I Love Paris | AEWeekly #231

Welcome to the #AEWeekly review discussion where PWM contributors reflect on the highlights of the last week in AEW. The eligibility week always includes the most recent episode of Dynamite and Collision, plus any social-media exclusives up until publication.

This week’s contributors are Abel [@loza3.bsky.social] covering Match of the Week, Larissa [@actual-swamp-hag.bsky.social] expanding on the Most Impactful Moment, and Sergei [@sergeialderman.bsky.social] editing and organizing it all, plus Quick Takes on Best Call & Most Valuable.

A page of links to prior installments may be found here: #AEWeekly.

We'd love for this and any and all of our content to be the beginning of a conversation with our readers. To interact with any and all of our contributors please accept our invitation to join the Pro Wrestling Musings Community Discord. Then follow this link to the #AEWeekly Discord Thread.

"A PPV main event on Wednesday..."

by Abel.

The AEW: Grand Slam Series has become a de facto Pay-Per-View on “free” television. The matches in these TV specials are phenomenal, and the main events compete for match-of-the-year recognition, at least on television. That was the case this past week as Will Ospreay defended his AEW World Championship against Kazuchika Okada in Paris for the latest edition of AEW: Grand Slam. The two old New Japan Pro Wrestling rivals put on a show for the good people of France, one that will be talked about in French circles for years to come.

From the start, it felt like a big-time match. The Parisian crowd was HOT the entire match. Excalibur described the ADIDAS Arena atmosphere as “This arena is shaking…” The crowd's constant cheering and chanting reminded me of a European football game. Matches like these in countries not traditionally thought of as pro-wrestling hotbeds can leave an everlasting legacy on a fanbase that, by the sound of it, is starving for wrestling in their home country.

Forever the ring general he is, Okada took a few steps to the ramp to cool the crowd down. However, it didn't stop them. An environment like that always helps in winning this designation. Okada is such a good face actor – The looks he gave Ospreay before the match were full of hatred. It added history to the match, especially for those who might not know much about their previous encounter.

If Ospreay vs Kenny Omega is a Swing dance, then Ospreay vs Okada is a Waltz. It starts slow and methodical, but by the end it's fast-paced, controlled, and synchronized. That shouldn't discount how physical this match was. Those elbows and punches looked and sounded painful, particularly in the closing third of the match. Long-time rivals who work together know exactly how much power to take off a punch-- or, in this case, how much power to leave on it. That is why matches between Okada, Ospreay and Omega always look so authentic. They know the art form; they take their bumps and then take the best ice bath afterward.

Packing this much action and drama into a compact, television-structured match is a credit to both men in the ring. This match could have easily gone another 20 minutes, but they made it work in the time they had. Even though we all knew Okada wasn't really winning the title on Wednesday, some of those near falls made us believe anything was possible. The sound that first rainmaker made was juicy and made me believe. That is what I love about wrestling. Something underrated, and something I haven't seen many online “pundits” talk about, is that there was no nonsense and no interference at the end of the match. Just a good, clean finish to put Ospreay over as the top dog in AEW.

Matches like this are why the seasoned fan will keep coming back week in, week out to watch AEW. Matches with real stakes and real moments, and you don't have to spend $40 on a PPV to enjoy them. Those French fans will now, if they weren't before, be completely bought in on AEW.

Inevitably, Okada will eventually become an AEW World Champion. He's too good a wrestler and too important to the international wrestling scene not to have a run in All Elite Wrestling. However, right now, this is Ospreay's time, and this match made that clear.

"Hangman and Swerve on a collision course"

by Larissa.

“Gee, Hangman seems to be doing really well!” I said to myself upon Adam Page’s return to AEW. After his protracted absence, the Anxious Millennial Cowboy returned with the tranquil air of someone who just spent two months at a beachside meditation retreat. He even met Jon Moxley and the Death Riders with nothing more than a rueful chuckle. He must have found one hell of a therapist. Page’s first promo after his comeback was basically “I’m just here to find myself and have a good time.” Page seemed liberated by the fact that he can no longer chase the Men’s World Championship. When he did return to in-ring action, it was to do the macarena with Brody King and Bandido as one-third of a trios team. Unfortunately for him (and fortunately for us), the good times didn’t last. As soon as Swerve got wind that his ex nemesis was back in town, he threw together the best trios team in the division and set about doing what he does best: Psychologically terrorizing Hangman.

Ever since Swerve and the New Level seized the Trios belts, he and Hangman have been circling each other. It seems like every week, Bandido and Brody are left making awkward small talk with the New Level while Swerve and Hangman make crazy eyes at each other. The rivalry(?) boiled over this week, as Swerve and Hangman flew at each other while Kofi and Bandido had a relatively cordial match in the ring. At the end of the match, which Bandido won, a visibly frustrated Brody King tried to get Hangman to take his eyes off of Swerve for one second in order to congratulate his teammate, but to no avail. However successful we might have thought Hangman’s Eat, Pray, Love journey was, it only takes one man to bring it all crashing down. Swerve and Hangman are facing each other, along with their exasperated teammates, at Wrestledream in a two-of-three-falls match. Are we going to see the return of Heel Hangman? I sure hope so! 

Sergei: Ditto on Hangman and Swerve for both Moment AND Story!

Sergei:

Hangman will not take his eyes off Swerve Strickland!

Yes, thank you, Tony Schiavone, we noticed!

Larissa: I have to shout out the Brawling Birds chugging lagers and spraying baguette crumbs all over the commentary desk during the Wrathlander/Sisters of Sin/Divine Dominion match. Windsor in particular had no qualms about delivering a steady stream of commentary through a mouthful of bread. The Birds bring a laddish, raucous energy wherever they go and I want them to do commentary all the time.