All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite: Dynamite 5/31 and Rampage 6/2

May 31, 2023 4:45 PM - Season 4, Episode 35

72 hours since Double Or Nothing 2023 and everyone is exhausted. The new TBS champ already has her next match lined up, and some non-title tag matches and three-ways queued to start building anticipation for Forbidden Door next month.

Announced for Dynamite tonight:

Mixed Tag Match: Chris Jericho and Ruby Soho vs. Adam Cole and Britt Baker

"Mixed tag" stipulations are one of my pet peeves, honestly. I think they're somewhat imposed by network standards, but my view is that if your female wrestler is (kayfabe) strong enough to be seen in the ring opposite a male, then the storyline doesn't do them any favors when you create an arbitrary rule to force them to tag out. And Saraya of all people shouldn't be shackled this way, since she and her dear old Ma made their reputation in the British indies wrestling men.

TBS Championship Match: Kris Statalander (c) vs Nyla Rose

Swerve Strickland vs Big Bill vs Trent?

Lucha Bros & Bandido vs Blackpool Combat Club

Orange Cassidy & Darby Allin vs The Gates of Agony

Konosuke Takeshita and Don Callis will speak about attacking Kenny Omega at Double Or Nothing

If Takeshita joins BCC I want Wheeler Yuta to get super petulant and bratty about it.

Tony Khan will make an announcement about the premiere episode of AEW Collision

Just tell us Punk is coming back Tony, there's no need to be coy at this point. You've either already sold out the United Center, or you'll make the announcement so that you will sell out the United Center.

posted by The Pluto Gangsta (12 comments total)

Bandido came out dressed like El Chapulin Colorado, if anyone needed to know the reference.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 5:05 PM on May 31, 2023 [1 favorite]

OK, so it's official: AEW Collision will be the CM Punk show, plus whatever talent is willing to work with/around him.

There's friends of mine who're already swearing off watching the show, calling Punk "a cancer". I'm of the opinion that Punk said some shit he should not have said, it was unprofessional, but the Elite definitely did some shit they should not have done. They're the EVPs, the responsibility was on them to behave at a higher level, and they literally endangered the entire promotion by making the problem physical.

So bottom line, I'll be watching Collision too.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 5:44 PM on May 31, 2023 [1 favorite]

I'm beginning to think that Taz is not on good (kayfabe) speaking terms with his son, because every time Hook comes out, Taz is like "Uh, I didn't know he would be here, he didn't tell me."
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 6:23 PM on May 31, 2023

Programming Note: Rampage looks to have several championship matches on Friday.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 6:49 PM on May 31, 2023

OK, so it's official: AEW Collision will be the CM Punk show, plus whatever talent is willing to work with/around him.

Bold strategy, Cotton, let's see if it pays off for 'em!
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:29 PM on May 31, 2023

I'm of the opinion that Punk said some shit he should not have said, it was unprofessional, but the Elite definitely did some shit they should not have done.

Punk has had these issues with everyone he's ever worked with except people like Mark Callaway who would simply beat the shit out of him without breaking a sweat or people who never dared to cross him. WIth anyone else, he pushes buttons until he gets slapped down. He knew what he was doing and just assumed that no one would respond to his fighting words.
posted by Etrigan at 6:52 AM on June 1, 2023

But all in all, the person who is most at fault in this situation is Tony Khan. He handled the press conference badly, he handled the aftermath badly, and he's rewarded basically everyone involved because he doesn't want anyone to be mad at him.
posted by Etrigan at 7:25 AM on June 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

If Punk does indeed come back for Collision, it will be interesting to see a couple months down the road (after the newness has worn off) how ts ratings compare to Dymatite's. The one thing that Punk can do is draw a lot of new/casual eyeballs, something that The Elite have struggled with since the launch of AEW.
posted by KingEdRa at 10:02 AM on June 1, 2023

Rampage's scheduled card:

AAA MegaCampeonato Match: Hijo del Vikingo (c) v. Komander v. Dralistico

NJPW World Television Championship Match: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) v. Action Andretti

ROH Pure Championship Match: Katsuyori Shibata (c) v. Lee Moriarty

NJPW Strong Women's Championship Match: Willow Nightingale (c) v. Emi Sakura

On paper, this is one of the best Rampages ever.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 6:59 PM on June 2, 2023

It was certainly a lousy turn of events for Mercedes to injure her ankle at that match, but how lucky is Tony Khan to have the NJPW Women's champ under AEW contract?
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 7:01 PM on June 2, 2023

What a lucha clinic those boys put on. Goddamn, Vikingo has no respect for his own knees and back.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 7:13 PM on June 2, 2023

AUBREY LOCK UP AUBREY GONNA FIGHT JARRETT YESSSSS

I know I said I don't like "mixed tag" intergender rules, but if it means more women talent on AEWTV then yes please.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 7:21 PM on June 2, 2023