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

1. The World Championship Feud

With one week of programming left before Double or Nothing 2022, AEW has systematically failed what should be one of the biggest matches it has in the chamber feel like an important, blockbuster occasion.

'Hangman' Adam Page vs. CM Punk should be monumental. The sentimental homegrown favourite whose journey has been riddled with insecurities vs. the big-name incomer, who has never been shy of savagely ripping into such things to gain a psychological advantage. Shades of grey aplenty. A real tug of war for the audience's support and affection. Page spending weeks attempting to convince himself that he believes he can fell 'The Best in the World', let alone the viewers. Opposite him, a sharp-tongued fire-spitter taking chunks out of the World Champion with every sentence.

And yet, here we are. The Page vs. Punk match graphic is more exciting than the build. Last night did nothing to change this, as Hangman "sent a message" by beating Konosuke Takeshita with a GTS, then went face-to-face with his challenger, who'd spent the bout sitting in the commentary booth.

This is the only of CM Punk's AEW storylines that hasn't landed so far. That it is happening across from somebody who inspires such devotion as Page is unfathomable, with the blame falling at the booker's feet.