"An MMA fighter and a ballroom dancer" – Jim Cornette gives his thoughts on recent AEW Dynamite match
Wrestling veteran Jim Cornette gave an honest review of the recent match from AEW Dynamite between Kyle O'Reilly and Rey Fenix, which certainly had a clash of styles.
The match was a quarter-final bout in the Owen Hart Cup Tournament and was also the first time the two met in the ring in singles competition, having only ever encountered each other once in the past.
After a back-and-forth affair that saw its fair share of ground and aerial offense, the former NXT star exploited Fenix's injured elbow and submitted the luchador to earn the victory.
Rey Fenix KILLS Kyle O’Reilly #aew #aewdynamite https://t.co/CQGgQjtGS9
On the most recent episode of the Jim Cornette Experience, the former WWE manager gave his thoughts on the match. While he didn't necessarily think the match was awful, the contrasting styles made it a bit awkward to watch:
“Next we had a question to be answered, the match between Kyle O’Reilly and [Rey] Fenix, the question is can Kyle O’Reilly get a decent match out of Fenix? And the answer to me was eh not really but it wasn’t as bad as normal. It looked like an MMA fighter and a ballroom dancer trying to meet in the middle doing gymnastics." (from 2:41:10 to 2:41:34)
Cornette did praise the match to a degree, highlighting O'Reilly's ability to make someone as athletic as Fenix come down to the mat and have a more grounded wrestling contest:
“This was good for Fenix because normally everyone wants to do the f****** gymnastics with him and this time Kyle said ‘I’m going to do my s***’ and he did enough of Fenix’s I guess that he didn’t feel left out. But Kyle tries to make it look like a contest, it’s a match, it’s a fight, it’s whatever.” (from 2:42:33 to 2:42:53)
Jim Cornette is excited for Kyle O'Reilly's semi-final match in the Owen Hart Cup Tournament
Jim Cornette doesn't often sound excited about anything AEW-related, given his lack of fondness for Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, or Orange Cassidy. However, Cornette is excited about a bout on the upcoming episode of Dynamite.
On the May 25 edition of Dynamite, Kyle O'Reilly will meet ROH TV Champion Samoa Joe in the semi-finals of the Owen Hart Cup Tournament. Cornette feels it will be fantastic:
"I just can’t do Fenix or his brother [Penta Oscuro], but finally O’Reilly tapped him out with an armbar so get in the tournament Samoa Joe vs. Kyle O’Reilly and that will be fantastic." (from 2:41:35 to 2:41:50)
Samoa Joe VS Kyle O'Reilly in the #OwenHartCup Tournament Semifinals this week on #AEWDynamite is so Unpredictable I want Kyle O'Reilly to Advance to the Final Round. But Joe as @ringofhonor World Television Champion Can't eat a Pin Clean though 😫 https://t.co/Tj4hSEVx6y
The winner will face Adam Cole at Double or Nothing on May 29 to determine who wins the inaugural Owen Hart Cup Tournament.
Will Cole reignite his old rivalry with O'Reilly? Or will he face Samoa Joe for the first time? Stay tuned to AEW TV to see all of the action unfold!
Please credit the Jim Cornette Experience and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling when using quotes from this article.