AEW Dynamite – “Winter Is Coming”
December 13th, 2023
By: John Siino
College Park Center in Arlington, TX
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
Who Attacked MJF?
The show starts with Samoa Joe heading to the ring, to respond to last week when he was surrounded by the Devil’s masked men as MJF was shown laid out in the back. Joe says he has come here tonight looking for answers as he made a promise that he would keep MJF whole until they get to Worlds End, where he could take his AEW World Championship. Last week he was made into a liar as he saw MJF laid out in the back, potentially jeopardizing his championship opportunity. Joe said when he went to the back, he saw a certain beer-branded bottle smashed over MJF’s head it was a smell he smelt before, and it seemed like a certain ‘Hangman’ was missing backstage when he went looking for him.
This prompts ‘Hangman’ Adam Page to head to the ring and says if Joe wants to accuse him of something to just say it like the man he thought he was. Page says he doesn’t care about the bromance, the laser tag, the game of Clue, or ‘whodunit.’ Joe says he’s not out here as a detective, but an executioner so Page tells him to do something about it. Roderick Strong and The Kingdom make their way out, with Strong screaming ‘Samoa!’ and tells Joe to listen to Hangman, calling him his ‘young boy’. Strong keeps bringing up scenarios where MJF was never seen touched, and says how it’s obviously him as the Devil. Strong pushes Page off of him when he was trying to cut it so Page stops Strong and takes him out with a punch as we head to the match itself.
Adam Page vs. Roderick Strong (w/ Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
They fight before the bell rings, with Adam Page in control, but Roderick Strong is able to come right back and keep Page in the corner with chops and kicks before Page comes right back with some of his own. Big ‘neck strong’ chant, as Page hits a fall-away slam followed by a standing Shooting Star Press for a two-count. Strong starts stomping Page in the corner before hitting a backbreaker for a one-count. They tussle a bit, before Page sends Strong on the apron, where he hits a lariat taking Strong to the outside and meeting him with a crossbody. As Page is on the top rope, Mike Bennett distracts Aubrey Edwards and Matt Taven distracts Page. Strong comes back with a backbreaker on the top rope, sending Page to the outside as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, they both are on the attack, taking each other down with a double clothesline. They start trading punches and kicks, with Page stomping out Strong in the corner. Page hits a Death Valley Driver, but Strong kicks out at two. They get on the top rope, where Page bites Strong’s head before Strong escapes out. Page misses a moonsault attempt, but hits a pop-up powerbomb for a two. Strong starts kicking away at Page, going for pin attempts before hitting a Tiger Driver, right into the Strong Hold. Page is able to reach the bottom rope. They fight on the apron where Taven holds Page’s leg, before getting taken out with a moonsault. Page takes out Bennett, heads to the top rope, and takes out The Kingdom with another moonsault. Page tries a Buckshot Lariat, but Strong stops it as Page puts on a roll-up for two. They go back and forth before Page hits the Dead Eye for the pin and the win.
Winner: Adam Page by pinfall at 14:48
Continental Classic Blue League Match: Brody King (6) vs. Andrade El Idolo (6)
First time we have had a Blue League match here on Dynamite as they have been exclusive to Collision. This is also Andrade El Idolo’s first match on Dynamite since August 2022. They start running the ropes before Andrade El Idolo is able to keep Brody King down with a side headlock. Brody tries to escape, but Andrade keeps him down on the mat for a bit. They finally head to the corner and trade hard chops before Brody starts clubbing away at Andrade. Brody puts on a Sleeper Hold to Andrade on the apron, but he’s able to escape out and hit a top rope crossbody for a one-count. Brody goes to the outside where Andrade meets him with a moonsault off the middle turnbuckle. As they fight back in the ring, the crowd is split for them both, as Brody knocks Andrade to the outside as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Brody has Andrade held down on the mat, and we see Brody destroying Andrade with crossbodies against the barricades, during the break. Andrade stops Brody with a dropkick to the knee, while he is rushing towards him with a splash in the corner. Andrade takes Brody down with a couple of Dragon Screws and a flying elbow strike. They go back and forth as Andrade hits a body slam on Brody, heads to the top rope, and hits a split-legged moonsault for a two. Brody dodges Andrade in the corner and hits the big lariat for a two-count. Brody follows with a cannonball in the corner, but still only gets a two. They continue to go back and forth until Andrade hits a back elbow, knocking Brody down like a tree. Instead of going for the cover, Andrade struggles to get to the top rope only to get stopped by Brody. They both start tussling on the top rope, where it looks like Andrade drops Brody on the exposed turnbuckle, followed by the Idolo DDT for the pin and the win.
