When the Bell Rings | AEWeekly #191

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, Emiliana [@emilianartb.bsky.social] giving us the MVP of the Week, and Sergei [@sergeialderman.bsky.social] talking Best Interview as well as editing and organizing it all.

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

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Pac vs Orange Cassidy V

"Hello, old friend…"

by Abel.

Not only was this a Homecoming for AEW, but it was a return of one of the most entertaining and physical rivalries in the history of the company, Orange Cassidy vs Pac. Both rivals have not lost a step, and while not the best match in their rivalry, considering all factors – injuries and storyline – this might have been the most impactful. They are both in the middle of the AEW vs Death Riders storyline, and that storyline can't end without Orange Cassidy's input. It only makes sense that Pac, his biggest rival, is in the way. For their effort in showing us that they will fight forever for as long as they want to, this is the match of the week. 

Pac has an entirely new look – one that would almost make him almost unrecognizable if you didn't know Pac had returned. It does seem to fit him in better with the Death Riders – no more long hair, and now a complete set of black trunks. What hasn't changed, however, is the amazing shape Pac is in. Both wrestlers are returning from injury, and this is Pac's first match back since returning at All Out. It is a great starting point for the two to get comfortable back in the ring, facing each other and setting the stage for another fantastic match. 

Even though these men have faced each other four other times, the start of this match was slow. They were still feeling each other out, as to tell us that they respect each other in the ring. But once they got going, this was another classic match between the two rivals. When you have performers who have competed with each other multiple times and trust each other, as these two do, we get these amazing spots in matches. Like Orange Cassidy jumping with his hands in his pocket to land on Pac on the table. I've never seen OC do that before. For Pac, it was delivering that tombstone to the crowd, which looked vicious as hell. They even learn from each other. Pac rolling out of the ring, OC style, was a great addition to the story of this rivalry. 

It's poetic that a roll-up caused the match to end. Everyone was expecting a big finish, but a roll-up where Darby Allin helped OC with buying him enough time is the perfect way to zag, instead of zig, and a way to continue the rivalry. A unique setup gave OC the win, as Pac beat the 10-count by jumping the rope, setting him up to be caught off guard. I've never seen that either.  After the result, OC has now evened up the series between him and Pac. OC and Pac both have two wins. The series is now 2-2-1. You know that means we need a sixth match to determine one of AEW's greatest rivalries, finally. 

Hangman Adam Page

"... who I am does not stand in your opinion of me..."

by Sergei.

My favorite interview this week was the Men's AEW World champion's passionate mic-drop response to his challenger's claims that he is somehow not a "real" champion. I'm not going to claim that this was on the level of Hangman's very best and most memorable: it was a minute and a half and didn't introduce any new ideas – not exactly a new mission statement. But it did remind me of one of Hangman's all-timer interviews.

Three years ago, Adam Page was in the opposite position as the challenger for the World title, but on the receiving end of exactly the same sort of doubts. His reply then was also relatively brief, but it became one of the most beloved and widely quoted Hangman promos. A big part of that is the edgy (and, to many fans, very relatable) references to mental health struggles: "...the medicine is not working!" But the part that made me think of Tuesday night's speech was right after that: "...But I'm still HERE. Because I am a MAN."

This might seem a strange thing to emphasize from progressive Adam Page: what does being a "man" to do with anything? But Page doesn't mean that he is "a man not a woman," but rather "a man and not a child," and doesn't need anybody's patronizing advice or fake concern. Similarly, on Tuesday night Page rejected Samoa Joe's claims that he is a fraud as a champion. When the Champ says that he's tired of repeatedly having to explain himself to "tough guys" like Joe that the truth of who he is doesn't stand in their opinion, he may simply be calling back to his most recent foe in Max Friedman. But it may also be a callback to Moxley trying to "son" him three years ago.

And why does Joe feel the need to claim that Page is a paper champion at all, after everything the Hangman has proved over the years? Well, the first explanation is the "Doyleian" or outside kayfabe reasoning. Normally, you don't talk someone down who you're going to fight: if your opponent is trash, you're going to either lose to trash or beat trash and what does that prove? So, why an exception here? Two reasons that are really one reason: because Hangman is just that good and respected at this point. He doesn't need a vet to talk him up in order for the fans to know how great he is, and Joe isn't really a favorite to win at WrestleDream, so any seed of doubt Joe may be able to plant in fans' minds adds a little spice of uncertainty and therefore excitement to their confrontation.

But the "Watsonian" reasons are more interesting to me: why would the character of Samoa Joe claim that Hangman Page isn't a worthy champion? Because there are so many levels to that. There's a strategic level: Joe knows that Page is notorious for getting in his own way with self-doubt. He's been sounding much more confident lately, but that doubt doesn't just go away. So maybe fanning the flames of doubt can give the big man an edge. Another level is the simple self-regard of a legend. In Joe's mind any world champion not named "Samoa Joe" is a fraud. "Nothing personal." But, especially one who he's beaten and who hasn't beaten him! And that's the biggest one: this all traces back to Page tapping out to Joe back in their triple-threat match with Swerve early last year. Page referenced this in his reply: "... if you lock me in the choke, Joe, I will not tap again."

To me, this is the fundamental stakes between Hangman and Joe, a feud that (surface level) seemed to arise from nothing. Samoa Joe knows that Page tapped out quick not because he couldn't continue, and that insults him. The fact that he can't know how it would've turned out if Page had given his all, and he doubts the heart of anybody who would prioritize ANY goal above being the World Champion. Whereas for Hangman, representing what the championship means will always be just a little more important than just being champion. And that's the "energy" Page means when he wraps up (in much the same tone as he declared "I am a man" three years ago) by challenging Joe (after he beats him) to "look me in the eye and know that I am the Champion of the World!"

Willow Nightingale

"P-p-p-powerhouse Willow"

by Emiliana.

It’s been really fun to see the growth of the women’s division in AEW over the years; it’s been slow going, but I’m truly in awe of how much they’ve accomplished. Most notable to me now are the elevation of in-ring work, how much more comfortable they are on the mic, and this sneakily incredible thing where I get to watch Willow Nightingale wrestle big meaty men.

Aside from the incredible Mark Briscoe impression and the coining of the term “Conglomerate Adjacent Civilians” to refer to the Paw Patrol/volunteer firefighters (JetSpeed) from her that we got this week, Willow Nightingale put on a great performance against a force to be reckoned with in Megan Bayne, as well as Bayne’s tag partners, FTR.

I’m still reeling from the fact that Cash Wheeler was the first one in the match to try and get one over on Willow in the bout, but Willow was too fast and got out of the way. At some point Dax and Willow got in the ring together, and the crowd just lit up like Christmas came early. I love when we all agree that Dax Harwood needs must get his ass kicked, and Willow is the one to do it.

Willow had a lot stacked against her, with Penelope and Stokely also on the outside creating havoc and causing distractions when most inconvenient. It would be her need for revenge against Penelope, along with a distraction to the ref perpetuated by Stokely, that would allow Penelope and the Megasus to hit the Doomsday Device on Willow and pin her for the one, two, three.

I’m honestly so happy to keep seeing Willow in these matches that toe the line of mixed tag moving into intergender. She’s the perfect champion for this in AEW, and with the awesome match that Kris Statlander (the world champion) and Darby Allin had against Marina and Yuta last week, it feels almost like a parallel to remind us that, perhaps, Willow and Kris Stat are still intertwined by fate.

I love to see some Willow Nightingale on my television screen, but it’s been hard going lately when it feels like they’re trying to keep her away from titles for the time being. It’s funny how having non-title based storylines is exactly the way to do it.