11 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Aug 5)

3. The Dark Order Ascend

Dynamite's opener was a sharp blend of storytelling and hot action, as The Dark Order scored a big victory over The Elite and FTR in a molten 12-man tag.

The wrestlers set a crazy pace from the beginning. The exchanges were fast and fluid as they worked all kinds of creative spots, with The Elite and FTR showing good teamwork in the face of the more established unit. This unravelled when Dax Harwood worked an injury after suspending Alan Angels across his knee for Cash Wheeler's leg drop. Harwood was immobilised. A doctor, Wheeler, and Hangman Page helped up the ramp, leaving The Elite desperately shorthanded for a while - and Matt Jackson was surrounded.

Page eventually came back out, running wild on the Order. It was too little too late. Brodie Lee ended up pinning the Tag Team Champion after almost taking his head off with a fizzing Lariat, levelling his stable up with a necessary victory.

This was a fantastic bit of business. Page's mid-match departure to aid FTR gives The Elite another reason to be hacked off with him, the work was great, and Brodie looked like a beast, scoring an excellent, credible fall over a gold-holder. As clear an in-ring Up as you'll find.