John Pollock and Wai Ting review AEW Dynamite featuring a Lumberjack Match and the semi-finals of the World Title Eliminator Tournament, Tracy Smothers passes away, RAW ratings and a closing angle on IMPACT.
More COVID-19 issues at WWE Performance Center, per report
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WWE Raw ratings following Hell in a Cell
IMPACT Wrestling’s closing angle, other notes from the show
AEW Dynamite featured the semi-finals of the World Title Eliminator tournament with Kenny Omega vs. Penta El Zero M and Hangman Page vs. Wardlow. Plus, the Town Hall with The Inner Circle and MJF, The Young Bucks lay down a promise for their match with FTR, new NWA women’s champion Serena Deeb defends her title, and Cody defends the TNT Championship against Orange Cassidy in a Lumberjack Match as the card for Full Gear comes together.
Yeah, I think the Kingston vs Sydal match was the match of the night for me and really liked the Young Bucks segment. Enjoyed the women as well as the opener, but the rest of the show was meh-ish. I’ve seen both Penta and Kenny in a way better matches.
I also don’t think Orange and Cody meshed well in the ring at all. Something was off.
I hated the fake crowd noise this week. I found it so annoying more with the boos than cheers. Almost made some parts unwatchable to me. I’ll take the quiet live crowd any time.
I liked Hangman and Wardlow a lot, they really have something in Wardlow.
Totally agree about the crowd noise, thought it was especially bad in the Cody match. Audio is one thing that WWE blows AEW out of the water in almost every week
I didn’t even noticed the fake audio, I guess I was not paying too much attention. I mean, it mustn’t been as glaring as it was on HiaC Sunday. Those “This is awesome” and such chants that WWE are inserting are cringe as hell. It really pulls me out of whatever is in the ring. Makes the product even so phoney.
I thought the stipulation, mirroring that of Cody’s was interesting in that I wonder if The Bucks will lose creating a world in which the EVPs are simply not in the top title pictures so that there can’t be criticisms of EVPs putting themselves over despite being some of the biggest names in the company.
I hope The Bucks lose as I think that would be good for AEW and unique, and besides, in Pro Wrestling you could always do something that explains why you break a stipulation if you don’t do it all the time and plot a good story years down the line.
This is something that I didn’t like last year and something I don’t like this year - I hate this stipulation. What sense does it make to distance your by far most drawing act from the titles they strive for? And if they win then… whatever. I thought FTR will have a long heel reign with the old school tactics they were using with Tully, I’m not sure I’ll be happy if they lose their titles in their first bout against the Bucks, which, I know are in a redemption story, but that’s why heel tactics are for.
The idea of “it’s wrestling, they can always back off from the stipulation” is not an excuse that is working for me.
It’s unique. It’s a kayfabe stipulation meant to appease possibly the most “non-kayfabe” fanbase in wrestling history. It’s pretty counter-intuitive to have your biggest draws completely separate from the title picture, but I appreciate the effort to explain it. The real finesse will be – whether it’s in a year or two or five – how they use (and undo) the stips when it’s time for Cody or the Bucks to have a run with the belt. Easier said than done.