9 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Apr 22)
Dustin Rhodes saves his career, Guevara & Allin go to town, Wardlow destroys.
Professional wrestling's empty arena era continued with last night's AEW Dynamite, which proved, once again, that the current ceiling for these shows is "pretty good." The escapism is nice, yes, and the tweaking of usual formulas is welcome, though it becomes tougher to get excited about these broadcasts every passing week.
A promotion that is likely down to its hardcore audience (looking at viewership trends) delivered another largely enjoyed show from QT Marshall's gym. Blighted only by a handful of problems, Dynamite was snappy and digestible, with no matches or segments overstaying their welcome, though there were times when it came off more like an upgraded episode of Dark than the usual Wednesday flagship. Three squashes on one two-hour broadcast is a bit match, regardless of their quality.
The TNT Championship Tournament was given great focus with Sammy Guevara and Darby Allin renewing their rivalry in the opener before Dustin Rhodes put his career on the line against Kip Sabian later on. Elsewhere, a growing feud continued as Jimmy Havoc wrestled Orange Cassidy, Matt Hardy addressed AEW from his compound, and Wardlow, Kenny Omega, and Brodie Lee worked squashes of varying effectiveness.
Let's light the fuse...