EDMONTON – It was clear before the first bell that fans at Edmonton’s Rogers Place were ready to be entertained and have fun at AEW Dynamite. When a disclaimer was aired over the in-house sound system advising that those on the floor were at risk of being in the path of wrestlers’ bodies, it resulted in a massive pop from the floor.
When ring announcer Dasha Fuentes was warming up the crowd and plugged the Calgary Collision taping, a chorus of boos reigned down on her. This was repeated during the broadcast when the city name caused a perplexed Chris Jericho to ask, “Are you seriously booing Stu Hart?” (In watching the broadcast of the segment later, Tony Schiavone tried to claim fans were chanting “Stu.” They were not. The Edmonton/Calgary rivalry is as old as time.)
Jericho received a hero’s welcome for his first appearance in Edmonton in seven years. While he didn’t wrestle, the fans hung on every word of his promo highlighting the province he started in his career. It’s also remarkable to see how much heat Don Callis is generating – a much deserved career resurgence for the former “Cyrus the Virus.”
Chris Jericho at AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Photo by Ben Lypka
Callis was on the receiving end of some not very PG chants, and chants were a big part of the fans adding to the show. Whether it was cleverly chanting “Freshly Squeezed” in response to Orange Cassidy being trapped in a Keith Lee bearhug, or dueling chants during Rampage of “We want Jarrett/No we don’t” fans were happy to cheer and chant loudly. They needed no prompting to start chanting Happy Birthday to Adam Cole, who turned 34 and had an entertaining segment with MJF celebrating.
One of the only lulls was during the actual “Blind Elimination Tournament” match with Cole and MJF facing The Butcher and Matt Menard. The outcome was never in doubt, and the heels got far too much. Although talented, neither Butcher nor Menard have been heavily featured on TV or treated as threats, especially over the company’s champion.
The evening featured debuts in the city for many of the talents that appeared, and the crowd was solidly behind fan favorites like The Acclaimed, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin and Britt Baker. Unsurprisingly Kenny Omega received a massive reaction. Canadians always respond strongly to our countrymen. Despite the fact that Omega has rarely, if ever, wrestled here, he was treated like a hometown hero. He acknowledged that fact at the end of the night, reflecting on past visits to West Edmonton Mall.
Kenny Omega vs Wheeler Yuta at AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Photo by Ben Lypka
It wasn’t just the debuting talent that received a big reaction. It was obvious that former WWE stars Matt Hardy, Jeff Jarrett and Billy Gunn were ecstatic to be back in a city that likely holds many memories.
The evening was all the things that being a wrestling fan is about: Kids with parents cheering, many dressed like their favorites; Fans not caring about backstage politics or drama and just there to have fun. The wrestlers were clearly feeding off the crowd, and the entire night worked.
Hopefully that energy continues for the other three shows. The fact that Regina is getting the first CM Punk versus Samoa Joe match in almost 20 years is mind-blowing and I am jealous. The taping showed that visiting markets that don’t get multiple tapings and shows from the company per year can be just as exciting, if not more so, than the cities that are always on the agenda. I for one am counting down the days for my next round of AEW when the company brings Collision and Battle of the Belts to Calgary’s Saddledome July 15th.
TOP PHOTO: Adam Cole and MJF at AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Photo by Ben Lypka
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