SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
HOUSEKEEPING
• It was announced via onscreen graphic that Grand Slam Australia will be TV special taking the place of Collision on February 15th and will air on tape delay. It does make it feel a little less special but it is what it is.
• Megan Bayne debuted in the women’s Casino Gauntlet match. A standout in Stardom, Bayne looked good during her time in the match. If I was TK, I would build Bayne up to eventually dethrone Mercedes Moné. Because she’s not a widely known quantity to majority of the audience it makes the most sense to have her win the secondary women’s belt first.
• Taz returned to commentary full-time after his storyline attack by Christian (and real-life knee surgery). Thank goodness too because the announce desk wasn’t the same without him.
• According a shocking but none too surprising reporting from PWTorch editor Wade Keller, Dr. Britt Baker might be effectively done in All Elite Wrestling. Baker has a long history of friction within the women’s locker room of AEW and a perception that is too big for her britches. There’s also the fact that from an in-ring talent perspective, the division has passed Britt by. Unfortunately for Britt that makes her expendable. Quoting last week’s VIP-exclusive Wade Keller Hotline podcast: “The belief is that Tony Khan is fed up enough he’s just gonna focus his TV time on others.” That likely means Baker will be relegated to the “Do Not Call” list rather than being released, not that I think Triple H would or should be interested in her.
INTRODUCTION
Dynamite returns to the great state of Tennessee for the second time in three weeks tonight. There’s a title match, a grudge rematch, and a hugely important promo all on deck. I expect this to more of a building block show than a blockbuster show but it will be a welcome distraction from the world and don’t we all need that these days?
Jon Moxley vs. Adam Copeland (4 weeks)
Latest Developments
Jon Moxley successfully defended his AEW title against Powerhouse Hobbs before turning his attention back to Adam Copeland.
Analysis
The Mox vs. Hobbs match was perfectly fine although it did get unexpectedly bloody when Hobbs ripped the earring out of Mox’s ear. The problem was this match suffered from the fact that the outcome was such a foregone conclusion. It served as a weird detour, not totally of Tony Khan’s own making, from the primary story which is between Mox and Copeland.
That story retook center stage on Collision as part of the bizarre 12 man tag. I say bizarre because Mox and the Mechanics teaming with Chris Jericho and his cohorts was more than strange bedfellows. The Learning Tree is antithetical to everything Mox and the Mechanics stand for. Them teaming at all was questionable decision forced by the choice of having Rated FTR feud with The Learning Tree at the same time as they’re feuding with Mox and the Mechanics. At the very least Mox, Wheeler Yuta, and Claudio Castagnoli did a good job giving off a vibe of not wanting to associate with them.
With all of that said, the match was fine. 12 men is just too much for any tag match quite frankly.
There were seemingly two goals within this match: move the Mox/Copeland story forward and give Hobbs some shine back. When it came to the former, Mox and Copeland didn’t square off until late in the match. The fight between the two was in the ring for a couple minutes before it spilled out of the ring. Copeland was attacked by PAC. A black cloth blindfold was placed over his head and they attempted to carry him out of the arena. They didn’t get far before Cash Wheeler intervened. Dax joined in the fight and all six men brawled out of the arena.
That left the Outrunners to battle all three members of The Learning Tree which brings me to the other goal of the match. Hobbs was taken out prior to the match by Jericho and his stooges. That allowed him to make the heroic comeback and eventually score the win for his team.
This week on Dynamite, Copeland and PAC go one-on-one. The match should be pretty good and hopefully this returns the focus fully to Copeland as the title challenger. I that feud will be good even if it’s not the sexiest option.
Grade: B-
Kenny Omega & Will Ospreay vs. Don Callis Family (2 weeks)
Latest Developments
Kenny Omega defeated Brian Cage in his first Dynamite match in 14 months before he and Will Ospreay fell victim to an attack from the DCF.
Analysis
Kenny made his triumphant return to action in AEW opening last week’s Dynamite against Brian Cage. Omega was as crisp as ever. He really didn’t look like he missed a step. Cage got more offense than perhaps he should have, but I do think it’s reasonable to make him look like some kind of threat. The match only went eleven minutes and once Omega regained control he never relinquished it. Him getting Cage up for a One Winged Angel was impressive. After the match Omega was swarmed by Lance Archer and Kyle Fletcher. That brought out Will Ospreay for the save again. Omega and Ospreay nearly had control when Konosuke Takeshita returned to once again tip the odds in favor of the DCF. The segment ended with Fletcher and Takeshita laying out Ospreay and Omega respectively.
This was well done. Omega got a star-worthy entrance complete with his awesome new music. He looked sharp in the ring and beat Cage in a reasonable of time. The post-match was the most important thing though. Once again Ospreay came to Omega’s aid. This time though the numbers were too much and the DCF got their heat back which is important because they need to feel like a big deal, like true credible threats.
On Collision, a pre-tape aired in which Ospreay called Omega out for a chat on Dynamite. The importance of this forthcoming summit between Ospreay and Omega cannot be understated. There’s a lot of history between these two that needs to be addressed. They need to publicly set aside their differences to battle their common enemy. The two best wrestlers in the world uniting officially will be an exciting moment. The eventual tag match of Ospreay & Omega against Fletcher & Takeshita will be fantastic.
