AEW Dynamite Thread 2023

[Hannibal Scorch]

45 minutes ago, Nick James said:

The only way out of it that would explain the admin issues (Which would be utterly shite I might add) would be for Tony Khan to be involved somehow to get involved as a way of trying to get the belt off MJF before the whole 'Bidding war of 2024' kicks off. It's bollocks, would be shite, but would at least explain some of the plot holes.

What plot holes? At this moment without any reveals I don't see them. A completely relevant reveal would be Adam Cole. 

• He has been there since the beginning of this
•  Close enough with MJF to have access to the mask
• Convinced MJF to offer the title shot at Worlds End
• Samoa Joe has done a deal with the devil

As to who the henchman are I thought it was the Kingdom. I do think it's more likely now it is Wardlow and Shawn Spears, possibly with Kyle and Bobby Fish. I don't think Jungle Boy is part of them.

I thought Dynamite was a mixed show. The matches, all great. I wish that Swerve won, but I think he's lining up for a world title run and so it makes sense to put the Ace of AEW in the final, especially with the history of him and Eddie Kingston. Great promo after King beat Bryan as well between the two of them. I said at the beginning I saw a Swerve/Kingston final but after what they have been doing with Swerve recently, both on and off the shows, I get it.

The womens match was great. Thought both code blues were executed really well considering how that finish sometimes looks. Both Skye and Julia have really improved leaps and bounds this year.

Don Callis segment went far too long and the return and re-turn of Sammy felt creatively redactive. Also, would rather they had cut the match from the PPV than turn it into a 8 man (although gets Sting on the card I suppose).

The Adam/Christian interaction dragged all night and felt pointless. Feel they started the build too early and run out of steam tonight. Sure the match will be a banger though.

Edited December 28, 2023 by Hannibal Scorch

[Nick James]

18 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

What plot holes? At this moment without any reveals I don't see them. 

The exact ones in Daz' post. I know you're a heck of a lot more positive than most when it comes to AEW here, Scorch, but even you must admit that this storyline is shite and doesn't make much sense on the whole. 

EDIT: The frustrating thing is that once again, this was a very good show, but most of the talk is about this shitty Devil storyline. Not Mox / Kingston as it should be.

I'd actually go so far as to give Tony the benefit of the doubt and say that it isn't him that's booking this. It seems quite far removed from his usual booking style.

Edited December 28, 2023 by Nick James

[Chili]

To be honest the only thing that didn't make complete sense was Adam Cole filling in for MJF at Full Gear, because was he gonna lay down for Jay White and give him the belt and why. Beyond that it's been a few red herrings thrown to lead you to the wrong suspects, but as Adam Cole it would make sense. It's still not exactly a memorable storyline regardless.

[Hannibal Scorch]

10 minutes ago, Nick James said:

The exact ones in Daz' post. I know you're a heck of a lot more positive than most when it comes to AEW here, Scorch, but even you must admit that this storyline is shite and doesn't make much sense on the whole. 

I mean it's no different to the ones we had on Raw with Retribution or Aces and Eights on Impact Wrestling. Things were never really explained there either as to how all the backstage things played out. And I am not saying I love the storyline. It's gone on too long and had it not be basically the lead up to Worlds End, I'd feel more annoyed. I am just saying until we get the reveals, talking plot holes is a bit like watching a film and switching it off mid way through.

Edited December 28, 2023 by Hannibal Scorch

[69MeDon]

Devil stuff is dogshit, and I saw that as a huge AEW guy.

I thought the rest of the show was good, personally. The C2 matches were obviously the highlights, but I didn't totally hate the Don Callis stuff either.

[d-d-d-dAz]

7 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

I mean it's no different to the ones we had on Raw with Retribution or Aces and Eights on Impact Wrestling. And I am not saying I love the storyline. It's gone on too long and had it not be basically the lead up to Worlds End, I'd feel more annoyed. I am just saying until we get the reveals, talking plot holes is a bit like watching a film and switching it off mid way through.

Did Retribution win titles or have sanctioned matches before any unmasking of known characters/naming of new ones? I'm not being snarky, I genuinely don't know.

But yeah I'd be turning this off if it was a film. They've gone too far. Selling merch, on-screen bespoke subtitling, branded gear for the stooges, sanctioned matches, title wins... it's all just too far given the premise is currently that they're an outlaw gang that everyone is desperate to unmask.

They have to have the office involved in some way, and that's rubbish. They have to because they've laid it on so thick that it's obvious even as a super casual viewer that someone backstage HAS to know who they are, and also the office has been perfectly adept at managing the tournament within a strict set of rules.

It's just not good enough, I don't think either company should be doing this poorly thought through shite anyway, but especially not in the main event and especially when AEW has so much other good stuff it could be focusing on if it wanted to. 

Just rubbish.

Edited December 28, 2023 by d-d-d-dAz

[Mr_Danger]

Regardless of the quality of the angle why is anyone giving a shit about admin in a wrestling angle. 

[SuperBacon]

2 minutes ago, Mr_Danger said:

Regardless of the quality of the angle why is anyone giving a shit about admin in a wrestling angle. 

"Who's behind the pivot tables though!!??"

[d-d-d-dAz]

10 minutes ago, Mr_Danger said:

Regardless of the quality of the angle why is anyone giving a shit about admin in a wrestling angle. 

Because the whole point of the angle is they're invaders, threatening the very integrity of the company and no one knows who they are.

That's undermined if you can quite easily point at things and go 'nope, that doesn't check out'.

