7 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (December 20 - Results & Review)

Downs...

2. Feeling Not Exactly Restored

You might think, given the ratio of Ups to Downs, that last night's episode of Dynamite was a high quality two hours of television. It was and it wasn't.

The action was mostly very good, and while it's probably unfair or entitled to expect or demand incredible action week after week, that's what's happening over on Collision. The three C2 matches on Dynamite all nestled in the "very good" range, but nothing was truly blow-away great. Nothing was so good that it left you howling, standing and pacing. The C2 has only orbited the heights of peak G1 on Saturdays, and that trend continued last night. The Devil storyline is at this point so bad - mostly - that the stench lingers over everything. Little things continue to grate, too.

Why is Alex Abrahantes the designated "hype man" for virtually every luchador? What's up with the conflation there?

He doesn't do his translator bit anymore. All he does, with his borderline selfish sartorial choices and scenery-chewing body language, is steal focus and make some of the most exciting and eye-catching performers in the company seem infinitely less cool by association.

Mileage varies on the Toni Storm character, even to those prone to enjoying it, but her guest commentary bit is distracting.

In general, the so-called "feeling" AEW is attempting to restore hasn't in fact been restored. It's almost irritating that it's become canon. It is entirely the sort of thing that must be shown and not told.

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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!