AEW Dynamite - 5/20/2020

[LoneWolf&Subs]

7 hours ago, RolandTHTG said:

Reasonable points - but I remain unconvinced that even with everyone being available and business as usual, that any of the Moxley programs (either what eventuated or hypothethical) are given bigger emphasis or more TV time than Cody/Archer.

Well you can go by the prior weeks of AEW TV from when they were still in arenas. Remember when you, and others complained that MJF/Cody should’ve been here, or they should’ve got more than a video package to set up the match on certain weeks of programming?
 

 

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

It absolutely should have. 

Doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be given more attention and more important (implied or otherwise) than the champ.

Just as Cody/Archer doesnt need to have a brand new title attached, or Mike Tyson involved for it to still be a hyped undercard attraction.

[Technico Support]

The TNT title was rushed out because they needed something to build empty arena, short-staffed programming around.  I'm really torn on it because I like the idea of it becoming a "barely secondary" title like the IC belt was at times in the 80s, where guys just under the top guys have it and it could main event cards.  But Cody is not that guy.  Cody is being booked like 1a to Moxley's 1.  I mean I'm hopeful that they'll have some really good booking around the title but at the same time I hope it doesn't usurp the actual top belt.   Darby Allin should have been the guy, finally beating Cody and overcoming the odds.  Instead, we got a tournament built around two Cody and Archer before the first match even happened.  And they still could have done that well IF Cody had cut a promo telling Archer he's going to work hard to try to get to him in the finals because he wants to fight him.  But instead, in week 1, Cody said something like "Archer needs to prove himself before I face him."  God damn.  Sometimes too much creative freedom is a bad thing.  So we got this flat tournament with a foregone conclusion ending and nobody got over.  In general, you probably shouldn't book a tournament by implying what the finals will be.  It kills the value of every other match.

I don't like the idea of turning Warldow at all.  For one, he hasn't been a major over heel long enough for a face turn to mean anything.  More importantly, though, there's just too much of a babyface glut at or near the top right now (Mox, Cody, Omega, Hardy, Page) with Allin waiting in the wings and Jungle Boy needing to come up eventually as well. 

Edited May 22, 2020 by Technico Support

[LoneWolf&Subs]

They can always build to a unified title. Remember the AEW title, isn’t a “World” championship. 

[Technico Support]

8 minutes ago, LoneWolf&Subs said:

They can always build to a unified title. Remember the AEW title, isn’t a “World” championship. 

That's a tremendous idea.  Maybe Cody wins the TNT belt and goes a little heelish, defending it and claiming to be the real champ until Moxley demands to face him despite the stipulation.  Unify the belts ("AEW TNT World Double Crown~!") and then go with whatever the idea was for a "new, different" second title was going to be.  Because I haven't seen anything differentiate the TNT title outside of the name.

[Godfrey]

I assumed it would be like the TV title and would be defended every week on Dynamite but you're right, there hasn't been any mention of how it's different. That's why I thought Archer would be a good champ, crushing dudes every week until he's upset by Jungle Boy or put down by Darby Allin on his journey to best Cody.

[HarryArchieGus]

On 5/21/2020 at 6:52 PM, RolandTHTG said:

Whilst what you say makes sense about his character being a loner and he should be off somewhere else, it's still not befitting of the title. Everyone should be lining up to want a shot at him, especially in the context of going from Jericho feuding with 2/3 of the roster, to Moxley having his weekly 10 minute segment and is forgotten about for the rest of the show. Austin was a huge loner, but I can't imagine him in 1998, turning up, beating Val Venis in a 10 minute opening match, and then not being seen for the rest of Raw.

I feel like the loss hurt him only for how ordinary Matt looked in-ring. At this point, he looks far closer to X-Pac to HHH in 99, than he does HHH to Shawn in 98. There was an opportunity missed, and if anything it would have helped the narrative of The Elite needing to overcome the odds, after being beat up week after week by The Numbers Game, only for Page/Bucks return to turn the tide.

MJF continues to be featured, agreed, he wins a lot, but where is it going to? I'm open to the idea of the MJF/Mox program, but not particularly convinced for in-ring stuff.

Bringing guys up to a higher level - agree it's been the intent, but a few months in, fairly minimal has been achieved from a consistent basis. Like you say - COVID related in a lot of cases. Others have had a few weeks doing stuff, and are now just sitting around in the crowd cheering aimlessly. It's been awesome seeing Jungle Boy, Scorpio Sky, Darby, etc get their shot, and now they're JAG. WWE get excoriated for this on a weekly basis.

JAG?  Does that mean 'Just another guy'?  What are you expecting from Mjeff, Sammy, Jungle Boy, Scorp, Darb, etc.?  I like a slow build.  Maybe it's just a matter of patience.  If they rocketed anybody to the top for the sake of here's our new star, well, isn't that what WWE does?  Things feel organic.  No need to rush anything.  I feel like the measured progression has been a strength of the AEW booking.  

I would've liked to see Sammy go over Hardy, but his losing the match really isn't anything to get stirred up about.  Sammy's been a known character, to me and most, for less than a year now.  He opened the first ppv on the buy in with no fanfare.  He opened the first Dynamite with no fanfare.  Now he's talked about.  And he isn't talked about because of his great winning record.  These comparions to DX guys feels premature, but to each their own. 

