5 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (3 Aug)
Chris Jericho faces Wheeler Yuta, ThunderStorm come unglued, Undisputed Elite EXPLODES!
A transitional Dynamite was to be expected last night, with this Columbus, Ohio show a bridge between Fight for the Fallen and Quake by the Lake, which already looks stacked to the gills on 10 August.
This was the kind of episode that simmers rather than boils. While AEW still found room for big-time story beats (hello, Adam Cole), Dynamite was largely about setting the table for meals to come. There was no match the calibre of Bryan Danielson vs. Daniel Garcia, which is fine. You can't ignite fireworks every week.
Not that this means the show was without stakes. Chris Jericho fought Wheeler Yuta with his Interim AEW World Championship shot in jeopardy while ThunderStorm vs. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter came with Women's Title implications. Elsewhere, two major factions split, Wardlow's next TNT Championship contender was determined, and The Acclaimed took out the trash.
Dynamite was held back primarily by a handful of familiar problems. Nonetheless, this was an easy, breezy watch, and a good show between the Fight for the Fallen and Quake by the Lake specials.
Let's light the fuse...