The main event for the ‘Chris Jericho Rock N Wrestling Rager at Sea’ episode of Dynamite was the conclusion to the AEW World Championship Number 1 Contendership mini-tournament, PAC vs Jon Moxley. The victor of this bout would go on to face AEW World Champion, Chris Jericho at AEW Revolution.
PAC went into this match at number 2 in the Men’s Singles rankings, whereas Jon Moxley went in at number 1. However Jon Moxley also went into the match with a vision impairing eye patch as a result of the spike Chris Jericho drove into his eye a week prior.
PAC vs Moxley: The Match
Clocking in at 17:15, this match is at the longer end of the scale in terms of AEW Dynamite matches. It is the third longest AEW Dynamite match to date, behind Cody/Allin and the tag match from earlier in the show.
Spread out over the course of the 17 minutes were a total of 83 offensive manoeuvres. This averages out at 4.8, a match pace well above average.
The tide changed 35 times as Moxley and PAC jostled for dominance. This averages out at 2 tide changes per minute, a somewhat average rate of tide changes.
PAC vs Moxley: Match Report
In this match, PAC’s rate of offence across the match is eerily consistent. The value of his offence in the four five minute blocks stays within a window of 10. Whereas the value of Moxley’s offence across the match fluctuates to twice the degree.
The first five minutes of this match is a stalemate. The competitors match each other offensive output. Mainly strikes here.
Moxley hits his highest output in the second five, out striking PAC. PAC has to take to the skies in an attempt to keep up.
The third five sees a huge dip from Moxley as PAC lasers in on the eye injury. A barrage of strikes from PAC to Moxley, characterises this five.
The final 2+ minutes of this encounter sees PAC go for broke with an avalanche manoeuvre, the Brutalizer and a string of even more strikes. However a missed Black Arrow allowed Moxley to hit the Paradigm Shift for the upset win.
Unsurprisingly, PAC was the man in control for most of this contest. With Moxley navigating a fairly substantial injury, PAC was the man who dished out most of the punishment and directed the course of the match.
The fact that this match was such a back and forth affair is a testament to Moxley’s determination and ingenuity in managing an injury that would have rendered most competitors doomed before the bell even rung.
Incredibly, Moxley had the advantage in this match before PAC zeroed in on Moxley’s injured eye.
The barrage of strikes pin-pointed at Moxley’s eye almost gave the match and the opportunity to PAC.
In the chart to the right you can see the extent to which PAC dominated in the closing stretch before Moxley snuck the win.
PAC vs Moxley: The Margins of Victory
I had expected to be writing about how a man such as PAC can not be overcome by a competitor with an impairment that would be to the detriment of any competitive performance. However, that is not how this one panned out.
PAC went for a Black Arrow, perhaps the most difficult aerial move in wrestling, after struggling to pull off a 450° Splash in the noticeably difficult winds on board the Jericho Cruise. Going back to the well with the Brutalizer would have been a safer option rater than throwing all caution to the literal wind.
Even with one functioning eye, Moxley is too sharp an opponent to miss an opportunity such as this when it presents itself.