10 Ups & 0 Downs From AEW Dynamite (April 14)

2. Knocked Out, Signed Up

The Inner circle Mike Tyson
AEW

Last night's Mike Tyson saga was pure Sports Entertainment done well.

MJF tried to bribe Iron Mike early on, offering him a blank cheque that Tyson literally chewed up and spat in his face. Later, Tyson asserted, alongside Jericho, that he could call Chris' singles match with Dax Harwood done the middle, playing his enforcer's role straight.

That was exactly how it played out until The Pinnacle took things a step too far for Tyson's liking. When Cash Wheeler tried to smash Jericho with a baseball bat late into the match, Tyson knocked him out cold. This led to Le Champion taking the win via Judas Effect, then announcing Iron Mike as an ancillary Inner Circle member afterwards, furthering the feud in his group's favour.

As far as the match goes, it was Jericho's best singles outing since the first Orange Cassidy clash. In his element against an equally gritty competitor in Harwood, Jericho looked good as he and Dax brawled on the floor, beat each other up, and got right in each other's faces. The smoke, mirrors, and chaos surrounding them were a help rather than a hindrance, making this an entirely successful piece of pro wrestling television.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.