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With Double or Nothing 2022 fast approaching, AEW Dynamite appears to have officially kickstarted the build-up to the marquee event.
The company set the bar high for the pay-per-view in Las Vegas by announcing CM Punk vs. Hangman Adam Page for the AEW World Championship.
The two-hour episode of flagship programming flew by very quickly, as fans in Philadelphia witnessed a stacked match card this week.
Tony Khan's penchant for swerving the audience with a jaw-dropper continued. From the shocking return of a 31-year-old AEW star to teasing a former WWE Superstar's imminent arrival, the entire show was adrenaline-fueled.
On a fair note, this week's Dynamite was arguably one of the best in recent history, regardless of the show languishing around the one million mark.
We'll now dive into the positive and negative takeaways from the episode for better analysis. If you dissent with the author's opinion, feel free to voice your thoughts in the comments section.
#5 Best: Wardlow's dominant booking and a formidable challenge lie ahead of him
Wardlow overcame another hurdle on AEW Dynamite when he defeated Lance Archer in a mammoth clash.
The two powerhouses pushed each other to their limits throughout the match, but Mr. Mayhem eventually unleashed Powerbomb Symphonies to pick up the victory.
MJF, who was fuming with rage, aimed to continue his strategy of hurling a string of opponents at his former protege.
Backstage, Friedman got off a call with an anonymous person, offering him a vast sum of money to face Wardlow next week. Fans quickly speculated that The Pinnacle leader was teasing W. Morrissey's arrival, given that MJF mocked the star's famous catchphrase, "and you can’t teach that. "
It's no secret that a potential match between Wardlow and Morrissey is a rating ploy, with the forbidden door being flung open again.
In a nutshell, there is another level of intensity in the saga between MJF and Wardlow, which could culminate in a match at Double or Nothing.
#4 Best: Rey Fenix returns from injury to fight against The House of Black
The long-running rivalry between The House of Black and Death Triangle witnessed a massive turnaround when Rey Fenix returned from injury last night.
Having failed to gain the upper hand over Malakai Black's faction on multiple occasions, Fenix's inclusion in this feud has put the two teams on a collision course again.
The Luchador tricked The House of Black, causing enough distraction for Penta Oscuro and PAC to lay hands on their rivals. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that Black and his men have finally met their nightmare to date in the form of a reunited Death Triangle.
#3 Best/Worst: Scorpio Sky regains his TNT Championship on AEW Dynamite
Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti's heel turn has come as a blessing in disguise for Scorpio Sky, as he has become one of the top babyfaces on the roster.
In the main event of AEW Dynamite this week, the latter dethroned Guevara for the TNT Championship in a grueling ladder match, thus ending the latter's reign at only 11 days.
The match between the two men led to pandemonium, as we saw Tay Conti and Paige VanZant taking their feud to a whole new level. One-half of the Men of the Year showed grit against The Spanish God's gruesome maneuver from the ladders.
While Sky rightfully deserved to regain the title after he relished a shorter reign last time, Guevara's loss could damage his character because he recently turned heel.
A successful title defense would have solidified his persona.
#2 Worst: The Blackpool Combat Club's booking
While The Blackpool Combat Club have portrayed itself as an intimidating trio, their victories over a string of underwhelming babyfaces have done them no favors thus far.
Last night, Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, and Wheeler Yuta defeated The Factory in a one-sided affair. In an attempt to help Yuta reach a certain level of stardom, one cannot deny that this could hold Danielson and Moxley back in the men's division.
The company should instantly put them in a meaningful feud now that they have racked up multiple victories under their umbrella.
#1 Best: Dax Harwood vs. Cash Wheeler on AEW Dynamite
In a first-time-ever match, Dax Harwood defeated Cash Wheeler of the FTR in an old-school-type match. The two men set the tone for the rest of the show by delivering spine-chilling performances.
Harwood and Wheeler have once again proved why they're too good to be kept in the tag team division. Regardless, Dax Harwood has now qualified for the Owen Hart Foundation Men's tournament.
With momentum on his side, one-half of FTR has indeed become among the favorites to win the tournament.
What do you make of these analyses? Sound off in the comments section below.
Poll : Did you enjoy AEW Dynamite this week?
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