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

3. Getting It Right

Pro-wrestling has no truer test of whether or not something is working than crowd reactions and if last night's audience is anything to go by, AEW's creative team is getting almost everything right at the moment.

Every wrestler got the correct response last night. At no point did it feel like the audience was being "smart," going into business for themselves, or trying to get themselves over. They weren't cheering heels and booing babyfaces. Chris Jericho was reviled when he beat Cody down, and Hangman Page was finally over as the babyface AEW need him to be. Even Brandon Cutler, an undercarder, got big pops when he fired up against MJF. Speaking of MJF, the guy's so incredible on the microphone that it'd be easy to cheer in recognition of this, but no. He was booed out of the building.

This is vital, because American wrestling crowds aren't necessarily what they used to be. WWE shows often play out to library-like atmospheres with bored fans throwing out contrarian reactions. That's a creative fault and one that AEW doesn't have - at least for now.

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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.