Top Flight / Young Bucks
There's been a lot of raving about Top Flight from AEW the last couple weeks, from their lost match last week to the opening of today's show. We started off with a video package, showing them in some indie matches-- wondering if it's some of the same footage they sent to the Bucks to get picked for Dynamite initially.
I was personally shocked that they were so young-- 20/21 I think? They really have the charisma. They took the chance and ran with it.
The story was good here-- Top Flight was essentially using their youth as an advantage, kind of out running the Bucks at first, making them work their insane fast pace. Once the Bucks got them to slow down they were able to use their experience more than their speed, ultimately getting the win by playing the long game.
They got attacked by TH2 immediately after the match, spiraling them into their first feud with a team that's had not all that much to do since returning besides being fed to Miro. I hope they both get some work out of it. TH2 is a decent team that has just never really had a good opportunity to be showcased as better teams consistently edged them out for TV time. But now they have a chance to all shine together. I look forward to more from both of them.
Inner Circle in Las Vegas
So, this was basically just a hangover parody but I liked it a lot. There's not a whole lot to say about it other than it was a shortcut to making everyone have some kind of relationship to MJF within the IC, plus enabling Hardlow/Hager some more time to get that thing they got going.
This was funny, but ultimately there's not a whole lot else to talk about besides describing the jokes. I think it's worth your time.
AEW/DirectorX collab
They've been hyping this for awhile now-- I saw some people disappointed it was just a 2 minute ad spot basically. I was myself personally let down as well, as I believed it was for a full length documentary, or at least something modestly more substantive than this. It's perfectly fine, I think, but my expectations were higher (whether that's my fault or not).
Jon Moxley Buries The Lede
So, kind of a weird promo-- I mean it's Mox so it's gonna be a certain kind of way, but-- anyway, he talks about his Dad, how he always said that he can't forget they're the good guys. Gotta fight for good even if you fight dirty. Then he just casually drops that he's about to be a father as well, for real. Very excited for him and Renee-- and let's be real, it might make writing him off the show for awhile much easier. If Kenny beats him Mox can just go be a dad for awhile, right?
Cassidy/Sabian
Worst match of the night for my taste. No reason at all for OC to be involved in this Best Friends thing. In fact, Miro even basically says this on commentary. He's like, yeah, we don't really care about Orange, we're upset with the Best Friends. But sure.
The match is fine-- Kip honestly looks great throughout, one of his best ever truthfully, but there's just no real reason its happening, and the fact that the Chuck & Trent? aren't out there ringside is even weirder. Why wouldn't they be? They come out at the end anyway, and OC ALWAYS gets beat up after a match. Seriously, ALWAYS.
But it's whatever, OC gets the pin, this feud is far from over.
I should mention that throughout the match, Miro and the team talk about how they've had to push back the wedding due to "planning issues". This is fine. They've acknowledged it, we can move on with the fact that it hasn't advanced in months now. Whenever. I hope it comes into play more but at least we know it's still happening.
Moxley/Omega Seal The Deal
This is kind of a weird segment. So Omega does his now usual entrance, which I really like, comes out to the ring, then Moxley's music plays and he's nowhere to be seen. We then get a video from backstage where it looks like someone has attacked him. He's bloodied and the medical staff are about to take him away.
Omega says, eh, oh well, and signs the contract anyway (after some difficulty with the ink pen), then the segment just ends?
It seems like they forgot to do the ending here or something. I don't know-- weird way to end it. Omega looked very good in his suit though. And the ink pen not working-- a moment of intense panic would have swept over me in a heartbeat. Tony was searching his pockets for another pen as well-- very relatable wrestling content.
More Inner Circle
We got a Piff the Dragon, Elvis, and Hornswoggle cameo. What more do you people want? After this Jericho announces he and Hager will fight SCU next week for some reason.
PAC Vs. Blade
This was a good match to reacquaint us with Pac (is it SUPPOSED to be PAC?). The story surrounding it is that Pac is pissed at Eddie for fucking up all he built before he left, but the match itself is really just about us getting to know who Pac is. He's been gone longer than he was previously on the show, so there's a good chance many people who started watching post-crisis have no idea who he is.
Blade looks really good here too, I believe this is his first singles match. Butcher obviously had that match with Mox not so long ago, and here we get an evening out. Curiously, B&B's last match before getting signed to AEW was against Eddie (& Homicide)
Pac gets the win with his crazy jump finisher/submission combo, then gets blindsided by the Butcher. Eddie comes out from the booth for some trash talk, when REY FENIX shows up to save Pac. They used to be part of Death Triangle before The Crisis, plus he's been feuding some with Pentagon, and Eddie has been mistreating him. THEN, Pentagon comes out. He stands, ready to kill his brother and Pac, THEN SWINGS FOR EDDIE, HELL YES, DEATH TRIANGLE IS BACK AND PENTAGON/REY ARE BACK ON THE SAME PAGE. This was a huge win for justice. I shouted, not gonna lie.
Jade Stirs The Pot
We immediately cut backstage where it Jade is laying a beating on Brandi. This is an honest to god women's angle. For real. Jade stomps Brandi's arm while Vickie/Nyla hold everyone else back. Swole gets through eventually and stands up to Jade until she walks off. This is good. This is what everyone wants from Dynamite.
Rosa/Deeb 3(?)
For our purposes this is their third match, but I'm certain they've fought before. Possibly. Regardless, this is another massive banger. Both of these women are so good. Thunder Rosa wants her title back from Serena, who, I must say, rejects the proposal.
It's a very NWA style match, a lot of grappling, a lot of "WRASSLIN" wrestling, matt work, holds, submissions-- excellent beautiful stuff. Deeb does eventually overcome Rosa, this time seemingly securing the NWA title for AEW.
Thunder Rosa was, unfortunately for her, attacked by Britt Baker during the match, throwing her off balance and perhaps costing her the win. As soon as the bell rings, Thunder Rosa goes from heel to face in .05 seconds, wrecking britts whole entire shit. They exchange tons of blows and words, setting THEM up for more, then we cut from THERE to
Silver and 99
John Silver is here to tell us Anna is a new woman. Anna says last time she faced Shida she was an amateur, but now she's a whole new woman. Silver hollers some more and now we have a Shida/Anna match set for next week.
Dark Order AND MULTIPLE WOMENS STORYLINES ON THE SAME SHOW?
This shit is off the chain. I'm so happy.
Cody & Darby / Cage & Starks
This is a match! It's fun, not super great. Starks and Darby have been trading blows and matches since Starks' debut. In fact, this is the fourth time they've been in the ring together (though one of those was the battle royale from All Out).
Eventually it's whittled down to Darby and Cage, and Cage is every bit as strong as he looks. It's no surprise Darby was unable to get the win here when he was stranded, but it's disappointing to say the least.
At the end of the match, we have a situation similar to what we saw with Eddie/Pentagon earlier, with Hobbs once again running out with his chair. However, this time, he makes a choice that will perhaps haunt him forever. He takes out Cody with the FTW belt and officially joins Team Taz.
This could be the pin that capsizes that boat, but it could also ultimately be the end of my hopes for a superhero Hobbs.
We'll see.
Pros
Cons
Overall:
A