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

1. Tables Match Misfires

Jeff Hardy Butcher Blade
AEW

This didn't work.

The Hardys defeated The Butcher and The Blade in a tables match sealed when Jeff (being Jeff) scaled a gigantic ladder at ringside, flying down with a Swanton Bomb that put Blade through two tables. An eye-catching, giffable spot at the end of a stumbling match that never clicked into gear, despite its potential (Butcher and Blade are typically great in these plunder bouts).

This was the first real sign of The Hardys' physical limitations as a duo in AEW. They have wrestled almost every week since Jeff's arrival and the wear and tear are starting to show, with the legendary tandem struggling to find any kind of cohesion with Butcher and Blade. Jim Ross pulled out the infamous "bowling shoe ugly" line halfway through, condemning it, and he was right. A rough night was had by all.

It didn't help that Jeff's early elimination fell flat on account of the table collapsing rather than smashing, leaving the live crowd confused. The work done in setting that up was ponderous; the result a payoff that while visually arresting, felt unearned and unnecessary.

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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.