AEW Dynamite
January 3rd, 2024
By: John Siino
Prudential Center in Newark, NJ
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
Dark Match
- The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) def. Brick City Boyz (Julio Cruz & Victor Chase)
Taking Everything From Anyone
The show starts with comments from Samoa Joe after his win at Worlds End who says he’s not a man who makes predictions but promises. Joe says MJF tried everything in his power to stop Joe but what he did to him, he revisited back to MJF. Joe turned everyone MJF loved against him, took everything from him and MJF may be a scumbag, but he’s a heartless son of a bitch. The world is not big enough for both to occupy at the same time and he will always take what it is, as he is Samoa Joe, the AEW World Champion and he will take everything from anyone who tries to take the title from him.
The Undisputed Kingdom
We start hearing Adam Cole’s familiar music but then it goes into a new one for ‘Undisputed’ as ‘The Devil’ Adam Cole, Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven & Mike Bennett make their way out. Strong gets on the mic first and tells everyone to shut up and listen to his best friend, Adam (!). Cole asks if anyone has sympathy for him and finds it ironic that people were shocked at what happened at Worlds End, so he calls them stupid and says that they can’t understand right from wrong. Cole says MJF has created more enemies in AEW than anyone and ran his mouth about every single person in the locker room. And if that makes him the Devil, buy him a first-class ticket straight to hell. He calls MJF a narcissist and says he only cares about himself. Cole says everyone will thank him, even Tony Khan, now that MJF is gone and never coming back. Cole said he never needed MJF, MJF needed him. Cole continues to talk and says MJF is dead, but the Undisputed Kingdom is here for gold before introducing the ROH Tag Team Champions in Bennett & Taven, says Strong is going after the AEW International Championship and Wardlow is going after the AEW World Championship, and when the time is right, Wardlow will do the right thing by forfeiting the championship and giving it to him, which he seemed to agree on. Cole brings up Joe, and says he hopes he’s not champion when he’s ready to go as he doesn’t ‘want to hurt a friend’. Cole says he was sick and tired of things to change, as AEW needed change, and they gave it to them. The Undisputed Kingdom starts a new chapter in AEW and The Devil is here to stay, bay-bay.
Jay White comes out and says he likes what they did to MJF, but not what he did to them and now that he knows who’s under the mask, he’s not alone, as The Gunns come out. Bullet Club Gold runs in and starts attacking The Undisputed Kingdom, as Cole leaves the ring. The Acclaimed & Billy Gunn runs out, as Cole hides behind Doc Sampson, saying he’s not cleared. The Acclaimed & Bullet Club Gold have a face-off before BCG leaves the ring as commentary brings up the connection between Billy and his sons.
Big Pressure
We see a heartfelt video from Eddie Kingston after his title win at Worlds End, before going into Daniel Garcia who talks about tonight’s match with Swerve Strickland being a big one to start 2024 with two rising starts. Garcia brings up Swerve’s song ‘Big Pressure’ and talks about all the pressure going into this match and how he will beat Swerve.
AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Dante Martin
They start the match trying to take each other down as the crowd seems split between the two. Dante Martin starts working on Orange Cassidy’s wrist and stops him from putting his other hand in his pocket as they go into a test of strength. Martin kicks Orange off of a monkey flip before they run the ropes and Orange tries to stop it with his hands in the pocket. Martin stops it again and gets booed again. Orange goes to the outside, as Martin follows. Orange attacks him against the barricades then runs a lap around the ring with his hands in his pocket before hitting a dropkick to Martin right in front of a guy dressed as Dusty Rhodes. Martin makes a comeback as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Martin dives to Orange on the outside before hitting a top rope crossbody for a two, inside. They start trading their soft kicks, before Orange lands a thrust kick, sending Martin into the corner where he starts stomping away at him, gradually building up. Orange continues, hitting a DDT for two. Orange goes to the top rope, pushes Martin off, and hits a diving DDT for another two. Back and forth before Martin hits a knee for a very close two. Martin tries to dive off the top rope, but as Cassidy rolls out of the way, Martin jumps off the rope instead and lands it for two. A bit of back and forth until Cassidy hits the Orange Punch for the pin and the win.
Winner: Orange Cassidy by pinfall at 13:29, to retain
Private Party Reunited
Danhausen & Hook come out to join Orange Cassidy, as Darius Martin & Action Andretti help Dante up. Dante and Orange shake hands as we hear Private Party’s music. Isiah Kassidy (dropping the Brother Zay name) comes out with a returning Marq Quen. Quen says the tag division has been lacking and it’s been missing some flavor, excitement, and Private Party. Kassidy says they are putting every tag team on notice, including the teams in the ring, FTR, The Young Bucks, and the Hardys. Kassidy says they say ‘new year, new me’, but to them, it’s ‘new year, new champs’.
