9 Ups & 5 Downs From AEW Dynamite (Aug 12)
7. Looming Menace
AEW is finally getting Brodie Lee right.
The Dark Order leader has successfully translated his fearsome Being The Elite character onto TNT now, coming off like a genuine menace for the first time in his AEW run. Last night saw him confront Cody after his win over Scorpio Sky. Clutching the old TNT Championship, Lee said history is written by the winners, and he'd be writing an important piece when he faces 'The American Nightmare' on 22 August. Cody's transgressions against The Dark Order haven't gone unnoticed. On next week's Dynamite, Cody will put respect on his and the Order's names and when Lee takes the champ's new piece of gold, he'll be so nice as to hand the old one back.
Spitting rage and bile at the TNT Champion from afar, Lee looked, felt, and sounded like a colossus. AEW has done a good job of overcoming the lame Vince McMahon parodies of old to create a genuine monster in him - and his TNT Title shot is earned.