AEW Dynamite Thread 2023

[LaGoosh]

Christian's ongoing dead dad gimmick is just absolutely hilarious to watch. I hope when my Dad pops his clogs Christian turns up at the funeral to berate me.

[Infinity Land]

27 minutes ago, 2Xtreme_lives said:

It's an odd one with AR Fox, He's been over here loads before hasn't he. I've definitely seen him at Southside back in the day more than once

If he was outright banned from Canada and the UK as some people are suggesting. I'm not sure he would have been put in the position he has been. His introduction to the Mogul Embassy and now exit was quite rushed.

Like a lot of people during all the lockdowns maybe he let his passport expire. Meant to be delays in processing just that, without factoring in any visas. It was only a month ago he was just an ROH regular and occasional job guy. Doubt he had Wembley in mind until last minute.

[BomberPat]

A real shame that's how they chose to write AR Fox out of the match, as him and Swerve are a much better fit than Swerve and anyone else in the Mogul group, unless the plan moving forward is for them to finally focus on Swerve as a major singles guy. He needs the win at Wembley now, surely?

As a babyface, AR Fox is at risk of being just another flippy ex-indie guy. In that match, I was thinking how he's developing what PAC has and almost nobody else can pull off, the ability to make big flippy moves and super-indie elaborate set-ups feel like something vicious and vindictive. He's much better off in that role than as a babyface. Speaking of babyfaces, though, for someone so young, Nick Wayne's selling and his instincts in general are absolutely fantastic, I can see why everyone is so high on him, I just find it a shame that the style he works is so overdone everywhere, so it will make it harder for him to stand out. I could gladly go ten years without ever seeing another springboard cutter.

I think there's a space for the Hardy Boys to do greatest hits house show matches, but I'm not sure that space is the main event slot on national TV.

[RedRooster]

They surely have to turn Adam Cole after this. I'd be absolutely stunned if neither of them turn, given all of the foreshadowing - but it would be much harder to explain why MJF turned, given all of the opportunities he had to do so. Plus, it's the least exciting option. Cole has the opportunity to become the hottest heel in the company if he turns on Sunday night, and the moments they can create with MJF after that could be absolutely magical; as we all go with him on his quest to become a better person. I'm not sure there's ever been a babyface doing what he's doing, and I love that. If you have something unique like that, you just have to go with it. 

A sentence I never thought I'd say, but is absolutely true: I want Adam Cole - as a heel - to win the AEW World title on Sunday night, and absolutely destroy MJF in the process - physically and mentally. 

If they do that, you'll have the hottest babyface the company has had since Hangman Page, and a heel who is hotter than Christian Cage in Adam Cole. And you can do Cole/Punk in Chicago, and end that pointless "real World Champion" angle. 

One other thing on this - I love that they had Cole storm out of the interview, after replaying the footage from last week. It suggested he knew he fucked up by acting impulsively, potentially showing his hand too soon. People "say the quiet part out loud" all of the time, so they've put them in a great position to explain away everything that he's done. 

[BomberPat]

This is probably a case of broken wrestling brain, brought up on too many swerves and surprises, but the first time in this story that I've not thought that Adam Cole would turn at Wembley was watching last night's show because of how much they were foreshadowing it. But him storming out of the interview, and Roderick Strong saying that at Wembley you'll see "the real MJF and the real Adam Cole" - it's got to happen, hasn't it?

The only question is whether it happens in the title match, or in the tag title match. Do they do the turn on the pre-show to add heat to the main event, or does that detract from the story? Does losing the tag title match just create dissension, teasing MJF getting frustrated - maybe a Piper/Bret "will he use the weapon or not?" spot - only for Cole to be the one to take shortcuts on his way to winning? That feels like the best option, but there's so many ways they could take this.

I'm not usually a fan of using tag team titles as props in singles storylines, but what happens if they win the ROH Tag Team Titles together, but then the heel turn happens in the main event all the same? That could an interesting dynamic, forcing MJF to team with Cole and weigh up whether he values the prestige and extra income of being a champion over being forced to work with the man who stabbed him in the back. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

9 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

This is probably a case of broken wrestling brain, brought up on too many swerves and surprises, but the first time in this story that I've not thought that Adam Cole would turn at Wembley was watching last night's show because of how much they were foreshadowing it. But him storming out of the interview, and Roderick Strong saying that at Wembley you'll see "the real MJF and the real Adam Cole" - it's got to happen, hasn't it?

The only question is whether it happens in the title match, or in the tag title match. Do they do the turn on the pre-show to add heat to the main event, or does that detract from the story? Does losing the tag title match just create dissension, teasing MJF getting frustrated - maybe a Piper/Bret "will he use the weapon or not?" spot - only for Cole to be the one to take shortcuts on his way to winning? That feels like the best option, but there's so many ways they could take this.

I'm not usually a fan of using tag team titles as props in singles storylines, but what happens if they win the ROH Tag Team Titles together, but then the heel turn happens in the main event all the same? That could an interesting dynamic, forcing MJF to team with Cole and weigh up whether he values the prestige and extra income of being a champion over being forced to work with the man who stabbed him in the back. 

I think my joke suggestion the other week has become an actual option; MJF turns on Cole with the Kingdom on the pre-show, but revealed to be a ruse in the main event and Cole and the Kingdom turn on MJF and Cole takes the title.

Show long bait and switch, with the show ending with MJF sat crying in front of 80,000 people.

I think given MJF’s arc, him trying to turn on Cole doesn’t necessarily preclude a face run afterwards as we know he’s flawed.

That said, I hope it’s just a straight heel turn in the main. Cole as champion, MJF as the sad babyface. It’s all I want.

