5 years of AEW Dynamite - reflections, fave bits etc

[LaGoosh]

So tonight marks 5 years of the best and sometimes most infuriating weekly wrestling TV show perhaps ever. For it's many faults and frustrations, they've also put on some of the most exciting matches, stories and angles in wrestling history and that's probably worth taking a breath to appreciate. Wrestling without AEW would be a very dark and dull place.

So what are your favourite moments and matches? I considered doing a list of my top 10 but that would have been impossible so here's some of my favourite moments:

The best entrance ever? Possibly! The way the pops build and build to Hangman coming out was absolutely electric!

Hangman as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Only in wrestling could something so silly be treated so seriously and be so fun. This period was absolute peak Young Bucks in AEW. They were firing on all cylinders.

As soon as CM Punk turned up this was the moment everyone was waiting for. It didn't disappoint at all. Both guys getting in great lines to absolute monster pops. The beginning of one of the best stories they've ever done.

Probably the funniest bump in wrestling history.

In what would become an AEW staple: a dumb storyline that everyone hated ended with the most fun, feel good, nutty gimmick match you can imagine. The returns of Statlander and SUUUEEE are all time moments. 

Fuck me, I love this match. Another one where everyone went in with few expectations but it was one of the nastiest, most gripping amd tough brawls in wrestling history. Finishing off with Sue flipping the bird had me punching the air.

I think this was AEW at it's peak. They felt truly unstoppable. The two best in the world in a dream match with 20,000 fans going mental before they've even touched. It'll never be this good again.

That's all from me for now. Might post more later. What about everyone else?

 

[RedTwoster]

I would have posted Hangman’s entrance too @LaGoosh - I watch that clip all the time and it never fails to give me goosebumps, even knowing how deflated I felt at the outcome! It all worked out in the end, though.

Some of my favourite moments…

La Dinner Debonair was divisive, but I absolutely loved it. I didn’t see it coming at all when the segment started, and laughed out loud as soon as they burst into song. I had a big, cheesy grin on my face as it all unfolded, it was so much fun. 

Cody Rhodes getting whipped by MJF is an all-timer segment for me. It’s dramatic, a little uncomfortable and as a viewer you felt every one of those lashes with Cody. The Cody/MJF storyline doesn’t get the plaudits it perhaps deserves these days, but it’s right up there with MJF/Punk and Hangman/Omega as one of the best things they’ve done for me.

 

It should feel a little odd including a tribute show in this, but it really doesn’t. This was a beautiful tribute to a wrestler who had really found himself in AEW. I can’t pretend that I’ve watched this show back, but it laid out a template that all similar shows should follow. But hopefully we don’t see many more of these, for wrestlers who are so young.

And on the subject of Brodie Lee, I absolutely loved his debut, in front of an empty arena. It’s so atmospheric as a result, really adding to the foreboding feeling surrounding his new character. It’s one of my favourite debuts ever, because it felt - and still feels - so different.

[LaGoosh]

Great call on the lashing angle. That felt like a real statement angle at the time. Something so realistic, violent and emotional just wasn't happening on WWE. Absolutely gripping TV. I agree the MJF/Cody feud was fantastic. I think it also marked the downturn of Cody in AEW. As for the big match Cody turned up with that stupid neck tattoo which immediately took all the heat out of the match because everyone was shocked at how stupid it was and the match itself (in Cody fashion) was painfully average. He never truly recovered from it.

I also loved La Dinner Debonair. During the pandemic shows AEW was really creative and not scared to try new things. The Jericho/MJF story was cracking and had some great twists and angles. Also led to one of my fave Dynamite matches - Jericho vs Nick Gage. Again this felt like another statement from AEW -  anything could happen. One week you might have an indie legend turn up to do a deathmatch with a WWE legend. You never know! After decades of mainstream wrestling being a certain fixed way AEW told fans that nothing was off the table.

Edited 5 hours ago by LaGoosh

[HarmonicGenerator]

Lots of great moments already here! Rightly a lot of them are Hangman moments from across his five-years-so-far storyline - that Dark Order entrance is maybe my favourite and it's sad to watch knowing how far Swerve has made him fall into villainy since then. But Dynamite has been the story of Hangman Page, consistently the highlight almost the whole way through the show's history.

These are a few more that come to mind for me:

Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley really going for each other on the mic before their PPV match in 2020. One of the really big promo moments Dynamite's had, and cemented Kingston as one of AEW's key guys.

