spears, takes off his weight belt and smacks Spears over the back with it. He then throws it to Billy Gunn. Cody tries for disaster kick, nope, Spears with a sitdown powerbomb. Spears heads out and pulls a table out from under the ring. Cody with a suicide dive on his opponent. Cody sets the table up out on the floor. A fan holds Spears and Cody gets in a few chops. Cody throws Spears into the ring, goes to the top rope, but Spears runs up and throws Cody off it.

Spears goes to take the turnbuckle pad off. Brandi gets on the apron and yells at Spears. Cody nearly knocks her off the apron and through that table. Spears going for C4, sending Cody down through the table and does it! Referee checking on Cody, then begins her ten-count. Cody gets back in at nine. Spears can't believe it, Jericho barking Spears to get up and get after Cody. He then slaps Cody, goes for C4, Cody reverses into cross rhodes. Hits another cross rhodes, cover, and Spears kicks out! Cody can't believe it. Cody then locks in the figure-four, Spears lays both shoulders on the mat and is in so much pain he doesn't realize the three count, and that will do it!

Winner: Cody

- Cody moves to the next round and will face either Sammy Guevara or Darby Allin. Next week it will be Colt Cabana vs. Lance Archer with the winner taking on either Dustin Rhodes or Kip Sabian.