AEW Dynamite - 2/22/2023

[matt925]

45 minutes ago, The Natural said:

Need to run Moxley vs. Yano back also.

The water bottle lol. Legit laughing out loud during that match. 
 

Oc Yuta was really good. Really hot crowd which always makes it more fun to watch. The mjf line about the arm and his little kids was way better when penta and Alex did it to Cody. Penta says he’s gonna break your arm so you can’t pick up your baby girl!!!

[BrianS81177]

I hope someone gave Uno a glass of orange juice and a cookie when he got to the back. 

[The Natural]

13 minutes ago, matt925 said:

The water bottle lol. Legit laughing out loud during that match. 

Ditto. Still remember the NSFW promo:

 

[Go2Sleep]

Danielson and MJF wearing the exact same colors for their segment bothered me way more than it should.

Everything else was pretty good.

[Cobra Commander]

at least Danielson learned from previous life experiences by not trying to choke MJF with his scarf

[Cobra Commander]

Also, with the way that the Saraya/Storm interactions with front row fans are going, they’re taking out a stunt granny within the next 2 weeks

[Casey]

2 hours ago, hobo joe said:

It’s definitely a reality show. Probably the replacement for Rhodes to the Top season two

It's the AEW couples reality show. Tay & Sammy were promoting it on Instagram, same with Britt Baker & Adam Cole.

[DreamBroken]

Orange/Yuta was absolutely awesome. Loved it, one of my favorite matches of the year so far. Excellent definitive ending after a great story told throughout. I love Orange's title run, hope it goes as long as possible.

Great hot crowd for the Phoenix debut. Also found it amusing that it looked like Bryan/MJF were wearing matching outfits once they started fighting. Liked Skye/Saraya while it lasted.

Tag battle was fun. Popped for Orange making the save, leading to great bit of last hope for Trent even when Jarrett/Lethal were always the obvious winners. I enjoy the Jarrett/Lethal team. Nice short main event with crazy bloodshed. 

[DreamBroken]

from the press release on All Access:

"Billed as the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience for fans, the series will feature Adam Cole, Dr. Britt Baker, Sammy Guevara, Tay Conti, The Young Bucks, Saraya, Wardlow, and Eddie Kingston along with AEW CEO, GM, and Head of Creative Tony Khan."

[The Natural]

Edited February 23, 2023 by The Natural

[Andrew POE!]

7 hours ago, John E. Dynamite said:

On MJF - I don't like it. The suicide stuff has no place in a form of entertainment that's otherwise so escapist, and in one that has had so many tragedies of a similar nature. Significant portions of that locker room were and still are affected by Sweeney, Daffney, Hana, Kanyon, Benoit, etc. Being the embodiment of every Type B Personality Disorder is not the edgy, modern gimmick the world needs. Histrionic narcissism and violent, rejection-based dysphoria are fun when used in very broad strokes to define a heel, but this isn't that.

I haven't felt comfortable sharing this theory in public, but if this is the way they want to present this than I feel better about wondering it aloud - Given the "realness" of MJF's ADD stories and promo against William Regal, I think MJF's no-show / tanking of the Wardlow match could have been a legitimate mental health incident that the company covered for / kayfabed. I think the awkward amount of time between the stretcher job and the devil mask comeback could have been to make time for a mental health break. I take no joy in speculating on this, I just see patterns. I understand you're supposed to use your personal experiences to cut better promos but a lot of people don't realize theater isn't therapy. It's not mentally healthy for the performer to have their struggles applauded for being a viable storytelling device. I'd like to be wrong about this and feel icky for sharing my thoughts, but they're running this stuff on TV.

I'll just say I agree with this. The big problem is why Tony Khan thinks this is even remotely okay in 2023 to have on a wrestling program or if he even thinks this should be on a wrestling program.

I almost suspect that the night after the Wardlow match MJF told Tony Khan he would explain what happened / address the rumors for those concerned then lied and did what he did (I still point out the fact that the promo took close to 10 minutes but didn't show up on AEW YT/Twitter and was even scrubbed from their results page). The company realized it was a problem and like you said covered for him when it was a legitimate mental health incident. They were very non-communicative about what was going on with MJF (Tony Khan's comments especially).

The mental health aspect of it puts every other promo MJF has done in a different light (not to mention his comments within the last several weeks and last night). I almost feel like the promo between MJF and Bryan Danielson wasn't okayed by Danielson at all prior to it taking place. There was a video of the post promo fight and Danielson appeared to have legit KO'ed MJF - MJF fell down immediately after the forearm which didn't appear to be selling.

