9 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (8 Sep)
7. Powerhouse Grounds Martin
Powerhouse Hobbs quietly climbed to number two in the men's singles rankings this week. Team Taz's bruiser has become a legitimate title contender after last week's win over Brian Cage and a hot run of form on YouTube shows, and his charge gathered further pace as he put Dante Martin down last night.
This was a well-played clash of styles. Martin's arsenal of springboards, dashes, and dives helped him stay away from Hobbs' clutches at times. He provided many of the bout's highlight moments, with his high-arcing missile shotgun dropkick particularly impressive, but Hobbs caught the eye himself. Catching Dante halfway through the ropes on an attempted dive, he smashed him into the ring post in unorthodox fashion, then got incredible air on the match-ending Spinebuster that finally put the Top Flight man down.
Dante continues to impress as an up-and-coming prospect. The time to push him will come later on. For now, Hobbs is clearly ascendant, with the TNT Title perhaps in his sights. It's a welcome push for a fresh face who has developed immensely during his time in AEW.