AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the Moda Center in Portland, OR.  After last week drawing 832,000 & 0.28 in the 18-49 demo.

So which heel uses Dame Lillard leaving first?  Money’s on Christian if he has promo time.

*****

Right to Schiavone backstage to bring MJF in.  Max called him a fat old prick.  He asked about Max being pinned last week.  MJF said three seconds is all it takes to end a world title reign.  Not many have done it to him but it won’t happen again.  Cole was calling – they put his video call up on the screen: he’s worried about Max and it ‘kills’ him he can’t be there to help.  He said Max needs to take Joe up on his offer in order to hold onto their tag titles against the Gunns.

MJF didn’t agree, said he’d handle that after ‘handling’ Daniel Garcia.  Garcia just happened to be there and took offense.  MJF said he didn’t pick Garcia ‘cause of his w/l record’.  He sees something in him and asked if he’s getting the ‘sports entertainer’ (in perfect Matt Menard) or the wrestler tonight.  Garcia said ‘the wrestler’ then left.

Roddy Strong interrupted shouting ‘ADAAAM’ and called himself a wrestling legend.  MJF made fun of him and left, Strong said this was more evidence he was the devil cause the devil would walk away.  Cole wouldn’t even respond and ended the call.  Strong turned to face the camera and promised to remind everyone who he is (which adds him as a suspect for the angle at the end too).

Really liked most of this.  The thing with Garcia made the match make sense and they’re using it as a vehicle to make him serious again.  Also enjoyed the tease of Cole being a little too worried for Max and foreshadowing a turn.  While keeping the Joe factor in the mix to add a little extra intrigue.

The whole Roderick Strong thing I could’ve done without.  There’d been enough to take in already and it muddied that.  Plus who cares about Strong and the Kingdom?  It’s time for them to be booted from having anything to do with the world champion.  If they are revealed as Cole’s cronies it’ll be a giant letdown.  They’re nowhere near main event level.

(Might be nothing – MJF had a new jacket with ‘2024’ displayed prominently.)

MJF vs Daniel Garcia (AEW Title)

Backstory: Garcia won a match or something on Rampage, might’ve been a dance contest

Yeah so scrap what I said above.  Garcia did the bloody dance as soon as he got on camera.

Crowd chanting for Max as we got going, he took the youngster (he’s younger than Max I think so yeah) down repeatedly then mocked his stupid dance and asked him to ‘show these people why you’re the future Danny!’.  Crowd yelled ‘he’s our scumbag’ as Garcia took him down and rode the champ before a slap which the crowd ‘oohed’ at.

2.0 were with him and damn near came into the ring.

Locking up again, Max was backed to the corner for the break but was smiling at the more serious Garcia.  He got his ‘sports-man-ship’ chant going which never fails to tickle me.  Garcia slapped his hand away and was starting his dance again when Max poked the eye.  Hammerlock slam to follow before working the arm on the mat.  He continued haranguing Garcia about being serious.

Garcia briefly fought back but was taken down via armdrag then a spinning slam piledriving him down onto his shoulder.

Break.

Back to Garcia firing away, Max down in the corner – running out right into a release German, Garcia danced again with one arm cause his other’s hurt.  And I’m out.  (They’re pushing that these guys are both under 30 on comms so maybe got a lot of criticism about the ‘age’ of last week’s show).

Garcia got a series of twos including a sunset flip.  Max blocked a piledriver, Garcia paintbrushed him then unleashed a saito suplex.  Max got his knees up as Garcia ran in then stomped the elbow off the top, shoulderbreaker, thrust kick, elevated hammerlock ddt, Garcia out at two.  Like that move, looks deadly.

MJF went after the armbar, Garcia fled desperately for the ropes but ended up in position for a Heatseeker, blocked it but took another thrust kick, MJF missed panama sunrise, kick to one knee and low dropkick to the other from Garcia, who tried the piledriver again but couldn’t lift the champ due to his injured arm.

