5 Takeaways From AEW Dynamite (May 12th 2021)
On this week’s packed edition of AEW Dynamite, we saw the fall-out from the previous week’s iconic Blood and Guts match. Furthermore, we saw a match that saw a potential tag split, an NJPW/AEW crossover, an AEW world title #1 contenders match and a TNT title match. With 3 total title defences, there was a lot to learn going forward from the May 12th edition of Dynamite.
1. A NJPW/AEW Working Relationship?
AEW currently have a working relationship with Impact! Wrestling, with Kenny Omega ruling as the top titleholder for both shows, having defeated Rich Swann at Rebellion. However, the opening match between Jon Moxley and Yugi Nagata could perhaps hint at more Japanese faces on AEW TV.
A veteran of the industry for nearly 30 years, Nagata was accompanied by Ren Narita, whilst supported in the stands by Rocky Romero. Yugi is noted for having trained and aided today’s crop of top stars such as Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki and even Kenny Omega.
A very Japanese-oriented match-up, in this, the IWGP US champion Mox managed to cling on against the former WCW star in a bout filled with stiff strikes and power moves. Although older, Nagata did not look out of place in the ring against the former AEW world champion, putting up a creditable battle until falling to the Paradigm Shift. Afterwards, the duo showed respect to one another, bowing down in mutual admiration.
Whilst we have already seen KENTA in AEW as well as seeing AEW stars cropping up in New Japan, there has been less focus on this than on the partnership with Impact!. Perhaps with this, we could see many more wrestlers making appearances for the other. Sooner than later, we could be getting to know a lot of New Japan talents much better on AEW, especially since many already appear on Impact! Wrestling.
2. More Commercial Themes Songs
AEW has proved already that they are willing to splurge money on the rights to popular songs if the occasion calls for it. More recent examples of this include the usage of The Pixies ‘Where Is My Mind?’ for Best Friends and Baltimora’s ‘Tarzan Boy’ for Jurassic Express.
On this week’s AEW Dynamite, Moxley arrived to a familiar song. Alongside Eddie Kingston, Mox strutted out to the tunes of The Troggs’s classic 1966 song, ‘Wild Thing’. This could soon mean that AEW now use popular songs in a licensed way – unlike the use of known songs used by the likes of ECW.
This means that we may soon hear more commercial songs in All Elite Wrestling in the future. With the company using more songs, such as ‘Wild Thing’, it means the promotion can legitimize their output, with recognized songs becoming another part of their presentation.
3. The Closing Chapter For Christopher Daniels
Suddenly, after having been a staple of the tag division for the last year and a half for AEW, Frankie Kazarian announced SCU would break up if they lost again after having seen their star power falter after losses to the likes of FTR, The Acclaimed and The Butcher & The Blade.
Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian then scored a number of consecutive wins over enhancement, before the inaugural AEW tag champions won a four-way #1 contenders match to get another shot at the belts. They would face the newly-heel Young Bucks, who used to be their friends until they turned to the dark side.
In the emotionally charged match, Daniels ended up bleeding buckets after hitting a ring post. A crimson-doused yet determined Daniels kicked out of nearly everything thrown at him by The Jacksons. Despite a slight error in executing a moonsault, he was still performing with fire until finally being toppled by the BTE-Trigger for the 3 count, thus ending SCU’s tag run. After, a bloody Daniels hugged Kaz in the ring as their tag run was officially over.
In the match, Kazarian proved himself to be one of the best athletes AEW has, perhaps their most underrated asset – a great wrestler for newer stars to get building block wins over. However, in the aftermath, former Curry Man posted a simple Tweet reading: “That might be all.”. The 51-year-old, who is still more than competent in the ring, is seemingly slowing down his career – even if his older age is not a hindrance. This could be one of Daniels’s last hurrahs before hanging up the boots.
4. Inner Circle vs The Pinnacle is Not Over
Backstage, Ortiz, Jake Hager and Sammy Guevara cut a promo on The Pinnacle, berating them for MJF’s actions on Chris Jericho at Blood and Guts; with Friedman pushing Y2J off the top of the cage. Guevara made the point of stating the feud was nowhere near its conclusion.
Later on in the night, Pinnacle members MJF, Shawn Spears, Wardlow, FTR and Tully Blanchard arrived to celebrate their win over The Inner Circle. As is wrestling tradition, they were interrupted by the faces. Their rivals turned up, including Jericho with an injured arm before they sprayed the bad guys with a little bit of the bubbly. The heel fivesome squirmed and slipped around as they were showered with champagne, being exacted a measure of revenge.
MJF grabbed the microphone and declared they would give the Jericho-led stable another match at Double Or Nothing in the second-ever Stadium Stampede match (which The Inner Circle competed and lost in last year). MJF announced though that, like SoCal Uncensored, Inner Circle would have to split if they lost. This match in 2 weeks at Double Or Nothing continues the rivalry between the factions.
5. AEW Have Big Plans For Miro
Rusev was one of the most over wrestlers during his years-long run on the main roster. Initially an undefeated foreign menace, the faux Russian-turned-Bulgarian had several over gimmicks including the mega-popular Rusev Day. With his release in April 2020, he was still a hugely beloved name so when he debuted in AEW, the internet exploded with excitement.
This was muffled early on when Miro was squandered for a few months when he was paired in a relatively heatless tag team with Kip Sabian and given a pro-gamer gimmick. After suffering his first true loss (but was not pinned) when teaming with Sabian against Best Friends in the Arcade Anarchy match, Kip was turned on by his ‘Best Man’ Miro.
This signalled a change as he would go on to face Darby Allin for the TNT title soon after. Having been thrown down some concrete steps the previous week, Miro took advantage of the TNT championship open challenge with the Bulgarian brute dominantly toppling Allin. Winning with a brutal-looking Camel Clutch, it showed AEW suddenly had big plans for Miro, with him leaning over the fallen Darby. Afterwards, Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page attacked Sting as Miro was faced with Lance Archer.
This win sets up an Archer vs Miro feud and the belt win tells us the company clearly are much more behind Miro than they are at first. Still yet to be pinned or submitted, his win seemingly came out of nowhere but illustrates AEW building up Miro as a more unconquerable monster.
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