5 things AEW subtly told us on AEW Dynamite this week: CM Punk's next big step; The House of Black's potential new member; WWE legend returning?
Welcome to this week's column on things AEW subtly told us during the latest installment of Dynamite.
From CM Punk's return match to a grueling eight-man tag team Tornado bout, the company ticked all the right boxes on Wednesday night.
Even the fans in attendance in Cedar Park, Texas, were electric throughout the show. It was undoubtedly an exhilarating experience to people tuning in to the show at home as well.
For those living under the rock, AEW dropped several subtle hints on the episode that may have hinted at future storylines and plans. Now without further ado, let's get started with the five things the company subtly told their fans this week.
#5 CM Punk will soon enter the AEW World title picture
Red-hot on the heels of his Dog-Collar win over MJF at Revolution 2022, CM Punk eventually returned to AEW Dynamite this week.
The Straight Edge Superstar continued his momentum as he beat Dax Harwood in an exceptionally well-produced singles contest. Punk, best known for bringing the best out of his opponents, made Harwood look like a million bucks.
The two men came down hard at one another in the opening match, which set the bar for the rest of the show.
After the bout, CM Punk made an AEW World Championship gesture by mimicking a title wrapped around his waist. The Second City Saint has previously expressed his desire to capture the coveted gold.
With Double or Nothing not too far away, it could be the perfect time and place for Punk to slug it out for the top prize in the company.
#4 Is Julia Hart the next addition to The House of Black faction?
Julia Hart just saw The Batman and it shows. #AEWDynamite https://t.co/zmjSo83kod
Julia Hart has had a strange demeanor since Malakai Black spat his poisonous black mist into her eyes a few months ago. Interestingly, she has also been selling the after-effects of the incident by wearing an eye patch.
However, her persona took a massive turnaround on Dynamite this week.
During a tag team bout pitting Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson against The Varsity Blonds, Hart was spotted sitting motionless on the steel steps while facing the other side.
The 20-year-old didn't even care to watch the match, as she sat with an intimidating look on her face. All the subtle hints that Julia Hart dropped suggest that she might soon embrace the dark side.
It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that Malakai Black must be pulling her strings. The Dutchman recently teased bringing Julia Hart under his wing via a cryptic Instagram story. Click here to check it out.
#3 WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart could be on his way to AEW
Since firing Tully Blanchard from his managerial services a few weeks ago, FTR appears to have been teasing the arrival of their wrestling idol Bret Hart.
Dave Meltzer also reported that AEW plans to bring the "Excellence of Execution" back to the company. Interestingly, the wrestling journalist noted that Hart would come in as a babyface.
Keeping that in mind, if Bret Hart is slated to manage FTR, it's evident that Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler would have to turn babyface as well. In fact, the two men have already started to tease a character change.
Last week, Nick and Matt confronted FTR and quipped that even if the latter ends up hiring "the best there is," it won't help them defeat The Young Bucks. The latter was clearly referencing Bret Hart's moniker.
Now fast forward to this week, Dax addressed his loss against CM Punk in a backstage segment where FTR indirectly mentioned Hart in the promo. Cash Wheeler asserted that his partner always goes out in the ring and wrestles "from the heart." Moreover, Dax Harwood wrestled CM Punk fair and square, which is strange since he and Cash Wheeler could have used heelish tactics.
Harwood even applied the Sharpshooter to Punk, an homage to The Hitman's iconic submission maneuver.
These subtle hints from FTR are no coincidences, meaning sooner or later, fans could see Bret Hart show up in AEW.
#2 Adam Cole might end Hangman Page's fairytale run
Adam Cole has been hell-bent on becoming the AEW World Champion. After suffering his first singles defeat at the hands of Hangman Page at Revolution 2022, Cole has finally returned to winning ways.
Last week, he teamed up with reDRagon to defeat Page and Jurassic Express. The Panama City Playboy continued his momentum on Wednesday night when he prevailed over an old foe in Jay Lethal.
The company appears to be propelling Cole into the main event picture. The 32-year-old even stole the AEW World Championship from The Cowboy after the two men engaged in a tussle this week.
With Punk clawing his way to the top, it would make sense for the company to put him against a top heel instead of a babyface.
Considering how Adam Cole has been booked lately, he might soon fulfill his prophecy of becoming the AEW World Champion.
#1 A mixed tag team match in the works?
Wrestling enthusiasts could soon see AEW's power couple Tay Conti and Sammy Guevara tag one another in the ring.
The two appeared on Dynamite this week with hopes of getting some revenge on Men of the Year and Paige VanZant.
Dan Lambert quickly shot down the idea in one of the most awkward segments in AEW Dynamite history. With both Conti and Guevara seeking vengeance from their respective opponents, we might see a mixed tag team contest down the road.
Paige VanZant could team up with Ethan Page or Scorpio Sky in her potential in-ring debut against Tay Conti and Sammy Guevara. Although nothing has been announced yet, the company appears to be moving in this direction.
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