11 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (29 Sep)

2. Arn Anderson Will F*cking Shoot You

Cody Rhodes gets it.

He understands that social media has spent the past seven talks fretting over his alignment, calling for him to turn heel in the wake of souring crowd reactions. Leaning into these things is part of what makes him such a smart worker. Teaming with Lee Johnson to face Dante Martin and Matt Sydal, he was insubordinate, assuming he knew better than coach Arn Anderson by ignoring clear instructions, trying to take control, and eventually looking stupid when Johnson, 13 years his senior, showed the veteran savvy lacking in Cody to finish the match.

Rhodes was wrong. He wanted you to know that coming out of the match and after working much of the AEW fanbase into urging him to turn heel, he has once again revealed himself an expert worker. The man who emerges from between the face and heel tunnels, never committing to one side of the alignment scale, has conducted AEW fans like an orchestra.

Anderson was sensational in the post-match interview. When Cody tried to call Malakai Black out for Round III, Arn snatched the focus away, reminding Rhodes what the former Tommy End had done to the Nightmare Family. Then he kept going, and going, and going. Delivering a verbal brow-beating like a furious father addressing his son, Anderson ripped Rhodes for losing his killer instinct, saying that if Cody was carjacked, he'd willingly hand over the keys. If Arn was on the receiving end, however, he'd pull out his Glock (!!!) and leave the perp's brain splattered over the concrete.

Because Arn Anderson will kill a motherf*cker stone dead.

Disowned by his coach, who took Johnson with him when he left the ring, Cody left this segment in the mud despite technically "winning" the match. Suddenly, this is one of the most compelling stories in the company.