5 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Dynamite (May 12)

3. Kazarian & Daniels Meet Their End

Franke Kazarian Christopher Daniels SCU
AEW

A story-driven match carried by drama and emotional heft, SCU vs. The Young Bucks was fantastic, and a great way for Kazarian and Daniels to go out (hasty cutaway aside).

SoCal Uncensored went hard in their last big match together. Both wrestled with heart and spirit, which escalated as the match developed and the odds were stacked against them. A superkick bounced CD's head off the ring post and busted him wide open. His blood literally pooling on the outside, Daniels was nullified for an extended period, forcing Kaz to fight the most decorated tag team in the world alone. His Northern Lights Suplex on Matt while pinning Nick was as well-timed and hefty as his sudden Styles Clash on the elder Buck, prompting Nick's desperation save.

Daniels eventually came back into it, wobbly on his feet from the blood loss. He expertly worked an intentional botch in while trying to hop the ropes for his Best Moonsault Ever, selling his diminished physical state and calling back to the infamous Pentagon botch of 2019. His was a doomed veteran hero performance of Dustin Rhodes standards, though the Bucks' ironic "I'm sorry, I love you spot" was the kind of nudge-nudge, wink-wink meta heat that prevents many fans from forging an earnest relationship with the Jacksons.

CD was put away after taking cold spray to the eyes, then the definitive BTE Trigger after kicking out. This was a hell of a way for SCU to go out - and match he can be proud of.

Advertisement
Channel Manager
Channel Manager

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.