SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
HOUSEKEEPING
•Here comes the money? Shane McMahon and Tony Khan had a not-so-secret meeting at a private airport in Arlington last week. In fact the story broke just before this column dropped. It certainly threw a ton of fuel onto the speculation that Shane O’Mac could make an AEW appearance at some point in the near future. A McMahon appearing in a promotion that’s not WWE or under it’s umbrella would unprecedented and historic. The question is in what capacity would Shane appear? While he could provide business savvy backstage, there’s no real natural role for him on AEW TV. The only possibility I see is if he comes in as a representative for WBD, similar to Don Callis in ECW in 2000. That way he’s unaffiliated with AEW onscreen.
•Britt Baker was legitimately suspended from AEW for a week or two after an verbal altercation with MJF. According to reports Britt voiced her displeasure with MJF and Will Ospreay getting an hour on TV in the women’s locker room and Alicia Atout (MJF’s girlfriend) was present. She told MJF and MJF confronted Britt. Apparently things got so heated that MJF punched a wall. He reportedly wanted her fired. Based on available information Britt hardly did anything that would rise to the level of suspension much less firing. This feels like the discipline committee overreacting based on previous backstage conflict and levying an official suspension instead of just sending her home for a week to de-escalate tensions.
•Following the airing of WWE Legends A&E Biography, Becky Lynch dropped an Instagram post that sent the internet into a frenzy. In it she says “Being The Man for you was an honor, being a mom is a privilege.” The use the past tense verb is what piqued everyone’s interest. Could Becky be quietly retiring? Perhaps. Might that be her way of saying goodbye to the WWE Universe as she goes to try her hand in a different ring? Could be. This is definitely something to keep an eye on.
INTRO
To quote the Steve Miller Band, “time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future.” We’re now just three Dynamites away from the biggest show of the year. The top of the card is strong. The main event now feels like the most important match of the year. The rest of the card is starting to coalesce nicely. Some of those matches haven’t been made official, but it’s pretty clear what they’re likely to be. Now it’s just about building up the anticipation so that it’s at a fever pitch come the 25th.
The Young Bucks vs The Acclaimed vs FTR
Latest Developments
The Acclaimed showed up on Collision to confront FTR and then refused a handshake.
Analysis
The Young Bucks were nowhere to be seen last week. Instead, the Acclaimed cut a promo on FTR, mocking them for not showing up to Dynamite in Greenville and vowing to show up on Collision. Following the win by FTR (and Darby Allin and Mark Briscoe) in the main event, the Acclaimed made good on their promise and showed up to confront FTR. The promo was definitely on the heelish side even if The Acclaimed had a valid point about FTR attempting to leapfrog them. Things got tense and both teams nearly came to blows. Mark Briscoe attempted to broker peace which lead to FTR offering a handshake which was refused.
I don’t think there’s much question that we’re headed for a three-way match for the titles at All In. It also seems clear that the Acclaimed are turning heel which is the best thing for them. The tag division is in a weakened state right now, so this decision is making the most of it. He was able to take a moribund women’s division and turn it into the best in wrestling. Hopefully, he can do the same for the tag division starting on the other side of All In.
Grade: B
Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson
Latest Developments
Bryan Danielson vowed never to wrestle again if he does not win the AEW World Title and then challenged Jeff Jarrett to a match for this week’s Dynamite.
Analysis
Bryan Danielson cut a promo talking in very real terms about the approaching slow down of his career and how his family doesn’t really want him to wrestle anymore. He promised the fans he would give them everything at All In. Swerve came out and he cut a Swerve promo, full of confidence and swagger without tipping into heel territory. That prompted Bryan to drop the bomb: If he’s unable to defeat Swerve for the title, he will never wrestle again. Now we have a main event folks.
Arguably the greatest wrestler of all-time is potentially hanging up the boots forever. The NFL would’ve killed to be able to advertise SuperBowl LV as maybe Tom Brady’s last, but retirement wasn’t even in the conversation and, in the end football’s GOAT, limped into the sunset two years later following a crushing playoff defeat to my beloved Dallas Cowboys. AEW now has the opportunity to sell the main event of All In as possibly the end of the greatest in-ring career of all time. That’s a hell of a hook.
