12 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Oct 2)

7. Sammy & Cody Tear It Up

Dave Meltzer wrote in last week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the first episode of Dynamite would roll straight into a match, with Cody vs. Sammy Guevara getting the nod. AEW reportedly wanted to start the show with killer in-ring action to get people buzzing before the first commercial break and, given Cody's pay-per-view track record, him and Sammy seemed like a safe bet.

The early stages established Sammy's clear speed and agility advantage. He forced Cody to take a smart powder, then posed on the mat, seemingly solidifying the face/heel dynamic in this alignment fluid promotion. Cody fought back with signature offense. The drop-down uppercut, powerslam, and Figure Four came out as AEW's most over star kept the crowd hot. Early on, the pace was more methodical than anything else, with the offense coming in short, sharp bursts until Sammy pulled Brandi Rhodes in front of her husband's dive. Then came the heat.

That Cody went out of his way to float the idea that he could lose his AEW World Title shot in the event of a loss informed the drama. While the match looked like a surefire Cody victory when it was announced, this sowed seeds of doubt. It meant you could allow yourself to buy into Sammy's near-falls without compromise. An excellent, subtle touch from 'The American Nightmare,' and it paid off big when Guevara almost beat him with the top rope Spanish Fly.

A well-paced match concluded with Cody cradling Sammy after getting the knees up on an attempted Shooting Star Press. Not quite the blowaway bout Meltzer's report suggested, but a very good match nonetheless. A solid start.