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In an event that AEW promoted under the banner of 'Beach Break', this week's episode of Dynamite gave fans a little taste of everything.
AEW was the bartender for this little bash, and the drink cart was certainly full, for better or worse. Some of it was sweet, some of it was sour, and there were even a few moments that just came out flat.
It was an up-and-down kind of night, with AEW's usual shot of hot action, a cocktail of confusing comedy, and a dose of dumbfounding dimwittery. As per their standard formula, AEW tried to mix as many of their talents involved as possible in the blender. And while this is often an excellent recipe for success, it could also get so confusing that it leaves their loyal followers with a hangover in the end.
There were many ups and downs over the course of two hours, including a huge surprise to close AEW Dynamite.
Here are five quick observations about what we saw from AEW this week:
#1 The impact and influence of the Bullet Club is still being felt
Many thought The Bullet Club's glory days were long over when The Elite departed to help launch AEW.
But as seen this week on Dynamite, the clique maybe even more powerful than ever. One glance at this episode, and you can see names like Kenny Omega, The Good Brothers, The Young Bucks, etc., all with ties to Bullet Club. And every one of them with their fingerprints all over this show.
And then... there's KENTA.
The NJPW superstar showed up in a mask to attack rival Jon Moxley and send shock waves through the wrestling world. Social media started going crazy in an instant as soon as that moment happened. It was a stunning (and happy) surprise for the fans.
So, as we stand right now, The Bullet Club are major players and have crossed over to three of the major promotions in the world at the same time -- AEW, New Japan, and IMPACT, proving that the faction still has a lot of bullets left in their guns.
#2 Adam Page needs a spark to get back to the level he was in the early days of AEW
It's been a long ride down the valley for the Hangman since he appeared in the inaugural title match against Chris Jericho.
At the time, he was considered a main event player for AEW and a likely, future world champion. Those times seem to have blown away like tumbleweeds on the trail since The Elite have gone their separate ways.
In the past several months, Page has been resigned to backstage skits, mismatched tag team matches, or at times, gone altogether. This, after initially looking like he would be one of the breakout stars of the promotion.
Hopefully, Page will get back on the horse at some point in 2021 and ride to the top of the card once again.
#3 The wedding between Penelope Ford and Kip Sabian was humorous at times, but overall underwhelming
Following the usual formula of cartoon nuptials that have taken place in wrestling in the past, AEW drew this one out for an ending that we all knew would be inevitable.
While Miro dropped a few good lines, and Father James Mitchell offered his usual shtick, this thing went way too long. It will be interesting to see this week's quarterly ratings and find out how many people reached for their remote control and switched over to NXT during this segment.
#4 Shaq vs. Cody is really going down
There's not a lot to say about this, other than it's another attempt to gain crossover appeal by linking up with another major celebrity.
We've seen everyone from Snoop Dogg to Sammy Hagar to (now) Shaquille O'Neal. And while there's nothing wrong with trying to get the rub from Hollywood or pro sports, AEW should be mindful not to go to the well too many times with stuff like this.
While this will certainly be no technical masterpiece, it will serve its original purpose. Fans can only hope this is a one-off publicity stunt and that we don't get an all-out feud between Cody and the Inside the NBA announce team.
#5 AEW roster is too big
Tony Khan has certainly been willing to spend money. The AEW owner has signed a ton of talent that has come down the pike in the past year or so, and it may be the detriment of his promotion.
Watching AEW can be confusing at times, as their roster has swollen to the point that remembering who all is on it can be a chore. Perhaps they have been a bit too aggressive in gobbling up every ounce of extra muscle that's out there.
There's only so many stars that fit in the sky. Trimming the roster a bot might be a good idea for Khan and company.
Once again, Dynamite continues to be a visually impressive and entertaining show. And the intrigue that they have created by bringing in stars from other promotions will definitely keep their fans wanting more in the weeks to come.
Despite a few stumbles here and there, AEW Dynamite continues to be the most watchable American wrestling show out there, and the two hours usually seems to fly by.
It will be interesting to see where they go from here as they march toward AEW Revolution on March 7th.
