8 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Dec 9)

1. Scaredy Champ

Hikaru Shida
AEW

This Hikaru Shida/Abadon deal is rotten.

For the third consecutive week, the AEW Women's World Champion fled from somebody she had dismissed as a "cosplay zombie". This came after Abadon had crushed Tesha Price in a decent little squash that saw the enhancement talent barely muster a flicker of offense. Continuing the beatdown after the bell, Abadon was eventually accosted by Shida, who hesitated before entering the ring, then cracked her new foe with a kendo stick. An Undertaker-style situp spot followed, prompting Shida and Price to leg it.

Presenting one of your top champions as a straight-up coward is an awful look, regardless of how spooky or supernatural their opponent is. This presentation was the final nail in Seth Rollins' babyface coffin when he was feuding with Bray Wyatt last year. Shida, the 'Full Metal Champion', essentially buried Abadon in her promo last week, yet she's terrified of her. It's the polar opposite of the way she should be presented and the sooner we get through this feud, the better.

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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.