AEW superstars Matt and Nick Jackson (Young Bucks) recently spoke with TV Insider to discuss their promotion’s hot start since debuting on TNT three weeks ago. The Bucks reveal how collaborative the backstage roster has been with developing angles and spots, explaining that each individual brings a fresh perspective that gives the program that fresh feel. Check out highlights below.
Having an “all hands on deck” approach:
It’s really just all hands-on deck still. There are some instances where Kenny would be more involved in terms of the women’s match. He will literally call it move-for-move. He is passionate about that. When it comes to the tag team booking and putting matches together, Nick and I are influential on those decisions. But really no one decision is made without all of us either in a room or on the phone deciding these things. What you see on that television show, we’re part of every decision that happens.
The collaboration within their roster:
If we’re working with a particular talent, we go to them with, ‘What do you think is best?’ Jon Moxley has a great mind and something the five of us have seen, he may see differently He might have a different idea because he knows his character better and those nuances. Same with Pac. What a great mind he has and useful tools he has. Hangman Page, too. It’s not just us. Chris Jericho, who is a genius, he’ll come up with an idea completely than what we had. Something we’ll call in a production meeting the night before, and he’ll go, ‘No, I think we should do it this way.’ And we listen. That’s what is fun about all this. That’s why it has come across so well the first few episodes because we are open-minded, and our ears are open. We’re willing to adjust and go with the flow.
Their match with Private Party:
We wanted to face this tag team in the first round. We know that moment would be huge for them,” Nick Jackson said. “For them to deliver such a great performance four or five years into their professional wrestling career, it was mind-blowing. Isiah is 22-years-old for crying out loud. If I was 22 years old and was in his same spot. If I was about to perform in front of a TNT audience, I would be nervous. You couldn’t read that on both of them. I told Matt afterward that they are obviously ready to become stars.”
It really felt like they belonged,” Matt Jackson added. “We can talk and plan for months like we did. We set the whole thing up, but sometimes things don’t really happen the same…But sometimes things click. Story was told almost perfectly. I watched the match back, and usually I can’t stand watching my matches back because I’m a bit of a perfectionist. However, for me, with the time given, the story we were able to tell, that is almost as perfect as a match you can have. They played their roles flawlessly. I feel that night they were made. I’m really happy for them.
Exceeding television rating expectations:
I heard the expectations were possibly in the 400 or 500,000 range,” Matt Jackson said, referencing what numbers were anticipated for Dynamite’s premiere. “The fact we crossed a million was great. I think opening we expected a big number. I don’t know if we expected the number, we got in 1.4. Of course, a week or two after there will always be a drop. We expected that.
“If we can keep around a million, we’d be thrilled. That would be amazing. We’re such a brand-new thing for them. The next week is tough with Major League Baseball, NBA coming up. We understand that. This whole thing is a whirlwind. We are thrilled right now. And of course, you think about the other wrestling playing that night. And you want to best them, and the fact we are is great. We are also not taking that for granted because they have a great show too. Right now, we have one step foot forward and think about our brand, our television show and making it the best we can make it.
Their upcoming Full Gear matchup against Ortiz and Santana:
We got the challenge. That’s something we want to see,” Matt Jackson said. “The only time we only faced them was in a tag in the middle of the ocean. Nobody has ever seen it. I remember people saying it was one of the best tag matches they’ve ever seen. If and when that match happens, it would be an honor to get in the ring with those guys.
Having the best tag division:
Our main objective is to have the best tag team division in the world. As far as I know, they’ve had a hell of a body of work. We like that competitive nature. It fuels us and wants us to do better. I think they will bring out a new side of us. A more aggressive, less graceful side for us. Maybe when we get into the ring with them, it won’t be such a beautiful match. It will be a little more violent. I think that is a side I want to show the world.