By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite Hits
Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay: The match looked great on paper, and it delivered. It took some time for the crowd to wake up. It started with a lack of buzz when the bell rang. It seemed to take a look from Swerve to elicit some “holy shit” chants and even then it sounded like they were coming from a small number of fans. The fans eventually fired up to some extent, but if you had closed your eyes and listened, you wouldn’t have thought this was a match involving two of the company’s top stars. Both men have drawn great crowd reactions, so perhaps the crowd was a little flat because they are both babyfaces, and the stakes were low. Either way, the loudest the crowd got was when the bell rang, and they booed because the match was declared a 30-minute draw. That said, the finish was perfectly logical given the wrestlers involved and because they are likely going to be working as a team soon. Speaking of which, the post-match angle was fine in terms of presumably setting up Swerve and Ospreay vs. The Young Bucks for All In Texas.
Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega video package and contract signing: A video package?!? But what about the sickos who will supposedly change the channel if they’re not getting matches, matches, and more matches? Anyway, this was the best and most necessary video package the company has produced. The contract signing segment was solid, and I like the idea of Okada joining forces with Don Callis. Omega and Callis have a lot of history, and Callis can handle the mic work for Okada and ideally sell the match in a way that neither Okada nor Omega can. Here’s hoping that Okada will wake from his AEW hibernation and put together a match that lives up to lofty expectations.
The Death Riders attack Hangman Page: My God, I can’t wait until Jon Moxley loses the title and his lame white t-shirt brigade disbands. Putting that aside, the spot with a duct-taped Page headbutting Moxley was strong, and this ultimately put heat on the heels. It seemed like Page teasing that he was going after the Death Riders was a nice hook for same-night revenge, but then they just moved on and never looked back.
Mistico vs. Blake Christian: A soft Hit for a solid showcase win for Mistico, who has yet to show AEW television viewers why he’s so highly regarded in Mexico. It was impossible not to recognize El Hijo del Vikingo as something special when he appeared on AEW television, but the only thing making Mistico stand out from most of the other luchadores is the broadcast team telling us how good he is. Mistico hasn’t been bad in AEW; he just hasn’t been special. Hopefully, Mistico will stand out more when he’s on his home turf against MJF on next week’s Grand Slam Mexico show.
AEW Dynamite Misses
“The Hurt Syndicate” Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MJF vs. Mascara Dorada, Kevin Knight, and Mike Bailey: A minor Miss. MJF snatching the mask off of a luchador heading into his match with Mistico at Arena Mexico is cliche, yet effective. But what was the point of having Bailey take the loss if they want to set up him and Knight as challengers to the AEW Tag Team Titles? Sure, MVP hit Bailey with a cane. That’s an out for Bailey, but the problem is that he and Knight haven’t been pushed strongly enough to feel like credible challengers. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to have Knight or Bailey get an upset pin on one of the AEW Tag Team Champions.
Anna Jay and Tay Melo vs. Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford: A minor Miss. Sure, they swapped in Melo for the injured Harley Cameron, but it still feels like this feud has run its course. The formula is obvious in that either Bayne wins the match for her team or Ford takes the loss. On a positive note, it’s cool that Melo shook things up by returning with a new look.
Omega bleeds from his mouth from his diverticulitis, and that segment is a hit?
Good lord, what the absolute fuck were you watching?
Was the fake blood hokey? Yes. Was it enough to ruin the overall segment with Don Callis getting involved, the title unification announcement, and the video package (finally)? Not for me. Did you actually watch this time? Or is this like that stretch where you bashed the show every week, as always, and then outed yourself by asking about Adam Page’s hairstyle change as if it had just happened even though he had changed it weeks earlier?
I’m one who only saw the fake blood spot, I never watch Aew anymore. I’d just say it mustve been a really good segment to overcome the unintentional hilarity of Omega selling the fake blood nonsense. It looked like one of those bad 80s horror movies.
It was absolute dogshit from start to finish and Kenny bleeding out of his mouth rectum was the red icing on the cake.
Miss: 4 hours
Hit: Getting a rare Saturday night off.