7 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (3 May - Review)
5. Saraya Vs Willow Nightingale
Hikaru Shida's first appearance on Dynamite since January paid off everything that was going on with her when she was last aligned with Saraya and Toni Storm, and actually progressed the story between the warring sides for the first time in a while.
Saraya had just defeated Willow Nightingale in a decent effort with ample help from Storm and Soho, and the trio of heels were continuing to beat the popular star down post-match when Shida's music hit and her apparent heel turn was confirmed. The former Women's Champion joined up with the villains, but Dr Britt Baker DMD and Jamie Hayter appeared from behind in a mirroring of the Outcasts set-up alongside Chris Jericho a fortnight ago and revealed the ruse. The AEW original was indeed part of the Homegrowns, and the Outcasts ate sh*t for a change.
An unexpected return made for a great moment, and the story moving forward was a welcome break from the usual rinse-and-repeat formula with this story. That it paid off a loose thread was a reminder of what can make the organisation so great at its core, and hopefully bodes well for whatever grand payoff is coming for the ongoing turf war.