Best and Worst of AEW Dynamite: Triple H and WWE RAW Superstar namedropped; CM Punk's alleged altercation consequences addressed; massive title change
There was significant speculation surrounding the state of AEW and its roster heading into this week's edition of Dynamite.
Mere hours from winning his second world title with the promotion, CM Punk engaged in a physical altercation with multiple stars including Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. The story rocked the world of All Elite Wrestling as the futures of not one but four champions in the promotion were called into question.
As more details emerged, it became clear that tonight's AEW Dynamite would be quintessential in establishing a path to move forward. How would AEW deal with such a colossal fallout behind the scenes?
The answer was two hours of intrigue and a showcase of adaptability. But let's break the night down into the best and worst.
#5. Worst: AEW World Championship and Trios Tag Championships vacated
THE AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP HAVE BEEN VACATED!!
#AEWDynamite #AEW https://t.co/4mmyeNGGzq
Tony Khan opened the night to address the status of the Trios Tag and AEW World title held by the Elite and CM Punk respectively. During which he said that he had been forced to vacate both titles before announcing his contingency plans.
Everyone that had been involved in the backstage altercation received a suspension, and as a result they could not fulfill their obligations as champions. To add more salt to the wound, Punk is said to have sustained a major injury during his bout with Jon Moxley at All Out which will keep him out for some time.
Tony Khan had to vacate the titles, pending an internal investigation the futures of all involved are up in the air. However, it's never a good thing when a newly crowned champion, much less four, has to drop the belts so soon after picking them up.
The announcement of a tournament to crown a new world champion and the Trios title win for Death Triangle serves as some form of consolation. But it's real shame events have transpired how they have.
#4. Best: Daniel Garcia wins the ROH Pure Championship and celebrates with the Blackpool Combat Club
The Code Of Honor! 🤝
#AEW #AEWDynamite #ROH
@WheelerYuta @GarciaWrestling https://t.co/bQ4Q0jWEbs
The will he, won't he storyline between Daniel Garcia, his hero Bryan Danielson, his mentor Chris Jericho and warring factions the Blackpool Combat Club and the Jericho Appreciation Society has been captivating television.
Red Death was one of the names mentioned from the beginning by Bryan, when he was just conceptualizing the idea to Jon Moxley. He ended up committing to the JAS but has since grown distant from the group and their ways, leaning towards the BCC after all.
He has shown internal conflict, caught between a rock and hard place in recent weeks. Tonight was no different, as Jericho ensured that Garcia was to go it alone against the BCC's Wheeler Yuta for the ROH Pure title.
Y2J made sure that was the case after DG refused to celebrate his All Out win over Bryan Danielson. However, Red Death proved that he didn't need the group as he captured the Pure title from Yuta before adding another twist in the tale.
Garcia proceeded to celebrate his title win, not with Jericho or the JAS, but instead with his opponents Wheeler Yuta and Bryan Danielson. Perhaps he will finally make the switch to the academy of violence, no longer a sports entertainer but once more a professional wrestler. Time will tell.
This is one of the more compelling tales on AEW programming, and taking the less is more approach is serving the story well week-in-week-out.
#3. Worst: An abundance of random and seemingly thrown-together segments
This group is a MENACE!
#AEWDynamite #AEW @StokelyHathaway https://t.co/Sfnt6XHh0D
As can be expected, thanks to such a tumultuous time, there appeared to be some oddly thrown-together and disjointed segments. Expected? Yes. Excused? Not so much.
Stokely Hathaway's segment can be taken as an example. It felt random and did nothing to progress any form of storyline. This was considerably ironic considering the angle had been built around a stage hand telling them they hadn't enough time for their segment.
Stoke struck the stage hand, claimed to be the king of ladder matches after he effectively handed MJF his world title shot. Then W Morrissey struck the stage hand with a big boot.
Wardlow's TNT title bout also felt like it was just there. Tony Nese answered the open challenge and got decimated in under two minutes. Toni Storm also wrestled in her first bout since winning the Interim AEW Women's World title, but again it was over almost as soon as it started clocking in just over five minutes.
#2. Best: Bryan Danielson earns an opportunity at redemption against Chris Jericho
.@bryandanielson beats Hangman to ADVANCE to the Semis of the #AEW World Title Tournament!
The rematch from #AEWAllOut is set! Gear up for another round of @bryandanielson vs @IAmJericho !
#AEWDynamite https://t.co/kVEPkUxxnu
On a more positive note, the first round of the World Championship tournament kicked off with a bang. Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson renewed acquaintances in a threequel of their prior title bouts, and it delivered in each and every way.
At Winter is Coming 2021 and the TBS debut episode of Dynamite, Bryan has been unable to rest the world title away from Hangman. However, on this occasion, he got his win back to advance to the next stage of the tournament.
After avenging his loss to Hangman Page, the American Dragon is now on the hunt for vengeance once more as he faces Chris Jericho in the semi-finals. Bryan and Jericho have been at odds as part of the JAS-BCC faction war, and now over the loyalty of Daniel Garcia and faced one another at All Out.
Jericho left with his hand raised at the Chicago event, next week Bryan has the chance to get him back in the worst way, stealing a place in the final of the world title tournament.
#1. Best: MJF namedrops Triple H and Cody Rhodes during his first promo since walking out
His first promo back and dude casually name drops Cody Rhodes, Triple H, Nick Khan & says he may take the #AEW World Title to #WWE 🤐
#AEWDynamite #MJF https://t.co/vMoz0BNZds
MJF returned to AEW at All Out for the first time since he dubbed Tony Khan a "f*cking mark" and demanded to be fired. The winner of Sunday's Casino Ladder Match headed into AEW Dynamite confirmed to have his own promo segment, which delivered itself and then some.
What was probably due to be a stand-off between CM Punk and MJF, establishing what was to come, turned out to be a stand-off between Friedman and Jon Moxley. The future world title challenger referenced WWE names like Triple H, Cody Rhodes and Nick Khan as he mooted the idea of winning the world title and taking it to a "real company".
Moxley, the franchise player of AEW, rejected that notion. He cut an impassioned promo, telling of wanting to be the flag bearer for the promotion he is with, going against MJF's own wantaway desires.
It was simple hero vs. villain storytelling, pro-AEW vs anti-AEW, and planted seeds for a potential world title feud in the coming future.
MJF, as always, lit the mic on fire with his words, once more teasing an eventual switch to the rival promotion. Jon Moxley rebutted the notion, and the segment very much reflected, ironically, that of CM Punk vs. John Cena in 2011.