AEW Saturday Night Dynamite Cliff Notes 8-22-20

FTR vs Private Party

It’s weird that the show starts in the middle of the match but at least the action is starting right away. I’d really like it if the matches were better. Private Party is coming along but they don’t belong on television yet they need sooo much work but they’ll get there…maybe. FTR hasn’t had a squash match yet, they keep going the distance with all of these tag teams no matter what level they are at. This makes FTR feel as if they are in the middle of the road, not a top team.

8 man tag alert

Lucha Bros & Butcher vs Jurassic Express & The Natural Nightmares

At this point they just throw every tag team in a hat and just pull a few out to compete against one another. The match psychology made more sense than usual but the match still felt like filler. A silly way to end the match but it does lead into something at least. Eddie Kingston rallies the heels together. Kingston is not someone that should have been fed to Cody, he has huge upside and that lost makes him look bad. Bringing guys into the company to job to guys is WRONG.

The Elite vs The Dark Order

You have your best faction facing numbers? This isn’t making a star out of anyone. You’ve got perfectly good wrestlers not using their names to get over but just being a part of something that I guarantee won’t last. What’s the point in letting faceless jobbers get in any offense?! Kenny and the Elite go the distance against a fa room of jobbers. Kenny loses it after the match. Kenny’s heel turn is so contrived it’s ridiculous.

Darby Allin vs Will Hobbs

Darby wins a squash. Ricky Starks mocks Allin after his win, dressing up in face paint like Darby. Cage attacks Darby from behind and Cage has been reduced to the muscle with a mouthpiece I stead the incredible machine he was in Impact.

Women’s tag team tournament finals

Ivelisse & Diamante vs Brandi and Allie

Has Brandi improved (from where she was)? Sure (if by sure you mean barely). Is this wrestling good enough for television? No. At least Brandi didn’t book herself to win. But think about this, Anna Jay and Tay Conti were a team, Tay debuted as a babyface with a heel that was already in a heel faction. Almost every team acted as if they had been teaming for years, it’s ridiculous. The commentary was all over the place as well.

Cody [c] vs Brodie Lee

Trash.

You claim that you want to build up talent by having them job to. Ody then you squash the guy people have been jobbing to for over a year?! You do that and put the belt on a guy that already lost a title match for a more prestigious title. WWE alternative my fucking ass. The Dark Order is a faction of jobbers, Brodie Lee isn’t as good on the mic as he was believed to be and the Nightmare family is a bunch of tools. There, I said it.

Honorable mentions

1. Moxley promo.

2. MJF promo.

3. Britt Baker vignette.

4. Tully takes FTR under his wing.

5. Tony interviews Orange Cassidy only for Jericho to interrupt and challenge Cassidy to a silly match. Inner Circle attacks Best Friends and Orange Cassidy.

6. Hardy gets his revenge on Sammy.

7. Thunder Rosa is coming so I guess the NWA is completely dead even though she is talking about her NWA title.

Final take

This company can’t even book its own tag team appreciation night right, last week was tag team appreciation night but this night has all of the tag team matches. There are a couple of stories that are booked well so you can tell the difference between who books what. Adam Page joining FTR and Tully looks promising but if Shawn Spears is near that thing it won’t work. If I take the good things about the show and put them into a one hour program I’d have no problem watching it.

#AnnaJay #JonMoxley #TNTChampion #BrandiRhodes #darkOrder #BrodieLee #CodyRhodes