The Jeff Jarrett match is a weird one. I’ll talk more about Jeff later, but this is certainly the most relevant Double J has been in 20 years. A Jarrett-style walk and brawl in a way preserves Danielson for the PPV yet I still expect both of these guys to put together a better version of this kind of match than Chris Jericho and Samoa Joe did a few weeks ago.
Grade: A
MJF vs. Will Ospreay
Latest Developments
More promo work from MJF and Ospreay. MJF attacked Ospreay after the match, prompting Kyle Fletcher to come to Osperay’s aid
Analysis
The match between Will Ospreay and Lance Archer was good, but the story here is interplay between MJF and Ospreay. This whole “American title” angle within this story feels unnecessary and burdensome. The point is get him nuclear heat in England – and he’ll probably have it – but the feud suffers in the meantime. People in the U.S. naturally want to cheer anything American, therefore MJF has to work twice as hard to get booed and rely on low hanging fruit as Excalibur pointed out.
Ospreay isn’t doing bad. He showed some nimbleness in how he reacted to the crowd during his promo and guided fans into reacting to MJF appropriately. He also put over the International Title in super-strong fashion which was a clear indication he intends to bring back that title if and when he beats Max at the PPV. He put the title over just as strongly without having to wade through the muck of MJF’s nationalistic persona.
Kyle Fletcher coming to Osperay’s aid was a nice piece of continuity and sets up his departure from the Don Callis Family in the near future. His promo work was his best to date. A match between him and MJF was set up for tonight. It was made a title eliminator match on Collision. In addition to that match MJF defeated Templario in CMLL at Arena Mexico on Friday night and will go to RevPro this weekend to wrestle Michael Oku. Even with its temporary new name, this is the most international the International title has been since Pac held it.
Grade: B+
Toni Storm vs. Mariah May
Latest Developments
Mariah May made Renee Paquette extremely uncomfortable during a sit-down interview on Dynamite before brawling with Toni Storm on Collision.
Analysis
Renee Paquette conducted a sit-down interview with Mariah May questioning why she did what she did to Toni. Mariah was cold and remorseless, sociopathic even. It was perfect. She continues to be the most evil person in wrestling and her evilness made Renee very uncomfortable. Toni responded with an enraged promo on the stage during which she smashed herself in the head with a high-heeled shoe. Her new makeup was distracting, but her intensity was great.
On Collision, Mariah May was scheduled to be on commentary for Toni’s match against an enhancement talent. She did get to clap back at Tony Schiavone which was a nice touch but then Toni, makeup adjusted, made her entrance. Instead of going to the ring, she made a beeline for the commentary table and her former understudy. The two brawled until being pulled apart. Christopher attempted to keep the two apart until Toni leapt from the stage down onto both of them just to get her hands on Mariah.
Toni did eventually get in the ring and make short work of her opponent, but that’s not what really matters. It was on sight with Mariah May, as it should’ve been. It’s exactly the kind of energy this feud demands. Anytime these two are within ten feet of each other, they should need to be pulled apart. Whenever Toni sees Mariah, it should be on sight immediately. This has been hands down the best-built match heading into the PPV and it shows no signs of slowing down. I expect another brawl tonight after Mariah defeats Viva Van.
Grade: A+
Mercedes Moné vs. Dr. Britt Baker
Latest Developments
Kamille debuted in-ring and Mercedes cut a promo.
Analysis
Kamille looked impressive squashing her opponent in quick fashion. Mercedes then took the mic to put over the newest member of Moné Corporation. She then mentioned that the Bucks had suspended Britt Baker (a cover for the real suspension discussed in the housekeeping section). The promo was fine. Mercedes is decidedly better as a heel and Kamille as her bodyguard is a perfect fit. Britt is expected back tonight so the feud won’t lose any momentum. I’m still looking for these two to sling barbs at each other.
Grade: B+
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale
Latest Developments
With the distraction of Stokely Hathaway and the aid of a chain Statlander defeated Willow to earn a shot at the CMLL World Women’s title.
Analysis
The match between these two was pretty good. They have good in-ring chemistry. Statlander stole the win after Stokely slipped her a chain which she used to clothesline Willow while he distracted the referee. After the match, Stat assaulted Willow with a chair. The rubber match has been set up between these two, this time with Willow’s title on the line. I expect to happen at All Out because that show is going to need women’s match
Grade: B+
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Thunder Rosa
Latest Developments
Thunder Rosa defeated Taya Valkyrie and then challenged Deonna to a Texas bullrope match.
