9 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Aug 12)

3. How To Use Legends

Tag Team Appreciation Night's biggest segment was a great example of how to book wrestling legends in a way that benefits the show.

A glorified mutual back-slapping session this may have been, but it was still a great time. FTR and The Young Bucks put the Rock N' Roll Express, Tully Blanchard, and Arn Anderson over huge, crediting them for allowing them to make a living. Ricky Morton then took the microphone and called the Bucks the best tag team in the world. Arn disagreed, however, praising both modern tandems, but saying nobody works like FTR.

As for Blanchard? He was tremendous. AEW's prickliest old man held nothing back, calling Tom Brady the greatest NFL quarterback because he's got the rings, jabbing FTR and the Bucks for not having the Tag Team Championships. "Let's pat ourselves on the back and tell everyone how great we are!" Then, he focused on Arn, reminding him of their unfinished business after 'The Enforcer' jumped Shawn Spears in his first match with Cody, drawing 'The Chairman' from the back.

A brawl erupted. Dax Harwood faked reinjuring his knee in the confusion, using the sympathy to take advantage, with him and Cash blasting Morton with a Spike Piledriver to close.

FTR vs. RNR could be tonnes of fun on a future episode of Dynamite, while Harwood and Wheeler's feud with the Bucks was moved forward without having to burn a major escalation. Morton took his bump well, meanwhile, and Tully absolutely crushed it.