WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAR:
AEW DYNAMITE vs. NXT
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
AEW = The match quality on Dynamite was great this week, with Orange Cassidy vs Fenix a surprisingly quality match. The mixture of comedy and top quality wrestling worked perfectly, with fans sure to feel entertained. This was another example of how much fun Cassidy brings to to AEW.
The women’s tag team match was ok, but it had the potential to be so much more entertaining. A match that didn’t disappoint was Matt Hardy vs Sammy Guevara, which entertained and further set up the Stadium Stampede match at Double or Nothing. It’s clear that despite being in his final days as a performer, Hardy can still put on exciting matches.
NXT = NXT featured a healthy mix of squash and extended matches this week, with a heavy focus on the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament. Drake Maverick managed to defeat KUSHIDA in an extremely enjoyable match, whilst El Hijo del Fantasma secured the win over Akira Tozawa to proceed to the finals. Both of these matches were fun and exciting to watch.
Dexter Lumis came close to defeating Roderick Strong, only to have the victory stolen from him. This was a shame as he put on a great performance, however this was evidence of the burgeoning talent bubbling beneath the surface in NXT.
WINNER: NXT
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
AEW = Brodie Lee’s show opening promo was simply fantastic. He is such a well spoken wrestler, and every word he delivers feels as legitimate as the last. He managed to increase the intrigue of his upcoming match with Jon Moxley, whilst increasing his own strong reputation.
NXT = Damien Priest shared that he wants to live forever at the expense of Finn Balor, which was the product of a surprisingly solid promo. Priest managed to inject some credibility to his work with his promo, which was boosted by the cool visual of his name as he finished. There have been much better promos recently, but this one was still effective for his character.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
AEW = Storylines were suitably advanced this week on Dynamite, which was vital for building towards this weekend’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view. Jon Moxley vs Brodie Lee felt more personal as a result of their interactions this week, whilst the Stadium Stampede match was set up well.
NXT = NXT advanced the storyline between Karrion Kross and Tommaso Ciampa this week, with their collision booked for NXT TakeOver: In Your House. This is the perfect first feud for Kross, with Ciampa raising his promo game to increase the interest in their match.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
AEW = This week’s episode of Dynamite was a fabulous show to watch, with a heavy focus on this weekend’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view. The show didn’t disappoint, which is important as we move towards one of AEW’s biggest shows.
NXT = NXT was a fun show this week, with the pacing of the show much more improved over recent offerings. Matches were fun, promos were interesting and feuds were advanced. All in all, this was a great show to watch.
WINNER: AEW
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
AEW gains points for the return of The Young Bucks, which was guaranteed to please fans.
AEW also gains points for Jon Moxley supposedly breaking the arm of Ten, which was a cool visual you don’t see often in wrestling.
AEW loses points for the promo between Arn Anderson and Jake Roberts, which felt lacking in good ideas.
NXT gains points for keeping the situation surrounding the NXT Women’s Championship interesting. It is a much more intriguing title picture than what we have with the NXT Championship.
NXT also gains points for reducing the over the top nature of Karrion Kross’ entrance. Yes, Scarlett is still over the top in her performance, but this week’s offering felt like an improvement.
NXT loses points for continuing to make Johnny Gargano look a farce. His heel persona with his wife is just not clicking, which is a shame as he deserves so much better.
POINT ADJUSTMENTS: AEW (+2 / -1) / NXT (+2 / -1)
THIS WEEK'S WINNER = AEW
With a score of 4 to 2, AEW wins this week’s Wednesday Night War. Both shows were excellent this week, but the increased focus on Double or Nothing meant Dynamite was more exciting. NXT is clearly improving, as they start to establish some interesting and compelling storylines.
Wednesday nights continue to be the best wrestling night of the week. I love wrestling, and these shows remain must see viewing.
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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