AEW Dynamite: Booms and duds for Feb. 19, 2020, including Cody vs. Wardlow

Dud: the “lights out” gimmick and reveal of Darby Allin

First, the “lights out” gimmick has always been dumb and only works for a certain Deadman, so can we please stop using it for dramatic effect?

Second, I am a big Darby Allin fan. He is one of their “homegrown” wrestlers who is already building a star-like following. While I do worry about his longevity because of the punishment his body endures, he has a unique charisma and mysteriousness about him that intrigues viewers.

Still, Allin skating down the ramp to confront four people just didn’t work for me. Even with a skateboard, I have to put aside way too much logic to make that segment work. It didn’t help that Sammy Guevara looked like he saw the walking dead (which, I guess, kind of works with Allin’s face paint).

Story-wise, it makes sense. Allin’s had issues with Jericho and started challenging Guevara to matches last week. I think there was a way to continue the Guevara feud without having him be the big reveal here.

This also points to the need for AEW to sign some larger wrestlers for some body diversity. I would take someone like an Arik Royal much more seriously one-on-four than Allin.

Allin will be fine, but this was the one segment that took away from a great show.