AEW Booms/Duds: Britt Baker doesn’t give a you know what

Cody and Shawn Spears faced off in the opening match of the AEW TNT Championship Tournament, Kenny Omega teamed with his long-time partner Michael Nakazawa, and Hikaru Shida finally faced Britt Baker. Here are the booms and duds for last night’s episode.

As discussed before, circumstances are changing rather quickly during our new normal.

It was reported by Wade Keller that AEW taped enough episodes of Dynamite to last at least the next six weeks, if not more. Six weeks would bring AEW right up to the Double or Nothing event, which is still pending since we have no idea what situation will be at the end of May.

As Keller also noted, the same talent who were on last week’s episode were also involved in the extended tapings. Chris Jericho also appeared, but this was to do commentary with Tony Schiavone (or Skia-vone, as Jericho says).

Further, Keller added:

"“AEW also pre-taped matches in Jacksonville last month, including the Jon Moxley vs. Jake Hager AEW Title match that airs in two weeks which will have Jim Ross on commentary. So AEW will be able to feature first-run matches with wrestlers in coming weeks other than just those who appeared on camera last night, since they taped matches in Jacksonville with a different crew.”"

This means that while some may have been wary of seeing the same wrestlers in round robin style matches over the course of six weeks, we could actually see a different mix of talent depending on how each show is produced.

As I determine which segments garner a “boom” and/or “dud” from me, I will keep this in mind. I urge all of you, dear readers, to do the same.

As a reminder of my criteria, I’m not going to run through each match/segment. Rather, I will identify a couple of segments that either worked (“boom”) or didn’t for whatever reason (“dud”).

My criteria includes quality of match/segment and how it starts and/or builds stories. After all, we watch partly to be caught up in the stories. If a great work-rate match happens with no context or bearing on the stories, it’s going to be a miss.

Also, just because something is a hit/miss doesn’t mean it was an overwhelming choice. The selection could be 51 percent hit, 75 percent miss, and so on.

There are other subtleties to my criteria, but those are pretty much the parameters.

Let’s start with the opening of the TNT Championship Tournament.

Boom: a good match to open the tourney

The Cody-Spears opening match of the TNT Championship Tournament main evented the show last night, and it was a solid match.

AEW hit a proverbial homerun with the two video packages hyping this match during the show. Particularly with the second one, it reminded us of two important developments and one important statement.

First, Spears enlisted the services of Tully Blanchard and became “The Chairman” only after he struck Cody in the head with a chair at Fyter Fest.

Second, they’ve had a match in AEW before, which Cody won. Last night’s match wasn’t just a rematch, but also a rematch of the two best entrance themes in AEW (shoutout Josiah Williams).

Third, they both reiterated how much it would mean to them to be the inaugural TNT Champion. Spears said there aren’t many firsts in professional wrestling anymore, but this is his chance at being a first. Cody basically said since he can’t compete for the World Championship, being ranked so high and becoming the TNT Champion would be just as special.

Cody has always been a great technician and workhorse, and he has been able to highlight those skills in his high-profile matches in AEW. Cody understands character and ring psychology to a higher degree than most, and this was evident in the finish.

He hit Spears with consecutive Cross Rhodes (seamlessly chaining them together) only for Spears to kick out at 2 and 7/8. Visibly frustrated, Rhodes dragged the listless body of Spears to the center of the ring and applied the Figure-Four. Spears, still suffering the effects of two Cross Rhodes (an X-Rhodes?), was also in so much pain from the submission he was actually pinned while locked into the Figure-Four.

That was an ending common from before I was even born in 1988; it is very novel in modern times. It made me appreciate the match and rivalry even more. It also left me wondering what other creative but historical match finishes we may see in the future.

This also sets up an intriguing semi-final match for Cody regardless of his opponent being Sammy Guevara or Darby Allin (I chose Allin to win the Tournament). Cody has history with both, and the athleticism that both his potential opponents bring always makes for a great match with Cody.

Side note: maybe Spears lost because he split his focus in continuing his search for a tag partner by scouting Nakazawa during his tag match with Omega against Best Friends in the battle for the right to be called “Best Friends.”

