[9.0] "How is this match not talked about more? This was fantastic, both had shocking good chemistry and MJF really brought the best outta Kyle Fletcher here. The in-ring work was good and Kyle playing the babyface rule actually very well. MJF taking the fans hat and throwing it was hilarious"
[8.0] "This match is a 7 but they were a couple of things that I liked so much I had to give it an extra point. This last kick out by MJF was amazing. By not looking at the ref it made it so much more believable. More wrestlers need to do this. Then the stuff at the end with the screwdriver was good for character development for both."
[7.0] "[3.25*] Super fun match. Kyle was obviously gonna lose as he always does (actually 90% of the Dynamite matches are ridiculously predictable), but these guys actually made a very good job in making me even think about the possibility of an upset. He brought a great fire as a babyface and the MJF trash talking was not annoying at all. I enjoyed it a lot."
[8.0] "Kyle not using the screwdriver and then telling Ospreay to stop doubting in hitting MJF with the Tiger Driver was hilarious, good match but MJF is close to jumping the shark"
[4.0] "Fletcher is 3-10 in matches where he doesn't have a tag partner in the last year in AEW. MJF is their biggest home grown star. Why is this so long? That's bad storytelling. What's the story? That a 3-10 guy who recently lost the developmental brands midcard title is almost as good as MJF? It's a boring match. You know the result and it goes on forever, takes the shine off MJF, and exploses Fletcher for not being great at Immersion (body language, facial expressions, selling). It's a fine moves exhibitions. So Execution is good. But Immersion, Story, Intangibles, and Efficiency (because half the match wasn't needed) are all bottom tier. If you like watching 2 guys do moves to each other for 20 minutes until they run out of stuff to do, then you'll like this. If you want any level of a cerebral experience, then this is not good. These kinds of matches are like movies that are all CGI scenes without a good story, dialogue, logic, or acting. Crazy to me that people like Meltzer like this stuff. But to each their own I guess."
[7.0] "This was a fun match, Kyle Fletcher is quickly establishing himself as a singles threat, and MJF repeated the same formula that he did at Arena Mexico against Templario, with a heated promo before the match. The pace was fast and at the same time enjoyable, the match didn't became a mess and Fletcher did some frenetic sequences, super enjoyable, and with great nearfalls as well. Unfortunately the ending wasn't the best one, and the match ended with a bitter feeling, but it was good nonetheless - {***1/2}"
[7.0] "Good match, though Kyle Fletcher still has some similar problems to Ospreay in terms of his wrestling in my opinion. MJF helps cover his flaws though and the two had a very entertaining and engaging match."
[8.0] "MJF/Fletcher was a tremendous showcase for Fletcher. A star making performance that elevated the Aussie Arrow in a big way, while MJF brought his A-game in being the heel who made his opponent look like a future main eventer. (****1/4)"
[7.0] "Liked this more than I expected to actually, with both grapplers being far more suited to these roles than their 2024 norm. As the heel, MJF leads a smart match, neatly plugging in Fletcher's more dynamic offence along the way. Speaking of such, that offence swiftly gets the people onboard, suggesting that Fletcher should probably remain a babyface while operating as a singles. They ultimately go a smidge long for my liking, especially with such a familiar finish, but this is a good match that builds smartly to its fireworks. ***1/2"
[8.0] "Heel MJF just works for me, and Kyle showed why he's much better as a face here. These guys both have the bad NXT epic match tendencies, but surprisingly I don't think this delved too much into that. This was just a really good TV match and a reminder that when Kyle gets out from the Callis family he'll have no problem getting the crowd behind him. I didn't mind the nonsense cause I knew it would happen, good stuff."
[6.0] "Really fun match that might have over stayed it's welcome a bit towards the ladder half. MJF still getting mixed reactions with his new American heel persona. Fletcher keeps showing out as a singles wrestler and has really risen to the occasion in outings like this one."
[5.0] "A mostly fine match that I thought showed some pretty nice improvement from Fletcher. He is slowly learning to not go absolutely all out in all of his matches. Sometimes it's okay to have a well worked TV match, not every match needs to end in a turnbuckle brainbuster or even have a successfully landed one. Pretty good. *** 3/4"
[5.0] "Not an awful match but I just couldn't get completely past some of its weaker moments. The fighting spirit spots felt very bland and uninspired, the Don Callis involvement and all the drama around it wasn't my cup of tea. I was expecting to like this a lot less than I did but the first half actually entertained me. 2.5*"
[6.0] "This was a match that I was really surprised by; Kyle Fletcher and MJF had a really good match to open Dynamite. MJF's new gimmick is very annoying to me; it works, yes, but I don't have to like it. Despite that, he's still a great in-ring competitor. Fletcher is a rising star, he has been constantly impressing and this match was one of my favorites from him so far. My only real complaint is why Kyle didn't go for the screwdriver; it doesn't make any sense to me! Whatever. Other than that, there wasn't much to hate here. A pretty solid match, and the post-match beatdown is definitely building up to Ospreay finally hitting the Tiger Driver '91 on MJF in Wembley."
