AEW Dynamite - March 3, 2021

[MoS]

I don't think those little things would end up hurting them in the least. I thought the first match was terrible, but that's not because Shaq manhandled Cody. That one was pretty easy to explain. Cody thought Shaq wouldn't know what to do with a lockup cuz he is so new, except he had been training and he knew what to do, and because size matters. The next couple of times they locked up, Cody used his experience to neutralize Shaq's power. Shaq did a stretcher job at the end of the match. That by itself meant that he was far more giving than basically any celebrity has been in any wrestling angle forever. Mr. T was able to get one-up over the top heels in 1985; it didn't hurt WWF's rise. 

Heels have made fun of how top faces look/how ugly they are forever. That has never hurt them. The bit about the Good Brothers suddenly helping them is valid though. 

As far as the dig at Jericho, AEW's appeal since the start has been that it allows wrestlers to truly be themselves and not let them get bogged down by the evil management. This is especially cuz WWE took the wrong lesson from Austin-McMahon and worked themselves into a shoot, turning the promotion heel. You might think this is a very meta way of looking at it, and casual fans wouldn't care, but casual fans also wouldn't care about a throwaway line meant just to burn someone while take a dig at the opposition. The fact that anyone spending 2 seconds to think about it understood what the intent was underscores this. If this had been the entire hook (sorry Taz) of their main event storyline, then yes, I would have agreed with it. 

I think a lot of the criticisms in the last few comments are picking nits. WWF in both its boom period was highly illogical; "entertaining but illogical" has never stopped wrestling from growing. None of the criticisms highlighted above made AEW look bush league. You know what did make them look bush league though? The fact that in the biggest match of the night, the wrestlers took about 5 mins to set up the tables, with the world seemingly having stopped, until poor QT had to come by and help with it. The fact that the camera work was so sloppy, it missed out on numerous spots, including a spear, that ended up being nearfalls. That made AEW look 3rd rate. Not really micro stuff that might be fun for us to discuss, but ultimately don't really matter in my opinion.

[El-P]

I lost my mind when Atsushi Onita popped up on the screen. I referred a few days ago how Tony Khan was really "one of us", and that show screamed of this. 

And really, how can you not love a show with :

1/WCW-like celebrity match with Shaq going into a fucking table

2/Aja Kong in a video clip / joshi puroresu match for the next PPV

3/Atsushi Onita cutting a promo in Japanese

4/Tully Blanchard doing the fucking sling shot suplex. In 2021.

5/Tony Schiavone having interactions with JJ Dillon and Paul Wight, again.

I thought Jade looked quite ok considering we don't even know if she had 10 matches under her belt and none on TV. See you in 5 years. And Red Velvet also shined considering she's green AF.... that is until she had to set up the table (she's a tiny woman, it showed there), she was probably really nervous and I felt bad for her at that moment... Missing the spear was AAA camera work, but hey, shit happens. The match was tons of fun and way better than it had the right to be. Shaq going through the table was the perfect spot to try and get some mainstream attention.

The Jericho line was a missfire indeed (because honestly Jericho would probably main event Mania since he's only 50 years old), but that's the only one of an otherwise great segment. 

Max Caster has some charisma but I'm not feeling it otherwise. That match certainly happened.

On the other hand, those two Private Party guys are improving by leaps and bounds, it's so fun to see them evolve. 

Nyla vs Mizunami was really good (best match of the show probably). The right woman won too, they would not fly her to have her lose. The PPV match should be a banger, as they say. BTW, Shida in street clothes .

The irony (or not) of having Tully Blanchard win a match on TNT the day Jim Crockett Jr. dies. Life is so unpredictable.

No More BS is a genius idea for a Wight T-shirt.

Miro's promo was kinda meta too. 

I do wish Schiavone would have thrown the "This is the greatest night in the history of our sport", because that TV show was mostly awesome.

And again. ATSUSHI ONITA ON MY TV ? Fuck yeah AEW.

Yeah, Coah Tony K, you lurker.

[El-P]

3 hours ago, SirEdger said:

Surprised that no one actually noticed Shaq paying tribute to Mr. Brodie Lee during the opening match tonight.

Damn, you're right, that was cool. That went over my head, I was thinking "Keiji Muto" (that's where Brodie picked it up I believe since it has been Mutoh's signature for ever).

[NintendoLogic]

A wrestler selling for Shaq is much more respectable than getting gotten to by Soulja Boy. And yeah, if you're a stickler for things making sense and not having your intelligence insulted, pro wrestling is not the sport for you.