He finally landed it, Max kicked out at two.  DG looked for the Dragon Tamer, got it, middle of the ring and did his dance while he had the hold on, allowing MJF to counter into SOE for the win.

You could not possibly have made Garcia look more of a loser with that finish.  You could have been trying to sabotage him and not done this good a job.  He lost cause he danced.  Despite the announcers trying to talk about Garcia’s fight and effort.  That dance shouldn’t get within a continent of the AEW Title and if the story was that tonight he was ‘the Wrestler’ then he should’ve done it once absolute tops.

Outside of that, good action while it lasted.

Post match, Max motioned to kill the music and put his hand out.  Garcia was going to shake when 2.0 dragged him away.  Max asked incredulously if he was going to keep following them, started a ‘Danny’ chant and held out his hand again, Garcia again went to shake and was dragged away.

Max asked for more noise from the crowd as he celebrated.  They were only too happy, MJF was mega over here.

Winner: MJF

Taz was vibing with MJF’s music as they did a Draft Kings plug.  I like seeing people be people.

*****

Mark Briscoe promo package hyping him vs Jay White.  Briscoe remembers White as a rookie who didn’t know what he was doing (they showed old footage of him) and now he needs his guys to help him.  ‘Im’a whoop that ass,’ he said to end the promo.

As usual good work from Briscoe.  And the package as a whole was good.  If only they’d built the match a little beforehand.  More of these going forward would be good.

Sting & Darby Allin vs the Outrunners

Backstory: In a well-planned move, Tony Khan tried to cash in on this being Sting’s last ever match in Oregon to sell last-minute tickets

The Outrunners worked over Darby by targeting the shoulder.  The crowd chanted ‘We want Sting’ but were otherwise quiet as the Outrunners got way too much offense.  Nice spot for the tag – Allin reached for it while upside down in a suplex.  Sting sent ‘Turbo Floyd’ outside via lariat but the other Outrunner tripped Allin to the outside.

They tried a double team, Sting no-sold it then drubbed them both.  Allin back in, he sent one of them into a Sting right, Deathlock, done.

There are too many guys appearing on tv whose names I – an every week viewer – don’t know.  God help casuals.  As noted this was done to boost ticket sales.  But Sting’s final appearances of a storied career should mean more than this.

They pushed the six-man for Full Gear.

Winner: Sting & Darby Allin

Schiavone sat down with Storm and Shida.  They’re in black and white (camera) per Storm’s request.  She was posed quirkily, legs up on the arm of the chair, in just lingerie and called him ‘Mr Schavonnnn’.  Shida asked why she started this silly acting.

Storm said Shida happened.  She was supposed to walk into Wembley the champ.  But Shida happened.  Then happened again when she won the belt back from Saraya after Storm failed.  She couldn’t make history so she became history, ‘you may have that title but you will never have the spotlight because it belongs (she signed the contract with a flourish) to me’  (she said all this very dramatically but stayed the right side of silly).

Shida signed too.  Then said what happens is what always happens, she’s gonna beat her at Full Gear.  Storm that there’s a saying in showbiz:

‘Chin up, tits out and watch for the shoe’, Shida slapped it away.

Okay, liked this.  Had been wondering why exactly this match was happening and while it’d be nice if Storm had wrestled and won, there’s at least a storyline reason for it.  And Toni carried this with an entertaining performance which kept her character while not seeming beneath a title match.

Penta vs Swerve Strickland

Backstory: Swerve interrupted Alex Abrahantes on Saturday – the latter & Penta don’t like what Swerve did to Hangman since Penta’s all about family

So the massively evil house violator got a massive ‘SWERVE’s HOUSE’ from the crowd and loads of the fans joined in Nana’s dance.  Which they of course zoomed in on cause any interaction is good interaction even if it’s in support of despicable heels right?

