SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Coming off a solid week of shows, Dynamite presented Winter is Coming from Kansas City this week and it’s usually a show that stands out in a good way. The card was promising and hopefully there were some memorable moments. Let’s see how they did.
HITS
DISSENSION AMONGST THE FACES
It was a strong opening match between Jon Moxley & Pac and Orange Cassidy & Jay White. The drama was there. The fans were into it. The story being told is that the partners and allies are not a solid unit and have selfish reasons for going after Moxley and the Death Riders. Hangman Page continues to be unhinged and he ruined it for the “good guys”. It is a clear story of the guys having to come together for a single goal of knocking off Moxley for them to have any chance and they aren’t quite there yet. Wheeler Yuta getting some major heat from the crowd is a good sign for him.
I also enjoyed the follow up from Moxley. He crushed it again and proved he is still the best promo in any company right now. The best part for me was Moxley was the one who offered up the 4-way match at World’s End. Usually you’d think, why would the champion make it tougher on themselves, but he set it up perfectly and called it “giving them a gift”. This was a great segment.
OSPREAY VS. CLAUDIO
It was a match with stakes. The fans were very much into it. And it was Will Ospreay and Claudio Castagnoli. What more could you want?? There were great moves, a good story, and the commentary added a lot to it. Ospreay was able to get the leverage pin and Claudio predictably attacked him afterward leading to Darby Allin’s appearance to save Ospreay a beating.
RICOCHET VS. BRODY KING
I thought this match was right up there with the Ospreay-Claudio match as far as the best on the show. I’ll discuss the finish below, but these two really worked well together and while it seems Brody will end up coming up short again in this tournament, he really has proven he deserves a push to at least a midcard title and to get away from the House of Black group that seems to be stuck at a certain level due to whatever has been going on with Malachi Black. As for Ricochet, I love the slow move to a heelish lifestyle as the fans haven’t gotten behind him enough as a babyface, so having him lean heel and perhaps join the Hurt Syndicate is a great idea.
DARBY ALLIN
I know Darby is not for everyone, but I thought he took a major step forward on the show with his sitdown with Tony Schiavone. He is a great character for fans to get behind. He is also a lunatic. There have been other wrestlers in the past who did things to make themselves bleed like The Sandman, but Darby is completely different in that he can articulate himself and explain why punching himself in the face and bleeding means nothing to him. He is the mascot of AEW in a great way. I see the company getting behind him as long as he can keep himself healthy! This was an example of character development that should be a blueprint for the rest of the company.
MARIAH MAY
First, great job by AEW making this the main event. It was an easy call in my mind, but they showcased this match, and Mariah, by putting it in the spot they did. Mariah is one of the few wrestlers in the company that has really made themselves a star. She continues to have all the attributes you want. I loved the chemistry with her and Mina in the match and while not everything was perfectly executed, you can see a big difference with two experienced wrestlers going at it. The match quality stood out.
It was awesome to see Toni Storm return and in her old gimmick as well. She’s another star that immediately upgrades the entire division. I did have a major problem with the end of the show that is elaborated on below.
QUICK HITS
– I’m torn between the cheesiness of the Bandido video package and liking the fact they are putting in the effort to make his return a big deal. If they follow through with giving him a major push, it will be worth it.
– I enjoyed Hook getting some revenge on Christian in the suite. The segment was set up well and while Hook doesn’t get the reaction he once did, I felt this was a good step for him as it was an intense fight between the two before Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian showed up. Tony Schiavone certainly enjoyed it!
– Can I make it a “quick hit” that we finally are going to get the Cole-MJF rematch so they can then go their separate ways into better programs? Ok, good.
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)
MISSES
COLE-O’REILLY-MJF
After weeks of build, I still don’t fully understand why Kyle O’Reilly is so upset with Adam Cole. Cole wasn’t the one who injured Roddy Strong. And Strong was slotted as a babyface for about a week before we were supposed to feel sorry for him. Cole has looked weak since his return and really needs to move on from this program. In addition, after weeks of frustrating videos sent in by MJF, they bring him back to the building to walk out of a car and do a 30 second run-in? You have to come up with some better stuff for a guy who is supposed to be a standout in your company.
CONTINENTAL CLASSIC FINISHES
Too many of the Continental Classic finishes are being done to protect the losing wrestler. When done sparingly, it’s fine, but there is nothing wrong with one wrestler being the better man that night. I don’t need Brody hitting his head on the exposed turnbuckle. It’s okay if he loses. It can motivate him to be better next time out.
GET THAT S^#$T OFF MY SCREEN!!!
So, the takeaway of this episode of Dynamite was the return of Toni Storm. We hadn’t seen her since August. She supposedly retired. Then after a great main event, you hear her music and out she comes with her old look. What a moment! SO WHY ARE YOU PUTTING ALL THOSE ANNOYING GRAPHICS PROMOTING FUTURE SHOWS/MATCHES ON MY SCREEN????
They mentioned the upcoming matchups and shows countless times throughout the two hours. Do you really need to draw attention away from a huge return by putting them up there again? I’ve worked in TV for 30 years and the worst thing you can do when you want to accentuate a big moment that won’t last long, is to have something else on the screen drawing your eyes away. It’s TV 101. Please do better!!!
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.
Stay right here and keep the flow going. We think you’ll like to read this next…
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: AEW Dynamite results (12/11): Powell’s live review of Jon Moxley and Pac vs. Jay White and Orange Cassidy, Mariah May vs. Mina Shirakawa for the AEW Women’s Title, 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.)
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