Ups & Downs: AEW Dynamite Review (Jan 10)

Our AEW Dynamite review as Simon Miller talks about the return of The Young Bucks, Sting and Darby Allin vs. Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs, Adam Page vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Sammy Guevara vs. Ricky Starks, Adam Copeland, Dustin Rhodes, Preston Vance and Orange Cassidy vs. Lance Archer, Brian Cage and The Gates of Agony, Willow Nightingale, Thunder Rosa, Kris Statlander and Anna Jay vs. Skye Blue, Saraya, Ruby Soho and Julia Hart, Adam Page, Swerve Strickland and Hook challenging Samoa Joe and much more.

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Man this was such a smart and great way to start dynamite and also this episode of homecoming was in DA’s place and after everything that happened back in 20120 it always makes it feel very special well hello my friends and welcome to ups and downs the show where

I Sim Miller sometimes wear things on my head I take the finger of power I give the good bits up and the bad bits are down and I implore you to get in the comments and tell me how wrong I am cuz that’s what the 20124 world is all about

Saying that how the flub are we in 2024 dig my grave right now bit morbid let’s go here is the deal though throughout the Continental classic cladio cadoli came across like an absolute Beast now maybe if you looked at his booking before this he kind of lost a lot of

Matches so he used this tournament to rev himself back up again so here when he was taken on hangman Adam paage which is basically like a pay-per-view match it had a bunch of Jeopardy and whoever was going to win was going to feel like a big deal slap bam wobbly boo so of

Course course this was the big return for the cowboy and he did get the victory now it looks like he’s on his way back to the top of the card I do think that’s what’s called good storytelling they just went crazy as soon as the bell went ding-ding too and

It certainly does look like hangman Adam pige is growing a mustache or a porn Tash as people kept messaging me and then they tied that into like you Simon cuz you’re Johnny since it’s been eight years why don’t you let it go would R Adam so badly though he quite literally

Stood on him at one point to show his dominance and even when Paige tried to fight back well it didn’t work castic no only grabbed him by his hair went into the big swing and applied the Sharpshooter this was really smart by cladio cuz of course he doesn’t know how

That feels he’s part of the B Brotherhood reveal P did wiggle out of this though where he hit a DVD as the strike started again but this is when Adam went on the outside and he went back to his old ways cuz he grabbed a Fan’s drink and he drank it he probably

Shouldn’t have done that though cuz cladio had taken a med pack and he just H him into the floor like man that look nasty PA then started spamming Buckshot lariats but he couldn’t do that because Claudia was ready with the Sagat uppercut once again when Adam Dove at

Him clao caught him and just hurled him into space I mean this dude isn’t human he did Lay himself down in the sense he then tried for this again but Paige knew what to do so he was able to bust out the moon salt when we just got in to the

Best game of wrestling tennis ever it was you go I go we all go hey hey it led to all the one two o we got the rain maker and the dead eye but when page went from a springboard oh my word he got slammed with that damn uppercut you

Can just see cladio has been studying with the masters of the Street Fighter tournament K already thought he could finish it though with an avalanche with Cola bomb but he was totally wrong cuz Paige was able to turn that into Huracan where he hit two buckshot lariats that’s

Right not one but two and he got the one two three and seriously if you have 15 minutes today which you probably do you should go and watch this you could have put it on a pay-per-view and nobody would have minded I am giving it an up

Got this video featuring the late great Brody Lee and I tell you man was equal parts lovely and equal parts really sad it also ties into a couple of Brody Lee celebration matches we are going to do on this evening and it was just a good reminder let’s not sweat the small stuff

Let’s stop yelling at each other and let’s just enjoy professional wrestling as much as we can cuz that’s why it exists and always remember that Brody is a flipping hero we went right into number one of these two because it was Preston V Adam Copeland Dustin roads and

Orange Cassidy taking on the gates of Agony Lance Archer and Brian Cage honestly if somebody had knocked on my door and said would you like a fun package first i’ been like sounds really dodgy but then if they showed me this match I would have totally understood

Some reason orange cassy’s big plan was to try and choke slam Brian Cage and that didn’t work although he actually did have a plan B cuz he busted out the stun Dog Millionaire this is when Bishop KH tagged him though and he basically cast distraction cuz toona was here and

He just pounced orange halfway across the the ring and I was like man he must be an Apple guy M International Champion was in trouble and he even got one arm suplex by cage and it got even worse for him because Lance Archer then tagged in

And guess what he did that’s right he tried to rip apart a piece of fruit Jose the assistant who had come out with Preston B 2 basically tried to trip Lance Archer here which is a terrible idea cuz Jake Roberts went over and thumped in the face and basically what

