Y'All In? | AEWeekly #173

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, Sachin [@sachin0mac.bsky.social] exploring a key Story Beat, Emiliana [@emilianartb.bsky.social] with the Moment of the Week, and Sergei [@sergeialderman.bsky.social] editing and organizing it all.

 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.

Kenny Omega vs Brody Kings vs Mascara Dorada vs Claudio Castagnoli

"Hello, old friend..."

by Abel.

AEW is on a really strong stretch of television this year, and selecting a match of the week consistently has become more and more of a difficult task every time. However, this week's decision was a little easier. When you have four of the very best wrestlers on the planet share a ring, that decision is made for you. That is why the AEW International Title Four-Way (c) Kenny Omega vs. Brody King vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Mascara Dorada is the match of the week. 

This year's edition of Fyter Fest felt special—special location-- Mission Ballroom-- and two extra hours of show. Although AEW has a history of presenting Fyter Fest as a significant event, this is the first time it felt like a made-for-TV PPV, and this match was the cherry on top of that delicious cake. All four men were presented in a manner that made this match feel like a big deal. Also, you know it's going to be a great match when Omega pulls out the Final Fantasy-esque song and entrance. Side note-- Hearing God's Hate on TV will never get old.

The individual matchups inside the ring were fantastic. Two bruisers (King, Castegnoli), a high flyer (Dorada), and the all-arounder (Omega) worked well together. There was a bit of everything in this match, a microcosm of what AEW offers as a company in a 20-minute moment in time. The fast-paced brutality for the championship was exhilarating and made every man in that match feel as if they were on the verge of winning the championship. There is something so gothically beautiful about seeing Brody King, who is covered in tattoos, being the only one busted open and covered in blood. 

There was so much going on, but it never seemed rushed. Everything, and everybody, had their moments to shine in the match, and even if we all knew Omega was winning, there were still parts where each man made us believe, even if just for a second, that perhaps they were going to be the new champion. Mascara Dorada winning wasn't entirely out of the question, as AEW is set to go to Mexico City for a Grand Slam event. However, that's not the ultimate goal. The goal is to unify the International and Continental titles.

The placement of this match was specifically chosen. It would have been easy to put this at the end of Collision--at the end of the night-- but those within AEW knew that many watching on TV were not going to be able to make it for four hours. Also, for those in the building, it's natural to think that they would be gassed out after watching three and a half straight hours of AEW wrestling. And that gambit paid off. The crowd was entirely behind the match and gave their all to all four valiant competitors. 

After the match, it was a great idea to transition from the end of Dynamite to the start of Collision, with the much-anticipated collision between Kazuchika Okada and Omega. The long-time rivals have officially started the road to their match at All In, and even if the match were average with this as its ending, it would have been the match of the week. Luckily, the match was fantastic, AND we got this post-match angle. We don't have to pick and choose when it comes to the Best Bout Machine. We get it all.

Hangman Page and Will Ospreay 

"Enemy of my enemy…."

by Sachin.

Watching 4 hours of anything in one sitting is tough especially given the form of media wrestling is. The quality of the show dips and rises depending on the segment and the performers therein so needless to say The 4 hour blocks are not for me but for what it's worth AEW did a good job. They didn't need to give so much time to MJF- Hurt Syndicate, Maybe Cru could've been given less promo time, less deathriders in general, more Toni, pretty upsetting to see the inability to put Hayter, Statlander and Willow not getting time on a 4 hour show but nevertheless it was a fine show with good wrestling and AEW presenting a story running through the episode between the cowboy and Ospreay.

Ospreay came out in a better haircut than in previous Weeks. Still didn't take the fashion advice from Dave Meltzer. He talked about Swerve, Set up a match with him (Holy shit), talked about hangmen, talked about Moxley. He was fine for the most part. I think his reasoning behind wanting Swerve and Hangman to work needs a lot more elaboration but he's doing his best with what he's got. Of course the thing that really stuck was him saying that the only reason the show sucks is because Moxley is champion (lol. Lmao even). Then came out Cru - one of the most annoying teams with the most annoying name and annoying wrestlers who cut a very annoying promo which set up a match between Lio and Ospreay.

