This week's AEW Dynamite provided all the fall-out from the recently concluded All Out pay-per-view. With the upcoming Grand Slam episode in New York two weeks away, the company planted seeds for big-money feuds.
Wednesday night's show kickstarted with Malakai Black in action against the legendary Dustin Rhodes and concluded with Jon Moxley's homecoming. Moreover, the wild reactions from fans in Cincinnati made the episode a must-watch.
It is now time to provide you with the best and worst from the show. If you disagree with any of the points mentioned below, don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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#5 Best: Kenny Omega - Bryan Danielson feud on AEW Dynamite
One of the biggest takeaways from the show was Bryan Danielson confronting AEW World Champion Kenny Omega. The latter came out this week alongside The Elite to brag about his dominance. Without waiting any longer, they introduced Adam Cole as the newest member of their faction.
Cole received a massive pop as he marched down to the ring. He delivered an amusing promo, notably putting Tony Schiavone on notice if he comes any closer to his girlfriend, Dr. Britt Baker.
Fans got a little throwback from AEW All Out this week as Danielson again interrupted The Elite. Omega asked his mates to leave the ring, leaving The Cleaner and The American Dragon in a buzzworthy confrontation.
Danielson quickly snatched the mic from Omega, further mocking him for being a coward and not on his level. This prompted The Best Bout Machine to initiate the attack, but Bryan Danielson caught him with his Lebell lock.
However, this didn't last much longer as The Elite rushed to the ring to attack the former WWE Superstar. Fortunately, Christian Cage and Jurassic Express returned the favor to Danielson by coming out to even the odds. The tussle concluded with Brandon Cutler taking a running knee from the latter.
The entire playout generated massive buzz among fans and hinted at a possible AEW World Championship match between Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega down the line.
Moreover, Adam Cole has also been announced for his debut match next week against Frankie Kazarian. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that the landscape of AEW completely changed after All Out.
#4 Worst: Tully Blanchard teasing a singles match with Sting on AEW Dynamite
In a surprising backstage interview, Tully Blanchard hinted at a possible match with AEW's Sting down the line. His promo caused a stir on social media, with people mostly expressing their disinterest if the company books this match. Both Blanchard and The Icon have faced each other multiple times, but that was decades ago.
Although Sting has shown no ring rust in his recent matches, it wouldn't be too appealing to see Tully Blanchard wrestling in 2021.
On top of that, with both men in their 60s, their match will be nothing short of a disappointment. We hope that Blanchard's tease leads nowhere.
#3 Best: Jon Moxley's homecoming win against Minoru Suzuki
In the main event of AEW Dynamite, Jon Moxley defeated NJPW legend Minoru Suzuki in a gruesome match. Both men left no stone unturned in putting each other down.
It wasn't a fast-paced contest, but the way Moxley and Suzuki battered each other, it looked like a big fight feel. The former AEW World Champion delivered a vicious Paradigm Shift to win the match. He took sweet revenge from Suzuki, who destroyed him at All Out.
Tonight's win marks Moxley's second victory over the Japanese star after having previously defeated him at NJPW's New Beginning last year.
The company sent fans home happy with their hometown hero emerging victorious. It truly was a sensational night for the former Shield member.
#2 Worst: The Dark Order falling apart on AEW Dynamite
Dissension in The Dark Order continued this week on AEW Dynamite after they suffered a dreadful fight against FTR and Shawn Spears.
It all kickstarted with Evil Uno blaming John Silver for the loss and eventually pushing him down. It led to a massive brawl with the Dark Order members laying hands on each other. Anna Jay and Tay Conti did come out, but the situation became unavoidable at that point.
Ever since Hangman Page left the group and went on a hiatus, The Dark Order seems to be falling apart with each week passing by.
While The Anxious Millennial Cowboy isn't expected to return anytime soon, the faction is in desperate need of a leader.
If things continue to go this way, fans may soon see them split up, which would be absurd, given how over they are with the fans.
#1 Best/ Worst: CM Punk's new feud emerging on AEW Dynamite
AEW star CM Punk came out this week wondering about his plans moving forward. The Straight Edge Superstar left it up to the audience to decide for him.
However, Taz interrupted him and asked Punk to avoid mentioning the names of any Team Taz members. Both Powerhouse Hobbs and Hook surfaced at the entrance ramp to stare down CM Punk. This led to him issuing them a challenge, notably asking Hobbs, Starks, or Hook to try and beat him.
After facing Darby Allin, Punk should have been booked into an eyecatching storyline. Someone like MJF would have been a fitting opponent for him heading into the AEW Grand Slam event at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Ricky Starks is engaged in a feud with Brian Cage, which would leave only Hobbs to face CM Punk.
The match may not sound too exciting on paper. Nevertheless, witnessing Punk back full time and hungry for opponents was a great sign. The Second City Saint may be keen on elevating younger talents first before moving on to mouth-watering clashes down the line.