Something strange happened to me this week, it was Wednesday night and, of course, you know what that means, so, as usual, I settled in for Dynamite. However, as it began, something shocked me, Excalibur reminded me that this would be the final Dynamite before Revolution. I was stunned, how could I have forgotten that Revolution was this Sunday? I was conflicted, had I simply been distracted and not that engaged? Or could the build have been better? I couldn’t decide, but it did get me thinking, it made me want to take a closer look at what we’ve got confirmed so far.
Jon Moxley v Adam Page (Texas Death Match)
I believe this was the first match announced for the Revolution card, I mean I didn’t check that, but I’m pretty confident, these boys have been going at it for a while now and honestly, it’s got to be the most solid build to a match on this card for me. This match will be the fourth (and assuming final) match in their feud and although I believe now the conclusion will indeed be welcome, it is not because it not due to the feud overrunning or growing dull. Every week I get reminded of just how good these two are, just this week, yet another stellar (and bloody, always so bloody) promo from Mox that makes me believe these men really do have unfinished business. I’ve seen this match three times already and yet I’m keen to see it again, so they have to be doing something right. This feud really deserves a proper pay off on pay per view, it’s the kind of feud that demands a big occasion and I think that’s why I’m happy to see it continue.
Not to mention the fact that the matches themselves have all delivered thus far, they are both quality workers, they both have such a rich understanding of their characters, I have no doubt in my mind that what we get from them on Sunday will be at the very least good, if not great. A win for the Hangman seems the most likely outcome, I think it does more for him than Mox going over, would be a good way to elevate him back into the world title picture, where I think he would serve as a good next feud no matter who comes out as champion.
Debatably my most anticipated match on the card, great build, hard to imagine the match not being good (spoiler, Mox is going to bleed).
Chris Jericho v Ricky Starks (Jericho Appreciation Society Banned from Ringside)
Why does Ricky Starks want to fight Chris Jericho again so badly? Don’t get me wrong there have been a couple of occasions where Starks has convinced me briefly that it’s actually a good idea because he’s just that damn good, but then I wake up, I’m like “but you already beat him though, clean, in front of everybody” and I get a little sad because I really want to like this feud. There have even been some really good moments, like the recent segment where Starks tricks Jericho into signing the contract, brilliant, I love it, Starks is great, Jericho honestly is too, he’s just as big a part of the good moments as he is the bad, I don’t really get the blame being sent his way. So why don’t I like this feud? I just cannot get over the direction, the win for Starks out of the blue on Dynamite did feel special, but we somehow got from Jericho wanting to avenge his win to “if Starks wants another match with me, he’ll have to beat each member of the JAS 3 times” without a good enough explanation for that change.
Both great performers, I don’t doubt they will deliver on the night, but the feud really hasn’t lived up to my expectations, probably my least anticipated match of the night, just can’t see there being anything unbelievable happening here. Maybe Starks’ big moment on Dynamite should have been just that, a moment, rather than a full-blown feud, especially if Jericho wins, just seems so unnecessary, Starks can be a real star coming out of this if he truly bests Jericho.
“Jungle Boy” Jack Perry v Christian Cage (No Holds Barred/The Final Burial)
Glad we’re finally getting round to this, I really do feel like Jungle Boy needed his pay off here before he could truly move onto bigger things, everything he has been up to during Christian’s recovery has just felt half-hearted. Thankfully, Christian’s return lit an immediate fire under this feud too, feels like we’re picking up right where we left off, some great back-and-forth since his return and I am fully invested once more. Not sure I’m too keen on “The Final Burial” (whatever that means), didn’t really feel like this feud needed a particularly over the top stipulation, pretty sure the first graphic announcing this match on Dynamite said “No Holds Barred” too, which would have felt like a very appropriate match type, just let them beat the piss out each other, this one’s supposed to be deeply personal.
I really love Christian’s work and I believe that’s a big reason why I’m looking forward to Jungle Boy standing tall here, a great image to finally end a really solid feud.
