AEW Dynamite Winter Is Coming - Best and Worst - CM Punk forms a dream team, Malakai Black teases first addition to his faction, ex-WWE star remains undefeated

Tonight's AEW Winter is Coming edition is in the history books now, but several notable takeaways have emerged from the show.

But to be fair, this week's Dynamite episode has failed to live up to the hype generated over the past few days. Plus, no big surprises ensured that this year's winter-based event turned out to be nothing short of underwhelming in comparison to last year's inaugural edition.

As usual, the company ticked all the good boxes from an in-ring standpoint. AEW even unveiled some exciting plans for Christmas week. Given what's presently on the table, we'll now be discussing the positives and negatives from the episode's fallout. Feel free to pen down your opinion in the comments section below.

---

#5 Best: CM Punk coming to the aid of Sting and Darby Allin on AEW Dynamite

When Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson kicked off the show, very few would have anticipated that the most captivating angle from the episode would go down during the closing moments.

After MJF defeated Dante Martin to retain his Diamond Ring for the third consecutive occasion, FTR came out to celebrate with their Pinnacle leader.

Surprisingly, Sting and Darby Allin appeared out of nowhere to ambush Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood. But it was cut short as Friedman delivered a low blow to tackle down the WCW Icon.

As everyone thought it to be a night for the heels, CM Punk marched down to the ring, thus prompting The Pinnacle members to retreat from the scene. The company has done a tremendous job in setting up a trios match pitting MJF and FTR against the team of Sting, Darby Allin, and CM Punk for next week.

With this swerve, AEW killed two birds with one stone. Not only did they prolong the inevitable singles feud between Punk and MJF, but they also brought FTR and the face-painted stars into the mix to intensify the rivalry.

Who would have thought that CM Punk would ever team up with the legendary Sting and that too in 2021? Tony Khan seems to have delivered a rating ploy by booking this clash. It also silenced critics lashing out at Punk's booking since his return.

#4 Worst: A predictable bout between MJF and Dante Martin on AEW Dynamite

Before heading into this week's AEW Dynamite, fans expected to see Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson close out this year's snow-themed event.

Instead, the company gave a predictable bout between Martin and MJF for the Diamond Ring that hardly matters. Understandably, the idea was to provide Page and Bryan with a considerable amount of time, which wouldn't have been possible in the main event slot. But the company didn't have an equally good alternative clash that would have been main event worthy.

The opening match set an ample bar, which was impossible for any bout to live up to in the match card. Plus, not every blockbuster match should go to extreme lengths of one hour.

The company could have easily given 30 minutes to Bryan and Page, similar to what they did during the Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson match.

---

#3 Best: Malakai Black teasing the addition of Brody King to his House of Black faction

Malakai Black's tease about bringing Brody King into his fold gave goosebumps to anyone watching the vignette that aired on AEW Dynamite this week.

In what seemed like a devilish clip, Black whispered, "Now you are so much more than a King," to an unidentified person's ear. Wrestling fans are now speculating that the unknown person could turn out to be none other than his tag team partner, Brody King.

It's worth noting that King and Black are presently holding the PWG Tag Team titles. Both men have a rich history of working together on various independent circuits.

While Black's spooky persona fits more as a solo entity, having King by his side could help him display a peculiar side of his sinister character. Both men could terrorize the tag team division. The possibilities are endless for these men as a unit, and it will be interesting to see what the company will have in store if King emerges as the first member of House of Black.

#2 Worst: Wardlow squashing Matt Sydal on AEW Dynamite

Wardlow vs. Matt Sydal was a disappointing affair from this week's AEW Dynamite. The six-foot monster delivered multiple powerbombs to the former WWE Superstar in the squash match.

Knowing that Sydal is one of the best high-flying wrestlers today, the company could have grabbed the opportunity to produce a David vs. Goliath clash. On the flip side, Matt Sydal deserves a far better booking than what he was pitted into tonight. Even if he wasn't going to win, he could have brought the best in the Pinnacle member.

---

#1 Best/Worst: Hangman Page's first AEW World title defense ended in a time-limit draw

The AEW universe was left with a sour taste in their mouths when Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson ended up having a time-limit draw. Both men failed to pin each other inside for 60 minutes of their gruesome encounter. Surprisingly, the two AEW stars set a new record for producing the longest match in Dynamite's history.

Although Bryan and Page delivered spine-chilling performances, having no decisive winner from the match may have sent fans fuming with rage. Not too long ago, fans witnessed a similar outcome when Bryan faced Omega in a non-title bout.

But such swerves work well only once in a blue moon. The company may have made a big blunder by not giving the desired result to their fans.

To keep Bryan Danielson undefeated and into the championship picture, the company made Hangman Page's first title defense abysmal. It will be interesting to see how their storyline unfolds next week.