10 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Jan 22)

2. Moxley Beats The Bastard

The night's main event saw Chris Jericho join the announce booth. He was typically good here, mostly taking PAC's side as he wrestled Jon Moxley, but not without making enough pointed comments to establish a starting point for a potential match with 'The Bastard.' He played his role perfectly.

Moxley came out sporting an eyepatch after last week's assault. PAC, of course, exploited this. The gritty, grinding Brit worked the injury throughout, to the point that fake blood started seeping through the bandages. Great, grisly stuff, and PAC was thuggish and clubbing as he wore Moxley down, restructuring 'The Purveyor of Violence' to comeback spots early on.

A crowd brawl brought them up a set of stairs that PAC was eventually bundled down. This was just one of many ways in which the match felt like a gritty, attritional struggle, and a real fight.

Mox's bandage was eventually torn away, but he scored the win regardless. PAC was put away by a Paradigm Shift. After fighting 'The Bastard' to a draw early in Dynamite's run, Moxley shook the monkey from his back, scored his number one contendership, and stared Jericho down as Dynamite went off the air. The right winner, the right match, and the right tone.

Advertisement
Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. 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.