‘Oh btw…’ The announcers casually mentioned that Hangman’s banned from ringside for this.  They didn’t list the consequences if he didnt, didn’t make a big deal out of it.  The follow-up to that angle has been awful.  Nothing should keep Page from coming for Swerve here.  The man went after his infant son.

To that point, in a normal voice, Schiavone called what Swerve did ‘wrong’.  The same guy who’s had utter disdain in his voice when speaking of MJF.  And that was about it.

The pair acrobatically avoided one another until a headscissors takeover from Swerve.  Another big cheer and ‘Swerve’s House’ chants as he landed his diving elbow to the back off the top.

He belted Penta’s legs with kicks.  The chants continued.  AEW should take everything the audience are doing as proof they’ve failed miserably with his angle.  They see it as a silly wrestling angle.

Strickland began targeting the arm until the Mexican smacked back via open hand, a duel started which Penta was winning until a cheap shot led to Swerve targeting the hand again then targeting the mask.  Penta hit back via backstabber and was prepping a tope but Swerve met him with an elbow.

(Just noticed the ring skirt has Kiryu from Yakuza all over it since the new game’s out today/tomorrow.)

He dropped Penta face-first against the steps, setup a dive but Penta saw it coming so Swerve vaulted over to land on his feet, right into a thrust kick.  He very kindly propelled Penta up onto the apron the way you’d help someone hop a fence, took another thrust kick then a tope con hiro from Penta, crowd loved it.

Taz called for a replay but then comedically said ‘Let’s not, let’s go to a break instead’.  Nice save.  Ads.

Back to another chop/slap fest, hard hits to the chest, Penta looking for Made in Penta, Swerve looked for JML, both acrobatically avoided/countered again, a striking duel ended in a stalemate until both landed lariats.  And simultaneously hit the deck to cheers.

It’s a nice match.  Is Swerve a nasty heel or trying to have good matches with spots to pop the crowd?

To their feet, Penta landed a pair of slingblades, fireman’s carry slam, for a close count.  Both in the ropes, Swerve elevated over, smashing against the apron and dropping to the floor (really nasty spill), clearly supposed to land on the apron, he made it back, Penta flipped over into a destroyer onto it.  Excellent crowd tonight.

Penta stomp off the top for two, looked for a tejeiras out of the corner but was caught by the legs and flipped back over into a slam against the buckle.  From the apron, Penta tried to fight back in but was tripped to hang off the apron – Swerve followed with a vaulting stomp.  But missed a 450 back inside, Penta hit his armbreaker and Made in Penta for another close count.

To their feet, Swerve tried House Call, Penta tried Fear Factor, Swerve countered, using the ropes to drag Penta up for a DVD then stomp his arm down with it pinned behind his back (there was a sickening noise which sounded very real so kudos), Stomp off the top, win.

Some of you might think I’m crazy because this was a good match.  But it shouldn’t have been a good match.  Page shouldn’t have allowed it to take place but at a minimum it should’ve been a despicable heel torturing his opponent before a crowd who hated him.

Fresh off being a good boy, Page hit the ring with a chair and chased Strickland up the apron, whacking him on the back.  It sounded a little like boos for Page.  Security came out and he whacked them too then hit Dead Eye off the ramp through a table and ranted at Swerve.

It wasn’t bad but it was far too late.

Winner: Swerve Strickland

Back to ‘Al Scoops’ (yuck) with BCG.

White still has the belt and even though he was on vacation saw what MJF said on Collision.  He then absolutely ruined Max for what was very bad promo work Saturday:

‘What’d I see after I pinned MJF 1,2,3 and still have what is supposedly his, what was his response to me?  He said ”Hey Jay, why don’t you go and compare our names on some charts on the internet’’ (the BCG laughed), that’s up there or down there with that analogy about how I’m… tofu’.

Then said maybe Max’s graph is bigger cause he’s always searching his own name.  And maybe one day that graph’ll ‘ease all those little insecurities of yours’ about how White always has been and always will be better than him.  Because now everyone’s had the chance to compare them, they’ve seen ‘why I am truly Elite and tonight against Mark Briscoe, MJF you just sit back and watch and breathe’.

