7 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Dynamite (May 6)

3. Rust In Peace

Cody's string of fun Dynamite bouts came to an unfortunate end when he met Joey Janela last night, as the duo produced the kind of match that will be clipped relentlessly by a mobilised army of critics who transform into salted slugs whenever 'The Bad Boy' so much as breathes.

The bones of a decent match were there. The "my turn/your turn" layout could have worked well if the actual work was smoother, presenting Janela as a wrestler close to Cody's level before the inevitable defeat. They attempted to establish parity through exchanges of strikes and holds and Joey surviving bigger spots like Cody's springboard Cutter. Cody's exertion was put over well, highlighting that was was a tough, hard-fought win, though it was all undermined by apparent rust.

Clear timing issues blighted several exchanges here, with Janela looking particularly off the pace. Cody has been wrestling weekly since the ongoing global situation kicked in; Joey has not, and it showed. A shame, and he'll surely shake the rust before long, but timing issues created a clunky, awkward opener that may have soared under different circumstances.