Performance Review – AEW Dynamite: Winter is Coming (12/2/20)

Overall Evaluation and Achieved Goals

Headlined by Moxley/Omega II, Winter is Coming was promoted as the biggest episode of Dynamite yet. Between the branding approval of Game of Thrones, surprise appearance of contracted AEW employee Sting, and on paper one of the biggest possible championship matches in COVID America, I can’t say it wasn’t.

I love the wrestling and I think the people driving AEW do too. Big fan.

Performance: 4.0 / 5.0 (Excellent)

Areas of Excellence Within Performance

I’m going 9-5 with a family in the middle of COVID-19 so the time spent watching wrestling tends to be on a delay. Through the magic of a sleepy child and virtual book club, I found myself watching this live and when that crow appeared on the video screen and Sting emerged to save no less than Arn Anderson, Cody and Dustin Rhodes my leg started twitching with a nostalgia bug of excitement I haven’t genuinely felt since that time Shane McMahon returned to WWE TV.

Tony Schiavone crowing “It’s STIIIING!!!” was the closest this Tony Khan fever dream came to feeling like it was 1998 and the world didn’t feel like it was burning even if it probably was back then too. What is old is new again and no matter the role, this was awesome. I loved how AEW made sure to capture each individual show down with Arn, Cody, and finally Darby Allin to setup 3 interesting scenarios. So good.

Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega for the AEW World Title was the kind of wrestling match you don’t see often these days, one where the in-ring work is so just FINE but it still works because its’ a match of two well-promoted wrestling stars.

I liked the vibe of Mox not there to play with Kenny’s style, all broken down and brawling all over the ring before Kenny revved it up which felt like a big deal. You’ll need to give me a week or two to process Don Callis helping Kenny win the title and plugging Impact Wrestling on AXS TV as the next piece in this journey, but if you’re going for a chaotic 90s wrestling TV type of ending this was all tremendous.

AEW used this presumably high-rated show to showcase new characters, from the Dynamite debut of The Acclaimed (tell me more about The Acclaimed) to an organic re-introduction of The Hybrid2 to “Legit” Leyla Hirsch almost tapping out Britt Baker.

Once the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royale whittled down it was good to see AEW knows where the money is: Hangman Page flirting with Dark Order, Jungle Boy/Sammy Guevera/Wardlow get focus, and big time draws Orange Cassidy and MJF win the match.

Love how Jim Ross keeps calling Wardlow a future AEW World Champion too – he doesn’t say that for anybody.

Suggested Areas of Improvement

The Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royal was too busy for a while, poor form on the day we lost Pat Patterson – the Mox reference later was choice at least.

Masked wrestling fans singing Fozzy in the cold before Chris Jericho heaves through near falls is beginning to lean more sad than impressive – beware.

“Legit” Leyla Hirsch should’ve tapped out Britt Baker.

My Favorite Things

3. The Acclaimed
2. Sting
1. Whatever weird stuff AEW is doing right now