7 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Fyter Fest 2021 Night 2

2. Multiple Finisher Kickouts

Chris Jericho
AEW

Spamming finisher kickouts is a common bugbear among critics of modern wrestling and is often overstated, as these things tend to be. Regardless, there was no need for AEW to pull two on last night's episode of Dynamite.

The first came in the opener, when Chris Jericho kicked out of Shawn Spears' C4 following a chairshot. Then, later on, Nyla Rose's Beast Bomb on Britt Baker only got a two.

Neither of these needed to happen. It would have been enough for Baker and Jericho to overcome their opponents without kicking out of their biggest moves, but the quest for drama brought both matches a step too far.

Such things are more forgivable on pay-per-view, where everything is designed to feel bigger. Here, on weekly television, they were excessive.

Advertisement
Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. 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.