Winner: Andrade El Idolo (9) by pinfall at 14:45, to gain 3 additional points in the Continental Classic
The Von Erichs
Renee Paquette is backstage with Kevin Von Erich, who is along with Ross Von Erich & Marshall Von Erich. Kevin starts saying how much he loves AEW and has friends here, as Orange Cassidy walks in with Danhausen & Trent Beretta and says he needs two people to team up with him on Rampage and suggests Ross & Marshall. Danhausen & Beretta get offended at first that Orange didn’t pick them until Orange says ‘It’s Texas’, and they seem to understand.
The Winnipeg Jets & Big Billie Starks
Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho both make their own entrances to the ring, as The Golden Jets are back together after a couple of weeks of Jericho being taken out with an injury. The crowd starts chanting ‘Golden Jets’ as Jericho says it’s been a while since they have been here due to Ricky Starks & Big Bill attacking him after Full Gear, taking him out for 3 weeks. Jericho says he’s spent the whole time wondering what he was going to say, before calling Starks & Bill out. Starks says he actually doesn’t have any problem with Omega, but with Jericho who sucks the life out of everything. This makes him question Omega though, as Jericho is not one to trust. Bill brings up everything Jericho has done to Omega and says nobody would be surprised if Jericho took out Omega. Omega starts asking if he trusts Jericho, and says he knows he doesn’t and brings up The Firm, asking if anyone remembers it and calls the angle they had with MJF, ‘The Flaccid’ and something up Bill’s alleyway, being soft.
Omega says he’s always on the other side of beatdowns, but says that maybe on December 30th at Worlds End, the ‘Winnipeg Jets’ before correcting himself, can challenge Starks & Bill for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. Starks says they are on and asks Jericho if remembers January when he beat him twice. The Golden Jets bring up how Starks & Bill don’t have a tag team name and suggest ‘The Absolute Assholes’ and ‘The Rick & The Dick’, before calling them ‘Big Billie Starks’, which Excalibur uses as a cheap plug to promote ROH Final Battle on Friday. They continue insulting each other’s clothes before Jericho calls Starks a ‘less charismatic’ version of Enzo Amore. Omega chimes in that at least Enzo but hype up Bill, instead of taking the spotlight. Starks gets aggressive on the mic and hypes up their tag match against the ‘Winnipeg Scumbags’. Omega does his sign-off as the match is made official.
Ruby Soho vs. Riho
Toni Storm joins commentary, with Mariah May behind her, saying Luther is out with the gout. This is Riho’s first AEW match since April, as she goes right after Ruby Soho, hitting a stomp, and knocking Ruby to the outside but Ruby stops Riho on the top rope as she is getting ready to jump on her. Whenever they cut to Toni Storm on commentary, the camera cuts to black & white. They fight on the top rope, where Riho takes out Ruby with a double stomp as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Riho takes out Ruby with the 619, followed by a top rope crossbody for a two-count. They start going back and forth with pin attempts before Ruby hits a kick to the side of the head and a Saito Suplex for two. Riho comes back with a Crucifix Bomb for two, heads to the top rope, but misses a double stomp. Ruby comes back with the No Future Kick, but Riho still kicks out at two. Toni keeps saying on commentary how she doesn’t think that’s Ruby because she doesn’t have green hair. Riho hit a Dragon Suplex and the running knees to the face, to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Riho by pinfall at 8:31
World Is Coming To An End
We get a video from Wardlow who says he’s been preparing for war; emotionally, mentally & physically and he has left a path of pure mayhem behind him, destroying every single person in his way. Just like the Archangel Michael, he will be the one to bring the Devil to his knees and tells MJF that his world is coming to an end.
Continental Classic Gold League Match: Rush (3) vs. Jay Lethal (0)
They go after each other fast, with Rush taking down Jay Lethal before they run the ropes and fight in the corners. They quickly take it to the outside and start fighting against the barricades and commentary table. Rush stays in control while doing his Tranquilo pose and hitting a power slam on Lethal for two. They start fighting on the top rope, where Lethal chops Rush off but misses the flying elbow drop. Lethal instead hits the Lethal Combination and calls for the Figure Four. Rush blocks it, and starts chopping away at Lethal, who comes back with a kick, sending Rush to the corner. Rush stops Lethal with a belly-to-belly suplex and tries the Bull’s Horns, just to get stopped. Rush stops the Lethal Injection and puts on a Sleeper Hold, as the referee calls the match off.
