AEW Dynamite Thread 2024

[JimmyAnderson]

Wasn't a great episode for me. But the commentary team can make even the poorer episodes enjoyable.

Starting with MJF doing the same shit he's been doing for what seems like an eternity put me off from the start. Having him basically bury Forbidden Door as well with him saying he'll probably end up facing any random Japanese or Mexican lad is hardly the way to sell a PPV. And then he lists Tanahashi as one of the big names he's beaten, makes him look just like a tit as well. And to top it off, he's feuding with Rush, who hasn't wrestled on Dynamite or an AEW PPV this calendar year makes his whole return seem really pointless.

A good video package for Roddy Strong followed but nobody is buying him as a threat against Swerve, at least not if the title is on the line.

Four way was good and Sonjay Dutt remains one of the better managers out there. Fenix against Osperay will be a 100 miles per hour pure gold.

 Guess we're getting a mixed-tag of Beretta & Statlander against Orange & Willow. That could be tons of fun. Special mention to Stokely jumping on Stat's back as well, that got me laughing.

I've said previously that the Jericho stuff would probably be funny with somebody else doing it but because it's Jericho it just becomes grating. I find Big Bill funny though. And this is the only time I've found Bryan Keith remotely entertaining. Hardly side-splitting entertaining but a lot more than he has been previously.

Taz demanding to be put over by Schiavone during the Briscoe/Cage match was the highlight of the night. The match itself was alright and having Takeshita and Perry watching it gave it more importance. Do we know how many people they're gonna have in the TNT Title match?

After being dragged to the depths of shit with Jericho, Hook is now back mixing it with Joe in what should get a few laughs. Just missing Shibata and his google translate.

The Acclaimed being cut off by the Bucks was funny. Their bit later in the night wasn't up to much.

Swerve sending a signed contract to Osperay before his match Strong. Now that can be explained as confidence from the champ but it doesn't help Roddy, or their main event, much.

Couldn't care less about Mone or her match for the New Japan title.

Was great to see the BCC back to full strength. Didn't know any of the Mexicans they were fighting with. Not sure the crowd did either. The feud with CMLL has been a stop/start thing since it began for various reasons, so I'm not sure keeping it going is best of the BCC.

Bucks and Patriarchy backstage gave me the thought of a possible trios title match for Christian and friends. The fact he's still after the World title could make for some entertainment moving forward. 

Decent match between the British birds and Toni was good as usual on comms. Also some good post-match stuff with Toni, Mariah & Shirakawa. Mariah costing Toni the title seems the only way they can it off her at this point. 

Good promo from Danielson. Him winning the Owen Cup and taking the title at Wembley would be huge. And I like the fact that AEW are having so many of their top stars aiming to be World champion. 

The Swerve/Strong match was decent enough but with the obvious outcome it didn't really captivate.

So yeah, overall, not the best Dynaite they've ever produced.

[Nick James]

1 hour ago, Chris B said:

Jericho's new shtick feels like a Will Ferrell character, but not one I can place.

The Private Party skit really reminded me of Elf. Just being really loud and saying daft things with a big smile on his face. 

That skit in isolation was actually pretty funny, but as always, it's just overdone.

[SuperBacon]

2 hours ago, Chris B said:

Jericho's new shtick feels like a Will Ferrell character, but not one I can place.

Wankerman?

[LaGoosh]

I really can't see Penta working in WWE. He wrestles a very indy-riffic style and as someone turning 40 this year it's probably too late for him to change up. Additionally where he really thrives is when he can be a horrible, violent sicko which he won't be able to do in WWE either.

Not that AEW have used him to his full talents though. The "he was best in Lucha Underground" argument is a bit of an unfair one as literally everyone in who was in Lucha Underground was their best version of themselves there. No company has ever accentuated the positives of wrestlers as well as that production team did. They convinced me that 5'9 tubby Mil Muertes was an unstoppable monster. 

There was a very brief moment in time where it looked like he was going to get a decent heel push and he was fantastic. He had a good little feud with Cody Rhodes but in typical Codyverse fashion they swerved a natural Penta story into a fucking QT Marshall angle for fucks sake.

It's a real shame. Penta as a singles has a unique aura and presence you just can't teach, an incredible look which could sell millions in merch and he really excels when he's allowed to let loose as a violent and cruel bastard. As one of the LU writers put it "we wrote him as one of the worst people on Earth. The worse he was the more people seemed to like him".

EDIT: special mention to two of my favourite promo moments from him.

1) after beating Prince Puma in a highly emotional "Loser Leaves Town" match and as Puma tearfully hugs fans at ringside goodbye Penta takes the mic and in a way so casual it was cruel beyond belief just says in a very off handed manner "Bye" and gives Puma a little wave. Tremendous. 

2) to Tommaso Ciampa - "Maybe I don't speak English but I'm a bad motherfucker, you bald piece of shit".

