The energy in Winnipeg was nothing short of electric this week as the prodigal son of Manitoba finally made his way back to the squared circle. Last night’s Dynamite and tonight’s special Thursday edition of Collision served as a double-barreled reminder that the landscape of All Elite Wrestling is shifting faster than we can keep up. Whether you caught the stream live or you are listening to the podcast on your morning commute, we have a massive amount of ground to cover.
Dynamite Review: The Lionheart in Winnipeg
The headline of the night was undoubtedly Chris Jericho. Opening the show in his hometown, the “Lionheart” declared that Winnipeg is officially AEW’s home. We spent a lot of time debating his new trademark, “The Cornerstone,” and whether this version of Jericho is leaning into a delusional heel persona or a respected veteran role.
The rest of Dynamite was packed with high-stakes moments:
* The Contract Signing: MJF and Kenny Omega finally put pen to paper for their Dynasty clash. The tension was palpable, though Omega’s dig at MJF’s hair plugs was the moment that had everyone talking.
* The Aerial Assassin vs. The B*****d: Will Ospreay and PAC delivered an absolute “Match of the Year” contender. Ospreay secured the victory, but the post-match beatdown by the Death Riders left us wondering if he will be 100% for Moxley.
* Speedball’s Stand: MJF proved his technical dominance by defeating Speedball Mike Bailey in a clean, grueling main event.
Collision Highlights: Shida, Syndicates, and Shoving Matches
Tonight’s special Thursday Collision was just as impactful. We saw the return of Hikaru Shida, who took Willow Nightingale to the limit in a TBS Title challenge. However, the post-match frustration from Shida suggests a much darker path ahead for the former champion.
We also broke down:
* Hurt Syndicate Expansion: MVP and Bobby Lashley are looking to grow the roster. We brainstormed potential recruits, with names like Keith Lee and Queen Aminata topping our list of “must-haves.”
* FTR vs. The Icons: Adam Copeland and Christian Cage are officially hunting FTR. The backstage brawls and the involvement of Stokely Hathaway have made this rivalry one of the most intense stories on the road to Dynasty.
* Juice Robinson’s New Look: We have some feelings about Juice ditching the “Rockstar” persona for plain black gear; we are officially on “Juice Watch” to see if the charisma returns with the wardrobe.
The Way Back: April 7, 2021
For our flashback segment this week, we took a trip to the pandemic era at Daily’s Place. It was the night the Young Bucks officially turned heel on John Moxley, but more importantly, it was the night they wrestled in $10,000 Dior Air Jordan 1s. It was the peak of “arrogant wealthy behavior,” and it set the stage for the EVP era we are still living through today.
Show Notes and Timestamps:
* [00:15] Intro and the return of Judas to Winnipeg.
* [01:13] Tom’s Book List: Stoner, On Tyranny, and the Constitution.
* [05:55] Remote work fashion: Chiefs, Royals, and Terry Funk.
* [08:45] Dynamite Breakdown: Chris Jericho’s homecoming pop.
* [16:50] The Cornerstone: Analyzing Jericho’s new trademark and heel potential.
* [22:20] Contract Tension: MJF vs. Kenny Omega and the hair plug comments.
* [27:15] Ricochet’s “Demand”: Why he might be the best promo in the industry right now.
* [37:30] Match of the Year: Will Ospreay vs. PAC breakdown.
* [45:45] Moxley’s Mercy: The Death Riders and the Continental Title rules.
* [52:55] The Unraveling: Darby Allin’s psychological warfare with MJF.
* [59:35] Collision Review: Willow Nightingale vs. Hikaru Shida.
* [01:02:50] Hurt Syndicate: Who is the next recruit for Bobby Lashley and MVP?
* [01:06:20] Juice Robinson: Why the plain black gear is a “Creator-a-Wrestler” disaster.
* [01:09:20] Isaiah Kassidy: The emergence of a solo star.
* [01:15:15] Missing in Action: Where is Eddie Kingston?
* [01:21:50] The Way Back: The $10,000 sneaker superkick of 2021.
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