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AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
MAY 19, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. AT DAILY’S PLACE
LIVE ON TNT
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
[HOUR ONE]
-The Dynamite opening aired. Then they went to Daily’s Place with Ross introducing the show. “It’s Wednesday night, and you know what that means!” Taz joined in on commentary to create a four-man booth.
(1) CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. MATT SYDAL
Christian’s full ring entrance took place first. He seemed to be soaking up the moment, as he hasn’t a lot of matches in front of a crowd in many years. He continues to do the thing where he holds his hand up to his forehead and looks off into the stands. Christian began with a side headlock, very on brand for him. When Sydal pushed Christian off of him, Christian shoulder tackled Sydal to the mat. Schiavone said this is one of the most important nights in AEW’s tag team history as he hyped the scheduled matches later. Sydal took Christian down with a side headlock. The announcers plugged Double or Nothing weekend including next Friday night’s special episode of Dynamite on TNT plus a Fan Fest on Saturday.
Later Sydal climbed to the top rope, but Christian gave him an uppercut and knocked him off balance. Sydal came back with a meteora for a near fall. A minute later Christian ducked a Sydal kick and snapped him over the top rope. Christian leaped off the top rope, but Sydal ducked him. Sydal climbed to the top, but Christian moved out of his way, then speared Sydal for a near fall. Taz said he’d want anyone other than Christian to win the Casino Battle Royal. They continued back and forth with moves and countermoves until Christian hit a Kill Switch for the win. Christian helped Sydal to his feet and hugged him. Sydal bowed to him.
WINNER: Christian in 8:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good TV match to show Christian can still do what he always has been able to do. Nicely paced, although with the signature slow-build of Christian matches that might not play well with some viewers used to more a high-energy jump-start to the show.)
-Taz yelled at Christian. Ricky Starks walked out onto the stage. Ross asked, “Can we have our show back?” Starks said he is front and center regardless of what people have heard. He said he won’t be on the sidelines. He said they have some business to handle. Taz’s son ran up behind Sydal and gave him an overhead suplex. Powerhouse Hobbs and Brian Cage attacked Christian. Starks smiled in the background at his plan working out well. Hangman Page walked out, beer in hand. He told Starks to hold his beer and he went after Cage and Hobbs. When Page went for a Buckshot Lariat, Cage caught him. Taz’s son ran in and clipped Page’s legs from behind. Cage powerbombed Page. Starks entered the ring and sipped from Page’s beer.
(Keller’s Analysis: Wouldn’t it have been more heelish for Starks to spit out Hangman’s beer after the sip and pretend it was beneath his standards? I’m interested to see Starks in a non-wrestling speaking role over the next stretch of weeks or months as his neck heals. His injury timing is a shame since he was the perfect opponent on Team Taz for Christian at this stage.)
-The announcers hyped The Young Bucks vs. The Varsity Blondes and other scheduled matches and segments.
-A promo aired with Brian Pillman Jr. and Griff Garrison backstage with Julia Hart. Pillman said his dad isn’t the reason he got into wrestling, it’s why he stayed away for so long. He said all he saw growing up was the dark side of the ring. He said The Young Bucks were a couple of good guys and family men who showed him it could be done the right way. Garrison said in September of 2018, he was at a local show and was asked to run The Young Bucks merch table. He said he was so happy to be around them and pick their brains. He said today they’re not the same Bucks he met in 2018. He said they need a reality check, and it’s going to come in the form of them winning the tag titles tonight. Pillman said they won’t stop until they achieve their destiny as AEW Tag Team Champions.
(Keller’s Analysis: Great segment. It was longer than expected, but the stories they told really connected as a reason to root for them and also get to know them a little and how they each have a history with the Bucks that drives them in tonight’s match.) [c]
-A promo aired with Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston. Mox asked Kingston if the Acclaimed are any good because he heard they’re good. Kingston said one is a rapper and the other is the rapper’s friend. (Funny delivery.) They asked if this is a Superkick Party and if they’re invited. Mox and Kingston both said they don’t throw superkicks. Mox said they just want to go break the bricks off those guys because they have to beef up their record in the tag division because TK is all about analytics. Kingston said, “I like that.”
(Keller’s Analysis: These two are so naturally entertaining playing off of each other. Kingston freezing when asked about Anthony Bowens and only coming up with saying he’s “the rapper’s friend” was tremendous. It’s also a little true than Bowens would like. Their derision about Superkick Parties and superkicks was also great.)
-They went to a promo with The Acclaimed next. Anthony Bowens said if they want a shot at the tag titles, they have to go through them. Max Caster said that’s a mic drop, so boom.
(2) THE ACCLAIMED (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) vs. EDDIE KINGSTON & JON MOXLEY
Mox and Kingston came out first. Then Caster rapped to the ring: “Eddie, why are you dressed like it’s ‘o4, you look like a box of Newports. And Mox, you’re out of your element, I’m going to knock you out with this mic like Omega did.” He said Mox’s wife tried to “hit me up for some oral sessions.” Mox’s look could kill, but perfectly understated. Bowens said, “What? She just wanted us on her podcast!” Mox attacked Bowens before the bell and dragged him to the floor for a beating as Kingston took it to Caster. The announcers laughed. Ross said Mox sure set the tone there.
Kingston tagged in Mox a minute in. Mox took it to Caster with stomps in the corner. Schiavone said it’s a joy to watch Mox and Kingston. He said they argue sometimes but they’re good friends. Ross said climbing the tag team division mountain together is a journey. Caster took Kingston off the top rope with a shot to the throat and a dragon screw. They cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
Bowens tagged in and applied a figure-four leglock on Kingston with his arms. Mox broke it up. As the ref scolded Mox, Caster took some shots at Kingston. Kingston broke free a minute later and hot-tagged in Mox, but sold a knee injury as he did so. Mox took out both Caster and Bowens with a clothesline. Mox threw Bowens out of the ring and threw elbows at Caster. Exclibur said he was eating them for lunch. Mox gave Caster a released German suplex and a piledriver. Bowens stood back up on the ring apron, but Mox put a sleeper on him and then dropped him. Caster recovered and superplexed Mox. Bowens then tagged in and landed a Rocker suplex-bodyblock combo for a near fall, broken up by Kingston.
Kingston beat up Caster at ringside as Bowens and Mox were slow to stand up in the ring. Mox applied another sleeper on Bowens before tagging in Kingston. Caster tripped Mox running the ropes to stop a double-team move. Caster threw a chain to Bowens, who wrapped his fist. The ref saw it. Caster picked up a boom box. Mox took it and hit Caster with it. Caster rolled to the floor. Kingston took Bowens down with an enzuigiri. Mox and Kingston finished Bowens with a wheel barrow into a Paradigm Shift. “Wild Thing” played afterward.
WINNERS: Mox & Kingston in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good match. Bowens and Caster looked like they belonged in there with Mox and Kingston in that the moment wasn’t too big for them. They got just enough offense for the purpose of the match, and it was a boom box backfiring that led to the finishing sequence, so they were “protected” a bit. Really smartly laid out and crisply executed match. Mox & Kingston, as Schiavone said, are really fun to watch play off of each other as a team.)
-As Chris Jericho was talking with Dean Malenko, Alex Marvez asked if he’s going to accept the Pinnacle’s Stadium Stampede challenge. Jericho said he’ll find out when everyone else does. He told him not to make the Man of a Thousand Holds upset. Malenko said, “You’ve still got four more than me.” Jericho said he forgot a few.
-Schiavone interviewed Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page in the ring. Scorpio said as a kid, Sting was everything he loved about pro wrestling. He said he was everything good about the business and he wanted to be just like him. “Then something happened,” he said. “Time. You aren’t the man you used to be, and I’m no longer a child.” He warned Sting to step aside or they’ll finish him. Ethan said Sky already showed he can put him down when he put him in a heel hook and made him miss a week. Ethan said he threw Darby down the stairs, and a week later Darby lost the title. “It was a little bit my fault,” he said. Ethan said he’s there to take everything away from Darby. He said he will be the nail in his coffin.