Winner: Rush (6) by referee stoppage at 4:30, to gain 3 additional points in the Continental Classic
We see Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett & Sonjay Dutt come out after to talk to Lethal, but he seems to be upset and brushes them off a little.
Continental Classic Gold League Match: Jay White (6) vs. Mark Briscoe (0)
They go at each other fast right away, with the crowd chanting ‘Dem Boys’ as Mark Briscoe hits the Froggy Bow, but Jay White rolls out to the outside to escape getting pinned. Briscoe starts using the cables around the ring on White before they take it back inside where Briscoe is in control. White stops Briscoe by launching off over the top rope and bouncing off the apron. White goes for the Blade Runner but gets it stopped. White comes back with a DDT for a two-count as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, they are going back and forth on the ropes and in the corner, with Briscoe hitting a backbody drop on White followed by a clothesline. Briscoe starts chopping away at White, as we get a card rundown on the lower third for ROH Final Battle including the addition of El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus. Briscoe hits an elbow drop from the apron and stays in control, putting White on the top rope, and hitting him with a Razor’s Edge for a two-count. White blocks a Jay Driller attempt with a couple of Dragon Screws. White puts his knees up for another Froggy Bow attempt and hits the Blade Runner for the pin and the win.
Winner: Jay White (9) by pinfall at 11:19, to gain 3 additional points in the Continental Classic
Fight For Jay
We get a video hyping up FTR & Mark Briscoe vs. the Blackpool Combat Club for this Friday’s ROH Final Battle which is a fight for Jay Briscoe’s honor.
Continental Classic Gold League Match: Swerve Strickland (9) vs. Jon Moxley (9)
They spend the first minute, circling each other as the crowd lets this sink in before chanting ‘AEW’. Swerve Strickland takes Jon Moxley to the mat and they roll around, mounting each other. They trade ‘smooches’ with each other, before continuing to slowly work on each other with hammerlocks. Swerve gets the upper hand, as Moxley escapes to the ramp to regroup for a little bit. Moxley starts chopping away at Swerve in the corner, but Swerve traps Moxley in the ropes where he hits him with a DDT for a two-count. Moxley comes back and stays in control, before Swerve sends Moxley to the outside, just for Moxley to trap him in the ring skirt before sending him into the steel steps as we head to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, they are both going back and forth with Swerve hitting a spinning back elbow from the corner on Moxley. Moxley comes back with a piledriver for a two-count. Swerve comes back with a flatliner and suplex, before kicking Moxley back down with a boot for a two-count. Swerve starts stomping away and hitting elbows, Blackpool Combat Club style, before hitting the House Call and going to the top rope for the Swerve Stomp. Moxley runs up and pushes Swerve off to the outside and tells the referee to count Swerve out, but he gets in at 9, as Moxley is there with a stomp, for a two-count. Moxley puts on the cross-arm breaker, but Swerve is able to put his foot on the rope to break it up. Moxley goes and grabs a chair, but Swerve dives onto him on the outside, places Moxley on a chair, and stomps on him from the apron. Back inside, Swerve hits the Swerve Stomp, but Moxley kicks out at two. They go back and forth with a roll-up, as Moxley holds on for the pin and the win.
Winner: Jon Moxley (12) by pinfall at 16:33, to gain 3 additional points in the Continental Classic
Continental Classic Gold League Standings
- Jon Moxley (12)
- Swerve Strickland (9)
- Jay White (9)
- Rush (6)
- Jay Lethal (0)
- Mark Briscoe (0)
Continental Classic Blue League Standings
- Andrade El Idolo (9)
- Bryan Danielson (6)
- Brody King (6)
- Claudio Castagnoli (3)
- Eddie Kingston (3)
- Daniel Garcia (0)
Collision ‘Winter Is Coming’ Line-Up
- Blue League Match: Andrade El Idolo (9) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (3)
- Blue League Match: Eddie Kingston (3) vs. Daniel Garcia (0)
- Blue League Match: Brody King (6) vs. Bryan Danielson (6)
Who Attacked Hangman?
The close of the show, shows four of the Devil’s Masked Men attacking ‘Hangman’ Adam Page in the parking lot before we see The Devil emerge from a car nodding to his masked men, as they drop Page on top of a car windshield.
