AEW TV - 3/27 - 4/2/2024 - Sit Tight, Take Hold... Thunder Rosa

[Phantom Lord]

Tonight was a really good episode of Dynamite. Shibata vs. Osprey was what I expected it to be. I still cringe anytime Shibata takes a kick or elbow to the head or just about anything landing on the head, but it was a good match none the less.

The Corporate Bucks vs. Private Party was all right. I mean it has to be a given The Bucks will win this tournament (after a low blow no less). Private Party were good as the faces in peril through out the match. The Bucks are just so slimy as heels. They should be even bigger assholes if that's possible.

The women's 4 way was good. They went a long way to get Willow the title shot. If I had to guess they are setting up her and Mone at Double or Nothing. Don't know if it will be for the title because Julia is so damn good. I'm torn. I love Willow but at the same time I don't want to see Julia lose.

The Kingdom vs. Best Friends was a good match. I knew going in The Kingdom would be losing (they all ready have the ROH Tag titles) so this match was a moot point for me, but i still liked it. On a side note The Undisputed Kingdom really is floundering despite Roderick Strong doing all he can to carry the load with Taven and Bennet. How much longer is Cole supposed to be out for? Wardlow is dead in the water. Amazing how Tony pulled that off.

Takeshita vs. Swerve was really good. Takeshita maybe deserved to win this one. I'm sure they could have got Swerve the big title shot at Double or Nothing. But I couldn't believe when he kicked out of the Swerve stomp. Takeshita is just so good.

Overall a really good show. It just sucks that it was a 1/3rd full building to see it.

 

[JLowe]

7 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

The crowd seemed to be pretty hot/warm for being a crowd in a market with a lot of people who don’t speak English, so they did a pretty solid job with Quebec City than they did with places like suburban Salt Lake City

I have to say, it would’ve been a nIce touch to have someone in the ring with Justin Roberts introducing the main event in the bastard French they speak. I assume Papa Magie is on Rampage, maybe he could’ve done it.

[JLowe]

Great show. I get some of the criticisms that others have posted, but some of them are based on perceptions of what wrestling is/should be that I don’t necessarily share.

Shibata-Ospreay started off grappling. Maybe not everything was 100%, but it was a great way to start a long match and also ties into their long-term storyline. Ospreay still can’t beat Shibata on the mat, so it’s going to be a slug fest. At the same time, Ospreay can’t take too many high risks, because one slight mistake and he’s tapping. Sure, we had the AEW strike exchanges, but they fit in a match between two guys whose main work has been in Japan. Only part I thought was excessive was Ospreay’s “fighting spirit” Kip-up into a spinning round kick.

The EVP Bucks wrestling a slightly different style has my attention. They made Private Party look way better than I think they actually are. The Bucks also botched their signature move. They better not win the tournament.

Dustin’s makeup looks scary and his big round eyes made it look like he was legit missing his eye area other than his eyeball on the left side. Butcher is weird and funny. I looked up the word for “meat” in French and it’s weird so let’s assume the crowd chants “bouef”.

Danielson vignette was great. His match at Dynasty is going to be face-face though at this rate.

Women’s 4-way, like all multi-person matches, had some excellent moments when it was 1 on 1 and a lot of standing/lying around. Willow-Skye really pair well together, once again Willow makes the Code Blue look smooth AF, while Skye takes a nasty apron bump (which did a good job of having her outside for the finish). My main complaint was Mercedes. She added nothing on commentary, and every single woman in the ring, and Julia afterward, made her their focus of attention. I’m about to start calling her Mercedes Pooche. Anyway, assuming Willow wins Dynasty and loses to Mercedes either at a PPV or next big Dynamite after, and the belt gets Jaded.

I did not expect to see Best Friends win, just assumed that Kingdom would keep going as part of the rickety Undisputed storyline. Trent looked great. I like the idea of Orange Cassidy realizing that he really likes being a champion, and now he also has the chance to be a champion with one of his friends.

As for the main event: Swerve is on a heater, and is destined for the championship, and it needs to be soon...BUT...Takeshita deserved that win. It’s very fair to say that this one has too many kick outs of big moves (although at least not a top rope blue Thunder bomb this time). I think both guys were winded at the end, and maybe one or both were a little fuzzy (Takeshita got his fucking head stomped on the ring apron), and things ended a little shaky/slow. Let Takeshita take the Continental title off Strong and have a fun run with it.

 

[Technico Support]

18 minutes ago, JLowe said:

My main complaint was Mercedes. She added nothing on commentary, and every single woman in the ring, and Julia afterward, made her their focus of attention. I’m about to start calling her Mercedes Pooche. Anyway, assuming Willow wins Dynasty and loses to Mercedes either at a PPV or next big Dynamite after, and the belt gets Jaded.

