Grand Slam II - Dynamite - 9/21/2022

[Jiji]

They did it again with the pre tournament angle spoiling the final result. MJF talked way too much shit on Mox's name for it not to be Mox either. I still do want to see Danielson as champ whether he bloody well likes it or not but it definitely feels like if not now, when? 

Matches were all good but nothing amazing but it didn't really matter because the crowd elevated everything to feel really important. That Saraya pop was surreal. If she can go like she could back in the day that's a great pickup. If you can't get Sasha, Saraya is just about the next best thing. 

They must stop with the production style. It's poison. Fuck off. 

[HarryArchieGus]

Swerve heats up the joint. Keith Lee and Swerve were so fucking good here. I need to better understand what happened with Max Caster? 'Mad respect' for being able to bounce back and light the damn place up on the finish. Right on, gimme the Ass Boys and FTR! Asses were good here. I missed some stuff, but caught the end of the MJF-Yuta segment. I like that match. Only caught parts of OC-Pac, but what I saw was great. I missed the entire 4 way. Was it good? I did see Saraya. I understand she was out injured while under WWE employ, but was she having great matches prior to said injury? I've never seen her before. Great pop tho! I felt her stardom. Danielson and Moxley r great. The production of that match cutting to MJF so often, splitting the screen even, was fuckin' awful. Thankfully, again, Danielson and Moxley r fucking great. 'Cloudio' as Bryan Alvarez and, I think, Khan refer to him as - I would've liked a 'Cloudio' victory. He physically carried a big load of that bout, but Jericho's on a pretty fun run. Does it lead to ROH TV? AEDub is working it's way out of the weeds with a run of rockin shows.

Edited September 22, 2022 by HarryArchieGus

[JLowe]

Ok, some drunk thoughts.

Jericho has taken a hellacious beating the past few weeks, although I think there were a few too many European uppercuts in the first few minutes. Still a fantastic match with a surprise finish, like others said my immediate thought was “Tony is going to get that ROH TV deal by hell or high water”. Jericho’s career year continues. Garcia’s lukewarm high five was a nice touch, honestly maybe better than him not being there.

Good lord the pop for The Acclaimed was tremendous. The PPV match was much better, I feel like some of the moments in this match got lost, but I’m so excited that The Acclaimed, who I called early on (in my watching this past 13 months) as my guys, won the belts. Caster has gotten notably better in the ring as well. The story with Swerve and Lee is still in progress, I was on “Team Keith Lee finally becomes a monster and a heel” and maybe that’ll still happen. Swerve has been on the last couple months. And I think the cameras and announcers missed Swerve pushing Max off on the top when he “missed” the Mic Drop. Lastly, no offense to Daddy Ass, but I wanted a clean win.

Yuta slapping the shit out of MJF and calling out his shitty promos was lovely. Also, HOW DARE HE lay a hand on Tony Schiavone!

PAC/OC may be my MOTN, they did a really good job of getting over OC’s head games while also having a great match that told a good story. Doing a replay of the mostly missed PAC tope con Hilo was an odd choice.

Women’s match was excellent for a 4-way, Deeb was maybe the star of this in terms of psychology and storytelling, Athena was the star in terms of physicality. I was convinced they had Deeb in there to eat a pin for Britt...but I was also convinced that Britt and Hayter split was going to happen. Matches are getting much better, angles are still a mess. I have no fucking idea who Saraya is, other than someone who was called Paige in WWE (and is that even right?). Why can’t we get a Ruby Soho push, or one of the up-and-comers?

Main was not as great as their first match but still a great match, albeit tainted by the camera work in general and MJF shots in particular. No blood, but violent. More great storytelling and psychology. Shocked at the ending, honestly expected Dragon to win, and maybe a tad disappointed as well. They cut away from some BCC drama at the end, really hope they’re not ending the next thing they have going.

[zendragon]

THAT HURTS CLAUDIO MORE THAN A NORMAL MAN!!!

Fun show really flew by ROH title was match of the night even if nothing was transcendently great, pretty unique looking venue especially early on. Rare that you have a building that looks special these days.

Hope that if Saraya gets back in the ring its a responsible move given the history of her neck

. 

[The Natural]

I'm anxious for Saraya getting back into the ring as I was with the signing of Sting.

We've had some notable comebacks the past four years: Bryan Danielson, Sting, Edge, Christian and Steve Austin to name a few you thought would never wrestle again.

Edited September 22, 2022 by The Natural

[DreamBroken]

Great show! Jericho/Claudio felt quick even though they went 15 mins. Going in I both felt it was too soon for Claudio to drop it but also that Jericho wouldn't lose back to back big matches like that. I'm definitely down with a Jericho ROH Champ run, hope he holds it awhile and headlines multiple of the ROH PPVs. 

