HEYDORN’S DYNAMITE RECEIPT 7/21: Audience investment prop up certainty of Labors of Jericho angle

This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite has wrapped. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and relive some of the madness.

-The Labors of Jericho works because the audience is immensely invested in Chris Jericho. Yes, the outcomes are all but a given at this point, but his connection masks a lot of that certainty. The match was what it was. Not a classic, but a showcase of the importance in building a character and having a personality to lean on when you can’t give four stars any longer.

-Nick Gage? What now? The guy has had one heck of a year so far and it’ll be fascinating to see if he can drive a number with Jericho. Oh, also, Chris … we’re all thinking of you.

-What’s the end game for the Frankie Kazarian stuff? Anyone? The loss on Wednesday may be it for him. Look, the Elite hunter story is a good one, but that faction and Kazarian are on two different levels in the company. He’s not at a place to take them down, so not only will his ultimate failure crush his credibility, it renders everything around the angle useless.

-The AEW audience genuinely, and dare I say universally, want to see team Adam Page win the ten-man elimination match against the Elite next week. These days, it’s rare to see that type of uniformity in wrestling opinions. For that reason alone, next week should be memorable and the angle this week helped cultivate the investment.

-Another gem for Darby Allin. Aside from maybe Adam Cole, anyone on that roster you aren’t trading for Darby straight up?

-A babyface promo for Britt Baker last week. Baker wrestled a babyface style match this week against Nyla Rose. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck, right? Britt Baker is a babyface. Let’s hope so anyway. I’m sure it’s tempting to want to navigate the shades of gray with her character, but no. Pick a lane and stick with it. Either way, AEW has a safety net because right now, Baker is over enough to thrive in either one.

-AEW has done a nice job building Santana & Ortiz vs. FTR. Lots of talent involved and next week’s match is appointment viewing.

-Andrade and Chavo Guerrero fit infinitely better than Andrade and Vicki did. The partnership needs time to gel, but the chemistry is already stronger. I’ll take Andrade against anyone in Death Triangle without hesitation.

-Wasn’t expecting that level of a match between Lance Archer and Jon Moxley. Both men really brought it, both in a violent way, but in a way that highlighted smart storytelling too. Not many people can say they’ve beaten Moxley clean since he left the WWE – says something about Archer.

CATCH-UP: 7/21 AEW DYNAMITE TV RESULTS: Sage’s “alt perspective” report on Jon Moxley vs. Lance Archer in a Texas Death Match, Dr. Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose, Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Spears, More.