The AEW Wednesday Night Dynamite Thread

[CTXRussomark]

Given the big money thesedays is in TV rights fees who's to say they shouldn't be prioritising TV over PPV?  Proving there's demand for more AEW TV has far greater long term value than some short term PPV buys, especially if they're not reliant on those to stay afloat during the initial years. 

[garynysmon]

3 minutes ago, King Pitcos said:

If Dynamite instils the idea that you also have to watch Dark to keep up with storylines, it might turn people off who don’t want to have to add more wrestling hours to their week. I think it’s best as a bonus for the hardcore fans who do want more content. In terms of Omega vs Moxley, I think the interaction with the hardcore brawl and the weapons set the table nicely - Omega is gonna play him at his own game. Kenny taking a hardcore match with Janela to build to it makes sense without much further clarification needed, so the announcers reinforcing the motivation during the match is fine for me. Maybe a quick pre-match promo on Dark.

I see nothing wrong with having a show like 'Dark' for those who want more product. Personally I have no interest in watching it and if I started to feel like I had to in order to keep up with the promotion I'd be just as likely to jack in AEW altogether. 

In years gone by, at the height of the Attitude Era, you could happily get by with just watching Raw every week without having to bother with Superstars etc. 

[BomberPat]

4 minutes ago, King Pitcos said:

When you say on TV, do you mean on the actual TV show? I would be wary of using Dynamite to promote Dark as a vital part of the experience - the biggest problem with WWE isn’t really creative, it’s overexposure and oversaturation which has the knock-on effect of making everything seem boring and stale.

If Dynamite instils the idea that you also have to watch Dark to keep up with storylines, it might turn people off who don’t want to have to add more wrestling hours to their week. I think it’s best as a bonus for the hardcore fans who do want more content. In terms of Omega vs Moxley, I think the interaction with the hardcore brawl and the weapons set the table nicely - Omega is gonna play him at his own game. Kenny taking a hardcore match with Janela to build to it makes sense without much further clarification needed, so the announcers reinforcing the motivation during the match is fine for me. Maybe a quick pre-match promo on Dark.

Again, it's early days, so the rules are a little different. They need to establish Dark, and the easiest way to do that is by acknowledging it on TV.

If they want to use it for stuff like "Unsanctioned Matches" (and that's something that makes sense - a real "Too Extreme For TV" appeal), then I think it's something worth at least giving a nod to on TV. It still should be supplementary material rather than required viewing, but if it wasn't posted about in here, I'd have had no idea that Janela vs. Omega was even happening, let alone what the rationale for it is.

[iPumaPants]

1 hour ago, DavidB6937 said:

So you genuinely think they should be doing matches like that on Dark rather than saving them for PPV?

Yes. Because for one, Omega vs Janela isn't exactly a big match. Janela isn't exactly a huge name, like Moxley, Omega, PAC etc. Would I be excited about an Omega vs Janela match on PPV? Probably not, because it doesn't appeal to me as a match I'd pay a PPV fee to watch.

If you're doing it to further Omega's journey into hardcore wrestling, in a preparation to face Moxley, it can go anywhere. If they want to boost their YouTube views by putting it on Dark, why not do it? The Moxley/Omega part had already played out on TV, and then Omega goes out to prove himself in a Moxley-match situation. 

Let's not get carried away and start thinking they're going to be putting Cody vs Jericho on Dark. That's a PPV match. 
 

28 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

I like the idea of Omega wanting to fight Janela to prove his hardcore credentials against Jon Moxley, but I shouldn't have to have that explained to me after the match has taken place. Put the set-up on TV. It would have taken twenty seconds of promo time.

I completely agree with this, and it needs to be followed up on tonight's Dynamite. Fact is, I was watching it, forming the idea of why the match was happening, as it went along, and you're right, we shouldn't have to do that.

Edited October 16, 2019 by iPumaPants

[DavidB6937]

1 minute ago, iPumaPants said:

Yes. Because for one, Omega vs Janela isn't exactly a big match. Janela isn't exactly a huge name, like Moxley, Omega, PAC etc. Would I be excited about an Omega vs Janela match on PPV? Probably not, because it doesn't appeal to me as a match I'd pay a PPV fee to watch.

If you're doing it to further Omega's journey into hardcore wrestling, in a preparation to face Moxley, it can go anywhere. If they want to boost their YouTube views by putting it on Dark, why not do it? The Moxley/Omega part had already played out on TV, and then Omega goes out to prove himself in a Moxley-match situation. 

Let's not get carried away and start thinking they're going to be putting Cody vs Jericho on Dark. That's a PPV match. 

The match is of a high quality that it could easily have been a PPV match with a little build up, regardless of it being Janela. In fact if we're talking about creating new stars, especially with a company like AEW, then this match would have been an ideal showcase on a PPV for a number of reasons:

1) Unsanctioned matches should be kept as 'special' events - same with all gimmick matches really. If it ends up as overdone as they are in WWE then they become meaningless.

