WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAR:
AEW DYNAMITE vs. NXT
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
AEW = The matches on offer this week were a step below previous weeks, which is a shame considering the high quality matches NXT has on offer. The Young Bucks vs The Butcher and The Blade was a great opening match, with the right team going over. AEW has a particular strength with tag team wrestling, which was also evident in the main event as Inner Circle defeated Private Party and Darby Allin. Not only was this a strong match to end the show, but it highlighted just how dominant Inner Circle are.
Unfortunately, Nyla Rose vs Big Swole was an extremely poor match, with many rough moments that took away from the potential of the match. Rose picked up the victory to underline what sort of threat she poses to Riho, but in order to win the AEW Women’s Championship, Rose will need to tighten up her performances in the ring.
NXT = NXT featured 3 women’s matches this week, which was a welcome surprise. Tegan Nox vs Dakota Kai was the highlight of these contests, with Nox stealing the victory after gaining a modicum of revenge over Kai. The finish had Nox use Kai’s trademark knee brace on her, before sealing the victory with a Shiniest Wizard. Hopefully this is just the start of a series of matches between these bitter rivals.
The Broserweights vs Grizzled Young Veterans was the final of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament, with both teams stealing the show. I am amazed at how well Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle have made the transition to tag team wrestling, whilst Grizzled Young Veterans reinforced how underrated they actually are. After a gripping contest, The Broserweights were victorious, but all 4 men deserve praise for their amazing performance.
WINNER: NXT
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
AEW = Dynamite opened with a promo this week, as Jon Moxley explained that he lives by a code that money and championships cannot buy. Moxley added that Chris Jericho is a liar, and he has no problems in taking the AEW World Championship from him. Le Champion himself arrived to tease Moxley, leading to Moxley coming after Jericho, only to bail once he was outnumbered. This was easily one of the best promos AEW has shown, as Moxley was fired up and passionate, whilst Jericho continues to be an insufferable champion.
A Pac video package was shown, with him delivering a warning that he will not do things according to the schedule of Kenny Omega, therefore he is coming for blood next week. Pac is not known for his promo skills, which meant this was a lovely surprise to see him deliver an effective and chilling promo. Pac is thriving in AEW, which validates his assertion that WWE were wasting his potential.
NXT = Tommaso Ciampa delivered a passionate promo about how he never truly lost the NXT Championship, and how at NXT TakeOver: Portland he will defeat Adam Cole and reclaim Goldy. Ciampa shouldn’t work as a face, but the dedication he has to his character in addition to his natural charisma ensured this promo left it’s mark on fans.
Keith Lee basked in the glory of his fans, noting how much it meant to him to win the NXT North American Championship. This brought out Damien Priest and Dominik Dijakovic, with each wrestler claiming they could beat Lee. This was a great way to build up all 3 men, with Lee in particular shining on the microphone.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
AEW = Chris Jericho vs Jon Moxley was once again highlighted on Dynamite, with Moxley excelling on the microphone. Despite being outnumbered, Moxley was determined to get his hands on Jericho, but wisely bailed when he realised he was at risk of another attack. This feud appears to be finely poised, as Jericho and Moxley dance around each other to try and gain the upper hand. This allows for the feud to remain both important and compelling.
The Dark Order storyline is once again being pushed, despite not actually being an interesting storyline. There is nothing that can be done to improve this storyline, and the sooner AEW realise this and drop it, the better the show will be as a result.
NXT = Adam Cole vs Tommaso Ciampa is clearly the biggest storyline in NXT, which can only lead to gripping and compelling television as we head towards NXT TakeOver: Portland. Ciampa destroyed The Undisputed Era with a metal pipe, which brought Adam Cole out to the ring to question Ciampa’s actions. This led to Cole hitting hitting Ciampa in the head with a microphone, only for Ciampa to smash Cole through a table. This entire segment was amazing, with the NXT Championship only looking stronger as a result.
Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai had their first match since Kai’s heel turn at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, and neither wrestler disappointed. Nox displayed her vicious side, which was something Kai was not prepared for. Candice LeRae entered the fray at the end of the match to protect Nox, which adds another layer to the storyline. Despite Nox’s victory, I hope this storyline has much more mileage in it.
WINNER: NXT
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
AEW = Dynamite was a fun show, however it couldn't reach the heights achieved by NXT. In almost every area, AEW felt a step below it's usual quality, although it was still a more enjoyable show to watch than Raw or SmackDown.
NXT = NXT was a joy to watch this week, as it featured a string of great matches in addition to compelling promo segments. NXT didn’t miss a beat this week.
WINNER: NXT
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
AEW gains points for the Pac promo, as it felt refreshing compared to most of AEW's typical promos.
AEW also gains points for opening the show with a promo, which made the show feel different. Yes, shows opening with promos can become cliched, but this promo was highly effective.
AEW loses points for the poor match between Nyla Rose and Big Swole, as it took away from the level of consistency that AEW is trying to achieve with it's women's division.
NXT gains points for the visual of Tommaso Ciampa bleeding over a stricken Adam Cole. The fact this was clearly unintentional made the moment feel even more impactful.
NXT also gains points for Shotzi Blackheart coming down to the ring in a mini tank. This was quite the visual, and one which makes her stand out from the rest of the women’s division.
NXT loses points for having Chelsea Green lose. It makes no sense to build her up, only to have her lose to someone in the lower midcard of the women’s division.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: AEW (+2 / -1) / NXT (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = NXT
With a score of 4 to 2, NXT easily wins this week's Wednesday Night War. This is not to say that AEW was a bad show, but NXT was able to beat it in most aspects due to the fact NXT is presented in a better format than Dynamite. NXT featured the better matches this week, whilst AEW featured the better promos. However, I have no doubt that Dynamite will come back stronger next week. Wednesday nights remain unmissable viewing for wrestling fans!
That's my pick for the better show of the week, but how do YOU stand?
Which was better, Dynamite or NXT?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
0 comments: