AEW Dynamite Thread 2024

[Keith Houchen]

13 minutes ago, gmoney said:

"What the fuck is going on Antony, why are you not analysing draft picks for the Jaguars?"

There’s mileage in a bad guy authority figure there. Big Shaddy Cool cuts off his sons allowance and they have to fight against his wrath to save their jobs and the company. 
 

I know you read this Tone, hit me up on the socials and we’ll talk Turkey. 

[Supremo]

I don’t know what to tell you if you aren’t enjoying these brilliant dickheads. I’m thoroughly sports entertained.

Really enjoyed the closing angle. It was a bit awkward, but then those type of angles always are. I don’t want Tony Khan to be taking normal, well-trained bumps. These type of angles work because the authority figure hits the deck like a sack of shit. Stone Cold with Vince McMahon. The Outsiders with Eric Bischoff. It wouldn’t feel anywhere near as dangerous or transgressive if the puny civilian took a well-executed, flat-back bump.

It goes without saying that I don’t want Tony as a regular on-screen character, but as a one-off to sell a big story beat? Worked a charm. Considering how unnatural Tony Khan always is on camera, and how bad it could have been, it was extremely well executed, getting some serious heat by the end. Loved it.

Surprised to read people saying Jack Perry has no presence. I think this has been the making of him. Like it’s finally clicked into place. Him telling the fans to fuck off at the end, daring them to jump the rail? Top stuff. I’d love to go back and watch some of his heel work with HOOK last Summer because this feels night and day. Felt like he was badly playing a character back then, whereas now it’s way more authentic. Probably because it’s grounded in reality where - based on the All In footage - he did get fucked over. Legitimately. Eight months suspended because he gave CM Punk an opening to throw a cheap sucker punch whilst he brushed his beautiful hair out of his own face. What an injustice.

But yeah. Let that be the end of any talk that is AEW dying. BIG SHAD himself participating in angles? This company is going nowhere.

A week ago it was difficult to figure out who would feature in this year’s Blood and Guts. Not anymore! I’m bang up for some AEW All Stars defending this company against the eWo! They need to start showing Hangman watching from the rafters. I loved his descent into moustachio’d madness, but the idea of Hangman returning as the saviour of AEW? Chef’s kiss. I’m also hoping we’ve been worked by the Kenny Omega thing, he doesn’t require surgery, and he’s ready to come back to fight off these pricks. Seems like the type of story he’d tell. Wouldn’t shock me at all if he’s attacked next week.

Some other thoughts;

Big Bill leaving Ricky Starks to join Chris Jericho! The ultimate betrayal. Oh, to read the WhatsApp messages between Ricky Starks and Cody Rhodes. Cody’s probably already got the WWE team working on ideas, angles and (bad) music for Ricky’s eventual debut. Gutted for Big Bill though. Another guy lost to the Jericho Vortex, which is definitely still a thing that ruins talent with potential, regardless of whether Chris Jericho tries to lean into it or give it a cheeky wink. Stop trying to make Fetch happen, Chris.

Casino Gauntlet was great fun. AEW at its finest, where a daft e-fed idea can come to life. “Wrestlers will just keep coming out until someone wins.” Brilliantly stupid. Great showing from Lance Archer in particular. They should use him more. You could feel the vibe completely change when Ospreay’s music hit. They’ve got a superstar here.

Best use of Mercedes yet. At least she’s playing heel now. I’m starting to wonder whether anyone attacked her at all, or whether it’s all a ruse, with Mercedes and Stat eventually screwing over Willow.

Serena vs. Toni should rule. Have they wrestled before in AEW?

Match with Will Hobbs didn’t amount to much, but Jon Moxley doing his entrance with a belt over his shoulder at Daily’s Place is my pro-wrestling nirvana. Looking forward to the Takeshita match. Takeshita looked the business in the genie kecks.

Shocking use of Swerve. A massive own goal. Best thing he did on the show was try and get that fan’s number during the commercial break. What a cool motherfucker. He should have opened up the show with a big, celebratory promo in the gorgeous Florida sunset.

Interested by this idea that Swerve’s opponent will be revealed next week though. I wonder if The Elite will just announce Jack Perry as the Number One Contender now that they’re running the show? Abuse your power! Get all those belts!

Good show overall. Much better job at keeping the momentum than their usual post-PPV episodes. Big 1997- style angle for the win. 4-Life.

Edited April 25 by Supremo

[JimmyAnderson]

Was a bit underwhelming this show.

