6 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (19 Apr - Review)
2. Adam Cole & Chris Jericho Turn Up The Heat
Spying the opportunity to make the most of the location while simultaneously heating up two pay-per-view stories, the face-to-face between Chris Jericho and Adam Cole was a tremendous slice of TV angle advancement even if your mileage may vary on the acting by the end.
Cole showed just the right amount of reverence towards Jericho to kick it off, almost as if knowing his work so well came with a consequence of knowing the JAS leader might be a total jerk in response. And when he was, Cole wasn’t shaken - he was ready to do away with the pleasantries and get to hostilities, but after Daniel Garcia running down to help his boss drew Britt Baker into the fray, the fix was in.
Appearing from under the ring (and in lockstep with Jericho from the off), The Outcast re-emerged and beat down ‘D.M.D’ with a kendo stick as Cole was chained to the ropes and forced to watch. Cole and Baker were a touch schlocky selling it all, but not to the extent that the heat was ruined in the slightest. A raging Pittsburgh crowd rained rage upon the heels, and a Double Or Nothing singles match that already had intrigue is now loaded with emotional heft too.