7 Ups & 6 Downs From AEW Dynamite: Thanksgiving (24 Nov)
Colt Cabana loses a tooth, CM Punk and MJF spit fire, Page steps to Danielson.
AEW returned to Chicago, Illinois for last night's Thanksgiving special, having delivered a strong Full Gear 2021 fallout show that set most of its major players off in interesting new directions the previous week.
Sold out for weeks, with a hot crowd all but guaranteed in a city AEW conquered a long time, the show was, unfortunately, a letdown. Its highest highs were tremendous, but the gulf between them and the night's lesser moments could hardly have been wilder. A shame, particularly as the likes of CM Punk and Bryan Danielson were on the lineup.
Perhaps this bum transitional week was by design. Both of AEW's previous pre-Thanksgiving Dynamites have experienced significant drops in viewership, with another likely this week. But the writing was often tedious regardless - especially outwith the two main promo segments.
Danielson wrestled Colt Cabana on his march towards Hangman Page's World Title, Punk got into it with MJF, and Jamie Hayter wrestled Thunder Rosa in the TBS Championship tournament. Elsewhere, Cody Rhodes and PAC joined forces with the Lucha Brothers to face FTR, Malakai Black, and Andrade El Idolo in a convergence of rivalries.
Let's light the fuse...