Samoa Joe (c) v Wardlow (TNT Championship)
I like Samoa Joe, I like Wardlow, but what I really love is how much Samoa Joe has grown into his “King of Television” gimmick in the relatively short amount of time. I adore this version of Samoa Joe and would love to see it continue, however, I think Wardlow is going over here, so I guess I’ll just have to get over it. I take solace in the fact that Joe is probably heading to Ring of Honor for a little while to (hopefully) be a very dominant TV champion and Wardlow losing here would really hinder him so you have to give him the belt. Although not my desired outcome, still a welcome one with (mostly) satisfying conclusions for all.
As far as the match is concerned: Big. Meaty. Men. You love to see it.
The Elite (c) v House of Black (AEW Trios Championships)
Despite likely being the strongest contender for match of the night, I’m a little apprehensive here, I don’t think enough has been done to make the House of Black (an already rocky stable) feel like genuine threats to The Elite. We don’t see them in trios action enough for me, so unless they walk out here with the belts as some kind of upset, I could very much see them fading straight back into obscurity and that’s frustrating, members of the House of Black seem to often be leaned on as credible opponents when it suits, but haven’t really done enough on AEW TV to warrant that credibility. We’re just supposed to be aware of Malakai Black and co from their previous work and have that be enough, well when it comes to a stable that has only appeared in this company, I’m not sure that’s worked, The Kings of Black Throne have probably had more play as a tag team than the House as trios contenders. I think more work needs to be done to make me believe that when these three are together, they really should be a cause for concern for The Elite.
I legitimately feel as though the tag division could do with the Young Bucks back right now and there will never not be something for Kenny Omega to do, not to mention a win here would finally establish the House of Black as team to be feared, so maybe there’s some logic behind an upset, beyond my bias. As I already stated, the match will probably be great though, just hoping for the House to win on this occasion.
The Gunns (c) v The Acclaimed v Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett v Orange Cassidy & Danhausen (AEW Tag Team Championships)
What a mess. I (like everyone) love The Acclaimed and can’t really work out why they had their momentum halted for this. To give them a big baby face win over the annoying Gunns? If so, doesn’t really seem worth it to me, The Acclaimed have taken a bit of a back seat in recent weeks with the focus mainly being on filling the other two spots and that just doesn’t sit right with me, why would you not want The Acclaimed on TV every week? They’re so over, the entrance and Max’s raps should be mainstay on AEW TV until crowds get sick of them, which they certainly were not and I can’t even imagine when that might be right now, so why take the spotlight away from them? Why not have them as the head of your division? Really doesn’t make sense to me.
As far as the other teams are concerned, I think the Gunns are great heels, good workers and so I do think there is good reason to have them feud with The Acclaimed, they complement each other really well, definitely the strongest part of this match (outside of The Acclaimed, of course). Jarrett and Lethal are also pretty good heels, I’ve really enjoyed them on TV since they got together, don’t think they were a bad pick to be added to this match given they have history with both the Gunns and The Acclaimed, just think the focus should have been shifted entirely away from the two teams already in the match onto the selection process for the other two. I have a lot of time for Danhausen and OC, love their work in fact, but they just have no place in this match, are they going to be teaming in the future? Probably not, so seems like a waste to not spotlight an actual team from the division in that spot would have been nice to see an outsider like Aussie Open win or even better, just do one battle royal and have it be three teams, two seemed a little odd to me.
The match will probably be a blend of stellar work and comedy, something all of these teams are capable of and for that reason maybe the choices make sense and it will be good. I’ve just not enjoyed the build anywhere as much as I should have done for someone who likes all of the competitors, it has been all over the place. My outside pick for a saving grace here would be FTR return to challenge the Gunns, makes sense as they took them out in the first place, even then, seems a little harsh on The Acclaimed, hope they return to the mountain top one way or another.
