8 Ups & 4 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Oct 7)

2. Beefy Boys Beefin'

Dynamite's opener was always going to be an interesting run-out for Will Hobbs, who has almost exclusively wrestled squash matches since arriving in AEW, and he passed with flying colours.

Hobbs vs. Brian Cage was a futuristic hoss fight that started with two big men slappin' beef, albeit at a brisk, breathless pace. All the expected power spots were there, from big Spinebusters to shoulder barges, though Cage pulling off standing Moonsaults and leapfrogs brought the sizzle. You'd expect that, though: these are two of the most athletic big men in the game, and far from one-dimensional. The era of the big, lumbering stiff is dead.

Will got frustrated when 'The Machine' kicked out of a Spinebuster, missing a risky Frog Splash as a result. This led directly to the finish, as Cage put Hobbs away with the Drill Claw, before Taz issued an ultimatum after the bell: Hobbs could either join his team or get beaten down. Darby Allin emerged for the save, keeping that story bubbling away.

That Cage and Starks would both retreat from Allin is curious, though the match preceding this was bags of fun. Cage looked fantastic and it was another successful test for Hobbs, who looks an increasingly exciting prospect.