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Welcome to the best and worst of AEW Dynamite on February 23, 2022. This week's show emanated from Webster Bank Arena as All Elite Wrestling visited Bridgeport, Connecticut, for the very first time.
It was yet another intense episode of Dynamite from an in-ring and storyline perspective. Chris Jericho, MJF, and Eddie Kingston were involved in excellent promo segments, while Bryan Danielson put on another great bout in the main event.
A title match saw a horrible botch while another big name debuted on Wednesday, a couple of weeks after Keith Lee won his first match in AEW. In a sea of highlights, there were a few low points.
Without any delay, let's jump into the best and worst of this week's AEW Dynamite.
#5 Best: The card for AEW Revolution looks incredible
Another match for Revolution was confirmed on Dynamite as Eddie Kingston, and Chris Jericho had a face-to-face confrontation. The same thing happened following Bryan Danielson's match against Daniel Garcia as the American Dragon's dream match against Jon Moxley was confirmed.
Meanwhile, a tag team Battle Royale determined one of the two contenders for the AEW Tag Team Championship as Kyle O'Reilly won the match for his team. The final team in the triple threat match will be determined later in a Casino Battle Royale.
The current card for Revolution now has the following matches:
- Hangman Page vs. Adam Cole for the AEW World Championship
- Eddie Kingston vs Chris Jericho
- CM Punk vs. MJF in a Dog Collar match
- Thunder Rosa vs. Britt Baker for the AEW Women's Championship
- Bryan Danielson vs Jon Moxley
- Face of the Revolution ladder match
- AHFO vs Sting, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara
This is an utterly stacked event with potential barnburners from top to bottom. We might still get a few additions, and fans cannot wait for the pay-per-view.
#4 Best/Worst: The Tag Team Battle Royale on AEW Dynamite
Battle Royales often follow the same pattern, regardless of the talent involved. The talent doesn't get much better than the ones on Dynamite.
The likes of John Silver, Private Party, Young Bucks, Santana and Ortiz, reDRagon, and FTR were all part of the match. But it was still a messy affair that wasn't a delightful watch for large stretches of the match.
There was a fun dynamic when the contenders thinned out, but that came late into the match. All in all, considering the quality of matches that we've come to expect on AEW shows, a Battle Royale wasn't the most exciting start to the show.
However, the match's final moments were an enjoyable watch as half of the reDRagon, Young Bucks, FTR, and Dark Order were in the final four. As The Young Bucks came face-to-face in an epic staredown, Kyle O'Reilly eventually won.
The post-match saw a further build to Hangman Page vs. Adam Cole, giving the entire segment an emphatic end as the Millennial Cowboy cut a fierce promo.
#3 Best/Worst: Malakai Black should be a singles star in AEW
When Malakai Black debuted in AEW, he seemed destined to become a major singles star in the company. In his in-ring debut, he tormented the Nightmare Family and obliterated Cody Rhodes in a squash match. The former NXT champion again defeated the American Nightmare on AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam.
However, the former Aleister Black lost his third match and formed the House of Black. On Wednesday night, Buddy Matthews joined the stable in addition to Brody King, who joined a few weeks back.
As intriguing as the House of Black is, Malakai Black would probably be better off as a singles star and should have protected his mystique further.
The House of Black suffered their first loss as they lost via roll-up to the Death Triangle. Hopefully, Malakai Black can recover his intrigue and become a major singles star.
#2 Worst: Jade Cargill's botch during the TBS Championship match
On Wednesday night, Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against AHFO's The Bunny. It was the champion's fourth title defense since defeating Ruby Soho to become the inaugural champion.
During their match, The Bunny hooked Jade Cargill's leg, and the champion failed to kick out at the right time. Referee Aubrey Edwards had to hold off on making the third count before Jade kicked out in a clear botch.
Cargill is just a year into her wrestling career and has already shown great improvements over the months. There will be rough moments as she continues to polish her in-ring skills. Wednesday night was a reminder that there is a long way to go.
#1 Best: MJF's incredible promo on AEW Dynamite
MJF leaves no stone unturned when it comes to insulting his opponents on a deeply personal level. We saw how low the Salt of the Earth was ready to go in his battles against Brian Pillman Jr. and Darby Allin.
However, what we saw on Wednesday night was completely different from what we've seen so far from the three-time Dynamite Diamond Ring winner.
MJF gave fans a rare glimpse into his past and how CM Punk, the man he will face in a Dog Collar match, played a huge role in him becoming a professional wrestler. He had what seemed like real tears in his eyes.
Fans at the Webster Bank Arena were very eager to boo the leader of the Pinnacle, and they did that for a good portion of the promo segment. However, towards the end of his promo, the crowd turned and cheered him on. It was a surreal sight as MJF displayed his ability on the mic again.
CM Punk walked out towards the end and asked MJF if it was real or not. This adds another layer to this brilliant feud, with every fan waiting to see what will happen next.
