8 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (11 Aug)

1. Dante Martin Soars

A round of applause for Dante Martin, who was the spectacular highlight of last night's trios match pitting him and the Sydal Brothers against Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.

This was the kind of popping, adrenaline-pumping banger AEW does better than any other promotion in the business. It was Martin's stage to shine on, too, with the Top Flight prospect rarely stopping for breath. He was a dynamo with his springboards, dives, and charges keeping him in perpetual motion, whether he was hitting springboard hurricanranas over the top rope or flipping out of the One-Winged Angel, drawing immense reactions from the crowd in the process.

That it took so many big moves to put Martin down is a huge credit to him, too. Dante ate multiple V-Triggers, the OWA, and a trio of knees via Kenny and the Bucks' BTE-V-Trigger before being put down, with the neutralised Sydals helpless on the outside.

Everybody was great here. Matt and Mike Sydal are the ideal mid-tier babyfaces for scenarios like this, playing as big a role in generating heat as the Bucks and Kenny did, with the Super Elite slowing things down (!!!), taunting, and ensuring that for all the high spots, the match still had the right character dynamic.

Those highs were spectacular though.

****+