5 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (April 24 - Results & Review)

4. A Problem Is Addressed...Sort Of

25 4 Will Ospeay
AEW

Will Ospreay's entry into the International title picture is difficult to unpack.

He is the most over wrestler in the company. He is the World champion-elect; the only question is when. The International title is beneath the wrestler and indeed the character: it makes little sense for him to defeat Bryan Danielson in a match framed as a meeting between the two best wrestlers alive - at a minimum! - if it doesn't double as a match fought to determine the #1 contender. Ospreay winning the Casino Gauntlet match was an inelegant solution to a problem that has been articulated in these Dynamite reviews since Revolution: Swerve can't be the guy as long as Ospreay is hunting him. This move - again, inelegant, open to scrutiny - is inspired.

The chase is the greatest thrill in pro wrestling. AEW just elongated Will Ospreay's inevitable coronation as the man. It feels less like Tony Khan's trademark dallying - he can't be accused of withholding matches after Ospreay's last two PPV outings - and more like a concerted effort to extract the maximum value from a long-term investment. Ospreay is still only 30 and is All Elite for several years. Moreover, if it's even this simple, Ospreay's detour should allow Swerve to map out a title reign without Ospreay's inevitable shadow looming. Swerve's run can now be appraised on its own merits. There's no Wembley end date - right now - to wait for.

Swerve might still be outclassed, but he's no longer on a countdown, and feels less like AEW's second consecutive transitional champion.

Advertisement
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!