10 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Jun 17)

8. A Damn Fine Opener

QT Marshall Kenny Omega
AEW

Kenny Omega and Hangman Page Vs. The Natural Nightmares was a damn good opener unspoiled by the late appearance of Allie. QT Marshall didn't lose to Hangman Page because he was love-struck and distracted. He lost to Hangman Page because Hangman Page is the superior wrestler. This is the company that gives you satisfactory finishes.

This is also the company that gives you tremendous tag team wrestling with a ***1/2 minimum, and this (eventually) staggered beyond that by the pulsating finish. This company is quite incredible at finding a very neat way of laying out a match that doesn't transparently nor apathetically reach to make any dynamic work. They work to the dynamic.

After the wonderful, early novelty of the Kenny Omega Vs. Dustin Rhodes showdown, complete with Dustin levelling up to Omega's athleticism with a beautifully incongruous flying head scissors, there was a suggestion that Page had patronised Marshall somewhat.

He looked apologetic for out-smarting him and raking his back, and that small key moment right there was the way "in" to the believable, competitive match that followed. That lit the fire under Marshall and unlocked his hugely spirited and endearingly unrefined blitzkrieg sequence.

A very good and purpose-serving pro wrestling match.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!