6 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dark (Feb 9)

1. Hollywood Flunk

Ryan Nemeth
AEW

Ryan Nemeth struggled to impress in his recent losing role opposite Hangman Page on Dynamite and unfortunately laboured again here, falling short against Marko Stunt.

'The Hollywood Hunk' walked out and cut a stinker of a promo. With a flat, monotone vocal delivery, Nemeth dropped bottom-shelf lines about people not liking him because he's so smart, rich, famous, and good looking, before flipping it, telling the viewers to admit that they adore him. Disappointingly, the kind of banal promo you'd expect from someone a lot earlier in their development.

The match didn't hit, either. Marko's size, bumping, and selling make him the easiest wrestler in AEW to bully between the ropes, but while Nemeth projected a base level of cockiness, there was no palpable meanness, no heat. He only won because Stunt got distracted by FTR's music hitting, too, leaving Marko open for the neckbreaker finish.

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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.