I agree, Bryan Danielson — this match was cool.
Okay, Danielson put his admiration for this match in much more eloquent terms, but “this is cool” is a fair summary of his reaction to this absolutely electrifying match between The Young Bucks, The Rascalz, and the newly-returned Private Party — and, honestly, I was just as awed as he was. On Wednesday’s episode of “AEW Dynamite,” three of AEW’s finest tag teams brawled for an opportunity at FTR’s AEW World Tag Team Championships, and while hometown heroes Matthew and Nicholas Jackson came out with the win, I can confidently say this: after a performance like that, you can’t really say that anyone really lost.
I haven’t watched AEW in a bit, so tuning in to this incredible match was a great “welcome back” to the promotion. Everything about this match screams AEW, in the best way possible. When I think of AEW, I think of incredible matches that leave you in utter awe of the human body’s capabilities. I think of matches that run just a little (okay, very) long, just because no man in that ring is done showcasing their insane athletic abilities. I think of matches that push the boundaries of what is possible in that ring, of what is possible from these performers. This match was that, in the most positive sense. Every team in this match is known for its high-flying, risky moves, and it wasted no time in showing that. From the jump, bodies were flying everywhere. Signatures and finishers were being intercepted by more signatures and finishers. Spots that would have been match-enders for anybody else were just passing news for these high-caliber athletes. This match is what AEW is all about, for better and for worse, and I cannot think of a better match on Wednesday’s card to show people when they ask what this wrestling promotion is all about.
Private Party made a shocking return as the night’s Wild Card, and I’d say they held up extremely well. They wrestled like they never left, and were able to keep up with both the young Desmond Xavier and Myron Reed and the extremely experienced, active Jackson brothers. While I understand the disappointment behind a loss on the newly-returned Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen’s record, I had kind of accepted that The Young Bucks, California’s hometown heroes, were going over. I’m glad Private Party avoided the pin, because, while I do mourn Xavier and Reed’s first loss on AEW programming, a Private Party loss would’ve been plain disrespectful. The Bucks were going over — as they should, considering their recent work — and someone had to eat the pin.
This is what AEW, and what wrestling, is all about.
Written by Angeline Phu