AEW Dynamite
January 24th, 2024
By: John Siino
Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
Dark Match
- The Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds) def. Brandon Cutler & Colt Cabana
Hook Is Unworthy To Joe
The show starts with AEW World Champion Samoa Joe making his way to the ring. Joe talks about this being a new Championship endeavor, and opportunities must be earned, not given. Joe says anybody who earns their right to face him, he will do them just like he did Hook last week, by beating them down and taking everything from them. This prompts Hook’s music to hit as he comes down to the ring. Hook says that last week Joe won, and he lost and he shakes Joe’s hand and pulls him in before saying he doesn’t know when or where, but he will see him again. Joe says that Hook is unworthy and tells security to get him out of the ring. They try, but Hook takes all three of them out. Two more security run in as Hook finally leaves. Samoa Joe goes and joins commentary after this.
Adam Page vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (w/ Alex Abrahantes)
They bring up the rankings on commentary as Samoa Joe is in favor of this as now his opponents will have to earn their title shot. They start the match going back and forth with their ‘Zero Miedo’ and ‘Cowboy Shit’ chants before finally locking him. They go into a chop and forearm exchange before they both run the ropes, ending with Penta El Zero Miedo hitting a pair of sling blades on Adam Page. Page keeps Penta in the corner where he gives him a boot wash before staring down at Joe at the commentary table. Penta comes back with a springboard leg drop for two. They go into trading chops in the corners before exchanging clotheslines and kicks, taking each other down with a double clothesline as we go to picture-in-picture.
Penta dodges Page on the outside, before hitting him with a senton, sending him back inside where he misses a top rope double stomp. Page comes right back with a Death Valley Driver for two. Penta stops Page in the corner with a couple of kicks, before hitting a twisting Death Valley Driver of his own for two. Penta goes to snap back Page’s arm, but he fights it off and hits a Liger Bomb for two. They start fighting on the apron, as Page fights off Penta and tries the Buckshot Lariat, just for it to be blocked and turned into the Made in Japan for two. Penta tries to attack Page on the apron, but he stops him and hits a Dead Eye, followed by the top rope moonsault to the outside and the Buckshot Lariat for the pin and the win.
Winner: Adam Page by pinfall at 13:45
Friends & Enemies
Renee Paquette is in the back with Orange Cassidy and says we haven’t heard from him since Roderick Strong challenged him for his AEW International Championship at Revolution. Cassidy says Revolution is 6 weeks away, and he would have wrestled him last week, but he doesn’t want to wait and wants to wrestle now. Cassidy suggested a friend with ‘friends and enemies’ for Rampage, and he will face the winner of that match before saying that Wardlow is big.
Making Sure The Show Runs Smoothly
We the Young Bucks walk in as someone hands them tonight’s format. Alex Marvez stops them and asks what their first plan of action as executives is. They tell Marvez to call them by their passport names of Nicholas & Matthew. They talk about fixing the catering problem and backstage morale being through the roof and they are here to make sure the show runs smoothly and they have a killer show. They bump into Top Flight and ask if they just got here and if they are late since they aren’t in their gear. They talk about them not having credentials and next time they will get a fine, before telling Top Flight they are kidding and telling each other ‘we are killing it’.
Trent Beretta (w/ Rocky Romero, Orange Cassidy & Chuck Taylor) vs. Wardlow (w/ Adam Cole, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett & Roderick Strong)
Wardlow goes after Trent Beretta right away, taking him out in the corner for a splash before going for a powerbomb, but Beretta collapses. It was only playing possum, as he went for the roll-up on Wardlow, to get a two. They announce the match for Rampage will be a ‘Freshly Squeezed’ 4-Way between Kip Sabian, Komander, The Butcher & El Hijo del Vikingo where the winner gets an AEW International Championship match on Collision. Beretta ducks and sends Wardlow to the outside where he hits him with a pair of dropkicks but gets taken out with a punch while trying to springboard to the outside. Wardlow keeps sending Beretta into the barricades as we go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Beretta tries to dive into Wardlow but he blocks him with a punch. As the referee is distracted by everybody else on the outside, Beretta attacks Wardlow with a chair on the outside before taking him back inside where he hits a half-and-half suplex and a Tornado DDT. Beretta continues with a piledriver, but Wardlow kicks out at two. Beretta heads to the top rope, but Wardlow catches him right into a power slam. Wardlow puts Beretta in the corner and takes him out with a knee before hitting a Last Ride-style powerbomb for the pin and the win.
Winner: Wardlow by pinfall at 8:03
Wardlow goes to attack Beretta more after, but everybody else gets in the ring before The Undisputed Kingdom calls Wardlow off. Beretta pushes off Cassidy and doesn’t seem to want his help.
