8 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Feb 10)

2. A Very Smart Opener

Darby Allin is such an intelligent wrestler. This doesn't get said often enough because the bumps and the bombs are so attention-grabbing, so let's say it again.

Darby Allin is such an intelligent wrestler.

His TNT Title match with Joey Janela wasn't the firefight many expected it to be. That match would have ruled, but they couldn't have gotten away with it when the main event demanded a similarly plunderous approach. What we got instead was Allin attacking Janela's arm from the first bell, going right back to it throughout the whole match, and finishing him off with a Coffin Drop following an arm-trap STO to open the door. The story was established, built, and paid off by Allin and Janela, both of whom are three-dimensional performers.

Why was this so smart? Because it told a great story without bashing you over the skull with it. Allin outclassed Janela. Joey's deal heading into this match was that the old 'Bad Boy' was back; he was going to get crazy against Darby. He tried to do this, and had success with an early apron bump and dive, but he had no answer for Darby's more refined, targeted approach. Joey came for a brawl but got stuck in a wrestling match he couldn't escape.

TV wrestling, friends. It rules.