St. Patrick’s Day traditionally celebrates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland along with the heritage and culture of the Irish people. There’s something about snakes too, but I think that’s a work.
AEW celebrated in name only this week, as instead of green beer and leprechauns there was family infighting, emotional shows of respect, and a big brawl… wait-a-minute!!!
The World
This world is now run by Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa. It took one match — along with the goodwill built up among a number of fun appearances over the last year — to give not just AEW’s women division but the entire company the kick in the ass desperately needed after that whole fake exploding barbed wire match thing. This was both mission statement and wrestling match, something both beautiful and violent that can also weirdly act as an entry point for somebody confused about this wrestling business. A special thing on TV. More down below.
Post-Revolution, new stables of talent emerged while existing ones continued to scrap their way into the Next Thing.
The Nightmare Family is having troubles (yeesh), but prior to that the combination of Arn Anderson, Dustin Rhodes, Billy Gunn and Billy’s sons looking over a hurt Cody Rhodes gave me great flashbacks to the Rock & Roll’s and the Italian Stallion looking over Dusty – even if the angle doesn’t work, there is still a vibe that can.
The Pinnacle of MJF, Wardlow, Tully Blanchard, and FTR began their run with a good though not great introduction promo. It hit the beats, but I didn’t feel them – if that makes sense. I am being told Shawn Spears is also in this group.
Look at AEW building up Lance Archer and Brian Cage out of the Sting and Darby Allin segments! How about that!! I kind of resent Cage so I wish his show of respect to Sting didn’t work so well.
“Big Money” Matt Hardy has a whole midcard to himself now, doesn’t he? It’s not a bad way of giving the tag teams without much to do something to do.
Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley and friends continued their bad blood this week too, though right now the character I am most compelled by in all this is Don Callis. Not sure if that’s good.
The Wrestling
Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa in an Anything Goes Unsanctioned Lights Out Match (yeesh) worked on three levels: it delivered on expectation, it surpassed expectation, and it brought wrestling to this amazing world not seen since VHS tapes in the 1990s where a lady could bleed buckets then take a Fire Thunder Driver off the apron through a table and it wasn’t weird or anything, just… awesome. This was a badass match from the bell, a Schwein from Baker on the entrance ramp setting a tone that only got crazier: nasty bumps on ladders, chairs, thumbtacks… but also an approach intensity in between it all that took this to epic territory. I loved it.
I liked the Cody Rhodes/Penta El Zero Miedo angle last week more than the actual match, which was alright but had Too Much Stuff and felt like a lame dream match more than the heated brawl they did last week.
There was a Jade Cargill squash and a 10-man tag. Jon Moxley/Eddie Kingston vs. The Good Brothers was good TV. I thought Fenix vs. Angelico would’ve been better, but Fenix is still cool.
The Entertainment
Don Callis is such a wonderful shit and good thing or not he is carrying the Young Bucks angle as Kenny Omega figures out who he wants to be. That last part isn’t a bad thing either – the weekly evolution of Top Guy on TV Kenny has been a blast.
I don’t know if they want to gimmick up Penta El Zero Miedo, but his mic guy is fun and should probably stick around.
Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston rule together. Maybe more than against each other.
Jake “The Snake” Roberts doing dirty dad jokes on national TV in 2021 might not exactly be “good” but, I mean: “You in a hot dog bun? ‘Cause you ain’t nothing but a weenie, boy…”
Room for Improvement
- Why a Canadian Destroyer, Cody? Come on.
- Be subtle with QT Marshall – it doesn’t have to be a whole thing.
- Christian Cage needs a hook.
My Favorite Things
- Tully Blanchard promos
- Ricky Starks’ reaction to Brian Cage dissing him
- Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa
