6 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (7 June - Review)

3. Texas Tornado Match Eventually Whips Up A Storm

Jungle HOOK
AEW

The Texas Tornado match was trundling along, assembling the furniture for the set pieces, before the magic of pro wrestling struck.

There was a distinct lack of chaos and energy early, which wasn't helped when HOOK and Preston Vance walked up a bleacher and brawled by a balcony. This is AEW; it wasn't unreasonable to expect a deranged stunt. They simply walked back down after creating that expectation (fairly or otherwise). Then, HOOK grabbed a chain and walloped Vance in the brow with it. One hardway cut or over-enthusiastic blade job later, and the man was gushing plasma.

Instantly, the match took on a more dangerous, hateful tenor, and whether by accident or design, Vance smelled his own blood, got hot, and threw HOOK into the barricade several times with a force that suggests he wasn't working. He was. He just did it very well, making it feel like an improvised, expressive flurry of proper wrestling energy. His violent spree put HOOK over all the more when he popped his hips and smashed Vance though a table from the apron.

Jack Perry was a passenger in the background, missing out on the glory - but if he is to turn on HOOK, that's actually a neat bit of storytelling.

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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!