Yeah, all this.  I’m sincerely holding out hope that she’s incredible in the ring, because everything she’s done so far just feels inauthentic and dull.  When the person working a supernatural spooky witch gimmick feels more like a fully realized human being than you do, something is terribly wrong.

[Craig H]

Man, Swerve winning really got me thinking he might beat Joe…

If it weren’t for Hangman. I still think the money storyline is Swerve tricking Hangman into challenging Joe and helping Hangman beat Joe so he can eventually face Hangman for the title. 

The only problem with that is Adam Cole. As much as I like Adam Cole, I think he’s become a huge hindrance to the booking at the top. TK seems as enamored with him as he was with Punk. Also, with all of his time injured, guys like Joe, Swerve, Hangman, Ospreay, and Takeshita look so much more legit and believable as being the top guy. Plus Cole just makes the resumption of the feud with MJF seem inevitable.

Because without Cole in the picture, things are so much cleaner. Joe drops the title to Hangman, who drops the title to Swerve, and then we build to Swerve vs Ospreay for the title at Wembley.

With Cole in the picture, you can’t give a good push to Swerve, or anyone else, because all roads go right back to Cole and MJF for the title when I think the real money is an eventual title match between Swerve and Ospreay. And let’s assume MJF is gone until November or something. What would you rather see? Cole vs Ospreay or nearly anyone else vs Ospreay? With the shape Ospreay is in, he looks he’d destroy little Cole.

[Craig H]

9 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

Yeah, all this.  I’m sincerely holding out hope that she’s incredible in the ring, because everything she’s done so far just feels inauthentic and dull.  When the person working a supernatural spooky witch gimmick feels more like a fully realized human being than you do, something is terribly wrong.

When she was on commentary my first thought was, oh yeah, she was TERRIBLE at doing this same thing in WWE. I don’t get how someone with that much charisma who can actually talk is that fucking boring on commentary every time in her career she has been a guest commentator, which has only been a few times, but still.

I like Mone a lot, but she needs to shed a bunch of the VinceDunn-isms, like the entrance and the thing no one has mentioned…ALWAYS SMILING. You look like a damn robot when all you do is smile.

[JLowe]

41 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

Yeah, all this.  I’m sincerely holding out hope that she’s incredible in the ring, because everything she’s done so far just feels inauthentic and dull.  When the person working a supernatural spooky witch gimmick feels more like a fully realized human being than you do, something is terribly wrong.

I liked her debut appearance, but I think she needs to have some of the WWE deprogrammed from her. And while I think she is an important addition, having her be the focus of a title angle that she isn’t actually participating in, when she hasn’t even wrestled a match in the company, is a little insulting to the existing talent.

[tbarrie]

1 hour ago, JLowe said:

I did not expect to see Best Friends win, just assumed that Kingdom would keep going as part of the rickety Undisputed storyline.

I think the brackets ruled that out, because no way were they running Kingdom vs Bucks in the semifinals. Bucks vs Private Party worked because of their history, and because while PP are heels they're not really all that hated, so they could easily play faces in this match. Bucks vs Kingdom wouldn't work at all, in my opinion

[Log]

Bucks/Kingdom would be kind of worth it if Bennett hits the dick punch and ends up getting fined on the spot. 
 

I dug Osprey/Shibata a ton. I thought the main was awesome but maaaayyybe could’ve shaved a little off the finishing stretch. The rest of the show was good stuff. Dynasty is shaping up to be a hell of a show. 

[HarryArchieGus]

1 hour ago, JLowe said:

Great show. I get some of the criticisms that others have posted, but some of them are based on perceptions of what wrestling is/should be that I don’t necessarily share.

Well said.

