SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
INTRO
It’s been a couple weeks of life interruptions, but I’m finally back. This will be a super-sized column to catch up on everything so get comfortable. AEW continues to be a fascinating and exciting watch. We got a new AEW World Champion since last I posted something.
The decision to put the belt on Darby was an interesting one. It feels like weird timing, but so far I’m enjoying how it’s playing out and willing to go along for the ride. Elsewhere, the Women’s Division is feeling refreshed in Thekla’s shadow and Will Ospreay has found himself at a crossroads. Let’s dig in!
Devil Wins/Devil Loses
Latest Developments
MJF successfully retained the AEW World Title in a 40 minute epic with Kenny Omega before losing it in shocking fashion to Darby Allin on Dynamite.
Analysis
MJF and Kenny Omega had the match everyone expected them to at Dynasty. Going nearly 40 minutes, they threw everything at each other. Omega sold his midsection in a more subtle fashion, struggling to find his breath at times and other times not being able to put his full weight on covers. The selling perfectly played into Omega being unable to cover MJF after hitting an avalanche One Winged Angel.
Omega hit a second One Winged Angel, but the ref had been pulled into the path of a V-Trigger by Max and obliterated. By the second ref got to the ring MJF had enough time to recover and become the first person in AEW to kick out of Kenny’s finisher. Unable to outwrestle Omega, MJF resorted using Dynamite Diamond Ring, nailing Kenny with a body shot before Tombstoning him off the apron. He quickly followed that up with a Heat Seeker for the win.
Great match. Kenny was in classic Kenny form even with the selling. For a 40 minute match, it never felt like it dragged.
Fast-forward to Dynamite. MJF showed up to the arena completely unaware that Darby Allin, who had won an incredibly physical number one contender’s match over Andrade at Dynasty, had called his shot and asked for his title match for that night. He actually learned from Renee Paquette, who was waiting for him when his car pulled up. He was unaware because he had gone dark, staying off social media and not answering his phone in the time between Dynasty and Dynamite.
The problem is unless the viewer watched his post-match promo from the PPV which was posted to social media, they wouldn’t know that. Renee did mention that AEW management had been trying to reach Max for three days to no avail. I think it would’ve been wise for to mention why he was oddly unavailable. That, or run a quick video package of his match with Kenny and the post-match promo before the cold open. That way the audience would be completely caught up.
That notwithstanding, both men cut strong promos to kick off the show. MJF was unsurprisingly apoplectic about having to defend the title and went as far as telling Darby he wasn’t ready. Darby responded that all it took was one night to turn wrestling on its head and that if he wasn’t ready now, he never would be. The fact that Darby could barely contain his emotions sort of telegraphed the finish of the match.
Before the main event, an excellent video package hyping Darby aired. As he walked to through the back he was approached by Sting, who told him, “It’s not showtime, it’s your time.” That really put it over the top that Darby was winning and win he did. MJF gave Aubrey the Dynamite Diamond Ring and kicked Darby low as soon she turned around. Darby immediately flipped it around on MJF hitting him with a low uppercut, followed by a Scorpion Death Drop, and four consecutive Coffin Drops from each of the corners before pinning MJF with a headlock take over.
Darby winning the title was divisive choice. I understand Tony Khan wanting to reward one his most loyal erstwhile talents, but I also understand the counterargument that cutting off MJF’s successful title reign if only for a few weeks is a potential mistake.
I will say that I think the first week of Darby’s title reign was handled well. After crazed protesting on social media all week, MJF opened the show complaining about how he lost the title and demanding Darby come out and hand it back to him. Kevin Knight came out instead.
While I continue to appreciate the elevation of Knight, his promos give more cocky heel than root-worthy babyface. He and MJF agreed on a TNT Title match for this week, a weird occurrence in the moment given MJF’s focus on getting his title back. It made sense later once MJF confronted Darby prior to the main event. He once again demanded the title be handed over. Darby refused and told Max that if he wanted a rematch, he needed to put something up. I don’t think he’s winning the TNT Title. That seems to be obvious not to mention detrimental to both the TNT Title and Kevin Knight. I think MJF will lose, spiral further, and ibe forced to put up his hair which may be even more precious to him than his “Triple B.”
As for the main event, Darby defended his title against Tomaso Ciampa in an absolutely bonkers match. It’s hard to decide what was a more insane, the Psycho Driller from the second rope to the floor or the blade job Ciampa did. In a nice bit of in-storytelling, the Psycho Driller came back ro bite Ciampa as it injured his hip/lower back which Darby targeted with a Scorpion Deathlock. No matter how hard Ciampa tried, Darby refused to relinquish the hold and Ciampa was forced to tap out.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say it was a PPV-worthy match on free TV. Darby’s next challenge will be Brody King who came out after the match and told Darby they would be having a match this week. Expect Darby to be rag-dolled for most of the match before finding a way to win. Darby said in his promo he’s going to ride his title reign until the wheels come off which sounds like a recipe for a short title reign.
Grade: B+
It’s Thekla’s Division Now
Latest Developments
Thekla survived challenges from both Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor as she continued to establish herself as a dominant albeit sneaky champion.
Analysis
There’s no polite way to say this. Thekla and Jamie Hayter beat the dogshit out of each other at Dynasty. It was a 17 minute slugfest. They were laying some stiff shots, really pushing each other. In the end, Thekla got Hayter in an O’Connor Roll and then grabbed the ropes on the ref’s blind side for extra leverage to get the win.
