Last week’s post-WrestleDream AEW Dynamite sold the promise of a seismic shift in the balance of power in AEW. There were rumbles. Some wrestlers were not safe.
Specifically, those lower down the card who have stagnated as characters, like Top Flight and The Dark Order. At the same time, other wrestlers with more defined characters and higher up the card seemed separated in this renewed battle for AEW’s heart and soul.
Some creative elements have reverted towards “the feeling”. Such as AEW returning to announcing matches weeks in advance. However, we have seen this before with the return of the rankings.
We already have two matches for next week’s Fright Night and two matches tonight providing an opportunity for build/tune-up matches. Last week, Shelton Benjamin defied age and expectations to make us wonder if there is no stopping The Hurt Syndicate. This week, Benjamin takes on Sammy Guevara in what could be another show-stealer.
Kamille faces Queen Aminata, which could allow for further build with Kris Statlander in the battle to prove who is AEW’s strongest woman. With four more Wednesdays until Full Gear, there is still an unevenness in the creative of AEW. Perhaps best exemplified by the potential main event.
AEW Dynamite Announced Card Thus Far:
Matches announced:
- Ladder War for the ROH World Championship: Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho
- Sammy Guevara vs. Shelton Benjamin
- Jack Perry and The Young Bucks vs. Daniel Garcia and Private Party
- Queen Aminata vs. Kamille
- House of Black in action
Other segments announced:
- We’ll hear from Kyle Fletcher
Speculation:
- Fallout after “Hangman” Adam Page cost Jay White his revenge against Christian.
- More build towards Full Gear.
- HOOK to call out who attacked his father.
What’s Next for AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and Blackpool Combat Club?
The violence inflicted last week by Blackpool Combat Club was a strong display. A slow controlled burn rather than a chaotic wildfire.
The possible connection/collision course with The Elite adds intrigue. Could The Elite’s trios match be the next target for the BCC?
As the weeks go by, the BCC needs to not just retread the same creative issues that made the last battle for AEW’s heart and soul artificial. The line between a wrestling angle and feeling like a “real” takeover attempt is thin. We’ve seen already this year the early promise of The New Elite squandered.
Beyond the chaos, who is going to step up to defend AEW? Who faces Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship at Full Gear?
That last shot of WrestleDream, which framed Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy, and HOOK was foreshadowing. Is Christian Cage a swerve and was it the BCC who took out Taz? Or will Orange Cassidy after Collision be brave enough to face being changed again facing Moxley?
Allin appears to be the long-term prospect for dethroning Moxley. Returning to Dynamite, The House of Black could in the short-term step up to challenge for the AEW trios championship. Further clarity and direction are needed.
If it means multiple stories and wrestlers become interlinked in this war, all the better for creating a new feeling.
Gamble of the Night: Ladder War
The word of AEW’s year is divisive. Creative has been polarizing and few wrestlers represent this more than Chris Jericho. Refusing to follow the formula of reinvention that Le Champion once mastered has created a bathroom break/change the channel mentality.
The biggest queue for the toilets at All In was for Jericho’s match. Chris Jericho vs. Mark Briscoe overdelivered at WrestleDream. A feature of this current Learning Tree run is in patches.
This rematch for the ROH Championship could again overdeliver. The ladder war match in ROH is synonymous with The Briscoes. Already this year, Mark Briscoe has shown in multi-person ladder matches his adeptness and capacity of captivating timing and spots.
The concern is Jericho, whose in-ring abilities have diminished rapidly this year. Expect bells and whistles.
Support from The Conglomeration. Maybe Big Bill is ready to branch out on his own?
Despite the outcome, the perception of the Jericho Vortex is unlikely to change whether it moves on or remains focused on the Sussex County chicken farmer. If Jericho wins and becomes the nueve, it’s unlikely to lead to a full-time ROH excursion.
At best, we may get another stand-out moment for Mark Briscoe. Another loving tribute to Jay Briscoe. Here’s hoping for the best!
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – AEW – 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 on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their YouTube.
