Performance Review – AEW Dynamite #25 (3/25/20)

Overall Evaluation and Achieved Goals

It is 2020 and my state is on lockdown.

Even during COVID-19, the wrestling show thrives. Maybe not the sports entertainment show. But even with a drone now a full-time character, AEW is doing the wrestling show. It’s got forward movement, angles, wrestling. Plus in JR‘s absence, Cody was doing his best Bill Watts impression as he played both commentator and Host Who Explains Things.

In the last two weeks of chaos, AEW has provided a take on the Wrestling With No Crowd thing that I appreciate: things like wrestlers making up the front row last week, or the conversational commentary from Cody and Tony Schiavone this week that felt like they were sitting in my home, six feet away. There were also an overwhelming amount of 1980s wrestling references, a drone, and human teleportation. This is where it’s at.

Anyways, let’s meet on video moving forward.

Areas of Excellence Within Performance

They lost it a bit as the show went on but Cody and Tony on commentary was an incredible pairing, both low key and ununflinching cheesy. A very good thing would be an AEW studio show with these two hosting. Good ol’ boy Cody announcing Lance Archer‘s debut next week was great, taking in the sweet and scary Jake the Snake promo then reluctantly putting over Archer’s skills before using his VP power to say OK he wrestles next week.

Speaking of VP power, it has not been used poorly at all. Very elite threading of that needle.

Cody waltzing down from commentary to wrestle Jimmy Havoc, Cody chugging a water bottle mid-match, and Cody doing a running clothesline on the ramp all the way from backstage were all a lot better than the actual match.

I don’t know who that mean Nightmare Collective lady was, because manager Brandi Rhodes and especially ring announcer Brandi Rhodes are good at wrestling.

Darby Allin‘s promos are a trip, and his match with Kip Sabian was the most I’ve been impressed by Kip.

Just realized I’ve been spelling Sammy Guevara “Sammy Guevera” – I am dumb. He wrestled Kenny Omega this week in another random Kenny title match where the first 10 minutes seem kind of worthless until things get really cooking. Sammy is good and went along for the ride, but I can’t say he added a different layer to the usual Kenny stuff. The bit with the drawings of Inner Circle guys on the front row seats was good though.

All hail Matt Hardy, who has become not just the most interesting guy in wrestling in the last few weeks but seems to be the only guy who’s gimmick is tailor made for this whole lockdown business. Vanguard 1 visiting a recovering Nick Jackson is everything Matt Hardy wanted, isn’t it? His world is a device for the show, and it’s being used naturally in the main program – for two weeks at least, House Hardy is proven right.

Matt Hardy also seems to be the only guy who is leaning into the whole idea of a wrestling ring being in an empty arena being an opportunity to go full Shakespeare stage play, and he commits so hard that among so many things I’m sitting here completely amped up for a Matt Hardy vs. Chris Jericho match.

Suggested Areas of Improvement

I know you’ve got footage of him beating people in real fights, but you really don’t have to do Jake Hager against Jon Moxley. Seriously.

Everything about Brodie Lee this week, from the monotone vignette to the suit-wearing steak-eating psychopath Digital Short, just did not work for me – brother. Love the man, but this was a miss. Can someone hook him up with some good wrestling gear too? MAN.

Top Plays of the Week

3. Spike Crossrhoades: Jimmy Havoc took that one right on his head.
2. Darby Allin Vignette: I’m not sure I follow, but I like it.
1. Matt Hardy’s Entire Thing: That man is just vomiting bottled up creativity.

Official Star Rating

3 out of 5 Stars

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