AEW Booms and Duds: Jake Roberts went full incel on us

Boom: keeping Lee involved in multiple angles with no dilution

Boom: Moxley/Lee with a great two-week build to a championship match

Last week, I lamented that while Moxley vs. Lee should be a great match of violent artistry, it also felt like AEW was heading down the TNA path of having former WWE wrestlers occupy the top spots on the card. Last night’s interactions had me a little more optimistic that the TNA comparison might be premature.

First, Lee faced Daniels, the initial target of Dark Order and “Mr. Brodie.” Lee’s lower third informed us his four matches have last less than a combined 10 minutes; his match with Daniels was nearly 20.

This is good, partly because Lee pretty much faced designated jobbers (yes, this includes Marko Stunt) until last night. Daniels is a veteran, a former World Champion in Ring of Honor, and overall a decorated title holder over his years of work. Lee beating Daniels in a few minutes defines the latter down far too much.

Instead, we had a competitive match with Daniels showing he is still skilled unlike the earlier story in AEW where he thought he lost it. He ultimately (and rightfully) lost, but he made Lee work for it much more than his previous four matches.

Further, I really like how Lee taunted Daniels’ SCU compatriots at ringside, particularly Scorpio Sky. As someone who as advocated for Sky to receive a singles push, suffice it to say I am very intrigued by a potential Lee-Sky match.

Lee setting up a match with Sky (and possibly Frankie Kazarian) was done well because it was in the heat of match as Lee is whooping on their team member at ringside right in front of them, and not anything where he randomly named them in a promo as he builds towards his match with Moxley.

Speaking of Moxley, he is angry and wants his championship back. He’s still the World Champion, technically, but Lee has possession of the title, maintaining it by sending random Creepers to occupy Moxley as he left with Pres10 Vance (or just “10”), who held the AEW World Championship like a ceremonial offering.

Considering I can’t remember the last time I saw a championship title hostage situation in wrestling, this angle feels a bit fresh. It helps that Lee is playing the sadistic, devious leader so well.

Moxley, Lee’s counterpart in this angle, is the Moxley character peaking on all cylinders: he doesn’t give any you know whats, he wants to fight and doesn’t care how many people he has to fight, and wants what’s rightfully his in the AEW World Championship.

Considering this has been basically a two-week build to a World Championship match on a marquee pay-per-view, I commend these two for really drawing fans in with a good story involving the highest of stakes. Generally, short builds leave something to be desired, but each character has played their role well, including Lee’s use of the Creepers to thwart Moxley and escape.

It’s going to be a violent match come Double or Nothing. Then again, what Moxley match isn’t? After his gritty match with Jake Hager, I expect his match with Lee to be even more hard-hitting and intense. We’ll see on May 23.