“Hardy is in his 28th year of wrestling, and Darby is 28 years of age!” – Jim Ross
Since January 1, 2020, Happy Wrestling Land has been resolute in its’ support of AEW’s many factions providing a soft launch for their many members, and it will now be resolute and its’ support of a punch from Anthony Ogogo causing a match to end by referee stoppage. These are the controversies of our time, and I will not waver on them.
The World
AEW continued to provide fine week-to-week TV that I now question can be paid off well, but I’ll still enjoy the TV. The ability to open with MJF trying to bribe Mike Tyson followed by THAT Young Bucks tag was such a flex: 1) star power, 2) fun scenario, 3) tag team wrestling!
In addition to a number of things that may or may not be happening on Dark: Elevation, this is the world: Don Callis is making The Elite all into shits, The Inner Circle is at war with The Pinnacle, and more people want that AEW Women’s World Title. QT Marshall is angry about Cody Rhodes and Taz is angry about Christian. The Best Friends come out to the Pixies.
There’s some kind of feud involving Sting, Darby, Hangman and Dark Order opposite Lance Archer, Big Money Matt, Private Party and Butcher & Blade feud going on but I’ll let you know when it’s doing anything other than filling TV.
The Wrestling
The opener – The Young Bucks vs. PAC/Fenix for the Tag Team Titles – was phenomenal. It had brilliant execution and occasional blistering pace that’s easy to take for granted from both teams, but it also had the Bucks playing heel and HEY! They’re really good at that.
The Young Bucks have cut many rings in half, but not with such an urgency and focus and dipshit attitude like this. There was a nasty lariat and mugging for the camera, a rebounding Canadian Destroyer and pelvic thrusts. In between, PAC and Fenix did that thing where they are undeniably two of the most fun pro wrestlers in the world to watch. A heck of a match.
Everything else was pretty straight TV wrestling: Jade Cargill vs. Red Velvet a short match that let both get their shit in, while Kris Statlander‘s in-ring return had beat Amber Nova pretty quick. Anthony Ogogo made his Dynamite debut and beat a guy with a punch: very nice, very effective.
The main event Falls Count Anywhere Match for the TNT Title between Darby Allin and Matt Hardy ended up being very TV too, a few incredible spots from Darby but mostly just a space for run-ins and chaos. I dig chaos, but it felt less purposeful this week than normal: still not picking up on Sting and Lance Archer, and I only just remembered Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky were out there too.
Chris Jericho vs. Dax Harwood was bad. Lethargic, old man wrestling that didn’t even make up for it with Good Solid Work. Shame!
The Entertainment
Dynamite can’t not deliver a few good promos, though there was less of an angle adrenaline rush this week than usual. Don Callis, Britt Baker, and Taz delivered the goods. Taz is just the right amount of aggressive jerk and absolute bitch, it’s amazing.
The Powerhouse Hobbs/Christian angle was fun, though pretty basic: I’m just a big Powerhouse Hobbs guy.
Pelvic. Thrusts.
Room for Improvement
- Put Hangman Page on a journey again
- Tighten up the Sting/Archer and Dark Order/Matt Hardy stuff
- Can’t feature everyone but you need more Wardlow, Starks, and Eddie Kingston – to start
My Favorite Things
- Team Taz
- That rebounding Canadian Destroyer
- MJF and Mike Tyson, together