The lights went dark. When they came back on, Sting’s ring entrance video played on the big screen and snow fell. Sting walked out as Schaivone went bonkers. Darby attacked Sky and Ethan from behind with a skateboard in hand as they were staring at Sting walking to the ring. Sting gave Sky a clothesline in the corner, then threw him into the turnbuckle. Sting put Sky in a Scorpion Death Lock as Darby kept Ethan out of the ring with his skateboard. Sky tapped frantically before Sting released the hold. Dark Order walked onto the stage to block Sky and Ethan from returning to the locker room. They had to scurry away using a different route. Excalibur said they have not made themselves very popular in the locker room.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good angle. Sky and Ethan did a good job on the mic. Maybe Ethan yelled a little more than needed for the message he was sending, but overall it set up a satisfying moment for Darby and Sting. I like the idea that Ethan and Sky are being ostracized by a big part of the locker room for their attitude and behavior.) [c]
-They went to a dinner table with The Pinnacle. MJF said sarcastically that Jericho is so funny with his third grade humor. He repeated “the pineapple”and “my jerkoff friend” and “let’s just douse them all in bubbly.” He mock applauded. He said he hopes he laughs himself silly about how great he thinks he is. He said now, though, he’s dealing with someone who always get the last laugh. Dax Harwood said they should be building their legacy by chasing after titles, but instead they have to deal with Jericho. He said after 30 years, he’s still making a mockery of a sport he and his family love. He said last year’s Stadium Stampede was a dog and pony show, but this year they’re in control. He said it won’t be an SNL skit or a rom-com, it’ll be serious. Shawn Spears was upset he didn’t get served wine so he attacked the server. Tully Blanchard calmed Spears down. Spears threw bottle down and shoved the server away. Everyone took a deep breath. MJF said if Inner Circle accepts their challenge, it’ll be their last match “because when you’re in the Pinnacle, you’re always on top.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Good response to last week’s angle. Not sure what they’re doing with Spears, but it’s something. It’s like he’s a hot-head who can snap at small things. MJF and Dax were really good in their delivery here. I am in favor of rebranding Stadium Stampede as an edgier match without the levity and slapstick aspects of last year. We’ll see if they can pull that off. Dax is turning into a real vocal leader of Pinnacle along with MJF.)
(3) HIKARU SHIDA vs. REBEL (w/Brit Baker)
Rebel faked an knee injury in the opening seconds, but Shida didn’t buy it. Rebel did jumping jacks to prove she was just faking it. Shida took control and went right to work on her knee. Shida put on a glove to taunt Baker, then teased applying a Lock Jaw. Baker leaped onto the ring apron. The ref turned to yell at her to get down. Rebel hit Shida with a crutch. She then suplex-tossed Shida for a two count. Shida blocked a kick and then slammed her down on her knee. She transitioned into a stretch muffler for a quick tapout.
WINNER: Shida in 3:00.
-Afterward, Baker curb stomped Shida’s face onto the AEW Title belt. Baker then held it up before dropping it onto Shida’s chest.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good segment. Shida looked strong. Baker built heat for the match-up at the PPV.)
-A segment aired that happened last week of Kenny Omega and Don Callis asking to clear the room. Trent, Chuck Taylor, and Kris Statlander left. Omega and Callis sat next to Cassidy, whose shoulder had an ice bag on it. Callis showed footage to Cassidy of what happened. Omega said they care about Cassidy. He said they need him to sell t-shirts and to be the mascot of AEW, but not challenge for the belt. He said to show they care, the legal team has put something together for him to sign. Callis said sometimes management has to protect wrestlers from themselves. Callis asked him to sign the doc to agree to leave the main event at PPV because he’s injured, but he can have a match against Omega “down the road.” Omega assured him it’s standard boilerplate. Cassidy slowly tore the sheet in half. Omega was dismayed he didn’t even read it. He said, “Oooh, Orange, buddy, pal, let me explain something to you.” He said the powerbomb didn’t go wrong, it just injured him. He said if he gives him the One-Winged Angel, the damage could be worse than the powerbomb. He said he could injure him or his career or even end his life. “And that’s the last thing you’d want,” he said. Callis gave Cassidy another copy and asked him to get some rest and look over it, then sign him. Omega told him he has a bright future in this company and walked away.