[6.0] "Im not sure how much of a reason there was to believe that Fletcher was going to win here but he put in quite the effort on the way. MJF is on his way to a huge showdown with Will Ospreay in London and a nice win here was a good way to go. If nothing else, MJF getting to bust out the Kangaroo Kick makes him that much more of a jerk so this went well."
[7.0] "A good match to open the show with. Fletcher is great at execution and has good fire but I'm not sold on him as a singles guy yet, and MJF is also a good in-ring guy but his current gimmick sucks, so there's a lot of good action and people getting behind Kyle but it didn't wow me. I also hate that nobody seems willing to HURT MJF when he's constantly talking about crippling/retiring people on purpose these days; I get that tossing the screwdriver is a face move but I guarantee the pop if he USED it would've been way bigger than him dropping it. Max using the Tiger Driver after winning was at least a decent way to keep this going. ***1/4+"
[5.0] "Didn't hate this as much as I thought I would but this still isn't that good of a match. MJF works Fletcher's arm which he does a decent job of selling for all of 5 minutes before forgetting about it completely and then remembering to sell it again when MJF starts working on his arm again. There was a pretty cool moment near the midpoint where Fletcher hits a flipping senton on Max over the barricade but that was really the only memorable thing that happened here. The finish sucked, as it sees Kyle question his morality as Don Callis hands him a screwdriver to use on Max, but he ultimately decides against it which costs him the match. A pretty boring match all things considered but at the very least it wasn't as bad as some of Max's matches since returning. **1/2"
[7.0] "very good match to start the show and even better that it was happening for a reason instead of just for fun. This match made kyle fletcher look like a star and someone that could legitimately be a player in the mid card. I also looked at him as a heel but after this match and post match segment he can 100 percent be an incredible face. Mjf vs osperay is getting the heat that is needed for that match and also putting this mid card title in a much needed elevated pedestal. The post match segment was very very effective seeing mjf bust the best friend of his wembly opponent open. A lot to take in here and it was all great. 4 stars"
[7.0] "7.5 - Kyle Fletcher really went for it, taking his opportunity as a top-level babyface. He bumped well. MJF was in middling form. The interference angle was boring."
[8.0] "For me, this is actually what the MJF/Ospreay match could have been. I know these two guys aren't to everyone's tastes in the current climate, but everyone in the building was here for this match and I think they delivered in a match that didn't outstay its welcome. Only real downer was the Callis screwdriver spot that is really becoming something that makes wrestlers look stupid, especially when they're facing a guy like MJF. But if you can get past that, it's worth a watch for sure"
[9.0] "Fantastic match, even bettter than what I was expecting. MJF is a great heel and I was very surprised by how over Kyle was. I think Kyle has all the makings to be a big, big star in the future. This was a great opener with the obvious but right winner."
"Great way to kick off the show. Both work very well together, good focus on the arm by Friedman. Just wished that would have been more of a vocal point in the match. Besides that a lot of good counters, clean technical wrestling and multiple storycontinuations ("Wannabe Ospreay", MJF using every trick in the book, the screwdriver). 8/10"
[8.0] "Really, really good match here. MJF just work better as a heel. His cut-offs are always great and always bumps and sells his ass off for the babyface. His limb work is also great. As for Kyle: I believe this was probably his best showing in AEW. His offense looked great, he sold pretty well the arm and the crowd responded well to him. The action was really good with Kyle's arm coming into play many times allowing MJF to counter a lot of Kyle's maneuvers. The two had good chemistry and there were many great exchanges. Loved Kyle's cannonball into the crowd. Max survives Kyle's tombstone so Don Callis gives him the screwdriver but Kyle refuses to use it. However this decision costs him the match as Max hits him with a low blow followed by kangoroo kick and a brainbuster for the win. 8/10 - 4*/5*"
[8.0] "MJF starts out with a heel fake out on the lockup kicking Fletcher in the stomach. MJF teases a brain buster but is rolled up, then a backslide pin by fletcher, a nice sunset flip by fletcher, then does a scoop up body slam on MJF, great pace to start the match. Fletcher teases a jump to the outside but MJF cuts him off in the ring, Fletcher goes for a tombstone but MJF gets out of it. MJF starts working over Fletchers arm. Fletcher hits a jawbreaker, MJF works back with a nice shoulder breaker and works back over the arm. Good job on a gut wrench suplex by MJF, goes for a pin, kicked out by Fletcher. MJF teases the Kangaroo kick, goes for it and Kyle hits him with a thrust kick - MJF runs towards Fletcher in the corner but Fletcher moves out of the way, turns around and hits MJF with a forearm of