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

1. Bryan Danielson vs. Bandido

Bryan Danielson and Bandido could have told a simple in-ring story of superior high-flyer vs. superior mat wrestler and it would have still been excellent. The level of detail each puts into their work guarantees that even with a skeletal framework, they'd have had the best match on the show.

That the duo ended up giving the audience so much more than that is testament, then, to the time and effort they put into their work. Bandido vs. Danielson was more than three-dimensional. This wasn't a battle of speed and technique, but speed, technique, raw-boned power, strikes, spirit, strategy, and smarts, incorporating almost every physical pro wrestling genre in one dramatic package.

Danielson's attempts at grounding Bandido were thwarted not just athletically, but with strength - and mutual demonstrations of incredible core strength. Bandido did fly, but only in spurts. Cutoffs followed each attempt at building steam. He and Danielson wrestled unique, innovative counter sequences, seemingly coming out of each other's pockets at times, building one of the year's best matches so far.

But perhaps their biggest triumph was generating doubt about the outcome. Danielson's MJF program means that he was never losing tonight. He and Bandido, however, had the audience gasping for a late-match 21 Plex near fall, highlighting their storytelling prowess. Bryan was never losing here, but for a fleeting second, it felt like he was.

'The American Dragon's' win came via Busaiku Knee Kick. Next week's labour is Brian Cage, a wrestler on the upswing in AEW, and a fitting roadblock ahead of Revolution.