4 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Dynamite (15 Feb - Review)

MJF, Mark Briscoe and Wardlow elevate an otherwise flat and lifeless two hours.

by Michael Sidgwick
Evil Uno Jon Moxley
AEW

It was imperative that AEW really started to sell fans on the Revolution card last night, and not merely because some fans think WWE invented the concept of telling stories in the latest chapter of a demented culture war.

AEW should be critiqued on its own terms, and while the promotion is telling stories - what an asinine and deranged thing it is to suggest that Tony Khan isn't - only one is truly connecting with the base to the expected standard.

Mooted attractions for the pay-per-view make it feel uninspired and rematch-heavy. Samoa Joe Vs. Wardlow was difficult to care about before Darby Allin's awesome sprint of a TNT title run killed it by comparison. The women's division feels like a "Fed bad" Jericho Appreciation Society Vs. Blackpool Combat Club retread hinged almost entirely on where Saraya and Toni Storm used to work.

It isn't, to paraphrase the late, great Jerry Jarrett, a personal issue that will draw any money.

Despite an incredible spree of action-heavy shows, it has felt as though a lot of material is waiting to "click". Eddie Kingston has never felt less credible. Chris Jericho has never felt more tedious. What are the Elite - usually very dependable and creative storytellers - doing?

Did that feeling persist last night...?

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!