SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
As I sat down to watch Dynamite this week, I really had only one hope other than a fun show with a mix of good matches, promos, and stories I could get behind. That one hope was for a wrestler to actually acknowledge All In and give me at least one match for that show. Oh, and when we get to the main event, if the Outcasts get involved in the finish, I’ll riot!!
HITS
JERICHO’S CHOICE/GARCIA’S SHOCKING CROWD RESPONSE
I have to give credit to all four wrestlers in the opening match. They played their roles extremely well. And what was up with the Daniel Garcia love? I’m happy to see it because I know he deserves better than how he’s been booked and apparently the crowd agreed. I do think the dancing is dumb, but apparently the crowd disagreed!
It was a fun opener though I may have called an audible and had Sammy take the pin after that crowd response for Garcia. Sammy can take a loss like that especially with the bat shot. Garcia loses every week.
R-V-D!
That was a great nostalgia moment! It was cool to see Rob and he looked pretty good. I think it was a good call that he didn’t do much considering what was set up for next week. Perry continues to get better as a heel. Using the young girl as a shield was (chef’s kiss).
Side note that this was also another positive example of how AEW treats legends. In WWE, RVD gets beaten up and left laying. The same story was told here and RVD got his moment and kept his dignity.
Plus, he got to set up the match for next week.
TRENT?!
I had one issue with the hardcore match and that is listed below. Otherwise, what a pleasant surprise for Trent to pick up the win! I’d say 95% of us expected him to take the pin in this one. AEW has correctly been criticized in recent months that almost every match is predictable. This was not, so some credit is deserved.
They also forwarded the story and set up a match for Rampage.
MJF IS THE FANS’ SCUMBAG
How over the top was Max??!!
The more you waited and expected the swerve, the more they refused to give it to you.
The crowd loved MJF despite what seems to be manipulation. Or is it? Man, they are keeping this program unpredictable. That’s a good thing. They have me intrigued to see if something happens next week, and the week after as we approach All In. I’d say that’s their goal.
Also, we have a match for London!
MAIN EVENTING THE WOMEN
Sure, you had to think a title change was in play with the women in the main event slot but it was a breath of fresh air to see the women showcased. Yes, I was getting my riot gear on with all the interference, and Shida not bringing her own backup was just as stupid as every other opponent of the Outcasts, but it was nice to see it all backfire for the heels in the end.
I wish they let the celebration breathe more afterwards and perhaps get Renee in there for a quick promo after such a big victory but what can you do? This is how they roll.
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MISSES
NO MORE TACKS!!
I happen to like hardcore matches and I’m fine with them happening often, but they need more creativity. We saw tacks 2 weeks ago. The sacrifice the wrestlers make taking the tack bump is huge and should always be a big deal. Using it too often lessens the impact and the wrestlers deserve their sacrifice to earn the best possible reaction.
WHY DO YOU CARE, RODDY?!
While the MJF/Cole stuff is captivating, I don’t get the Roddy Strong involvement. Why is he throwing a temper tantrum in the back when his best friend just got a title shot at a huge event? Wouldn’t you be happy for him? Even if he’s jealous of the friendship, it’s no reason to throw such a fit.
GIVE THE LUCHAS SOME WINS!
I know Kommander and Vikingo were not winning a championship but Tony, you gotta give these guys some victories. They are very entertaining, get the crowd on their feet, and take some serious risks. They should mean more than just an acrobatic showcase before losing every week. How about a specific storyline or at the very least give us a reason to care more about them.
Well, I was hoping for that one thing. I got it, though it was the minimum. One match announced for All In is better than nothing I suppose, but they have to start selling this event especially since it’s officially on PPV now. I know they have the crowd, but if you want a big buyrate and worldwide exposure to your product, they are going to have to get people fired up for this and while the MJF/Cole match should be fun, that’s not enough at this point to get any more than your diehard AEW fans who buy every PPV regardless.
As for Dynamite, it was another solid show. Some great matches and storyline advancements through good live promos and pre-tapes.
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW COLLISION HITS & MISSES (7/29): Bryant’s evaluation of Cole & MJF vs. FTR, Miro’s promo, Andrade-Matthews ladder match, Punk-Starks, more
OR CHECK OUT JASON POWELL’S HITS & MISSES AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s AEW Dynamite Hit List: MJF and Adam Cole, The Elite vs. Jarrett & Lethal & Satnam Singh, Storm vs. Shida, Moxley vs. Penta vs. Berreta
Subscribe to Wade Keller’s free podcasts by searching “Wade Keller” in your podcast app. They include a weekly flagship episode (blue-logo show) and the post-shows after Raw, Dynamite, Smackdown, and Rampage (red logo show) with a mix of best-of episodes too!
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