Home Review: Underwhelming AEW ‘Dynamite’ gets us ever closer to ‘Grand Slam Australia’
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Review: Underwhelming AEW ‘Dynamite’ gets us ever closer to ‘Grand Slam Australia’

Ray Petree

aew logo The road to “Grand Slam Australia” continued last night, when AEW returned to Huntsville, Ala., at the Von Braun Center for Wednesday Night “Dynamite.” 

While last week’s episode of “Dynamite” was a little lackluster, AEW doubled back with a solid effort last weekend, on Saturday Night “Collision.” Did this week’s episode of “Dynamite” retain their momentum?

HIT: Will Ospreay vs. Brian Cage 



This episode began cold with the sweet sound of Will Ospreay’s entrance theme, “Elevate.” His opponent was Brian Cage, representing the Don Callis Family. 

Will Ospreay bats a thousand in the squared circle. They might not all be homeruns, but they’re always a hit. Throw in “The Machine” and you have a strong opening contest.

This was Ospreay’s second match against Cage in AEW and their familiarity was on full display. It’s too bad Cage isn’t held in higher regard. If these two shared the ring in a 20-minute PPV match, it would be electrifying. Nonetheless, this hit that 9-12 minute sweet spot that televised wrestling thrives in.

Rating: ***½ 

HIT: MJF backstage interview 


This segment may have been the highlight of the entire show. I don’t know if that’s exactly a good thing, though.

Renee Paquette was backstage, waiting outside of Swerve Strickland’s locker room when “Hangman” Adam Page abruptly entered the room. Upon realizing that Strickland wasn’t there, he turned around and left without speaking to Paquette.

While Page was turning a corner, he bumped into MJF. The two had a brief face-to-face, before Page continued walking down the hallway. MJF remained in the frame, bemusing how hypocritical the fans are for supporting Page still.

Paquette interrupted MJF, to discuss Jeff Jarrett’s match with Claudio Castagnoli. MJF billed Jarrett’s opponent as: “one of the most dangerous men AEW has to offer, in half-man, half-horse, Claudio Castagnoli.”

This is the second week in a row that we’ve been teased with a potential feud between MJF and “Hangman” Adam Page. More importantly though, why was Page looking for Strickland? Will the “Hangman” repent for his sins and reconcile with Strickland or did Daniel’s words fall on deaf ears?

We’re asking questions, so that’s a good start.

HIT: Jeff Jarrett vs. Claudio Castagnoli 


Jeff Jarrett’s saga continued last night, when he faced Claudio Castagnoli. If Jarrett won this match, he would have earned an opportunity to face Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship. If.

Unfortunately, Jarrett failed to slay the “half-man, half-horse.” The real loser here, though, was Castagnoli; who needed the outside interference of Wheeler Yuta and Moxley to defeat Jarrett.

Are The Death Riders a ruthless fighting force, composed of the most highly-trained and adept wrestlers in AEW, or are they chicken-shit heels? I’m inclined to believe the latter.

After the match, I expected the Death Riders to produce a plastic bag or chloroform to murder Jarrett on national television. Instead, they spared the “Last Outlaw.” MJF wasn’t so kind though, strutting down to the ring to taunt Jarrett. Not with words, but with his Dynamite Diamond Ring: coldcocking him in the center of the ring.

MJF promised that this would be The Last Outlaw’s last ride.” Hopefully, the “Devil” didn’t deceive me.

Rating: **¼

MISS: Ricochet vs. AR Fox 


Once again, Tony Khan has summoned AR Fox to perform the time-honored tradition in wrestling: a job. This week, his conqueror was Ricochet. 

After the match, Ricochet brandished a pair of scissors that were hidden in his boots. Did he intend to kill AR Fox?

In any event, his tirade was interrupted by Strickland. Before the former champion could deliver a top-rope Swerve Stomp, Ricochet held Fox at knife-point and used him as a shield to escape.

Unfortunately, Strickland will have to wait next week to exact his revenge on Ricochet.

Rating: ** 

HIT: Jay White vs. Wheeler Yuta 


For weeks now, Wheeler Yuta has been a thorn in “Switchblade” Jay White’s side. Finally, White has the opportunity to exact his revenge on the Death Rider’s whipping boy.

As a quick aside, this would have been infinitely more entertaining if it were a beard vs. beard match.

Claudio Castagnoli received assistance from the Death Riders in his match against 57-year-old Jeff Jarrett, but Yuta can’t against a main event player like “Switchblade?” I’d have a few questions for my stablemates once I got back to the Dodge Ram.

After White pinned Yuta, he delivered another Blade Runner for good measure, before the Death Riders finally made their way to the ring. However, their arrival was met by Rated-FTR. 

Last week, FTR and the Rock ‘N’ Roll Express were gagged and hog-tied backstage by the Death Riders, allowing the group to swarm Adam Copeland like jackals and stomp a mudhole in his neck.

Fortunately, they didn’t actually paralyze Copeland. However, FTR wants revenge for what they did to Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson. 

Dax Hardwood announced that Dennis Conrey was in attendance last night so, in honor of the Midnight Express, he challenged the Death Riders to a “Mid-South Street Fight” on “Collision.”

By and large, I would call this segment a hit. Not because it was necessarily good, but because it wasn’t bad either. When I’m ambivalent, I like to lean on the positive side. I suppose that, like MJF, I’m a real “salt of the earth guy.”

HIT: Mariah May promo 


Last weekend on “Collision,” Toni Storm paid her respects to Mariah May, whom she’s repeatedly acknowledged as the best wrestler alive. Storm’s admiration for May was, of course, met with scorn. The “Woman From Hell” unsurprisingly beat the living hell out of Storm. However, as May was exiting the ring, Storm revealed that her amnesia was merely an act — signaling the return of “Timeless” Toni Storm. 

So, naturally, May addressed Storm’s psychosis in an interview with Renee Paquette. The only thing that I really took away from this segment was that May said Huntsville should replace the “H” with a “C.” That means this was an obligatory hit.

HIT: Gunns vignette 


It’s nice to see the Gunns rediscover themselves, while their leader is regularly being throttled every other week by the Death Riders.

Jokes aside, I miss the Gunns. Not only are they former AEW World Tag Team Champions, but they’re extraordinarily entertaining. It’s nice to see AEW put forth a little effort, before reintroducing them into the fold.

MISS: Mercedes Moné vs. Yuka Sakazaki 


Yuka Sakazaki earned the right to challenge Mercedes Moné last weekend on “Collision,” defeating Deonna Purrazzo, Serena Deeb, and Queen Aminata in a fatal four-way match.

Apropos of our current political climate, the heel is clad in red, white and blue.

This match was bizarre. At times, it was innocuous enough. In other instances, it felt like both women were being controlled by broken PlayStation remotes.

In any event, Moné won the match with another awful looking Moné Maker. The “CEO” is now 17-0 since debuting in AEW.

Rating: **

Final Verdict


This was a very inoffensive episode of Wednesday Night “Dynamite.” It wasn’t particularly “good,” but it wasn’t bad either. To pull the curtain back a little bit, I understand that this was a double-taping. Fans were treated to both an episode of “Dynamite” and Saturday Night “Collision.”

However, as a standalone television program, that doesn’t excuse how inconsequential this week’s episode felt. I said that the backstage segment between “Hangman” Page and MJF was the highlight of this week’s episode. That wasn’t necessarily because it was a homerun, but because it was the only segment that really piqued my interest. That’s not a good thing.

Rating: **