11 Ups & 0 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Mar 31)

5. A White-Hot, Bloody (And Deft) Brawl

Inner Circle MJF
AEW

A segment so great that it would make for a worthy Blood & Guts go-home angle, the Pinnacle Vs. Inner Circle battle was a tremendous glimpse into the future of a crazed, claret-drenched stable war. It was even better equipped with the knowledge that AEW is the very best promotion at building and intensifying storylines.

If this was one of the first beats, just think how much better it will get.

MJF opened the bathroom door of the Pinnacle's new locker room to find the Inner Circle laying in wait. Jake Hager had the other door covered. In a programme based on oneupmanship, Jericho proved himself a worthy general. The brawl itself was sublime, bloody and heated. Much like the main event, it made inventive use of plunder - Hager dropped Wardlow through a massage table - to distinguish itself from countless similar angles and defy the notion that the Pinnacle is a Crockett tribute act. But the old power of that legendary '85-'87 run is timeless, which Santana recognised by further lacerating Dax Harwood's head with a wooden chair leg.

The deal with the locker room itself is quite brilliant, too. AEW is presenting a show amid a pandemic and are bound to one location. This isn't a barrier to creativity, but the very opposite. The locker room acts now as turf to protect in a development that would feel silly on the road.

Invention from mundanity: this promotion is incredible at its best.

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

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!