5 Ups & 6 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Apr 7)
Dynamite falls to melodrama as The Young Bucks and Jon Moxley face Omega, Anderson, and Gallows.
This was not a vintage episode of AEW Dynamite, but you knew that already.
Extreme competition in the Wednesday Night Wars' final instalment meant loading last night's show was likely never on the cards. A pay-per-view calibre show played out on USA Network, bolstered by WrestleMania week buoyancy and big, important matches people wanted to see, headlined by one of the Wars' strongest quarter-hour ratings draws. Though Mike Tyson's last-minute addition felt like counter-booking to ease the potentially gaping ratings chasm, AEW faced near-impossible odds this week. Best to take it easy and focus on next week's unopposed show.
Regardless, the extent to which AEW took it easy here was disappointing.
Barely breaking out of second gear throughout its first hour, Dynamite showed flashes of life in the second, but was ultimately undermined by a big match that resembled the competition at its most destructively melodramatic. Throughout the show, the action underwhelmed, the angles were half-baked (bar one), and though bolstered by some hot promos, this was a cold evening.
The Young Bucks teamed with Jon Moxley against Kenny Omega and The Good Brothers in the main event, Darby Allin put up the TNT Title opposite JD Drake, and Hangman Page wrestled up-and-comer Max Caster.
Let's light the fuse...