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There was a chill in the air on Wednesday night as AEW aired their Winter is Coming special. They ultimately warmed up the night with some great in-ring action and a couple of surprises.
This episode of Dynamite featured the AEW World title showdown between Hangman Adam Page and Bryan Danielson, an impressive win by Wardlow, some cryptic hints from Adam Cole and Bobby Fish, and much more.
In the end, however, Winter is Coming ended up feeling just like every other episode of Dynamite. However, that's not an insult, as the show is consistently the most watchable wrestling program on national television today.
Let's take a look at three things that stuck out about AEW Winter is Coming:
#3 - Adam Cole and Bobby Fish drop a major hint for a Christmas surprise.
Every wrestling fan is betting on this being Kyle O'Reilly, and that would likely set up a terrific feud between the former Undisputed Era members and The Elite. The Young Bucks have enough acquaintances to kick off the fight without Kenny Omega, who may not return for several weeks.
This would also serve the purpose of turning Adam Cole babyface, which is what the crowd wants anyway. AEW fans love him, and they've grown disenchanted with The Bucks, so a showdown between all parties involved seems to be more than inevitable.
#2 - It's only fitting that MJF continues to wear the AEW Dynamite Diamond ring
Once considered somewhat of just a silly prop, the ring itself represents everything that is MJF: Gaudy, obnoxious, and in-your-face.
However, with the precocious MJF emerging as the company's most hated heel, it's also become part of his overall persona. It represents his willingness to win - or keep what's his - by any means necessary.
It was an excellent match to close out the show, but it felt like it would be Maxwell Jacob Friedman's to win or lose. He took home the ring again, adding to his impressive AEW resume.
#1 - The crowd could not have been any hotter for the AEW World title match, but they didn't QUITE get what they wanted
Tony Khan has a habit of starting a show with a potential main event, but in this case, it worked out for the most part. Hangman Adam Page and Bryan Danielson set the tone for the night with how they pulled the crowd into their contest.
The two veterans had terrific timing and pacing. Everything made sense, and the crowd stayed with the bout even during short lulls. If anything, these early stops and starts drew the audience in even further as they eagerly waited to see who would win.
Unfortunately, they didn't get a definitive conclusion to this match as it went to a 60-minute time limit draw. This did NOT satisfy the crowd, but they still showed their appreciation for a hard-fought contest.
Other than the title match ending in a non-finish, the evening was everything that the AEW audience could have asked for.
Overall, it was a fast two hours and a fun watch, even though Winter is Coming left a few storylines a little cloudy with a chance for severe weather. Hopefully, the promotion will clarify these as we close out 2021.
What did you think of AEW Winter is Coming? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
