Think DoN was a show with the expected amazing effort from all wrestlers but hobbled by some booking that exposed a whole lot of the flaws in AEW's current product. Like many have said I've rarely enjoyed a PPV so much while disagreeing with 90% of the results.
- Ospreay/Roddy was a fantastic, fantastic opener. Ospreay is the guy and Roddy is still a guy who I never want to hear do a promo but will happily watch wrestle.
- Trios match was fine I guess? It seems like they might be rebuilding the division but I just wasn't invested at any point.
- Storm/Deeb - tale of 2 halves. First half was a real slog buy they pulled the audience into it by the end and the Mariah tease with the towel was nicely done.
Then the bad booking kicked in
- Trent/OC was 2 guys trying their best but Callis being around just had me waiting to see where he'd interfere, anything before that felt redundant. If this is all a swerve so they can do the Trent/Callis combo on Wednesday then this really was redundant - they could have had Trent win with a Callis assist, protects OC and gives Trent a boost because he really is going to need something after this loss and just being another guy standing around while Callis cuts promos aint it.
- FTW title match was a fun, sometimes sloppy affair. Any time HOOK and Shibata were allowed to just do their thing it was good stuff, then Jericho would get involved. Match really was hurt by waiting for Bill and the inevitable third guy to interfere. The suplex to Bill on the table was cool as expected. Keith interfering wearing a mask just to take it off a second later just so they could do the 'its not Sammy!' troll was pointless. Wherever/Whenever HOOK/Jericho 3 happens, that must be the end of it; Joe gets involved Wednesday I assume but for the love of god just get the FTW title back on HOOK already and let him retire it.
- Mox/Takeshita. Where to begin. Poor Take. Why, why, why, why book this match if that finish is your only option?? Take is well beyond the point where he can be in the ring with a main eventer and just 'get a rub' from just being there. Both he and Garcia have to start actually getting wins and having those wins followed up on, thats the top and bottom of it.
-Copeland/Black - Not alot to say, Black does less than nothing for me with his spooky shit and Copeland doing that now makes me even less interested.
- Mone/Willow - holy shit Willow got an amazing response from the crowd. Mercedes exceeded expectations for her first match back and this definitely had a big-match atmosphere. Mercedes definitely needs a new finisher though because whatever that was looked weak as hell. Post-match with Stat felt incredibly rushed for something that's been slowly building.
- Swerve/Christian - good first defence for Swerve. Cage knows how to pace a match, even with a bit too many shenanigans but that was the theme of the night.
- AITA - Exactly what was advertised, though it felt a bit too 'punch/kick walk along' for a loooong chunk. Fighting over the aux, Okada with the street sign and of course the flamethrower popped me big time. Danielson continues to be one of the most selfless guys on the roster and his absence is gonna be severely felt when he does call it a day.
TLDR - bad booking, too much interference, way too much Callis, no Garcia.
edit : I will say that the absence of Sammy while all other Pillars were represented and Jericho has a gimmick that would be tailor made for him to return to seems pretty telling. Guy might genuinely be in TK's bad books.