5 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Dynamite (25 May)
1. Britt Baker vs. Toni Storm Falls Apart
Britt Baker and Toni Storm's Owen Hart Cup semi-final went off the rails well before its contrived finish.
This, unfortunately, was a particularly cumbersome performance from Baker, who, for all the excellent work she has delivered over the years, is still a better character than a pure wrestler. She looked sluggish here, her work mere whispers of violence. So weak were her attempts at smashing Storm's head into the apron that Toni looked like she was throwing her own skull down. Prior to this, Baker shoving Storm into the post scarcely generated enough pace to shift a moth, let alone a human being.
The clumsy finish compounded a rough match that should have been considerably better. Jamie Hayter pulled two distractions, the second of which led to the end, with a sloppy roll-up assisted by Britt grabbing the ropes putting Toni away.
Storm had promised hell if Baker and her cronies screwed her out of victory. A good story beat for sure, though this first outing did little to build anticipation for a rematch.