6 Ups & 1 Down From AEW Dynamite (February 7 - Results & Review)
1. It Was SHOWTIME
Sting and Darby Allin are your new AEW World Tag Team champions, and after a few scary encounters, Sting somehow conspired to roll back the years.
He looked like TNA Sting, or 2021 AEW Sting, all over again. The Texas Tornado main event was another superb, well thought-out Sting party match. All four men brawled around the arena before Sting slunk away. As Ricky Starks and Big Bill beat up Darby, in another great bit of goddamn cinematography, Sting, towering over a balcony, resembled the vigilante of old. He then proceeded to pull off his unhinged magic trick by diving onto the heels - who incidentally deserve the maximum credit for a perfect no-notes catch.
This was interesting (and awesome, of course). These days, Sting reserves his big stunt for the finish. This was an early indicator that he was going to turn it on during the finishing sequence. Before that, Darby created the movement required in a Sting match by diving out of the ring and directly into an incredible Big Bill Boss Man slam. On the subject of Bill, his p*ss-taking taunts were particularly incredible.
After Darby sent Big Bill crashing through a table in another logical underdog spot, at which he specialises, it was left to Sting and Starks to take it home. This sequence was spellbinding. As magic as Sting was last night - he has regained the spring in his step, gauging by those splashes he hit Big Bill with - he's still a 64 year-old man. He still looks thoroughly dishevelled by the finish. When he ate a spear, he looked done for, but, generating a monumental pop, he kicked out at 2.99.
Sting in many ways is the perfect wrestler. Very few others feel like they need the energy of the crowd to pull off inhuman feats. He's looked finished for a year, maybe longer, having worked several matches undermined by one terrifying moment. Last night - during the title fight, when it mattered most - he drew on that energy. He's a genius working babyface through and through and through.
(One small complaint: Ricky suffered a storyline ankle injury to protect him in defeat, but this exact same device was used to make it seem as though Swerve would lose the opener.)
Still: this was magic. Sting being a champion in AEW is magic. All of this might make the Bucks feel magic once again.
Just excellent business all round.