We did is we built and built and built until Preston did get the hot tag and if you know you know he did run wild for a bit before the tag Clacks on went off everybody was just throwing some bones this was kind of impossible to keep up

With but that just made it twice as entertaining K was able to get the F5 onto roads but then when he tried to do to Adam Copeland he turned that into a DDT when Le owna was here and he hit a gut Buster I was like oh man that’s no

Food for Edge everybody else then hit their moves as I kind of went all whiy chibly cuz it was so nuts and I think this happened for the bad guys too cuz there was some in communication and they basically all smashed into each other whoops and been watching all with this

Too so he speared cage when Preston was here and he hit the disc at Lariat onto khah where he got the one 12 three and honestly if you want to feel warm and fuzzy in your tum tum today this is also something you should totally check out

And as always let’s make sure we keep the memory of Brody Lee alive that is so damn important it is absolutely getting it up when we just had the best backstage interview J pette was talking to Bullet Club gold where essentially the guns thought that Jay White was from

The UK when was like you do know he’s from New Zealand and like a dad Jay was like you know what let’s just go with it I can’t be bothered but this was mostly done to continue to tease what could happen in the future cuz the Acclaim

Walked in and once again they were like have you seen the Undisputed Kingdom if we want to win all the gold we must come together and form a super group they even have a name now which is the bang bang scissor gang which I do need in my

Life and this time Jay White and Colton gun kind of seem interested whereas Austin I don’t think he can I’m intrigued about all of this and surely it goes badly for them as the kingdom do run wild but as we do need to Tread On Water a little bit until Adam Cole and

MGF are ready to go yeah this works for me and if nothing else I’m interested that’s why I watch TV I just need to go what’s going to happen although I don’t make that noise this is when Samoa Joe was out next and I tell you this guy he

Is a modern day goat it’s also part of this wonderful wrestling thing that does happen when you do have some tenure because Samo Joe has been absolutely killing it for basically 20 years so now that he is the world champion everybody looks at him and just thinks man you’re

The best thing ever and he is like I mean it he also now feels like a mega boss and as all the fans started to go you deserved it he was like shut up man I earned this I’m the best thing ever and I’ll slap all your teeth in or

Something like that he also laid out the new rules for the championship protocol this was so good cuz no longer can you and whine on the Internet or come to the ring and go oh what a championship shot you have to go to the championship committee you have to show

Them your win loss record and if you deserve it sure you can get a shot of the champ but you know what’s going to happen he will break you in front of all these people that used to cheer once again I was like s Joe I love you the

Whole time as well deep down in my tootsy toes I was going be interrupted by swerve be interrupted by swerve when Strickland’s music did hit I was like oh great I manifested it into existence he also tied all of this in cuz he told Samara listen this is exactly what I did

With hangman Adam page it was nothing personal there but I wanted to take his spot and I took his spot so guess who spot I’m now going to take if you haven’t worked out it’s yours swer then got right in Joe’s face once again I was saying bring out hangman out a page

Bring out hangman out a page and it worked again so later I’m going to play the lottery the cowboy locked eyes with swerve Strickland the entire time too which was really cool as he went through his 2023 like he defeated John Moxley he reunited with the elite and he had a

Pretty good time but there’s one thing he did forget the aew World Heavyweight tile Prince n and the M Embassy then had to calm swerve strion down as hangman also got in Samoa Joe’s face that’s a bit like man I hope these two went to the championship committee otherwise

They’re wasting their time it’s so good though because I want all of them to win and I always enjoy multiple people wanting the world title cuz that makes all the sense when aw escalated this further cuz after these two had bailed hook came out to also confront the

Champion at this point I was like man I bet my mom comes out too I don’t think hell win lost record is very good he’s a man a few words as well as he also got in Joe’s grill where he just pointed at the title and said one week so that’s

Right in seven days we are doing hook versus Samara Joe and if you’re one of these people like man I don’t want to see this you’re allowed to think that but I also think you’re not there is so much wrestling on TV I need Madness like

This cuz plug me in I’m ready to go Me Maybe he did get confused he thought the championship was a calendar which is why he said seven days and he wants to go to the supermarket or something but you can’t argue this from a logic perspective hook does have a great win

Loss record so by the new rules he absolutely should get a shot so it is a total up and this is just aew reminding you of those magic three letters Fu n that is the point of sports entertainment I was so jazzed after this I almost went and played the piano up

Rene was also back after this once again I was excited cuz she was with Tony stor Mariah May and Luther she also wanted to know what Tony’s thoughts were about last week when Mariah popped in and said were you able to see my debut and storm

Was like well somebody did send me a screener but I didn’t watch it we kep then clarified she actually meant the debut Peto which is when Tony storm was like wait a minute Wendy riptor is here I just love this character so much for some reason she then gave Mariah mayor

