SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NEWS & NOTES
• Nick Wayne and Kevin Knight will both be competing in New Japan’s Best of the Super Junior’s tournament.
• The injury bug bit AEW hard in the last week. Jay White suffered a hand injury, attributed in storyline to Mox +the Mechanics, that may require surgery. Orange Cassidy suffered a torn pec during the four way match a few weeks ago that will require surgery and keep him out for several months. Lastly, Mark Davis suffered an undisclosed injury that’s reported to sideline him for 4-8 weeks.
INTRO
Dynasty was another strong show in AEW’s PPV resumè. I’m not as much bothered by the length of the show as Wade Keller or Jason Powell are but I will say Dynasty would’ve benefited from cutting Fletcher-Briscoe and Jericho-Bandido from the show. Fletcher-Briscoe should’ve been on a Dynamite and Jericho-Bandido should’ve headlined the upcoming Supercard of Honor show. That would’ve brought the show down under four hours. My other critique is that the FTR turn on Copeland didn’t need the tease of dissension between Dax and Cash. The end result was exactly what it needed to be though. Copeland’s off TV for a bit as FTR re-establish themselves as heels. Elsewhere the Owen Hart tournament is off and running and Adam Cole claimed his first singles gold in his AEW career with a win over Daniel Garcia.
Tonight’s Dynamite will feature the fallout from Dynasty as well as more first round action in the Owen Hart Tournament. It also has to double as the show to set up next week’s historic Spring Break Thru event. I’m not entirely what it will be but expect a decent main event to be announced for that show.
Jon Moxley vs. Swerve Strickland
Latest Developments
Jon Moxley defeated Swerve Strickland with a little unexpected help to retain the AEW world title.
Analysis
Cue up the Thin Lizzy because the boys are back in town. The Young Bucks returned to AEW for the first time since October and shockingly helped Mox retain the title. Before the Jacksons inserted themselves Swerve and Mox were having a pretty good match. Based on the show closing go-home angle from Dynamite which saw Swerve sit up Undertaker-style and laugh manically after being powerbombed onto broken “glass”, it was clear this match was going to be violent. It was just violent in a different way. Rather than glass, nails, or barbed wire, this was more visceral, more methodical. Mox and Swerve traded stiff shots. Mox busted Swerve open hard way (I think) and then bit the cut. Swerve hit a Swerve Stomp on Mox off a ladder through the announce table, injuring his knee in the process. That injury would play a pivotal role in the finish.
Things broke down when the referee was clocked by a chair thrown by Mox and intended for Swerve who ducked. Hangman Page hit the ring. He climbed on the apron and set up for a Buckshot lariat seemingly on his forever rival before peering over at Mox to the delight of the Philadelphia crowd. Pac prevented the Buckshot from being fired off by kicking Page in the face. The rest of the Mechanics swarmed Hangman. Page was able to avoid a Busiku knee from Yuta who wiped out his partners. He hit a Dead Eye on Mox before the Mechanics recovered and overwhelmed him again. Out of nowhere The Opps came out and began fighting the Mechanics away from ringside. Swerve meanwhile hit a huge Swerve Stomp but the previously injured knee slowed down his ability to make the cover. Lights off, lights on. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson were suddenly in the ring with Swerve in position for an EVP Trigger which they executed. That allowed Mox to steal the pin.
The finish to this was what we’ve come to expect from Mox title defenses, Bloodline-style interference from the underlings to ensure the leader retains the title. The additions of Hangman and the Bucks were unexpected to say the least though. The idea that Hangman’s blind rage when it comes to Swerve would draw to the ring to make sure Swerve didn’t win the title again makes sense. The twist of course was the segment from Dynamite where Swerve admitted to Hangman that he deserved retaliation for how he violated Hangman’s home. That exchange made it reasonably less clear what Hangman was going to do once he was on the apron.
The involvement of the Bucks makes less sense on its face. When last we saw the Brothers Jackson they were literally fleeing for the lives, implicitly acknowledging the threat Mox +the Mechanics posed to AEW. What beef could they have with Swerve that would supersede that still active threat? The only plausible explanation is that they somehow think Mox is “best for business” to steal a phrase. It would fit their smarmy EVP personas.
Inserting the Bucks here is very clearly a way to divert Swerve’s attention away from the title and that’s fine. I suspect this also effectively eliminates Hangman from the Owen Hart tournament, not because the Bucks are going to interfere, but because presumably Hangman will eventually come to Swerve’s aid against his former friends. That leaves either Will Ospreay or the wildcard as the likely winner of the Owen and Mox’s opponent at All In.
The Opps are clearly being positioned as challengers to the trios titles and that’s great. I advocated months ago for the Mechanics to have a separate feud from Mox. It looks like it’s finally happening, better late than never I suppose.
Grade: B
Kenny Omega vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey vs. Ricochet
Latest Developments
After 30 exhilarating minutes Kenny Omega pinned Ricochet to retain the International title.
Analysis
This match was as exciting as one would expect with these three competitors involved. There was little wasted motion. Speedball showed out with his high-flying ability and martial arts skills. Ricochet continues to excel at being an unlikable opportunistic heel. Kenny was Kenny. This was the rare triple threat where it never felt like one of the participants was taking a snooze on the outside for an extended period of time. It was constant motion, constant movement. The finish was insane. Ricochet set up Speedball on the top rope to hit an avalanche Vertigo. Kenny snuck in, hooked Ricochet up, and hit an avalanche One Winged Angel leaping backwards off the second rope. Speedball was left dangling in the Tree of Woe unable to break up the cover.