[Log]

4 hours ago, DreamBroken said:

from the press release on All Access:

"Billed as the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience for fans, the series will feature Adam Cole, Dr. Britt Baker, Sammy Guevara, Tay Conti, The Young Bucks, Saraya, Wardlow, and Eddie Kingston along with AEW CEO, GM, and Head of Creative Tony Khan."

That sounds like something along the lines of that Formula One show that was so popular and the new golf one on Netflix. To me it seems closer to those than say Real Housewives. 

[Matt D]

I still have Uno vs Mox to go but the crowd really helped that show. 

Obviously the MJF/Danielson promo/segment was heated. I'm not going to speculate, but I will point out that maybe too much of what's going on right now is subtext instead of text.

• To defeat Moxley, MJF took not his own shortcut but Regal's shortcut. 
• To try to regain face, his own autonomy, he immediately betrayed Regal at the first opportunity.
• Danielson, already hurting from Regal's betrayal and unable to get any sort of proper closure with Regal, targeted MJF in response.
• MJF dodged him.
• Danielson, who puts everything on the line to wrestle even though he doesn't have to, took offense in MJF, who only wrestles when he absolutely has to, and decided that the best way to embarrass and expose him as an empty/worthless champion, is with an ironman match.
• MJF put barriers in front of him and shifted to trying to damage him going into the match.
• Danielson is damaged, but doesn't seem worried or bothered in the least. 
• MJF, who has been talking big, telling stories, and doing sneak attacks to try to make it seem like he's a bad man, panics more and more and attacks Danielson on the mic the only way he knows how, making things personal. 
• Danielson finally takes it personally instead of just the indirect offenses of what happened to Regal (who kind of deserved it and we all know it, even Bryan) and the general honor of pro wrestling/a title. 
• Now they have a 60 minute match ahead of them with Danielson sporting a wounded arm, MJF spiraling out and acting erratically, and Danielson legitimately angry for the first time in this entire feud. In that regard it feels a little like unintended consequences. The ironman match made sense for January, not for March, but they're trapped in it, and I think it's going to be a test for Danielson on how he works it. Does he work it like it's still January and he's content on punishing and exposing MJF or can he make the idea that it's now personal somehow resonate through the entirety of the 60 minutes, especially on a card that's also going to have the Mox/Hangman Texas death match. Every time Danielson goes out, he's judged not against what else is on the show or what Reigns is doing that week, but against history because he's a GOAT contender. Here's a great opportunity for him. I'm curious to see how he does or doesn't transfer last night into next Sunday.

[Greggulator]

22 minutes ago, Log said:

That sounds like something along the lines of that Formula One show that was so popular and the new golf one on Netflix. To me it seems closer to those than say Real Housewives. 

The Formula One show rules and turned me into a big fan. There is also a tennis one that came out a few months ago I love. But the F1 show rocks and hopefully an AEW version does, too. If it does gain any traction, my money is on Eddie Kingston being the breakout.

[Pete]

9 hours ago, matt925 said:

The water bottle lol. Legit laughing out loud during that match. 

 

9 hours ago, The Natural said:

Ditto. Still remember the NSFW promo:

The single best part of that match was the aftermath, with every Mox stan on social media losing their GD minds because he lost to the "jobber" Yano.

Everyone is sleeping on the "HOLY SHIT" chant for AD absolutely leveling MJF with that punch at the end. Either MJF is God-tier at selling or he got KTFO'd for real. I feel like that match is going to feature a) MJF knocking AD out with the ring to get DQ'd, only to spam falls as AD is "out" and can't continue, and/or b) AD tapping MJF and keeping it cinched in for a DQ to incapacitate MJF and spam falls that way. Time shall tell.

Mox REALLY needed to save that blood for the actual match because Jeeeeeeeesus.

[AxB]

So Brian and Brianna's kids are called Birdy and Buddy? Is this a thing in America, where if two spouses' names start with the same letter, all their children's names also have to start with that letter?

Like Jeff and Jill Jarrett's daughters being called Jennifer, Jessica and Jaren, or Kurt and Karen Angle's children being Kody and Kyra.

[Matt D]

2 minutes ago, AxB said:

So Brian and Brianna's kids are called Birdy and Buddy? Is this a thing in America, where if two spouses' names start with the same letter, all their children's names also have to start with that letter?

