HEYDORN’S DYNAMITE RECEIPT 7/6: Nuts and bolts show lacks excitement, but balances with an attempt at definition

This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite has wrapped. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and relive some of the madness.

-A good little match between Wardlow and Scorpio Sky. More importantly, it was a smart match, too. This got time to make it worthy of a championship match in AEW, but wasn’t too ambitious. Wardlow stayed in his comfort zone and did what he does best. The crowd ate it up.

-Scorpio Sky looked pretty darn weak in defeat, but the night was about Wardlow. Sky will have to rebound. Wardlow needed that victory in that way to try and find some of the magic he got had during the build to his match with MJF. Good thing is, he found some of it this week.

-More Jon Moxley promos. What a piece of work. This was smooth, smart, calculated, and in-touch with the Moxley character. Listen up Tony Khan! Feed this guy.

-Well, Christian Cage loves “going there.” Is that his gimmick now? Cage is getting some big time heat out there. The Jeff Hardy talk was a low blow to Matt Hardy and certainly got the desired reaction. Like the deceased Dad stuff, though, he just didn’t need to take it there to get it. Less is more, but regardless, Cage is working as a heel and has built a top moment for Jungle Boy when he returns from injury.

-If you haven’t seen the Blood and Guts post-match promo from 2point0, go see it. It was a very good piece of business. AEW played some of it on this week’s show along with other content and words from folks in the Blood & Guts match last week. This sold that gimmick effectively. Thumbs up.

-Ehh, the Jake Hager and Claudio Castagnoli face-off? It was fine, but like, this is the match?  This wasn’t fresh 10 years ago.

-Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee had a good match with Butcher & The Blade, but the story of that segment was Ricky Starks. Wow. He cut a fiery promo that exuded charisma and star power. He ran down the babyfaces and was so smooth in doing so. He got a genuine and real reaction of Strickland, which came across great. The guy needs more time with a microphone in his hand.

-A Young Bucks siting without strange meta stuff, comedy, and fake heel nonsense! They were great out there. They properly articulated their star power as champions, elevated the titles, created a mountain for the two challengers to climb in the match next week, AND got a pop for FTR. A good night at the office.

-Ummm, did Ruby Soho place her hand on the car so it could get slammed with the door. Good grief that was bad. If these will be that bad, pre-tape them. You can’t have that type of work on your product – it was that awful.

-Sorry, Dark Order. I get the Rochester connection, but why fake a break-up? Who’s talking to Alexa Bliss?! This was bizarre. A fun moment for -1 without question and likely meaningful for all involved, but not effective in building stars. Adam Page continues to be defined down with his association to that group.

-Rush doesn’t do jobs. Ever. He’s going to be 567-0. LOL. A fine match with Penta. Like a lot of acts in AEW, he needs proper definition.

-How dare you steal the microphone from Max Caster! Well, The Acclaimed are full-on babyfaces now and that’s a good thing given how they’ve pivoted their schtick. A long time coming, actually. Did the angle this week really get over, though?

-I’d imagine this ThunderStorm thing is leading to a Rosa heel turn? If so, this week was a good chapter in the story. If not, well? …..

-I loved the main event between Jon Moxley and Brody King for everything that it wasn’t. There was no surprises, cute spots, weird booking, 50/50, nada. Just a match where the better guy went over strong and clean. AEW needs this at times to define their guys and make other moments on their show stick out. Not the most exciting main event in the world, but an effective one.

CATCH-UP: HEYDORN’S NXT 2.0 RECEIPT 7/5: Great American Bash delivers flat matches, but reasonable outcomes