[Loss]

Ok everyone, pro wrestling, which I've enjoyed for 30+ years, have a message board dedicated to, and talk about all the time, is not for me. I'm just nitpicking because I didn't like something that everyone else did. I wish we could get back to the idea that it's possible to like and dislike things regardless of if others like and dislike them, and regardless of whether or not they are successful. I tried really hard to make a distinction between stuff that would "matter" and stuff that wouldn't, but I guess that wasn't enough. If I think it could be better, wrestling's not for me.

[Migs]

6 hours ago, joeg said:

Yeah. I think you are giving them way to much credit. That doesn't make sense. At all. Just like how it doesn't make sense that after somebody hospitalized your father, you'd spend 5 minutes talking to them about wanting to kick their ass rather than actually fighting them.

Watching AEW reminds me of the Kevin Nash one liner about how wrestling is a show about sex and violence that's written by people who have never thrown a punch or gotten laid. 

I think it runs the other way. The Bucks have shown a tendency in the last year to really overthink their angles and presentation and play shades of grey that are a little too hard to read. They were acting heelish in the fall because of their frustrations with not being champ, but were ultimately the faces in the match with FTR. They are sticking with their friend Omega and the Good Brothers, sorta, even though they're clearly breaking away from them. Like, I get the story they're trying to tell - these are their friends, Omega their best friend, and they don't want to believe that they'd screw them over. I watch BTE every week and I still think they're playing some of these shifts in too subtle ways to work on a national TV show.

[Badlittlekitten]

The Shaq match didn't bother me, it was fine for what it was, otherwise I agree with Loss criticisms. I also didn't like how they used their PPV go-home segment for a passé, mid card, battle royal brawl, instead of having a promo from their World Champion to hard sell the main event. Maybe Kenny Omega just isn't capable.

[El-P]

25 minutes ago, Migs said:

Like, I get the story they're trying to tell - these are their friends, Omega their best friend, and they don't want to believe that they'd screw them over. I watch BTE every week and I still think they're playing some of these shifts in too subtle ways to work on a national TV show.

Maybe it is, but personally I don't care because I do watch BTE and I enjoy all the small detail they put into their stuff. It's not like it makes the angles unreadable in the grand scheme of things. You get the big picture, cool. But if you are a longtime follower and watch BTE, you're gonna get more out of it, which is really cool because it rewards the faithfuls.

54 minutes ago, Loss said:

I'm just nitpicking because I didn't like something that everyone else did. I wish we could get back to the idea that it's possible to like and dislike things regardless of if others like and dislike them, and regardless of whether or not they are successful. 

I thought that particular line against Jericho was a complete misfire as an insult (although the sentiment was pretty much a putdown in a "You suck !" way and that's it). But the thing is it was just one line in a long promo that had them talked in lenght about their father in a very pissed-off way, so it's just not fair to say they reacted to the angle of their dad getting beat up and bloodied by making a cute line about WWE. That was not the case. Again, that line did not work for me either, but really it was just a one-line insult, it was not the crux of the promo at all.

[Infinit]

I think we're not giving enough love to JJ DILLION'S SHOE BEING USED AS A WEAPON IN 2021(!!!!!)

[NintendoLogic]

Actually, now that I think about it more, I don't even necessarily agree that AEW doesn't sweat the details. They just have a different vision of how to employ those details in the service of the big picture. Like, I'm sure the Young Bucks genuinely believe that a throwaway one-liner about Jericho at the PC improved the promo and was effective at building interest in a grudge match. I disagree, but I wouldn't call it phoning it in. The thing is, AEW has always presented itself as a smorgasbord. Everything they do isn't going to land with everybody, but everyone should be able to find at least something to like. On that note, it sounds like my man Darby Allin didn't do anything last night, and that's a shame.

[Migs]

1 hour ago, El-P said:

Maybe it is, but personally I don't care because I do watch BTE and I enjoy all the small detail they put into their stuff. It's not like it makes the angles unreadable in the grand scheme of things. You get the big picture, cool. But if you are a longtime follower and watch BTE, you're gonna get more out of it, which is really cool because it rewards the faithfuls.

As I said, I've watched BTE for years. I get what they're going for. But I also talk to enough people who don't watch BTE who feel its not translating well at all to Dynamite. I don't think it's going to kill the promotion, but I do think the presentation of the Bucks over the last 6-9 months has been really messy.