In the later portion of the show Lio and Ospreay had a good match, they clearly have a better match in them but they saved some for another meeting. It was the aftermath that was more significant than the match itself. Cru attacked Will Ospreay, a two on one situation and you know what that means Ospreay’s new friend Adam (the good one) came out to save him. 

He ran off those pesky kids and saved Ospreay from the certain doom that is Cru. Ospreay was thankful, he shook hands and left. As Will Ospreay was leaving Hangman Page made it very clear that he does not need anyone's help. Especially from people named Swerve Strickland (I mean he wasn't offering anyways but whatever). And as he foiled over the potential friend date Ospreay was trying to set up, the enemies of friendship and all that is good appeared on tv. The Deathriders. 

Finally we got Hangman and Moxley in the ring. But not the good version. This isn't the version of Moxley that Hangman had a bit of respect for. This is the temu tribal chief Jon Moxley and just as it looked like Hangman was going to get done in by his “bloodline”, his only friend Ospreay showed up. And they ran off the Deathriders, kissed and lived in a house made of cake (Fine. I made up the last part).

I thought this particular segment did a great job of showcasing Ospreay and Swerve’s importance to the story. Ospreay really doesn't like Deathriders and wants to help Hangman and Hangman is self-sabotaging (again). Whether he wants to admit it or not, he needs friends. His situation with his old friends is complicated obviously; you have the young bucks dick riding the deathriders and kenny omega riding with Swerve. This really is a beggars can't be choosers type of situation and the story is whether Hangman will develop enough sense to see over his ego and take what help he can get. His new friend Ospreay is all he has got and wrestling 101 suggests that the Deathriders are gonna do something about that. We have Ospreay vs Swerve this week. I see it coming and I don't think The Hangman does.

AEW Women

"Something About How Mercedes & I Love A Good Steak..."

by Emiliana.

Okay, I’ll say it: in the four hours of AEW television we received last week as an entire Wednesday block, only 12 minutes of that was bell-to-bell women’s wrestling. And while that may bum me out, it is quite possibly the most fun I had watching the show - and that’s exactly why we need more of it. More than just the Thekla debut match, I was overjoyed at the tag match between The Lovers and the Sisters of Evil. “Emi, are those their tag team names?” No, but I think someone on commentary called Julia and Skye the “Sisterhood of Evil” and I loved that very much, even if I do think it’s a straight person’s perspective, of which we have no need during this wonderful month of Pride. These beautifully evil women came out hauntingly perfect and holding hands, which made my little heart soar upon consideration that the women across the ring from them had already shared a kiss at Double Or Nothing.

I would also like to point out that Mercedes was doing some wonderful blocking during the match, as she ate her “shoot steak” as Taz called it, played on her phone, took selfies…literally doing everything she could to pretend this match was nothing to her, because she’s a CEO and she has more important things to think about, like whether or not she was served the correct wine for her meal. I also have to hand it to the commentary team, because they had some of the most deranged energy and back-and-forth during this match. As these badass women are putting on a seven minute classic that could blow any Speed match out of the water, the dudes on commentary are reacting to Mercedes’ apathy, guiding us to understand that she is treating Toni Storm like a video you watch while you do something else instead of the iconic Hollywood feature film that she is. She’s not a Hungry Man Salisbury Steak, she’s a Michelin starred restaurant filet mignon that you wish you could eat with your ravenous hands.

And that’s kind of how the women’s division has felt treated this week, hasn’t it? Week after week, they’ve been knocking it out of the park - but for some reason, on a Gone With The Wind length block of television, we receive so little of them, less than 8 ounces, even. Instead, we have to go through another overly long segment with MJF and his new besties. Frankly, that stinks. But these women are so resilient, so amazing, so truly good at what they do. I hope this next four hour block is kinder to them. I hope Tony sees the error of his ways, because his women’s roster is spectacular and deserves more spotlight, or Mariah’s name isn’t Blake Monroe!