Thekla followed that win up with an equally physical defense against Hayter’s tag team partner, Alex Windsor. At one point, Windsor caught Thekla with a forearm shot that sounded like a shotgun blast and looked like it knocked her out. Thekla recovered and retained her title after once again using the Power of the Punch AKA striking Windsor in the head with brass knucks and hitting a stomp.
Thekla has an undeniable charisma and presence. Her unique cadence makes her promos interesting and she’s honed the content of her promos to drop the forced use of the word “toxic.” Combine that with her very physical in-ring style and her penchant for cheating to win and we have a heel champion the crowd will root to see lose.
Grade: B
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Podcast weekly Tuesday Flagship: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
Family Feud
Latest Developments
Tension finally boiled over as Takeshita and Okada set up a match for Double or Nothing.
Analysis
Takeshita and Okada’s tenuous partnership fell apart at Dynasty when both men came to blows before Takeshita allowed the Bucks to hit the Meltzer Driver on Okada for the win. Takeshita intentionally insincere and smart-assed apology to Okada on the following Dynamite was delightful. He challenged Okada to an International Title match which Tony Khan quickly made official. Don Callis told Okada he would try to get him out of the match since Takeshita failed to keep his of the deal to work with Okada to beat the Bucks but Okada said he wanted the match.
We’re finally getting this match that everyone including me has been clamoring for. The only thing left to happen is Takeshita formally telling Callis to go to hell. My guess is that Callis will remain in denial while attempting to keep both guys in the Family until Double or Nothing when he chooses Okada.
Grade: B+
The Cost of Revenge
Latest Developments
After coming up short against Jon Moxley, Will Ospreay was battered for two weeks by members of the Don Callis Family until he was rescued by the Death Riders.
Analysis
Ospreay opened his match with Mox blasting him with a Hidden Blade. Rather than cover him, he allowed Mox to get to his feet and then blasted him again. Once again he failed to make the cover, his desire for revenge overtaking his good sense. That proved to be his undoing. Mox worked over the surgically repaired neck and eventually won the match.
In the succeeding two weeks, Ospreay has battled members of the Don Callis Family. First, it was Hechicero. Ospreay won that match. Last week, it was Mark Davis.
In both of these matches Ospreay’s neck has the focus of attack. This has been a subject of controversy. I think it would be absurd to just ignore Ospreay’s previous injury. That said, I agree that he needs to sell it in a way that doesn’t give the idea that he’s a heartbeat away from paralysis. I think he found that middle ground last week in the match with Davis. He didn’t drastically oversell his neck and the most devastating move in the match, a piledriver on the ring apron, ended the match when the doctor deemed Ospreay unable to continue. The doctor stoppage made perfect sense to me because if Ospreay’s condition is serious enough for the doctor to get involved, the match shouldn’t continue.
The most shocking moment came after as Davis went for another piledriver and the Death Riders hit the ring and intimidated Davis into letting Ospreay go. Claudio threw Ospreay’s limp body of his shoulder and carried him off through the crowd. This created a nice cliffhanger. Problem is this happened in the middle of Dynamite and it wasn’t followed up on once.
The follow-up happened on Collison and what a follow-up it was. A camera followed Claudio and placed a semi-conscious Ospreay and chair across from Mox. Marina used a towel to perform a chiropractic adjustment on Ospreay’s neck and then Mox started talking. Rather than a menacing heel promo, Mox talked to Ospreay with genuine concern and empathy.
Mox asked if he knew what he wanted and why he kept running into a brick wall. He told him that why parts of his body may break down, the mind doesn’t, and that if he could get control over his mind, he’d be weapon the likes of which pro wrestling has never seen. He then asked for another chair which he slid to Ospreay, dismissed the the Death Riders, and laid down on the ground face down with his arms behind his back, offering a Ospreay a free shot at revenge. Ospreay responded by shoving the cameraman out the way.
This was fantastic. Mox came off like a battle-hardened sage, warning Ospreay that his lust for revenge was consuming him, allowing him to put himself in unnecessarily harmful situations, and distracting him from bigger potential goals. Couple this with his exchange with Kenny Omega in the trainer’s room following Dynasty where Omega, coming to grips with his own mortality, wanted to pass Ospreay the torch; Ospreay has a lot to think about. Will he be able to absorb Mox’s message and take it to heart given that’s it’s coming from the guy who put him on the shelf? That remains to be seen, but I’m definitely interested in finding out.
Grade: B+
Random Questions
– Is Chris Jericho actually interesting? I’ve had little use for Chris Jericho for quite some time so it almost pains me to say this: He’s actually doing a good job in this role as sympathetic legend babyface. I mostly attribute that to Ricochet being such a good, hateable heel. He’s beating up Jericho three-on-one and pinning him with his own move. I can’t help but root for Jericho to finally get that win. One thing, though; if I were him, I’d drop the Mr. Subliminal homage. It’s going to get annoying in a hurry.
– Shida’s turning heel tonight, right? Ever since her return Shida’s been a bit snarky in her promos and more than a little shady in her matches. She’s feigned post-match attacks only to smiles when she gets caught. There’s virtually no chance she and Statlander are winning the tag titles from The Divine Dominion but I’d say a significantly high probability of Shida caning the hell out Stat with a kendo stick in frustration.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.