SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
HEADLINES
•Tickets for All In: Texas at Globe Life Park officially went on sale Monday.
•Matt Cardona was revealed as Chris Jericho’s challenger for the ROH Title at Final Battle. Perhaps this means that the relationship between AEW and GCW was quickly patched up after some unflattering comments from Effy led Ricky Starks to be pulled from upcoming GCW events.
•The Women’s International Cup Tournament qualifiers continued as Willow Nightingale defeated Serena Deeb in a hard-fought contest. Nightingale will now face Jamie Hayter on Collision this weekend for the right to go to WrestleDynasty. Look for Julia Hart, who has been targeting Hayter of late, to potentially make her return.
•Speaking of WrestleDynasty, NJPW’s David Finlay issued an open challenge for his IWGP Global Heavyweight Title which is being answered by Brody King.
•Bandido’s impending return from a wrist injury was announced via a vignette that reminded me of a Pace picante sauce commercial from the mid 2000s.
INTRO
First things first, I would like to publicly apologize to Fishers, Indiana. I prematurely dismissed them as just another disappointing small town crowd in this column last week and they were anything but. That crowd was loud and reactive to everything.
I hope the crowd in Kansas City is as good as Fishers was last week. Tomorrow is the annual Winter is Coming edition of Dynamite, this time not emanating from my backyard here in Texas but from the home of the SuperBowl champion Chiefs. Anchored by the Continental Classic II (Claudio Castagnoli and Will Osperay could steal the show), an AEW Women’s Title grudge match, and tag team match (playa) featuring the AEW World Champion, this looks like a strong show on paper. Get you a cup of hot cocoa and curl up in front of the TV because if where you’re at is anything like Texas, winter has already arrived.
Jon Moxley vs. Jay White vs. “Hangman” Page vs. Orange Cassidy
Latest Developments
Jay White defeated PAC before being jumped by Mox and the Mechanics leading to a melee during which Orange Cassidy returned and re-inserted himself into the title picture setting up a presumptive fatal four-way.
Analysis
The Jay White vs. Pac match was really good. These guys worked well together. At one point PAC reversed a Blade Runner into a standing Brutalizer. White remained on his feet while in the move until he finally collapsed next to the ropes. Yuta yanked him out the ring, interfering for the second time, and hit a Busiku knee. He tossed White back in the ring. PAC lifted him off the ground and White hit a sudden Blade Runner out of nowhere for the pin.
While the match was very good the aftermath was far more important. Marina Shafir distracted White long enough for Mox to sneak attack him. Mox laid him out with a Paradigm Shift and prepared to walk out when Hangman Adam Page’s music hit. He and Mox engaged in a stare down until a cameraman snuck up behind him and choked him a camera cord. The cameraman revealed himself to be Orange Cassidy. Marina attempted to intervene only to get dumped over the railing. Mox then ate an Orange Punch, a Blade Runner, and a Buckshot lariat leaving the babyfaces and Hangman standing tall for once.
Having someone finally get the better of Mox and Mechanics was good. Getting heat on them is important but the opposition has to get something or else they risk looking totally useless and ineffective and nobody wants to root for that. Nobody loves fatal four ways especially for the world title but this one makes sense. Inserting OC gives Mox someone to pin and protects a future White/Mox singles match for Grand Slam Australia and Mox/Hangman possibly for Revolution. Speaking of Hangman, yes he’s nominally been a heel but realistically he’s only been a heel because he’s been driven to madness by Swerve. I’ve always believed that Hangman was going to have a moment of reckoning where he finally got a grip on himself and stop behaving to erratic and unstable. This feels like the beginning of that.
On Collision Mox came out with his crew sans Claudio, and cut a promo running down all three of his presumptive challengers, culminating by telling Orange Cassidy that if he pissed him off one more time he’d “take him off the board for good”. That of course brought out OC who said that while he didn’t necessarily care about being champion, he cannot allow Mox to continue being champion. He then essentially provoked the four people surrounding him in the ring until Marina whacked him over the back of the head with the Steve McMichael memorial Halliburton briefcase. He was quadruple teamed and then abducted. After a short break the returned with FTR cutting a promo about Fight for the Fallen before they were interrupted by the commotion of Mox and the Mechanics carrying OC into the backstage area, grabbing a funnel and preparing to pour disinfectant down his throat. FTR intervened, running Mox off and saving OC from a horrible fate.
I had one problem with this entire thing. Cutting to break during an abduction and them coming back the next thing on the run sheet instead trying to find out what was happening to OC was silly. FTR could’ve just as easily interrupted and saved OC without having to cut a promo first. That said involving FTR in this story is refreshing. It expands the story and it gives FTR something to do. I suspect this sets up a trios match for Fight for the Fallen with The Mechanics facing FTR and perhaps a returning Adam Copeland, who just happens to live in Ashville these days. I’ve always said this story should have offshoots. The most memorable NWO-related feuds during its golden period were The Outsiders vs the Steiners and Randy Savage vs DDP. It’s not just about the world title feud. This gives the trios champions something to do and gives Copeland something important to do immediately upon his return.
Grade: B+
Check out the latest episode of the “All Elite Conversation Club” with Joel Dehnel and Gregg Kanner, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
Mina Shirakawa vs. Mariah May
Latest Developments
Mariah had a sit down interview with Renee Paquette that was interrupted by Mina. Mina defeated Emi Sakura in hard-hitting match on Collision.
Analysis
Mariah had sit down interview with Renee in which she attempted to rationalize and justify her actions towards her former best friend like any good sociopath would do. She said she makes her opponents work every minute they’re in the ring with her. That’s when Mina burst in, champagne bottle in hand, and told Mariah to do it to her face. She ended by telling Mariah “to make me work” using The Glamour’s words against her.
