6 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite: Beach Break (Feb 3)

Downs...

4. Kingston & Archer Fast-Forward To The End

Lance Archer Eddie Kingston
AEW

While Eddie Kingston vs. Lance Archer II was fine, it wasn't as good as the first instalment. This inferior rematch played out seven days after the original, with The Butcher and The Blade, Jake Roberts, Gunn Club, and more playing lumberjacks, attempting to keep the chaos controlled. They were involved throughout, most notably when The Bunny leapt on Archer's back for Kingston's equalising Uraken, but were an unnecessary distraction for a set of wrestlers that don't need bells and whistles to have an ugly, knuckle-down brawl.

Though the stipulation makes sense after Eddie cheated to win last year, its implementation took time away from Archer and Kingston laying into each other. That the rematch went down so soon is a problem, too. Fast-forwarding to the end of a rivalry isn't usually in AEW's playbook and it's strange they'd choose to do so here, given the performers' verbal talents and ability to prolong feuds on the microphone, but it happened, and here we are.

Archer scored the win via Blackout, seemingly ending the feud. Not a bad match by any stretch, but the downgrade from last week and greater booker concerns compound the Down.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. 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.