(Keller’s Analysis: Maybe the best Omega and Callis segment in AEW yet, or right up there. They were manipulative and it managed to put over their fear of Cassidy as a threat in the process.) [c]
[HOUR TWO]
-Inner Circle made their entrance to Jericho’s song as the audience sang. An “Inner Circle” chant broke out. Ortiz said everyone wants to know what Inner Circle is going to do about The Pinnacle. He said at this point, talk is cheap, so they want to fight. Sammy Guevara said they’re on the same page. He said this will never end as long as The Pinnacle are in AEW. He said they’re not the best, they’re clowns. He said they were flopping around looking like dumb-ass fishes in cheap suits last week. Jake Hager said they don’t have a choice. He said since the beginning of Dynamite, they’ve been the baddest in AEW. He said the consequences of not accepting would make them cowards and mediocre just like them. He said they’re trying hard to be like them. He said they don’t want to be a bunch of school girl bitches like them.
Jericho said they all had a lot to say. He said the Bubbly Bath was designed to get the attention of The Pinnacle because they have their heads up each other’s asses so far, they can’t hear very well. He said the toll that Blood & Guts took on them sticks with them every day. He wondered if was worth it, much less going into a Stadium Stampede rematch. He said they left parts of themselves in the ring that they’ll never back. She said none of them will forget that night. He said he’ll never be the same again because of MJF. He said his arm will get better, but what won’t is the mental image he has of MJF throwing him off the cage. He said it was the most terrifying moment of his career. He said it felt like he was falling for hours and time stood still. He said his head almost hit the back of the stage, and if that happened, it would have been game over for him. He said it scared his family and his children and every single person who watched Blood & Guts.
He asked if it was worth it. He said it ultimately was 1000 percent worth it because it inspired him to knock MJF’s teeth down his throat and break his nose and punch him in the face over and over again. He said the answer is they accept their challenge. They all said “Yes” together. He said if they can’t beat The Pinnacle, then they don’t deserve to be together anymore. He said they’re still alive, and when Santana comes back next week, he’ll show that he’s still alive. He said hell is coming for them on May 30 and they’ll dance all over their faces and piss all over their graves.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really strong segment. They went back to underlining and stressing the violence from Blood & Guts. Like with Dax being the secondary leader on the mic of Pinnacle, Ortiz is becoming the secondary leader on the mic of Inner Circle. I’m still a bit worried about Guevera losing his mojo as a babyface.)
-Schiavone asked Jade if she made her decision. She said she’s tired of repeating herself as she’s her own boss. Mark Sterling interrupted and said he wants to work for her, not have her work for him. She told him to exit left and she’d think about it. She turned to Schiavone and asked, “Who is that guy?”
(Keller’s Analysis: I sense they used this segment to try reconcile the contradition of Jade saying she doesn’t want a manager but she’s open to pitches. This seemed to establish she wants someone to assist her in managing her affairs, but not someone who thinks they’re going to manage her.)
(4) SERENA DEEB vs. RED VELVET – NWA Women’s Title match
The screen graphic noted Deeb has a 15-2 record. Crisp rapid-fire intense back and forth exchanges early. They cut to a break at 2:00 with both women down. [c/ss]
Back from the break, Velvet landed a moonsault onto Deeb off the ring apron on the floor. Back in the ring Velvet rolled up Deeb for a very near fall. Velvet one-arm slammed Deeb. Ross complimented her motor. She followed up with a top rope moonsault, but Deeb lifted her knees. Deeb then gave her a powerbomb into a high stack leverage pin attempt for a convincing near fall. The audience chanted “This is awesome!” Deeb locked on a Serenity Lock mid-ring. Velvet reached for the bottom rope and came close before Deeb pulled her back to mid-ring. She shifted to a figure-four attempt, but Velvet countered with an inside cradle for a two count. Deeb clipped Velvet’s leg from behind, then smashed her knee onto the canvas before locking on another Serenity Lock for the tapout win.
WINNER: Deeb via tapout in 10:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Was that the best women’s match on Dynamite ever? That was really crisp and hard-hitting and told a good story.)
-Backstage Marvez interviewed Pac. He said he has the match he wants now and Omega and Callis can’t do anything about it. He asked Marvez what fool bets against the master.
(Keller’s Analysis: They needed to give Pac some mic time going into Double or Nothing, and he was good here, but it’s not nearly enough to properly elevate Pac to be at the level of challenging for Omega’s AEW World Title at a major PPV event.)
