8 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (24 May - Review)

by Michael Sidgwick

1. Terrific, Authentically Dynamite Main Event

Fenix Wheeler YUTA
AEW

A fantastic main event with a questionable angle and phenomenal promo that didn't necessarily elicit the intended effect: the last 20 minutes of Dynamite summarised the strangeness coursing through AEW in 2023.

Why do they make basic errors when otherwise capable of such brilliance?

Lucha Bros. Vs. Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler YUTA was fantastic bell-to-bell - even if the drama was predicated on the fate of a title few are truly interested in. It could have changed hands, who knows really?

The action was furious and tight, perfectly pitched for a TV main event. Fénix live is something else. His flying is even more propulsive, his ability to soar through the air almost like levitation. There wasn't a great deal of depth to the match, really, beyond the fast lads needing to defeat the harder lads quickly, but this focused the Lucha Bros. They didn't spend too long pandering to the crowd and they didn't dither too long with some of their more ambitious/convoluted/awkward double-team manoeuvres.

Cute as the leg-clutch lore continues to be, watching the Bucks interfere and then scarper into the stands was an odd choice. Mox grabbing a mic and promising the most violent match in AEW history however was class because A) his turn of phrase is incredible and B) he is demonstrably believable.

Dynamite rules live even when the show probably wasn't a top-tier episode on the telly. If you're on the fence about going, use Mox's words as a motivation to smash through it. The same goes for WWE. Clash At The Castle was amazing. Go and watch wrestling live.

You'll forget about Discourse and remember how much it kicks ass.

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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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!