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

Ups...

11. Dark Order Dialled Back

Evil Uno
AEW

18 December's Dark Order beatdown ended AEW's last show of 2019 on a disappointing note, so the promotion were wise not to go all-in and shove the expanding incel cult down viewers' throats on this episode of Dynamite.

All we got was a simple promo from Evil Uno in which the masked man declared that The Elite had fallen and we'd soon see the true reach of the Dark Order. "Wonderful," a distorted voice said, as Excalibur asked who the group's "exalted one" really was.

... are they... teasing... Matt Hardy? Weird, but interesting.

Whatever the case, it looks like AEW have slipped this storyline back into second gear. They aren't neglecting it completely, but dialling back on it, giving them a chance to rethink the 18 December shambles without straight-up abandoning the program. This should help determine whether or not the group can be saved.

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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.