[Stiva]

From week to week, the Bucks have been the most maddening act in the company. BTE is unwatchable dreck so it would be helpful if they could just choose a disposition and stick with it for a couple of months instead of trying to be too clever by half. And they do shit like these table spots all the time and they don’t give them the proper time and build they deserve; like when they randomly added the retirement stip to the FTR match a week before the match. Or when they argued with the Good Brothers because they were gonna pick them to defend the title after they lost the battle Royale and then just chose their opppnents for the next week anyway. Not to mention, the actual promo about their dad wasn’t too bad but now, the only thing people will remember is the dumbass shoot comment since it was designed to fire up comment sections. Seriously, these two. Jericho and MJF are much more interesting opponents for whoever is up next. Them retiring SCU is far more of an appealing program.

I agree with Loss about a lot of what he said; you could see the Shaq match was built around a few spots that would get media coverage but I actually dug it; it had a good energy to it but I do question where Cargill goes from here since she’s nowhere near ready enough to be given a real singles push. And I also agree on Starks; the guy presents himself and talks like a complete star. 

I’m hyped for Revolution and I think this has been a strong few weeks of build but it’s definitely went from a promotion that feels like it’s angles and matches are planned weeks ahead to one that is being booked week-to-week and I think that’s where a lot of the internal consistencies, or lack there of, are coming from.

[Strummer]

The press release on the "surprise" hof signing has Khan dropping "it's true" multiple times. And Angle just started his podcast with Conrad...

[MoS]

4 hours ago, Migs said:

The Bucks have shown a tendency in the last year to really overthink their angles and presentation and play shades of grey that are a little too hard to read. 

100%, and I think the same applies to Omega too. It's really annoying. Keep it simple, stupid is not just a naughty acronym. The Bucks made their feud with FTR, which wrote itself, so underwhelming with all the mixed signals and tweener bullshit they did. 

4 hours ago, Badlittlekitten said:

I also didn't like how they used their PPV go-home segment for a passé, mid card, battle royal brawl, instead of having a promo from their World Champion to hard sell the main event. Maybe Kenny Omega just isn't capable.

I agree with this, but I actually liked the fact that the show ended with a chaotic dozen-men brawl. This was AEW's trademark in its early days, and I had always liked that cuz it was one thing that WWE basically never does unless it's Survivor Series, at which point it feels too inorganic. I appreciated that aspect. But they should definitely have had Mox and Omega cut promos, especially given Mox was there and taking pictures with Jorge Masvidal. 

 

 

[El-P]

AEW don't need another ex WWE (well, more TNA actually since he made most of his career there and had his best years there too) guy in his 50s, especially one who can't work anymore. Angle was great but I don't see what he could bring to the game at this point. As far as older guys go, I was thinking about Bully Ray...

And so there's also a surprise guy for the ladder match.

[MoS]

1 hour ago, Stiva said:

From week to week, the Bucks have been the most maddening act in the company. BTE is unwatchable dreck so it would be helpful if they could just choose a disposition and stick with it for a couple of months instead of trying to be too clever by half.

100% agreed. Speaking of BTE, I dunno if you have checked it out, but there's a compilation of all Brodie Lee/Dark Order segments on YouTube. I highly recommend it. I stopped watching BTE cuz I started finding it unbearable, but I always check out the Dark Order segments. The chemistry between Brodie Lee and John Silver was remarkable

[MoS]

15 minutes ago, Strummer said:

The press release on the "surprise" hof signing has Khan dropping "it's true" multiple times. And Angle just started his podcast with Conrad...

Oh God that would suck. Kurt Angle in his last WWE run looked genuinely like Thanos. This is not a compliment. Every time he stepped in the ring, I was scared he would die right then. It also makes AEW look even more like an island of WWE castoffs, and that would definitely make the Bucks' dig on Jericho completely bush league 

[NintendoLogic]

40 minutes ago, MoS said:

Oh God that would suck. Kurt Angle in his last WWE run looked genuinely like Thanos. This is not a compliment. Every time he stepped in the ring, I was scared he would die right then. It also makes AEW look even more like an island of WWE castoffs, and that would definitely make the Bucks' dig on Jericho completely bush league 

You can't really call them castoffs if they asked to be released or WWE tried and failed to keep them, as is the case for many (most?) of them. If it is Angle, I have faith in Tony to not put him in a position where he'd stink out the joint or make the rest of the roster look second-rate. And when all the WWE-AEW movement is in one direction, it creates a perception that WWE is a sinking ship and AEW is the place people want to be.

