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

10 days from Double or Nothing, AEW advertised another stacked show of Dynamite. The big draw: Chris Jericho vs “Pineapple Pete,” SUGE D! Let’s take a look at that match and other events on the show in the weekly “booms” and “duds.”

Hand it to AEW: they’ve done everything short of signing Roman Reigns to stack their shows and garner interest as we head towards Double or Nothing.

It began with last week’s show, continued with this week’s episode of Dark, and saw the momentum through last night’s episode of Dynamite.

After weeks of irking “Le Champion” Chris Jericho, Pineapple Pete (SUGE D) finally stepped into the ring with the “Painmaker.” At least to me, this is what I was most excited for heading into last night’s show. It wasn’t what I expected, but it also sets a path for the two to meet again, possibly soon.

Also, AEW rekindled the stories between Dark Order and SCU as “The Exalted One” Brodie Lee faced Christopher Daniels, the long-time target of Dark Order, in the main event. This segment saw multiple angles occur, and did well in keeping my interest for Double or Nothing and future feuds.

Kenny Omega (still without his championship partner in Adam “Hangman” Page) and Matt Hardy looked to rebound after last week’s loss to Le Sex Gods against another Inner Circle team in Santana and Ortiz in a traditional tag team match. Would Omega and Hardy gain their first victory as a team?

There was a fatal 4-way women’s match involving four wrestlers highlighted in last week’s video: #1 ranked Hikaru Shida, #2 Kris Statlander (the most recent title challenger), #3 Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D., and unranked Penelope Ford.

The last time Shida and Baker were in a match together Shida inadvertently and memorably broke Baker’s nose. What did this 4-way match have in store for us?

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.

To begin, let’s take a look at the clash to end all clashes…that lasted about 30 seconds.

https://twitter.com/SugarDunkerton/status/1260748696028938246

Boom: a sudden end to “Pineapple Pete,” an impetus for the return of SUGE D

Let me begin by praising Jericho. Sure, he’s definitely past his physical prime, but I’ve heard enough people say this is the best character work of Jericho’s career to say I agree. Beyond being a cocky, skilled, and charismatic leader, his comedy anytime he’s on the mic is downright hilarious.

It’s been Jericho’s commentary that really started his “rivalry” with SUGE D, who himself said in a pre-match video he hated being called “Pineapple Pete” at first. It hit a head when the Pineapple one slapped Jericho at ringside during a match.

Props to AEW for hyping the match so much and garnering the interest of SUGE’s fans who know him from the indy scene. It’s safe to say “Pineapple Pete” might be a cult-like figure to AEW fans.

The match…ended rather abruptly. At first, I thought, “All that hype for a squash?” Then, I thought about it more and talked to some people, and they kindly reminded me this wasn’t necessarily a squash match (beyond the time).

SUGE took it to Jericho, using his quickness to outmaneuver Jericho and wail on him with strikes in the corner. He set up for (presumably) a running splash to Jericho in the corner, who countered by nailing him with the Judas Effect; SUGE took a great bump here.

Just like that, it was over.

However, even if you do classify it as a squash, I have written before how AEW has a diversity in squashes, and this tangentially fits.

Let’s look at it objectively: the former World Champion, in his first singles match since losing the championship at Revolution, took on yes, a ring veteran, but also someone whose status is considerably lower than Jericho’s. Jericho should win, and win handily.

The fact he took so many strikes before landing the most protected finisher in AEW (his only strike in the match) for the win speaks to a few things: the potential of SUGE; the journey of Jericho reinventing himself due to the aging process; and how no one kicks out of the Judas Effect.

The tweet embedded above also represents an intriguing possibility: a rematch with Jericho, but this time as his original self, SUGE D.

After all, as he said in the pre-match video, he’s pretty much run with the name and tried to embody “Pineapple Pete.” Maybe this isn’t the path he needs to be successful. Maybe what he needs is to enter as SUGE D, not a caricature of himself. Maybe he triumphs over Jericho as his “authentic” self (as authentic as you can be as a wrestler).

I doubt this is the last we’ve seen of Jericho and SUGE D/”Pineapple Pete.” I doubt the rematch will be added to Double or Nothing, but this might be a marquee match for the Dynamite after Double or Nothing. When they do have another match, count me as one person who will be excited.

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.

