AEW Dynamite – 12/4/2024: 3 Issues We Cherished And Hated

One other version of AEW’s flagship program, “Dynamite,” has come and gone, so let’s debrief on the night’s happenings. This won’t be a literal rundown of what occurred, that’s what the outcomes web page is for. As an alternative, it will concentrate on the highs and lows of Wednesday’s present, as ordinary. 

From the irritating lack of weight given to The Deathriders’ conflict in opposition to AEW to the needlessly complicated segments with Hook, there was loads to not like. From matches like the principle occasion brawl between Brody King and Claudio Castagnoli to PAC and Jay White’s thrilling match, there additionally loads to like. With out additional ado, listed below are the Wrestling Inc. Employees’s points with this week’s present.

There was fairly a little bit of wrestling motion throughout tonight’s episode however one which particularly stood out was the bout between Jay White and PAC. Having already seen a 12-person battle royal, Swerve satisfyingly placing Max Caster down, and a good Continental Traditional present opener between Kyle Fletcher and Shelton Benjamin, White-PAC was the primary time within the night time that an in-ring story resonated nicely for me. Their kinds meshed nicely, with PAC a domineering technician in opposition to White’s slippery ring consciousness and dedication.

“Switchblade” was technically outmatched in opposition to “The Bastard” and he wanted to select his moments to strike, like a cobra would a mongoose, with the chance of him successful persevering with to dwindle. The match acquired each opponents over with out nonsensical overbooking – although I may have carried out with out Wheeler Yuta’s interference – as PAC wrenched the life out of his opponent with a standing Brutalizer, halted solely simply as White fell to the underside rope. Then got here the interference, which whereas not obligatory additionally did not actually stand to harm issues, as PAC argued with the referee to permit Yuta to slip White out of the ring and hit him with a working knee; White nonetheless received the bout with a transfer bespoke for a flash end, the Blade Runner, reversing PAC’s momentum as he sought to complete issues to plant him on the mat and get the pinfall. PAC had dominated the match and was clearly the higher fighter on the day, however he was survived by White with dedication and despite insurmountable odds. It served to strengthen the basics of their characters, with White performing as a renegade in opposition to the Demise Riders and PAC the henchman of the purported most harmful faction on the roster, and it was additionally only a fun-to-watch match.

Written by Max Everett

What was most likely a fed line to Mariah Could is sadly a disturbingly correct technique to describe the state of AEW’s ladies’s division.

On Wednesday’s version of “Dynamite,” Penelope Ford and Anna Jay had a cute lock-up to finish their rivalry, and that was actually the one a part of the ladies’s segments I did not hate. Even then, it’s type of odd to me to finish a years-long feud on some random weekly tv present with no stipulation, however hey, Mercedes Mone wants somebody to defend her TBS Championship in opposition to, and I suppose Jay is subsequent in line.

Whereas I am supportive of a Jay push, I do have my criticisms with the best way they’re dealing with the TBS Champion’s subsequent challenger. Except for the truth that Jay has carried out nothing to deserve a championship match in opposition to Mone this early, there may be simply no approach that Mone goes to drop that title to an up-and-comer like Jay; Mone made that very clear when she demeaned Jay for her lack of business expertise. Positive, there was little likelihood that Kris Statlander or Queen Aminata had been going to beat her for the title both, however it sort of feels like Jay was thrust into this challenger function simply to offer Mone one thing to do at “AEW Dynamite: Winter is Coming.” This may be forgiven with a powerful construct admittedly, however Jay and Mone’s clumsy post-match promo and conflict left little to be optimistic about. With solely every week to go till “Winter is Coming,” there may be little they will do to drag this feud collectively, and I am afraid we’ll have to sit down by one other TBS title let-down.

Shortly after, Renee Paquette tried to interview the AEW Ladies’s World Champion. I say “tried,” as a result of Paquette almost walked out of the interview two seconds in, and the section screeched to a halt as Could tried to reel her interviewer again in. Could then proclaimed that girls’s wrestling — not simply the AEW ladies’s division — was “lifeless and buried,” which is a powerful declare when ladies’s wrestling is flourishing actually wherever however Tony Khan’s promotion. Not solely was it fallacious, nevertheless it was a gross overgeneralization. By the point Mina Shirakawa confirmed as much as reduce a just-fine promo, I used to be fully clocked out. This section simply did nothing to hype up their upcoming title match on no matter upcoming episode of “Dynamite” they’re preventing at.

