Speedball Rises (to the occasion) | AEWeekly #211

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 and MVP, and Sergei [@sergeialderman.bsky.social] with a few words on the Moment otW as well as editing and organizing it all.

Thank you to Emiliana [@emilianartb.bsky.social] for all of her brilliant work on AEWeekly over the past several months. Hopefully we may see her back, perhaps whenever the Cowboy also returns?

 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.

“Speedball” Mike Bailey vs Mike Davis

"David vs Goliath..."

by Abel.

Coming out of another strong Revolution pay-per-view, All Elite Wrestling is on the build to Dynasty, and two wrestlers who will probably play a big part in that, Mike Bailey and Mark Davis, went head-to-head for the first time and put on a good example of the “David v Goliath” style of match. It was a lean week in AEW, as many of their stars are either taking extended time off for rest or taking the week to heal up from a wild PPV. So, when you need someone to step up in a big moment, “Speedball” Mike Bailey is quickly becoming a “sure thing” when it comes to weekly AEW television matches. Not to be outdone, Mark Davis has also built quite an impressive resume, as he continues to become a reliable heavy for Tony Khan. When you pair them up, you get two hungry wrestlers, continuing to make a name for themselves … and you get the match of the week.

I'm a sucker for a “tiny little, speedy guy vs a big, slow monster” match, and this was one of the best examples of that I have seen in a while. The contrasting styles of Davis and Bailey makes for an aesthetically pleasing blend, and provide the variety we all love and crave in AEW. But not only that: the reason matches like this work is that, if they are good, both men feed off each other and are able not only to look good themselves but also to give their opponent the opportunity to do so.

This was Davis and Bailey's first singles match against each other, but you wouldn't be able to tell from how well their timing worked against each other. The perfect example of that was the running lariat that turned into a backheel kick. That could have easily been mistimed and come out looking like crap. Instead, the spot came out looking seamless, which is a credit to both performers.

Everything Davis does looks brutal and vicious. That BT bomb on Bailey looked like Davis used every bit of energy he had. Those types of moves are so much more effective when it's just not the takee looking like it hurt, but the giver also looking like they are exerting all the force in the world. His lariats look awfully Bradshaw-Y (which is a compliment) and I could see a world in which a lariat could be Davis’ finishing move. When Jake Doyle comes back from his injury, the two of them might – again – be legitimate contenders for a tag-team title run.

Davis is the perfect stable goon/muscle and has really carved out a place for himself within the crowded Don Callis Family. It would have been easy for him to go away and let Kyle Fletcher become the standout star of Aussie Open, but Davis has put in the work and has become a very important depth piece on an already loaded roster. When you can set yourself apart from the rest of the roster, you can guarantee a spot on television, just like Davis has.

​Bailey, on the flip side, is a fine machine. Their kicks, knees, and punches all look so effortless and make great “pro wrestling contact.” The Bailey kicks on Davis’s barrel chest, making an ungodly noise – just absolutely perfect for wrestling. All of Speedball's movements have a purpose and don't exert unnecessary energy. Bailey is one of the most efficient wrestlers on the roster, which is why their star continues to shine and grow as their tenure in AEW continues.

​In a different universe, Davis would've been the wrestler who won and got over, but I ain't too mad at the Bailey push. Davis will get his eventually, but right now it's Bailey’s time to climb the ladder.

​As with any match of the week, I would like to see this match-up again. To build some history, they should let this marinate for some time before we see them run it back. Hell, in a couple of years, this might be a match for one of the midcard titles, or if you are really optimistic, maybe for the AEW World Championship!

Young Bucks and Cope & Christian

"Main Event Energy..."

by Sergei.

