6 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (February 21 - Results & Review)

Downs...

2. A VERY Rough Match

Deonna Purrazzo
AEW

Deonna Purrazzo Vs. Madison Rayne was not good at all.

Even before a terrifying reverse STO accelerated the conclusion of the match - Rayne somehow took it on top of her head, leading to what presumably was an improvised finish - it was atrocious. All the best to Madison. That looked horrific.

Not a single mechanical principle of wrestling and how it is meant to look halfway believable was applied here. Under the circumstances, it feels harsh to elaborate using specific examples, but the level was nowhere near where it should be on that stage.

Purrazzo won with the ankle lock in a story beat intended as a game of one-upmanship: Toni had won a very brief match earlier using Deonna's Venus de Milo immediately before this disaster. The idea is that they are inextricably linked together, through ink and their work and their history. This is meant to feel like an intimate war.

The programme is really quite good and inspired, but this latest chapter was beyond cursed, good grief.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!