7 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Mar 24)

Shows like last night's go some way to explaining AEW Dynamite's current ratings stagnation.

This was a good, solid wrestling show with a handful of euphoric highs, but not as many as one would like from the weekly brand with the highest ceiling on American television. Like the ratings, Dynamite was decent rather than excellent. It had excellent moments, absolutely, but Dynamite's pacing is as inconsistent as it has been throughout its TNT lifespan. Increasingly, it feels like the variety show approach - the wrestling buffet - is more of a hindrance than a help. Dynamite could do with nailing an identity and sticking with it.

AEW quietly assembled a stacked lineup this week. On paper, it didn't look like something that would draw a huge rating, but with the likes of Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and TNT Champion Darby Allin on the billing, it looked promising.

Allin put the gold up against John Silver in the main event. Elsewhere, Omega faced Matt Sydal, with the stipulation dictating he'd have to give Matt a title shot if he was successful. The Bucks teamed with Brandon Cutler to face the Lucha Brothers and the returning Laredo Kid, Britt Baker spoke on last week's brutal Lights Out match, and Tay Conti met Nyla Rose in a tournament rematch.

Let's light the fuse...