WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAR:
AEW DYNAMITE vs. NXT
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
AEW = AEW featured 5 matches this week, with a consistent high level of performance evident in each match. Brodie Lee made his in ring debut to decimate QT Marshall, whilst Cody defeated Jimmy Havoc in a quality match.
The AAA Mega Championship match between Kenny Omega and Sammy Guevara was a fantastic way to end the show, especially as the match was a true litmus test of how much Guevara has improved since his AEW debut. Omega dominated the match, but Guevara challenged him all of the way.
NXT = It was a return to form for NXT this week as they put a number of matches on, rather than build the entire show around promos. One issue the matches did have however, was the prevalence of short squash matches. This was evident in Killian Dain vs Tehuti Miles and Io Shirai vs Aliyah, however Dain and Shirai did benefit from looking stronger.
The highlight of the night was the main event, in which Matt Riddle defeated Roderick Strong in a very entertaining match. Riddle proved how talented he is, underlining that though he may be an NXT Tag Team Champion, he is still one of the most talented NXT wrestlers.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
AEW = The promos on Dynamite were solid, with Chris Jericho and Matt Hardy squaring off against each other. Jericho continues to produce the best work of his life, whilst Hardy seems reinvigorated now he has escaped the stifled creative environment of WWE.
NXT = Triple H capped off the show with an incredible 3 way promo between himself, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano. Gargano was slimy in the best possible way, whilst the threat of promotion to the main roster was a great touch.
It should also be noted that the promo for Killer Kross was sufficient hype for his debut.
WINNER: NXT
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
AEW = Inner Circle vs The Elite was once again the highlighted storyline on the show, with the action proving to be highly entertaining. Matt Hardy’s involvement in the storyline has taken the feud in a fresh direction, and I cannot wait to see how impactful Hardy will be against Inner Circle.
NXT = Tommaso Ciampa vs Johnny Gargano was once again highlighted superbly, with their feud coming across as the best booked storyline in NXT. Gargano has fully embraced his heelish side, whilst the appearance of Triple H highlighted the importance of both the feud and the bigger picture in NXT.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
AEW = Dynamite was a solid show as ever, with a great mix of matches and promos. The quality wasn’t as high as previous weeks, but it will still much more entertaining than Raw or SmackDown.
NXT = NXT was a true return to form, and although it wasn’t as strong as recent episodes of Dynamite, it was much better than recent episodes of NXT.
WINNER: NXT
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
AEW gains points for having Brodie Lee win his debut AEW match, as he needed the win to provide his character with a certain level of credibility.
AEW loses points for the reference to Vince McMahon during the Brodie Lee segment. Yes, it was an inside joke, but AEW should be above making shots at their competition.
NXT gains points for Keith Lee continuing to excel as the NXT North American Champion, with Dominik Dijakovic also looking strong as a result of his interactions with Lee.
NXT also gains points for realising a show full of promos is not good enough for the yellow brand.
NXT loses no points this week as the show was a true return to form. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a clear improvement.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: AEW (+1 / -1) / NXT (+2 / -0)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = NXT
With a score of 4 to 2, NXT wins this week’s Wednesday Night War. Both shows have struggled to match their best shows as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, but this week NXT felt much improved. Both shows were good, but NXT felt as though it achieved just a little bit more than Dynamite.
That's my pick for the better show of the week, but how do YOU stand?
Which was better, Dynamite or NXT?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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