7 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite Grand Slam 2022

by Michael Sidgwick

1. Jon Moxley And Bryan Danielson Tear It Up...Eventually

Moxley Danielson
AEW

A slow-burner of a match with a safe and steady result, this main event lacked the flash and spectacle one usually expects against a stadium backdrop. The last five minutes however were incandescent; a pyro display in itself. It was a risky layout.

After some WALTER-tier chop exchanges early, the match settled into a slower rhythm and an attritional tone, the story of which was of two men with profound respect for one another both wrestling with apprehension. The first 15 minutes informed the exhilaration of the last five: both men had done such a fantastic and intricate job of putting one another over that the late, breathless surge of near-falls were as unpredictable and as close as the last. In a great spot, with Regal's teachings equalised by both men, Mox drew on the inspiration of an old brother in Seth Rollins to stomp his way to a 2.9 count. Mox is a genius. Here, he displayed it by enhancing the drama of the last stretch by not relying on hollow tropes throughout.

There were a few too many shots of MJF. It was quite clear after the first 19 times that he was "looking on with interest".

An additional quarter star penalty for making the result somewhat obvious - Danielson controlled a great deal of it - and not lingering on Mox's triumph.

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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!