7 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (January 17 - Results & Review)

5. A Fun Sprint...BUT...

Orange Cassidy and Trent Vs. Penta El Zero Miedo and Komander was fun, if a bit of a clichéd and by this point over-familiar Dynamite match.

It broke down, and often, with minimal discipline to old tag rules, the dives were relentless, and it might shock you to read that Penta executed a Canadian destroyer (though the variation in which he used his partner as a launchpad is always really cool). The sort of superficial thrill that felt like an awesome novelty on cable in 2019, in 2024, much of that charm has diminished. There was nothing actively wrong with it - hence its inclusion in the 'Ups' column - but it was just there, mostly.

It was a very Dynamite match and very Dynamite segment overall: it only existed as a backdrop for Roderick Strong to challenge Orange Cassidy for the International title at Revolution. There has to be a different way of telling stories. This was route one.

Happily, though, AEW has deviated from 2023 form and either announced a not-inconsiderable portion of the Revolution card six weeks in advance, or all but told you what is happening. This is reassuring: it's as if Khan has finally listened to the complaints about the tepid PPV builds last year and is telling you to expect more compelling twists and turns along the way.