9 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite: Winter Is Coming (Dec 2)

Winter came to AEW Dynamite in the form of Sting, a World Title change, and Impact Wrestling.

by Andy H Murray
Sting AEW
AEW

Ahead of AEW Dynamite's 11 November episode, company president Tony Khan tweeted that wrestling's "balance of power" would shift that night. When PAC's return was the show's biggest development, the flak thrown Khan's way was earned: yes, PAC's comeback was cool, but "power shift?" Really?

The line would have been entirely more appropriate had Khan kept it on ice for another couple of weeks. Winter Is Coming was seismic for All Elite Wrestling - and the sport as a whole in North America.

Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley faced off in their highly-anticipated AEW World Championship match, battling for around 30 minutes in the main event slot, with the outcome and immediate aftermath standing amongst the most shocking moments in company history. This came in the same hour as WCW legend Sting, who appeared on a TNT-hosted wrestling show for the first time in close to 20 years. These two huge, blockbuster events made Winter Is Coming the most newsworthy weekly wrestling show in a long, long time, and while the delivery wasn't entirely perfect, it already stands as AEW's biggest non-PPV event so far.

Elsewhere, two new women's feuds grew, Chris Jericho issued an Inner Circle ultimatum, and the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale reached a surprising conclusion.

Let's light the fuse.

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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.