5 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Dynamite (8 Mar - Review)

1. Iron Sharpens Iron Men

Dynamite’s had a mid quality for much of 2023, but a low-key success story on the show had been a notable shift in formatting and focus.

More than ever is being allowed to breathe. This obviously creates other concerns whenever it feels like valuable television time’s not apportioned out wisely, but the post-Revolution promos from MJF and Bryan Danielson made phenomenal use of the minutes.

Brasher than ever and understandably so, the Champion luxuriated in his win and promised a Re-Bar Mitzvah for next week’s show as the self-congratulatory sentiment flowed faster than the sweat and blood from his body.

In devastatingly stark contrast, Bryan Danielson was physically and mentally broken from the defeat. Noting that he previously believed going as hard as he could was the best message to send his kids, he was now left questioning if he’d been wrong the whole time. And was “home” a route one trip to the arms of his loved ones, or a return to the in-ring alma mater also owned by Tony Khan? This mesmerising speech had you rooting for both.

All of this put over so much - Bryan loves wrestling that much that it often feels like being out there is like staring into the face of god. Looking square in the eyes of the devil appears to have changed everything. Not only does that put MJF even more over as the company's most evil and prominent threat, it reminds viewers that the pay-per-views are where the biggest actions AND consequences reside.