14 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (Aug 22)

2. Booking With Balls

Brodie Lee Cody
AEW

Cody vs. Mr. Brodie Lee was the one-sided mauling of a franchise player the likes of which American wrestling hasn't seen since the death of John Cena by Brock Lesnar's hand at WWE SummerSlam 2014, only 'The Exalted One' got the job done quicker.

'The American Nightmare' charged at Lee out of the gates, looking to take him off his game. It didn't work. Hell fell upon the TNT Champion, who was downed by a running dropkick before being dragged out of the ring and punished, Lee ruining his night with snug, laid-in strikes. Cody fared no better in the ring, either, falling victim to some of Lee's biggest bombs as the manic, frothing villain laid waste to the golden boy, felling him with a Discus Lariat so vicious it would have taken a lesser man's head clean off his shoulders. After that, the pinfall was elementary.

Incredible booking. There were no comebacks, no hope spots, no fire: just an execution. Fair play to AEW for having the sheer balls to pull this off, and for Cody for understanding the rub this gives Lee. On the back of a great, title-making reign throughout which countless young stars were elevated, 'The American Nightmare' went out like a bug beneath the new monster's boot.

And as for Brodie? Well...

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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.