They go through upcoming matches, including the announcement of Bryan Danielson vs. Yuji Nagata on Collision.
Look At Your Ankle
Renee Paquette is on the stage and brings out Deonna Purrazzo and Toni Storm, along with Mariah May & Luther. It is shot so only the side where Storm is, stays in black and white. Toni brings up how Deonna has been body-shamed, and calls it ridiculous as there’s much more to shame about her. Toni says Deonna can’t use their past friendship to get a title shot, as all her friends in the past have been less talented than her. Storm continues that if Deonna steps into the ring with her, she will twist her lips so hard she will need an epidural. Deonna brings up how Toni used to be her friend but she doesn’t have a problem with earning her opportunity and this isn’t the Toni Storm she wasn’t to wrestle, calling her a delusional sham. Deonna wants the Storm who wrestled in Japan and lived in her house, calling that version one of the best in the world and the one she wants to beat for the AEW Women’s World Championship. Deonna says if Toni needs any further reminder, to look at her ankle. They both show that they have matching tattoos, as Storm tells Deonna to stick that tattoo up her butt. They start to fight as Deonna takes out Luther with a kick as Storm and May escape.
The Party Is Over
Jon Moxley is in the back and talks about the amount of matches and championships Blackpool Combat Club has won, but regardless they have had zero victory parties because they don’t have the time as there is always another match or challenge around the corner. Moxley talks about what ‘Elite’ means, as a lot of people come here and don’t know what it means and that it’s a party. Well, the party is over and he will give everything of himself against anybody he faces for the people who have paid their hard-earned money to watch what’s supposed to be the best wrestling show in the world and he will do it every time as they announce that Moxley will take on Lee Moriarty on Rampage.
No Buts, No Cuts, No Coconuts
We go to Johnny TV & Taya Valkyrie in the back who reintroduce themselves as the most TV-ready couple in AEW. Taya talks about ‘that girl’ Deonna trying to cut the line so she challenges her to a match next week on Dynamite in New Orleans.
Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Jeff Hardy (w/ Matt Hardy)
The Hardys have a bit of a more subdued entrance, as they are continuing to show a bit of a heel turn. They start the match with takeovers and pin attempts, as the crowd seems a bit split for both men. Swerve Strickland starts working on Jeff Hardy’s arm, but Matt Hardy gets on the apron to stop him from breaking it. Jeff takes advantage but Swerve stops him from the corner with a boot, followed by a Russian Leg sweep and a pin for two. Swerve attacks Jeff on the apron, where he hits him with a draping neckbreaker on the outside. Swerve sets up Jeff on a chair and goes to attack him from the apron, but Jeff trips him up to stop him. Jeff sets up Swerve against the apron, and leaps off the steel steps, falling over the barricade in the process, as they go to PIP.
We come back, as Jeff fights Swerve off the top rope with a headbutt, before taking him out as the crowd seems the most into a match all night with Matt & Nana on the outside leading them on ‘Who’s House’ chants. Jeff has the upper hand, before Swerve pushes him off the top rope, onto the apron where Swerve drives him by the hand into the corner on the other side. On the outside now, they start fighting on top of the ring steps where Jeff hits a Twist of Fate onto Swerve prompting a ‘holy shit’ chant. Jeff sends Swerve inside and goes for the Swanton, but Swerve gets out of the way and hits the House Call for a two. Bit of a back and forth before Swerve hits a vertical suplex and the Swerve Stomp for the pin and the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland by pinfall at 13:58
New Year, New Me, Dumbass
Renee is backstage with Adam Page, but Swerve interrupts and says they should be interviewing him who just beat Jeff Hardy. They start going over their winning records for the year, before Renee informs them they will both have Dealer’s Choice matches next week, picking each other’s opponents.
Thunder Rosa vs. Red Velvet
This is Thunder Rosa’s first singles match on Dynamite since July 2022. They start fighting fast and furiously, before Red Velvet trips up Thunder Rosa, on the outside where she chops her against the apron, as we go to picture-in-picture.
We come back, with Rosa in control hitting a Northern Lights Suplex for two. Velvet catches Rosa running off the ropes and escapes out into a stomp before hitting double knees to the back of Rosa’s head as she’s draped against the ropes. They go back and forth before Rosa hits a shotgun dropkick followed by the Tijuana Bomb for the pin and the win.