I Don’t Watch Wrestling
Renee Paquette is backstage with Toni Storm & Luther, as Storm says Renee’s perfume is overwhelming. Storm says she was excited to come here until she realized it’s New Jersey and not New York. Storm said she made some phone calls and would head over to Broadway. Renee says Mariah May wants Storm to watch her match, but Storm says she ‘doesn’t watch wrestling’ especially here in New Jersey, and asks Luther to carry her out.
Disowned
We get a video from House of Black that says they will take out FTR in North Carolina, right in front of Dax Harwood’s family, and if they beat them, they will have to walk up to their family and disown them and they will have to watch them walk back up with their new family.
Coming For Championship Gold
Renee is backstage with Swerve Strickland & Prince Nana and asks Swerve how he feels about Daniel Garcia being his first opponent in 2024. Nana starts by asking if Garcia knows who he’s facing tonight, with the Boss of the Bosses. Swerve brings up them being in two different leagues for the Continental Classic and not facing off and ‘big pressure’ is not about making diamonds, but pain and that’s what Garcia will go through tonight. Swerve says in 2024 has eyes on gold and calls out Samoa Joe and tells him to be ready.
Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata
Mariah May is making her AEW wrestling debut, while Queen Aminata is having her first Dynamite match. May starts by taking Aminata down and attacking her against the ropes with chops. May continues with a headscissors and a drop kick for a one. May traps Aminata on the ropes and hits another dropkick as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Aminata stops May off the corner and lands a couple of hard slaps, and continues with her offense. Aminata continues with elbows off the corner until May stops her with a Sling Blade and hits the May Day for the pin and her first win.
Winner: Mariah May by pinfall at 6:39
Deonna Purrazzo Is All Elite
Renee joins May in the ring and asks how it feels for her to have her first win in AEW. May screams that she can’t believe she won her AEW debut and talks about wanting to be a wrestler since a little kid and the fact she’s in this ring is surreal to her. She hopes Toni Storm is watching and is proud, and the first Dynamite of the new year is all about Mariah. Her only regret is that they had to do this in New Jersey. This prompts new music as New Jersey’s own Deonna Purrazzo comes out and joins them in the ring. Deonna introduces herself and tells May to warn Storm that she will find her, as she’s now All Elite in the age of the Virtuosa. May says she’s not Storm’s messenger and Deonna could tell her herself. She smacks Deonna, who takes out May right after.
The Patriarchy: Now & Forever
Tony Schiavone is in the ring, as Christian Cage comes to the ring along with the rest of The Patriarchy. Shayna Wayne gets on the mic and asks how they could boo a mother before passing the mic to the greatest TNT Champion of all time in Cage. Cage talks about his historic reigns and as Schiavone is about to interrupt him, Cage threatens to sick Shayna on them or any of these fans who could use the discipline. Cage talks about the war he went through at Worlds End before thanking his ‘family’ for helping him including Nick Wayne almost having ‘his career ended’ by being put through a flaming table. Cage tees up like he’s going to thank Killswitch, before saying that he wants to thank himself which gets a Luchasaurus chant from the crowd. Cage addresses Adam Copeland for what he says is the last time, as he beat him twice and it’s no more title shots for Copeland. Cage brings up Copeland’s parents before saying that Christian Cage is superior to him and says they both gave their soul in the match, but he doesn’t have a soul and that’s why he’s the TNT Champion. Cage calls out anybody who wants a title shot and says he is willing to do anything to hold onto his title and he took it and made it into the most prestigious title. The crowd chants ‘Luchasaurus’ again, as Cage acknowledges them and says his name is Killswitch, before saying he will have this title forever until he decides to hand it to Nick Wayne to carry the legacy. Cage says The Patriarchy is the face of AEW now and forever.
Will Do Anything
Renee is backstage with Ruby Soho, Saraya & Harley Cameron as Ruby admits Saraya was right when saying Harley could be helpful. Harley says she will ‘do anything’ as Saraya tells her on the side to be cool or she’ll blow it. Renee sees that something is up between them and questions it.
Konosuke Takeshita vs. Darby Allin
Don Callis joins commentary as it was stated that no one could be ringside for this match. Right away, Konosuke Takeshita slams Darby Allin down, but Allin comes right back with a roll-up pin attempt for a two. Takeshita goes to hit a German Suplex, but Darby rolls all the way over and lands on his feet. Takeshita follows with a big backdrop on Darby, before holding him down with a side headlock. Darby sends Takeshita to the outside and tries to dive into him, but Takeshita stops him with a knee. Takeshita stops Darby from entering the ring before carrying him up the ramp and proceeds to hit a rolling German Suplex down the ramp as we go to picture-in-picture.