From the start, Perry looked completely out of place in the opening segment where he, Bucks and Okada were walking into the arena. The rest of the Elite carrying gold, wearing suits, looking the business and Jack Perry looking like a tramp who'd just nicked a leather jacket. He didn't arrive with them, he was in a car on his todd. Give Perry a suit, a seat in the first car and the FTW Title back if need be, have it as a way for them to write Jericho off telly in the process

Really liked Trent's shirt, blacking out the Orange Cassidy name. Simple but effective. This little segment was typical of something I mentioned the other week where AEW don't capatilise on momentum of big angles, they wait too long. Trent turned on Orange a fortnight ago, the week after there's nothing not really a mention of it, then Dynasty happens and Trent's in a pointless singles match while Cassidy is in a pointless tag match and then this happens, which leads to a Chuck Taylor/Trent Beretta Parking Lot Brawl on Rampage of all shows. What should have been a huge moment became this. Also is "prick" really offensive in the states or is it as offensive as they're allowed to be?

Mox cuts a promo about his match with Hobbs. Surely we're getting a Don Callis Family v BCC match somewhere down the line.

Then Swerve was made to go far too long with Kyle Fletcher. It's great for Fletcher, makes him look good but for Swerve's first appearance since winning the World Title it makes him look piss-poor. If it'd been a two minute squash followed by a promo then it'd have worked wonders. This, as somebody said above, just made Swerve look like any other bloke on the show. And it seems the whole purpose of it was to set up some animosity between Callis and Fletcher. Maybe another option for the Don Callis Family is a trios match of a reformed United Empire against Hobbs, Takashita and a returning Kenny Omega.

Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo get into a war of words backstage. I suppose it's at least another storyline for the women's division and one that isn't just for a championship - though it could easily be made into a number one contenders match.

Mina Shirakawa versus Anna Jay was again another branch of the women's division, which is promising that they are putting a bit more focus on the girls. Any match involving Anna Jay is something I'm gonna enjoy. Couple that with Mariah May looking pretty in pink and it's a winner. It did seem like the roles were a bit up in the air though with Anna Jay, the face, doing the post-match attack and then running off when the heel, Toni Storm, came to the aid of the other heels. I'm guessing the end game is Mariah May having to choose between Shirakawa and Storm at some point.

Sereena Deeb arriving on the scene to challenge for the title furthered the focus on the women.

Then a third segment in a row with Willow's celebration. This wasn't quite as good as her promo a couple of weeks back but it still worked. Mercedes still needs fucking off though, there's just nothing there from what I can see. A Statlander heel turn costing Willow the TBS Title is what I see coming leaving them to feud for a while and makes sure Mercedes wins her debut match at Double or Nothing. Ideally I'd rather have Willow squash Mone in a similar fashion to the Lesnar/Cena match.

Gaunlet match was fun, surprised to see Ospreay involved in it though. Seems a bit of step down following the match with Danielson. Can almost guarantee a great match between him and Strong though. Is Adam Cole gonna become the new Jericho - leeching onto anybody with a bit of momentum?

Jericho cut a promo, Big Bill got involved somewhere. Didn't bother with it so I don't know exactly what was said.

Mox and Hobbs was a good match but it was just another case of Hobbs being used incorrectly in my eyes. He breaks Jericho's back then gets very little in terms of rewards. Yeah he's been sharing a ring with Ospreay and Moxley in recent weeks but if he's never gonna win then what's the point. 

Shibata and Google Translate remains one of the best parts of any show for me. Daft shit that makes you laugh.

Then we get to the closing bit. And this is something that's been built to throughout the show, which is something AEW is often criticised for not doing. Khan getting involved has been becoming more regular year on year, so to see him involved in an actual in-ring moment shouldn't surprise anybody. He may become more of an on-screen character and so what - it's his toy so he can play with it. Think the roster looked like shitbags as well coming to the aid of Khan once the refs had kicked the Elite out. Surely other wrestlers should be the ones chasing them off. Even the refs, they left it to Aubrey Edwards to actually get rid of the Elite while they knelt in the ring over their fallen leader.

Overall, a really poor show to capatilise on what was a great Dynasty. 

[gmoney]

2 minutes ago, Keith Houchen said:

There’s mileage in a bad guy authority figure there. Big Shaddy Cool cuts off his sons allowance and they have to fight against his wrath to save their jobs and the company. 
 

I know you read this Tone, hit me up on the socials and we’ll talk Turkey. 

I'd book Shad like my dad if he'd discovered I was running a wrestling promotion. "What the fuck is this gay nonsense? I should have never let you watch American television. I should have made you play with that crystal radio set." 

[SuperBacon]

55 minutes ago, gmoney said:

"What the fuck is going on Antony, why are you not analysing draft picks for the Jaguars?"

