7 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite: Big Business (Results & Review)

by Michael Sidgwick

1. The Elite Are Named That For A Reason

The Elite continue to be the best new stable in All Elite Wrestling.

Ahead of their second trios match, in an interview, Kazuchika Okada tormented poor Alex Marvez by making him sing 'Happy Birthday' to Matthew Jackson, in an entertaining bit that depicted Okada as a nasty ar*ehole of a bully. In the ring, Okada, in a great subversion of his full-time debut, tagged out. Where he easily smashed three jobbers on Collision, Okada wanted no part of Eddie Kingston - until he had been weakened. Eddie fought his way back into it, caving Okada's chest in whenever he found the space to throw his sledgehammer of an arm around, but he was mostly - methodically! - controlled by the Young Bucks, who continue to reorient their ring work in a more patient, traditional direction.

They really want to become the best heels they can in this run. By slowing it down, and honing in on that obnoxious demeanour, they're succeeding - but there's a bit more to it.

They're adopting the facade of proper businessmen. Their bodies are insured, as they've mentioned, for several million dollars. The new Young Bucks pick their spots, and it's not just a means of making the high spots mean more as the closing stretch breaks down. They don't get their sh*t in, even if it's just to annoy you. They've gone corporate. In a fantastic meta bit, they're wrestling like they would if they'd "sold out" to WWE. That frisson of the finish is in full effect, still. The crowd exploded when, a nanosecond after hitting Matthew Jackson with a Canadian destroyer, Penta was smashed in the temple with a superkick by Nicholas.

Okada is perfect in this role, which is such an inspired idea. His facials are exceptional. His attitude is dripping with an aloof arrogance. He is incredible at depicting himself as the final boss. In one excellent glimpse of that, he held onto the rope as Penta tried to execute the turnbuckle backstabber. He don't just eat any old move in a simplistic melee of trios movez match. He's a much, much smarter operator than that. He too picks his spots, as he did at the finish: setting up a Continental title challenge next week, he struck Eddie Kingston with the match-winning Rainmaker after Eddie had been blasted with a low blow.

Another excellent night for the best unit in AEW right now.

Advertisement
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!