-Schiavone hyped upcoming matches on Dynamite. [c]
(5) ANTHONY OGOGO vs. AUSTIN GUNN (w/Cody, Arn Anderson, Billy Gunn)
Gunn was accompanied onto the stage by his dad Billy Gunn and also Arn Anderson and Cody. Ogogo made his entrance with Q.T. Marshall & Co. Gunn took Ogogo down at the start with a running dropkick. Ross said he likes Gunn’s upside. Ogogo went fast on the attack until Ogogo caught him with the punch to the gut. Ross said it’s an absolutely toxic move. Gunn gasped as the ref checked on him. He stumbled to his feet, but Ogogo then punched him in the gut again. Ogogo had blood splattered on his face because Gunn bled from his mouth, coughing up blood. Ogogo delivered a lift-and-drop punch to Gunn’s chin. The ref called for the bell.
WINNER: Ogogo in 2:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good at establishing Ogogo has lethal hands and he’s sadistic about it. It didn’t show he work a lick otherwise, but I think that’s okay at this point of his push on Dynamite. That said, he’s going into a PPV match against Cody later this month, and it just seems rushed.)
-Afterward, Ogogo held his flag. Cody entered the ring and pointed over at him with a warning to get out of the ring. Ogogo laughed and held up his flag as he walked to the back with his crew.
-Marvez asked Christopher Daniels about a cryptic tweet he posted after last week’s loss saying “That might be all.” He asked what his future is. Daniels shook Kaz’s hand and whispered something to him off-mic, patted him on the shoulder, and walked away. Kaz said he doesn’t have the words to express what that man means to him. He said he lost more than a match last week, he lost something special to him. He said he’s going to hunt down every member of The Elite because of what happened. He said he’s not just blaming Nick & Matt, but also Gallows, Anderson, Omega, Brandon Cutler, and Michael Nakamzawa. He said they will learn about loss and what it feels like to have your heart ripped out of your chest. He said he will have his revenge or will die trying. He said he is a bomb you cannot defuse and a gun you cannot unload.
(Keller’s Analysis: This seemed too heavy from Kaz given the nature of their loss last week. Kaz and Daniels volunteered to break up if they lost, so SCU didn’t come to an end because of The Elite. And all they did was common heel interference to beat them, hardly something as egregious as Kaz framed it here. The vitriolic tone and wording by Kaz should be reserved for something with more gravity and importance within the AEW ecosystem.) [c/ss]
-On split-screen, Guevera held up cue-cards with messages: “Overconfidence precedes carelessness. When you’re The Pinnacle, you’re always… overconfident! And last week you were definitely careless! You made a challenge. You also made a mistake. Only the dead… Truly know the end of war. The Inner Circle is far from dead! This war is far from over! At Double or Nothing, the Inner Circle vs. The Pinnacle, Stadium Stampede II! This time there will be no surrender. We will not be defeated! We have home friend advantage… and some unfinished business. See you on the field, boys.” [c]
-Miro made his ring entrance, looking sinister and serious. They showed a clip of his win over Darby last week. Schiavone wondered how long he would hold the TNT Title, especially with a defense coming up against Lance Archer on May 30. He said first and foremost he wanted to thank Jesus Christ for protecting him, and giving him more strength and power to destroy everybody. He said that’s his talent, but it’s not Darby’s talent. He said he took what Darby said could not be taken. “If you have what I have, it’s done,” he said. He said Darby disrespected him, but now all he has to do is “go home and make another one of your gritty student videos.” He said he is the champ now and next week someone is going to get an opportunity at his title, and he will destroy them over and over again.
Lance Archer walked out with Jake Roberts appearing like he was trying to calm him down. Archer said one year ago he fought Cody for the TNT Title. He said he didn’t leave with it then, but on May 30 he will. He said he’s happy Miro won because they’re going to show the people a fight not seen since Godzilla vs. Kong. “I’m going to make you my Bulgarian Bitch.” Miro said Jake is always holding him back, but he better pray Jake never gets close. “There isn’t enough yoga in the world to save your life if you get close to me,” he said. Miro said that Archer says everybody dies, and he insists it’s him who dies first.
