8 Ups & 3 Downs From AEW Dynamite (May 27)

Downs...

3. Shida Should've Squashed

Hikaru Shida
AEW

Hikaru Shida's AEW squash matches are often too competitive. We saw it prior to Double Or Nothing, as the Japanese star laboured through a 50/50 enhancement bout days before challenging Nyla Rose, and it happened last night, as she faced returning Brazilian Christi Jaynes.

Jaynes is a promising wrestler but should have been run over by Shida here. She instead found multiple avenues back into the match across its five minutes and worked some good heel shtick in the process, but the competitiveness rendered Shida's victory rub useless. A one-sided hammering would have been the operative way to go. If AEW didn't want to use Jaynes for that role (perhaps they'll Alan Angels her), another jobber should have been used.

The 50/50 layout would have been believable had the idea that Shida was struggling thanks to the beating Rose put her through been put over, but it wasn't. This was just a flat TV match that should have been a showcase.

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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.