[Blehschmidt]

Realistically, who could AEW bring in that wouldn't come off as just a WWE cast off or another over the hill guy and would still fit the bill of Potential or Would Be "Hall of Famer" and be a big enough deal to make people happy

CM Punk or Brock Lesnar?

I mean, I suppose it would depend on how you want to define Hall of Famer.

A guy like Chris Hero has probably done enough in the indies and around the world to be considered a Hall of Famer to certain people, but would be viewed as a huge disappointment by most.

They could bring in a big name from Japan or Mexico that would be Hall of Fame worthy, and a large portion of the audience might not know it. 

 

The person who mentioned Cena having a show debuting on TBS is an interesting thought. They did put the white boy rapper in the match with a mystery slot when I thought for certain the other guy was winning that match. Cena arriving and verbally slaying him with a battle rap or whatever would be pretty funny.

 

[Log]

Signing Angle so soon after Big Show would not be a good idea, IMO.  Like others said, he can't work and I thought his promos have been awful since he returned to WWE.  He's just not a person I have any desire to see taking up time on Dynamite.

Edit: Oh, wait!  Didn't they word it "future hall of fame" talent?  I know Angle is already in the WWE HOF.  Is he in the Observer's too?

[El-P]

33 minutes ago, NintendoLogic said:

And when all the WWE-AEW movement is in one direction, it creates a perception that WWE is a sinking ship and AEW is the place people want to be.

This. This is exactly what happened when WCW got hot. People popping on Nitro all came from WWF. The feeling was not "they are WWF products", the feeling was "WCW is the place to be". Right now, AEW is the cool place to be.

WWE cast-off feel totally affected TNA in the wrong way because whoever was fired from WWE then showed up and was automatically put over the TNA guys as much bigger stars, even when they were nothing but midcarders in WWE (Christian). The only guy who actually brought something positive to TNA was, ironically enough, Kurt Angle.

32 minutes ago, Blehschmidt said:

Realistically, who could AEW bring in that wouldn't come off as just a WWE cast off or another over the hill guy and would still fit the bill of Potential or Would Be "Hall of Famer" and be a big enough deal to make people happy

Agreed. After a 20 years monopoly, anyone that is already "made" on the US scene had to be made by WWE (although like I said Angle's best work actually happened in TNA but that doesn't count for any HOF).

Like I said, I could see Bully Ray showing up, that would be cool, he really never was a WWE guy since he re-invented himself totally in TNA and when him and D-Von had a "legend" stint in WWE of course they were the Dudleys again...

31 minutes ago, Log said:

Edit: Oh, wait!  Didn't they word it "future hall of fame" talent?  I know Angle is already in the WWE HOF.  

You're right, he said "a HOF worthy talent". Good job, we all are conjecturing about how Angle would not be a good idea and all and it's Coach Tony K just trolling us with his fake spoil and having a laugh...

[Flyin' Brian]

1 hour ago, Strummer said:

The press release on the "surprise" hof signing has Khan dropping "it's true" multiple times. And Angle just started his podcast with Conrad...

 

[Flyin' Brian]

For a little bit I considered the open ladder match spot and the new signing could be one and the same and thought about Rob Van Dam. 

[El-P]

4 minutes ago, Flyin' Brian said:

For a little bit I considered the open ladder match spot and the new signing could be one and the same and thought about Rob Van Dam. 

Nope, they are two different people apparently.

Also, having seen RVD in IMPACT last year (where he was pretty fun having his middle-life crisis and being a total douchebag with his stripper IRL girlfriend), he better not be the guy for the ladder match. 

[Badlittlekitten]

It's been fun watching the Bucks try to navigate the waters as weekly TV characters. They always drown. All they ever seem to do is go from one inconsistent, badly acted storyline to another. They give Charlotte and Sasha Banks a run for their money as confused, unlikable babyfaces. Papa Buck getting beaten to a pulp might've been the best thing that ever happened to them as they were relatively coherent this week.

1 hour ago, MoS said:

I agree with this, but I actually liked the fact that the show ended with a chaotic dozen-men brawl. This was AEW's trademark in its early days, and I had always liked that cuz it was one thing that WWE basically never does unless it's Survivor Series, at which point it feels too inorganic. I appreciated that aspect. But they should definitely have had Mox and Omega cut promos, especially given Mox was there and taking pictures with Jorge Masvidal. 

That's funny, to me it was the opposite. It stunk of WWE. It felt like all those intelligence insulting pre-TLC/Royal Rumble go-home segments where guys inexplicably start brawling or setting up ladders, as if to remind you of what the gimmick looks like. Least organic thing ever.