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

3. Doing Nothing For Nobody

Kip Sabian Hangman Page
AEW

Tony Khan is usually a strong matchmaker even when his big, long-term stories lack their signature heft, which made Hangman Page Vs. Kip Sabian all the more puzzling. Khan knew it wasn't a hot nor competitive attraction, and thus booked Kip to lay Page out earlier in the show, but that was never going to work.

It wasn't so much a heat angle as an acknowledgement that this match was a poor idea for which suspension of disbelief was impossible.

The match itself was neither nothing nor something. Page proved nothing in winning, Kip showed nothing in losing, and the drama and excitement was minimal. Nobody was actively hurt by it - an off week never matters - but this was a waste of time.

It's obvious that Khan has a soft spot for Kip, who in his defence did very well against Orange Cassidy, but it's obvious to everyone else that he's not a player under this exaggerated, cringeworthy persona.

The post-match scene, in which Moxley challenged Page to a Texas Death match at Revolution, wasn't that great, oddly. This should have sold the final, all-or-nothing chapter of a bloody, concussive war, but both Page and Mox stumbled over their words and fans - this set, anyway - seem to feel that the Page/Dark Order alliance is a selective narrative convenience than a wholesome friendship and heartfelt reunion.

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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 current Undisputed WWE 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!