6 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (July 5 - Review)
5. One Of The Best Segments Of The Year
AEW has rarely explored the vignette, and with good reason: far more often than not, with the odd embarrassing misread, the fans know who the new arrival is. After All Out 2021, the surprise debut had peaked, and a talent like Nick Wayne is so special that a special presentation was required.
AEW nailed it. This was perfect.
The context behind the rise of Defy sensation Nick Wayne is as emotional as it is impressive. Bereaved son and precocious teenager who took the indies by storm at just 16 years old, the story and the talent demands a grand introduction. It's better than fiction. AEW has stayed out of its own way, grasped this, and merely adapted it. This is to their immense credit. No other major, with its dojo system or Performance Center, would attempt to tell a story as bold as this.
The first part of Wayne's stirring start to pro wrestling was told by Darby Allin, who trained in Wayne's father's school, helped Wayne grieve and who could well be an opponent of his down the line. AEW further babyfaced one of its top stars and built its next huge babyface prospect with just incredible economy.
On a show that was brimming with wacky tag team combinations to drive various storylines forward, this sobering and very real human interest story was far more emotionally resonant - a reminder of what wrestling should ultimately strive towards.