Chocolate I had no idea what was going on but when she went to do her catchphrase she forgot her last line and when Mariah reminded her she turned around she was like that’s my line you’ve now ruined the scene so this really is great stuff cuz it Blends

Comedy but it also shows you the direction we are heading in so I’m giving it up I just think it’s totally fantastic with decided to build battle for the belts after this and I am kind of interested by that show cuz I think given that we do have another one of

These some titles are going to change hands when it comes to the aew tag belts well I don’t think it’s going to be those cuz it was Sammy gavar versus Ricky Starks and of course they had a great match although I will say maybe just maybe it felt like they were

Holding back just a little bit but that does make sense they got to do it again with their Partners in like 3 days now he was able to score with the moon salt to the floor when Starks came back with a flipping Angels wing on the ring apron

That’s the hardest part of the Ring hang on let’s face it it’s got to be harder than this right I was wrong everybody was then hitting the d-pad cuz everybody kept talking when Ricky went for a TKO but actually G was able to reverse that

And he hit him with a kick that was super he then thought another moons was a good idea but as we have learned wrestlers will adapt to this which is when Ricky Starks was able to hit the set out Power Bomb and he got a one two

O That’s when I knew he was cooked cuz it was the classic finish West darks went for the spear but instead he took another super kick when instead of opin G just hit the most devastating move in all of sports entertainment the surprise roll up and he got the one two three I

Will admit it was just a little bit weird Ricky also pretended he was going to shake Samy’s hand after this but of course Big Bill arrived and they absolutely whooped gavara when Judas played out came Chris Jericho with Floyd the baseball bat and he made the save

And yes look we did continue to play the theme song throughout all of this but as we said last time as I stand here on this day we have absolutely no idea what has happened and what hasn’t happened I just think we have to wait see out of

Respect for everybody involved I mean last time this story came up it changed the very next day and more importantly let’s just hope the relevant people are okay I thought this was all right though although clearly the removal of Kenny Omega has affected things so when it

Comes to the match I am going to give it an up for everything else well I think he’s got to get it down it’s just the overall hoop pla that isn’t working for me but that’s nobody’s fault because again aew had to Pivot sometimes a pivot

Doesn’t work cuz again it wasn’t the OG plan that’s why it’s a down when we got to party match part part two in honor of Brody Lee once again it was just fantastic this time it was Anna J Chris dander Willow Nel and thunderosa taking

On Ruby Soo sah sky blue and Julia Hart and who got the big win here another one of bro Lee’s proteges I mean sometimes it can be oh so simple it’s also great to see thunder Rosa back because she had a hell of a time getting back to finish

So that’s wonderful and we also had this amazing bit where somebody in the crowd had a sign that said let Stoke manage you stacked Chris saw this and she moved the piece of paper down Stokely half the way was behind it grinning like the chesher cat when Chris moved the side

Back up in front of his face goofy wrestling for life Jay kicked this off as well by smacking Ruby right in the skull when all the baby faces got their licks in but sadly for Thunder Roa she didn’t see Julia heart blind tag she got merked from behind she was able to get

The slap to Willow who also ran wild but this is when Harley Cameron who would come out with Sarah cast a distraction by getting out a knife and threatening to killed people now she didn’t do that but give what happened a couple of weeks ago you probably bought it it really was

Just enjoyable stuff though until it was Chris statlander who got the warmest of all the slaps and she ran wild for a while she just kicked everybody’s ass and she really has become a very good wrestler but that essentially did what we did earlier because the tag clapped

And half went off it was you go we all go come on now we need to go when we were left with Julia Hart versus Anna J that’s when things got spooky wooky obviously now Anna got the best of this at first but she didn’t realize that

Scar had also tagged in but it wasn’t a problem at all cuz blue ran at her she got hit in the face she went into the queen Slayer and who got the tap out Victory it was alj so this works for me and it was yet another reminder about

How great wrestling can be I’m giving it an up Round of Applause all around we just had the best call out after this too cuz wheeler youa wants Eddie Kingston and why because wheeler doesn’t like the fact that Edward called him a I was like yeah I get it I

Wouldn’t want to be called a either they kind of redid what we did in the Opening match with hangman Adam pagee it’s also time to heat up rodick strong strong now look Brian Keith is not at the level of a cloudo castig noi but I tell you what he is good at

Maximizing his minutes cuz this match didn’t go long at all but any single time he did have some offense when he just proved to everyone I’ve got some talent and I’m going to shine he was able to smash rod with a boot to begin this when he got back breaker into the

Ring apron I’m not doing a stupid skit again cuz my face still hurts just would let this lie though and he was able to reverse a superplex into the diamond dust and just as he was going to win with the tiger driver it all went really

