Best and worst of AEW Dynamite (August 16, 2023): Sting brings back 12-year-old moniker; former WWE Champion's abysmal match? 

Tony Khan brought back the shades (literally and metaphorically) on AEW Dynamite. Adam Cole and MJF have been running rampant with their backstage actions to which the promotion's President seemingly took a stand.

House of Black taunted The Acclaimed after their match a few weeks ago. This was where Billy Gunn left his wrestling boots in the ring, signifying the end of his nearly 34-year wrestling career.

Below is a list of the best and worst events from the latest edition of Dynamite:

Best: MJF and Adam Cole's promo; Tony Khan bringing back the shades

MJF and Adam Cole are set to clash in the main event of AEW All In on August 27. The duo continues demonstrating their friendship with their silly and churlish antics in various backstage segments. This week they took things a little too far and were lambasted by AEW President Tony Khan, who donned his shades just like he did when he took a shot at Nick Khan a few years ago.

Some fans pointed out the coincidence that Khan's assertive side was portrayed during a CM Punk chaos surrounding the promotion. His lack of an authoritative stance towards the former WWE star garnered mixed reactions from the promotion's talent and fans.

The Self-Proclaimed Devil and Panama City Playboy exchanged feelings about their match at All In and how they looked to have gold around their waist. They are also set to contend for the ROH Tag Team Titles on zero hour of the show. The nail-biting build-up of their bromance and association ahead of their major match at All In will put their friendship to the test.

Worst: Texas Chainsaw Massacre Deathmatch

Over the past few weeks, tension had been brewing between Jeff Jarrett and Jeff Hardy. Their respective factions were at odds with each other.

The latest edition of Dynamite witnessed a Texas Chainsaw Massacre Deathmatch between the two groups. The setup and props were stylized after the movie of the same name, and Leatherface even appeared. The usage of goo and hellish weapons inspired by the film did not seem to engage fans.

AEW is known for merging film promotions into their matches. All participants involved in the feud portrayed their roles at par with the movie characters. The ideation of the match seemed decent, but the outcome seemed to lack a certain flair in a bid to engage audiences.

Best: Joker Sting's return on AEW

Sting has been a household wrestling name since his debut in 1985. His tenure on WCW earned him a widespread fanbase despite not being associated with WWE.

In 2011, while he was on IMPACT Wrestling, Sting introduced the world to The Joker variation of his gimmick. Inspired by Batman's arch nemesis, the 64-year-old took on the eccentric persona.

On Dynamite, Joker Sting appeared in a vignette to intimidate Swerve Strickland and his group for going after Darby Allin and Nick Wayne. Strickland had been trying to make their lives miserable, but Sting intervened. His recent clip seemingly left a mark of terror on his All In opponents.