Analysis
The match between Rosa and Taya was fine. After the match, Rosa called out Deonna who smugly sauntered onto the stage and boasted about her three wins over Rosa. Rosa then promptly challenged Deonna to the bullrope match. I think this match could be really good. I’m also pretty sure this is the first ever women’s bullrope match. I can’t think of another one off the top of my head. I have sneaking suspicion Deonna’s going to steal another one. I feel like this feud only ends in a steel cage.
Grade: B
Hangman Page vs. Jeff Jarrett
Latest Developments
The rest of Team TNA told Jeff Jarrett he needs to deal with the Hangman Page issue
Analysis
Given the references to “Hangman” Page from Team TNA in Jarrett’s promo and the fact that Okada has an opponent on deck now, it seems clear we’re headed for a Hangman vs. Jeff Jarrett match at All In. As I said earlier in this column, Jeff Jarrett is as relevant as he’s been since the fall of 1999 when he put Chyna over on his way out the WWE door.
I would never have predicted that JefJarrettf would be on the card for the biggest show of the year in 2024. The thing I keep coming back to is Jarrett mostly does his Double J special walk-and-brawl style matches not just because it’s something he’s perfected over his career but because at this point he can’t have a good straight-up match. His previous match with Hangman was built him getting a couple hope spots while otherwise being dominated. Having a competitive match with Hangman seems like more than a 57 year old can handle. All that said, I don’t know what this match ends up looking like and that worries me. As such I still cannot endorse this match.
Grade: N/A
Chris Jericho vs. Hook
Latest Developments
Chris Jericho announced that Bryan Keith will fight Shibata tonight on Dynamite.
Analysis
Mercifully, the Jericho stuff was kept relatively brief this week. He got a short backstage promo in which he talked up his win over Minoru Suzuki and then announced that Bryan Keith would be facing Shibata in his stead. This was just short enough to avoid being irritating. I expect Shibata to beat Keith before being attacked after the bell at which point Hook returns to set up his match with Jericho. Honestly, I just want this feud over already so Hook can move on.
Grade: B-
Bang Bang Gang vs. The Patriarchy vs. House of Black
Latest Developments
Buddy Matthews returned to AEW as the House of Black launched an attack on The Patriarchy
Analysis
Christian opened Collision by presenting Nick Wayne with his Trios Title belt and then instead to Killswitch that he give the other belt to Mother Wayne. Another slap in the face to Killswitch. The House of Black, just Malakai and Brody, then made their entrance. Christian pointed out that they weren’t trio. Lights off, lights on Buddy’s back!
The Patriarchy attempted to escape up the ramp only to be cut off by the Bang Bang Gang. An attempt to run off through the crowd was thwarted by Kip Sabian who tossed Nick Wayne to the wolves. HOB destroyed him and then stared down the Bang Bang Gang. This was great. More seeds were planted for the eventual Killswitch turn. The All In match between these three teams was further established. I also think it’s still possible that Kip finds two partners and joins this match. This is basic A-to-B stuff here.
Grade: B+
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Kazuchika Okada
Latest Developments
Claudio won a three way match over Lee Moriarty and Tomohiro Ishii to earn a shot at Okada’s Continental Title.
Analysis
In-ring, this match between two world class wrestlers will likely be better than anything that was on Summerslam this past weekend. The problem is that there’s no story to support it. Whatever they piece together over the next three weeks will be an admirable effort I’m sure, but it’s not going to change the fact that this match is going to feel like a way to get Okada on the card.
I’m sure that Kenny Omega was penciled in for this match and Tony hoped to have him available in time, but he should’ve pivoted sooner and established something more substantive between Okada and Claudio than just battling for a title that is in my opinion being purposely defended as little as possible so that people don’t think about it.
Grade: N/A
Check out the The All Elite Conversation Club on the PWTorch Dailycast podcast lineup. Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner break down all things AEW. Subscribe free by searching “pwtorch” and subscribing to the PWTorch Dailycast. Send questions and comments for the show to allelitecc@gmail.com.
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW DYNAMITE HITS & MISSES (7/31): Danielson-Swerve exchange, MJF-Ospreay exchange, Toni Storm, Mercedes Mone, Hangman vs. Darby build
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s AEW Dynamite Hit List: Swerve Strickland and Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin vs. Hangman Page, CMLL Women’s Champion Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander in an eliminator match
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