AEW Dynamite 2-2-22 - CM Punk vs. MJF

Boy, what a crazy journey to this show. It started with MJF vs. Punk and then Kendrick is gone from WWE, signed by AEW, put in a Mox match to further the Danielson tale and now after anti-semitic comments from him surface, he's on the shelf to be replaced in this match. Unreal. Oh, and Shane McMahon was released from WWE too. Like goddamn, what a day! Mox will face Wheeler Yuta and it starts off the show. The AEW World Title replica is shown off and looks great before Mox is out in his Terminator-esque shirt. 

Yuta goes quick and wants a tope, but eats a chokeout before flipping out of a move and shotgun dropkicks him. Mox STFs Yuta but escapes and we get a dive off the top to Mox on the floor. Cutter by Mox and he wants the Death Rider, but Yuta escapes. RNC by Mox and a King Kong lariat by Mox before a hammer elbow series and the Death Rider ends it. Danielson is out and Ex says it's due to Mox using his elbows. Danielson asks if they want to see him fight to a YES chant. Bryan says he did, for a long time because Mox was different. He wants to test him because he loved him as AEW World Champ and he wants to see how good he is. He could be champion if he had help - and they should be fighting together. 

Bryan says a millennial cowboy shouldn't be world champ, a guy who has a VLOG shouldn't be TNT Champion and a DINOSAUR SHOULDN'T BE A TAG CHAMP. They could be tag champs and they could be partners with Mox as the AEW World Title. I like that this makes logical sense, and it also works as a swerve for Bryan to just not ever have to face Mox because he's afraid of him. Mox stands mid-ring while Bryan leaves him to his thoughts. TREMENDOUS stuff here. 

Brnadi is out as a heel, I think saying she is so loved in Cincinatti...in Chicago before DAN LAMBERT IS THE BABYFACE. He knocks her bolt-ons and says she's getting booed next to an old, conservative AEW-hating guy like him. Brandi buries Page to say they wanted to bring in Josh Alexander. GIANT "shut the fuck up" chant for Brandi. Dan says she was only kept around in WWE to be face-down and he's got a better idea for her than fighting him - PVZ! She runs down and the locker room empties to separate them.

Well that was an all-time bad segment on Dynamite. Hardy is disappointed in Private Party and Hardy challenges Sammy for the TNT Title on Rampage...via ISIAH KASSIDY! Kings of the Black Throne vs. Death Triangle is up. PAC is out with bandages on his eyes. PAC hits his spots blindfolded. PAC reveals he's fine before King dominates during the break. 

PENTA slingblades everyone before PAC brainbusters Malakai for 2. King and Penta slug it out! RUN-UP SWANTON TO THE FLOOR ON BRODY! Mist to Penta and the assisted powerslam/Dante's Inferno ends it. Good-ish match - never quite got to that next gear. Nyla vs. Ruby is up with LARS at ringside! "VERY DELIBERATE PACE" by Ex for this. Ruby gets a kinda-TKO on the apron. Nyla gets a neckbreaker after Vickie puts her foot on the rope after No Future. Swanton and a beast bomb get the win for Nyla.

Gunn Club beat up Jungle Boy and toss him outside in the snow. MJF and Punk warm up backstage. Hangman vs. Archer is next week and really needs something great here to heat it up. These two just aren't gelling yet. The lower-third graphic shows that his flight's been cancelled - and he doesn't know it. He brings that up as a likely thing in the promo before Jake and Lambert come out. Jake sounds 2,000 and Archer is tired of this and just beats the shit out of him. Archer vs. Page is for the title next week. 

Jericho THE INFLUENCER wants a team meeting next week. Punk vs. MJF is up and Punk runs wild with punches and chops in the corner. MJF channels Terry Funk getting stuck in the rope and punched every time Punk swings him up. Walk and brawl AND SELFIES with the fans from Punk. Punk runs wild with slams and goes for the Savage elbow, but MJF rolls away before Punk jumps. Punk's shoulder gets slammed into the post. Punk climbs up the table and eats a kneedrop to the wrist.

Punk gets a crossbody off the top. Punk goes for the corner knee/lariat, but the arm is hurt, so he does the bulldog variant. MJF chokes him with wrist tape into a sleeper and RNC! THE ARM GOES DOWN THREE TIMES! I had a feeling that MJF would win this - but that was the perfect way to do it. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! Bryce restarts it! Corner punches by Punk! 20 PUNCHES! Punk goes for a sharpshooter, but MJF shoves him off onto the apron hard. 

Punk throws him off the heatseeker and gets a springboard clothesline. Punk dives onto MJF and he lands on the rail next to Kip Sabian. DOUBLE STOMP TO THE ARM OF PUNK by MJF. Elevated cloverleaf by MJF! Punk gets an STF, but he can't lift him up for the GTS! POISON RANA BY PUNK sends himself on his neck for 2. MJF goes to shove Punk into Bryce, but Bryce puts himself out of bounds to avoid that - so MJF ballshots him instead for a rope-assisted 2 alongside a "deep dish pizza" chant. 

PEPSI PLUNGE OFF THE TOP FROM PUNK! MJF wants a tombstone and Punk wants one - BUT THE THROAT SLASH gives MJF a chance and a cradle gets 2. Cro Cop kick gets MJF down and the Savage elbow gets 2.9! Wardlow comes out and JR says he may not be with MJF while everyone else says the contract with MJF tells the tale. He eyes up Punk and WALKS AWAY TO LET HIM BEAT UP MJF! Wardlow warns Punk about the ring and MJF slugs him with the ring to win! MJF BEAT HIM TWICE. Unreal! Actually, the replay shows he threw the ring to him while "warning" him.

Outstanding match and MJF's best ever. Easy five-star affair and something both men can be proud of.