This guy is dynamite (NPI), so smooth, so natural, so confident.

*****

So the new Yakuza/Like a Dragon game is sponsoring the streetfight next week and they had a package linking it with a Callis Family promo building said streetfight.  It contrasted the Family walloping Omega and etc with Kiryu (the main protagonist) doing the same to bad guys.

I’m a big fan of these games so very much liked this.  And Omega’s kinda/sorta (his likeness at least) in the remastered Ishin which came out earlier this year so ties in ok.

*****

Back to Kenny and Jericho to talk about the streetfight.  Jericho said they had good friends to back them up, something Callis hadn’t banked on.  The Bucks interrupted to say ‘speaking of friends, hey Kenny it’s been a while’.  They’d setup shop elsewhere tonight cause there’s no space ‘in our locker room, Chris’s bag is just so big’.  They said the new name was cool but the Elite was also a cool name.

Jericho said they were such good friends they hadn’t had Kenny’s back against Hobbs.  But that the four of them started the company.  Matt said it was convenient Jericho saw it like that since all he did was turn up late and cash a check.

Jericho told him to remember who they were talking to.  The Bucks might be the best team of all time but couldn’t beat the two of them.  Matt said there was a show coming up and that was a good idea.  Jericho said how about for the #1 contenders shot the Bucks have.  Matt that they should up the stakes: if they win the Golden Jets have to split up and they can be the Elite again.

An exasperated Omega finally spoke to say he didn’t want to wrestle them.  They’ve seen what happens when he does, he wins, but if they have to fight to stop the Bucks acting like ‘bitchy, whiny children’, then he will.

He left and Jericho leaned in to say he’d be happy to take them to the woodshed.  And anyway he has his own dressing room.  Just had to have the last word.

This would’ve been perfect ending with Kenny.  Excellent segment.  Matt Jackson was easily the best person in this despite it containing an all-time promo guy.

It felt real, felt edgy and awkward (in a good way) and built around egos – both sides think they can beat the other.  Plus they did finally get round to mentioning the Bucks being #1 contenders so did tie that loose end.  Nice work.

Samoa Joe vs Keith Lee (ROH TV Title)

Backstory: Joe was talking about beating everyone ROH have put in front of him when Lee interrupted to say ‘not everyone’ and challenge him

Joe out to his usual response.  Be a test to see where Lee’s at here.

They shook, crowd quieting as they stared one another down.  Lockup, Lee the stronger as he backed Joe to the corner.  The announcers talked about whether Max needed Joe and whether he wanted any part of Joe getting another title shot.

Both guys crashed together, neither really budged but Joe took a couple steps back before taking a cheap shot at the eye and speeding up to floor Lee.  Lee came back with a crashing shoulder block to knock Joe down.  Shots in the corner followed before he began working Joe in the ropes as a bunch of meat related chants started while the match slowed.

They stopped as Joe sped up, jabbing away in the corner until Lee was a puddle.  Lee leapfrogged Joe then landed a cross body, Joe headed outside.

Ads.

Still slow with Lee on offense, he hit rights in the corner until being hauled up for a Joe kneebreaker.  Lee lay on the floor selling, Joe stomped the joint, very slow again.  Lee to his feet throwing lefts until being caught into a dragon screw.  Joe threw chops, Lee back with rights until a Manhattan Drop, big boot, senton – Lee was waiting for the latter and snatched Joe by the waist up into a German.

Joe looked for a lariat, Lee simply grabbed his arm to block then landed a pop-up powerbomb after Joe rebounded off the ropes.  Some of the crowd are continually trying to get meat chants going, thankfully they’re not really catching on.

Lee went for a slam, Joe slipped behind into the Kokina, dead center, dead man.  After fighting it for a while, Lee went night night.

