Performance Review – AEW Dynamite (10/14/20)

Overall Evaluation and Achieved Goals

Dynamite’s One Year Anniversary Show featured every AEW Championship being defended along with some other good bits, though I don’t know – it could’ve maybe felt bigger?

Big proponent of any show that ends with Eddie Kingston choking out the World Champ though. “I’m gonna get you, Jon.”

Areas of Excellence Within Performance

FTR had a good down home pro wrestling World Tag Team Titles match with Trent and Chuckie T and Chuckie T’s new tights. This had nasty heel work, good timing, trickery – all the good stuff.

AEW’s greatest attribute may be that despite the inherent ridiculousness of pro wrestling, the people on this show (usually) come off as human beings. “Natural” definitely should not be an attribute I need to call out on pro wrestling TV in 2020, but we are where we are. The way guys like Miro and MJF deliver or react to things makes such a difference to buying in.

For instance: “Good Friends… you break my shit.” Miro! I’m in! His squash match and new feud over a broken arcade game all hit, mostly because of that.

MJF and Chris Jericho bantering had its ups and downs, but before the long talking segment became exhausted in wrestling there was value in guys just doing improv. Jericho was one of those guys that did it.

Cody vs. Orange Cassidy for the TNT Title was great, with quality chain wrestling and build to Orange getting serious along a side story of Cody being more of a dick and taking risks he shouldn’t. Orange’s comeback was tremendous and though the time limit draw while pinned finish is somehow already overused in AEW, there was a reason for this one (Darby) and the timing was wild.

Also, man – JR and Tony Schiavone can get a story across. Probably helps when it’s the boss but still.

Suggested Areas of Improvement

The build-up throughout the show for the Jon Moxley/Lance Archer World Title match didn’t hit for me and came off more cornball than the arcade cabinet stuff. The match itself was alright, but I couldn’t shake how both low-end it would’ve felt in the G1 Climax going on right now AND how low-end it was compared to any old Hogan vs. Monster title defense.

Sammy Guevera‘s promo on Matt Hardy (again!?) was a case of when a guy doesn’t come off as human. “It was me – it was me all along” – yeah OK, do better.

Hikaru Shida vs. Big Swole for the AEW Women’s World Title was neither excellent nor something to be called out for needing improvement, but I’m still waiting for the women’s division to hit and Shida waiting for Swole to hit her live on TV was not a good bit.

Man. I miss real crowds.

My Favorite Things

3. FTR just tossing Chuckie T onto the top rope
2. Tony Schiavone’s delivery of, “…Young Bucks”
1. John Silver reacting to getting thrown out of the TNT Title match

Official Star Rating

3.75 out of 5 Stars

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