This was a solid episode of Dynamite, one which had fantastic moments but was let down by some frustrating booking choices. Structurally the show did a good job, opening and closing with its biggest returning star and world champion respectively, and matches all felt like they were given solid time to get over. There were also numerous uses of show long narratives with The Elite and Chris Jericho’s Learning Tree that I greatly appreciated, and the show felt very interconnected with segments flowing together well. While nothing in the ring was spectacular, it was a good show for work-rate too, with the main event the best match of the night. My issue with the episode was a seeming randomness to some of the most basic storytelling. The selection of participants for the 4 way, the continued nerfing of Brian Cage, the lack of advancement of Swerve/Ospreay and even the world title match for Roddy confused and/or irritated me, and it’s a shame because all of them delivered good action on the night, I just don’t feel like everything is being especially well thought through at the moment. A show with ups and downs, but one which I think needed the occasional second pair of eyes to make sure every aspect of the logic and storytelling was completely adding up.
Tonight on AEW Dynamite, Swerve Strickland defends his AEW Championship against Roderick Strong. MJF also makes his long awaited return to AEW Dynamite, addressing his shock return at Double Or Nothing. Elsewhere on the card, Saraya takes on Mariah May, a 4 way will decide the newest contender for the International Title and The Blackpool Combat Club reunite.
GREAT MJF Promo
This is a very well delivered promo as expected from MJF, teasing and setting up numerous potential feuds moving forward, beginning with Rush. MJF very much channeled The Rock in this promo with the same energy and inflections, but it wasn’t without its stumbling blocks. The main issue with MJF’s current direction is that when he was a heel attacking faces you wanted to hate him, when he was a face attacking heels you wanted to love him. In his current state however, as a Tweener attacking everyone, I found he came across more irritatingly obnoxious than loveably hateable as he ran down genuine fan favourites Ospreay and Swerve. That would be great if we then booed him, but then going after Rush, Okada and The Elite made me want to cheer him, so I found myself in a bit of a conundrum. His run-down of Rush was fantastic though and sets up their match very well. Some incredible highlights here, but I think he needs to pick a face/heel dynamic and stick with it, as the muddiness right now isn’t quite hitting for me
David Sheldon WR Star Rating – 3.5 Stars
GREAT Orange Cassidy vs Kyle O’Reilly vs Jay Lethal vs Rey Fenix
Impeccable from a fundamental perspective, but have some story and creative missteps that hurt it for me. Why have so many people in this match failed upwards. Cassidy comes off a PPV loss, Lethal loses every week, as does Fenix and O’Reilly, so it feels like a band of people that can’t buy a win. That would be all fine and well given all of them are terrific wrestlers,but then when Fenix wins by roll-up it gives the impression he can only get a win by fluke, which doesn’t in any way set him up to challenge Ospreay. Great match, but far far too many inconsistencies for me to fully get behind it
David Sheldon WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
A hysterically funny promo from the learning tree that had me in stitches
Strong promo from Willow Nightingale as she promises revenge on Stokely and Statlander
GOOD Mark Briscoe vs Brian Cage
Despite the fact that even with a repackage Cage can’t buy a win, which is massively diminishing his credibility, this was another strong match. The two have great chemistry and delivered a good qualifier, meshing Briscoe’s fire and Cage’s power game well. Briscoe will be a good addition to the ladder match alongside Takeshita and, presumably, Perry.
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.5 Stars
Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari find their way out of purgatory to confront Hook and Samoa Joe. I smell some filler
Another terrific segment with Jericho and Bill accosting 2.0. Very very funny stuff
The Acclaimed get their segment cut mid-rap for talking ill of the Elite. I really liked this as a segment, as I did their verbal scrap backstage. The acting of Matt and Nick in particular was terrific on this show.
Good little promo backstage from Swerve, though I wanted more fire on Roddy, as this made it really obvious Swerve was retaining given how little time was spent on him.
GOOD The Blackpool Combat Club vs Esfinge, Magnus, Rugido and Volador Jr
An entertaining match, but one which was very much filler. With respect to CMLL’s roster, many of their big stars were used in the invasion earlier this year, and so the new names being brought in and some of their lower card guys. Without the context of the invasion, this felt a bit thrown together, and while I enjoyed the match for what it was, I don’t fully know what this added.
Result: Wheeler Yuta by Pinfall via Seatbelt
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.25 Stars
Daniel Garcia is still coming for Ospreay. Why wasn’t he in the match earlier?
Christian Cage approaches The Bucks and asks for another title match. Forbidden Door match incoming, against Moxley or Shingo perhaps?
GOOD Saraya vs Mariah May
Not much to mention here on the match itself, fundamentally sound but particularly throwaway. That is until the finish, where May gave up to Saraya’s submission. This started an excellent angle between Storm, May and Shirakawa, legitimately making what is an easily predictable defence for Storm so much more interesting. A really fascinating love triangle.
Result: Saraya by Submission
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3 Stars
Jericho suggested Private Party should change their name to Public Party so everyone could be invited. It’s so cringeworthy but so damn good at the same time.
Bryan Danielson cuts a terrific promo before announcing he will be in the Owen Hart Cup. A great choice.
AMAZING Roderick Strong vs Swerve Strickland
An excellent main event that, while predictable, still did its job well to deliver a very strong main event match focused, as expected, around Swerve’s back. Some excellent psychology here ending with a decisive Swerve victory capitalising on a jar of Strong’s knee. The type of filler defence you want to put over your champion, though a lack of advancement of Swerve/Ospreay is confusing.
Result: Swerve Strickland by Pinfall via House Call
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 4 Stars
Overall…
This was a solid episode of Dynamite, one which had fantastic moments but was let down by some frustrating booking choices. Structurally the show did a good job, opening and closing with its biggest returning star and world champion respectively, and matches all felt like they were given solid time to get over. There were also numerous uses of show long narratives with The Elite and Chris Jericho’s Learning Tree that I greatly appreciated, and the show felt very interconnected with segments flowing together well. While nothing in the ring was spectacular, it was a good show for work-rate too, with the main event the best match of the night. My issue with the episode was a seeming randomness to some of the most basic storytelling. The selection of participants for the 4 way, the continued nerfing of Brian Cage, the lack of advancement of Swerve/Ospreay and even the world title match for Roddy confused and/or irritated me, and it’s a shame because all of them delivered good action on the night, I just don’t feel like everything is being especially well thought through at the moment. A show with ups and downs, but one which I think needed the occasional second pair of eyes to make sure every aspect of the logic and storytelling was completely adding up.
Matches: 0.5/1 Stars
Show Structure: 0.75/1 Stars
Atmosphere: 0.5/1 Stars
Storytelling: 0.5/1 Stars
Production/Theme: 0.75/1 Stars
Overall Rating: 3/5 Stars
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling – June 5th 2024
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