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'Bash at the Beach' is a name that takes viewers back in time to the days of WCW, back when Hulk Hogan was revealed as the third man in the nWo. AEW owns the rights to this name and they put on a reboot of the extravaganza on TNT and on FITE.
I don't think it was one of their strongest shows, to be honest with you. AEW can sometimes pull off some very exciting events and segments, but nothing seemed to come together in this week's show for me.
I wonder if you felt the same way that I did, and if so, I invite you to leave a comment in the section below. And because I get branded as a WWE guy or an AEW guy, depending on whether my review is positive or negative, let me clarify at the very start that I'm just a fan of professional wrestling and have no allegiances at all.
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#1 Best: Inner Circle exacts retribution against Jon Moxley
I loved everything that Jon Moxley did on the show, from arriving in the same car that the Inner Circle gave him when he joined their ranks to defeating Sammy Guevara in a very good match. But it was the attack from Chris Jericho and his goons that was the biggest headline from the night.
That is until Jon Moxley emerged from his ambulance at the end of the night and walked out with one working eye, assuring PAC that their match next week wouldn't be a forfeit. It just goes to show how well AEW have booked Moxley so far!
#1 Worst: Two big botches
One of the coolest things about this week's show, in keeping with the whole WCW theme, was the fact that DDP wrestled his last-ever match teaming up with QT Marshall and Dustin Rhodes. And how great did he look, jumping from the top rope at the sea of competitors waiting on the floor below?
Unfortunately, Jim Ross' night wasn't nearly as good, because he called MJF by two wrong names during the broadcast. I have said this many a time- Jim Ross is the greatest announcer in the history of the business and even today, when he's on fire nobody can touch him at the commentary desk.
I regret to say that he wasn't on fire this week because he called MJF, whom you may know better as Maxwell Jacob Friedman as Matthew and Michael. I have the greatest deal of respect for Jim Ross but these two botches have to be mentioned.
Tony Schiavone and Excalibur were great, however, and so was JR, at certain points. However, it was just not his night all the way through and these two botches became the subject of ridicule on the FITE TV chat as well with people suggesting drinking games when JR got someone's name wrong.
#2 Best: The main event
I was glad to see Darby Allin and PAC in the main-event spot because these are two men who have a whole lot to prove and they did just that with an electrifying back-and-forth contest. I really thought that this was the match of the night by far and I loved the fact that there were actual stakes in the match as well, to keep the viewer invested.
Darby Allin reminds you of a younger Jeff Hardy and I thought that it was a great call from Jim Ross to remind us of that during the course of the show. Even though PAC is one of the biggest stars in the AEW roster, he is one of those individuals who just never seems to get his due and I really did think that this week's performance put him right on the map at the top of the AEW food chain.
Honestly, if these two men were to lock horns in a feud of their own and face one another a few times, you wouldn't hear me complaining! Darby Allin has the potential to be a breakout babyface in the days to come and I have my popcorn ready for PAC vs. Moxley.
#2 Worst: The women's match disappoints
A lot of people, myself included, assumed that when The Nightmare Collective was advertised for a match at AEW Bash at the Beach, it would be the extremely talented Awesome Kong who would step into the ring against the babyfaces. Only it was Mel and Brandi Rhodes and with all due respect to the two of them, they aren't exactly Riho and Hikaru Shida in the ring.
This was the match that completely killed the show for me and it's a shame that it went on as early as it did, because a lot of decent stuff followed but this was not good. And I say this as a fan, AEW's women's division needs a complete reboot with a few brand new signings.
The positive that can be derived from this contest is that Kris Statlander is very good and I do believe that she has the potential to be a woman who dominates the AEW Women's Division if she has a reasonably decent dance partner in the days to follow. I still cannot guess who the woman will be that eventually takes the title from around Riho's waist to become the next Champion.
#3 Best/Worst: The Dark Order vignettes
I am honestly intrigued by the Dark Order vignettes and the best part is that we know that someone from the AEW roster is going to join the dark side in the weeks to follow. Kenny Omega was mentioned and so was Michael Nakazawa, and a lot more people from the roster too!
But at the same time, the whole presentation of the Dark Order with the creepers and everything else does not do justice to what is often presented in the vignettes, and that is the absolute truth. I love the element of anyone joining the faction at any moment, as was the case with the nWo but somehow The Dark Order does not have the same kind of magnitude as the legendary faction from WCW.
Bash at the Beach wasn't the best show I've seen from All Elite Wrestling but I think it was a pretty good setup show, all said and done. I haven't touched upon a few aspects of the show such as Kenny Omega and Hangman Page earning a shot at SCU, because honestly, it's neither best nor worst, to be fair.
Did you like the show this week, fol?