And a more recent on-mic one:

We wanted one thing, we thought we'd get one thing, and then Christian, the bastard... brilliantly done moment.

You want a moment? There may not have been a crowd, but Tony Schiavone made this a Moment. IT'S STIIIIIIIIIIIING:

Something a bit more recent again:

It's maybe fizzled a bit now, but this could have been the best turn AEW has ever done?

And just for some in-ring stuff, because Dynamite has had a shitload of great matches, from the Pac/Omega Iron Man to Baker/Rosa in the Lights Out, to OC's International Title run.

So I'll go for this. It was across multiple shows, not just Dynamite, and yes this Youtube video appears to be 5 hours long, but the Continental Classic kept Dynamite going through last winter, bringing it all right back to Mox and Eddie:

 

You know what? One last one. Even though him being a wrongun ruined this, at the time, this single moment could have been the best thing any wrestling had ever done:

 

Edited 5 hours ago by HarmonicGenerator

[Supremo]

This is already one of my favourite threads ever. AEW Dynamite is easily the best weekly pro-wrestling TV show of all time. Even when it disappoints, it’s only because of the high standard it’s set for itself. When it hits its peak potential? Nothing touches it.

Loads of my favourite moments have already been mentioned, so I’ll just go with this for now. An amazing montage. I still watch it back every now and then.

The entire world gone to shit. But for two hours every Wednesday, everything was okay. Honestly don’t know what I would have done without this show during the pandemic. Insane what they delivered and how much was achieved under such shitty circumstances.

Edited 5 hours ago by Supremo

[RedTwoster]

Annoyingly, I can’t find the full match - but the Brodie Lee/Cody Rhodes dog collar match is a favourite of mine, and probably fits into that category of ‘statement matches’ that you’ve mentioned, @LaGoosh - you just wouldn’t have seen something like this in WWE TV at the time:

Another statement match that deserves a mention - when would WWE have ever allowed female wrestlers to do something like this? For a company that harped on about a ‘women’s evolution’, there were still clear barriers that existed for them during the Vince era…

Miro’s TNT title run was a delight too - the early days of The Redeemer character were just superb. It now seems like he messed it up for himself by being difficult, which is a shame as I really enjoyed what he was doing back then.

 

[tiger_rick]

Can't think of much off the top of my head that hasn't already been shared. Really grateful to this show, and the company, for maintaining my love for pro-wrestling. Like many, I was really on the outs pre-AEW, dipping in and out of WWE in spite of myself (discussed yesterday so no need to bang on), and desperate for something that I could really enjoy. For a long time, that was Dynamite and dark and Elevation. 

Not a perfect show, as discussed many times, but a beautifully imperfect product that hit much of the time, and failed spectacularly at others. It just felt like pro-wrestling again. Like a pro-wrestling show that was happening and someone was filming and putting on TV and not the other way around. 

They deserve credit not only for maintaining the interest of nerds like me but for revitalising the entire industry. 

I stopped watching in the early days of the pandemic. Empty arena wrestling is and will always be the most fucking pointless exercise of all the times, and "cinematic" wrestling is dogshit of the highest order and I had no inclination to watch. But I read good things from people I liked and checked out AEW and their whole approach to it was phenomenal. Recognising the challenges, being creative with solutions, generating their own "crowd" noise and reactions, it was great stuff that helped us through a really difficult time.

I think the year to eighteen months afterwards is some of the best wrestling TV I've seen. What a great run they had, brilliant PPVs, big names turning up (and Adam Cole), great feuds, tight booking, developing young talent. WATTBA.

The drop off is real sad. Not the thread for it though. The product has picked up, the crowds and general narrative haven't. I really hope that changes.

Cheers, Tone.

[2Xtreme_lives]

For me, those first few months pre-pandemic are still some of the hottest run of crowds in wrestling we've had. Everyone hot for an alternative, every town was a new market selling out venues and hot shows. I still believe that even with no crowds the covid era AEW as the best year they've had and can only imagine how much of the content would have been better with live fans

ChatGPT gives a quick rundown but so many of these first 10 episodes i remember very well

### **Episode 1 – October 2, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** Cody Rhodes vs. Sammy Guevara (Cody wins, earning a future AEW World Title shot), Riho vs. Nyla Rose (Riho wins to become the first AEW Women's World Champion).
- **Notable Moments:** Chris Jericho attacked Cody after his match, aligning with Santana & Ortiz. Later, Jericho teamed with Guevara and Santana & Ortiz to face The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega in the main event. Jon Moxley made a surprise appearance, attacking Omega, which led to a wild brawl. Jericho pinned Matt Jackson for the win, cementing his dominance. Jericho then officially formed *The Inner Circle* with Santana, Ortiz, Guevara, and Jake Hager.