I’m actually begging AEW to place some extra spice into the ladies’s division, as a result of whereas ladies’s wrestling is probably not “lifeless and buried,” their ladies’s division definitely is. They’ve these nice champions, sure, however they’re so many leagues above the competitors, that it is exhausting to get invested in any feuds they do. Their opponents slowly get buried in favor of “robust” champions. As such, the cycle of subpar ladies’s wrestling on AEW programming continues, and no one wins. What was most likely a fed line to Mariah Could is sadly a disturbingly correct technique to describe the state of AEW’s ladies’s division.

Written by Angeline Phu

I personally had the match guidelines for tonight’s battle royal confused in my head, however let me inform you, I liked the actual fact there have been two winners tonight who go on to face one another subsequent week for the chance to problem MJF for the “Dynamite” Diamond Ring. The idea of the ring is such a foolish factor at this level, and can doubtless go away if and when MJF ever loses it, as a result of it is principally his whole persona, however tonight’s battle royal set-up for subsequent week was glorious. The 2-winner factor solely labored for me as a result of the winners had been Adam Cole and (former?) buddy Kyle O’Reilly. The match itself wasn’t something to put in writing dwelling about, however the finish outcome was implausible.

O’Reilly hasn’t been pleased with Cole since his return, not happy he is going after MJF and he is additionally considering Cole’s the one within the fallacious, so this units up such an awesome story for subsequent week’s match. Cole’s different buddy, Roderick Robust, had his pay-per-view match in opposition to MJF at Full Gear after Cole misplaced his remaining match to get there, too, and now, it is doubtless that Cole may lose once more and see one other man get to face off in opposition to the man he needs to beat to a pulp. I believe it results in the descent right into a crazed, brutal Cole, preventing to get to MJF when “The Scumbag” is lastly again on AEW tv constantly when all his filming in Hollywood wraps up. I hope that is the case as a result of that is going to be enjoyable to witness.

MJF has had constant pre-taped promos during the last month or so of “Dynamite,” and tonight’s was really fairly good. He introduced up their Higher Than You BayBay tag crew and taunted Cole for having to beat up one among his greatest buddies to get to him. MJF additionally was one of many first folks on the surface of the storyline to acknowledge Jon Moxley and his Deathriders committing crimes all all through “Dynamite,” and stated Cole does not even appear to care. It was a pleasant contact from MJF tonight and made me neglect for a second I am sick of seeing these movies.

These males are nonetheless carrying on this story and conserving me , regardless of MJF not being on TV proper now. I like the place they are going with this, particularly if O’Reilly is the person to face MJF at Worlds Finish, although I extremely doubt MJF is ever dropping that ring. I am rooting for O’Reilly subsequent week as a result of I would like this story between the ex-Higher Than You BayBay teammates to have extra causes to destroy one another within the ring, as soon as they lastly get there.

Written by Daisy Ruth

I will let the jury know that I’m sometimes a HOOK fan. He isn’t the perfect within the business by any means, however he has numerous potential, and I’ve to say I dig a foul boy. That being stated, HOOK’s efficiency tonight — and the best way I see him being dealt with — leaves loads to be desired.

HOOK returned to AEW programming after swearing vengeance on whoever harm his father, Taz, within the car parking zone on the October 2 episode of “AEW Dynamite,” and he instantly took to the microphone. I would really like HOOK to right away abandon the microphone. His phrases clunked collectively clumsily, and whereas it does make sense, contemplating his general inexperience, it completely killed any aura the previous FTW Champion had. HOOK is AEW’s resident dangerous boy, together with his pulled-over hoods and baggage of chips. HOOK has proved that his aura is in his no-nonsense angle, and the best way that he fights with no questions requested and no dramatic monologues uttered. He’s greatest when he’s a person of few phrases. He isn’t meant to be stumbling by English like a child deer skidding by ice. Wednesday’s promo simply didn’t match him.

