8 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Nov 9)

by Michael Sidgwick

1. Less Bullsh*t To Which We've Been Subjected Recently

FTR Acclaimed
AEW

Without being blow-away great throughout, this week's Dynamite was much improved in the quietly important department of "How much tired trope-y b*llocks was on this show?"

While the usual interference reared its head, five of the six matches ended cleanly, even if they weren't entirely pristine throughout. Just one backstage promo was interrupted, and that angle was actually consistent with Lance Archer's character. He has spent his entire AEW tenure running amok and destroying people backstage. Nothing felt rushed, like they'd ran out of time; the main event was allowed to register as both a Bryan Danielson masterclass and Sammy Guevara rehabilitation.

Full Gear took shape, and feels, in part, like the most unpredictable pay-per-view AEW has presented thus far.

The refs are still stupid, the rules still inconsistent, but this was a more bold night than many cynics have come to expect from the promotion of late - and the Women's division might actually be on its way to relevance at long last.

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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 current Undisputed WWE 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!