5 Biggest Takeaways from AEW Dynamite (December 5th, 2022)
I like to keep things as positive as possible.
I like WWE.
I like AEW.
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The TBS Dynamite era has officially kicked off and it did so with a bang. We saw an amazing rematch for the AEW World title, the crowning of the first ever TBS Champion and new Tag Team champions to fill out the show. Adam Cole called out Jake Atlas, Wardlow had himself another symphony leading up to his big match up with CM Punk next week and the acclaimed let it be known that they are far from done with Darby Allin and Sting. This was a really good episode for AEW that had very few bad moments. Unfortunately, we saw Rey Fenix take a nasty bump to end the show when he dislocated his elbow from a choke slam spot, through a table to the outside. An unnecessary risk for this episode but a risk that was taken none the less. This seemed to have caused an audible to be called for the ending of the show. But now that we have ran down the rest of the show, let us jump into the 5 Biggest Takeaways from this weeks AEW Dynamite.
#5: Malakai Black is Bored
It might sound like a broken record, but it will continue to be said until the situation has been rectified. Malakai Black came in with such promise, was booked brilliantly for about a month and ever since has been floating around aimlessly with no real endgame in sight. His talent, character work and promos are amongst some of the best in the entire company and yet he is wasting away, chasing around the high school varsity boys and their cheerleader girlfriend. If you watch the end of the match last night, you might have noticed some body language with Malakai. He looked very bored as well as disappointed when Brian Pillman Jr. tripped on the ropes for the finish. I know this comes as a knock on Pillman and that’s definitely not the case but Malakai is on a completely different level and should be used in a much more prevalent spot right now. His next program was looking like it was gonna be with the Lucha Brothers but that plan might be nixed for now due to Fenix’ injury. We’ll have to wait and see what they can come up with for Malakai and the House of Black that we are all patiently waiting for.
#4: All Aboard the Jurassic Express
MJF has the Diamond Ring. Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara have the TNT Championship. Now, Jungle Boy can lay claim to his own achievement in AEW. Tag Team Champion.
It has been a long time coming for Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus. There has been a few times where it looked like they might be ready to pull the trigger but for whatever reason, they never did during their feud with the Young Bucks. Now that Jurassic Express has reached the mountain top, how will they be booked? Will they get to be fighting champions on the big stage or used as transitional guys that will ultimately hand the titles over to the next team in a month’s time. Based on how they had all the teams come out on stage to watch Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus celebrate, it looks like they might go the with the first option as each time takes their shot at dethroning the new champs.
Congrats @boy_myth_legend @luchasaurus 📷👏 #AEWonTBS #AEW #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/2ftC1MLl49
— . (@kimberlasskick) January 6, 2022
One has to wonder what the original ending might have been though. With the lights going out tease towards the end and a Malakai Black waiting in the dark to the end the show, was Jurassic Express originally supposed to win this match? We may never know but I’m glad to see that it did happen and can’t wait to see how long they can fend off the competition.
#3: Wrestlemania Main Event
You think you’re Roddy Piper? At least Roddy was talented enough to main event a Wrestlemania. Maybe I’ll head on over there and main event a Wrestlemania myself.
If you want to get under the skin of CM Punk, that’ll do it. It is no secret that it is the one achievement that Punk wanted more than anything to top off his WWE career and the fact that it never happened ate him up inside for a very long time. MJF? If he made the jump over to WWE like he has been teasing, there is no reason to doubt that he would eventually get that honor, so to incorporate this into their storyline was nothing less than a stroke of genius. This feud has been great since the first night where Punk denied him a handshake. Punk coming out and getting MJF disqualified for his first match of the 2022 season, giving Max the record of 0-1 is brilliant as well. You can’t accomplish your goal if Punk keeps screwing him over, thus forcing Max to accept a match with Punk. Some don’t like the WWE references. Some don’t like the idea of this feud being drug out. Damn all that. The program between these two has been done to perfection so far and until that starts to fizzle out, milk it for all it’s worth. You won’t hear me complaining one bit.
#2: Danielson’s First Loss
Bryan Danielson has been booked as an absolute force since joining AEW. Going to a 30 minute draw with Omega and an hour long draw with Hangman in their first match, those were the only two blemishes to his record. With his other matches, he would win in convincing fashion as he kicked his opponents head’s in on his way to number one contendership by winning a tournament. The reasoning for this was to make his first loss feel like a big deal and that’s exactly what it did. Hangman Page winning decisively over Danielson last night made you feel like Hangman has finally buried the ghost of uncertainty for good as he redeemed the draw, left the decision out of the hands of the judges and picked up the pin fall victory in the middle of the ring, covered in blood from his all out war. It will be interesting to see where Bryan goes from here. He’s too good to not be in the main event constantly but with him coming up short, there doesn’t seem to be a journey for him that would keep him not only fresh but in that place on the card.
#1: Women’s Division
It is no secret that the Women’s division has faced an insane amount of criticism since their inception, and most of it was very warranted. But I think it needs to be said that over the last few months, they have quietly been chipping away at the perception of the division being terrible. We have multiple feuds within the division and 2 of the 3 that are ongoing don’t revolve around either one of the titles. Speaking of titles, we now have a secondary singles championship for the ladies with Jade Cargill getting that honor last night. It will only be a matter of time before we see the women get tag titles in which I’m sure would fit nicely around the waist of Tay Conti and Anna Jay.
If you look at the high points, you can see that this is not a division to be taken lightly anymore. You have Britt Baker, the superstar that can rival anyone in the company for the top star status. Jade Cargill, the looks of a dominant champion that can and will run through anyone that gets in her way. Names like Ruby Soho, Thunder Rosa, Serena Deeb and Hikaru Shida that can step up at any given moment to challenge for a title and look respectable in doing so. And then the rest of the division can learn through experience and rise through the ranks in given time.
Professor: Do you think there’s any woman on this roster that’s on my level?
🤠: No.
😈😈😈 @AEW pic.twitter.com/zlKjQjxqUt
— Serena (@SerenaDeeb) January 6, 2022
Is the division fixed completely? Not at all. But to think it’s not on the right track would be asinine. The only issue that needs to be addressed at this point is finding a way to showcase the women on the show with more than one match per episode of Dynamite. 2022 is looking to be a really good year for the women of AEW and I can’t wait to see the state of the division come December.
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