Here’s where we landed with this week’s Dynamite from Fresno. Curious how we rank matches? We’ve got a rubric for that.

Show Highlight—

Bryan vs. Bandido—That’s the match of the year so far in AEW. Like the best matches in the promotion, it was a mix of styles with great submission wrestling, high-flying, and heavy hitting. Danielson’s legacy in AEW is going to be having these incredible 4 star matches out of nowhere between programs like this here. Bandido was never going to win, but he looked like the biggest star he’s ever been since being under contract. I loved the bridge Danielson had out of whatever that inverted-surfboard maneuver was. And it’s funny how it’s physically more impressive somehow for Bandido to pull off a suplex that’s dangling too far to one side than Davey Boy Smith’s suplex, like there’s this natural, weird fragility to it.

What Worked—

Top Flight goes over. As stated before in previous articles and on the pod, The Young Bucks do have a great sixth sense for when it’s the perfect time to job and this was it. Should Top Flight be next men up to go against The Acclaimed? No, but there needs to be a face team ready for when heels get the belts and as stated, a well-timed win like this here will help facilitate their breakout year that the audience knows they have in them.
Hangman and Renee. The initial knee-jerk reaction of the audience is, why the fuck was she forced to interview Hangman in kayfabe? But they pulled off the awkwardness perfectly with some solid, understated acting. Hangman, to his own detriment, feels sorry for Moxley and his mixed emotions about hurting Mox remind him that he has unresolved issues with The Elite. How could the fans turn on this guy last year?
Saraya heel turn. Good on them for making it official. This worked, especially with Toni beating Willow with the rarely used, WWE distraction roll-up finish. If they wanna really lean into the heel heat, that’s how they should win every match.

What Didn’t Work—

That hat. When I was a little kid, to get me to not try on hats at the department store, my mother told me that if I put on any hat that wasn’t mine, I would most certainly get lice. Lice could only be born that way, I thought, for admittedly way too long into life. Some schemas you just can’t shed so easily, so I reacted to Ricky putting on Hager’s hat as if he borrowed his toothbrush or used condom. These mindless flights of fancy make a Jake Hager match in 2023 more palatable.

Show Cringe—

Master Thespian. ACTING!.. is not Shida’s forte. Remember the old aphorism Paul Heyman used with re: to ECW’s talent roster? Accentuate their strengths; hide their weaknesses. Shida should be featured, she should have direction with her character besides having very great wrestling matches, but don’t put her in a position to look like a doofus.

AEW Dynamite 1/18/2023 Match Ratings and Commentary

AEW Rampage 1/20/2023 Match Ratings