Overall Evaluation and Achieved Goals
This was a quality follow-up to AEW Revolution, and the quality follow-up is shockingly rare in pro wrestling.
Areas of Excellence Within Performance
Revolution’s big angles and results got natural extensions: Cody is depressed, MJF is talking shit, Hangman is drinking, Omega is absent, Darby is rising, Cassidy is trying, and the Jericho/Moxley feud is just… continuing.
I’m not in love with all the heels joining a group, but there are a lot of different subplots to play with now: The Inner Circle is established, Dark Order is lurking, and Death Triangle (?) and Dark Side (!?) are about to figure out what they are.
Hangman Adam Page gently putting his drink down before throwing hands was pitch perfect wrestling.
Jake Roberts returned to wrestling TV and cut a phenomenal promo on Cody that both kicked off a new angle and once again affirmed the wrestling genius that is Jake the Snake. “Never turn your back on a man you respect or are afraid of,” he concluded, as he TURNED HIS BACK ON CODY! Screw Jake having a client, give me Jake vs. Cody.
MJF‘s follow-up promo to the Cody match was strong too, a fine mix of 1980 cosplay mixed with 2020 relevancy.
The follow-up to Revolution’s Orange Cassidy/PAC match was perfect, as PAC wrestled Chuckie T which led to Orange standing up to PAC like a babyface badass then getting laid out by PAC and The Lucha Bros (THE DEATH TRIANGLE) for big time babyface sympathy. Loved how they positioned Orange as THE guy to feud with here – The Best Friends are cool but this is Orange Cassidy’s world.
Chris Jericho is still just doing it as a promo. Got people to chant YOU SUCK ASS at him this week.
Big Swole squashed The Librarian, and considering how low the bar is for the marketing of the AEW women it was a very exciting development. Dr. Britt Baker was good on commentary too, and is teetering on this wonderful line of heel dickishness mixed with deliberate laziness, where she’s almost annoyed that she has to enunciate.
I should also mention Darby Allin.
Suggested Areas of Improvement
Hope commentary never tells me that “they” like Hangman Page because “they” can relate to him ever again.
Even with a bunch of guys I like, still do not care about Orange & Best Friends vs. PAC & Lucha Bros.
YoungBucksBook.com
Top Plays of the Week
2. Hangman Page’s Save: At this point, The Elite is simply over by association with this guy.
1. Jake the Snake: Nailed it.
Dumbest Things of the Week
2. Dark Side/Dark Order: I’m into Dark Side because of Jake the Snake but it seems pretty common sense to not name something that when you have The Dark Order right over there. That’s easy, right? Or is it me who is wrong?
1. YoungBucksBook.com: Respect the hustle, but it’s a little over-the-top especially with the cover where they are looking down at their dicks.
Official Star Rating
4 out of 5 Stars
