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AEW Dynamite was a pretty fun show to watch, and because it was only two hours long, I did not have a problem with it. That said, I did not think that this was the strongest of the four shows that the company has put on.
At the same time, I thought that it was a very 'by-the-numbers' show, and judging from the excitement of my colleagues, I can pretty much tell that NXT was the better show, by a long shot. I can't wait to finish this review and watch the Black and Gold Brand!
In any case, it has been well-established that everyone in AEW can wrestle and put on great matches. For this 'Best and Worst' countdown, I'm looking beyond the obvious, at the storytelling elements that draw an audience member over the long haul, to tune in week after week.
I realize that both AEW fans and detractors can both be extremely vocal indeed, but I still welcome your comments and your feedback in the section below.
#1 Best: The time limit draw
While I enjoy the AEW product for what it is, so much of the offense looks 'pretty'. The main event match this week certainly did not fall into that category because Jon Moxley and PAC were gritty and intense. This match belonged on pay-per-view, and I love that it did not end in a result, essentially proving to us that these two men are far from done with each other.
I especially loved the fact that Moxley was so upset with the fact that he didn't win the match that he ended up assaulting a referee. I can't wait to see how this storyline progresses in the coming weeks. Also, kudos to PAC who can fly around as effortlessly as anyone else in the AEW roster, but chooses to fight a nasty style that makes him stand out.
#1 Worst: No Jake Hager
No explanation was provided about why Jake Hager, the muscle of The Inner Circle was not with the group on this week's show at all. I know from browsing the internet that he's fighting in Bellator and could not make it as a result, but I believe it's the job of the announcers to fill in those gaps.
So, The Inner Circle was a member short and no explanation was provided with regard to why that was the case. For people who're not used to following everything on Twitter, this can create a real sense of disconnect with what's happening on screen.
The announcers could have gone one of two ways. They could have created a fictionalized reason for his non-appearance or indeed, told the truth even.
Knowing his MMA credentials would have seriously raised the stock of this MMA powerhouse with AEW's fanbase quite significantly indeed.
#2 Best: Cody Rhodes and his friends attack The Inner Circle
From the moment that Cody Rhodes made his entrance, you could tell the difference between him and the majority of the roster. Rhodes dresses sharp and looks like a Superstar almost immediately. As for his backup, we were all pretty sure that Dustin Rhodes and MJF would be by his side, to even the odds.
The one big surprise of the night was DDP. At this stage in his career, the WWE Hall of Famer is more a yoga instructor than a professional wrestler, but as a result of his primary vocation, he looks like he is in really good shape. We all know how close he was to Dusty Rhodes and it made all the sense in the world to show up the way he did.
Special marks to Chris Jericho for the 'scarf' joke. That was absolutely hilarious!
#2 Worst: The Dark Order
I had more than one problem with the opening match. I thought that there were far too many kick-outs and not enough actual tags, for what was essentially a tag team match. Obviously, I wasn't the only person who felt this way, because Jim Ross made light of this fact on commentary as well.
Moreover, I thought that Private Party should have won to continue their momentum from defeating The Young Bucks. However, the match was solid and because of the same reason, I'm willing to give the opening match a pass, in this case. However, the Dark Order is just not exciting enough.
There's nothing scary or intimidating about the Dark Order, and they aren't exceptional in the ring either, which essentially means that neither their gimmick nor their wrestling is 'over' in the actual sense. Something has got to click with them, for them to thrive long-term in All Elite Wrestling.
#3 Best: Big win for Dr Britt Baker
I thought that Riho's win over Britt Baker knocked her a few paces back in terms of being the face of the women's division in AEW. We all assumed that it would be Baker because she's great in the ring and also has a great look, but it seems like now it's time for the Joshi warrior to shine.
But Baker gained a bit of her momentum back with a big win in her hometown, this week. Her opponent, Jamie Hayter brought the fight to her and was disrespectful throughout, getting Baker over as a babyface in doing so.
I also liked the fact that Brandi Rhodes seems to have snapped. I wonder what is up with that and how it will play out in the months to follow.
So, in conclusion, it wasn't the best episode of AEW Dynamite, but truth be told, it was better than most Monday nights for sure.