Tag titles match was awesome as expected with the deserved epic pop. Love Billy Gunn getting to be involved in such a huge moment in 2022. I thought Caster's knee giving out was a play on what happened to Bowens in the PPV match to put some doubt on the outcome, but it all worked out well in the end. Great match and moment. Diamante actually bringing in Trina rules. 

Orange/Pac was good again but thought the finish was weak. Figured it'd be just another Pac defense but the more it got going, the more I wanted Orange to pull off the win. Feels like Orange deserves something after multiple great performances throughout the year like the Ospreay match, but he loses the trios title match and then this too. 

Women's 4 way was fun. Had a feeling Toni was retaining at least until Thunder's back. Liked Athena doing her own version of the rebound powerbomb spot that her husband did to Swerve last weekend. The pop for Saraya was absolutely MASSIVE, that blew me away. Hadn't thought much of her in the last several years and sort of surprised she didn't try going back to WWE with the new ownership there but glad to see her here. This felt like a huge deal with that reaction and definitely feels like a Edge/Bryan type comeback if she's going to wrestle. 

Also Saraya gets Falling in Reverse theme music and Athena got her Plush theme she's using on the indys. Awesome choices and always support more licensed themes.

Main event was good stuff again as expected. Liked the story of Bryan trying to avenge all the losses he had taken in AEW with one left to go, but felt the setup for MJF/Moxley was already in play. Not really looking forward to MJF just taking the title off Moxley as it feels like there's been enough title changes for now and I'm down for Moxley to hold it longer, but it seems inevitable. Didn't expect the rear naked choke finish but enjoyed it overall. Loved the show and look forward to Grand Slam Rampage now. 

Edited September 22, 2022 by DreamBroken

[J.T.]

Everything I wanted to happen actually went down.   I still think it is too early to take the RoH belt off of Claudio, but Ring of Jericho should be awesome.  

I am sooo happy for Castor and Bowens and I think that an Acclaimed / Swerve In Our Glory feud has legs for at least two or three more matches.   Keith and Swerve selling the agony of defeat with their facial expressions and body language was the best.  It makes the belts seem like they are worth having.  Being champs is the best and the pain of losing the championship is soul crushing.

Mox vs. Danielson was totally fucking brutal and I loved it.  Not happy that Danielson did not win, nor was I thrilled to see the dissention in the ranks right before television time expired.   It kinda teases the break-up in the BCC like Yuta's post-match promo did after he lost to Garcia.  The only way I will be cool with an implosion of the BCC is if it leads to Danielson / Garcia vs. Moxley / Yuta in some wild worked shoot hatefest somewhere down the road.

Edited September 22, 2022 by J.T.

[JLowe]

8 minutes ago, DreamBroken said:

Orange/Pac was good again but thought the finish was weak. Figured it'd be just another Pac defense but the more it got going, the more I wanted Orange to pull off the win. Feels like Orange deserves something after multiple great performances throughout the year like the Ospreay match, but he loses the trios title match and then this too. 

I still think putting the trios title redo on Death Triangle over Best Friends was a terrible decision as those dudes earned and deserved it while PAC has his belt and LB are stale AF and also had their run. But PAC wrestling heel and Fenix against JB on Friday maybe means they’ll turn DT heel and let Best Friends or Dark Order take the titles and do something fun and interesting with them.

[Gordi the former AEW fan]

1 hour ago, The Natural said:

It's actually a really wide sign that says:

Legendary professional wrestling television announcer Good Ole JIM ROSS

Has a favourite tag team, which is none other than the YOUNG BUCKS

[Peck]

Spit all over my floor after Caster said Keith Lee looked like a 2-liter of Pepsi. 

[The Natural]

3 minutes ago, JLowe said:

I still think putting the trios title redo on Death Triangle over Best Friends was a terrible decision as those dudes earned and deserved it while PAC has his belt and LB are stale AF and also had their run. But PAC wrestling heel and Fenix against JB on Friday maybe means they’ll turn DT heel and let Best Friends or Dark Order take the titles and do something fun and interesting with them.

Agreed. Booking of the belts has been bad this year. I'm thinking the AEW World Championship (Danielson should have won one, the injuries to Punk), TNT Championship (Cody Rhodes/Sammy Guevara/Scorpio Sky BS) AEW Women's Championship (Thunder Rosa lacklustre reign) and Tag Team Championship (putting the belts on Jurassic Express and not doing #FTR vs. Young Bucks III).

[evidence]

24 minutes ago, DreamBroken said:

I'm definitely down with a Jericho ROH Champ run, hope he holds it awhile and headlines multiple of the ROH PPVs. 

 

So many awesome possibilities from a lengthy ROH title run for Jericho. They can do former champion Claudio trying to regain his title, Joe vs. Jericho, Jericho vs former champion Jay Briscoe (not sure what their status is), Jericho vs Garcia. 

