9 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (23 August - Review)

6. A Great (If Slightly Flat) Reveal

Santana August 23
AEW

In a great post-match angle undersold, with a note of unintentional comedy when Excalibur subsequently performed a Draft Kings read in a sombre voice, the Blackpool Combat Club wrote Fénix out of All In by assaulting him with a crowbar. They earned the necessary write-off by presenting Fénix so strongly in the body of the match. It felt like they had to bludgeon Fénix to stand a chance in Stadium Stampede.

It was then revealed that a returning, reunited Ortiz and Santana are the fourth and fifth mystery BCC partners in what is now a five-on-five match. Who was set to be the sixth? Chris Hero, who didn't bleed with William Regal but earned his respect in NXT? Or perhaps Homicide, to drive a further rift between Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley?

That is irrelevant now: the match is set. What was noticeable is that Ortiz and Santana, heavily rumoured to have fallen out, hardly looked ecstatic to be standing alongside with one another. They're playing heels, so that might explain their mean expressions, but it was still a bit flat.

Renee Paquette was on incredible form throughout the show, and when she attempted to get a word with Eddie Kingston, Eddie blew up in her face. He knocked the microphone out of her hand. That felt like a transgression. With one small physical movement, Kingston injected a Tony Khan spreadsheet multi-man match with elusive, welcome emotion.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!