Grade: B+
Mariah May vs. Toni Storm (14 months)
Latest Developments
Toni Storm won the women’s Casino Gauntlet match earning the right to face Mariah May at Grand Slam Australia.
Analysis
Toni Storm was the seventh entrant and wound up being the final entrant in the match. She secured the victory with a small package on Julia Hart.
The match was too short. It needed five to eight more minutes. That said, Toni winning was the expected and only logical outcome. Now this next chapter of the Toni/Mariah story can start moving forward. Based in her reaction on commentary Mariah seems to have bought into Toni’s amnesia routine which makes sense given Toni’s history of mental health issues. I don’t think she will look foolish when Toni reveals it’s been a ruse the whole time. That could be as soon as this coming Saturday on Collision live from Jacksonville when the two are scheduled to have a face-to-face “first time” meeting.
My only question now is does Toni actually win the title in Australia given that Grand Slam was revealed to he a TV special airing on tape delay and Tony Khan is known to be somewhat skittish about doing major title changes on taped shows.
Grade: B
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Dynamite: CLICK HERE (or search “wade Keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart (8 weeks)
Latest Developments
Jamie Hayter and Julia Hart did battle briefly during the women’s Casino Gauntlet match. Ahead of Collision it was announced that they would be having a rematch this week on Dynamite.
Analysis
Jamie had been in the match for a few minutes when Julia Hart began to make her entrance. She immediately confronted her in the aisle and the two took to fighting. Hart attempted to mist Hayter, but Hayter threw Harley Cameron into the path. On Saturday, prior to Collision, the Hart/Hayter rematch was announced. Later that evening on the show Julia Hart defeated Harley Cameron. While Harley has been steadily improving in the ring this was instance where I feel like she should’ve been squashed to make Julia look strong ahead of Wednesday.
Speaking of Wednesday, I find it strange that this rematch was made without a ton of buildup. Jamie could’ve at least confronted Julia after the match on Collision to set up the rematch. That would’ve at least given the story some depth. Instead we have what we have. I expect Jamie to get her win back and set up a rubber match between the two probably with some kind of stipulation.
Grade: C+
“Hangman” Page vs. Christopher Daniels (4 weeks)
Latest Developments
Hangman Page soundly defeated Christopher Daniels in what was reportedly “The Fallen Angel’s” final match.
Analysis
Hangman Adam Page battered, brutalized, and bloodied Christopher Daniels is what was effectively a Texas Death Squash match. Hangman utterly dominated the match although Daniels did get a couple hope spots off of an Angel’s Wings and a piece of a barbed wire table assisted BME. Hangman quickly recovered and savaged Daniels, finishing him off with one of the damndest Buckshots right to the back of the head. After the match he came back and hit him with the Angel’s Wings, leaving himself face down in a crimson heap.
The fact that this feud escalated to an immediate Texas Death Match still makes little sense to me. That notwithstanding, Hangman looked like an absolute killer. CD was just no match for him and that’s exactly the way it should’ve been. Daniels is a legend but he’s not a legend at that level. If this truly was Daniels last match then I think it’s important to thank Daniels for 31 years of service to the professional wrestling industry, putting his body on the line for the entertainment of us, the fans. He went out making his opponent look like a million bucks. The only thing I would’ve changed is I would’ve stayed with the aftermath longer and actually done a full stretcher job to sell the gravity of what happened as “The Fallen Angel” is wheeled off into the sunset.
As for Hangman, he’ll be able to brag that he retired Daniels but I’m not sure exactly where he goes from here. He could reinsert himself into the title picture but with Mox as a heel that doesn’t seem like a wise booking idea. Maybe he goes back after Jay White, who’s circling the title scene himself, and sets up a rubber match of this most recent trilogy for the Australia show.
Grade: A-
Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet (6 weeks)
Latest Developments
Swerve returned to seek revenge on Ricochet after the scissor attack two weeks ago.
Analysis
Ricochet came down to the ring to cut a promo. The Cincinnati crowd bathed him in boos and “whose house” chants. Ricochet milked them for a couple minutes before finally uttering one sentence: “A picture is worth a thousand words” and pointing at a photo of himself standing over a bloodied Swerve. That’s when Swerve’s music hit. Ricochet readied himself only for Prince Nana to sneak in from behind and nail him with a chair. That allowed Swerve to make his way to down to the ring, chain draped over his neck. Ricochet escaped the ring, running not just into the crowd, but out into the snowy Ohio night to get away from Swerve.
All of this great. Ricochet got really good heat and he milked it for just the right amount of time. He kept his talking to a minimum which is always a smart move. Nana got a good pop for getting even with Ricochet with the chair and Swerve got great pop while coming off as serious and menacing. The most surprising thing was that their showdown was scheduled for February 5th in Atlanta as opposed to Grand Slam Australia. I can’t say that I understand that decision but the match should be very good.