### **Episode 2 – October 9, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** Private Party vs. The Young Bucks (Private Party upset The Bucks in the AEW Tag Team Championship Tournament).
- **Notable Moments:** Jericho’s promo introduced *The Inner Circle* as the most dominant faction in AEW. Darby Allin earned a title shot against Jericho. Jon Moxley attacked Kenny Omega with a barbed-wire bat, escalating their rivalry. This episode also furthered the SCU vs. Lucha Bros feud in the tag tournament.

### **Episode 3 – October 16, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** Chris Jericho vs. Darby Allin (Philadelphia Street Fight for the AEW World Title, Jericho retained), Lucha Bros vs. Jurassic Express (Lucha Bros advanced in the tag tournament).
- **Notable Moments:** The main event saw Jericho brutalize Darby Allin, tying him up with tape, yet Allin fought back valiantly. Jake Hager interfered to help Jericho retain. SCU’s Christopher Daniels was attacked by Pentagon Jr. before their tag match, and SCU had to substitute Scorpio Sky in, who ultimately led SCU to victory over Best Friends.

### **Episode 4 – October 23, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** Jon Moxley vs. Pac (match ended in a time-limit draw), SCU vs. Dark Order (SCU advanced in the tag tournament).
- **Notable Moments:** Moxley and Pac had an intense match but ended in a 20-minute time-limit draw. Moxley, furious with the finish, hit the referee with a Paradigm Shift. This episode also featured Kenny Omega and Joey Janela in an unsanctioned match, a rematch from *AEW Dark* that Omega won. SCU defeated the Dark Order to advance to the finals of the AEW Tag Team Championship Tournament.

### **Episode 5 – October 30, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** SCU vs. Lucha Bros (SCU won to become the first-ever AEW World Tag Team Champions).
- **Notable Moments:** SCU’s underdog journey culminated in an exciting tag tournament final, with Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian defeating the Lucha Bros in a dramatic match. Chris Jericho and Cody Rhodes’ feud continued to intensify as Cody saved Dustin Rhodes from an attack by *The Inner Circle*. The episode also saw the return of Jon Moxley, who stormed into Tony Khan’s office, angry about being placed in a sanctioned match against Omega.

### **Episode 6 – November 6, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** PAC vs. Trent (PAC wins), Private Party vs. Dark Order (Private Party wins to earn a future tag title shot).
- **Notable Moments:** Cody delivered a passionate promo about his match with Jericho at the upcoming *Full Gear* pay-per-view, declaring that if he lost, he would never challenge for the AEW World Title again. This episode also featured an intense confrontation between Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega as Moxley continued to build momentum for their *Full Gear* showdown. PAC continued his winning streak by defeating Trent in a competitive match.

### **Episode 7 – November 13, 2019** (Post-*Full Gear* Fallout)
- **Key Matches:** MJF vs. Adam Page (MJF wins), PAC vs. Adam Page (PAC wins).
- **Notable Moments:** After Cody's devastating loss at *Full Gear* and MJF’s betrayal, MJF cut a scathing promo, cementing himself as AEW’s top heel. PAC defeated Adam Page, further pushing his dominant heel character. Jon Moxley also addressed his brutal victory over Kenny Omega in their unsanctioned match at *Full Gear*, calling out the AEW brass for the lack of rules.

### **Episode 8 – November 20, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin (Moxley wins).
- **Notable Moments:** In a highly anticipated bout, Moxley faced Darby Allin, with Moxley dominating the match despite Allin’s fearless high-risk offense. Moxley continued his reign of destruction, seeking out tougher challenges. Chris Jericho and *The Inner Circle* continued to feud with SCU as Jericho and Scorpio Sky set up a future AEW World Title match.

### **Episode 9 – November 27, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara vs. SCU (Jericho & Guevara win).
- **Notable Moments:** Jon Moxley cut a promo calling out anyone brave enough to challenge him, setting up future rivalries. Scorpio Sky pinned Jericho in a tag match to earn a shot at Jericho's AEW World Title, which was one of the first times Jericho had been pinned in AEW. The episode also saw tensions between Omega and PAC continue to build.