Like Jeff and Jill Jarrett's daughters being called Jennifer, Jessica and Jaren, or Kurt and Karen Angle's children being Kody and Kyra.

It's a huge mistake, let me tell you. My sister and I are both "M"s. And my three kids are all "C" and it's cute, right? Except for that at 41, I'm constantly starting to tell one kid to do something and I just snatch out of my ADHD-ridden brain the other C name in the moment. My late 80+ year old, eventually senile grandmother used to do that with my dad and his two brothers even though they had different letters starting their name but I wasn't supposed to be constantly doing it 40 years earlier. So then I have to spin and be all.. "........... tell your sister to..."

[Gorman]

5 minutes ago, AxB said:

So Brian and Brianna's kids are called Birdy and Buddy? Is this a thing in America, where if two spouses' names start with the same letter, all their children's names also have to start with that letter?

Like Jeff and Jill Jarrett's daughters being called Jennifer, Jessica and Jaren, or Kurt and Karen Angle's children being Kody and Kyra.

My wife and I both start with a J, and our kid starts with a G

--- so I think it's just a personal preference for each couple.

[hobo joe]

1 hour ago, Andrew POE! said:

I'll just say I agree with this. The big problem is why Tony Khan thinks this is even remotely okay in 2023 to have on a wrestling program or if he even thinks this should be on a wrestling program.

I almost suspect that the night after the Wardlow match MJF told Tony Khan he would explain what happened / address the rumors for those concerned then lied and did what he did (I still point out the fact that the promo took close to 10 minutes but didn't show up on AEW YT/Twitter and was even scrubbed from their results page). The company realized it was a problem and like you said covered for him when it was a legitimate mental health incident. They were very non-communicative about what was going on with MJF (Tony Khan's comments especially).

The mental health aspect of it puts every other promo MJF has done in a different light (not to mention his comments within the last several weeks and last night). I almost feel like the promo between MJF and Bryan Danielson wasn't okayed by Danielson at all prior to it taking place. There was a video of the post promo fight and Danielson appeared to have legit KO'ed MJF - MJF fell down immediately after the forearm which didn't appear to be selling.

It’s a work, brother

[Greggulator]

7 hours ago, Go2Sleep said:

Danielson and MJF wearing the exact same colors for their segment bothered me way more than it should.

Everything else was pretty good.

Glad I was not alone in picking that up. A little nitpick maybe but that is bad TV production and such an easy thing to pick up. 

[Greggulator]

I really liked the Jamie Hayter/Britt segment. It was cool because Jamie did the talking while Britt was an engaged second. That is a good flip because we are so used to the opposite. It makes Jamie look really strong in a subtle way but it also makes Britt look like a really good member of their partnership. Britt has so much presence that it is easy for her to gobble up the scenery (which is also part of her character) but taking a backseat of sorts gives some good subtle shine for Jamie. 

[Greggulator]

I am kind of souring on Mox lately. Everything feels very same-y. Him bleeding so all of the time waters all of it down. Bleeding is the ultimate visual aid in wrestling. This would have been great if Mox had not bled in what feels like every match the past year. 

But also, I would rather he not bleed against a Dark Order member. Mox should save the bleeding for Adam Page and those level opponents to make those matches feel and literally look more special. 

[eikerir]

Very fun show and a big step up from last week.

Really appreciate Evil Uno going all out for a 10min match since he knows these type of serious singles matches come very rarely for him. He made the most of it. That first piledriver he did on Mox was BRUTAL.

 

Starks-Jericho could have been a nothing segment but was super entertaining due to Stark playing it up any time Jericho wasn't looking at him. I was very sports entertained for those few minutes. 

Edited February 23, 2023 by eikerir

[Dog]

I was only half paying attention to the main, but I thought Moxley didn't bleed until Page hit him with the barbed wire.

[elizium]

6 hours ago, DreamBroken said:

from the press release on All Access:

"Billed as the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience for fans, the series will feature Adam Cole, Dr. Britt Baker, Sammy Guevara, Tay Conti, The Young Bucks, Saraya, Wardlow, and Eddie Kingston along with AEW CEO, GM, and Head of Creative Tony Khan."

So what we can infer from this is that the Bucks are dating each other (gross), Saraya and Wardlow are together (gonna have some good looking kids), as are King and Tony (they sit around and watch tapes and King is always on Tony for forgetting to tidy up the kitchen).