Really bad cuz I think Rod started to worry about his neck once again when he was able to hit the big knee and The End Of Heartache and he got the one two three so he too now is on a roll he needs to get a win and he got it and

Apparently go surfing this is how you do a fast match though and keep everybody in mind when Adam Cole and his boys were here and he reminded everyone look at us we’re the best and you will sack no don’t actually care what the fans think either cuz look what we have here rodick

Strong a guy who has been underappreciated for years and deserves a shot of the international title and Mike Bennett and Matt Tav who are one of the best tag teams ever and they’re going to show you you also mentioned Wardlow who now finally feels at home because he surrounded by people that do

Respect him my only sad point with this is I’d love if Adam Cole had gone do you know the real reason rodick strong wants to fight for that Championship cuz he doesn’t like fruit when the time is right too they are going to go after the

World championship I was like man what a love family we do have here when they promise everyone they’re going to be around for a long time so all this works for me and I do admit we are kind of moving in slow motion here because again

We need people to get back to full fitness but if you want to talk about patience let me present exhibit a the bloodline sometimes that will pay off and then some I am giving it up Rene really was then earning her paycheck cuz she was interviewing di petza di is

Super happy too after last week and she doesn’t even care if Tony storm doesn’t know who she is cuz she’s going to have her debut match soon and then she will send Tony a screener that’s a good line that’s also going to happen on collision cuz she is facing red velvet who very

Handily walked in here and obviously di will win that match let’s make sure we do something with red to cuz both of these guys are great which did indeed bring us to our main event this was totally Wally crazy cuz it was to KRA Powerhouse Hobs taking on sting and

Darby Allen and because it was a tornado tag almost instantly they were basically fighting in the crowd Z didn’t care either cuz at one point he grabbed William and he put him on this box likee structure where he just pushed him into a bunch of trash cans I mean why

Wouldn’t you Derby is always there to try and one up people too though so he went for a coffin drop when teesa caught him and German suplexed him onto the damn floor just Darby Allan man I don’t even know what you say about him he’s totally insane but he’s a very

Compelling wrestler H theer then revealed a table that I think had Sting’s eyes painted on it so I was like that’s what you do with your spare time you a couple of weird dudes I totally forgot about it instantly though because this actually happened because Hobson deesa grabbed Derby Allen by either side

Of him and they kind of swung him like he was some kind of rope when they went 3 to one and they lobbed him across the ring and seriously he flew so far he basically hit te of the turnbuckle you got to see it to believe it it was crazy

Think they got waged by DEA when for no reason Ric Flair decided to get involved and he poked Hobbs right in the eyes I was like man you you have no faith in your friend whatsoever the first time he was in trouble you tried to help for

Goodness sake I really was then actually freaking out because tea took 65y old sting and threw him into the entrance way when he tried to knee Derby in the face Allan moved and Toes just rammed into bar barricade I like you know what it serves your right it also allowed

Allan to basically go to the moon and do this goof and drop like he was so high how is he able to do this without hurting himself it’s two plus two was potato it doesn’t make any sense his dad then wanted to escalate it even further

Cuz I kid you not they were up on this rampway and he grabbed Powerhouse will Hobs and sking did a scorpion death drop all the way from up there through that damn table with his eyes on it now I did freak out a little bit after this cuz I

Think sting was genuinely hurt so right now I just hope he’s okay this is mostly because he is my hero and let’s not forget sting just pinned Powerhouse will Hobs which is quite something when ton Shani got in there to interview him and say oh A revolution is soon who’s going

To be your opponents well I think we flub and found out cuz of all the people the Young Bucks made their grand returned and they came out to the ring and they have gone through quite the transformation cuz they now have the best French inspired mustaches you’ve

Ever seen and they were kind of dressed like they’re about to sell you Insurance Jen Ina we didn’t say anything but Excalibur certainly planted the seeds cuz he was like oh my gosh are the mature bucks here to challenge Darby and sting and I believe the answer is yes

Sounds great to me though cuz I can only assume that sting is going to use his retirement power to take Matt and Nick Jackson and throw them up to the top of the card where they deserve to be and I just want to say aew shows are better

When the Young Bucks are on so it isn’t up for me as was this entire Dynamite cuz this was such a well put together show it kind of feels like they have a be in their B at the moment and they’ve come out in 2024 absolutely firing and

That is good for all fans cuz this week especially wrestling has totally rocked so now of course please do click the video on the screen which is ups and downs for NXT leave a comment below and let me know how wrong I am about all of this and your ups and downs counters

Like the video share the video and subscribe and just make sure you go out there and smile today cuz this day is never going to happen again so you should embrace it as much as you can what are we talking about don’t know goodbye