his own as hes in the turnbuckle, then hits some punches. Tries a hammer throw but the arm is sold as not working and MJF yanks on it again, but Fletcher catches MJFs crossbody and reverses it into a side slam. Kyles really selling the arm, MJF goes for a salt of the earth but Kyle avoids it, hits MJF with a running high kick as MJF is tied up in the apron. He drops to the floor ringside, hits Max with a Tope suicida. Throws MJF back into the ring and goes up to the top turnbuckle, but MJF rolls out, hits him with a kick then hits for an Orihara moonsault. MJF is rolled back into the ring but rolls out again when Fletcher goes for an aerial move, then MJF works back and does a kinda meh move where he goes over the guardrail from a missed kick, but then Fletcher does this amazing cannonball over the guardrail to take out MJF, really something special there. Fletcher hits a big elbow drop on MJF back in the ring, pin attempt but kick out at two. Max goes back to the arm which Fletcher is still selling to regain the momentum. MJF goes for the brainbuster but avoided by Fletcher, Kyle goes for a tombstone but rolled up by MJF, then MJF hits a stomp from he top rope onto Fletchers arm. MJF hits a waterwheel drop then a hammerlock DDT, Fletcher pins out of the pin at two. MJF slapping and kicking Fletcher and then spits in Fletchers face. Fletcher starts hitting MJF with hard slaps, MJF ducks a clothesline and does some Flair shit, they trade strikes, MJF hits a destroyer, then Fletcher hits a lariat and they both collapse. Fletcher goes over and pins MJF with his arm over his shoulder which MJF turns into the salt of the earth (fujiwara armbar), Fletcher rolls him up to escape and then lawn darts him into the middle turnbuckle. Fletcher hits a running boot to MJF in the corner, then does a great superplex tease, MJF tries to get him into the tombstone for the top rope, MJF goes for the Panama sunrise but Fletcher gets out of it, then finally is able to hit the Tombstone Piledriver on MJF but MJF kicks out. Don Callis comes down to throw the screwdriver to Fletcher. Fletcher does the stupid self doubt thing with the screwdriver, MJF low blows him, hits him with a Kangaroo kick that Kyle sells like a gunshot, MJF hits a big brainbuster on Kyle and wins the match. One thing I love that Fletcher does is he yells while making strikes, his vocalizations are really fantastic. Would have given the match a 9 if it didnt have the screwdriver spot or if MJF had done more with the arm he had been attacking all match, he should have won with the armbar and had Fletcher tap. DIdnt need that screwdriver spot in all of this. Otherwise just a really good match, and really like the post match angle."
[5.0] "Kyle Fletcher is one of the most exciting wrestlers in AEW to watch as he grows more experienced. This wasn't his best outing. In part, the issue is that Fletcher recently turned face. He's largely been a heel through the strongest parts of his career and it showed here. He doesn't have a rapport with the audience, he struggles to sell heel behavior well, and it's perhaps unrelated but the matche's fucky finish with Fletcher struggling to decide whether to screwdriver MJF's head was so forced, stupid, and out of character based on everything fans know about him. There's no reason to believe he'd struggle with doing what he needed to do to beat MJF. He's never shown he's personally conflicted with doing heel shit. It was ridiculous. Then there's MJF. MJF has struggled since his return to show he's one of AEW's top in-ring performers. He's slow, uncreative, doesn't sell or bump meaningfully, and prioritizes his own shit (which is perhaps in character). Regardless, this match didn't do anything to change or improve MJF's standing. It was a dry, boring match. MJF got in and got out safely. Fletcher didn't come out of the match better than he was before. And the finish was trash. A proper AEW TV special at this point."
[8.0] "Excellent match. MJF was a super good heel here throwing peoples hats, spitting and just being his dickhead self. Really worked on Fletchers arm through the match trying to injure him along with going after the neck often trying to do him like he did Danny. Fletcher was great here too and had the crowd really behind him by the end of it. Didn't care much for the whole screwdriver contemplation but that's the story they've been telling with Callis where he keeps costing them. But I did like MJF incorporating the kangaroo kick into the finish as dumb as that move is, turning into a shotgun drop kick was a good move. This was a good time all around"
[7.0] "Compared to the Will Ospreay match from a while back, I'd say I prefer this. It was paced a bit better for my taste, and while MJF's shtick right now with all the American garb isn't entirely resonating with me, when he's locked in and not completely falling victim to his opponent's ideas, he's definitely one of the best in-ring performers AEW has still. Did not like that Kyle no-sold a Canadian Destroyer, but that seems to be the MO nowadays with that move (I feel for Petey Williams). The post-match was insane, with Kyle being bloodied up and Will covering him like it was Eddie Kingston in the Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match. ***3/4"
0x
27x
118x
72x
27x
4x
1x
0x
0x
0x
0x