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AEW will present Dynasty this Sunday evening. Here are our thoughts on what should go down.
Orange Cassidy and Katsuyori Shibata vs. Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty
Cory: Taylor has shown he has what it takes to be a big heel in AEW and it’s time to move him higher in the card. His ring work is like no one else with his mix of brawling and loud trash talking, and since Anthony Ogogo is back and getting a big push, he will have a part in this match. Cassidy and Shibata can lose without losing any of their fans, and it’s time for Shane Taylor Promotions to move up the card, so they will win this one.
Mike: I am a massive Shane Taylor fan but when is the last time he won a match on a big show? Team Cassidy wins.
Richard: AEW is trying to push Shane Taylor Promotions and I am a fan of Taylor's work and Moriarty has potential. Did Tony think that Cassidy and Katsuyori sounded similar so they should be a tag team? When you have Orange Cassidy in a match, there is a 99.23402934027423978042380394823702934802346023838383 percent chance he is going to win the match. It isn't the whatever percentage isn't in that number's time. You don't need your brain removed to know that.
Trent Beretta vs. Matt Sydal
Cory: Trent just turned after a long, slow build. Sydal never wins anything important, so this one is a glorified squash match. Beretta wins quickly and furthers the story of why he turned.
Mike: All Trent, all the way.
Richard: Tony remembered that Sydal is from St. Louis. That's all I've got.
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) and Billy Gunn (AEW Trio Champions) vs. Bullet Club Gold (Jay White and The Gunns (Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn) (ROH 6 Man Champions)
Cory: The Trios championships have been a bust since most Trios teams are thrown together groups who get one match and then move on. The Acclaimed have gone cold with little to no TV time and haven't cut one of their promos in from of a crowd in seemingly ages. It’s time to merge the title under Bullet Club Gold and use that to push Jay White back up the card while letting the Gunns, who have really got something as heels, become his goon squad.
Mike: The Acclaimed should be THE attraction that sends everyone home happy. Push them harder. They should win.
Richard: The Gang Bang Gang explodes in this match as the trios titles are unified (so what new title gets created as a result?). Is there a problem when the most 'over' person among the six is the oldest by TWENTY-SIX years over the next oldest? If I tossed a coin to determine who should win this match, the coin would either land on its side or get caught in a ceiling fan. Can we do a time limit draw so both teams have to keep their titles and we run it back in Vegas? Will they need something extra to be able to perform?
Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston, and Mark Briscoe vs. The House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews)
Cory:This is a great example of why I don’t care about the two trios titles. We have House of Black, which is a strong heel faction the crowd likes to see vs three people who have nothing in common at all other than being attacked by the House of Black. House of Black SHOULD win this going away, as they will continue as a group. House of Black needs to be strong to go after the Trios titles in my opinion, and Adam’s team loses nothing if they lose here.
Mike: This is my pick for sleeper match of the night. Should be a fun brawl! Should also be House of Black winning.
Richard: The 'strange bedfellows' team facing The House of Black should mean an advantage for the spooky threesome accompanied by the girl with the Urban Sombrero. Unfortunately, you cannot write the proper magazine blurb to justify a victory because they are The House of Black. Will Eddie and Mark be over any issues they might have had at Supercard of Honor, but this is AEW, not ROH so they need to focus. Does Copeland face a member of the House of Guys with Girl with Undertaker Hat or someone else coming out of this show? Give Briscoe the win and let one of them attack him after the match to set up an ROH title match.
Hook (FTW Champion) vs. Chris Jericho
Cory: This feud has been a mess. Hook wins the first match, Jericho tries to latch onto him to gain some relevance. If he wasn’t doing so over the top his acting belongs in a silent movie, I’d like the idea of his desperately clinging on to Hook, but he just comes off as overacting and not in a good or funny way. I said it on the Post-Show Party: Hook won their first match handily. If nothing changes for the second match, why should we expect a different outcome? Hook wins.
Mike: Hook should choke him out CLEAN in 30 seconds.. Anything else is a waste of our time and does zero for Hook.
Richard: The tractor beam has been locked in on Hook and there is time for him to get Obi Wan Taznobi to free him from the clutches of the Jericho Wave. Hook needs to win this fast and then as dad makes his way to the ring to congratulate son on victory, dad walks past Hook and shows his son the proper way to choke out an opponent.
Roderick Strong (International Champion) vs. Kyle O'Reilly
Cory: I think this will be a fantastic match. Both guys are excellent in the ring, they have worked together a lot in the past, and both always want to show off what they can do. But the build was lackluster and only gave us ONE segment where they were at odds. Because of that, I can’t see Kyle winning. He’s come back and he’s still being reintroduced to the crowd, and hasn’t won them over yet. Roddy has cooled off a bit because he hasn’t had a good feud for the last month or two, but he should still retain here.
Mike: Biggest test for Kyle to date since his return. Roddy should retain.
Richard: Kyle O'Reilly has embraced the Sami Zayn look, but will he be able to embrace the story that Sami was able to tell two weeks ago? I don't think it happens, even if the Adam Cole Conglomerate is a very small step above The Dark Order, The Infantry, or whatever Ariya Daivari's group was called. Roderick Strong is a great talent and Kyle is just coming back from a serious injury. Will Kyle have anyone at ringside with him to neutralize Bennett and Taven (as if it is needed). Strong retains and we take a look at this match again down the road.
Julia Hart (TBS Champion) vs. Willow Nightingale (with Stokely Hathaway)
Cory: I really think they are going to move the belt to Willow so that we get Willow vs Mercedes Mone at Double or Nothing. They are also teasing that Willow may turn heel. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS! Willow is a fantastic babyface, connects with the crowd and has a lot of presence on her own. I think they will drop in a swerve with Kris Statlander, but the signs all point to Willow winning. Hopefully they do it in such a way that Hart is positioned to move to the Women’s World Title. She’s still learning, but she has off the chart charisma and could be fantastic in the current mix with Toni Storm.