I thoroughly loved this show. Shibata v Ospreay was a lot of fun from start to finish. I hope I never get wrapped up in some idea of what Pro Wrestling should be that I can't enjoy a match this entertaining. Nice Danielson Video package. Would've liked a narrator separate from the regular voice, but a very minor complaint. Bucks promo offered their regular hilarity. Renee worked hard not to break. I dig Okada/Ferrari arrivals. Privates v Bucks was fantastic at least 3/4 way thru. The finish was a bit unfortunate. Less the trigger misfire than both Jacksons pinning Quen, and that being acceptable. Almost made me long for a JR bellyache. Previous to that tho, this was another example of the Jacksons' pulling the best matches out of whomever their opponents are. I don't recall Private Party being anywhere close to this level against anybody but the Bucks. Nice little Darby/Tony Hawk charity plug. Jericho/Hook promo was good. Especially good for a babyface Jericho promo. Willow v Skye v Anna v Stat was terrific. Both Stat and Willow especially looked great. Mercedes arrival seemed a bit light on the fan fare. I didn't expect much from her commentary - she seems to require a script. I'm not gonna further bury her tho, I suspect her in ring will do the best talking possible, and it's not far off. Dustin/Butcher promo was pretty fun. Butch sounded great. Kinda dumb 'Cause I'm a legend' finish by Dustin, but yeah, let's go! OC/Trent v Kingdom was a nice solid TV bout. I really dug OC punching Taven in the face to begin. Bucks v Trent/OC is gonna be a barnburner. Plucky happy to be there Kyle O'Reilly promo was just fine, but could they not have given his opponent? You can't 'In action' somebody talking so much about the great roster. Copeland Video package was really good. Looking forward to the next round of Cope Opens. Following up on the previous week with highlights as seen throughout the show is a quiet but big improvement. Takeshita v Swerve was as tremendous as expected. Very nice build to the hot closing stretch. Don Callis commentary is always a little gift. This show feels like a clear example that you're never going to please everyone. #234 was better than most TV Wrestling I've ever seen. High voter. AEDub, thanks for the thrills!

Edited March 28 by HarryArchieGus

[Just Dave]

11 hours ago, John E. Dynamite said:

Weirdly enough the Young Bucks have an uncanny ability to make Private Party seem important. I struggle to say this without grinding my teeth, but any haters and habitual fast-forwarders should keep an eye on what they're doing under their new gimmick.

I don’t hate it. They’re pretentious, self aggrandizing assholes, but by also portraying that on tv they’re actually compelling for once…

[Just Dave]

1 hour ago, Technico Support said:

Yeah, all this.  I’m sincerely holding out hope that she’s incredible in the ring, because everything she’s done so far just feels inauthentic and dull.  When the person working a supernatural spooky witch gimmick feels more like a fully realized human being than you do, something is terribly wrong.

Careful. Calling anything Mercedes does “inauthentic” earns you a visit from @Niners Fan in CT. 
 

In all seriousness, it’s been Ass Juice so far. Not a single second of genuine emotion or delivery. I understand wanting to wait until ppv to have her wrestle, but something’s gotta give.

I slept through most of the show. I caught the Moné stuff on dvr. I’ll watch the rest of the show tonight.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

1 hour ago, JLowe said:

liked her debut appearance, but I think she needs to have some of the WWE deprogrammed from her. And while I think she is an important addition, having her be the focus of a title angle that she isn’t actually participating in, when she hasn’t even wrestled a match in the company, is a little insulting to the existing talent.

I agree with you overall, but one thing I wanted to note about the 'not actually participating in': I think we're heading to Mercedes/Willow for the TBS title at some point following Dynasty, with Mercedes taking it - I'm envisioning sort of a women's division analogue to having Copeland as TNT champion: big, ex-WWE name, super easily recognizable in advertising.

I'm probably thinking way too deeply about this, but I could see it being a bit of attempted psychological chicanery on TK's part to put the titles named after the TV partners on two 'names' during rights negotiations.

Its also a really nice way to avoid some of the criticism TNA got way back about rocketing ex-WWE talent right to the world title, while still acknowledging said signees are a big deal by belting em up with the TV titles.

Also, while we're on Mercedes: I didn't love her in the booth necessarily either, but credit where it's due (and Taz took the words right out of my mouth, in a story sense): loved her calling the code blue. The whole idea of Mercedes scouting that move did a lot for Skye IMO

[John E. Dynamite]

3 hours ago, JLowe said:

As for the main event: Swerve is on a heater, and is destined for the championship, and it needs to be soon...BUT...Takeshita deserved that win. It’s very fair to say that this one has too many kick outs of big moves (although at least not a top rope blue Thunder bomb this time). I think both guys were winded at the end, and maybe one or both were a little fuzzy (Takeshita got his fucking head stomped on the ring apron), and things ended a little shaky/slow. Let Takeshita take the Continental title off Strong and have a fun run with it.

Given the face/heel splits, I think Takeshita being the one to dethrone Copeland makes the most sense. Cope vs. Callis Family seems so easy and obvious, and they've got some other Canadian shows theyre running in May and I think the timing for it would be perfect.

And since Callis Family in-fighting is an established scenario following Ospreay's matches, there's no reason you can't run a Hobbes-Wants-His-Belt-Back match as a Collision main or something.

[Cobra Commander]

Having the first 6 months of Edge be a feud with Christian is what it is. Hopefully he does something more interesting when he works with the people that he hasn’t been working with for years.

Although would there be a Christian sabbatical and how would this influence the usage of Killswitch/Wayne.

