Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Chris Jericho's Inner Circle, Darby Allin Impresses, More AEW Dynamite Fallout

Chris Roling

Coming off a successful debut, All Elite Wrestling's Dynamite had a bigger task for Wednesday's edition: prove to viewers they should keep coming back week after week.

To say the promotion delivered would be an understatement.

The first episode sort of felt like a one-off. Wednesday night, Chris Jericho forged a big, bad group, MJF's allegiance was tested, Jon Moxley got back in the ring, Pac had some of the best character development seen in a long time and Darby Allin emerged as a worthwhile top contender.

And that's to name only a few of the critical details. With an apparent snap of the fingers, AEW has paved the road to week-by-week storytelling viewers should feel encouraged to catch.

The following were the top moments.

Private Party Pulls off a Stunner

Another week, another example of AEW not only pulling off big upsets but also making guys new viewers didn't necessarily know about look like a million bucks.

Speaking of bucks, the night's opening match in the tag team tournament seemed like it would simply be The Young Bucks rolling over the competition to get the crowd hot.

AEW had other plans.

Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy—Private Party—ended up pulling off one of the bigger-seeming upsets in recent wrestling history with the win.

And it wasn't just an upset for the sake of having one, as both guys got in great offense and didn't look any bit the lesser of the two teams. And the ending was sheer splendid, with an attempted Meltzer Driver, ruined action on the apron and a surprise roll-up stealing the victory.

Maybe Private Party doesn't go on to win the whole thing, but this established another heavyweight duo in the division. And as with Cody, it showed that those running the show won't have a rocket strapped to their backs on the way to the top.

Chris Jericho Introduces the Inner Circle

"'We The People' sucks, and it's dead and buried."

Wrestling fans, regardless of preferred program and whatnot, understand Chris Jericho is one of the best of all time. So it wasn't a matter of whether he could kill off the inevitable "We The People" chants from Jake Hager's WWE days—it was merely a matter of how.

And the above line was one heck of a way to do it.

No surprise here. Jericho, among other things, has managed to get an invisible list of names over as the hottest thing in wrestling. More recently, the man had AEW's inaugural world title stolen at a chain restaurant, flipped it into an incredible hot tub-based promo and then basked in the glory of a new catchphrase and merchandise.

So no, no shocks here. With one sentence, Jericho controlled the crowd, killed off that chant and took a funny shot at WWE. He also established a name for AEW's new big, bad group, made all involved look great and provided one of the biggest reasons for fans to keep tuning in weekly.

Jon Moxley Returns to the Ring

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

This is a good example of packing a ton of noteworthy, must-see material into and around a single match.

Jon Moxley got back in the ring a week removed from putting Kenny Omega through a glass table and—shocker—looked good doing it.

At the same time, Shawn Spears had a fun entrance, and his aggressiveness was a welcome sight. He didn't win, but it's easy to see why AEW could push him to the moon as a top contender, proving the depth is there.

And while all this was happening in the ring, Pac was on the mic with the commentators, giving something of a deep dive into his character and motivations.

Don't forget that after Moxley won, Omega trotted out with two barbed-wire weapons, tossed one to Moxley like the hero he is and squared up—only for the Pac attack from behind.

This was probably the show's most tense moment and was also plotting out storylines and feuds faster than a construction unit on a tight deadline. These guys aren't the top contenders, but the manner in which they continue to get in each other's way is bound to come to an explosive conclusion.

MJF Has a Moment

All Elite Wrestling

Commentary put it best: MJF had a moment.

Fans had to know it was coming. All sorts of chaos was closing the show, headlined by MJF's supposed friend, Cody, getting whipped by members of The Inner Circle. He came out with a steel chair and briefly looked like he might take it to that so-called friend, aligning with Jericho and Co.

But MJF proved where his loyalties do rest, instead going after Jericho and the others and staving them off.

This had '90s vibes all over it in the best way possible. MJF, one of the best heels in the business, teased a big turn already. If it's done right, this is something AEW can ride for six-plus months. He's not just a heel; he's one of the most dynamic things going in wrestling. The Young Bucks tried to help him up after the save, and he was back to being himself, swatting away their hands.

MJF playing the hero while being a heel, and basking in the adoration of the crowd is going to be a sight to see each week. Both sides' attempts to reel him in will be interesting as this develops.

Darby Allin Skates to the Top

Credit: All Elite Wrestling

On Oct. 2, AEW made the man formerly known as Jack Swagger look downright incredible. He felt like a big deal, which in itself is a big deal for the promotion.

It's a similar story for Darby Allin.

Likely a relative unknown for most viewers, he had an incredible match against Cody at Fyter Fest and started to stand out. Wednesday night, he put on another show with Jimmy Havoc, becoming the No. 1 contender for Jericho's belt.

But the ending was the best part. Allin literally skated down the ramp and leaped off it, attacking Jericho in the aftermath of all the chaos. It sounds silly, but the execution was fun—and it worked.

Allin is an incredible talent just oozing some Jeff Hardy vibes. He's a skater who put his body on the line while trying to reach his goals, which explains his high-risk wrestling style, which the commentators described as getting through car crashes.

Now he has crashed his way into the main event scene. And while it's easy to see his match with Jericho on the next episode ending in shenanigans, the fact that he's already forced a draw with Cody keeps whispers of an upset in the back of fans' minds.

Maybe that doesn't happen, but it's clear Allin isn't going anywhere but the top of AEW—he's a bona fide star.

                 

Tune into TNT on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET to catch all the action of All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite.

   

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