Boom: what a tag match

Last week, I wrote that while I enjoyed the tag match, it was a little too cute especially coming off the street fight tag match between Best Friends and Sabian/Jimmy Havoc the week before.

This week, I’m not sure what else to say but what a damn good match. Then again, what else should we have expected considering Santana and Ortiz are one of the better tag teams of the past half-decade, Omega is a current Tag Team Champion and one of the best wrestlers of his generation, and Hardy is a tag team savant (not just a specialist) whose most memorable career moments are arguably from his tag team runs?

(An aside: should we call this team of Omega and Hardy One Winged Deletion? The Obsolete Cleaners? The Cleaners of Deletion? The Omega Vessel? The Damascus Trigger? The Best Dam-Ascus Machines? The Best Deletion Machines? One Winged Damascus?)

I don’t think there was a single part of the *match* I disliked. I absolutely love Ortiz’s Tiger Style and it brings me joy every time I see him do his Tiger Style pose. He and Santana worked so fluidly last night, tagging in and out and performing some impressive double-teams, like the Boston Crab-Camel Clutch combo submission.

Hardy and Omega teamed well, but the one part of this *segment* I didn’t like was how long it took Hardy to make his way to the ring after Omega was jumped by their opponents. It’s like he went to the Rhea Ripley school of making saves where you wait for your music, make your entire entrance, and slowly walk your way to the ring.

I appreciate the announcers mentioning how referee Rick Knox did not call for an end to the match when there were outside bodies making their way into the ring (and out) because none of the legal competitors were struck. That’s a subtle yet effectively coherent line that would be overlooked in WWE.

It also makes sense for the established tag team to lose to the makeshift team in only their second week of teaming. I already mentioned Omega is one of the best in the world, and he’s shown by capturing the Tag Team Championship with a different makeshift partner in Page that his skill translates well to a tag team with a partner of similar caliber.

Hardy is one of the best tag team wrestlers ever, and I don’t think it’s even arguable. He’s also been champion with partners who don’t share his last name, showing his tag style meshes well with others.

Though it hurts to say, Santana and Ortiz haven’t been built to be serious tag team threats the past few months. They’ve been more of Jericho’s heavies alongside Hager, not to mention the comedic range they’ve shown in “The Bubbly Bunch” videos (I hear they’re pretty hilarious outside of wrestling, too). They aren’t even ranked in this week’s tag team rankings, and though this loss means they won’t sniff the rankings next week, it’s also clear they’re positioned as a plucky yet unsuccessful team, like Private Party eight months ago.

Yes, Omega has lost tag matches with both Hardy (last week) and Michael Nakazawa to Best Friends weeks ago. However, Nakazawa is…Nakazawa; no one is taking him as a serious (in every possible sense) wrestler.

Last week’s match started as a tag match, but became a five-on-two beating. While it counts as a loss for Omega and Hardy, I don’t think many people will hold it against them that they couldn’t defeat five wrestlers like it was a movie or anime.

I mean, they showed us just how effective of a team they are last night when in a traditional tag team match. If we have a situation where Hardy is the Timothy Thatcher (and I haven’t watched NXT yet so NO SPOILERS!) to Omega’s Matt Riddle and Page’s Pete Dunne, then this should be fun, particularly to see what happens when Page returns.

After all, what happens with Page and The Elite with the inclusion of Hardy in their feud with Inner Circle was one of the big talking points before the pandemic.

Boom: another great highlight for the women’s division

Dud: am I the only one questioning the ending?

Whew, what a fun 4-way match!

Ever since the Rhio-Nyla Rose match in mid-February (aside from the Rose-Statlander match), the women’s matches in AEW have seen a gradual uptick in match quality and storyteliing. I’ve raved about how the women’s division has distinct angles heading forward, and what AEW has done to lend credibility to the division.

Last night was a great showcase for all four women involved. Yes, there were a few slight botches, but I was impressed with how seamlessly those spots were worked into the match as if they were supposed to happen.

Not everything in fights and sports always goes smoothly and without problems, right?

I’m glad Ford is receiving more time in the spotlight. Her athleticism is clearly evident, and she uses her facial expressions well to play a heel even while performing moves more apt for faces. She also takes bumps really well. I’m looking forward to whoever they match her up with next.

Statlander looked to be in tremendous shape, and showcased both her strength and athleticism, not to mention the “Greco-Roman Japanese Nostril Lock” she employed on Baker. It was nice to see her again after some time off television. My hope is that we have more character-building promos/vignettes so we know more about her than she’s from the Andromeda Galaxy.

