3 Big takeaways from AEW Dynamite (December 29, 2021)
It was the final episode of AEW on TNT as they prepare for new horizons in 2022. It was only fitting that they were at their home base of Jacksonville on Wednesday night, as the company turned another page in the history books.
Setting the stage for their move to the TBS Network next week, the promotion advanced many of their storylines to start the new era. The TBS Title Tournament finals are now set, and we saw another surprise debut. So, as usual, Dynamite keeps the accelerator pushed down to the floor.
There were many ups and downs during this two-hour broadcast, but here are three things that stuck out about the December 29, 2021 episode of AEW Dynamite:
#3 With so many multi-man matches and factions, it seems inevitable that AEW will have trios titles soon.
.@luchasaurus has gone full NBA Jam
He's on 🔥 #AEWDynamite https://t.co/3RD3VBXSAF
The show kicked off with a 10-man tag team match, followed by a six-man bout. Then, the main event of the show was another six-man showdown.
AEW obviously has a lot of factions of three men or more. To get all these members on TV, they have to include multi-team matches on Dynamite and Rampage.
This could be Tony Khan's litmus test as to whether there is a genuine interest in this style of wrestling. If these throwdowns garner ratings and attention, then we may see AEW launch a fully-fledged trios division.
#2 - Jade Cargill defeating Thunder Rosa was the right move.
We may not like how it happened, but the finals for the TBS Women's Championship is set!
Who walks out with the title: @realrubysoho or @Jade_Cargill #AEWDynamite https://t.co/WjnXNPQ7YC
Despite the immense popularity of Thunder Rosa, AEW made the right move in pushing Jade Cargill to the finals of the TBS title tournament.
As much as a match between Rosa and Ruby Soho would have been a babyface vs. babyface classic, it wouldn't have the same kind of fire. It appears it is Ruby's title to win, and the crowd will be behind her. It only makes sense that she would defeat a heel to get her first taste of championship gold within the company.
For the first episode of Dynamite on TBS, there's no doubt that AEW will focus on having a lot more 'positive' outcomes for the night to keep the crowd happy and have a blockbuster inaugural show.
Mercedes Martinez appeared out of nowhere to intervene in the match, costing Thunder Rosa her shot at the championship. After seeing Jade cheat to win against one of AEW's most beloved performers, the audience will enjoy her getting a taste of defeat.
#1 - CM Punk's promo was a bit vague and flat.
Welcome to Jacksonville, @CMPunk #AEWDynamite https://t.co/Cj3aI4P7iG
On this week's Dynamite, CM Punk sang the praises of both Jim Ross and the late Jon Huber before turning his attention to MJF. He went into the background story of how The Salt of the Earth continues to run from him.
But then, it seemed that Punk backed off from the idea that he and MJF would meet again in the ring. Instead, he hinted that he would merely be hanging around and being a thorn in his nemesis' side, abruptly ending the segment from there.
Punk is a legend on the mic, but this one was below his standards of excellence. It seemed like he had more to say but either forgot where he was going or simply ran out of time before he got there.
This is likely just a blip on the radar, as the Straight Edge Superstar is one of the greatest of all time when it comes to cutting promos.
However, the outing left the future of his feud with MJF a little bit up in the air. It may have been by design, but it certainly wasn't portrayed that way.
It was a bittersweet goodbye for AEW as they departed TNT to move to TBS. This week's episode was basically set to serve up the menu for next week's big kickoff show.
As AEW enters a new era, it must decide what to do with a heavily stacked roster. Having said that, this week's program did a lot to get the fans ready for next week, which should be a fantastic show to start 2022.
What did you think about this week's episode of AEW Dynamite? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.