Winner: Thunder Rosa by pinfall at 7:10
Rampage Line-Up
- Jon Moxley vs. Lee Moriarty
- Christopher Daniels vs. Konosuke Takeshita
- Ruby Soho vs. Anna Jay
- Freshly Squeezed 4-Way: Kip Sabian vs. Komander vs. The Butcher vs. El Hijo del Vikingo
Collision Line-Up
- AEW International Title Match: Orange Cassidy vs. the winner of the Freshly Squeeze 4-Way
- Serena Deeb returns to action
- Bryan Danielson vs. Yuji Nagata
- Mariah May vs. Lady Frost
- ‘Escape the Cage’ Elimination Match: House of Black vs. FTR & Daniel Garcia
Dynamite Line-Up
- Deonna Purrazzo vs. Taya Valkyrie
- Swerve Strickland & Adam Page in Dealer’s Choice matches
Sting’s Still Got It
Tony Schiavone is in the ring and introduces Darby Allin & Sting. Darby talks about always being how it feels to be teaming with Sting, before making the joke that if he doesn’t slow down he’ll retire before Sting. Allin talks about Sting not being able to wrestle again when hearing the news of Sting coming to AEW, before going over to his place where he saw that Sting ‘still got it’. We see the Young Bucks in the back watching on, while wearing headsets. Allin talks about the rankings being back and it puts them in the top spot for an AEW World Tag Team Championship match and tells Sting that he still has it. Darby hands Sting the mic and asks him if he wants to end his career as AEW World Tag Team Champion. Sting says he’s all in and hugs Darby.
After the break, we go to Big Bill & Ricky Starks as Bill thanks Sting & Darby Allin for finally having the respect to address them by their names and as champions as they accept their challenge. Starks talks about Sting’s first match in AEW being against him, and so will his last match, and Sting should just lay down for him.
AEW World Trios Championship: Billy Gunn & The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) (c) The Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) (w/ Prince Nana)
Bullet Club Gold comes out for The Acclaimed’s entrance, showing Bang Bang Scissor Gang unity. Max Caster’s freestyle calls Nana a ‘Nigerian scammer who sends email to his mama’, before calling Brian Cage not the most generic guy on their team. Caster & Cage start the match, but the heels quickly take advantage when Anthony Bowens tags in, stomping him out in their corner. They start taking the action to the floor before going to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Bowens is fighting off Toa Liona but fails to make the tag as Kaun takes out Caster. Bowens is able to make the hot tag to Billy Gunn who goes to town on the Moguel Embassy before getting stopped by Liona. All six men go at it in the ring before Kaun hits a pedigree to Gunn for a close two. Nana sends a chair into the ring and starts distracting Aubrey Edwards as Kaun goes to hit Billy with it. Jay White runs out and takes the chair away from him as Billy takes out Kaun with a Cobra Clutch Slam as The Gunns powerbomb Nana through a table. Back inside, The Acclaimed keep the attacking going including a Fameasser on Kaun followed by The Mic Drop, as Gunn gets the pin and the win.
Winners: Billy Gunn & The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) by pinfall at 8:59, to retain
The Wait Is Over
We get another training montage video on Serena Deeb ahead of her return on Collision, this Saturday.
Adam Copeland vs. Minoru Suzuki
‘Holy shit’ chant to start the match as they go right into a crazy-fast forearm exchange that eventually knocks down Adam Copeland. Copeland gets back up as they now start exchanging chops before Minoru Suzuki drops Copeland without another forearm again. Suzuki goes for the Gotch-style piledriver, but Copeland escapes with a backbody drop. They fight on the apron, where Copeland hits a boot but gets stopped with a kick while trying to hit a spear. Suzuki holds onto Copeland with a guillotine choke, but Copeland breaks it up by ramming Suzuki right into the barricade, breaking through it and falling into the crowd. They both barely make it into the ring before the ten count.
They start trading forearms while on their knees, before continuing when on their knees before knocking each other right back down. They show that in two weeks on Dynamite in Phoenix, Ricky Starks & Big Bill will defend the AEW World Tag Team Championship against Sting & Darby Allin. They go back and forth before Copeland hits the Impaler DDT. Copeland goes for the spear, but Suzuki dodges it and puts on the Fujiwara armbar. They fight in the corner before Copeland escapes out and hits the Spear for a two. Suzuki puts on a sleeper hold, but Copeland sends him face-first into an unprotected corner before hitting the Killswitch for the pin and the win.
Winner: Adam Copeland by pinfall at 9:26
We see Christian Cage “in the back” watching on (hilariously, this was old stock footage from a while ago). Copeland gets on the mic and says he’s never been hit that hard in his life before telling Suzuki; ‘Respect’, but Suzuki doesn’t shake Copeland’s hand and leaves. Copeland says he would have been disappointed if he did shake his hand and said this was a war, a war that Christian knows nothing about and he is still coming for him.
