Chris Jericho’s career was supposed to be in danger after he was thrown off the top of a steel cage and onto a bunch of cardboard at Blood & Guts last week. Yet he returned to Dynamite last night (May 12) without missing a single episode.
In one specific way, this angle reminded me of CM Punk only missing one episode of Raw after he walked out of WWE at Money in the Bank 2011. After Punk returned, he was doing media rounds and said that ideally he would have been out longer to better serve the story, but WWE had a pay-per-view to sell (SummerSlam 2011) and they needed him back for the main event.
That’s exactly what I thought of when Jericho appeared on Dynamite to douse The Pinnacle in a Bubbly Bath. AEW has a pay-per-view to sell (Double or Nothing on May 30), and setting up a Stadium Stampede match between The Inner Circle and The Pinnacle is one way to do it.
When you are arguably the biggest star in the company, the company doesn’t usually keep you off television for long. In this case, AEW didn’t keep Jericho off television at all. Is it worthy of a few eye rolls and a healthy dose of criticism? Sure! But can it also produce a fun segment that gets fans hyped for the next pay-per-view? Sure!
Jericho’s return was one of highlights of the episode, along with Miro crushing Darby Allin for the TNT championship, SCU splitting up, and Jon Moxley changing his entrance music for his clash with Yuji Nagata.
Here’s a playlist of the limited video highlights that are currently available on AEW’s YouTube:
- New Champs or the End of a Dynasty? Did the Young Bucks End SCU?
- Did the Inner Circle Get the Last Laugh on the Pinnacle?
- Did Darby’s 9 Lives Finally Run Out? Miro’s Reign as TNT Champion Begins!
But we’ve got you covered with some clips from the rest of the show, via Twitter:
What a WILD way to kick things off tonight on #AEWDynamite! @nagata769 v. @JonMoxley for the IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Watch Dynamite Now on TNT! pic.twitter.com/jJMi2Ghle2
#AndStill your IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion. @JonMoxley
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Tune into Dynamite Now on TNT! pic.twitter.com/A4Us6Eq83g
It's far from over between the #InnerCircle and #thePinnacle
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Tune into #AEWDynamite Now on TNT! pic.twitter.com/H9H1rirwZP
Respect. #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/3csekbx2Ri
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
A little "Dusty" in the room #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/xYaXVYPU7o
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
.@facdaniels is opened up. Will he be able to continue?
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Tune into #AEWDynamite Now on @tntdrama! pic.twitter.com/be8iilmrXt
SCU is...no more.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Tune into #AEWDynamite Now on TNT pic.twitter.com/a4VG9sNqGi
.@Christian4Peeps had #TeamTaz & the #AEWDoN Casino Battle Royal on his mind.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Enter: Matt Sydal.
Watch #AEWDynamite Now on TNT! pic.twitter.com/CqORsU3MAb
Not the glasses #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/MsPrqAnZDo
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) May 13, 2021
Always have a back-up pair.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Tune into @orangecassidy v. @BASTARDPAC NOW on #AEWDynamite on TNT! pic.twitter.com/j9KA66FbKl
The night off for @KennyOmegamanX at #AEWDoN?
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Not so fast. #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/nUpw2gMw5L
⌚️⌚️⌚️⌚️⌚️ #thePinnacle
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Watch #AEWDynamite Now on TNT! pic.twitter.com/ZWDGtPhLru
Coronation...ruined. #AEWDynamite
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Tune into Dynamite Now on @tntdrama! pic.twitter.com/LiT5nmIwjw
.@The_MJF challenges #InnerCircle to Stadium Stampede at #DoubleOrNothing on May 30...with a catch. Inner Circle loses? They break up forever.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Tune into #AEWDynamite Now on TNT! pic.twitter.com/sJN7PT74j0
A "guarantee" from #1 contender @RealBrittBaker for @shidahikaru and her #AEW Women's Championship at #DoubleOrNothing on May 30.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Watch #AEWDynamite Now on TNT! pic.twitter.com/gWePWYzLA3
Here comes the BOOM @thunderrosa22 #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/vFkyHD5XIK
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) May 13, 2021
.@ToBeMiro is not waiting for the bell to ring vs. TNT Champion @DarbyAllin
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
Tune into #AEWDynamite Now on @tntdrama - and every Wednesday at 8/7c! pic.twitter.com/Pm2cIqp7P3
#AndNew @ToBeMiro ends @DarbyAllin's reign as TNT Champion to close out #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/qQZ6UQHWDv
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
#AEW Exclusive@FrankieKazarian moments after the @YoungBucks retained the AEW World Tag Team Championship tonight on #AEWDynamite defeating #SCU and ending the 10 plus years team of Kazarian and @facedaniels. pic.twitter.com/v2tQjNrW1x
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 13, 2021
For complete results and the live blog for Dynamite this week click here. To read a complete recap & review of all the night’s events click here.