4 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (12 April - Review)

2. Orange Cassidy Is The Man

While the belt he is holding is the International title, Orange Cassidy may well be the best Television champion of all-time.

He also worked what might be the best Buddy Matthews singles match ever last night in a stunning, thoughtful outing that had no right to get as much out of the pairing as it did. Buddy wasn't winning that title before the bell sounded, but deep into a well-earned closing stretch, it felt like it was his night. That's what champions do, and Orange Cassidy orchestrated an insane level of drama with an outstanding, gripping narrative through-line.

Everything in the match, built around his immersive selling, mattered. You could almost feel the pain coursing through Cassidy's hand. Matthews finally felt like the big deal that many fans project him to be here; he performed like a jacked monster of a wrestler, a hoss and hybrid super-athlete all at the same time, which made Cassidy's plight resonate. The sense of peril generated was palpable.

Two shocking twists deep in the match elevated this from very, very good to great. After taking an absolute battering, Cassidy revealed that he can actually work a match with his hands in his pockets, in a "How did nobody see that coming?" moment, but a nanosecond later, Matthews blasted him in the face with a sickening bicycle knee. This was awesome. Cassidy looked like he was entirely without hope - which put over his successful comeback to brilliant effect. Cassidy elevated his challenger, and Matthews held up his end. This was the idealised television wrestling match.

The two names given to the title are ludicrous, which underscores Cassidy's triumph. Cassidy is enjoying one of the best title reigns in AEW's short history, and it will feel enormous when he eventually drops it.

Given Sammy and Perry's lack of true, undisputed main event credentials, Cassidy might have done rather too good a job here.