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

10. Sakazaki Sprints To Victory

Yuka Sakazaki Britt Baker
AEW

Yuka Sakazaki's return to the AEW ring was a successful one, with 'The Magical Girl' overcoming Britt Baker in little over three minutes.

The brief runtime was welcome. It's not that these two shouldn't be trusted in longer bouts, but a matter of variety. Almost every AEW Dynamite match goes 10-15 minutes. That's cool, as it gives wrestlers more of a chance to shine, but it starts to feel samey after a while. It becomes borderline formulaic. You need little switch-ups like this to help keep things interesting, so this concise bout is definitely a positive.

The work was right there with it. Baker is evolving into an effective heel before our very eyes while Sakazaki's enthusiasm makes her the most infectious personality in the whole division. Both looked good here as they worked towards a surprising conclusion, with Yuka taking the victory following a crucifix pin.

As for the post-match? 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.