Bully Ray Criticizes MJF and Adam Cole Match From AEW Dynamite, Calls for More Seriousness

During last night's episode of AEW Dynamite, MJF and Adam Cole emerged victorious in the Blind Tag Team Eliminator Tournament. However, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray expressed some criticisms about the match during a discussion on the latest episode of Busted Open Radio. 

Regarding the comedic spots in the match, Bully Ray commented, "Overall, I thought last night's show was good and had many entertaining moments. However, there were a couple of things that, to me, didn't make sense. It's not just about the refereeing; it's about the match psychology. Specifically, the MJF-Adam Cole match didn't feel as serious as it should have been. Since it was part of an important tournament and MJF wants to win it badly, I expected a greater sense of seriousness. Yet, right from the start, we had MJF going for a body slam and then exaggerating the sell of his back. It made the first half of the match feel more like a house show."

Bully Ray also discussed the way Big Bill and Brian Cage were presented in the match, saying, "When you have a situation where your opponents are being put over so cleanly, there should be some protection for a guy who looks like the next coming of Arnold Schwarzenegger and a guy who's seven feet tall with an undeniable presence. In one spot during the match, towards the beginning of the comeback, MJF and Big Bill were face-to-face, and Big Bill started taking steps backwards as if MJF was intimidating him. For me, that moment didn't come across as believable, and it worsened from there."

Addressing MJF's lack of selling, Bully Ray expressed, "I usually speak highly of MJF, and he receives a lot of praise from me on this show. However, in this case, he should have taken the bump from the big man and sold it before showing his fighting spirit. But the match continued to deviate from the desired path. We had a finger biting spot and a body slam, which were intended to pay off, but it came across as a bit hokey. I believe they could have executed it in a way that would have evoked a response like, 'Wow, MJF did it!' rather than 'Ha ha ha, MJF did it.'"

Bully Ray then discussed the actual finish involving Brian Cage, stating, "Brian Cage simply took moves from one guy, moves from another guy, and got pinned. Brian Cage is portrayed as a monster, and there are ways to protect him. This was a perfect opportunity for a misdirection spot."

Finally, Bully Ray shared his perspective on AEW's lack of investment in big men, saying, "AEW is not primarily focused on big men. Tony Khan has made it clear that his company doesn't heavily invest in them. Occasionally, a big man may get a taste of the spotlight, but they aren't given significant attention. If it were up to me, I would shine the spotlight on Powerhouse Hobbs just as much as Moxley or CM Punk. Hobbs is an up-and-coming talent who has the look and is doing an excellent job on the mic."