Another year, another year grand slam. AEW’s “Not a PPV, But a Very Special Dynamite, Later Taped Rampage” show has been taking place in New York since 2021 and has built up quite a bit of match history. Maybe the top of that list is for 2021 Kenny Omega and Bryan DanielsonAt the end of the match, the two wrestlers bled, sweated and shed tears until they ended up tied. That night marked CM PunkThis was his first live match since leaving WWE in 2014.
This year’s version has… not much. It’s not that the game is going to be bad or anything. This has never been a problem. AEW excels at producing explosive matches at a steady pace. This is storytelling. Well, specifically, the lack of it. Consideration of race cards (subject to change).
AEW Slam Dynamite – September 25, 2024
- AEW World Tag Team Championship: The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson) vs. Kyle Fletcher and Will Ospreay
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Maria Mei VS. Yuka Sakazaki
- AEW World Trio Championship:Pac, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta vs. TBA
- Saraya’s rules game:Jamie Hight vs. Saraya
- lumberjack belt matching: Hangman Paige vs. Jeff Jarrett
- Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuinness
- AEW World Championship Opportunity:Jon Moxley VS Darby Allin
AEW Slam Collision – September 28, 2024
- FTW Championship: Hooker vs. Roderick Strong
- Tornado Trio: Enterprise Group (Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly and Orange Cassidy) and Learning Tree (Chris Jericho, Big Bill and Bryan Keith)
- MxM Collection Reveals Max Caster’s Jacket Transformation (Clip)
- AEW Intercontinental Championship Elimination Chamber: Sammy Guevara vs. Kazuchika Okada
All of these games have the potential to be exciting. Bryan Danielson vs. McGuinness, in particular, could be the start of an intense clash that could lead to a fight once Danielson defeats the winner between Moxley and Allin for the title. A championship battle. Danielson has stipulated that he will retire at the end of his championship run, so the tension is there. Oddly enough, the McGuinness fight wasn’t a championship match. That’s not a bad thing, though, as it could be a sign that McGuinness will win somehow and then go on to hype a rematch with the belt and Danielson’s retirement.
The challenge here is that AEW seems to prefer short-term storytelling. Challengers stepped up, upping the ante in a show or two, and then the main event shortly after in a special edition of Dynamite. Maybe this time, things will have a chance to stay in the oven longer and really get the time they need to grow into something special.
Okada VS Guevara is likely to be a satisfying match for the audience. Dangerous acrobatics and tough bumps await you. Mariah May’s title defense against Yuka Sakazaki could be interesting, but it has the makings of a quick match that could further solidify May’s dominance. Jamie Hayter vs. Saraya should satisfy fans eager for the long-awaited return of the original champion. Hayter started out determined to take back what no one in the ring had taken from her, so the tension here has been brewing for a while.
Then again, a little storytelling is enough to make this year’s Grand Slam not to be missed. We’re going to see such spectacles, that’s for sure. But will it hurt AEW to give the story some much-needed attention? Where you can be the best wrestler, you can also be the best storyteller.
The 2024 Grand Slam will be broadcast live on September 25th Departing from Arthur Ashe Stadium.
