4 Ups & 6 Downs From AEW Dynamite (1 Mar - Review)

2. Toni Storm Vs. Riho Is Badly Under-Served

Riho Toni Storm
AEW

Toni Storm Vs. Riho may have stood a chance, had it not unfolded against a backdrop of the terrible home-growns versus ex-WWE imports storyline.

Riho has a signature magic trick. A thin, diminutive performer, she wrestles with a slow-burn approach, appearing weak and ineffective before finding the spirit to drive her into action. Her power belies her size in the closing stretch. She amazes crowds by making it feel that she depends on them to become a beast who doesn't know how small she is. This didn't work here because the crowd was too distracted by the sub-WWE nonsense to stay with her throughout the comeback.

Certain sequences were well-worked, but the add-ons failed the match. It was numbing, predictable, and all served to build a match at Revolution that is cold and destined to end when Jamie Hayter pins Ruby Soho to protect Saraya ahead of another go-round of this bobbins sh*t at Double Or Nothing.

Nothing was achieved here. The match at Revolution exists to procrastinate further. None of this is Elite.

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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!