Also, really the only way that Jericho mentoring Hook would be better than Jericho leaching off of another young guy would be if they could tell the story of Jericho being a bad influence on Hook.

Oh man, a Sammy Guevara/Hook team would get over great with people who like a specific look on their men.

But yeah, Hook has a bad influence and then has to kick it later? But it’s a Jericho thing it’ll probably do nothing for Hook in the end.

[Matt D]

2 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

Having the first 6 months of Edge be a feud with Christian is what it is. Hopefully he does something more interesting when he works with the people that he hasn’t been working with for years.

 

• Copeland/Darby/Sting vs Archer/Righteous
• Copeland vs Griff
• Copeland/Dustin/Cassidy/Vance vs Archer/Mogul Embassy
• Copeland vs Moriarty
• Copeland vs Suzuki
• Copeland vs Garcia

That's not terrible for a 50 year old.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

4 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

h man, a Sammy Guevara/Hook team would get over great with people who like a specific look on their men.

Did you actually type this or do we have a framistan for 'power twink'

[Cobra Commander]

I figured that I shouldn’t just directly type “people who like their men to look like they model underwear”

Not sure if Hook’s offense is advanced enough yet to really have Sammy bump as crazily as Sammy would have bumped for 1996 Taz, but if Sammy can avoid doing Sammy things to fuck it up, there might be some potential fun with Hook suplexing Sammy

(but I’m just in the group who does not see Sammy as anything but a heel)

[Godfrey]

If Christian takes a break maybe Killswitch and Nick Wayne can make a go of a tag team like a mirror universe Jurassic Express. Patriarchy Express? Or just go full troll with the Christian Family and have them all pretend to like each other so nobody at church knows how messed up they are

[Curt McGirt]

4 hours ago, JLowe said:

Only part I thought was excessive was Ospreay’s “fighting spirit” Kip-up into a spinning round kick.

Oh god yes. That whole Fighting Spirit no-sell-and-hit-my-suplex until they both drop bit. Since Kawada has retired, NOBODY should be allowed to do that. Well, maybe Danielson or Eddie? They're the only people I'd buy it from.

Didn't listen to a lot of Mone because I ended up playing records but what I heard was pretty plastic. She just sounds phony. It gave off a scriptwritten WWE vibe, so I just muted and went to the tunes. 

[Zakk_Sabbath]

1 minute ago, Curt McGirt said:

Didn't listen to a lot of Mone because I ended up playing records but what I heard was pretty plastic. She just sounds phony. It gave off a scriptwritten WWE vibe, so I just muted and went to the tunes. 

I'm a fan of hers overall, but I can fully vibe with that criticism. Going a step further: was there not some newz recently that they hired a woman from WWE creative specifically for her (like a Rock/Gerwitz situation)? I mention this only to say that you (and others) may be getting that vibe because it's, you know, fully accurate...

[The Natural]

Put some gold on Konosuke Takeshita.

Edited March 28 by The Natural

[Zakk_Sabbath]

44 minutes ago, The Natural said:

Put some gold on Konosuke Takeshita.

Hard agree. It's interesting, if you asked me yesterday at this time, I would have guessed (based on nothing) that we would eventually be heading toward Takeshita turning babyface, leaving the family, and challenging Okada for the Continental title - but I went back up to a couple posts I missed, and now you and @John E. Dynamitehave me convinced he's gonna be the one to eventually dethrone Copeland for the TNT.

Indulging my fantasy pencil for a moment, Takeshita beating Copeland for that TNT title, and then pivoting over to defending against Hook (maybe even with one of them unifying the FTW?) to further the Jericho/Callis issue could be a fun path, and is probably a little easier to book for given it doesn't involve fucking with anyone's alignments

Edit: Another reason the 2nd idea works better with keeping Take heel and going for the TNT is that we are probably only a handful of shows away from the crowd turning Swerve full-blown babyface - so this would also keep the heel locker room from being a man down

Edited March 28 by Zakk_Sabbath

[Technico Support]

1 hour ago, Zakk_Sabbath said:

I'm a fan of hers overall, but I can fully vibe with that criticism. Going a step further: was there not some newz recently that they hired a woman from WWE creative specifically for her (like a Rock/Gerwitz situation)? I mention this only to say that you (and others) may be getting that vibe because it's, you know, fully accurate...

Nothing like hiring a wrestler who only knows WWE’s style of presentation, then hiring a writer — just for her — who only knows WWE’s style.  Shit, why not go for the trifecta and hire Kevin Dunn to direct her segments?

[JLowe]

@Zakk_Sabbath That is a good point about longer term angle setting, but my specific gripe with the women’s match was Anna Jay giving a shit and staring at Mercedes. They’ve had zero interaction thus far.