3 Big Takeaways from AEW Dynamite (December 1, 2021)
AEW Dynamite emanated from Georgia on Wednesday night, and even though temperatures are starting to get colder, it was definitely 'Hot-lanta' this week.
As we roll towards another AEW's special event, Winter is Coming, on December 15, the promotion continues to fill in the gaps in some storylines while featuring some great in-ring action.
You can see how with all the recent signings, the roster is starting to shake out with all the cream rising to the top.
Bryan Danielson and CM Punk remain undefeated, and Hangman Page is getting great reactions from the AEW audience as the recently crowned World Champion.
Let's take a look at three things that stuck out about this week's episode of AEW Dynamite.
#3 MJF will have a great career as a heel announcer when his time in the ring is over
We're sorry @tonyschiavone24 #AEWDynamite https://t.co/Up7aU8sdks
AEW's resident smart aleck came out to do commentary for CM Punk's match with Lee Moriarty and hit it out of the park. MJF sounds just as good doing off-the-cuff broadcasting as he does while cutting a promo.
He's currently on a collision course with CM Punk, so he decided to take advantage of the extra seat at the table to insult The Straight Edge Superstar in between calling moves. He pulled it all off with flying colors.
It will be interesting if - over the years - AEW decides to use The Salt Of The Earth in the booth more so he can gain much-needed experience. At some point, he could even pull the 'double duty' shift of being both a commentator and an active wrestler at the same time.
MJF is still in his mid-20's, so the idea of what to do after retirement is a long way off.
However, it's never wrong to have a backup plan in the pro wrestling business. The multi-talented star will certainly have enough options that he'll likely be a wrestling lifer.
#2 Bryan Danielson continues to absolutely own the AEW audience with his new persona
Winter may be coming, but the heat is scalding between @BryanDanielson and @theAdamPage #AEWDynamite https://t.co/zEQMdL8rUc
Bryan Danielson has such a great reputation in and out of the ring that it's almost hard to picture him as a 'bad guy.'
But whenever he's been moved into the role, The American Dragon excels at it just as much as he does portraying a babyface.
Whether it was his annoying eco-friendly Championship run in WWE or this current incarnation, Danielson has just the right amount of snarky sarcasm to get under your skin.
He's intelligent and articulate, so when he drives home a point, Danielson REALLY drives it home.
He's been an excellent foil for Hangman Page and continues to turn up the heat as we get closer and closer to their Title Match at Winter is Coming.
#1 Cody Rhodes actually got booed in his hometown
.@AndradeElIdolo risking it all to put away #CodyRhodes #AEWDynamite https://t.co/I7lKsW2p6P
This was the most intriguing match of the night, an Atlanta Street Fight between Cody and Andrade El Idolo.
It's not just the fact that it would basically be a hardcore match between the men. People were curious to see the reception for Rhodes in a city where he became an amateur legend and returned a professional superstar.
The American Nightmare has received a chilly response from AEW audiences recently. The reaction from his supposed home crowd was slightly better but can still be ranked anywhere from 'mixed' to 'negative.'
At one spot in the match, Andrade got a hold of Cody's weight belt, whipped him with it, and then threw it into the crowd. The audience immediately implored the person who caught it to 'throw it back... throw it back".
They booed the fan when he refused to give in and toss away his souvenir. After that, they turned their collective attention back to jeering Cody.
At some point, you have to feel like this is a slow tease to The American Nightmare turning into the baddest of bad guys. The announcers are already acknowledging on the broadcast the reception that he's receiving.
Cody also defeated Andrade in heelish fashion, with an assist from his wife Brandi. So it appears that AEW may just be waiting to pull the trigger at the right time.
It was a very good episode of AEW Dynamite this week. Nothing earth-shattering, but it keeps on pushing toward their special episode on December 15.
They are marketing the Winter is Coming card like how WCW used to treat the Clash of the Champions shows. Let's hope it lives up to the hype.
What did you think of this week's episode of AEW Dynamite? Let us know in the comments section below.