The whole angle is them not being known. It's basically an admin angle. To say in this instance it doesn't matter is just letting them off the hook for bad writing.

Also, you can't say 'but you're not supposed to think about that stuff, just enjoy it however illogical' as they HAVE made Khan canon previously, with even MJF - the bloke currently being attacked by the people no one knows but who have merch and titles - calling him out in a promo. So it's perfectly logical to think what do the office know, and why that'd be a shite development of the story.

Edited December 28, 2023 by d-d-d-dAz

[Chili]

The Devil, The Hower Power, Black Scorpion, Brother Bruti does Tonya Harding, Aces and Eights, Retribution...

None have worked because the mystery long form Scooby Doo angle never does. It only really works if there is something hyped but not physically seen (see nWo third man) or it's just a one night angle like when territories used to do a man in a mask or someone disguised (All Out 2022)

It's because there are too many 'why isn't so and so stopping this, or the entire roster'. I can see why a booker would love a mystery angle, but it never really lands in execution because there are too many logic potholes in an acceptable wrestling way. I mean, actual zombies, or teleportation as legit, too daft but so daft it's just nonsense. A mystery man angle is too on the nose of actual logic for the viewer even if it's quasi nonsense in general.

It'll be Adam Cole though, but fucking hell don't get injured jumping about again you prat. Not your fault, but it's been a few weeks too long. A short say one month angle of the Devil with a healthy Adam Cole ready for the reveal, might, might have landed. But I don't think they were going for a quick pay off 

Edited December 28, 2023 by Chili

[DavidB6937]

Beyond the discussions about whether it makes sense or whatever else, I just don't care anymore. Even if it does end up being Adam Cole. It's shit. It needs to end. Move on.

The more they drag it out on the same shows as the exceptional tournament the more embarrassing it is. The sooner everyone can move on to something else the better.

[Infinity Land]

18 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

Did Retribution win titles or have sanctioned matches before any unmasking of known characters/naming of new ones? I'm not being snarky, I genuinely don't know.

They have to have the office involved in some way, and that's rubbish. They have to because they've laid it on so thick that it's obvious even as a super casual viewer that someone backstage HAS to know who they are, and also the office has been perfectly adept at managing the tournament within a strict set of rules.

 

There is the precedent within AEW. Gang of masked men takeover the Casino Ladder match. Hand the chip over to the Devil who was officially the Joker. All later revealed to be MJF extorting Tony Khan so that he could return.

Which is why I had been hoping it would turn out to be MJF again. Which seems rather doubtful after last night. That just makes MJF your typical dumb babyface. Having done the same act himself before. MJF should have confronted Tony Khan by now. As he would know the only way these masked men are getting away with it is because Tony Khan has given his approval.

Months of this is just going to be handwaved with a shoddy reveal...eventually. As i'm still not convinced they will progress the storyline at Worlds End.

 

[Mr_Danger]

Well now I want it to be Jungle Boy extorting Tony Khan because he was assaulted backstage off camera by CM Punk on Tone’s watch. It’s the shittest possible outcome therefore the funniest. 
 

Britt Baker doing a Lady Macbeth in the most interesting but I don’t watch frequently enough for that to give me half the enjoyment of the online bitching that will occur from the above.

[Loki]

Best episode of Dynamite in a while, for me.  There was a nice flow and variety.

Unlike a lot of you, I've really not enjoyed the Continental Classic tournament.  Too many samey matchups with no real story, too few genuine upsets, just soaking up too much tv time, and successive clean losses on tv have made some competitors come out worse than they went in.

However, as a vehicle for an Eddie Kingston push, it's been great - a "fighting spirit" tournament works for a guy whose gimmick is that he's the one guy who thinks pro wrestling is real, and all his opponents taunting him to just try harder feeds that belief.  The final outcome (Moxley v Kingston) may have been predictable but it feels like a big time matchup again, and Eddie will make a great Triple Crown champ, however that will be defended/booked (presumably it will be a cross-promotional thing).  I hope both Danielson and Moxley take some time off in the New Year after this and come back healthy.

The Sky Blue / Julia Hart pairing, my oh my, and it feels like the women's division has a bit more shape and impetus than recently.

The whole Devil thing may have now veered into Wrestlecrap territory, but the MJF/Joe storyline feels like the first proper main event thing MJF has done in a while as champ, mainly because Joe gives a shit about the title.  I don't think Joe is the Devil but I do think he's used the situation to manipulate MJF into a position of weakness, and I hope to God Joe wins the title on the weekend, and can re-energise the title whilst Max feuds with whoever is revealed as The Devil.

It's been a messy year for AEW, what with numerous injuries derailing programmes, and of course the whole Punk disaster.  But they still have a stacked roster that they can make a good 2/3 hours of tv out of.  Hopefully 2024 will bring a new focus to all this - get the most entertaining guys and girls on Dynamite/Collision, do the "real pro wrestling" stuff on RoH if that has to continue, allow a few ex-WWE stars to leave (this Saturday, Andrade v Miro in a "Winner Gets to Leave AEW" match) and make sure Sting goes out with style.  

[Hannibal Scorch]

3 minutes ago, Mr_Danger said:

Well now I want it to be Jungle Boy extorting Tony Khan because he was assaulted backstage off camera by CM Punk on Tone’s watch. It’s the shittest possible outcome therefore the funniest. 
 

Britt Baker doing a Lady Macbeth in the most interesting but I don’t watch frequently enough for that to give me half the enjoyment of the online bitching that will occur from the above.

Regardless of the outcome, there will be bitching alright, otherwise what is the point of the IWC in 2023?