Jamie Hayter (c) v Ruby Soho v Saraya (AEW Women’s Championship)
It’s no secret, I’m a Hayter. However, beyond the initial win against Storm and defences against Shida and Sakura, there really hasn’t been enough for me in what is now a little over 3-month long title reign. Jamie Hayter kind of feels like a link in the chain of a story within the Women’s division, when she really should be the crown jewel, like any world champion honestly. So for that reason alone, I hope we see Hayter come out victorious and really kick on from here, turning what has been a fun title run into a historic one, she’s that good, I hope she gets to show everyone who doesn’t think so.
The feud I alluded to was of course the AEW originals (Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter) versus the Outsiders if they were villains in a Nickelodeon show (Toni Storm and Saraya). Which despite my shallow attempts at comedy, is more sad really, Storm and Saraya are both awesome, seems like it should be really easy to present them as cool bad guys, but the approach has been so strange. Spray painting an “L” on beaten opponents and having your “thing” be calling people a “loser” is laughably lame, not much of an upgrade from a pie in the face really. I do think it can be salvaged though, as I say, Storm and Saraya are cool, just let them be cool and they would be perfect foils for newly turned baby-faces Baker and Hayter. I do, however, appreciate Ruby Soho’s role in all this, one she plays very well, I believe her as this “stuck in two minds” persona, torn between the company that took her in and two women she holds an enormous amount of respect for that claim they intend to raise the level of the division. Think that bit’s great and legitimate reason for the “Triple Threat” stipulation, always love when the story actually demands it.
I have high hopes for this match, maybe that’s because I think the women’s division as a whole needs a win, a chance here to turn this slightly messy story into a great one and really showcase the talent of 3 stand-out individuals. My feelings around Hayter’s ability should be very clear by now and Ruby has had a number of good matches within the company to add to her already impressive career outside of it, so add to that a Saraya who I think could do with an exceptional performance (which we should all be aware she is capable of) to really kickstart her run with AEW, I think there are all the makings for a top-tier match here, hope that shows.
MJF (c) v Bryan Danielson (60-Minute Ironman Match for the AEW World Championship)
Bryan Danielson might actually be the best wrestler in the world, it’s a big question, but I certainly wouldn’t argue too much if that was you answer. We have had good match after good match, good promo after good promo from this feud, I have loved every single second of it. Stupendous face versus stupendous heel, main events really don’t get much bigger than this, especially as we know they’re getting the full hour and I think they’re damn capable of it too. I can’t lie, I had my doubts when this feud started, not about anyone’s ability, but I though Danielson might get more or less “fed” to MJF, standard screwy finish after a pretty nice match and who could blame me, Danielson has proved he’s more than happy to put the other guys over, the lovely selfish bastard. However, what I want is to believe there is a chance that this isn’t a clear-cut winner and these guys have done everything in their power to persuade me of that, to the extent that I genuinely believe there is a chance (not a huge one but it’s there) that Danielson will win this, which is just a testament to the remarkable work put in.
MJF’s a bastard though isn’t he, so I should probably buckle up and get ready for him to smash all of my favourites just as he told us he would. The reign of terror shall continue and MJF really does deserve it, he’s one of the best talkers in the game, he’s still somehow underrated in the ring (think this match is designed to put a lot of that to bed), there’s even a part of me that thinks people may just eventually stop booing him he’s so good. That’s why you put him with Danielson, that’s why this is such a great feud, doesn’t matter how well you’ve been performing well or if people are starting to just appreciate your work, people will boo you if you hurt him, he’s the chosen one.
The match should certainly deliver, MJF is quality in the ring and Danielson is on his own level, it’s getting to be really tough to call who might actually come out on top here and I really don’t think you can ask for a better build to a match than that, potentially one for the ages. Just sit back, relax and enjoy that bastard get his fucking head kicked in!
In Conclusion
I promise I do actually like wrestling and specifically when it is All Elite, just realised how critical I have been. Criticism can be constructive though and that was truly my intention here as despite not living up to the perfection of my head-canon, this is a really stacked card with a few some really brilliant feuds layered in, looking forward to it and I’m sure there is a trick or two yet to be revealed that I will no doubt get a kick out of like the predictable sucker I am.
Have fun with Revolution guys x
Dez
dotbiz.blog 