AEW Dynamite Thread 2023

[DavidB6937]

9 minutes ago, Accident Prone said:

There's still good stuff up and down the roster, but having your World Heavyweight Champion wasting his time with this Vince McMahon-engorged guff is such a waste.

The thing is MJF was fucking BORING before this stuff. I get where you're coming from but this partnership with Cole has absolutely been the most entertaining he's been and the most watchable in ages.

[Merzbow]

I'm pretty sure the MJF x Cole stuff is nearly all down to the two performers, it's been said before that Max is *very* hands on with his stories and this really feels like something the two came up with together, for better or worse.

[Loki]

1 hour ago, LaGoosh said:

Choose Max!

I really hope they go that way.  There's only so many months that MJF can run the cocky loner character without some relief. It's been established that he's very insecure and lonely even before this storyline, and the much more interesting way to go is a semi-face turn with the two of them winning the tag belts, MJF getting to trust Cole and maybe even turn face briefly.  And then have it all fall apart with him feeling betrayed and flicking the dial right back to the other polarity.  That's much better than just having him beat down Cole after losing the tournament final or whatever.

8 minutes ago, Accident Prone said:

I having your World Heavyweight Champion wasting his time with this Vince McMahon-engorged guff is such a waste.

I respect that everyone has different tastes but in all honesty this is the most interesting I think MJF has been as a champ.  AEW works best for me when it walks that fine line between taking itself too seriously (BCC in its face days, ugh) and full comedy (Danhousen, yuck).  When it manages to combine good wrestling, some drama, and some light moments in one storyline, that's the sweet spot for me.  And it did it a LOT in this episode.

You really can't criticise AEW for studying The Bloodline though - it's undoubtedly the best wrestling angle since, well certainly the emergence of The Shield, and possibly as far back as the nWo.  They'd be mad to not to take notes.
 

[Accident Prone]

8 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

The thing is MJF was fucking BORING before this stuff. I get where you're coming from but this partnership with Cole has absolutely been the most entertaining he's been and the most watchable in ages.

He fucked it during the Sammy/Darby/Jungle boy feud, but I've been a big fan MJF's character all the way up until this point. From the "YOU FUCKING MARK" promo to MJF Day in Long Island, and the entire Wardlow saga and his mini-programs in between, he's been great. It feels to me as though there's been a shift in how to present him, and that's fine but it shouldn't done while he is carrying the big boy strap.

Edited July 13, 2023 by Accident Prone

[The King Of Swing]

When they decide to pull the trigger on an MJF face turn for real, it'll blow the roof off. 

I'd much rather AEW take note of things that are working for WWE than going the usual route of taking cringe worthy shots at them.

Closing was excellent and Better Than You Bay Bay Vs. Big Machine was class in a house show way but tbh not much else really got me going.

Really looking forward to Collision and I hope something better than Spears Vs. Luchasauras is added to BoTB.

Rampage is looking decent as well. 

[David]

Just now, Accident Prone said:

I don't watch AEW for skits and comedy segments and backstage angles, I watch it because they used to promote the important chunks of the card with in-ring storytelling, proper interviews, post-match angles and video packages. They had silly shite every now and again, but it was mostly relegated to guys who weren't important. But now we have the world heavyweight champion dabbling in segments that even NXT staff would scoff at, and we've got the most over tag team in the company (who have been cooled off a lot since their peak) embroiled with the instant death that is QTV.

There's still good stuff up and down the roster, but having your World Heavyweight Champion wasting his time with this Vince McMahon-engorged guff is such a waste.

I guess it depends on who they're trying to market to really, doesn't it?

I'm much like you, in that I want to see in-ring storytelling, proper interviews, and so on, but as we've been told numerous times by people in the business, AEW can't survive on just appealing to the nerds who post on message boards and mark out at NJPW appearances. 

Case in point, my other half has always had pretty much zero interest in wrestling in general. WWE, Impact, you name it. 

But, she's went from a curious casual watcher of AEW, seemingly digging the Orange Cassidy stuff, and really liking the Ruby Soho character, to absolutely loving the MJF/Adam Cole stuff.

I was absolutely shocked to see a payment from our bank for Pro Wrestling Tees when it's not my birthday or Christmas etc, and when I asked she told me she's ordered one of those shirts MJF and Cole are wearing. Why? Because she thinks it's great and wants one for going to the gym. 

