Welcome to another edition of AEW Heat Index, wherein we discuss the interest level for the various feuds heading into the pay-per-view events. This time around, we’re focusing on Fight for the Fallen coming this Saturday night.
The way this works is a pretty simple three-way breakdown of Hot, Lukewarm and Cold. If you like something and you’re very interested in how AEW is setting up the program, it’s Hot (aka Good). If you’re a bit on the fence about it and see some problems, but it’s not awful, then it’s just Okay or Lukewarm. The ones that are the most problematic that you have no interest in are Cold (aka Bad).
Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section to let everyone know what your thermometer reads for each feud as I tell you what my thoughts are below!
Without further ado, let’s get started!
The Young Bucks vs. Cody and Dustin Rhodes = Hot / Lukewarm
What I like about this match is that it’s not what I would have expected to happen for the third event, and even though it seems so random, it’s Cody and Dustin wrestling together again. I liked their tandem when they were in WWE together before the Stardust character, so I’d like to see if they still have that rhythm to pull off another match like the one they had against The Shield.
I’m also curious if there will be any interference from Shawn Spears. I don’t think that makes a ton of sense, as The Young Bucks aren’t heels and wouldn’t seek help from someone attacking their friend, but you never know what tricks might be up their sleeves.
Just for the sake of something different and not having The Young Bucks be undefeated, I think Cody and Dustin will win and Spears will attack Cody after the match.
Prediction: Cody and Dustin win.
Kenny Omega vs. CIMA = Lukewarm / Cold
Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to really check out CIMA, as a weird byproduct of working on too many things at the same time. His match at Double or Nothing didn’t resonate with me, and he wasn’t wrestling for the whole thing, anyway, and I wasn’t able to pay 100% full attention to his match at Fyter Fest.
That hinders my personal perspective of this match more than someone who is a fan of his or even knows more about him from the previous two events. I’m sure plenty of people are MUCH more excited about this than I am, for those reasons alone.
But, given my hindrances, I have to say I’m just not into this on paper. It just feels like a random match to give Omega another win ahead of All Out. That’s perfectly fine, especially since this isn’t a major pay-per-view, but I basically just expect this to be a lot of quick action and a series of maneuvers with little selling until Omega picks up the win, and I’ll feel like I watched a stunt performance more than a wrestling match that really meant anything.
Prediction: Kenny Omega wins.
Brandi Rhodes vs. Allie = Cold
Allie did not impress me at Fyter Fest and Brandi Rhodes as a wrestler is pretty much the same as Maria Kanellis or Stephanie McMahon, in that she’s not really a wrestler on par with someone like a Kylie Rae or Britt Baker, so it’s tough to look at this match and expect it to be pretty much anything worth watching.
I hope it’s good, of course, and I hope that if it’s bad, people are honest about it and don’t just upgrade its value superfluously because it’s a women’s match on an AEW card. That drives me crazy. At least in my point of view right now, I’m not in the slightest bit pumped up to watch this.
Prediction: Allie wins.
“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Kip Sabian = Cold
This is just a random exhibition with no elements to really sink my teeth into, as I’m still getting to know these guys, and I’m not itching and begging to see some dream match of Page vs. Sabian.
It could be good. I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be at least decent. But “it could be good” in a generic sense isn’t something that wows me and makes me feel super excited to be able to give this a Hot or even a Lukewarm.
If anything, I’m Cold on this because it feels like it’s underwhelming for the No. 1 contenders on this card to be cutting a promo and wrestling a random midcarder. AEW could have booked something more meaningful.
Prediction: Hangman Adam Page wins.
Darby Allin, Jimmy Havoc and Joey Janela vs. MJF, Shawn Spears and Sammy Guevara = Hot / Lukewarm
I enjoyed what I saw of Allin, I’m on the fence about Havoc’s value to me as a viewer, Janela is good for punishment, I’m a huge fan of MJF, I’ve always liked Shawn Spears and I’m completely indifferent about Guevara.
Basically, that means I’m way more on the positive side of this group of six than on the negative, and that will likely just fill in the same role that the four-way match did at Fyter Fest, I see no reason why it shouldn’t be one of the better contests of the night, so sign me up.
Prediction: Allin, Havoc and Janela win.
SoCal Uncensored vs. The Lucha Bros = Hot / Lukewarm
The Lucha Bros are clearly a priority team, just like SoCal Uncensored. However, while Frankie Kazarian, Scorpio Sky and Christopher Daniels have had wins and losses, The Lucha Bros have only suffered defeat so far in AEW. I think this will be what balances that out by giving Pentagon and Fenix a victory.
As far as my excitement level on the Heat Index, I’m in that upper-midcard type of range, where I’m not beyond hyped about it, but I do expect it to be one of the better matches of the night. Basically, this is falling into the same sort of territory that a lot of matches in AEW fall into, where I don’t have a deep investment, even though I think it’s fairly certain it will be good, so I’m definitely positive about it, but you won’t see me get on my soap box with a megaphone.
Prediction: The Lucha Bros win.
Those are my thoughts, but how do you feel about these particular feuds? What’s hot and what’s cold in your mind? Fill us in on your point of view in the comments below!