The in-ring was great obviously and I thought it was a pleasant surprise to see Ricochet take the pin instead of Speedball. Afterwards Kazuchika Okada came out to confront/stare down Kenny who just rolled out of the ring. They’re clearly setting up a round four of one of the greatest rivalries in pro wrestling history. I just hope Okada isn’t linked back up with the Bucks. This is big business. He needs to be treated like one of greatest professional wrestlers of all time not the guy who says bitch for a laugh.
Final Grade: A-
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Toni Storm vs. Megan Bayne
Latest Developments
Toni Storm barely survived Megan Bayne, retaining the title on a surprise small package.
Analysis
The final build was pretty uneventful. Toni defeated Penelope Ford and then had a stare down with Megan Bayne. Bayne didn’t end up standing over Toni again as I expected. It was fine though because everything that came before it was sufficient to set up Toni’s most intriguing title defense in a long time.
The match itself was brilliantly booked from even before the opening bell. A Rocky-themed montage of Toni training played before her music hit and she came out in a boxing robe with Luther dressed as Mickey. The only thing missing was Tony Khan licensing “Gonna Fly Now” or “Eye of the Tiger” for the night. Once the bell did ring Megan Bayne utterly dominated Toni Storm for the vast majority of the match. Toni got the occasional offensive flurry but Bayne immediately shut it down. Penelope Ford’s repeated interferences were more about being a pest. Still, Luther carrying her away from ringside got a big pop from the crowd. Toni finally got some sustained offense. She eventually hit her hip attack which Bayne no-sold. Toni caught her with headbutt followed by three successive hip attacks. When Storm hit the Storm Zero I fully expected Bayne to do a Road Warrior Hawk pop up. Instead, she kicked out at one which was almost the same thing. Bayne took over again hitting a huge sit-out powerbomb. As Bayne went for Fate’s Descent, Toni rotated around and caught her in a small package for the win.
Bayne was put over in a every way in this match except for actually going over Toni Storm. She looked like a monster going in and coming out. The Rocky motif was perfect for Toni fighting as an underdog. The problem is what happens now.
Bayne proved in the match that she’s more than just an Earthquake-style (no offense to John Tenta who was, by all accounts, a very nice man) monster of the month. Quite frankly, she should want a rematch given the fact Toni basically got lucky. It would hard to explain why she wouldn’t want one. She would also have nothing to do. Conversely if she does continue to feud with Storm, she absolutely must win at Double or Nothing. I stand by that Toni is so over that losing the title wouldn’t affect her. She’d be just as over and find something productive to do.
Grade: A
Mercedes Moné vs. Athena
Latest Developments
The Owen Hart Tournament bracket set up a potential Mercedes/Athena match in the second round. Mercedes defeated Julia Hart to advance to said round.
Analysis
The Mercedes-Athena match was hardwired into this year’s Owen tourney which was expected. What was unexpected was both women being on the same side of bracket. The idea of a Mercedes-Athena first time ever match being given away on free TV, even the special Spring Break Thru show next week, feels insane to me. Things can be engineered in such a way that Mercedes and Athena avoid facing off and effectively take each other out the tournament.
Mercedes has already advanced to the second round by virtue of her win over Julia Hart in a match that started off shaky but ended strong. She, perhaps with the help of Robyn Renegade, could cost Athena her first-round match against Harley Cameron. Athena could return the favor thus eliminating both women from the tourney and opening the door for a Jamie Hayter or Thunder Rosa win.
If Megan Bayne continues to feud with Toni Storm, I believe the odds of Mercedes working to avoid Athena increases. If Bayne and Storm are sent their separate ways, it’s more likely that the Mercedes/Athena match happens and Mercedes goes over. I would vote for option A. That would lead to three different matches for All In: Bayne defending the title against Hayter or Rosa, Mercedes vs Athena, and a Toni Storm match.
The alternative is likely Storm vs Mercedes. That match sounds great on paper and would be great in-ring but would create an entirely new set of problems because one woman would hold both women’s titles. There’s very little chance those titles get merged and one person cannot be in separate feuds for each belt so we’d likely be looking at another tournament which is would be too much coming off the Owen. It would be much better for the division if Mercedes just faces Athena in Texas rather than Toni Storm. Tonight, could be a big determinant in whether or not that happens.
Grade: N/A
MJF…in the Hurt Syndicate?
Latest Developments
After being told by Bobby Lashley that the Hurt Syndicate didn’t need him, MJF attempted to prove his worth by helping Lashley and Shelton Benjamin retain the tag team titles over Big Bill and Bryan Keith.
Analysis
MVP and Lashley came to the ring only to find themselves interrupted by MJF. Max tried to make nice with Lashley but Lashley wasn’t having it. He told Max that he had no reason to trust him and that the Hurt Syndicate didn’t need him. Max took from that that he needed to prove himself to Lashley. Fast-forward to Sunday and the Hurt Syndicate’s title defense against Big Bill and Bryan Keith. The match was fine. MJF hid at ringside until Bill conveniently stumbled into the barricade he was crouching behind. He popped up and blasted Bill in the end with the Dynamite diamond ring which allowed Lashley to spear him. Lashley and Benjamin then finished off Keith for the win. Both men were less than pleased when they realized that Max had gotten involved.
It was clever of MJF to try and prove that he could be helpful to the Hurt Syndicate but I don’t think it’s going to work. Lashley and Benjamin simply have no interest in MJF being a part of the group. MVP will ultimately side with his boys even he is disappointed. MJF won’t handle the rejection well. The interesting thing will be to see who Max recruits to help him go after the Hurt Syndicate.
Grade: B+
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