7 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Apr 21)

Allin faces Jungle Boy, Moxley and Kingston return, and Jericho plays it for laughs.

by Andy H Murray
Darby Allin
AEW

How do you follow up on an episode that posted the second-highest viewership in your brand's history, surging to second in the night's cable originals rankings on the very first week without direct competition? By loading your card to the gills with nought but hot, story-driven singles matches.

Last night's AEW Dynamite had the potential to be one of the five best shows in the flagship's history. It didn't hit that level, unfortunately, but this was a good episode nonetheless, with two big title matches and significant developments on the roads to Blood and Guts and Double or Nothing.

Darby Allin defended his TNT Championship for the second consecutive week, looking to follow up on his Matt Hardy victory with another over Jungle Boy. Elsewhere, top-ranked Tay Conti stepped up to face Women's Champion Hikaru Shida.

The Pinnacle and Inner Circle weren't short of things to say ahead of Blood and Guts, Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley returned for the first time in two weeks, and Ricky Starks opened up against Hangman Page.

Let's light the fuse on Dynamite's successes and failures, starting with the lows...

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.