(Keller’s Analysis: Fan-tas-tic. Really good promo that shouts to the masses that Miro is ready to be a top tier player. Using the cliche of athletes thanking Jesus Christ for athletic skills to win a game and juxtaposing that into thanking Jesus for giving him the strength and power to destroy everybody was pretty funny. He’s sly and smart and unhinged, and in this promo showed how he can use his sense of humor in a main event promo way. This was a career highlight moment for Miro and a firm reset of him to a higher spot on the card. He came through here.)
-Schiavone announced that Miro will defend next week against Dante Martin, plus Joey Janela vs. Hangman Page, a Cody-Ogogo weigh-in, a Jade Cargill open challenge, a celebration of Inner Circle, Evil Uno & Sty Grayson vs. Scorpio Sky & Ethan Page, and Darby Allin (w/Sting) vs. Cezaro Bononi (w/Ryan Neneth), a celebration of Hikaru Shida’s one year as Women’s Champion, and Orange Cassidy’s answer about deferring his AEW Title match. Excalibur also announced Sting & Darby vs. Sky & Ethan at Double or Nothing in Sting’s first in-ring match in six years. [c]
(6) THE YOUNG BUCKS (w/Don Callis) vs. THE VARSITY BLONDES (w/Julia Hart)
Callis joined in on commentary. The bell rang 45 minutes into the second hour. Garrison took it to Nick in the opening minutes before Nick tagged in Matt. The Bucks took an early break at ringside. Pillman clotheslined Nick right over the top rope to the floor when he re-entered. He then took control against Matt and settled into an armbar after an armdrag takedown. The Bucks took over a few minutes in. Nick walked the top rope with Matt’s help and leaped onto Pillman on the ramp. The Bucks posed together for the hard camera. They cut to a split-screen break at 3:00. [c/ss]
Pillman hot-tagged an eager Garrison who took out both Bucks as they charged at him. He speared them both. The Bucks retreated to ringside again. He then leaped over the top rope and took both of them down. Back in the ring Garrison scored a near fall after a Pillman clothesline. Nick knocked Pillman off balance on the top rope as he set up a double-team powerbomb finisher. Matt superplexed Pillman into the ring as Nick knocked Garrison hard to the floor.
Pillman made a comeback with two superkicks and scored a near fall on Nick, broken up by Matt. Nick blind-tagged in and applied a sharpshooter mid-ring. Matt sprayed Pillman in the face with an aerosol can of something as Cutler distracted the ref. Garrison superkicked Matt. Nick superkicked him and then distracted the ref by feigning a leg injury. Matt was about to spray Pillman again, but the ref snatched it from him. Cutler tossed him another can, and he sprayed it at Julia Hart’s face. Pillman scored a very near fall with a small package. Matt swept Pillman to the mat and applied a mid-ring sharpshooter. Nick kept Garrison from making the save. Nick gave Pillman a facebuster while he was in the sharpshooter, so Pillman tapped out. Nick backflipped onto Garrison at ringside.
WINNERS: The Young Bucks in 11:00 to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a lot of fun. Pillman & Garrison looked good, like rising stars in the ranks. The Bucks were a polished heel act that’s easy to want to boo.)
-As the Bucks celebrated, Kingston and Mox entered the ring. Cutler bailed out of the ring. They fought, with Mox and Kingston getting the better of the Bucks. Mox put Matt in a sleeper as Kingston cinched on a bulldog chinlock on Nick. The Bucks were out. Mox and Kingston left them lying on the mat as “Wild Thing” played. Kingston and Mox took off the Bucks $1,000 sneakers.
-The announcers hyped the announced matches at Double of Nothing on May 30. Schiavone stressed that the Sting tag match “won’t be a cinematic match, but will be live in the ring in front of the fans.”
FINAL THOUGHTS: Really strong show. No single blockbuster moment, but this is what AEW should aim for three out of four weeks. Good wrestling, strong character development via promos, and just enough pizzazz with the formatting to keep everything interesting in terms of its presentation. There have been shows with better single segments or matches, but start to finish, pretty much every weakness AEW has ever had, this show had an example of it being corrected or improved upon, with the exception being that Kaz’s promo was too heavy-handed and out of proportion to the circumstances, and too many promos included references to killing their opponents. Overall, really good hype for the PPV and a lot to tempt people to watch at the different timeslot and day next week.
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