Edited August 24, 2023 by d-d-d-dAz

[WyattSheepMask]

I realised watching this weeks episode that I’ve never actually heard Will Osprey talk that often. Has he always been saying “bruv” every other sentence, or is it a recent thing? Either way he needs to pack it in

I know The Bucks v FTR will be a decent Tag match until they try and cram 30minutes worth of stuff into the last 5, but Christ almighty neither of them are even remotely likeable.

Probably just my personal preference, but I feel as though Mox v Fenix and the angle that followed would’ve been better served being in the main event spot. Excalibur putting his solemn voice for 5 minutes and then acting like it never happened the rest of the show was pretty jarring, made all the worse by him “Owen voicing” his Draft Kings copy. The show going off the air with Kingston telling a caught in the middle/just doing her job Renee to get out of his face asking about what her husband just did as his mate is rushed to hospital, great stuff. Then it got buried under another 90minutes of programming 

Edited August 24, 2023 by WyattSheepMask

[TildeGuy~!]

21 minutes ago, WyattSheepMask said:

I realised watching this weeks episode that I’ve never actually heard Will Osprey talk that often. Has he always been saying “bruv” every other sentence, or is it a recent thing? Either way he needs to pack it in

He’s only ever done that as a heel, he’s turned back into a baby face in Japan over the past couple of months and has cut out all the chav slang and swearing.

Gabriel Kidd does all that bollocks in New Japan now. 

[LaGoosh]

1 hour ago, WyattSheepMask said:

Probably just my personal preference, but I feel as though Mox v Fenix and the angle that followed would’ve been better served being in the main event spot.

The placement of stuff on Dynamite is often wrong I think. But then I'm looking at it from an audience perspective, I believe AEW place stuff on the shows based on ratings data.

[RedRooster]

1 hour ago, BomberPat said:

This is probably a case of broken wrestling brain, brought up on too many swerves and surprises, but the first time in this story that I've not thought that Adam Cole would turn at Wembley was watching last night's show because of how much they were foreshadowing it. But him storming out of the interview, and Roderick Strong saying that at Wembley you'll see "the real MJF and the real Adam Cole" - it's got to happen, hasn't it?

 

I suppose they could have MJF turn, and have it clear that Strong and The Kingdom were the corrupting factor, using the evidence we saw to prove to MJF that Cole would always stab him in the back - "something they would never do". Effectively preying on MJF's clear vulnerabilities. The story could end up being Cole trying to bring MJF back to the light - showing him that he's being manipulated; with MJF not really turning full heel, and Cole not turning heel either. Or they could just have MJF turn, with the same justifications. 

But I think Cole turning is the best possible route here. 

1 hour ago, BomberPat said:

The only question is whether it happens in the title match, or in the tag title match. Do they do the turn on the pre-show to add heat to the main event, or does that detract from the story? Does losing the tag title match just create dissension, teasing MJF getting frustrated - maybe a Piper/Bret "will he use the weapon or not?" spot - only for Cole to be the one to take shortcuts on his way to winning? That feels like the best option, but there's so many ways they could take this.

I love the idea (and it's Jason Powell's, not mine) of Cole turning during the tag title match; and with the help of The Kingdom absolutely decimating MJF. Then you have the PPV open with the announcers in shock, recapping what has happened - questioning the state MJF will be for the main event - physically and mentally; perhaps a fiery MJF babyface promo mid-show; and then an incredible atmosphere in the main event, as MJF valiantly tries to overcome the man who betrayed him; but in the end, falls short. Cole can win the title - then you can end on a distraught MJF in the middle of the ring, as the crowd rally behinds him - as he slowly gets up, and acknowledges them. 

For me, that's the best route - if Cole's masterplan unfolds in the pre-show, the buzz around the main event would be tremendous; and the atmosphere could be something else (assuming the crowd isn't burned out).

[AndyUK]

Cole should absolutely turn heel, MJF has the ability to be an amazing sympathetic face and tell a great story, which is quite something for someone I always viewed as a lifetime heel. 

Loved the Ospreay and Jericho segment minus the ‘Bruvs’. That’s how you sell a PPV match. 

The build has been very messy, some of it their fault and some of it not, but the minor changes to the card probably do make it better overall. 

Edited August 24, 2023 by AndyUK

[DavidB6937]

So many of these ideas are overcomplicating the Cole/MJF stuff. I really hope they don't try and be TOO clever with it. It's at a part in the story where they can easily break MJF's heart and make him a sympathetic babyface by having Cole turn on him and it doesn't need any other tricks or whatever.

[westlondonmist]

I got a bit confused with the Ospreay/ Jericho segment, he rips into Fozzy which we should kind of like him for but he's a heel with this shit bruv patter. I'm sure it will be a fine match but I'm not really interested in seeing it. I'd say the match I'm bothered about least. 

I've only just really started following the MJF/Cole storyline over the past few weeks but I really want to see this. How does it play out, do they stay best friends, does one plan to turn or does one fuck up the tag match causing them to turn? 

The coffin match I really want to see, Christian doesn't strangely want me to see it more though, I was looking forward to it anyway with Fox. Should be fun. I'm guessing Strickland gets the win then gets a TNT title shot post All Out. You don't often think Sting is losing though. It's a shame about Fox losing his spot, it seemed to be going really well and a worked out storyline. I hope he gets something soon after. 

 

[Merzbow]

4 minutes ago, westlondonmist said:

he rips into Fozzy which we should kind of like him

Unfortunately there are those that like Fozzy, I'm not sure the typical wrestling fan (whatever that is..) has good taste in music.

[JLM]

Wembley should drown them out pretty effectively. The Judas sing along is a big part of the AEW live experience so I’m glad we’re getting it even if Fozzy are a bit pants. 

Edited August 24, 2023 by JLM