This short but effective. Mariah was the consummate arrogant, evil sociopath attempting to paint herself as benevolent. Mina was deadly serious and I loved the way she delivered the “make me work” line.
On Collision Mina battled Emi Sakura in what was very physical match. I’m not sure which were stiffer, Emi’s chops or Mina’s kicks.
I have no doubt Mina and Mariah will deliver in ring. I’m just disappointed this feud has seemingly been hurried after being delayed for weeks because of Mina’s availability. This was the feud I was banking on to bridge the gap and potentially be the catalyst for Toni Storm’s return. That doesn’t seem to be the case. Thunder Rosa has positioned herself as the next challenger to whomever wins. My guess is that’s Mariah May.
Grade: B
Mercedes Moné vs. Anna Jay
Latest Developments
Anna Jay defeated Penelope Ford and then challenged Mercedes Moné.
Analysis
Anna Jay had a match against Penelope Ford. It was a competitive effort, that Anna won with her version of the Gory Bomb. Afterwards she got on the mic and called out Mercedes Moné. Mercedes obliged but then dismissed Anna as unaccomplished and not worthy of a title shot. She told Anna to come back after she did something to which Anna responded by slapping Mercedes. Following the segment Excalibur announced that Mercedes will defend the TBS title against Anna next week at Holiday Bash.
Anna vs Penelope was pretty good. I appreciate the pre-match video package used to give bout some context. Anna stepping down to challenge Mercedes after failing to beat Mariah is refreshingly logical. So often in wrestling people fail upwards so this was a nice change of pace. I also appreciate Anna continuing to get a push after she put in the work this year to improve her in-ring skills. I do not expect her to beat Mercedes but this feels like a chance for both of these women to show out.
Grade: B+
Adam Cole vs. MJF
Latest Developments
Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly won the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal. They do battle tomorrow night with the winner earning the right to face MJF at World’s End.
Analysis
Where do I even begin with this feud? The battle royal was filled with ten guys who were just cannon fodder and then Cole and O’Reilly. Them winning was obvious. It made for a very pointless match.
To me a solution for this would be for MJF to stop defending the ring every year and instead a new ring be put up for grabs each year a la BattleBowl. In no other scenario where a ring is a prize, does the previous winner defend the same ring. Even if a team wins the SuperBowl two years in a row they get a different ring for each year. Doing this would prevent these battle royals from being so predictable would make the Dynamite Diamond ring more prestigious as opposed to being a gaudy bauble on MJF’s pinky.
Digressing back to the story at hand, another pre-taped MJF promo aired a little later in the show. At least this one was framed as a message from MJF as opposed to it supposedly being a live response. I would prefer this feud have been put off until MJF could be fully present but they could’ve at least had him film selfie videos with camera so these videos weren’t so produced and insulting to the intelligence.
As far as Cole vs O’Reilly goes, I sincerely hope Cole wins so we can hurry up and get the Cole/MJF match over with.
Grade: C
Swerve Strickland vs. The Hurt Syndicate
Latest Developments
Swerve easily dispatched of Max Caster and made it clear he’s not finished with Bobby Lashley.
Analysis
I’d say Swerve and Caster had a match but it wasn’t a match. Swerve treated Caster the way Snoop Dogg treats a blunt. He absolutely smoked him. He jumped just as he finished his terrible rap, beat him all around the ringside area, and tossed him in the ring to beat him some more. Caster got 15 seconds of offense before hit three successive House Calls for the win. He capped the beat down off with a post-match Swerve Stomp.
This was exactly what it needed to be. The mouthy, annoying, and increasingly unlikable Caster was destroyed by Swerve easily and without difficulty. Swerve looked into the camera and told Lashley they’re not done.
I firmly believe this beating will be the catalyst for Caster splitting from the Acclaimed and joining the Hurt Syndicate. MVP isn’t going to put up with the stupid, offensive raps so I expect Caster to get a complete overhaul and not a moment too soon. I’m interested to see how this story plays out.
Grade: B+
Christian Cage vs. Hook
Latest Developments
Hook challenged Christian Cage to a match at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Christian responded by leading an attack on Hook that resulted in Nick Wayne doing a con-chair-to on Hook’s wrist.
Analysis
Hook cut a short promo mid-ring dismissing Nick Wayne’s challenge for a match at the Hammerstein Ballroom show in two weeks and instead challenging Christian. Christian came out to the ring but it was just a distraction allowing Nick Wayne to jump him from behind. Outnumbered by the Patriarchy, Hook wound getting his wrist conchairto’d.
This was a basic angle. It felt like this story had been backburnered for the last couple weeks, so this was something of a restart. Hook is a man of few words so his promo was wisely short and sweet. The wrist injury gives him something to overcome. I do hope that in the midst of this feud we get a Samoa Joe return because Hook needs backup fighting three guys.
Grade: B
Stay right here and keep the flow going. We think you’ll like to read this next…
RECOMMENDED NEXT: AEW DYNAMITE HITS & MISSES (12/4): Continental Classic, Jay White vs. Pac, Swerve Strickland vs. Max Caster, Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale, more
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Collision results (12/7): Murphy’s review of Kazuchika Okada vs. Kyle Fletcher, Komander vs. Darby Allin, and Daniel Garcia vs. Mark Briscoe in Continental Classic matches
(You can always reach PWTorch editor Wade Keller at kellerwade@gmail.com. You can also send live event results and news tips to pwtorch@gmail.com. Also, we’re always looking for volunteer contributors to help us round out of coverage of the pro wrestling scene.)
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.