We come back to see Darby hitting a tope to Takeshita on the outside, then trying the Code Red back inside that gets stopped with a driver down by Takeshita for two. The match continues to be insane as Takeshita gets tossed by the commentary table, where Callis checks on him. Darby follows this with a Coffin Drop to Takeshita. Back inside, Darby hits a Code Red for two before trying another Coffin Drop, as Takeshita gets his knees up. Takeshita comes back with release suplexes, as Darby falls in all sorts of ways. Callis tells Takeshita to finish off Darby, as Takeshita hits a boot to Darby in the corner, puts him on the top rope, and hits an avalanche German Suplex followed by the Power Drive knee for the pin and the win.
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita by pinfall at 12:50
After the break, Renee is with The Don Callis Family as Callis says next week at Daily’s Place, they are challenging Darby & Sting to take on Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs and make Sting 25-1.
Continental Crown Eliminator Match: Trent Beretta vs. Brian Cage vs. Bryan Keith vs. El Hijo del Vikingo (w/Alex Abrahantes)
Eddie Kingston joins commentary and is mad at Taz for not inviting him over for Gabagool. Everyone gets their own entrance except Bryan Keith who’s there in the corner. They all start going after each other, as right away El Hijo del Vikingo dives onto Brian Cage on the outside as Kingston says to watch out for the Coke Zero. Vikingo & Keith go at it before Cage joins in and suplexes Vikingo down. We see Danhausen in the crowd, as commentary brings up the tension between him and Trent Beretta after Worlds End as we go to picture-in-picture.
We come back as Vikingo takes Cage down with a springboard dropkick and knees in the corner, but gets stopped by Keith with a ‘Luigi-esq’ headbutt as Kingston called it. Keith knocks Vikingo off the top rope before Cage joins them. Beretta runs up and awkwardly suplexes Cage off before hitting a knee strike for a pin, that Vikingo breaks up. Cage catches Beretta with a couple of power bombs, hitting a Liger Bomb for two. Danhausen runs into the ring and puts a curse on Cage, who just picks him up instead. Cage gets stopped by superkicks from Keith & Vikingo before Vikingo moonsaults to Cage on the outside. Back inside, Keith hits a diving headbutt to Beretta for two. Beretta stops a Tiger Driver attempt from Keith and hits the Strong Zero for the pin and the win and will get his Continental Crown title shot this Saturday against
Winner: Trent Beretta by pinfall at 9:40
Give Me A Reason
Renee is backstage with Matt Menard and says he will be on commentary for tonight’s main event. Before Menard can say anything, they get stopped by ‘Hangman’ Adam Page who says he is looking for Samoa Joe, and if he can’t find Joe, he’ll go after Adam Cole or anyone else, maybe even Menard before walking off and saying to ‘give him a reason’
Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Daniel Garcia
Tony Schiavone talks about them getting a 5-minute over-run tonight, as the match starts at 9:50. They start the match running the ropes and trade-off pin attempts before Swerve Strickland takes Daniel Garcia down with a headscissors. Garcia challenges Swerve to meet him down on the mat, which he does, and tries to put on a Crossface, as Swerve puts his foot on the rope. Garcia ends up taking Swerve off the apron with a jumping knee and continues to attack him on the outside. Prince Nana starts yelling at Garcia that he can’t do things like that, and they then start having a dance-off. Swerve breaks it up before they head back to the apron, where Nana pulls Garcia by the boot giving Swerve the advantage to hit a Death Valley Driver on the apron as we go to picture-to-picture.
We come back, with Garcia attacking Swerve in the corners before hitting a stalling Saito Suplex for two. Swerve comes back with a capture backbreaker. Swerve starts attacking Garcia on the outside and gets in Matt Menard’s face asking him what he’s going to do about it. Garcia attacks Swerve from behind puts him on the commentary table and attempts a Dragon Slayer, but they unfortunately fall off the table. They head back inside where Garcia hits a Superplex, but Swerve hangs on and hits a Superplex himself. Swerve continues on the attack, hitting a Swerve Stomp for two. Bit of back and forth before Swerve hits the House CAll and the JML Driver for the pin and the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland by pinfall at 13:20
Swerve goes to shake Garcia’s hand after, but Nana low blows Garcia. Menard runs in the ring but gets taken out by Swerve. Adam Page goes to the ring and gets face-to-face with Swerve before they start going at it with each other. Security separates them as the show goes off the air.
