10 Ups & 0 Downs From AEW Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen (27 July)

5. Jon Moxley & Rush Bludgeon Each Other

AEW fans watching a Rush singles match for the first time may have felt let down by his recent showing opposite Penta Oscuro. While suitably bruising, it was held back by frequent moments of stodge that didn't disgrace the charismatic La Faccion Ingobernable man, but did little to raise his profile amongst new fans.

This was rectified through his blistering showing opposite Dragon Lee and Death Before Dishonor. Between that clash and last night's with Jon Moxley, Rush could scarcely have done more to prove any sceptics wrong.

A fantastic Interim World Championship match opened Fight for the Fallen. Rush jumped the Wrestler of the Year as he was coming through the ropes, beating Moxley up to big jeers, pulling the champ's own shirt over his shoulders to chop him up and launch him around ringside. A great, intense pace was established straight away. Rush's teeth drew blood from Mox's forehead within minutes. It became a violent, dirty brawl, with cable-assisted chokes, concussive forearms, flesh-rending chops, and brilliant, bellicose energy. "It was more of a fight than a wrestling match" is such a cliché, but this was more of a fight than a wrestling match.

Moxley sold cumulative damage brilliantly after a snap German Suplex, having previously popped up from one during the bout's most kinetic sequence. After this, the inevitable interferences were handled well. Andrade El Idolo and Jose the Assistant were run away by the Lucha Brothers before they could be too disruptive. This cleared a path for two gross brawlers to keep gross brawling, with the Bulldog Choke putting Rush down where the Deathrider had failed.

The Jon Moxley WOTY Train keeps rolling. Rush, meanwhile, demonstrated the breadth of his brawling acumen and immense, arena-filling physical charisma, packing his performance with personality.