Tonight, I'm going to see AEW wrestling live for the very first time, and unfortunately it comes at a time that I'm less excited about the direction of the promotion than I've ever felt before, which makes choosing a best Moment (or best anything) sort of fraught. By any objective standard, the MJF post-match interview that got broadcast on Dynamite was excellent. But I'm not exactly feeling objective about that particular storyline rn: come on, Max – too soon! And the show-opening moment seemed … arresting? potentially intriguing? A brutal attack by an unknown culprit on one of my VERY favorite wrestling stars today? But then I remember how the "Devil" whodunnit fizzled back in 2023. And then I also remember the most likely suspect: fuck Ronda Rousey, btw.

The best of a bad (or mediocre, anyhow) lot for me was the main-event angle: a fated confrontation between two generational tag teams. And I'll tell you why this especially hit for me: one of my favorite eras of pro wrestling (go ahead and clown me for it) is weekly-PPV early TNA. Because the format forced them to make every show matter, which in turn forced them to rotate which division was the main focus and main event each week (to allow the others a chance to build). I've always wanted that for the AEW Tag division, but it's never really happened. The Bucks and TAFKA E&C (with FTR possibly in the mix) have the potential to finally bring the tag titles to that promised land… (Especially in a world without Hangman.)

“Speedball” Mike Bailey

"Hard work pays off…"

by Abel.

This week, AEW television lacked consistency because Collision aired late and was split into two episodes after the NCAA Tournament. However, “Speedball” Mike Bailey stood out, delivering the two best matches: his singles bout against Mark Davis on Dynamite and his main-event Trios Title defense against Josh Alexander, El Clon, and Konosuke Takeshita.

It's been just over a year (March 12, 2025) since Bailey officially became All Elite, and they have turned out have been one of the best roster-building signings in the history of the company. That showed this week, coming off a PPV when the roster might be on the thinner side, when talented lower-card wrestlers like “Speedball” are incredibly important to maintaining continuity and consistent quality. It's about time they gets their roses, and that is why “Speedball” Mike Bailey is our MVP of the week.

“Speedball” Bailey had one of the most important weeks in their short AEW career. It put the spotlight squarely on the French-Canadian wrestler. They were given the ball and they ran with it. Speedball had a banger of a match against Mark Davis (see above) and a fantastic Trios match. In that match, Speedball, Mistico, and Kevin Knight successfully defended the title against the Don Callis Family. They also delivered an excellent promo to add to their resume for the week.

Every match they're in, Speedball gives it their all. This is something that really endears them to the crowd. The AEW fanbase is smart, perhaps too smart for its own good sometimes. They recognize when a wrestler is doing their best and most in the ring. As a result, Bailey has earned a devoted fanbase. Every time Bailey gets into the ring, everything looks clean, powerful, and purposeful. That is why their matches are so fun to watch. When they're given the ball, it's a slam dunk (pun very much intended).

In the backstage promo before their Dynamite match, Bailey cited hard work and mental toughness (rather than their god-given talent) as the reasons they are in their position. Nobody is more of a white meat babyface than Bailey right now, and nothing gets a babyface over more with fans than the “hard work” angle. But the best thing about that promo is that it's not hard to believe that Bailey’s track to the top has truly been earned with hard work.

Bailey’s match on Collision was given the proper position – main event – for the week, and it encapsulated the week that Speedball had. Between this match and the one they had on Dynamite — which is impressive, because if you follow the company closely, you know they were filmed on the same night — Bailey proved their versatility in different types of matches… which is something to be applauded.

In the week following a big pay-per-view, there are vacuums left by the top of the card as they take a week — or, in Hangman’s case, a few months — off. When that happens, it is important that the rest of the roster step up and continue working for the television audience. This is, I believe, where AEW really shines, as its depth is among the most impressive any wrestling promotion has ever had.

Wrestlers like “Speedball” Mike Bailey will take the opportunity given to them in talent vacuums like that and will take it and run. This is when stars are born, and after the week Bailey had, I think it's only a matter of when, not if, Speedball becomes a singles champion. But, for now, we can appreciate Bailey for what they are: a very crucial part of the AEW roster, who, along with Kevin Knight, are making a name for themselves in the promotion, but also carving out a place of their own