14 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (Aug 22)
Saturday night's alright for fighting.
AEW Dynamite on a Saturday night? What kind of sorcery is this?
NBA-induced sorcery, with this being the first of several AEW shows rearranged due to TNT's playoff coverage. An essential move on the broadcaster's behalf, as basketball is worth significantly more to them than professional wrestling, though one that will likely mean Dynamite's viewership is all over the place for the next few weeks. Airing in the classic NWA/WCW timeslot is a lovely slice of pro-wrestling nostalgia, though breaking fans' weekly routines is risky.
It was hard to know what to expect from this show. Spoilers, fake spoilers, and fake fake spoilers were on Twitter and Reddit days in advance, speculating everything from a debut for Erick Rowan (sporting a full head of hair) to title changes. Still, at least the card looked solid: amongst the most attractive matches were Cody defending the TNT Championship against Mr. Brodie Lee, FTR vs. Private Party, and the Deadly Draw Women's Tag Team Tournament Finals. Segments with Orange Cassidy, Jon Moxley, and MJF were also advertised.
How did AEW's flagship show do in this unusual timeslot, one week before Daily's Place reopens to 550 fans? Let's light the fuse...