Shida and Baker were the favorites coming into the match, with many (rightfully) picking Shida. Her lower third said she’s been the #1 contender for 11 straight weeks! How do you pick against that?

Considering Shida breaking Baker’s nose and all of the antics Baker’s done since to agitate Shida, I figured we would see these two go at each other. I was right and wrong.

They started off against each other, even teasing the enziguri spot that broke Baker’s nose. Baker countered into a Lockjaw attempt only to be thwarted by the other competitors.

The ending mystified me, though, because Baker completely removed herself from the decision by cinching in the Lockjaw to Statlander on the outside (“Where did she get that glove?” asked her best friend Tony Schiavone). This allowed Shida to hit Ford with her 3 Count knee strike for the victory.

I figured if anything, the person Baker would be so enraged with would be Shida. Instead, she decides to focus solely on Statlander to lose her shot at Rose.

Then again, I’ve stated as a heel, Baker doesn’t need the championship.

My mystification was cleared a little bit when AEW announced Baker and Statlander will face each other at Double or Nothing (yay, two women’s matches on the card!). I was still confused as to why this happened so suddenly.

Then Baker was interviewed by Alex Marvez (she asked where Schiavone was) where she explained why she focused on Statlander. Baker believed she had the match won until “E.T. decided to stick her extra-terrestrial fingers up my recently deviated septum, which I can still barely breathe out of.” This was the aforementioned Greco-Roman Japanese Nostril Lock. She then proceeded to say that since she’s such a role model (remember those first two rules?), “I actually want to rip all of her teeth out and donate them to space science!”

I chuckled; great heel promo.

While the confusing ending is not so confusing anymore, I only found clarification through Twitter, and not everyone is on Twitter. Hopefully, we receive these story-building clarification segments on the show more than having to peruse Twitter.

-Dud: Jake “The Snake” Roberts going incel AND perverted old man on us

I had been praising the contributions of Roberts in AEW…until last week. From the phallic imagery of him holding the snake on Brandi Rhodes’ body to him straddling her, it just wasn’t a good look to conduct that segment as such.

It started off well last night. I popped when he teased apologizing only to say he would “as soon as she (Brandi) kisses my ass.” A classic heel line delivered by a classic heel, and everything seemed well.

Then Roberts just had to pull out some classic misogyny that is parroted by incels everywhere: women are only useful for cooking, cleaning, taking care of children, and sex. They don’t belong in a “man’s” world, basically.

To add to the cringe feeling, he said he has a certain woman who comes to see him from time to time, but only after he’s been watching Lance Archer highlights because that gets him “excited.” I mean…bruh.

As a colleague put it, everything that Roberts said was a choice, and a bad choice at that. He could have easily maintained their heel heat without reverting to such low-hanging comments. For someone once known as being intelligent, he comes off as more ignorant and belligerent.

-Boom: whatever is happening between Darby Allin and Taz

In the second attempt by Taz to interview Allin, Taz apologized for the previous attempt yet still blamed Allin for his loss to Cody. I mean, I’m pretty sure Allin does blame himself already for the loss, so hearing it from Taz would only agitate me, too.

I like that we had a little more character development for Allin, and not just as a brooding, dark individual. “No Taz, you don’t get it. I know what a ’tilt’ is. Back in the day, I placed third in the state of Idaho in amateur wrestling.” Great research done by Taz, I guess, who admitted he didn’t know that fact.

He walked off before Taz could do much else, and then tweeted the above. I believe Allin’s assertion that he turned to what can be a solitary yet cathartic endeavor in skateboarding to avoid people who think they know better than him telling him what to do.

I don’t know what this angle holds for the future. Does Taz end up becoming Allin’s mentor? Does Taz, irked by Allin’s refusal to even listen to his advice, find himself someone to manage in a rivalry against Allin? If he’s up for it, is this going to lead to a Taz-Allin match? The latter is about as likely as me becoming AEW World Champion, by the way.

Whatever the case, I’m intrigued to see more of their interactions, particularly because we are seeing more character development from the man “skating to the ring from Seattle, WA.”

We have one more episode before Double or Nothing next Saturday, May 23. In line with the past two shows, AEW has loaded up the go-home show as well. See you all next week to discuss the absolute banger that should be Orange Cassidy vs. Rey Fenix!