Boom: continued growth of women’s division and Baker, specifically

Prior to the pandemic, I had lauded AEW for their renewed sense of focus and purpose in the booking of the women’s division. The changes brought about by the pandemic did hamper the momentum a little bit, but last night continued a regaining of that momentum that began last week.

I have made no secret I’m a fan of Shida. It was great to see her back last week not only in victorious fashion, but continuing her simmering feud with Baker. Remember, Baker was eating a (rather bland appearing) chicken sandwich during Shida’s match last week, telling Shida it was because her match was boring while also maintaining six feet of social distancing.

To quote a certain puppet, “THAT’S SOME GOOD,” well, stuff.

Last night’s match may have been the longest women’s match in Dynamite’s short history, and while there were some clunky spots (I could do without Baker’s less than stellar superkicks), it was one of the better women’s matches in AEW.

Shida is a great worker and was able to use her experience to garner a good match from the still green but improving Baker. It was a nice back-and-forth match, but really took a turn for the better when Baker was sporting the proverbial “crimson mask.”

While Baker is still a bit green physically, her psychology as a heel as been a revelation. A switch in the match seemed to hit once Baker started bleeding, and it was like she reveled in the blood. I mean, just peep that twisted, menacing smile on Baker’s face as she wipes her own blood.

I actually liked the fact she asked for referee Paul Turner’s glove to apply her Lockjaw submission even though, yeah, the glove was already used. She is a dentist after all, and understands germ theory.

The latter point was only reinforced by Jericho (who was mostly stellar on commentary) reminding us that hey, becoming a dentist isn’t as easy as “ABC,” and takes years of dedication and work…sort of like becoming a professional wrestler.

This should put into context that yes, while she is still growing as a wrestler, her successful journey in becoming a dentist should provide us fans with the understanding that she is as dedicated to this craft as she is her dentistry.

Back to the match, her menacing heel attitude came full circle in her defeat. Throughout the match, Baker kept up with what the AEW on TNT Twitter account called “cocky” poses; they even made a thread from just this match! I especially liked when she taunted the Gunn Club after hitting a Fame-Asser on Shida.

That cockiness cost her in the end as she fell victim to Shida’s running knee/Shining Wizard variant, the Three Count.

Still, what a showing for the women’s division and Baker. Knowing Baker was one of the talents at the extended tapings leaves me wanting to watch to see her continued development, and if Shida will receive another title shot after winning eight of her past nine matches (her only loss coming in a tag match).

https://twitter.com/AEWonTNT/status/1248056554672156672

Boom: a return to form for The Exalted One

The last two weeks, I have written how the video packages for “The Exalted One” Brodie Lee seemed disjointed from the portrayal of Dark Order’s leader leading up to the reveal. Particularly with last week’s video, he seemed to be more a hyperbolic yet petty parody of Vince McMahon.

Well, let’s call last night a refreshing regression to the mean.

Yes, there were still shots at McMahon, but refreshingly, they were subtle and not overt like the previous weeks. “Mr. Brodie” is still impeccably dressed, but now, he’s enforcing a dress code on the Creepers of Dark Order, even giving telling the one who was in a dress shirt and gold tie he had an “opportunity” for him.

What that opportunity is we don’t know yet, but it left me wondering and intrigued.

Also, unlike the previous videos where he enforced his wishes through intimidation, fear, and physicality, Lee instead used positive reinforcement by rewarding the well-dressed Creeper.

Not only do the subtle shots at McMahon over his attire and management/leadership styles help this week, but the subtlety also makes it more relatable to fans. Why?

Most of us know people and/or bosses who have the same sort of ethos: how you present yourself is as important as how you conduct business. As Lee said, “Do you gentlemen understand perception is reality?”

When he says people think the Creepers look like “one of them,” what does he mean? Does he mean a professional wrestler, a WWE wrestler, an “indie” (with all the negative connotations) wrestler, or just what their name implies in Creepers? That’s another question I have after this video.

Further, it adds layers to Lee’s character. Rather than the petulant man-child from previous weeks, we instead have a commanding, methodical, yet caring leader (though that term can be twisted). He didn’t tear down the other two who were dressed like they were going to workout like he did the the sneezing and yawning ones. After all, he said his mission is to make every single life he touches “extraordinary.” This is a much more believable and mission-driven statement and character trait than the man he portrayed for two weeks who thinks yawning and sneezing are signs of weakness.