Glacial.  If this is all Lee has left, feeding him to Joe seems as good an idea as any.  Shame he’s reduced to this though.

The champ grabbed a mic to say he’s the greatest ROH TV champ of all time.  But didn’t come here just to be that.  Hunger is what defines the greats.  ‘Well consider me officially hungry’.  As of tonight he’s vacating the title, he laid it down on the mat.  Because the next gold on his shoulder will be the AEW Title, ‘whether you like it or not Max’.  The crowd cheered, Joe left.

Winner: Samoa Joe

OC and Hook (with shades and a shake) backstage.

A deadly serious Orange said Moxley must have lost his mind if he thinks Cassidy overlooked him or doesn’t respect him.  He’s the only person on his mind after he left Cassidy in a pool of his own blood and took ‘my International Championship’.  He’s sorry he had to ‘pick up the pieces that you dropped’ (ie winning the belt back from someone else), but the belt doesn’t feel the same because ‘I need to beat you, I have to beat you in order to be the International Champion that I know I am’.  Taking off his shades, staring dead into the camera, he vowed ‘I will beat you’.

Excellent, excellent work from Cassidy.  I loved their mic work building to the last match and this is more of the same.

The Gunns vs Bollywood Boyz

Backstory: NONE

Schiavone said MJF obviously wants no part of Samoa Joe as they verbally recapped that angle.  While the Gunns won with 3:10 to Yuma in under a minute.

They grabbed a mic and Colten addressed MJF.  Calling him a liar.  He’s not a generational talent.  He’s told all these sob stories.  Generational talents don’t whine and complain.  They run things from day one like Lebron James.  Like the Gunns.  They’re about to become ROH tag champs because they’re generational talents.  Loud boos.

Austin took the mic to say the only friends MJF has left are on the other side of the guard rail.  He hopes he picks one of ‘these fat pieces of shit’.  At Full Gear the belts go back in the hands of a real tag team.  They finished with their ‘Gunns Up’ line.  Juice was with them here; no Jay.

More good promo work.  Short but to the point.

Max was shown watching backstage.  Joe came up behind with a smug grin and Max left.

Winner: The Gunns

Mox and Yuta in the bowels.  He’s been getting calls all week saying Orange didn’t do anything wrong, all he did was take an opportunity, but Cassidy knew exactly what he was doing stepping into Mox’s territory.  ‘It’s not about some belt’ but the laws of nature – it’s a jungle and the BCC are the dominant pack of predators.  He has to set an example for Yuta by ‘beating the everloving piss out of you Orange’.  Like Cassidy needs to for Hook.

He doesn’t even deserve to make it to Full Gear, so the minute they land at LAX, ‘it’s on, gang warfare’, if Cassidy or Hook make it to Full Gear, ‘good for you’.  Advising Hook to ‘take notes… if your fingers still work’.

Yuta said ‘see ya in Cali pretty boy’.

Well that needs some splainin in terms of them fighting the second they land but more good work from Mox.  Outshone by Cassidy here tonight though.

*****

Wardlow package. His first years in AEW were hell – he had a foot on his neck (cut to Max berating him), the worst thing a man can feel is potential being waisted, he felt worthless because of one man.  The footage now changed to Wardlow powerbombing people and grabbing Max by the throat last week as he repeated the line about MJF not knowing when or where.  ‘The days of the Devil ruling over AEW are coming to an end’.

This might be the best work they’ve ever done building matches on one episode.

Julia Hart vs Red Velvet

Backstory: NONE

Julia got a really nice response coming out.  Velvet had her usual music and entrance so not added anything new despite her return.  She does have gear that includes an apron cause the gimmick is all the ‘stir it up’/James Harden stuff.  Cute.

They wrestled in and out of a lockup looking for advantage.  Neither got it.  Velvet took her down, Hart came back, Julia landed in Velvet’s split-leg pose to mock her then tripped Velvet out of a dropdown.  Red fired rights in the corner, Julia crumpled, Velvet went for ten in the corner, Julia slipped under and snapped her against the buckle.

Ads.  Nothing much so far.  Hart adds a nice aggression and ‘snap’ often missing in the women’s division.

Back to Velvet firing shots to the gut, Julia hit her in the ropes, Velvet hit back via leg lariat, crowd are trying to get behind the match.  Velvet hit lariats into a bulldog then a standing moonsault for two.  Julia’s 22 today per Taz.

FTR are facing Vikingo and somebody on Rampage.

Julia began climbing the buckle, Velvet grabbed her into a wrist-capture flip-slam down from the middle buckle.  Nice move.  Hart came up to hit a thrust kick, dragging Velvet to the corner, vicious stomps with the wrists captured before hitting her moonsault (looked like she landed right on Red’s face, pretty certain Excalibur yelled ‘Oh God!’ before covering for it).  For the win.

Not a great position for Velvet as a babyface here, always onto a loser.

Julia slapped Hartless on until Skye Blue marched to the ring.  They went face to face, Julia was looking at her all spookily, moving her head around like she was examining her to check whether the mist had worked or not.  Then shook her head.  Blue stood still in a dead-eyed stare as Hart got more angry.  When Willow and Statlander marched to the ring.  Willow checked on Velvet in the corner; Statlander stared at Hart who left.  Then stared at Blue.

Winner: Julia Hart

Backstage to RJ City.  He brought in Mariah May, their newest signing.  She was asked her intentions.  At first she was confused but then said she’s just come from Stardom and is excited to be in the women’s division.  The reason she’s here is for Toni Storm – she basically played a Storm superfan.  May got all excited and high-pitched and kissed City after he said he could introduce her to Toni next week.

May looks like a model and can presumably wrestle if she’s been in Stardom.  So that’s a nice addition.  Now if only then can get Mercedes and persuade Giulia not to join WWE we might really have ourselves a division.

I wondered if she might be involved with Storm somehow so it’s not a bad spot to debut in.  Though did make her seem a little ditzy and un-serious.  But we need more stories in that division.  Trish/Mickie for the 2020s?

Jay White vs Mark Briscoe (White’s AEW title shot on the line)

Backstory: Briscoe challenged White on Collision, Tony Khan accepted on his behalf

So does this mean Briscoe gets the AEW belt if he wins?  Reservations about people putting title shots on the line and this being main event-worthy aside, I like that White is being positioned here.

Briscoe got a nice pop, coming out with his usual energy.  White brought the boys.

Collar and elbow, White backed to the corner where he begged off.  Before going right back to it, the face knocking Jay down via shoulder block, the New Zealander took a walk before heading back in, ducking a lunge, knees to the gut, headlock takeover.

Maintaining it down on the mat, more knees to the stomach and a chop before Briscoe just spiked him down.  Suplex to follow, two only.  More chops in the corner, White placed up top then drilled with a right and crumbling to ringside – crowd loved that – dropkick through the ropes, diving elbow off the apron, things going Briscoe’s way till Juice took the ref, the Gunns grabbed Briscoe’s feet and White landed a ddt.

Before dumping Briscoe right back out, faking an injury, allowing BCG to stomp Briscoe down.

Ads.  Fun start.

Back to Briscoe fighting out of a hold, White dropkick to the knee quickly cut him off, White placed him atop the buckle, Briscoe tried to fight back, did, knocking White down with a right and landing a shotgun off the top.  He asked for White’s best shot, yay/boo commenced, into knife edges, White to his knees before firing back, leading to a Briscoe flurry ending in a diving forearm.

And kick to the gut, neckbreaker, dead center, two only.  White elbowed free from a uranage, looked for his own, Briscoe countered into an armdrag, fisherman buster, same result.  Crowd chanting ‘Briscoe’ as he hauled White onto his shoulders, the heel slipped to the apron, dragon screw against the ropes, but ran back inside into a DVD, Briscoe upstairs, crowd loud again, Froggy Bow, 2.9.

