SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Here we are again with another go-home show to a PPV. While my preference would be to have fewer PPVs per year to properly build to big events, this is what we had before us to get fans excited and willing to fork over another $50 to see WrestleDream. Let’s see how they did.
HITS
MOXLEY AND DANIELSON
They packed a lot in this show, but there was no better way to start than the brilliant promo by Jon Moxley. I continue to put him up there with anyone in the business right now in getting a viewer to put down their phone and focus on what he is saying. It was chilling at times and dramatic, but made perfect sense in his own warped mind. Combining it with Bryan Danielson’s promo directly afterwards not only gave the viewers a taste of what is to come on Saturday night, but it also promoted Dynamite’s main event, which is very important… to me!
DARBY AND BRODY KING
There is something to be said, especially on a go-home show, to not start with a 20-plus minute match but to build to a PPV event. The first wrestler to be seen by the crowd was hometown-ish guy Darby Allin. I’ve noted before his vast improvement on the mic in recent years, but it’s the way that he talks that impresses me. There is nothing I heard that seemed scripted in any way. He talks like a normal person does. He may stutter or repeat himself from time to time, but that is how normal people talk so it works for me. His use of personal stories made him more relatable and Brody King played his role well.
While this match was quickly put together in the last week, the history between the two, which they smartly highlighted, helps it make sense. Should Darby the “good guy” use a rock against a heel? Perhaps not, but Darby is a crazy person who is out-weighed by 1000 pounds, so it didn’t bother me.
DANIEL GARCIA’S PROMO
I had an issue with the presentation of this segment that you can read below, but as far as Garcia’s promo goes, he did a great job. Garcia is a homegrown guy who has proved he can get over with the crowd. Now that he is re-signed, they can push him and get him an opportunity for the “many” belts in the company. Now is the time to run with him and I hope they are committed to doing it.
JAY WHITE CALLS OUT HANGMAN
It’s funny how you don’t see someone for a while or if they are miscast and then they come out and remind you, “Oh, this guy is, like, really good!” — That was my reaction to Jay White. He looked good in his match and then made me really want to see him take out “Hangman” Page. He has reasons to want revenge and I’m ready to see if he can get it on Saturday.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW…
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QUICK HITS
– The Don Callis trade with Jake Roberts may not amount to much but it is a smart “attention to detail” that AEW has not bothered to worry about in the past. I’m happy they made this all make sense and hopefully the wrestlers involved will be the better for it.
– Hologram and Kommander was a fun Lucha match to watch. It was a nice showcase for them. It was not the cleanest at times, but I felt they more than made up for it with the quantity of amazing athleticism that made you overlook a couple of stumbles.
– Mark Briscoe’s serious demeanor was a perfect next step after Jericho got personal with him last week. If Briscoe came out there with his usual delivery, it would have ruined it for me.
– There were a lot of “teases” in the first 15-20 minutes of the show. From who Jake Roberts got in the trade to Daniel Garcia’s impending announcement, it is a smart way to keep people watching to find out what was coming. Do more of this stuff please!
– The odd Will Ospreay-Don Callis partnership is finally over! I loved the passion from Ospreay as he continues to kill it in every aspect of his presentation. Callis’s family needs a boost so I’m hoping that Takeshita wins the title on Saturday to give them something to make them a factor in the company.
– Wheeler Yuta did not turn on Danielson! Thank goodness they resisted the opportunity to do a swerve for the sake of a swerve. Yuta is starting to get over with the crowd and can be built up into a fiery babyface. Hopefully they have a plan for him after Danielson is gone.
– The main event was fun and properly set up the match with all the stakes on Saturday.
MISSES
ANNOUNCERS LET DOWN GARCIA
Daniel Garcia did a great job showing the passion in announcing he was staying in AEW. The issues for many casual viewers may have been that they had no idea he might have been leaving. The hardcore fans were aware that his contract was up and he had some decisions to make. The announcers needed to bring that up when he arrived at the arena in the earlier segment and then doubled up when he was coming to the ring. Please don’t assume everyone watching knows everything that is going on. I write a column and do a podcast on AEW and sometimes I am not aware of some of the things they talk about.
STATLANDER FLIPS ON A DIME
A couple weeks ago, Kris Statlander had Stokley Hathaway as a manager and was brutally attacking sweet ol’ Willow Nightingale. Now she’s a babyface feuding with Mercedes and Kamille? Hey, I’m all for needing to turn someone for a storyline, but the lack of explanation is an insult to fans who buy into these stories. AEW has improved a lot over the last year when it comes to telling stories, but this is a major miss.
Was this show enough to get more PPV buys on Saturday? I’m not sure. AEW PPV’s always deliver, so I’m sure it’ll be a great show with some great matches and a couple of surprises as well.
Don’t forget to check out the weekly free podcast I’m part of, “The All Elite Conversation Club” that typically drops on Fridays the PWTorch Dailycast lineup. Joel Dehnel and I have a great time breaking down all things AEW! Search “pwtorch” on your podcast app to subscribe. Send questions and comments to allelitecc@gmail.com.
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OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Dynamite results (10/8): Powell’s live review of the Title Tuesday edition featuring Bryan Danielson and Wheeler Yuta vs. Pac and Claudio Castagnoli
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