Mike: Hart should retain and heartbroken Willow should turn.
Richard: Is Hart injured, and if she is, are we going to get another 'injury shortens title match and things get awkward' match? The countdown clock has started for Willow and Statlander to split, but who goes heel and who stays face. Mone said she gets the next shot so I am excited for the 5 weeks of Mone promos and segments where she comes out and dances like Conan O'Brien on The Simpsons. Will we see AEW's Roxanne Perez model help their Alexa Bliss model in this match or will it be one on one?
Kazuchika Okada (Continental Champion) vs. Pac
Cory: I love Pac, and he’s going to tear it up, but Okada is not losing any time soon.
Mike: Love PAC. No one believes he will win. He won't.
Richard: You don't bring in a star like Okada, give him a prestigious title with the history of the Continental Championship, and then take it off him so soon. This should be a good match but Pac will fall short and Okada will make it rain all over his opponent.
The Young Bucks (Nicholas Jackson and Matthew Jackson) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) for the AEW Tag Team Titles
Cory: I feel very alone in this, but I think Heel Bucks are the Best Bucks, and their style works when they are heels. Other than when they back peddle to be jerks to CM Punk (which doesn’t work), I like their current run. They are betting in the ring since they aren’t trying to do all of the high flying stuff, they are one of the few teams that actually CHEAT as heels, and they are able to get a smart crowd to boo them out of the building. They have been more entertaining than FTR in this feud, and I would like to see a series of teams chase the titles. I say they Bucks win, by blatantly cheating.
Mike: With Cash slated for trial soon, I don't see The Bucks losing. This could be fun.
Richard: If the Young Bucks are doing the 'we control things' gimmick as EVPs, then there is no way that they walk out of St. Louis without the titles. I can see FTR 'getting the win', but they will be told 'by the EVPs' that the match cannot end that way so the match is restarted. Then FTR wins again, and they are told that they can't win 'that way' either. Then someone, to the shock of everyone in the building The Bucks get the win and they say that they approve of the finish. This will be an overbooked match that makes my dream match possible. As a result of the Bucks airing the All In footage, Jack Perry makes his return, not to help the Bucks, but to face off against them with his House of Torture associate EVIL. Get your tickets for Forbidden Door now.
"Timeless" Toni Storm (AEW Women’s World Champion) (with Mariah May and Luther) vs. Thunder Rosa
Cory: To my mind, this is the hardest match to call. I feel that Storm has so many stories around her right now, since May is having wrestlers come in to be on her side, and Storm won’t be happy about that, Purrazzo is still wanting revenge, and Storm has shown she’s a big enough star she doesn’t NEED the title right now. In a perfect world, Rosa wins the title to cement that she shouldn't have lost it. Purrazzo costs Storm the title so that she can chase Rosa while Storm chases her, and Rosa gets to have banger matches against most of the roster. So, I’m calling it for Rosa, but I could very easily be wrong and Storm’s stories keep revolving with the title involved.
Mike: AEW hit on something with Storm. She should retain.
Richard: I am not a fan of the "Timeless Toni' gimmick and Thunder Rosa doesn't appear to have the backing of the fans like she did before her injury so this is a match that could exceed my expectations. While Mariah and Toni appear to be BFFs, there is trouble between the unit of Rosa and Purrazzo. Will we see Deonna involved in this match to 'neutralize' Mariah's presence, or will it be a way for Purrazzo to turn on Rosa and allow Toni to retain the title? Toni retains, but what is next? Technicolor Toni?
Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson
Cory: Ospreay is the future of AEW and they will be asking him to carry the company into All In. Bryan may be the best wrestler in my lifetime. These two will be out to put on a classic, and Bryan is stepping back soon, so I can see him wanting to help strap a rocket to Ospreay. I look for Ospreay to win a hard fought match.
Mike: 60 minute draw to really drive Twitter insane.
Richard: Which wrestler will earn the title of 'best technical wrestler in the world . . . at least in AEW' by winning this match? If these two men are focused and if there is no time limit, this could go until Forbidden Door in June. I hope both men will try to wear the other down while throwing in a chance to get a 'quick and cheaper' victory instead of winning the war of attrition. Ospreay should win this to gather momentum for a likely main event match in London (and maybe for the title)
Samoa Joe (AEW World Champion) vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)
Cory: This is a hard one for me. Joe is a fantastic Champion and has done a great job holding the belt. He feels as if he is a level above because he carries himself as a level above, and even when building up an opponent as he did Hook, he comes across as a legitimate champion who is unbeatable. Swerve has taken off and has become one of the biggest fan favorites in AEW. Him being champion would give the company a different feel and a way to pull in a different fanbase. Joe has held the title for 4 months and AEW likes to have longer title reigns than that. Swerve has been build up as the man who will never say die and has done whatever has been asked of him by the company. In the end, I have to go with my gut and says it’s 51% Swerve is winning the title because of so many matches where the heels need to win.
Mike: I know I am not going to be popular here. Joe should retain, clean. Swerve will get more having to fight his way back to the title.
Richard: I am torn in this match because I think Joe has done a great job as champion, but it seems inevitable that Swerve is going to be the champion. There should not be any distractions or interference in this match, especially if Swerve is going to get the title. Swerve has gotten into Joe's head a bit and I think that can help Swerve in this match. I think Swerve gets the win, but I don't think this will be the final time these two men wrestle for the title on a pay per view because I think we get the rematch at Double or Nothing to set up the winner's match at All In. I hope Swerve ditches Nana if he is only going to do his arm swinging shtick going forward.
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