AEW Booms and Duds: Kenny Omega took too long to beat … who?

-Boom: the bubbling feud centered on Orange Cassidy and Jimmy Havoc

No one has quite captured the interests of fans like Orange Cassidy. As was written on his lower-third last night, his laissez-faire style isn’t for everyone (mainly Jericho), but it seems like it’s for most everyone.

Jimmy Havoc is someone I think is vastly underrated. Many view him as a deathmatch/hardcore specialist, but he was trained in the technical British style! He was placed into the weapons match role, so many fans just don’t know how good Havoc is as an in-ring practicioner.

I’m loving the build for this feud by having Havoc partnered with Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford, who I also wrote are future megastars (Kipelope? PeneleKip? The Fordians?). Turning Best Friends from their one-sided destruction at the hands of Death Triangle to these three should be fun, and the tag match next week should be full of memorable moments.

-Dud: Kenny Omega took HOW long to defeat WHO?

Omega is one of, if not the best wrestler in the world and that’s not just because we say so; AEW has constantly reminded us of this. He should have a “clean sheet” so to speak against lesser opponents, and only really be challenged by the mid and upper tier.

Why, then, is he not only taking several minutes to defeat Alex Angels, but giving Angels so much offense during the match? It really boggles my mind. It doesn’t help that he’s been on such a win streak (I think second only to Moxley) that I figured we would see Omega vs. Moxley at the third PPV in August or September.

Omega should have literally run through him with a V-Trigger for a quick victory. It’s not like Angels has been portrayed to be AEW’s version of the Premier League winning 2015-2016 Leicester City F.C.

Ironically, he did win the match with the maneuver, and I did appreciate that. Not every match needs to end with the One Winged Angel, particularly against jobbers.

Still, it should have ended quicker, and Omega needs to win these matches quickly and decisively. There were some squashes earlier, so why not add one more?

-Boom: good in-ring action throughout

From the opener to the main event, every match had great in-ring action. Though I thought Sabian should win (partly because I had him in my article yesterday), Dustin Rhodes was fantastic in selling his leg and in his comeback/finishing sequences. Who would have thought that arguably his best days as a wrestler would be 30+ years into his career?

Guevara and Allin seem set to have a long rivalry, like 1990s Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Every match is must-see.

The diversity in squash matches is welcome, and hopefully we see a squash at worst once every two weeks or so.

AEW’s base has always been solid in-ring action. They routinely show why.

We are a month away from Double or Nothing, still taking place outside of Las Vegas and with no crowd. The build to the PPV should begin in earnest next week. I’m expecting AEW to continue a run of great shows, but ramp up the intensity as we head towards one of their marquee events of the year.

Until next week, stay safe, healthy, and optimistic, readers!