Bash at the Beach was one hell of a wrestling show.
But frankly, this was more than just two hours of good wrestling, this show should be the benchmark, the standard bearer for what AEW Dynamite should be going forward.
From the moment the show opened to the final shot, Bash at the Beach was a high-energy, well-paced, thoughtfully commentated, and diverse program. Gone were production snafus. The main event didn’t feel rushed for time. There was no referee inconsistencies and botches. The show wasn’t all tag team matches. The crowd was not burnt out by the halfway point of the show. Storylines advanced logically. Not one wrestler looked weak in defeat. Young stars were elevated. Legends were implemented wisely. The true stars of the show were treated as such. Heels got legit heat. Faces got legit love from the crowd.
Simply put, this is the promise of AEW fully realized.
And if we dive deeper into Bash at the Beach, this was a great spike the ball in the end zone moment for the company. Hot off the heels of not only having Dynamite extended through 2023, but receiving a hefty rights fee, and another series on the Turner network of channels — this was a celebration episode if there ever was one. All the talent brought it. The opening tag match with The Young Bucks, Best Friends, Santana & Ortiz, and Kenny Omega & Adam Page embodied the unbridled excitement the company, and the fans alike shared over the news that AEW was not only going to be sticking around on TNT, but it would be thriving. Fans, and I will count myself among them, had concerns of the longevity AEW would have for television. This is not based on lack of quality but if the ratings AEW were bringing in would justify a renewal with some sort of profit being made. Turns out they are.
Bash at the Beach also showed AEW knows how bounce back from a bad week. Last week, Dynamite in Memphis was very much hamstrung by back-to-back clunkers featuring The Nightmare Collective and The Dark Order.
A digression: Unfortunately The Nightmare Collective was a part of the worst match of Bash at the Beach, but I don’t entirely blame them on it. Brandi Rhodes got thrown into the ring at the last second — this is only her second match since the beginning of 2019, so ring rust was a factor (although it didn’t really show). Mel was debuting for AEW, and you can see the nerves on full display. Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida, are still super young in the ring, and while talented I don’t think either has the experience to fully carry two people not on par to a good match. However, the right people (Statlander and Shida) won, and the crowd was all about it, so there’s that at least.
Okay, back to my point. AEW bounced back hard from last week’s debacle. Will they be able to string two weeks together now? Well, that’s the hope. It looked like they were on the right foot with the Homecoming Edition of Dynamite from Jacksonville, but then dropped the ball in the greater Memphis area. AEW needs to finish Bash at the Beach strong, and frankly they’re building it that way. Joey Janela (who cut a strong promo) against Rey Fenix has so much promise. The rematch of Moxley and PAC is going to be killer. The Inner Circle going up against Jurassic Express is going to be so much fun. And the tag title match has the potential of being an absolute classic.
Coming from the Jericho Cruise, AEW has the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind show. I’m hoping they pull it together. I want to see AEW do what their counter-program rival NXT has done so well — create strong, fully realized, well-produced shows on a consistent basis. It certainly feels like AEW is hitting that groove, and if Bash at the Beach is the bar they aim to hit, wrestling fans are in for one hell of a 2020.
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