#LAWTAKE - AEW DYNAMITE 5/8/24
I spent the night before my birthday enjoying a new episode of Wednesday Nite Live aka AEW Dynamite! Strap in for a good laugh as I deep dive the May 8th episode of this program…
Initial thoughts with the opening match… “ah, this is how we’re starting this show” when I see Trent vs Pockets.
AEW feels so cold. It’s unavoidable. WWE while redundant in some matches, usually feels unpredictable. AEW used to feel that way years back. Now, not so much.
In typical AEW fashion, Trent takes a loss after a hard hitting, picture-in-picture, match to the smaller babyface in peril… then, surprise, surprise, AN AFTER MATCH ATTACK.
All Elite After Match Attacks. I can’t take it with this a lot of the times.
Why is Don Callis all over this? He’s the last person I want to see interact with Orange Cassidy, to at the least, recruit him to his stable of jobbers.
Oh yeah and TRENT LOST. This feud should be over. But it won’t be. Not by a long shot.
After that match, The New Elite bka The Idiot World Order drove into the arena themselves and parked in Tony Khan’s parking spot just to reassure he isn’t there.
Included with this arrival, an angry Jack Perry promo from last Wednesday after Dynamite that included him pouring water on his face, chucking a water bottle, swearing off Kenny Omega, & tying his hair into a ponytail. The end.
Kenny in a hospital room promo. This leads to the challenge of Team AEW (consisting of FTR and two men) vs The IWO in… wait for it…. ANARCHY IN THE ARENAAAA!
Absolutely not thrilled to hear another no holds barred car crash is advertised for an AEW PPV but what else is there to do with this feud besides redundant single/mixed tag matches.
Okada doesn’t get to defend the Continental Title at Double Or Nothing. While I predicted a long reign, I should have realized a stretch of no title defenses would be included.
AEW tried to give Serena Deeb the mic time and the crowd did not give a EFF, equipped with “Lets Go Oilers” chants I believe?
Serena Deeb is easily the Natalya of AEW.
Toni Storm pops the crowd regularly and she by de facto becomes the cool babyface in any feud she’s in than the dastardly heel. This gimmick saves the women’s division at times.
Serena Deeb could cut the most heartfelt promo and knock Toni out and still not feel like a threat to win at DoN.
Rocky Romero runs down on Orange Pockets while he’s icing his entire body and asks him if he’ll pair up with him and Ishi or Shibata or maybe even Trent to get the Trios titles? Yo WHAT? LOL.
In our weekly Blonde Battle, The Mariah May Exhibition continues on!
Saraya really looks refreshing. Amazing to think she was already an AEW Women’s Champion and has been cutting backstage promos for the last six months. More Saraya.
Harley Cameron finally had a match that anyone that was new to hear could go “ahhh that’s who is Harley Cameron is”
Mariah May winning was inevitable and a solid win indeed.
After the match Saraya made her presence felt to let us know she isn’t on an injury leave by attacking Mariah.
Mina makes the save after and fake kisses Mariah before celebrating with a toast. That’s what’s up.
Young Bucks intro in Swerve from the Gorilla position.
Malakai Black with a beyond the smoke and darkness promo about blah, blah, zzz…
The Conor McDavid of AEW Swerve Strickland makes his angry way down to the ring to have a stern show down with his opponent for Double Or Nothing - the confirmed main event of the PPV by the way.
To further show that Swerve’s House would not be in foreclosure to Christian Cage Bankings LLC, the most silent group of affiliates join up alongside Swerve to battle The Patriarchy.
Those names you ask? The Mogul Embassy! Wow do you remember those guys being affiliated with Swerve? We only see Brian Cage have random matches from time to time where he doesn’t win, Toa & Bishop Khan appear and they all take out Swerve with ease.
No allies for Swerve as he gets off to a medium rare start to his AEW World Title reign.
I smell a Samoa Joe affiliation looming just to get the (wink and nod) title shot as payback. We’ve seen that story before.
Swerve is going to need a new stable of friends and FAST to battle The Patriarchy + The Former Mogul Embassy.
Swerve/Christian Cage segments will probably eat up a majority of Dynamite leading up to the PPV just to drive home the severity of why you should care for this match as a main event of a PPV in 2024.
With Bloodline 2.0 heating up across the pond, AEW had to get their resident Samoans some heat.
TBS Champion Willow wants to know “are you ready? Are you ready Mercedes?”
I can’t help but think back to that “32 days” line from Mercedes to Willow weeks back.
Trios Champions are featured on Dynamite for a change, in a match. That’s what’s up. Happy to see Jay White get air time at any time.
Rocky Romero having a match on Dynamite. I said it earlier, but this program feels so cold.
PAC saves Rocky Romero from getting assaulted by the Bang Bang Gang post Bladerunner from Jay White for a decent win.
As if anyone wants to care much about Rocky Romero, just give PAC something to do until his next hiatus by giving him a Trios feud.
Jay White vs PAC on an episode of Collision should slap though.
Next up, Jericho & Big Bill aka The Learning Tree took way longer than necessary to beat two jobber tears.
Jericho is having a blast laughing at the IWC who wishes he’d go away… by showing up every single week… AND WRESTLING!
Copeland and Co learned their lesson from last weeks lumbering match against Buddy Matthews. This week, it’s a No DQ TNT Title defense against Brody King.
This match was going to be default better than Buddy/Copeland just off styles and size difference.
King has never wrestled a WWE style so this puts Copeland out of his element as well.
This match was the lovable violent mess you’re accustomed to enjoying from AEW.
Kyle O’Reilly saving Copeland is so random but I guess it gives KOR something to do until he turns on Copeland and declares his bid at the TNT Title?
Won’t wait long for that, KOR does all he can to keep relevant and just blatantly asks Copeland for the TNT Title match in Vancouver on Collision. Add another L for Kyle O’Reilly.
I am not excited for a Copeland/Malakai feud as I have a complete disdain for the House Of Bleh. The match at the PPV will be good, but I just hope it’s a pitstop for both men and Copeland either retains and moves on or Malakai gets a win that matters and we all go “wow so much for that Copeland title run.”
Just when I thought we’d go a week without another Mercedes Mone promo… here we go. 18 days away from Mercedes in-ring return. She’s upset, every week, that Willow caused her this ankle injury. We know, we get it.
The IWO make their show-closing appearance as AEW continues to pile up the overruns.
Okada Rhodes tells Kenny Omega to get well soon while The Bucks talk down on Tony Khan and Jack Perry stands around making angry sniffling faces and looking not tough.
Okada feels so out of place with the Elite World Order sometimes and tonight was one of those nights. He’s easily portraying the Rick Rude role of factions.
FTR are joined by Eddie Kingston & Bryan Danielson as Team AEW for the Anarchy In the Arena match. Job Squad vs The Idiot World Order to selling a PPV in Vegas this month. Yeah, word.
Bryan Danielson has a few months left until the finale and he’s going out with car crash 8 man tags. This wasn’t how I visioned it but whatever makes him happy.
Dynamite ends with a massive brawl ala every and any match on this program.
For the sake of comedy, this was a 7/10. AEW always feels like the weekly wrestling MadTV episode and for that they’ll always get a pop out of me no matter what diamonds shine in this rough program.