2) For those that have been complaining about Omega looking weak and uninspiring since being in AEW, this really works as a highlight of what he's capable of. Just sticking it on Youtube is a missed opportunity.

3) Same with building up Janela. They did a great job of putting Darby in the spotlight last week. A match like this on PPV (or even proper TV) would've made Janela one to talk about too.

I can see both sides of the argument but this feels wasted on Dark to me anyway. Will it be a regular thing? Who knows, but I wouldn't want them to be wasting matches like these online too often.

[King Pitcos]

9 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

Again, it's early days, so the rules are a little different. They need to establish Dark, and the easiest way to do that is by acknowledging it on TV.

If they want to use it for stuff like "Unsanctioned Matches" (and that's something that makes sense - a real "Too Extreme For TV" appeal), then I think it's something worth at least giving a nod to on TV. It still should be supplementary material rather than required viewing, but if it wasn't posted about in here, I'd have had no idea that Janela vs. Omega was even happening, let alone what the rationale for it is.

How much do they really want to establish Dark to new viewers, though? They’re only two weeks into their TV show, and this is basically just them sticking matches they have to have for the live crowd on YouTube. For the existing AEW fanbase, they’d be aware of it via social media, but for a new casual fan of the show who just wants to stick some wrestling on the telly (without needing to put in the 7 hours a week that WWE demands), plugging YouTube shows on the TV show could be alienating.

[WyattSheepMask]

Gave Dark a try this week after reading about Omega v Janela. It’s an easy watch and recaps Dynamite well if you miss it for whatever reason. The 3 matches were all fine for what they were but wouldn’t call them essentially viewing. I doubt that it will get used as a show to further storylines in the long run

There was some very ropey sound issues from Match 2 onwards though, with JR and Excalibur sounding very echoey, and there’s a Superplex from the top which makes no sound on impact 

[King Pitcos]

4 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

I can see both sides of the argument but this feels wasted on Dark to me anyway. Will it be a regular thing? Who knows, but I wouldn't want them to be wasting matches like these online too often.

People buying tickets to AEW want to see the main lads wrestle. But for TV purposes, you don’t want every main lad wrestling every week. So one of the top guys wrestling on Dark will likely be a regular thing.

[Liam O'Rourke]

So....we reckon Pac costs Darby tonight in a rage because he didnt get the title shot? Most logical development and neither has a big match for the PPV.

[tiger_rick]

Thought Omega/Janela was good but not great. Impressive hard work from both guys but fuck all structure and no real change of gear. The gimmick limits that because the expectation is for a bunch of spots which is a shame.

I nearly didn't survive the opening 3 minutes though. Firstly, JR telling us wins and losses matter AGAIN. Fuck off with that shit. Then a fucking TOPE SUICIDA. Enough. Please stop it now.

Commentary was decent. I like the way they acknowledge the crowd and the scenario and just feel 100 times more natural than WWE comms. But you can feel JR's limitations these days. Janela frog splashed himself through a fucking table and JR barely changed pitch. Felt a bit phoned in.

Still very much of the opinion that this isn't remotely a PPV attraction. I couldn't give a fuck how many snowflakes out of 70 it is. That's nothing to do with anything. Janela isn't on the level where it doesn't feel like a comedown for Omega. That needs sorting before you worry about anyone buying it.

[King Pitcos]

I watched a Joey Janela vs Orange Cassidy match the other day and a thought struck me about Janela - he’s kind of like what Troma would be if it was a wrestler. Tiny compared to bigger names, fairly shite, gets by on crass and crude gimmickry, but creative and entertaining with niche appeal to weirdos.

[Merzbow]

14 minutes ago, King Pitcos said:

I watched a Joey Janela vs Orange Cassidy match the other day and a thought struck me about Janela - he’s kind of like what Troma would be if it was a wrestler. Tiny compared to bigger names, fairly shite, gets by on crass and crude gimmickry, but creative and entertaining with niche appeal to weirdos.

His whole GCW company is pretty much that too. Nick Gage is world champ ffs.

[Accident Prone]

There will be no Nick Gage slander on this website. I'll be looking forward to the day he eventually gets onto AEW TV and "MDK! All Fucking Day!" becomes the biggest wrestling catchphrase since the late 90's.

Edited October 16, 2019 by Accident Prone

[Carbomb]

9 minutes ago, Accident Prone said:

There will be no Nick Gage slander on this website. I'll be looking forward to the day he eventually gets onto AEW TV and "MDK! All Fucking Day!" becomes the biggest wrestling catchphrase since the late 90's.

Or he shows up as ultra-violent eco-warrior "Green" Gage.

[Max Power]

When is Dynamite up on the ITV hub usually?