Moxley beat the shit out of 10 and looked strong doing so.  Not showing up again?  Perhaps you missed the later in the show promo?  Go back and take a look it was one of his more focused and better takes in awhile.  Also, as I believe @LoneWolf&Subs mentioned, even thru the pandemic, he's been featured.  Such as the Hager battle and the ad nauseum of weak promos that led to it.  Mox has had time he just hasn't been particularly strong.  Same can be said for most everybody during this empty arena era.  And as @caley posted, Khan's the head booker.  He doesn't seem naive to me he seems pretty intelligent.  But I'm also a fan of what he and his company have achieved thus far.  The pandemic era has been spotty and a bit disorganized, but I think for really really good reason.  I'll pass along the last word on this to you, as I get exhausted by conspiracy theories short on facts. 
 

On 5/21/2020 at 7:07 PM, caley said:

I'm sorry but "creative"?  This was the Randy Orton RNN promos (Right down to the name) with shoot-y comments thrown in about Dustin's battles with drug addiction.  I think people, in general, have been too hard on Spears throughout this thing (I actually think he's added a lot to the broadcasts as of late in a spectator role) but this was among the worst shit AEW has done.  To each their own, but this was terrible.

Ha, had no idea he was ripping Orton.  Never saw it.  I still like it tho.  I think it kinda plays like the (forgotten excellence of) Dean Douglas WWF promos.  I like a heel arrogantly analyzing the opposition like this. 
 

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Jon Moxley-10 was whatever.  The execution of this whole angle sucked, though.  Brodie coming out with a rambling listless promo and then leaves, following showing that Moxley was just standing in the parking lot waiting to come in, so why didn't he come after his title or Lee?  It made it look like he was scared of Brodie that he waited until after they left before he came out.  Brodie's post-match promo was worse.  Moxley watching them leave was sorta silly, too.  

I agree on the Moxley timing.  Timing has been an issue for AEW since the first show.  It continues to be a week to week problem.  I do however believe they're paying attention.  Live TV is extremely challenging.  I sense they're still learning as a production team and working to better it.  That's good enough for me.  

Brodie wasn't perfect here.  I still don't think he was anywhere near as bad as is being discussed here in the thread.  I liked that segment.  I liked him asking 10 to take a knee.  I liked Moxley beating the ever loving shit out of 10. And I loved Brodie sacrificing his man.  Excellent heel move.  Also, as mentioned, loved the Mox promo later in the show.       
 

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-MJF-Stunt was solid.  But the post-match with Wardlow casually strolling out of the ring while Luchasaurus stops and watches him leave was up their with Mark Henry outrunning Nexus for boneheaded babyface moves.
-Jake-Arn was not good.  I think they should have brought out some notes because a couple of responses seemed to be to statements that weren't being made.   Jake brought up Brandi and it seemed like Arn was answering that but ended up somewhere completely different.  Plus, it really did nothing to build to Cody-Archer, more to a battle of two guys who can't wrestle anymore.
-The Darby segment was awesome, and exactly what Darby should be doing all the time, instead of getting lectured by Tazz
-I liked the post-match brawl, but I hate those plastic baseball shots.  They were dumb when it was Sting, they were dumb when it was in every Vince Russo-booked match in 2000 WCW, they've always been dumb.  Chris Jericho fullspeed swinging a baseball bat into Kenny Omega's stomach, then Omega up fighting minutes later is just supreme silliness.  Adam Pages return was great, even though his outfit looked like he was the night manager at a Country and Western bar (Baron Corbin was the busboy there until he graduated to his current look).

C'mon, Page is a cowboy.  That's how he looks.  I agree completely on the brawl.  There are so many 'hardcore' cliches in wrestling that would be wise to 'delete'.  I also completely agree on Darby/Taz.  Love to see that chubby goofy commentator get a bloody beating at the hands of Darb. 

Yeah, the Arn-Jake thing misfired, but wasn't a complete waste.  I also agree on the Luchasaurus, and it's not the first time.  Last week he kinda just watched Marko get a beating and barely stood up for him.  Not sure what's going on there.  Adjustments are definitely necessary.  

On 5/21/2020 at 9:12 PM, just drew said:

I was watching a Mox interview this morning and it sure sounded to me like he alluded to being in the Blood & Guts match somehow. Idk how, but that would've made sense.

I always assumed, considering Inner Circle took him out the week prior with a group effort powerbomb, that he was certain to get involved.

On 5/21/2020 at 10:19 PM, RolandTHTG said:

Can anyone think of a time where the main feud/storyline/top billing match in a promotion has been around something other than the top title in the promotion and:

a) it was the right decision AND

b) it didn't devalue the title/champion in the process?

Offhand - maybe Bret/Austin, and that was probably more an indication of where the title was at in 1997 being bounced around/forfeited/etc.

ECW made an art of this.  Seemed like the tag titles were the most important feuds in the company for awhile.  So to Van Dam's TV Title reign.  Taz-Sabu on their first PPV is another good example.  And I would say any really good to great promotion would find themselves in this predicament often.  It's what Bill Watts often discusses as the packaged card (something like that).  On a WWE level, which is where I assume you're less likely to find it, I think Hogan-Rock would be a good example. 

Edited May 23, 2020 by HarryArchieGus

[throughsilver]

I didn't mind the show. But I watched it back to back with the previous week's, so it blends in a bit. 

Cody-Lance has been booked pretty well. I liked their little brawl the other week where neither man got to pull off a special move. Saves it for the match.

Elite-Circle went less well. The go-home was essentially the PPV match. I was hoping they'd save the return of Hangman for a PPV surprise, but we got it on free TV, so I don't know what the PPV natch is supposed to be.

I want to like Brodie Lee, but he's a bit boring. 

Britt Baker is great. Loved her ragging Statlander in her sub outside the ring, the previous week, getting that over. But the knee injury this week doesn't fill me with optimism. Along with Jericho, she's the best heel in AEW.