WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAR:
AEW DYNAMITE vs. NXT
FACTOR 1: MATCHES
AEW = Cody took on the impressive Scorpio Sky as he defended his AEW TNT Championship. Sky brought the fight to Cody with a solid and spirited performance, whilst Cody maintained the high level of performance that has become a staple of his title matches. Despite losing, Sky looked like the future of AEW.
The main event of the night was Chris Jericho vs Orange Cassidy which was a rematch from Fyter Fest. Yet again this was a strong match, with Jericho once again proving why he is in the upper echelon of AEW wrestlers, whilst Cassidy highlighted just how talented he actually is once you look past his gimmick. Cassidy won the match, however either man would have been a deserving winner. It was admittedly a step below their previous encounter, but it was still a tonne of fun.
NXT = NXT featured a strong mix of matches this week. Bronson Reed vs Damien Priest was a surprisingly competitive hoss fight, whilst Karrion Kross put Danny Burch down in a destructive performance.
The main event of the show featured a triple threat match for a place in the NXT North American Championship match at NXT TakeOver: XXX. Velveteen Dream returned and performed like he hadn't left, whilst KUSHIDA once again reinforced how talented he is. It was Cameron Grimes, however, that was able to steal the victory and end the show looking strong. This was a solid contest and deservedly main evented.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 2: PROMOS
AEW = MJF delivered another stunning promo as he continued his campaign towards the AEW World Championship. Once again he came across as an absolute ass, with his confidence and arrogance on full display. His promos have been over the top as he has adopted a Donald Trump style delivery, but it works effectively with his heel character.
NXT = Dakota Kai and Io Shirai both performed well for their video package. It was perfectly employed by Kai to highlight how delusional and narcissistic she is, whilst Shirai went on the offensive about how Kai is just a scared little girl. I loved how sincere the entire segment felt, and both women came off really well.
Keith Lee also showed further improvement on the microphone, solidifying himself as the total package.
WINNER: NXT
FACTOR 3: STORYLINES
AEW = There seemed to be a reduced focus on storylines this week, although we had some clear development towards next week's episode of Dynamite. Brodie Lee confirmed he would be taking on Cody for the AEW TNT Championship, whilst Matt Hardy promised to end Sammy Guevara.
MJF vs Jon Moxley was advanced this week, with Moxley gaining some modicum of revenge for MJF's interference in his match last week. This certainly looks to be a solid feud as we head towards All Out.
NXT = Keith Lee vs Karrion Kross was advanced further this week, with Lee noting that he promised William Regal that he wouldn't lay a finger on Kross until NXT TakeOver: XXX. The glaring issue is that Kross didn't react in the destructive manner we are used to, whilst Scarlett seemingly conjured up a fireball out of thin air. As much as I have enjoyed this feud so far, this was a huge disappointment.
WINNER: AEW
FACTOR 4: SCHEDULING / PACING
AEW = Dynamite was an extremely fun show to watch, with every match coming off well to contribute to a great show. The pacing was good, whilst the show felt logically booked.
NXT = NXT was a strong show this week, with only a few issues preventing it from being better. The show was well paced, whilst there seemed to be real purpose with all of the promos and storyline angles.
WINNER: AEW
EXTRA CREDIT BONUS ROUND!!!
AEW gains points for cementing Orange Cassidy as a solid upper midcarder.
AEW also gains points for keeping the tag team division interesting with the subtle issues between the AEW Tag Team Champions, FTR and The Young Bucks.
It also needs to be noted just how pretty the AEW TNT Championship is in it's final form.
AEW loses points for the tag team appreciation segment. It bombed, serving no real purpose other than FTR straddling the heelish line again.
NXT gains points for highlighting how Isaiah Scott is the only man in NXT with a victory over Santos Escobar. Despite the sterling manner in which Escobar has been presented alongside Legado del Fantasma, Scott has also been presented well as a more than credible opponent for the NXT Cruiserweight Champion.
NXT also gains points for turning Velveteen Dream heel. This seems to be the right decision considering his previous personal issues, which would have been hard to cheer for once fans return to shows.
NXT loses points for seemingly bestowing Scarlett with mystical powers. She set a fireball on Keith Lee when he held the contract, which was a real shame as his feud with Karrion Kross was bubbling fine without it. Now the feud feels kind of silly, which is a huge disappointment.
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 a slight step below last week, but they remain the best wrestling shows on television today. Dynamite capitalised this week with superior matches, but that is not to say that NXT didn't put on some tremendous contests.
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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