WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAR:
AEW DYNAMITE vs. NXT
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
AEW = Dynamite featured a reduced cohort of matches this week, but there was no associated drop in quality. The main event of the show featured a match for the team advantage at Blood and Guts, which Inner Circle won in emphatic fashion. This match featured great wrestling and in ring psychology, which is exactly what should happen in preparation of a Blood and Guts match.
NXT = NXT featured no matches this week, which was admittedly a shame, but it was an understandable arrangement.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
AEW = Evil Uno delivered a strong promo as he revealed Brodie Lee as The Exalted One. This was a quality promo which amazingly made Dark Order feel interesting and compelling, and there is no doubt they will go from strength to strength with Lee at the helm.
NXT = Johnny Gargano committed the cardinal sin of calling NXT fans stupid, as they are unable to see how Tommaso Ciampa is actually the bad guy. This was a great promo from Gargano as he seems to have fully embraced his heelish side, whilst Ciampa is playing the valiant face well.
Rhea Ripley delivered a strong promo as she announced she has the advantage at WrestleMania 36, primarily due to the event taking place at the Performance Center. Ripley’s swagger was on show here, with her character as loveable as it has been for months.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
AEW = Brodie Lee’s reveal as The Exalted One was unexpected, which made the segment more impactful. Dark Order now has instant credibility, and it will be interesting to see what the group can do under his leadership.
Matt Hardy’s debut at the end of the show to support The Elite against Inner Circle was memorable, and it suggests there is a strong future in store for Hardy in AEW.
NXT = NXT didn’t feature much in terms of storyline progression, as the video packages and promos only served to highlight feuds, rather than progress them in a logical manner.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
AEW = Dynamite was a thrilling show which made the best of a bad situation. Matches were interesting and promos were perfectly executed.
NXT = NXT was entertaining, but it could have been so much better if we had some exclusive matches to watch.
WINNER: AEW
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
AEW gains points for unveiling 2 debuts in different and interesting ways. This ensured they were impactful.
AEW loses no points as the show was the best empty arena offering from WWE or AEW since the outbreak of Coronavirus.
NXT gains points for highlighting storylines, as the promos allowed for as little risk as possible in terms of Coronavirus contamination.
NXT loses points for essentially being a glorified promo. Even some archival match footage would have gone down well with fans, but at least the risk of Coronavirus was managed well to protect staff and wrestlers.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: AEW (+1 / -0) / NXT (+1 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = AEW
With a score of of 5 to 0, AEW crushes NXT to win this week’s Wednesday Night War. Dynamite felt like a normal show, with the lack of a crowd the only issue with the presentation. Both shows dealt with the issue of Coronavirus in their own way, but it was AEW that pulled this off best.
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!
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