AEW’S TOP MATCHES OF THE WEEK: Why Moxley vs. Benjamin, Hechicero vs. Mark Briscoe, and Bucks & Perry vs. The Demand highlighted AEW’s week

Sometimes as pro wrestling fans we all collectively just need to relax and actually enjoy some moments because they are moments that we aren’t going to have a lot of over the next few years. I’m talking about Jim Ross on Dynamite commentary this week. The complaints about this that I saw this week were really over the top and honestly people just need to settle down. It didn’t take away from the show at all, and it was nice to see him and hear his voice in my opinion.

There are certain people that we all grew up with that are the “voices” of the generation you grew up in. For me, it’s Al Michaels, Joe Buck, Jim Nantz, Jerry Remy (for Redsox Fans), and finally Jim Ross. When you think of memorable sports moments you think of the moment itself, but you also think of who was on the call. When I think of Mankind being thrown off the top of the Hell in the Cell, I think about the actual act of him going off the cage, but I also remember “as god as my witness, he is broken in half.”

If it gets to a point where Jim Ross is clearly a liability on commentary then believe me, I will be the first to say something, but we are not at that point. So, just enjoy hearing him occasionally, because when he’s gone it will truly be a loss for all of us as wrestling fans.

The Demand vs. The Young Bucks & Jack Perry – Dynamite 1/7/2026

I am a Young Bucks fan, but I wouldn’t consider myself to be like the president of their fan club or anything. When “Superkick Party” hit, though, and they came out in that classic Young Bucks gear I found myself internally giving a “Hell Yeah!” I thought they looked great and the response they got from the crowd was all you needed to know.

I also thought Jack Perry had a little extra juice in this match as well. It seems like since his return when he’s in the ring with the Bucks he levels up a bit. This match to me is exactly what I want in a trios match. Both The Demand and The Bucks & Perry looked great and, in classic Young Bucks fashion, there were innovative moves throughout.

Toa Liona carrying The Bucks and Perry on his shoulders for that Samoan Drop was so impressive. I have been so impressed with The Gates of Agony since they were paired with Ricochet. Their matches with The Hurt Business were also really fun and I’d like to see them in a program for the AEW Tag Titles sooner rather than later.

Someday someone will have to explain to me why we need to continue to debut Andrade El Idolo like he’s a big deal. We really need the lights out gimmick and the mask reveal… again? I mean, he’s great in the ring, but so is a large majority of the men’s AEW roster. I’ve said it before, but I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze with him. Just keep Kenny Omega away from all this, please. Keep Kenny in the World Title picture for a while and just keep Jack Perry in his place helping The Bucks.

Jon Moxley (Continental Champion) vs. Shelton Benjamin – Dynamite 1/7/26

Did I need a 19 minute and 55 second match between Moxley and Benjamin to kick off Dynamite this week? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean the match wasn’t great.

Shelton Benjamin, being 50 years old, will never not amaze me and back in November I saw him live at the Dynamite in Boston and I could not believe how huge he is in person. Just a true genetic freak.

I’ll keep saying it every week too, but they need to keep the Renee Paquette sideline reports going. They are just great, and they need to start doing them in the main events of these shows, not just the Continental Title matches. I thought these guys put on a hell of a match and while it was slow it kept my attention throughout. I judge these matches the same way I judge the way I watch new TV shows. If I’m picking up my phone in the first 5 minutes, you’ve already lost my attention. I did not pick up my phone during this match. (Sidenote: Speaking of new TV shows, I can’t recommend “His and Hers” enough on Netflix. You won’t be picking up your phone during that show.)

Alright, back to this match. When they went into the stands, there was a really young kid just sitting in his seat housing a bucket of popcorn while he watched Moxley and Benjamin beat the hell out of each other on the steps of the arena. It was so funny and a great visual. That would have been me 100 percent when I was a kid.

One complaint I had during this match is that I don’t feel like Shelton Benjamin should be kicking out of Moxley’s finisher well over 15 minutes into this match. I understand that most finishers are not match-enders at this point, but I just feel like in a situation like that Benjamin should not be kicking out of that.

Hechicero vs. Mark Briscoe (TNT Champion) – Collision 1/10/26

This was easily the best match on Collision this week and I’m also putting this here because I absolutely dumped on this match last week when it was announced. When I’m wrong, I’m wrong. I thought these two had great chemistry together and I thought Hechicero looked good. He had a corkscrew legdrop move that he pulled off in this match and it’s a move I have never seen before. This was also easily the best match of Briscoe’s short TNT Title run so far.

I was happy to see on Collision this week that Kyle Fletcher is going to be coming back into the TNT Title scene and that would make sense because Briscoe and Fletcher are tied with three wins a piece against each other. I also really liked the ending of this match with Briscoe fighting through the arm injury to hit his finisher and get the win to retain. Just a solid Collision match.

Thoughts and Observations:

-Kris Statlander, who is the Women’s World Champion, being reduced to a sidekick for Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron is all you need to know about her World Title run at this point.

-I loved the Kenny Omega promo package this week on Dynamite. AEW has really been nailing these promo packages lately.

-I’m a big stage guy and I really like the new staging for Dynamite. I appreciate Tony Khan giving the look of the staging a facelift every year for Dynamite.

-I’m not sure if it was a building issue or a production issue, but the mistakes with the house lights on Dynamite this week were a tough look.

-Sammy Guevara hasn’t been on Dynamite in 15 months. He came out with the same entrance music, same gear, same haircut, and doing the same poses. Growing a mustache and talking with an accent isn’t enough. I don’t care if he’s been on ROH. For much of your audience, he is being reintroduced. The middle finger stuff from him is cringe-worthy as well. There is a reason his pillar has crumbled, and this week was a prime example.

-Marina Shafir needs more reps, but she is really turning into a solid asset for the Women’s Division.

-Is it me or are the chains that Hangman and Swerve wear around their necks just way too small. Visually, I think the chains need bigger links.