8 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (6 September - Review)

7. Elegant Plotting

In and of itself, Jon Moxley Vs. AR Fox was...fine. Probably a bit better than that.

It was the third consecutive television match, following outings against Fénix and Komander, in which Jon Moxley had faced a high-flier with unique attack patterns who knows their way around a cutter. It was the third consecutive television match in which Mox was initially blown away his opponent's exciting in-ring arsenal before getting back into it. It was a tad familiar and uninspiring. The various plot threads weaved around it however were well thought-out, and Fox was up for it here.

Nobody bought a title switch, but his run-up moonsault to the outside was rapid and impactful, and temporarily forced the crowd to question how much of a formality the result actually was. This opener sought to position Mox as a dominant champion, but it also underscored the effectiveness of Tony Khan's booking methodology. In his show-opening promo and reluctance to leave the stage, Orange Cassidy intimated that he wants to try and win back what is his title. It looks strange in Mox's hands, which highlights how wonderful a job Orange did with it.

Darby accompanied Fox for his entrance, and exchanged a respectful look with on-off partner Orange before watching the match alongside Nick Wayne in the back. When it was over, and Darby abandoned Wayne and went to check on Fox, elegantly allowing Christian to sidle up to Wayne. Cage was his usual, unconscionable self - which advanced the Darby/Wayne story. How good a mentor is Darby, really?

Lots of continuity was deployed here to help the immersion of the show, and Christian Cage Vs. Nick Wayne has incredible potential as an in-ring dynamic.