11 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Jan 1)

Blistering in-ring action highlights Dynamite's imperfect New Year recovery.

Chris Jericho fancy man
AEW

Two weeks.

That’s how long AEW left fans to ruminate on the ill-received Dark Order angle, in which the decidedly-not-over group inexplicably welcomed enhancement talents Alex Reynolds and John Silver into their ranks by beating down the company’s top stars. It was disastrous, with The Young Bucks, Cody, and Kenny Omega diminished, the crowd reacting with a library-like silence, and the internet filling with gifs of those “punches” on Dustin Rhodes, opening AEW to ridicule.

That response, coupled with the latest ratings collapse, made last night’s the most important episode of Dynamite thus far. AEW’s ship has veered off course in recent months. In Jacksonville, it was time to address that.

Time to steer back towards the oft-questioned “real sport feel” undone by nights like 18 December. Time to reconfigure the records system, with January’s clean slate giving the ideal platform to finally establish that wins and losses do, indeed, matter. Time to book Omega, the Bucks, and co. in credible ways that might catch on with a wider audience. Time to appeal to that wider audience - period.

With Cody vs. Darby Allin II, Jon Moxley’s Inner Circle decision, and Chris Jericho, the Bucks, Lucha Brothers, MJF, and more set to appear, AEW gave themselves a great card to start addressing the aforementioned problems (amongst others). Let’s analyse whether or not they were successful...

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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.