6 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (8 May - Results & Review)
4. Christian Cage Swerves Strickland
A nice surprise development that AEW had either a) hidden in plain sight or b) dropped entirely before smartly picking back up again (and one is better than the other but neither matters now), Swerve Strickland and Christian Cage's advertised interaction was the setting for The Mogul Embassy to violently turn on their now-former boss.
There'd been no acknowledgement of the tacit separation that had occurred between Strickland and his former charges, but when Brian Cage and The Gates Of Agony appeared alongside him, the first thought was the potential of splinter tag/trios matches on the road to Double Or Nothing. Instead, [Brian] Cage, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona brutalised Strickland and commentators speculated that maybe they'd seethed at being "left behind". Selling the beatdown from last week, Prince Nana wasn't there, adding some intrigue on what side he'll take, and indeed the consequences when he makes his choice.
It marked the final chapter of the AEW Champion's extended babyface turn, and remained tethered to the warring EVPs story by virtue of Cage's position as The Elite's current chosen one.