Edited June 7 by LaGoosh

[BomberPat]

The other thing with LU is that it was edited and produced to a far greater extent than any other TV wrestling - the Pentagon/Vampiro deathmatch was apparently awful live, with very little heat, but came across like the most insane blood feud blow-off match ever on TV once they had worked their magic.

Good point about the other extreme of Penta's work being something he wouldn't be able to do in WWE either - the best image of him in years is him soaked in blood holding Villano IV's match, and you're not getting that at Battleground.

[Chris B]

1 hour ago, Nick James said:

The Private Party skit really reminded me of Elf. Just being really loud and saying daft things with a big smile on his face. 

That skit in isolation was actually pretty funny, but as always, it's just overdone.

I've only ever seen clips of Elf, but yes, that's what it made me think of

Edit: No, it isn't - it's this. 

 

Edited June 7 by Chris B

[HarmonicGenerator]

4 hours ago, JimmyAnderson said:

Do we know how many people they're gonna have in the TNT Title match?

Four, and it's a Ladder match.

I hated the Jericho segments. I know they were deliberately obnoxious and meant to be annoying, so maybe they just worked on me, but I hated them so much. 

Danielson's promo, as was mentioned on the last page, does feel like they're in a corner a bit for Wembley. Danielson vs. Swerve for the title, but Ospreay loses at Forbidden Door? Danielson vs. Ospreay but for the title, but Swerve has to lose the belt? Danielson doesn't win the Owen? I don't know which way they'll go or which one is the best way. I'd half-had a Danielson/Ospreay rematch (non-title) and Swerve vs. a returning Hangman (but for the belt this time) as my Wembley main events but none of what they're setting up seems to be going in that direction.

[BomberPat]

5 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

I hated the Jericho segments. I know they were deliberately obnoxious and meant to be annoying, so maybe they just worked on me, but I hated them so much.

There's a thing I've noticed online that, until now, I'd never really seen translated into the actual TV product - people have equated "working" someone in the wrestling sense with "trolling"; that getting people to fall for a made up story, or believe your bullshit, or follow your bait, is "working" them. But the point of a work is to make money at the end of it, not just to go "haha, I got you". All of those Jericho segments felt more like trolling than working - "haha, we set out to annoy you and now you're annoyed, we win" - except it's a pretty hollow victory if I don't find your TV show entertaining any more, and want to switch it off instead. What's the end-game for any of this? Jericho gets beaten up and loses, presumably to Hook, given it's still the FTW Title involved. Except Hook beat Jericho clean at the start of this story, so what are we even doing here?

[mim731]

8 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

Danielson's promo, as was mentioned on the last page, does feel like they're in a corner a bit for Wembley. Danielson vs. Swerve for the title, but Ospreay loses at Forbidden Door? Danielson vs. Ospreay but for the title, but Swerve has to lose the belt? Danielson doesn't win the Owen? I don't know which way they'll go or which one is the best way. I'd half-had a Danielson/Ospreay rematch (non-title) and Swerve vs. a returning Hangman (but for the belt this time) as my Wembley main events but none of what they're setting up seems to be going in that direction.

I'd guess this is the most likely for Danielson and whoever costs him the Owen is who he'll face at All In. No idea who, mind. 

[DavidB6937]

17 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

I hated the Jericho segments. I know they were deliberately obnoxious and meant to be annoying, so maybe they just worked on me, but I hated them so much. 

There's annoying in an entertaining way. Just like if you're getting angry and hating on a heel vs go away heat. Jericho probably thinks he's succeeding by getting those reactions but they're not because people are enjoying being a part of it.

[no user name]

Catching up on dynamite. Mercedes mone has to be the most disappointing big signing aew has made. I mean what does she do apart from a generic catch phrase and a dance? Maybe it worked when she had people writing her promos. Maybe it will work if she turns heel 

[ReturnOfTheMack]

She isn't a heel? Huh.

[no user name]

1 hour ago, ReturnOfTheMack said:

She isn't a heel? Huh.

Well she wasn't when I watched dynamite. Obviously she must be good at something or she wouldn't have achieved what she achieved. If she can have great matches then you can get away with a lot. I actually did see the match against willow and it was good. I think maybe Tony Khan and possibly Mercedes herself expected her name to get her over with fans. Maybe it would of a few years ago but just being a big name won't get you over now. Aew has a fan base and you have to impress them 

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

The thing with Penta, for me, was summed up at All In and the Stadium Stampede. Comes out as Penta then disappeared off for a bit then his music hit and he came out in different clothes and carried on doing the same thing! Seemed to change character, but did nothing different at all to previous. 

 

Having said that, I don't dislike him at all and like watching him. I just don't see him doing anything different going forwards. 

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Penta is kind of stuck. I haven't seen as much of him as you guys and you say he is at his best as a horrible violent sicko. AEW has plenty of them already, to stand out he'd actually have to remove a limb from someone. AEW is also full of masked wrestlers so he doesn't stand out in that department either. It's a shame really because watching him he has that extra something just waiting to get out but it never has.