-High level, I very much liked the show that AEW put on this week as a fallout episode of Dynamite coming out of Revolution. They sacrificed strictly having good matches for strong follow-up to a very strong PPV. Will Ospreay, Toni Storm, Adam Page, MJF, Swerve Strickland, Cope, Jon Moxley, and Christian Cage all had important moments on Revolution and all of them were given the time for follow-up that didn’t include matches. Thumbs way up on this approach as it built a foundation for Dynasty and beyond.
Omega
-Kenny Omega starting off the show celebrating his AEW International Championship victory was smart. Not only did Kenny get time to talk about the victory, but it helped set the hook for the International Championship tournament matches that took place this week. The AEW International Championship still needs definition. What makes it different from the world title? Omega tried, but basically defined his International Championship as what the World Championship needs to be.
-The Opps squashing another team is always a fun watch. It was this week too, but there just isn’t much direction for this trio to move in.
Moxley vs. Cope 2
-Alright, so it’s Moxley vs. Cope 2 next week. Good. The only good thing about the finish to their match at Revolution involving Christian Cage was that booking the rematch was easy business. Cope vs. Moxley 2 will be better than the PPV match because it won’t be surrounded by other huge matches. This should stand out.
-The Jon Moxley pre-taped promo this week tried to make sense of the PPV finish, but he didn’t really land the plane. He did come across as heelish, though, and for better or worse, the audience this week was booing Moxley more than they ever had. Meta? Yes. Worthwhile? Given the alternative, I’d still say probably, yes.
-Powerhouse Hobbs and Hologram is not a tag team I need to see again. Opposites can make good tag teams, but these two feel like they are on entirely different paths at the moment. It was night one, but there wasn’t much chemistry between them either.
Moving on
-Toni Storm delivered an elegant, but serious Timeless Toni promo this week and it shined. She’s found a better balance between being a comedy act and just a top women’s attraction for the company. Storm wove both together with this. She relished the opportunity to talk about the match with Mariah May at Revolution and gave that match the credence it deserved. She also moved on from it and from May. That was necessary.
-Megan Bayne had a big night. She attacked Storm, but also Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander. That’s the only way to use Bayne. She’s got such a look and presence about her that it’s nearly impossible to do any kind of slow build. Throw her in at the top and see if she can swim.
Welcome!
-Good to see Mike Bailey finally debut and win in AEW. The match with Mortos was fine, but Bailey can certainly have stronger bouts. It will be interesting to watch what happens to Mike Bailey in AEW. I’ve interviewed him numerous times and he is a student of the wrestling game. He understands what it takes to get over and the need to possibly pivot his work to get over on a weekly TV show. Will he be able to? Time will tell.
-The Nick Wayne babyface turn is on. If AEW can burn this slowly, they’ll have good audience momentum for it when the time comes to pay it off.
-MJF was tremendous this week. He was asked to do a lot. He put a bow on the feud with Adam Page — even as the loser — and came across as extremely heelish in doing so. Being the loser, but running down your opponent for losing even bigger long term is quite hypocritical, dark, mean, and twisted. That’s where things landed with MJF and Adam Page. They can fight again soon, but they also can hold that rematch until later. MJF’s work on the mic gave the company options. The MJF stuff with MVP was interesting too. AEW may never pay it off and they don’t have to. It’s a fun storyline thread to have out there, though.
Just bad
-So, your big babyface Kenny Omega vanquishes the evil Konosuke Takeshita in The Don Callis Family only for Takeshita to pivot to a total babyface and destroy Max Caster days later? This was bad. Takeshita has no business being in this spot with Caster. He’s a hated heel — one that got cheered opposite Caster. What purpose did this serve? Bad.
-Geez, Mercedes Mone vs. Billie Starkz next week? Certainly won’t miss that. Starkz is talented and can have a tremendous match. Like Nick Wayne, Starkz can build up a lot of support as a young babyface. It takes time, though. This could be the start of that for her.
Only Ospreay
-OMG, the Will Ospreay promo ….. was tremendous. Look, it wasn’t a traditionally good promo. It meandered a bit, Ospreay yelled a little too much, and a lot of it didn’t make sense. It tapped into and showcased Ospreay’s personality, though. Right? Not everyone could make that promo good, but he did because he’s him. It’s like Bruce Springsteen. Bruce doesn’t have a traditionally good voice, but for the songs he sings it’s perfect. Same thing with Ospreay. His personality and character calls for a different type of promo and we saw that here. It still brought loads of energy and handled the business at hand of generating a story for on the road to All In.
-Orange Cassidy vs. Hechicero was what it was. A lower tier main event for Dynamite, but a totally fine one given all that was around it from a promo and hype perspective.
What did you think of this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite? Let us know in the comments!
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