[2021-01-13-AEW-Dynamite] Darby Allin vs Brian Cage

[Edwin]

Decided to rewatch this after having dug the recent Darby/Miro title match and while this isn't on par with that one, I dug this quite a bit on a rewatch. Darby takes his freakish bumps as per usual with that press slam over the top rope through a table holding up as one of the wildest bumps of the year. Darby didn't fling himself with his offense here as much as he did against Miro, but the use of the belt was still brilliant by Darby. The kick out into the corner and the entire Sting lights out angle was kind of lame, but I get why they did it.

[ShittyLittleBoots]

This is REAL one-sided, and rightfully so because there aren't many, if any people in wrestling that take a shitkicking like Darby Allin, and that allows Cage to look real good in the process as well of course. The big man just throws Darby around like its nothing, with some real big, brutal looking spots being busted out. On paper that sounds absolutely wonderful & for the most part it is exactly that, but I do think that some of the spots should've felt bigger than they ended up feeling. For whatever reason, some of the big throws on the outside & all didn't register as those big moments that they could've & should've (for me anyways). It's all good though, because the match still totally rules. My favorite spot of the whole thing actually was Cage falling on those steps - that shit felt real blunt & impactful. Real good stuff on the attack by Darby overall as well of course; he brought that signature explosiveness & creativity into everything, and as pretty much always, it's awesome. A very good match. ***1/2

[Tenese Sarwieh]

Fun match with Darby excelling in the role that gave notoriety, being an underdog babyface giving his body, and using his cleverness to prevail. As for Cage just did his usual power stuff but it was great because of Darby. 

[Marksman]

This was the first Darby Allin match I saw, back before I got hooked on AEW, and it's one of the matches that DID get me hooked. Incredible babyface performance from Darby, whose bumping is just sensational, as always.