-This week’s episode of Dynamite is going to be remembered for conspiracy video footage and a Will Ospreay shoot on Triple H — two happenings that I found unbecoming, but things started out hot with Swerve Strickland getting some revenge on Samoa Joe before Joe’s match against Dustin Rhodes. Strickland looked strong beating Joe up the way he did and it was a consistent effort from a storyline perspective to put one of you bigger storylines coming out of last week at the top of the show. I liked this a lot and in addition to helping hype the PPV, it set a hook for the rest of the show.
Awkwarrrrrrrrrrrrd
-Adam Copeland vs. Penta was a very good match. No surprise there at all. I still find it bizarre watching Copeland in AEW. He seems out of place and really is still looking for his footing in the new company.
-Willow Nightingale saving Copeland from a House of Black attack was an interesting call. You typically don’t see women making saves for men like that, but I’m here for it. Good stuff and it helped pace out the feud between Nightingale and Julia Hart.
-So, Chris Jericho is already acting like a jerky legend to Hook. It took all of one week. Look, this was always the way this story was going to go. If you’re AEW, though, you have to play the Jericho and Hook cohesion out longer, so that the audience is more invested by the time the turn happens. You want the crowd to care. Here, they just assumed the turn was coming and then it did. Theoretically, this isn’t a bad story, but you can’t hot-shot it into existence. It needs time to develop.
AEW nonsense
-Alright, let’s talk about the CM Punk All In footage nonsense. Folks, that’s what it was. Total nonsense. It was a cheap ratings ploy — one that may have worked, but it was what it was. Now, The Young Bucks tied the video footage directly into their storyline with FTR and blamed that happening for distracting them at All In and thus causing them to lose their match at the biggest show in AEW history. An “A” for effort there in terms of the tie in, but it was such a damn stretch. The Bucks and FTR easily could have emphasized this very point without showing it and building their program for Dynasty in the exact same way. In the end, by playing the footage, the audience is focused on the wrong piece of the puzzle, rendering the storyline integration pretty meaningless.
-FTR cut a hot promo right after the footage and played the other side of the “should they air it” argument. It was fine, but almost the exact promo Adam Copeland cut last week in terms of pro AEW ra-ra rhetoric.
-Is Will Ospreay a mic guy now? His tone, tenor, and energy was on point this week as usual. The inflammatory comments about Triple H is going to ruffle some feathers. My opinion? The back and forth jabs are part of what makes having two national pro wrestling companies fun. At the same time, Ospreay shooting on Triple H the way he did days after he orchestrated the biggest event in WWE history was certainly a choice and not a good one. Here’s the other thing, a large portion of the audience had no idea what the hell he was talking about. Ospreay — and WWE guys — need to keep the jabs off television and save them for media situations. They play better in that environment.
Okada is Okada is Okada
-How about that squash match for Okada? Good stuff there. Another enormous pop, though. That pop and the interest the audience has in him is making it impossible for the heel gimmick to work. They tried again this week by having him stand by as The Young Bucks attacked FTR and PAC, but in the end it’s just going to make for an inconsistent presentation for all involved.
-It’s shocking to see Jay White hold down the “cut a quick Rampage promo” spot on Dynamite. Like, what are we doing here?
-The Toni Storm champagne toast segment was entertaining enough, but predictable at the same time. The Timeless gimmick is still an entertaining one and one that is good for episodic television. I’d like to see Storm find some additional range for it and range that can make it play better opposite a babyface. Storms stomps on the babyface heat because she’s so entertaining.
Star of the night
-Mariah May had a great night on Dynamite this week. Maybe the best night of any star not named Swerve Strickland. Her ring work was crips, intense, and she has a character that is likable, but not over the top. She’s come a very long way in a short amount of time, but it’s not by accident. More than anyone, May has been featured regularly on television across all shows. She’s building a relationship with the audience and it’s sticking.
-Listen, I don’t know what the medical situation is for Mercedes Mone. What I do know is she’s got to stop talking for a while. Ever since she made her AEW debut, she’s been forced to talk and it’s not anywhere near her strong suit. If she can’t wrestle, fine, but don’t put her on television. So far, all she’s done is devalue her star power with what she’s done on Dynamite since her first night in the company.
-An excellent main event. It’s amazing to see Dustin Rhodes work the way he does at his age. The match was compelling and entertaining, while also firmly keeping Joe as the lethal, killer champion he is.
“A” for AEW World Championship match at Dynasty
-The follow-up angle with Swerve Strickland successfully added more of a personal grudge to his match with Joe at Dynasty and again painted Strickland as a very strong challenger. With next week as the go-home show, Strickland needs a final babyface promo about winning the AEW World Championship. Following up with more heat on Joe wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world either. AEW is close to getting this match exactly where they want it to be going into the big PPV on April 21 in St. Louis.
Subscribe to the Brass Ring Media YouTube channel HERE.
Become a Brass Ring Media member HERE.