This week All Elite Wrestling comes our way from a closed set in Jacksonville, Florida. Last week, The Dark Order won something, Jon Moxley beat up Darby Allin and then adopted him, Matt Hardy got his face busted open, Zack Matt Cardona had an impressive debut, Orange Cassidy slayed in his debate against Jericho and Sue’s van got mutilated.
Advertised for tonight:
- Orange Cassidy versus Chris Jericho - $7000 obligation match with no interference from Best Friends or Inner Circle
- Hangman Page & Kenny Omega versus Jurassic Express for the AEW Tag Team Championships
- Young Bucks versus Evil Uno & Stu Grayson
- FTR welcome Rock N’ Roll Express & The Brain Busters to the Tag Team Celebration
- Cody versus Scorpio Sky for the TNT Championship
- MJF, Swole, Britt & more!
Here are five questions about AEW tonight:
1) Does Orange Cassidy even have $7000?
I mean, he does wear the same outfit every day. It’s not an outlandish question.
Chris Jericho is a menace of a human being, but god damn if he isn’t just the best pro-wrestler in the world. His brain is a carnie masterpiece. He has somehow turned this random place holder feud (Sorry Mike Tyson) into an endlessly entertaining rivalry with the quietest member of the roster. They even had a debate...and it was good! (Which, Orange Cassidy totally won. Hate when I have to agree with Bischoff, but 2020 is a nightmare wasteland, so really it’s on brand.)
Of course, the success of this feud is not only on the shoulders of Jericho as Orange Cassidy has proven himself not only to be a well-timed punch line of a human being but a silent charisma machine. In the immortal words of Ursula The Sea Witch, “Don’t underestimate the importance of body language.”
Everything these two do when together seems to work; Chris Jericho gets to remain relevant and help the ratings of AEW while Orange Cassidy gets to ride the wave of working with and entirely holding his own with a wrestling legend.
Gushing aside, the big question regarding this match is whether Orange Cassidy will be able to beat Le Champion or lose $7000? My gut instinct is that Orange Cassidy wins this one. He’s shown us several times that when the chips are down or when he’s mad enough to lose the shades, he’s a formidable opponent. Not to mention the fact that The Inner Circle and The Best Friends are banned from ringside! No help from his buds, plus an angry OC, plus the threat of losing several thousand dollars just may be the combination Cassidy needs to pull out the big win.
It makes sense for OC to win. If Jericho wins, then there is no more reason for these two to feud, and that is not a good thing from a weekly TV perspective! But if Jericho loses, he will have to do a whole song and dance to spin his loss, and that will likely end up in a re-match, perhaps at All Out.
If Orange Cassidy does lose, though, I hope he pays Jericho in Monopoly money.
2) So...do the women have a match or do we have to pay $50 for that?
According to their website, no. On the official AEW Twitter, it just says “MJF, Swole, Britt & more!”
So...I don’t know. Now, normally when I write “Women’s match?” as one of my questions (every single week it seems) there ends up being some kind of something on the show. Generally, it’s no stakes, as they clearly didn’t put the time into marketing or writing it, so it has little impact on the previews. It’s wrestling. Things change all the time, I understand not knowing everything in advance all the time, but this seems to be a consistent -and horrible - trend.
What’s really the kicker here is that these past few weeks at AEW have been pre-taped. Meaning, they had plenty of time to market these matches and chose not to.
Neat.
Super neat.
Can’t wait for whatever happens tonight to mean nothing in the long run. Your “AEW Rankings” are a flipping joke, AEW. Grow up.
Thank god for Britt & Swole, or I would have died from a burst brain vessel months ago.
3) Tag Team Celebration, huh? That gonna be on YouTube too?
Yeah. I’m big mad. The AEW women’s division is a joke, and it’s NOT the wrestler’s fault.
How, HOW, HOOOOW?????? are they having a “tag team wrestling appreciation night” while the women’s tag team tournament is relegated to YouTube? Instead of spotlighting a division that very much needs it (due to their own incompetence) we get to watch tag teams that get to wrestle every week and a weird tribute to wrestlers who haven’t wrestled full time in like - I don’t know - at least twenty f&(*ing years.
That’s a real ROH move right there, and we all know in 2020 that’s not a compliment.
And, the cherry on freakin’ top, the matches aren’t even interesting! Hangman & Omega are 1000% going to retain their belts, and The Dark Order is still struggling to find their footing. Meanwhile, Nicole Savoy is on YouTube. That’s practically criminal.
Hey Brandi, if I give you $50 a month, will you cut this sh*t out?
4) Is this Scorpio Sky’s time to shine?
This match is like the mini-version of Scorpio Sky fighting for the AEW championship. Operating outside of SCU? Check. Inspirational video package? Check. Cocky confrontation with current champion? Check.
Cody has been doing the work of being a champion and has defended his TNT belt almost weekly since the inaugural win. The TNT Championship matches have been a highlight of Dynamite, not only for the show but also for their mid-lower card roster. The matches were by and large fantastic, but more often than not, they were matches that Cody was never going to lose.
Tonight has a different vibe to it. Scorpio Sky is clearly someone that management thinks has a promising solo career at AEW. A mid-card belt like the TNT Championship would be a fantastic way for him to prove that. Cody will always have the “first-ever” accolade to his name and has done a lot in a short time with the belt. Making Sky the champion right now could be a fun way to mix things up. Would also potentially give Cody something to do at All Out.
5) Will The Inner Circle pay for their vandalization?
The Best Friends should bring their insurance claims officer to AEW, show them the tape, and serve the Inner Circle with the repairs bill...or they should just beat them up real hard. Either solution works. Nobody messes with Sue.
Tune into AEW on TNT at 8 EST tonight to see if we get any answers to these questions!