Excellent. 

[garynysmon]

1 hour ago, Keith Houchen said:

There’s mileage in a bad guy authority figure there. Big Shaddy Cool cuts off his sons allowance and they have to fight against his wrath to save their jobs and the company. 
 

I know you read this Tone, hit me up on the socials and we’ll talk Turkey. 

I don’t know if you’re being serious but that sounds brilliant…

I must say how much in awe I am of some posters’ ability, with ease, to forensically analyse shows on a segment by segment basis. Its really good and always strikes me as a facet of these AEW threads.

I could be watching the best or worst show in the world yet an hour later I’ll have forgotten 90% of the match card. As a result the TNA thread is essentially a string of “Yeah that was a decent show”, posts.

Edited April 25 by garynysmon

[Nick James]

I've just watched the segment back again and as Tony is holding Perry's arm aloft, you can visibly see himself shitting himself for what's about to come. You really do have to give him his props for getting in there and taking a piledriver with absolutely no sporting or physical background.

Fair bloody play.

[2Xtreme_lives]

Spoiler

What I love is that WhatCulture are reporting Tony K was wearing a neck brace throughout Rampage and made me laugh my ass off that the mad fucker might actually wear the brace for the NFL draft this week

 

[JimmyAnderson]

Tony gave his all into the handshake as well.

Thumbs up followed by a few more looks to the crowd, smiling like a Cheshire cat, elbow up above the ear and finally bringing his hand into Perry's with all his might.

[Duke]

So, there's almost certainly going to be a statement in the next week or so that Tony Khan FEARED FOR HIS LIFE because of that dastardly Jack Perry.

Rather than setting Tony Khan up for an angle, I actually think this might be a way to write him off. The Bucks were yelling "who could succeed Tony Khan?!" obviously meaning themselves in their ignorant heel minds, but there's another EVP who's not currently cleared to compete who might be a good fit. And who's scheduled to be on TV next week, who wants to build a feud with the Elite. Or it's Sting. Sting works too.

I enjoyed the show. I'm glad Chuck didn't side with Trent because I cannot imagine that being any good, but a heel team with Romero could work well, and I'm here for it.

More than happy for Swerve to just a few nice TV wins and swagger for a bit. He needs a title feud, obviously, and they want to set that up well, and this week wasn't the one to do it. Fine by me. Moxley please. Or Christian maybe? What's the status of Swerve's dad. Maybe he can finally face Keith Lee????

Not one, not two, but 3 women's stories on Dynamite this week? Wait no, 4. But what we will complain about? No interest in Rosa v Purazzo, but Deeb and Storm could be fascinating, May's loyalties being torn and Willow were all strong. Mone getting more heelish helped a lot, and I thought that was her best segment since coming in, though admittedly that's a low bar.

I enjoyed the gauntlet, but boy did the mood change when Osprey came out. What a star. I was very excited when he won, but mostly because I got "international" mixed up with "continental" and thought he was facing Okada. So the undisputed Kingdom could not be more of a let down. Still, Roddy will make him look a million bucks when it comes to it, and I really liked the post match of him refusing to use the tiger driver, with Callis getting annoyed. Believable, realistic conflict. 

Back to Okada, I've always thought the boredom is part of the gimmick. The gimmick is that he thinks he's above it all, too good for AEW, and when he finally loses (to either Osprey or Omega) he'll have a meltdown. 

Mox continues to be the Ace, as ever.

I'm definitely on the side of Jungle Jack is outperforming expectations. That grin as he hugged TK was wonderful. You knew it was about to go down. 

 

So yeah, enjoyed the show and looking forward to the next week.

 

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

I'm wondering if they are building to FTR, Kenny, Hangman v Bucks, Okada, Perry for Blood and Guts? 

[The King of Old School]

With Kenny coming back next week, got me wondering whatever happened to Kota Ibushi? 

I thought he was signed to AEW but to be honest I had forgotten all about him.

[DavidB6937]

Just now, The King of Old School said:

With Kenny coming back next week, got me wondering whatever happened to Kota Ibushi? 

I thought he was signed to AEW but to be honest I had forgotten all about him.

Wasn't he completed fucked? I just remember him being a mess.

[Merzbow]

1 minute ago, The King of Old School said:

got me wondering whatever happened to Kota Ibushi? 

Injuries then continued to do daft flips injuring himself even more in one of the most painful matches to watch in recent memory.

[LaGoosh]

Thinking about that class Casino Gauntlet match still, with some tweaks, new name and more hoopla around it it could really be there Royal Rumble equivalent if they wanted. Do it annually. Bonkers and mad fun.