Did AEW do a good enough job in getting us excited for Double or Nothing? If you're asking me for an answer, then I would have to say yes, despite the issues that I faced with the AEW broadcast through the course of the night.
FITE TV's broadcast skipped in several places and there were several audio issues, but I'm not going to list that as a 'worst' because my colleagues who watched the show on TNT assured me that the issue was only FITE TV specific, and those who watched AEW on TNT faced no such problem. So, with that said, let me jump right into my 'Best and Worst of AEW Dynamite' review then.
Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of this week's show, ladies, and gentlemen.
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#1 Best: Jake Roberts and Arn Anderson square off in AEW in 2020
We all know that for all that he's achieved in the world of boxing, Mike Tyson's name will always be associated with pro wrestling as well because of everything he did during the Attitude Era with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Tyson is someone who has a great deal of respect and admiration for the art of wrestling and no, I wouldn't be wholly surprised if Jake Roberts unleashes his snake on him.
Also, can we just appreciate the fact that Jake Roberts and Arn Anderson got to square off in the ring and cut promos on each other on AEW Dynamite? If this was the only segment advertised for AEW this week, it would be worth the price of admission (which isn't much on FITE TV).
But yes, Mike Tyson and a certain snake could certainly tussle at AEW Double or Nothing, or so it seemed from the way that this week's show was presented.
#1 Worst: Is AEW star Britt Baker really injured?
At AEW Double or Nothing, the much-anticipated pay-per-view this weekend, Dr. Britt Baker was supposed to go one-on-one with Kris Statlander. This was a much-deserved spot for Dr. Baker, who has come a long way in the AEW roster since the time she started and has really embraced the position that she's been given as a heel.
Unfortunately, as you can see in the video that I have shared above, Britt Baker may have suffered a legitimate injury during her match. Yes, this was a match that had its moments for sure, but it also had a lot of sloppy moments too, especially from Kris Statlander who just seems to be one step behind the rest of the women in the current roster.
I just think that AEW superstars do a little too much in the ring at times when they don't necessarily need to. Arn Anderson and Jake Roberts told interesting stories in the ring and did not need to take the kind of risks that the roster does now, and still ended up becoming legends in the business.
#2 Best: The AEW Champion snaps
Both Jon Moxley and Brodie Lee came to AEW from WWE because both men wanted to tell compelling stories in the ring and not be a part of the thing we know and love (and sometimes hate) called sports entertainment anymore. I really do think that both men are a lot edgier in a sense in All Elite Wrestling, and even though the idea of Lee stealing the AEW Championship is a little weird, why wouldn't it be weird, considering Lee is the leader of a cult?
We all know that this match is going to be a lot more fists than flips when it comes around, and I genuinely thought that the company did a pretty commendable job when it comes to establishing the feud in the right manner with the way that it was built up ahead of the contest. Jon Moxley snapping and threatening to break the arm of 10, a member of the Dark Order was exactly what we needed from him, in my opinion.
#2 Best/Worst: A mismatch of styles between two AEW stars?
Matt Hardy is obviously one of the greatest of all time and such was the case even before he stepped into AEW. Sammy Guevara is another individual who has proved that he's one of those rare talents to look out for in the AEW roster, and he continues to showcase just how gifted he is, every time he steps into the ring. However, when the two men met in the ring, I just felt like they didn't have the kind of chemistry that one would have assumed that they had.
It was still a fine match, but Hardy obviously has the bumps and bruises from putting his body on the line for years on end. Guevara and Hardy would do a lot better in a Hardy compound style match or even a multi-man match where the fact that Hardy's TLC days are behind him could be concealed. Guevara could also tone it down a little bit when he's in the ring with a veteran who's not going at a million miles an hour.
#3 Best: The Young Bucks and Hangman Page return to AEW
AEW went off the air in the best possible manner with The Young Bucks and Hangman Adam Page returning to the fold once again. It was the best-case scenario for the company ahead of AEW Double or Nothing, and the dramatic twist of Hangman Page not revealing whether he was on the same (no pun intended) page as the rest of The Elite made things very interesting indeed.
I have to say that, all said and done, AEW did a commendable job with the resources that they had at hand this week, putting all the pieces in place ahead of the pay-per-view. Had Dr. Baker not been injured in the manner that she did, I would have had a tough time filling up the 'worst' column of this review.
When you have a minute, do check out our Youtube channel where we are constantly uploading content from AEW and WWE, such as the interview conducted by my colleague Stephanie Chase with the legendary Spanish announcer Hugo Savinovich.