HOOK referred to as out Nick Wayne particularly, who he’s presently slated to tackle in one-on-one motion on the upcoming December 12 episode of “AEW Collision: Winter is Coming.” Whereas the match is already pre-set, I used to be excited to see a bit tussle between HOOK and Wayne. I used to be ready for the clumsiness — everyone knows they’re far too inexperienced to have be in “section of the night time” competition — however it might have been enjoyable to see what two of AEW’s youngest up-and-comers may come up. Sadly, it was not Wayne that answered, however Christian Cage, Kip Sabian, and Mom Wayne.

At the least, that is what it felt like. Cage completely dominated the section, and HOOK’s focus shortly shifted from Nick to the championship contract-holding Cage. It is already upsetting that Cage took over a section that was, presumably, there to hype up Nick and HOOK’s “Winter is Coming” match, nevertheless it was much more upsetting that Nick appeared fairly indifferent from HOOK for a lot of the section. HOOK locked in a Redrum submission on Nick initially, and Nick did get to ship a Con-Chair-To onto HOOK’s wrist, however aside from that, it felt like Cage and Sabian had been those doing probably the most injury to HOOK, with Nick merely current within the background. If that is to hype up a feud between Nick and HOOK, then why are Cage and Sabian taking heart stage? Nick particularly wants alternatives to realize in-ring expertise and to flesh out his character. It appears counterintuitive to place him in a feud and never give him the house to try this.

Neither HOOK nor Nick got here out of this section higher than earlier than. If that is AEW’s approach of “increase” their younger expertise, I worry what their careers have in retailer for them.

Written by Angeline Phu

On an evening of some nice and middling wrestling aplenty, it was actually a case of saving the perfect till final throughout “Dynamite.” Now, I stated Jay White vs. PAC was good, however the Continental Traditional is the best mechanism for excellent, interference-free, wrestling and that continued to be the case tonight. Two of the perfect staff on the roster who stand within the shadows of their respective faction leaders, Claudio Castagnoli and Brody King put the very essence {of professional} wrestling on show, a traditional heavyweight conflict of accumulative offense exchanges. Each went into the bout with momentum after wins within the first spherical of motion, and left all of it within the ring come the second spherical to push their benefit within the Gold League desk.

It additionally saved itself grounded within the psychology of wrestling, with every transfer and movement coming with a rhyme and a motive, stacking collectively transitional and easy but highly effective maneuvers like scoop slams and lariats to construct to a crescendo. That strikes totally different to numerous modern wrestling, particularly the high-action model AEW champions with Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher, and it felt prefer it excelled in being a real wrestling match. As soon as once more, it additionally felt like each had been elevated by the best way the match transpired, with Castagnoli arguably on the benefit however threatened sufficient by King to delve to underhanded ways to wrap issues up. Even in the best way the dishonest was introduced, it was easy and efficient, with Claudio himself distracting the referee in an natural technique to the stream of the match. The C2 format permits for wrestling to be wrestling, with out the water muddying that comes with interference and overbooking, after which when paired with an awesome mixture of wrestlers it simply manifested an awesome show-closer.

Written by Max Everett

Because it stands, Jon Moxley and The Deathriders have been extra provocateurs than radicals. Their “conflict” on AEW has been little greater than posturing and bluster, with the on-screen product altering little or no with the specter of being asphyxiated with a plastic bag hanging over a majority of the roster.

That dissonance has solely elevated with the introduction of the 2024 Continental Traditional event. Claudio Castagnoli is just dishonest in a event, no extra heinous than the typical heel in a event. PAC fought Jay White in an exhibition match, perhaps a grudge match if you wish to be beneficiant, however nonetheless not precisely tried homicide. Even Moxley is seemingly simply feuding with Orange Cassidy. It looks like the corporate has squandered one of many extra fascinating developments of the 12 months.

Wheeler Yuta stealing strikes from Bryan Danielson is a reasonably good a part of the state of affairs however hardly the apocalyptic conflict on the promotion that followers had been bought within the wake of WrestleDream. Whoever finally ends up defeating Moxley and being the “savior” of AEW is more likely to really feel much less like a conquering hero, and extra like simply one other chicken babyface.

Written by Ross Berman