-Mercedes Mone and Toni Storm just don’t have a lot of chemistry with one another. That’s the big takeaway from their final showdown this week on Dynamite. Yes, the talking points were there and the attempt at story was there, but it doesn’t feel like this is a generational clash between two premiere talents in the AEW women’s division. It’s big because we know it’s big, but it’s not big because it feels like it. There’s a difference. That said, I fully expect this match to be very strong once it gets in the ring on Saturday afternoon.
Nobody wants ROH gold
-Well, Takeshita getting the win over the Bandido team this week doesn’t bode well for his ROH World Championship prospects on Friday at Supercard of Honor. It’s for the best, as nobody in AEW should want to be saddled with an ROH title of any kind at this point.
-I swear Blake Christian was a heel just a couple weeks ago. This week he wrestled Ricochet as a babyface and was used to get heat after the match. Go figure. Ricochet continues to play the heel part well and is believable as that character. He doesn’t have a strong spot on the show at the moment. He’s bigger than the middle of the card, but not on an MJF heel level at the top of the card either.
Promo needed
-Look, the video package for Okada vs. Omega at All In was very good. No question about it. How do you not have a promo segment between these guys on the go-home edition of your flagship show? What about a Don Callis promo? Something?! This needed more this week. Overall, AEW has done a nice job balancing nostalgia and current day AEW around this program, but this last chapter was a miss.
-A fantastic promo segment between MJF and Mark Briscoe. If the original idea was to just get some added heat between the two guys for the Casino Gauntlet at All In, I’m rethinking that if I’m Tony Khan. These guys have chemistry and a story now. Run with it. Could drive a number on Dynamite in the coming weeks.
Bayne wins, but Thekla really won
-Megan Bayne got the win and will start in the #2 position in the women’s Casino Gauntlet at All In, but Thekla continues to win the momentum game. She’s a unique talent that stands out each time she is on television. This time next year, she’ll be elevated to a higher spot on the card.
-Good to see Samoa Joe just dust Wheeler Yuta. I guess? This was a strange match on the show. Totally fine, but just strange and out of left field. With Gabe Kidd interfering, he’s going to be in the Trios Match on team Death Rider this weekend. For me, I want a singles match between Joe and Kidd. Money.
Fun chaos leads to missed point
-The main event was total pandemonium. Fun to watch, but it didn’t strike the right tone that All In needed as the final note on the build to the biggest show of the year for AEW. The brawl and destruction of The Young Bucks limo cultivated a notion and environment of chaos, but that’s not what All In is about. All In is about Adam Page and getting the world championship out of the briefcase, right? For as fun as the chaos was, that narrative wasn’t articulated well enough as things wrapped up.
What did you think of this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite? Let us know in the comments!
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