Briscoe looked for the Jay Driller, White fought free into his high-angle uranage, kiwi crusher (fisherman buster into a Michinoku driver), Briscoe fired back with more chops, White went after the knee, Briscoe dropped, blocked a Bladerunner into an exploder, caught an elbow running into the corner but snapped back with a massive lariat, White down, Jay Driller coming again, White backdropped out, snapped Briscoe’s knee, sleeper suplex, brainbuster, Briscoe out at two.  To cheers.

Pissed off, White sat Briscoe up to fire chops, dragged him into Bladerunner position, Briscoe fired chops to the throat until White ducked the last, sleeper suplex, elevated ddt, Bladerunner, 1, 2, 3.

Very good main event.  Briscoe’s the kind of babyface heels love working with because the crowd always get behind him.  But White needs to be beating upper card guys en route to his title match.

MJF’s music hit, he appeared behind the BCG and took out the goons with his ring, leaving he and White.  The latter readied the title for a belt shot, Max readied the ring, White fled as MJF advanced.

He took the mic to say playtime’s almost over.  White’s going to have to get in the ring with the real world champion, he promised himself he’d go down as the greatest AEW champ of all time.  White will have to kill him to beat him.  Cause for the first time he’s fighting not just for himself, he’s fighting for Cole, for fans watching at home, for everyone in the arena, cause he’s not just a scumbag, he’s ‘their scumbag’.  Cue chant.

He has one question – will the leader of Bullet Club be the first to pull the trigger?  Pretty good promo, got the crowd behind him, didn’t get the last line.

Lights out, backstage the Acclaimed & Billy Gunn being attacked by four men in black.  Bowens was flung through a window.  The Devil Man appeared on the screen again (he hadn’t been with the guys carrying out the beating), Max legged it backstage and overacted in being concerned for the Acclaimed.

Samoa Joe turned up with a brilliantly phony ‘Oh no!’ Looks like you’re running out of friends champ!’.

Excalibur said whoever helps MJF seems to be being targeted – which doesn’t quite fit but adds Joe to the list of suspects: he’s been hovering behind Max’s misfortune all night.  Really nice work here to culminate the best storytelling episode of AEW in ages.  The Devil Guy story needed to advance and finally did.

Winner: Jay White

_________________________________________________________________________

Next Collision:

• Copeland, Darby & Sting vs Lance Archer & the Righteous
• Rush & Dralistico vs Workhorsemen

Next Dynamite:

• Jericho, Omega, Ibushi & Wight vs Callis Family (Streetfight)
• Moxley & Yuta vs Cassidy & Hook (It seemed like this was just a normal tag so all that talk in Mox’s promo is just confusing)

Added to Full Gear:

• Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega vs Young Bucks (If faces win they become #1 contenders for tag titles; if Bucks win Kenny can’t team with Jericho anymore)

Thumbs Up/Down

• Generally good build to both the ppv and future tv
• Cass/Mox mic work and build
• Bucks, KO/Jer mic work and build
• Ditto Storm/Shida
• The ‘will MJF have to ask Joe for help’ and Devil Mask Guy story
• All the men’s matches announced ahead of time had builds, however flimsy
• And a good mix of action to go with the stories and angles – really balanced show
• White vs Briscoe
• Younger guys featured
• Minimal interference
• Having a loud crowd in a big arena made the show and the wrestlers feel bigger

 ****

• Ostensible title matches are not what AEW need, though in fact what they did the rest of the show is
• So they need to advertise those things instead of just matches: ‘MJF has plans for BCG after White held onto his title’ or ‘Hangman’s vowed to be there and he’s comin’ for Swerve Strickland’
• I might be on a total island with the Swerve/Hangman stuff tonight but hated Page being a good boy and waiting backstage while a distinctly normal Strickland wrestled a ‘good match’ before a crowd who chanted for him

Appreciate you reading.  Have a good week.