7 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (18 Jan - Review)

Rest in peace Jamin Pugh, otherwise known as Jay Briscoe, who tragically passed away following a car accident in Laural, Delaware on Tuesday.

Wrestling remains in mourning - and will do for a long time. Just 38 years old at the time of his passing, Pugh was a 22-year veteran, a Ring Of Honor cornerstone, and one of the most decorated, influential, and important wrestlers of his generation. As the Briscoes, he and brother Mark deserve mentioning alongside the Midnight Express, Fantastics, and Rock 'N' Roll Express when discussing the greatest American tag teams of all time. In the singles realm, Jay was a giant, too, with his 2013 ROH World Title win over Kevin Steen standing as one of the most impactful moments in that company's storied history. As a personality, he was as real as it gets, his work burning with the kind of intensity and authenticity that cannot be taught, his promos equal parts hilarious and terrifying.

But more important than all of this, Pugh was a father, a husband, a brother, and a son. Our thoughts remain with those closest to him during this difficult time - as do those of the wrestling community as a whole.

Though he was never able to appear on company television, Pugh had been directly linked to AEW since March 2022, when Tony Khan's ROH takeover was announced. The situation hung heavy over Dynamite, as it should have, and while it feels surreal to break down a wrestling show under these circumstances, this was a great episode.

Let's talk about it.