Best and Worst of AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam - Another former WWE Superstar debuts; big mistake with Jon Moxley; multiple title changes
AEW returned to the Arthur Ashe Stadium for the Dynamite: Grand Slam special. The event featured matches for the AEW World, Interim AEW Women's World, Tag Team, and ROH World Championships.
Chris Jericho squared off in a legendary title match against Claudio Castagnoli, perhaps the biggest in name value of the ROH Title's history.
The Acclaimed got their much-awaited All Out rematch against Swerve in our Glory, looking to do what they couldn't before and lift gold. Three of the AEW women's division's best, Serena Deeb, Britt Baker, and Athena, squared off against Toni Storm for the women's title.
To cap off the night, the main event saw Blackpool Combat Club members Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson fight for the AEW World Championship.
Such a stacked card promised so much. Let's look at where it delivered and where it fell slightly short of the mark.
#5 Best - Saraya brings a new dose of life into AEW
SARAYA HAS ARRIVED IN AEW!!
#AEW #AEWDynamite
#AEWGrandSlam @Saraya https://t.co/szZei58Lgu
The star formerly known as Paige, Saraya, debuted in the promotion tonight. Earlier in the night, there were reports of her having discussions with the company.
Making her way down to the ring following an assault from Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Serena Deeb on Athena and Toni Storm, Saraya looked primed to follow through on a touted dream match.
Some of the top heels in the women's division witnessed Saraya make her way down the ramp, already sizing her up for dream bouts with Serena Deeb, Britt Baker, and Jamie Hayter.
In any case, Saraya's debut breathes life into a women's division that has lost the likes of Kris Statlander and Thunder Rosa recently. A major debut has also brought a bit of light to the company, which has come under scrutiny since All Out.
#4 Best - The red-hot Acclaimed finally wins the tag titles
THE ACCLAIMED HAVE ARRIVED!! 🏆
#AEWDynamite #AEW https://t.co/PzKQQdfckt
Another feel-good moment from tonight was the coronation of The Acclaimed as world tag champions. A truly homegrown pair of stars, Max Caster and Anthony Bowens, has been on fire in 2022.
They may have lost the All Out clash, but it appeared they won the court of public opinion as there were even suggestions Tony Khan should have called an audible and switched the result.
Be that as it may, The Acclaimed did themselves right during Grand Slam, taking the tag titles to a huge crowd ovation.
This was what Grand Slam promised, great storytelling in the ring with satisfying conclusions. From start to finish, this was an advertisement for tag team wrestling in AEW and an appropriate time to crown new champions.
#3 Worst - The Interim Women's Title found itself to be overshadowed
#AndStill..
Toni Storm retains the INTERIM #AEW Women's Title!
#AEWDynamite https://t.co/2vxrdLeAAf
It's never great when a title falls secondary to an ongoing storyline, so it's even worse when it feels like it's the least essential entity in various metrics. As noted earlier, Toni Storm defended her Interim title in a four-way match against Britt Baker, Athena, and Serena Deeb.
The title is supposed to be the most coveted prize for any competitor, yet it still feels secondary compared to the ongoing "will they, won't they" break-up story between Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker.
While Hayter wasn't involved in the match, she still appeared to be a focal plot point. The title felt especially unimportant in the post-match segment as Saraya made her debut to confront Britt Baker. For Saraya to make her debut and not even look at Storm's title further demeans the title.
It's a shame, as the match was an enjoyable showcase of the depth of talent in the women's division. However, it just felt as though, with so much crammed in, something was bound to get lost in the shuffle. Unfortunately, that was Toni Storm and the Interim Women's Title.
#2 Best - Chris Jericho makes the ROH World Title feel like a legitimate prize
The new face of @ringofhonor!!
#AEW #AEWDynamite https://t.co/ZepwdzgmCC
The world title match between Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Jericho felt like a legitimate prize fight. Claudio put his first world title on the line against a legend with seven reigns to his name.
The match itself was a classic, on the mat, storytelling bout and added yet another feather to Y2J's cap of barnburners in 2022. It cannot be denied that Claudio losing the world title is bitter, but losing to Chris Jericho is no insult, especially since Jericho is the perfect talent to elevate the ROH Title.
Jericho is a bonafide legend whose name carries such a dense weight that he brings a certain future Hall of Famer shine to the typically workhorse title. The ROH World Championship will now sit on the shoulders of someone who has previously held gold in WCW and WWE, solidifying the belt as a prize to be desired.
#1 Worst - Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley was the right match with the wrong finish
#AndNew..
@JonMoxley defeats @bryandanielson to become the NEW AEW World Champion!!
#AEWDynamite #AEW https://t.co/0mb0I8N0sf
The sequel to the stellar Revolution battle between Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson desperately begged for a different ending.
The BCC members went to war with the vacant AEW World Title on the line. It felt as though the promotion had set the stage for Bryan's maiden title win. The American Dragon could and should have leveled his saga with the Purveyor of Violence, leaving a trilogy to be completed further down the line.
The match itself even harkened back to WrestleMania 30, seemingly putting the blocks in place for a typical Bryan comeback. However, hope was mercifully drowned out as Mox secured the win with a sleeper hold.
Moxley winning the world title for the third time makes sense, as either he or Bryan could have feasibly taken the title when it needed a reliable champion. But having been the Interim and later Unified World Champion this year, it remains to be seen what Mox can do to make this reign feel special.
There is also the looming threat of MJF, who may win the AEW Championship soon. It just feels as though Bryan would have been the better pick at the moment, one year after his debut against Kenny Omega.
What did you think of AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam? Did it deliver? Where did it fall short? Let us know in the comments section below.