8 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (6 April)

2. Too Little, Too Slow

Serena Deeb Hikaru Shida
AEW

Hikaru Shida and Julia Hart worked an underwhelming match, with the former Women's World Champion qualifying for the Owen Hart Foundation Women's Tournament after putting the Varsity Blonds affiliate down with a Falcon Arrow.

The bout attempted to tap into Hart's shifting character after eating a face full of mist from Malakai Black late last year. As part of this, Julia irritated Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr. by playing rough, attempting to fight with increased aggression to show her transformation. It's unfortunate, then, that this did not come across in her work. Hart's kicks were mere whispers of violence, barely grazing Shida, who is hardly Stan Hansen herself. It's impossible to buy this "aggression" when it isn't coming across in the ring.

After a limp bout, Serena Deeb hit the ring with a steel chair. She was foiled by Shida, who saw her coming, brandishing her kendo stick in a standoff. This is good in that it shows both women have learned from recent assaults on each other. The problem is that these two go so long without touching each other (or even cutting promos) that the feud has lost its heat.

What started as a good, intense rivalry between bitter rivals has spent too long off the stove. Shida and Deeb now face an uphill battle between the ropes to regain what they've lost.

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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.