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Thursday, April 18, 2024

Quick Thoughts: Last Night's Dynamite

I've seen SO MANY PEOPLE complaining about anti-AEW podcasts, and I feel that. I mean, I really want to like Wrestletalk because the guys themselves are usually upbeat and entertaining. Alas, lately it feels like those guys really don't want to be there, at least as far as AEW is concerned. Like, there's already a lot of WWE to cover, and that's mostly what makes them money, so AEW has become little more than a pain in their collective asses.

Behold, the world's tiniest violin, my friends.

I honestly don't care that they don't like the product. In fact, I think the issue is more that they do like the product, but there's just too much product on TV between the two companies. Which, again, is not my problem in any way. However, if they -- or anyone else -- is going to present themselves in the "support all wrestling" vein, then at that point no one wants to hear them complaining about having to cover wrestling.

If they don't want to do that shit, I'm 100% sure that the real, working world is still out there for them.

So.

Here is my review of AEW Dynamite. Because, as they say, solve the problem you want to see solved. Regardless of my qualifications or lack thereof, I at least actually enjoy this show.

Mox cut an awesome promo as the new New Japan World Champion. This did not come as a surprise. I think we all got excited when AEW listed him for this week's show, and he delivered exactly what we've come to expect. 

Jon Moxley is exactly the guy who can elevate an entire company when that company is in seemingly dire straits. He himself has rarely been the hand-picked guy ahead of time, he talks about this in his book, and I very much doubt that NJPW had picked him ahead of time for this title now. However, he makes himself an excellent emergency option by being consistently excellent, and with now *5* major world title runs under his belt, that strategy has clearly worked out for him.

Seriously. Go read Mox's book. It's well worth your time.

I'm quite fired up to see Mox vs. Will Hobbs next week. As I've said a million times, Hobbs is my favorite guy who doesn't get a lot of screen time. I feel like this should -- eventually -- work out for him in much the same way that being consistently excellent has worked out for Jon Moxley. But for now, I'll take Hobss on TV regularly while fueding with the BCC as part of the Don Callis Family.

That said, they absolutely could put my guy into the C2 next year. Or put the International Title on him and send him to wrestle for a month in Rev Pro or NJPW or even Mexico as part of an International Title Defense Series. Like, they could elevate this guy right here and now. Put him up against some CMLL luchadores at Forbidden Door or something. 

He's damned good both in the ring and on the mic.


I enjoyed the mixed tag match more than I thought I would. I'm not a huge Adam Copeland fan, but he's slowly making me a believer with his current run. And for what it's worth, I thought they did a nice job protecting Julia Hart this week. It looked like Hart hurt her shoulder last week against Leila Hersh, though I've not seen that reported anywhere. Still, she landed awkwardly on an arm that was already taped and was in visible pain afterwards. The way they booked this match, it seemed clear that they were protecting her.

Good job on all of that. I do not think anyone noticed but me. And while I've enjoyed Julia's run as TBS Champ, she probably needs to take some time off to heal. Hence this bout with Willow coming at an auspicious time.

* * *

Okada is another one of these guys who hasn't quite won me over just yet. His six-man with the Bucks turned out to be a lot of fun, but they've kept him from doing basically anything in these matches, constantly teasing his bout with PAC but never quite paying those moments off.

I grant you that the dude has an amazing drop kick.

However, he still looks a little lost on American TV. I get taking Eddie Kingston's belt and putting it on Okada, but if that's the plan, then let's have the guy defend that thing on Collision until he gets his timing down for TV. We know the guy can wreste. What I'm saying here is that we should acknowledge that wrestling in a new country with completely different time/format requirements in one's second language can be extremely challenging. 

Let's just get him some reps, yeah?

Anyway, I really appreciate the way AEW is slowly elevating Daniel Garcia. I still want to see his rematch against Adam Copeland. For now, though, this is working.


I don't really care about the thing between Chris Jericho and Hook save to note that I'm enjoying the fanbase's consternation on social media. Your collective disappointment is hilarious.

Friends, some of us sat through ages of Monday Nitro with little more than Jericho and the rest of the Cruiserweight Division to keep us invested. For that, I'm a forever-Jericho fan.

You guys can all suck it. 

No, seriously. I am legitimately enjoying your unhappiness. Bite me, each and every one of you.

* * *

I picked Deonna Purrazzo vs. Mariah May as my pre-show Match of the Night, and it did not disappoint. I like Purrazzo just fine, and I really like the way they're weaving the story together between Purrazzo, Storm, and Rosa. However, Mariah May makes this all work because, good God, that woman is fucking fantastic in the ring.

Mariah May has become the Women's Division's Darby Allin. Throw her at the problem, and she'll turn it into a solution.

* * *

Similarly, I like Orange Cassidy fine, but I'm gonna need Shane Taylor Promotions to win a few matches at some point if we're gonna take them seriously. 

Taylor put on an outstanding match with Bryan Danielson a few weeks ago on Collision. Since then, they've added Anthony Agogo, which makes sense since Agogo and Taylor share a background in boxing.  But yo. Let's have Agogo hit that punch. 

Eddie Guerrero says that heels cheat to win. We need some of that, time now.

* * *

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Will Ospreay was awesome. I won't belabor the point. I mean, they put on a banger. We all knew they would, and it didn't disapppoint. But waxing poetic about it doesn't add meaningfully to the discourse.

I also really liked the closing angle with Swerve and Joe. Man, Swerve just stomped some of those poor security guards. OUCH! How much do you ask in order to let a grown-ass man absolutely foot-stomp you from maybe eight feet up?

It would cost a lot to get me take that.


Overall great show. It flew by in my house, which is how I know when Dynamite is really cooking, and then the final reveal of the Jericho match at the Pay-Per-View was an absolute chef's kiss. I literally laughed out loud. 

My wife went to bed early, and I was briefly afraid that I'd awakened her. That's how loudly I laughed at you guys.

Overall Rating: Three Apples and an Onion.

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