Grade: B+
Hurt Syndicate vs. Private Party (3 weeks)
Latest Developments
The full Hurt Syndicate including MVP defeated Private Party and Mark Briscoe in a trios match. The Hurt Syndicate challenged Private Party to a tag team title match.
Analysis
The Hurt Syndicate battled Private Party & Mark Briscoe in a trios match on Dynamite. The match, quite frankly, wasn’t very good. Mark Briscoe and Private Party were an odd pairing and MVP is much more effective outside the ring as a manager than inside it.
On Collision a post-match promo aired in which MVP challenged Private Party to a title match on behalf of Lashley and Benjamin. The match was made official shortly after. Honestly this is for the best. The sooner the belts come off Private Party, the sooner the division can be reset. It already feels like it’s being restocked with the likes of Murder Machine, Brody King & Buddy Matthews, and a refocused Gates of Agony amongst others. Putting the Hurt Syndicate atop it will give it the focus and credibility it’s been lacking for a year.
Grade: B
Christian Cage vs. Hook (12 weeks)
Latest Developments
Hook defeated Christian by DQ; Samoa Joe returned to save Hook from a beating by the Patriarchy
Analysis
Hook finally got his one-on-one match with Christian Cage and for the first several minutes, he was dominating. Christian took over after tripping him and sending sprawling back first onto the steps in a wicked bump. Eventually Hook regained control and attempted to lock on the RedRum. Eventually he succeeded by jumping onto Christian’s back from the second rope. That’s when Christian waved in Kip Sabian and Nick Wayne for the DQ. The Patriarchy triple teamed Hook. Once Nick Wayne went for the chairs, Taz stood up at the desk and feigned getting involved until Joe’s music hit. The Samoan Submission Machine hit the ring and cleaned house.
The match was good, the finish was what it was. My guess is that it was an attempt to protect Christian a bit while he has the contract. Joe’s return was welcomed sight. He’s been missed. His team with Hook was just getting going when he was written off to go film the second season of Twisted Metal. I’m glad to see it continue. Hook can benefit greatly from being aligned with Joe. Joe will make his return to the ring on Dynamite when he battles Nick Wayne. I hope Mother Wayne has paid the premium on her son’s life insurance policy because I don’t like his chances.
Grade: B
MJF vs. Jeff Jarrett (2 weeks)
Latest Developments
MJF and Jeff Jarrett had a back and forth rambling promo that ended in a pull-apart brawl.
Analysis
Two weeks ago MJF and Jeff Jarrett had a promo segment following the men’s Casino Gauntlet match. It was short and to the point. Last week’s promo unfortunately did not follow that pattern. Jarrett just came down to the ring and was quickly interrupted by MJF. MJF slung a bunch of unoriginal insults at Double J who let them roll right off his back. He responded by turning the tables on MJF and slinging a bunch of insults his way, although in Jarrett’s case it was done more to prove a point. Jarrett finally got serious and told MJF that MJF was scared of being a one-hit wonder and that he was trying to go about winning the title in the lazy way.
MJF got angry and started blistering Jarrett verbally, saying he didn’t need his daddy or his own company to be a top guy. He talked about getting screwed out of his title and having his reputation dragged through the mud. He balked at the idea that he’d have to wait in line behind Jeff for a title shot. He called him a “carny succubus” and said he was leeching off Owen Hart’s memory. That finally caused Jarrett to snap. A pull-apart ensued until Karen Jarrett came out and MJF pulled her in front of him in order to escape.
Where to start with this calamitous segment. First of all, there was no set up for this entire thing. Jeff came out unadvertised. There should’ve been some kind of reason for this segment to happen. MJF’s opening salvo was his usual imitation Don Rickles routine.
The problem is the routine is tired. It’s not funny. It’s not provocative. It’s just cheap heat. That’s why I didn’t have an issue with Jeff being unbothered. Why should anyone be riled up by such predictable, uninspired cheap shots? In his response, Jeff was trying to show Max that he could do the same schtick.
Problem is, it was even less funny and more rambling. This entire verbose segment would’ve been exponentially better if MJF had edited out his insult routine and thus Jeff’s response to that was cleaved out. That would’ve shaved off at least five minutes that could’ve been diverted to the women’s Casino Gauntlet match and left the promo more intense and punchier.
I see the value in this feud if, and only if, MJF retires Jeff in the end. That’s where the heat is. Building Jeff up and having MJF crush his dreams and end his long career. Jeff Jarrett is not a legacy act that people want to see get a run with the title. There’s no value in that. Yes, MJF revealed that Jeff’s contract is only for a year but that doesn’t mean Jeff’s story needs to go that long. Retire him at Revolution and give MJF something to brag about.
As far as getting to Revolution goes, they’ve got some work to do to repair some of the damage done by this segment. It may come down to MJF doing something or causing something to be done to Karen. That coupled with the judicious use of Jeff’s friendship with Owen Hart will, I think, help bolster the crowd getting behind him. It seems like Dustin Rhodes, who gave Jeff a pep talk last week, could find his way into this. MJF beating up an even more beloved legend would certainly be one way to get heat.
Grade: B-
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.