Now we know Dark Order isn’t just about looking creepy, but about recruiting people who think Mr. Brodie can make their lives extraordinary. This return to form for Lee (and Dark Order by extension) leaves me much more excited for what is to come from “The Exalted One” and his followers.

Boom: a night of fantastic video packages

You know you’ve had a great show when every video package was exquisite. I already discussed how the Cody-Spears videos reminded us of their history and developments in AEW.

The show-opening video from Jake “The Snake” Roberts was predictably great. Roberts had me for a few moments when he started giving props to Marko only to turn heel on me like MJF did Cody by calling Stunt “stupid,” among other things. It’s another brilliant use of a wrestling legend in AEW.

Matt Hardy’s video was a nice change of pace because of its comedic effort (again, I understand if you’re down on Hardy in AEW). It furthered the story between Jericho and Hardy (while getting in a plug for Hardy’s new shirt at the expense of Jericho’s), and it appears we will have an “Elite Deletion” match at the Hardy Compound between the two.

If tonight’s videos are any indication of the quality, this could be one of the better Hardy Compound matches (and give the Boneyard Match competition for best cinematic match).

The pièce de résistance of the packages were the two videos ramping up excitement for the No Holds Barred empty-arena AEW World Championship match next week between Jon Moxley (c) and challenger Jake Hager. When Moxley starts the above video by saying, “Me and Jake Hager are not in the business of putting smiles on peoples faces,” you know it be goin’ down (Dipset!).

Moxley stayed true to his solitary, slightly twisted, and serious character. His most memorable line was, “The feeling of another man’s skull being smashed and broken, I’m not ashamed to say, I kind of like it.” Yeah, that’s pretty twisted.

Moxley was fantastic in not only discussing the importance of the championship and this match, but in putting over how dangerous Hager is. Moxley called it a “humbling moment” when he hit the double-arm DDT he “perfected” only to be in an ankle lock three or four seconds later as Hager rose “like a monster.”

(Just for clarification, that was not the Paradigm Shift. The Paradigm Shift is the lifting, angular double-arm DDT that more resembles Finn Balor’s 1916 or Edge’s Edgecution. Hager basically buried Dirty Deeds 2.0.)

I truly appreciated Hager’s role in the videos. After not speaking for months as Jericho’s heavy, I have been thoroughly surprised at how well Hager’s promos have been considering his past promos as Jack Swagger weren’t all great. The footage of him training and choking out people in Bellator only adds credence to the serious words he speaks about his potential for inflicting violence on another man.

The best development was that we finally have a true mission and character statement from Hager, and it matches him so well at this point:

"“I’m a prize fighter. I fight for my family, you know, people I actually care about. I’m not trying to be their hero. I fight for these heroes. I don’t want to be champion for love of sport; I want to be champion because it pays more.”"

Boom. That little bit in the beginning is all I need to understand this Hager character. What makes good heels great heels is multifaceted, but generally for me, I need two things. The first is a justification for their heelish actions that I can say makes sense for their character; if you’re evil just to be evil, I’m out.

Second, if your  justification is something reasonable like, say, wanting to have more resources for your family, it puts me in a conflicting position because I want to hate you for your dastardly actions while understanding why you’re doing it because in the end, isn’t that what we all want?

This isn’t to say I support Hager’s character considering all the heinous things he’s done before this promo (the low blows, breaking Dustin Rhodes’ arm, powerbombing people off the stage, etc.). However, it all makes sense why he joined The Inner Circle (at the time, the most powerful group headed by the World Champion) and why he is now seeking the title.

Well, this was another great show for AEW, and the third I’ve given only “booms” since the inception of this recurring piece. AEW has been able to shift and transition to the empty-arena setting and taped shows pretty well. This leaves me wanting to see more as we build to (hopefully) Double or Nothing.

What’s next for Baker and Shida? What opportunity did Lee present the well-dressed Creeper? Who will emerge victorious in the World Championship match? We’ll all find out next week together, and until then, please stay safe and healthy dear readers and fellow wrestling fans!