[The Natural]

[(BP)]

Me: The woman from Fighting with My Family debuted in AEW tonight.

My Wife (Grinning Slyly): Florence Pugh debuted in AEW? Cool.

Me: Goddamit. 

[The Natural]

 

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

I never realised how much Saraya looks like Fran Drescher these days.

I also never realised how much I want Fran Fine and Maxwell Sheffield to turn up in AEW and feud with William Regal.

[The Natural]

[JLowe]

Just rewatched the Tag Team match on the west coast feed and there a so many story and psychology moments in that match. Lee as a monster who just wants to win, Swerve who will play dirty, the conflicts between them (which led to the finish). Moments with Lee and Gunn seeming to be about sportsmanship vs. Swerve and Gunn getting into it. I really wish the camera and announcers hadn’t missed what I’m fairly sure was Swerve pushing Caster off on the first mic drop. 

[Dolphman 3000]

51 minutes ago, JLowe said:

 They cut away from some BCC drama at the end, really hope they’re not ending the next thing they have going.

Only way MJF beats Moxley for the title is with a lot of interference from The Firm and/or Danielson turning on Moxley

[The Natural]

 

[TheVileOne]

Jericho/Claudio did overperform and was much hotter than the main event. The crowd sounded tired by that point, but at least they were on for The Acclaimed vs. Swerve In Our Glory which they needed to be.

At the very least they've really been seeding a schism between Lee and Swerve en before this match, so it works that they lost here and there was some tension at the end. 

The interview interruptions have gotten tiresome. The really need to figure out a better way to execute segments than starting an interview and having them get interrupted.

I hope there's some sort long-term plan in place right now for MJF. Not sure how long you drag out him waiting to cash in the ship. But you got to give MJF the rocket at some point.

We'll see how things go with Saraya. Not sure what the plan is with her, but if she is wrestling I hope she is good to go but they are careful with it nonetheless. Not trying to be mean, but Saray is not a name I would overspend on in 2022. Sasha Banks is a different matter altogether.

[southofheavy]

Goddamn it, Jamie. 

[Casey]

I got serious goosebumps watching Saraya make her debut. So happy for her to get a second shot at what she loves, like Danielson and Edge before her.

If we can’t get Sasha or AJ Lee, this feels like the next best thing - and for me personally, it’s better than the other two, since Paige/Saraya is what got me into women’s wrestling when NXT was on fire. Feels weird to say, but I don’t know if I would have discovered Bull Nakano if Saraya didn’t just completely enthrall me back in… what, 2014?

[Eivion]

Dug Claudio/Jericho mostly for Claudio. He looked great on just about everything. Jericho was fine though seemed a bit off at times.

Lee/Swerve vs. Acclaimed started off well then got a bit off about 2/3 through but managed to still hit the right notes by the end. First time seeing the Acclaimed and they seem good. One day maybe I will check out the PPV tag since that is the one people loved so much. This was solid-good, but it felt like it could have been so much more.

Mostly enjoyed PAC/OC for OC's parts alongside PAC's reaction to him. PAC in control surprisingly did little for me.

Didn't care for the women's match though Baker had some good visual during it and during the post match. No woman in AEW seems ot have character down quite as welll as Baker does. She knows how to take in these moments.

Bryan/Moxley surprisingly did little for me despite thinking it was mostly solid.

[John E. Dynamite]

Although the first Grand Slam was what you might call "magical", this one was a better overall taping. I have never been part of a hotter crowd than for Omega/Danielson, but it drained the crowd for everything after it. This crowd mighta anticipated that happening again? Where we knew there was 2 and a half hours worth of Rampage afterwards (they cut that shit down in post every time btw) and nobody wanted to go too crazy. First hour was hot but botchy. Interesting creative choices going forward. I'm glad they did the Jericho switch early. Boy, are The Acclaimed over. Women's match continues what I want to be from the division - sticking the upper crust together in different configurations is working. Athena is like, RIGHT THERE as far as putting it together goes. But Hayter's absence was felt. The pop for Saraya was pretty serious, although I wonder how much the average AEW fan just likes debuts of people they've heard of. Some people pop for pops, y'know? I actually don't think Mox and Danielson have real great chemistry??? They sorta cancel each other out??? But I mean the main was still a wonderful slab of pro-wrestling meat that will sustain you through time and elements.

The Rampage taping was really solid. There is something you will pop (possibly even MARK) for if you watch it but maybe don't read spoilers? OK. Action Bronson! Competent! I love that two of the ten rap acts I actually pay attention to were featured in this episode. Starks/Hobbes wrestled like they didn't like each other! Jungle Boy vs. Rey Fenix was the only PWG match of the night! - seriously, this was a very un-flippy taping and I didn't mind one bit - and it was a good PWG match! 

Edited September 22, 2022 by John E. Dynamite