This is Dragon’s first match for AEW after the much acclaimed Kenny Omega 30 minute time limit draw. Nick Jackson as an opponent is certainly an interesting pick. Neither of The Young Bucks are particularly known for their singles performances, and more often than not it’s Matt Jackson that draws much of the individual praise in tag matches for his keener attention to longterm selling. Nick Jackson, on the other hand, is the one that can really bring the fireworks for the Bucks hence why he’s often left to be the hot tag for the team. That being said, Nick Jackson often gets far more attention when he’s given the rare singles match on Dynamite.
And, of course, this ruled.
Without Matt to string together sequences with and without a more fireworks-driven opponent like Rey Fenix to encourage any bad habits, Nick Jackson comes to this match focused and as stripped down as we might ever see him as a singles guy. The opening is a simple enough start with Nick actually getting the shine before Bryan gets sick of playing games and starts applying pressure.
Again, it staggers me how much Bryan can get out of so little. When he’s working a simple wristlock down on the mat, he makes it look genuinely gruesome. Having the wristlock as well as gripping that arm’s elbow at the same time is just some gross looking stuff that elevates a simple move into a moment worth taking note of.
Another great thing is just how much Bryan makes Nick earn his comeback. It actually takes a bit for Nick to muster enough momentum to start his heat segment on Bryan, and even then it requires some assistance from Matt at ringside (with one of the worst looking Spears I think he’s ever hit in his life too).
The control segment isn’t much but it’s obscured by the picture-in-picture so there’s not much to complain about there. The real money is in Bryan’s comeback. Leaning into Nick Jackson’s chest kicks and then punishing him for the audacity of it is such a delightful moment. There’s absolutely no reason something as hot as that had to be in this TV match that won’t mean much down the line but it’s there. It’s such a fantastic moment, one that really gets the heart pumping and the blood rushing.
That’s the main difference between Bryan’s ringwork now and what he’d been forced to do for so long in the WWE. Even in his final run with the WWE, there was always this idea that Bryan was a crafty wrestler but not necessarily the most threatening in the ring. That changed and shifted based on who he worked with but it always permeated his matches with larger talent like Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar. I love that here in AEW, he gets to be exactly what he is–a dangerous, elite-level ass kicker.
The finishing stretch is nothing transcendent but we do get some gnarly bumps from both guys. Dragon kicking the ringpost was a great way to transition into Nick potentially sneaking the win. The real highlights though are the apron bump for Dragon and Nick taking a German onto the floor. Nothing crazy thoughtful but wild enough to help elevate this match. Then, of course, Bryan gets to bust out a familiar old combo to get the win. Tiger Suplex, 12 to 6 elbows, and the Cattle Mutilation for the win.
Oh yes, friends, The American Dragon is back. No one else can compare.
