5 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Dynamite (18 May)

2. Lashed Legend

Shawn Spears MJF Wardlow
AEW

A different beast to the classic MJF/Cody Rhodes 10 lashes segment, last night's pre-Double Or Nothing offering was carried by a different kind of selling.

While Rhodes' ordeal was pure agony, Wardlow's was about feeling the impact of the lashes but not wanting to give MJF the satisfaction of showing it. Wardlow stood firm. He smiled and laughed when MJF struck, even as his back reddened up and barbs of pain coursed through his body. This, of course, got inside MJF's head. Whipped into a frenzy by his inability to get his former bodyguard to express pain, the Salt of the Earth helped make the big man look the baddest person alive throughout.

Wardlow winced following the ninth lash. Glibly telling MJF he only had "one more" before the tenth finally sent Max south, with a low blow crashing the giant to his knees, making him powerless to avoid the extra lashes that followed. By the end, Wardlow had been downed by a C4, Dynamite Diamond Ring shot, and mass skullduggery.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.