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Photo courtesy of AEW.
Creating an attractive wrestling television in the COVID-19 era is a difficult challenge. Much of the sport is about winning a crowd reaction, to the point that a good audience can make or break a show.
All Elite Wrestling, for a time, was able to use extras and undercard wrestlers to replace some of that enthusiasm, and a series of new signings helped generate buzz. But those tricks no longer have the same power that they once had.
This week, for the first time in a long time, it seemed that AEW Dynamite had missed the mark. Rather than focus on the talent already at home, he added yet another former WWE mouth to feed Matt Cardona and his wild multi-man extravagance that typically reaches the (high) point that it turns into a total and complete disaster of a departure.
Usually, I leave an AEW show ready to go through a wall, confused about how I’m going to make it to Wednesday for another dose of my favorite fighting drug.
This week?
This week it seemed the tracks were coming off the over-the-top train and AEW could be on the verge of derailing in a glorious and terrible way.
Of course, for two hours, there were many successes. But there were also some big mistakes, big enough that you could feel the wind blowing in on the sofa at home.
We are going to see them, segment by segment, in the “Real Winners and Losers” style of Bleacher Report.
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Photo courtesy of AEW.
I had high hopes for this match. Everyone involved is a veteran of these savage AEW shipwrecks and, to be clear, they are all excellent talents week by week.
But frankly, this sucks.
I’m not one of those fans who cares too much about “sticking to the rules” or “holding the ropes for the label,” but the free-form nature of this match really detracted from the action in the ring. Typically, these matches play out intelligently, providing the pairings and pairings that AEW wants to better stand out from competitors in the ring.
Without the structure of a typical fight, however, there was no narrative to rely on to tell stories, making the entire show seem a bit listless and dazzling.
Towards the end, Luchasaurus’s mask fell off when he was supposed to be in the attack. The match stalled and everyone seemed silly, making it the perfect metaphor for a 15-minute segment that was never spoken of again.
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Tim Crockett photo courtesy of Synergy Pro Wrestling
WARHORSE (capitalized out of respect for an independent legend) had the biggest chance of his life against TNT champion Cody. Either he would rise to the occasion as heroes do, or he would return to the indie scene with a new reputation as a guy who just couldn’t beat him in the big leagues.
Well, rest the fans of independent wrestling: Our boy went to the ring on national television and showed that he belonged to one of the best in the industry.
He didn’t win the match, but he owned the moment, proving that his 38 Independent Wrestling Championship defenses set him up to go head-to-head with anyone in the world.
I’m not sure what’s next for one of IWTV’s stalwarts, but if this is your only cup of coffee, you have a lot to be proud of.
For the second week in a row, a stellar fighter has come to AEW from the dark world of independents and has shown his merit. Perhaps AEW owner Tony Khan and his team could focus their attention there instead of those who leave WWE headquarters after failures in the north? Isn’t this promotion, after all, about change?
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It turned out that WARHORSE’s big moment was quickly overshadowed by AEW’s debut by Matt Cardona, the artist formerly known as Zack Ryder. Years of work on the Indies and a 10-minute battle with Cody were quickly erased so AEW could once again shed a bright light on another WWE castaway.
And, look … I get it.
For AEW, the crowd has long been an unknown hero, so close to the artists that they often feel like part of a large extended family. Replacing that energy has been difficult: the natural ebb and flow replaced by the “surprise signature” in a desperate attempt to keep the base engaged and the ratings where they need to be.
Sometimes, as with Matt Hardy or FTR, the ploy works. Acts that seem to belong in the promotion can provide an injection of adrenaline, even without the roar of the crowd to greet them.
Other times, like Cardona and Ariane’s unfavorable debutants on Wednesday (formerly WWE Cameron), they feel like leap failures, sad attempts to capitalize on the faded glory of New York.
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Photo courtesy of AEW.
Kenny Omega and Adam Page were his regular star characters, combining incredible ring work with the slow-burning story of their eventual breakup. What else is new?
But the real winners here were The Dark Order, AEW’s first notable failure that has been completely rehabbed to the point that it has become one of the show’s most consistent acts. Evil Uno and Stu Grayson demonstrated that they could compete with the best in the world, both in a kayfabe and in a very real sense.
Even better, to me, is the way the group (including alternates John Silver and Alex Reynolds) steals the show weekly. Being the elite“It is not a small task considering the improvisational talent that the show has accumulated over the years.
This is not The Dark Order we envisioned when they debuted on Double or Nothing last year. Is better. And that’s the beauty of wrestling when it’s working well. At best, the genre can still surprise and delight. Personally, I can’t wait to see what Mr. Brodie Lee and his rag group will do.
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Photo courtesy of AEW.
MJF fell out with AEW executive Cody Rhodes, and although he won that battle in the ring, the consequences have not been particularly pretty for the young star.
While Cody went on to glory in the title, MJF has been stuck in neutral, unable to achieve the greatness that seems ordered despite his impeccable record in the ring.
MJF believes he would be a better champion than Jon Moxley, a man who considers little more than a “Stone Cold” Steve Austin scam. And based on your ranking, you should have had a chance to prove it a long time ago. Unfortunately, because he didn’t come from WWE, it takes a little more than mere excellence to make that case.
And apparently MJF is tired of waiting for the phone to ring with a call from the Duval County area code.
Rather than waiting for the top brass to come to the same conclusion he has come to and give him a shot at the title he won, MJF has brought his case to the public, demanding the opportunity to prove himself the best.
“My talent,” he told Moxley, “exceed your tenure, Jon.”
At All Out on September 5, you will have a chance to prove that you are right.
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Ricky Starks, a former independent wrestler and NWA star, has made a big impression on AEW fans. Joining forces with Taz and Brian Cage, he immediately launched into the main event scene.
That’s a good thing when it comes to awareness and branding.
But it can also be a bad thing. Those main event slots have serious expectations for a company like AEW, full of crazies who will do almost anything to reach them.
Last week, Starks attacked Darby Allin from behind. This week, unfortunately, he received the receipt in the form of a dozen thumbtacks embedded in his back. The delivery mechanism? A top rope skateboard.
Wrestling, when done well, is absolutely great, for everyone, in this case, except Ricky Starks. Welcome to the big leagues!
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