3 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Rampage: Slam Dunk (Feb 17)
Ups...
3. This Was Good
Too many simmering AEW champions and feuds are currently framed by unwanted silliness (The Elite and their endless string on Trios conquests) or a lack of logic (Ricky Starks still chasing Chris Jericho when he's already won). So, it was lovely to see something stripped-down and serious take centre stage on Rampage.
Wheeler Yuta crashing Orange Cassidy's sit-down with Mark Henry, then challenging for the champ's All-Atlantic Title, was strong sh*t. There was a nice intensity to both men, and there's some backstory there due to their prior onscreen friendship that All Elite can tap into.
Orange has been a standout performer for this company lately, and now he has another no-doubt-cracking match to look forward to. Bring it. Yuta vs. Cassidy, if it's handed enough time on Wednesday's edition of Dynamite, could steal the entire show.
Fingers crossed on that, but this was a good start.