10 Ups & 7 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Dec 11)

2. Thrown Together

Emi Sakura Big Swole
AEW

Another week, another thrown-together women's bout, with Big Swole vs. Emi Sakura the latest to suffer from a lack of context.

Sakura has been on Dynamite (and pay-per-view) several times already yet we still haven't been given a glimpse into her character. All we know is that she trained Riho, is fond of Freddie Mercury, and can wrestle. Swole, meanwhile, benefitted from an incredible video package on Dark, but why wasn't this on Dynamite? 314,000 people have watched that show at the time of writing - less than half the amount that will tune into Dynamite.

These matches are usually well-performed and appease fans who value the in-ring above all else. What about the others, though? What about people who want characters and storylines? We're getting so little of that at the moment, and it's hard to imagine how, exactly, non-hardcore fans are supposed to invest.

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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.