### **Episode 10 – December 4, 2019**
- **Key Matches:** Chris Jericho vs. Scorpio Sky (Jericho retains AEW World Title).
- **Notable Moments:** The debut of The Butcher, The Blade, and The Bunny (Allie) was a major shock, as they attacked Cody Rhodes out of nowhere. In the main event, Jericho successfully defended his AEW World Championship against Scorpio Sky, despite a valiant effort by Sky. After the match, Jon Moxley made his intentions clear by staring down Jericho, setting up their eventual feud.

 

Edited 4 hours ago by 2Xtreme_lives

[Chris B]

Who the fuck wants to read ChatGPT content on an opinion thread?

[IronSheik]

That CM punk return to wrestling with AEW was one of the biggest pops of all time, and his promo was class. Loved that.

[RedTwoster]

16 minutes ago, Chris B said:

Who the fuck wants to read ChatGPT content on an opinion thread?

To be fair, I found it a helpful point of reference on things I’d clean forgotten - Scorpio Sky being positioned as a World title contender and pinning Jericho is something I’d clean forgotten. It’s also interesting to be reminded of who they were pushing in the early days as up-and-coming acts - Private Party, if anything, have dropped down the card since then, and Scorpio Sky has all but disappeared. And at least they were honest about where they sourced it, rather than trying to present it as a recap they’d written themselves.

[Devon Malcolm]

30 minutes ago, Chris B said:

Who the fuck wants to read ChatGPT content

You should have just stopped there. What the fuck.

[TildeGuy~!]

That Dark Order/Hangman entrance will always be one of my favourite moments in wrestling ever, I always go back to rewatch it from time to time.

[Chili]

The Hangman/Dark Order entrance is possibly the most I marked out as an adult watching wrestling. I was so invested in that incredible summer/autumn of 2021 where they were pissing fire every week. That entrance had me proper fist pumping the air, saying 'GO ON HANGMAN' out loud to myself. Absolutely pathetic and totally worth it. I think some of the best moments have been mentioned so here's a few more I'm trying to remember or add. Not as big as mentioned already, but worth a showing.

I'd never seen a full Eddie Kingston match or promo before he stormed out on Dynamite and grabbed my attention by swearing on his mother's life that he'd pull out Arn Anderson's eye just for looking at him funny. What a debut for one of AEW's most captivating characters. 

"Cowboy Shit". Adam Page's version of Hard Times, he's just come back from maternity, won the Casino Ladder Match, we all wondered if the genie escaped the bottle and they wouldn't get the magic back, but this promo put it all right again. You absolutely wanted nothing more than this man to pull the sword from the stone.

Ricky Starks taking the FTW belt and Brian Cage subsequently getting hoofed out of Team Taz. Great midcard stuff and Ricky Starks was really picking up steam here, a great fuck finish, with a hometown crowd leading to a super motivated Ricky Starks.

Throwing in Sammy Guevera sings Judas, not a mega moment, but we often forget that Sammy Guevera was a phenomenal prick as a character in their early run. Dom Mysterio took this and went to the moon with it. Bonus points for Chris Jericho looking like a proud dad desperately trying not to break at the absurdity of it.

A great backstage brawl at a time where MJF getting one-upped felt like a real win for the viewer. The reveal of the Inner Circle behind the door and MJF knowing it was about to go terribly wrong is great. They had some great work together when they were both 'on'

Finally this backstage brawl between the Young Bucks and the very overlooked Santana & Ortiz on the basis that the reveal of Orange Cassidy randomly hanging out in a bathroom is one of the funniest, well timed and shot comedy reveals ever. Just outstanding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Supremo]

We’ll tell our Grandchildren about the time when Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara were the best thing on pro-wrestling television. Finger on the pulse. Fresh. Exciting. Fantastic, dry, self-deprecating humour. Seems a lifetime ago now.

”Chris Jericho is in the prime of his life…he’s forty eight! Youngest AEW Champion in history!”

Best thing about the Eddie Kingston debut is that it completely disproved this idea that all debuts need to have the character and story fleshed out ahead of time with six weeks of vignettes. You got everything you needed about who Eddie Kingston was from two minutes of promo time. This fully fleshed, authentic nutcase.

It’s honestly up there with Nakamura’s NXT debut. Like watching someone from another dimension arrive, fully formed, ready to go. It rocked my world and I’ve never looked back. Had barely heard of him before, but he’s been one of my all-time favourites ever since. God bless the Mad King.

Edited 2 hours ago by Supremo