I decided to indulge on this TV special called "AEW Winter Is Coming". It is coming to you from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. It is northeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex as a suburb. AEW is looking to end a year to remember on a high note. This card has only four matches, which is small, but could be effective for the wrestling fan.
The Dynamite theme reminds me of the old Raw is War theme.
And the show starts with the World Championship match. Wait, what?
The World Championship match is the first contest of the night? Ok, I guess.
Bryan Danielson and Adam Page come out to huge ovations as Tony Schiavone, Excalibur and Taz are on commentary. It seems as Bryan is the heel in this encounter as he is showing heel tactics. The crowd are shouting "Let's Go Bryan" and "Cowboy S( Oh, can't say that.)" The beginning showed a slow paced tempo of headlocks and armbars. Taz says that Hangman is a big man. He's 6 feet 220 lbs. Not exactly big. Clearly, Danielson was carrying the first part of the bout. He is smiling a lot and looks healthy since coming to AEW. State Farm is the sponsor for the promotion. Imagine the commercials with the CM Punk Price or the Bryan Bill. Hangman can hold his own. The crowd is really into this. Both men converted some smart counters into near pinfalls. Danielson tells someone in the crowd to shut up. Just turn him into the Eco- champion. Hangman did a flip on the hard part of the apron as Tony curses. Bryan goes to the ring and taunts the crowd boos him mercifully. Im loving this Bryan Danielson. Hangman is busted open on the outside. Bryan continues to do jumping jacks and did a Hulk Hogan taunt to the crowd. Do you think he enjoys being in AEW? After about what seems like 10 commercials, Bryan attacks Hangman in his busted head. The match is over 30 minutes. Hangman is pouring blood near the turnbuckle. The referee is checking on Hangman while wearing gloves. Bryan tries a Cattle Mutation, but Page reaches the rope. Bryan tries to execute his patented series of kicks, but Page ducks at the last attempt and Danielson kicks the post. Hangman focuses on the injured leg and applies a figure four leglock. After another commercial break, both competitors are slugging it out. Hangman does a Tombstone pile-driver, but Bryan kicks out. The crowd chants "This is awesome!" A sign in the crowd wishes JR to get well. Same here. You are missed, JR. I'm actually getting goosebumps watching this. Bryan tries a piledriver on the apron, but Hangman counters with one of his own. Page tries a splash on the outside. Unfortunately, Bryan moves out of the way and Hangman crashes on the ring table. They go to another commercial break. Ugh. They have a split screen, but it's irritating since this is the most important match on the card. Bryan hits a DDT on concrete while on the split screen. Thanks. Most men look spent, but still capable of delivering a classic ending. Page executes a Lariat that flips Bryan. Both enter a slugfest to try to get an upper hand. Justin Roberts informs everyone that there are under 5 minutes left. I think this will end in a draw. Bryan goes for a flying knee, but Page hits a Deadeye as Danielson kicks out. Hangman tries a Buckshot, but Bryan counters with a LeBell Lock. It's down to one minute. Page gets out and hits the Buckshot Lariat as time expires. I knew it. This was great. The one thing about AEW is they are focusing on wrestling. Hangman just earned my respect during this.
The Super Kliq does a promo. Adam Cole seems like the leader of this group. They are not Undisputed Era. They challenge the Best Friends to an eight man tag.
Wardlow vs. Matt Sydal in a squash match. Shawn Spears takes the mic and hits Sydal with a chair. He's on the phone with MJF. He reportedly tells Wardlow to go buy champagne as the crowd boos.
Malachi Black has a video package and he is talented. Why did WWE not see any talent in this man?
Serena Deeb and Hikaru Shida are next. Both women are going after each other. This is a physical match. It's also good to see Serena Deeb in a ring. They plug Dynamite moving to TBS on January 5. Serena is taunting the crowd like Bryan Danielson. Shida comes back with lightning fists. She executes a picture perfect suplex on Deeb for a two count. Deeb continues to focus on Shida's injured knee. Then Serena exposes the turnbuckle and gives a backbreaker to Shida on the exposed turnbuckle for a two count. Serena hits consecutive neck breakers, but Shida counters with a Falcon Arrow for two. Serena exposes another turnbuckle and tries to hit Shida, but fails. Serena hits the exposed turnbuckle and Shida wins on a roll-up.
There is tension between the Varsity Blondes. If that's so, have Brian Pillman Jr. channel his old man and become a Loose Cannon.
The main event is on and MJF has a mic. He cuts a promo about CM Punk and even calls him The Next Ryback, which made me laugh. He's up against Dante Martin for the Diamond Ring. MJF is going to be a ⭐. If he doesn't have a belt around his waist this time next year, they are doing something wrong. This was a good match. Dante Martin reminds me of a young A.J. Styles in TNA. He almost crashed and burned on the entrance ramp. Plenty of near falls in this. Taz keeps complaining about Dante Martin not joining Team Taz. Ricky Starks comes in and disrupts a pinfall. MJF puts an armbar on and wins. He and FTR celebrate when the lights go out. Sting and Darby Allin appear and attack. MJF comes in and the numbers game comes to the Pinnacle's favor. CM Punk comes out and even the odds as the heels retreat. Punk announces a six man tag for Dynamite as the show ends.
Winter Is Coming was a serviceable show. Hangman and Danielson delivered a classic. Both men went tooth and nail to put on a match everyone can remember. The matches after that had a hard time equalling the Championship match. They were enjoyable and the crowd was into it.
If there were a few complaints, they are key to the success of the company in my opinion. They should never, ever, ever, ever, ever.....put the World Championship match as the first contest of the show. That takes away the aura of a main event match, especially when it's constantly interrupted by commercial breaks. I realize that putting MJF there is a platform to push him into the stratosphere, but he's already doing that. It took the luster out of a championship bout that everyone wanted to see. I like the idea to not have a clear cut winner in this. That entices the viewer to go get the Pay-Per-View or the next big show, where a rematch can happen. See, Tony Khan is learning.
AEW has a bright 😎 future ahead for 2022. I can see them breaking ahead of the pack next year.
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