7 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Dec 18)

4. Reasonable Criticism: Answered

Jungle Boy
FITE TV

AEW has drawn reasonable criticism for introducing characters cold, and failing to put over the stakes and machinations behind featured, built TV programmes. The most recent example saw the company not air MJF's recent promo, in which he explained that he bought the services of the Butcher, the Blade and the Bunny to torment Cody.

Ahead of Jungle Boy's 10 minute showdown with Le Champion, AEW screened a short training vignette, that drew raves on social media, on Dynamite. They didn't rely on the core base to seek it out because it's either lazy, or it doesn't do enough to pull in the TNT audience, or both. That vignette was basic but very effective and very artfully done; as Jungle Boy lifted weights and ran the distance, Jericho's delightfully nasty promo from a few weeks back - "I think you're a piece of sh*t" - raced through his mind. This put over the idea that the match had consumed him, which in turn put over its importance.

AEW supplemented it by fleshing out Jungle Boy's character and backstory via sit-down interview with Jim Ross, which wasn't as powerful, but it did the job: this is a sympathetic act to get behind and believe in, and he is intent on repaying that faith.

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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!