I can only go on what I'm seeing, but what they're doing is clearly working. And the truth is, guys like you and me are gonna be watching regardless. People like my other half? They will just stop watching if shit gets too serious or nerdy. 

Just my take on it.

[The Gaffer]

Great show, though I will say I'm rather looking forward to this trip up north coming to an end.

Canada's historically had some of the better PPV crowds but a lot of the in-between towns and TVs over the last few weeks have felt a bit like watching In Your House shows from 1995. That closing segment would have felt so much hotter in front of most other houses they've done over the last few years. 

Not a slight on the fans, I'm sure a lot of these towns are smaller markets for them where people don't know everyone, but it does result in more tepid crowds, in a lot of dull looking buildings. 

Admittedly the benchmark for so many of their shows has been really really high, so it was always going to drop a little when pushing further out from their usual haunts. 

Edited July 13, 2023 by Gay as FOOK

[SuperBacon]

1 hour ago, David said:

Why? Because she thinks it's great and wants one for going to the gym. 

Go with her to the gym as I absolutely guarantee some smelly wrestling fan will see her t-shirt and before you know it, will be quizzing her on her thoughts on Crockett Promotions and offering her a can of Monster. 

Not that I generalise or anything. 

[David]

Just now, SuperBacon said:

Go with her to the gym as I absolutely guarantee some smelly wrestling fan will see her t-shirt and before you know it, will be quizzing her on her thoughts on Crockett Promotions and offering her a can of Monster. 

Never thought of that. I may actually go and sit a little bit away, phone at the ready for the approach of said neckbeard type. I'll upload here if it happens.

[Merzbow]

One thing not mentioned in the tweet is that they're promoting better communication with coaches etc, talking beforehand about any potentially dangerous spots.

[Infinity Land]

4 hours ago, Accident Prone said:

I don't want to lift the lid on paywalled content, but on the Flagship Dynamite review last week, they said that several people in the AEW creative room are either a) Intimidated by the massive success of the Bloodline angle, b) made up of people who love the WWE method of "telling stories", or c) Both. The Flagship have been bang-on with their sources when it comes to the more detailed-tidbits like this (they were usually first on any CM Punk drama, for example), so I've been inclined to believe them.

These consistent Adam Cole/MJF and QTV skits are the biggest smoke-to-fire danger signs of that being true. I've been getting proper "Four sides only got you so far, brother!" vibes from the past few shows; instead of trying to be a WWE alternative by offering a product that is largely the anthesis to WWE, they are trying to be just like WWE and looking incredibly bush league in the process.

MJF being fake friends with someone isn't exactly new is it? Sammy during the 4 Pillars, Cody, the Inner Circle. It's right up there with "If you beat these 5 guys" and cheap heat on the locals.

 

 

QTV seems to fit into the style of comedy from the Vlogs. The music video from Harley. Hasn't Sonjay and the Gunns and maybe some others all done Acclaimed diss tracks?

[LaGoosh]

Harley's video was bad because she's actually good at rapping. As a heel it should have been over the top awful to the point it was funny. A heel doing a genuinely decent song doesn't really help anyone involved, including her.

[Mr Butternut Squash]

Harley put Max to shame!

[RedRooster]

5 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Harley's video was bad because she's actually good at rapping. As a heel it should have been over the top awful to the point it was funny. A heel doing a genuinely decent song doesn't really help anyone involved, including her.

It was a really weird angle, it didn’t achieve anything other than show Harley is talented. QTV isn’t really working for me. There’s definitely a place for QT Marshall, but it’s not doing this. Harley is one of the best female performers on the mic - I’ve no idea if she can wrestle, but even if she can’t, there’s a place for her as a manager. She’d be far better off outside of this group, though. 

3 hours ago, The King Of Swing said:

When they decide to pull the trigger on an MJF face turn for real, it'll blow the roof off. 

Will people believe it, though? I’d be wary, if I were them, about creating a ‘boy-who-cried-wolf’ type situation where fans don’t trust that any MJF face turn is in anything more than a ruse.

[The King Of Swing]

2 minutes ago, Mr Butternut Squash said:

Harley put Max to shame!

Which isn't really saying much to be honest. 

Max is good at popping a crowd but his raps have always been pretty cheesy which isn't a complaint btw.