AEW Dynamite continues making their way through the south, taking a stop in the great city of Atlanta, GA (pause for cheap pop)!
This Wednesday will be packed to the brim, with a loaded Tag Team gauntlet, the debut of Jeff Cobb in an AEW ring against Jon Moxley, and the long awaited steel cage match debut of Wardlow taking on Cody. The hype for Revolution is in full swing, and we are only two more Dynamites away from the big show. Expect things to only ramp up in these last two weeks.
With all that hype in mind, let us dive right into what we will get this week on AEW Dynamite!
Tag Team Gauntlet
After Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page captured the gold, the division has been shaken up in a big way. SCU got a heated rematch last week, only to fall just a bit short after a beautiful V Trigger and Buckshot Lariat combo. Now, we need a new number one contender. As a result, we get this massive battle royal.
Alex Reynolds and John Silver redebut after joining the Dark Order, Strong Hearts make their tv return, and TH2 and The Butcher and The Blade and Jurassic Express all will be looking for their first big break toward the gold as well. On top of that, we have the typical players in the division including SCU, Private Party, Proud N Powerful, The Young Bucks, and The Best Friends. This is certainly a full showcase of the depth of talent that exists in this tag division.
This match should further build the hype around the idea that AEW has the best tag team wrestling in the entire industry, and expect every competitor to have that in the back of their minds as they try to put their personal stamp on it as well.
As for the outcome, that seems like anybody’s guess really. Luchasaurus receives thunderous pops every time he comes out, so him and Jungle Boy certainly would make a lot of sense. But at the same time, with so many other established teams in play, Jurassic Express may stay out of the title picture a bit longer.
I would love to see TH2 get a shot, mainly due to the amazing match Evans put on with Omega on Dark, but that is highly unlikely. If I had to go with my gut and pick the most likely outcome, it would be the Young Bucks so they can finalize the storyline with The Elite and Hangman. But we will have to wait to Wednesday to see if my heart, my mind, or my gut is correct.
In the meantime, since we brought up Omega and Hangman…
Lucha Bros vs Kenny Omega & Hangman Page
Hangman continues to run wild as the fun loveable drunk, leading many to wonder how long this run with Omega can truly last. He is a loose cannon waiting to go off, and we may not have to wait until Revolution for the artillery to arrive.
The Lucha Bros are a huge test for the duo being one of the division’s elite tag teams. That spells trouble for Omega and Page in a multitude of ways. Not only would it make sense in the context of the ongoing wars with The Elite and Page’s personality, but there might just not be a team more well-deserving of taking the titles right now.
Putting on spectacle after spectacle, they have proven themselves time and again. Yet every chance when it comes time for the big ceremony, they end up being the bride’s maid and never the bride. It may take some dissension amongst the Elite but having Pentagon and Fenix as the top team heading into Revolution to free up Hangman for a singles match does seem like a smart move here.
As a result of this, we may have new champions to face off against the winner of the previously mentioned battle royal. That means you can take your pick from that list, and build one helluva fantasy booked match for Revolution.
The Lucha Bros just need to finally capitalize on this opportunity rather than coming up short once again. I have zero fear they will accomplish this, however.
Jon Moxley vs Jeff Cobb
Jon Moxley has successfully started dismantling the Inner Circle members one by one. After taking a victory over the fiery Santana (who may have had the best interview segment with Jim Ross in years) and the previous week his partner Ortiz, Jericho had started to run out of muscle. Enter Jeff Cobb.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1227792674238816256
The big man of Lucha Underground, PWG, NJPW and ROH fame will look to stamp his name on a new set of letters. And what better way to do that than by dismantling arguably the biggest rising star in all AEW, Jon Moxley.
AEW is sorely lacking in big men, a problem they are clearly trying to remedy. That makes this match a bit more wide open, but not by much. Moxley is on a tear momentum wise, and with only two shows remaining before Revolution, him taking a loss would be a surprise to say the least.
But with Cobb’s record of dominance and instantly becoming a threat to the top of any promotion he has been in, this may be the perfect storm to weaken Moxley up for Jericho on the 29th.
This contrast gives Jeff’s debut a whole other layer of depth unexpected at first glance. It isn’t just a big man underdog match, it is a real monster being unleashed on Moxley. Now Moxley just needs to find a way to make it out of his cage alive.
Speaking of cages…
Cody vs Wardlow
Cody will have his own monstrous big man to worry about before Revolution. One of the more entertaining and old school stipulations that MJF included in Cody’s “road to Revolution” was this debut of Wardlow in an AEW ring. If the Hollywood-inspired trailer of his is any indication, he knows his way around a fight.
How well that translates for the man-bun clad warrior is anyone’s guess, but Cody is certainly hoping to not be just another extra taking a bump. Knowing his track record in stipulation matches, Cody will likely be putting his body on the line here with reckless abandon. Who that ends up actually benefitting is up to Wardlow, really.
With limited resources to go off in terms of Wardlow’s abilities, this match could either be highlight of the night or a messy retelling of the story that Cobb and Moxley will tell before it. However, due to Cody’s impressive grasp of ring psychology I think he could carry an invisible man through a decent match. Let’s just hope it isn’t that hard for him here.
Expect a lot of cage bumps, mentions of steel, and potentially even a little bit of the bloody. AEW and stipulation matches tend to go together like whiskey and fireworks. There is a lot going on, but everybody is enjoying the hell out of it.
#CoachsCorner w/ Arn Anderson (@TheArnShow) | 02/12/20 Cedar Park, Texas @CodyRhodes vs @RealWardlow next Wed, Feb 19th in Atlanta. Get your tickets now at https://t.co/UN1cNj1kQq pic.twitter.com/xTrUXd5JvY
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) February 13, 2020
Make sure you keep your eyes peeled on Wednesday night this week, because it might be one of the most stacked cards in recent memory. And if Adam Page is bringing the whiskey, then expect the rest of the roster to bring the fireworks. Even with or without the scooter stick.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite every Wednesday night at 8:00 pm Eastern, 6:00 pm Pacific on TNT and internationally on AEW Plus on Fite TV.
