12 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Feb 5)

6. A Brutal, Bloody Baker Beatdown

Britt Baker Yuka Sakazaki
AEW

Yuka Sakazaki is such a fantastic babyface that she immediately became one of the most sympathetic figures on the entire roster as Britt Baker destroyed her after their match.

The good doctor struck 'The Magical Girl' with the ring bell following the fall, though Aubrey Edwards quickly yanked it away from her. Baker wasn't done, though. An uncharacteristic moment of brutality saw her make Yuka bite down on the bottom rope before stomping the back of her head. Howling with pain, Sakazaki pulled away, blood seeping from her maw. She reached inside to retrieve a tooth dislodged from the back before Baker rolled her into Lockjaw, compounding a tremendous angle.

Baker was good again here as well, though she unquestionably benefits from having a great babyface to play off of. Moments like this will really help her heel character get off the ground. This was genuinely tough to watch in all the best ways, much like the night's other babyface beatdown (more on that later).

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Channel Manager
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.