AEW Dynamite: Beach Break Results – January 26, 2022
This week’s show kicks off with the usual cold open package and then we shoot inside the Wolstein Center where Jim Ross does his “It’s Wednesday night…” catchphrase.
TNT Championship Unification Ladder Match
Sammy Guevara (C) vs. Cody Rhodes (C)
From there, we see Cody Rhodes standing on the top-rope in his ring entrance attire as J.R. sends the broadcast down to “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts for the pre-match ring introductions.
Our TNT Championship Unification Ladder Match will be kicking off tonight’s special Beach Break edition of Dynamite. Roberts finishes up his introductions for Sammy Guevara and Cody and exits the ring.
The bell sounds and we’re off-and-running. Cody and Sammy shake hands and then Cody smacks Sammy on the chest and the two begin to get after it. We see Cody roll away from an offensive attempt by Sammy and then taunt him a bit.
Now the two lock up. Sammy sends Cody into the ropes, but Cody comes off of them and shoulder-tackles Sammy down to the mat. He throws up a one-arm biceps pose to add insult to injury. Sammy knocks Cody down moments later and then taunts him right back while the fans chant “Sammy! Sammy!”
After some more back-and-forth action, Cody hooks Sammy’s arms and looks for a Tiger Driver ’98, however Sammy counters and hoists “The American Nightmare” up with intentions of hitting his GTH finisher, but Cody avoids it. The action continues and after Sammy gets Cody down, he slides out of the ring and looks to bring a ladder into the mix for the first time in the bout.
Cody ends up taking Sammy out in the entrance aisle and then he retrieves another nearby ladder and drapes it across the ring apron and barricade separating the fans. Nothing happens with it, as Sammy attacks Cody and the fight spills into the crowd. The two trade shots as they pass by a bunch of the fans inside the Wolstein Center.
As we hear a “Sammy! Sammy!” chant break out, Cody hits a big clothesline that knocks Sammy over the barricade and back onto the ringside floor. As Cody gloats in the crowd, Sammy comes flying off the barricade and takes Cody out with a big splash.
The fight makes its’ way back into the ring, and for the first time we see a ladder make an appearance inside the squared circle. The ladder gets set up in the middle of the ring and each guy takes turns climbing in an attempt to capture the TNT Championship hanging from the rafters, however each time they are stopped. Finally they each climb up opposite sides of the ladder at the same time.
While the fans break out into a split “Let’s go Sammy!” and “Cody sucks!” chant, the two duke it out on top of each side of the ladder. Cody ends up getting the better of the exchange. He hooks Sammy and sends him for a long ride off the ladder, as he connects with a big superplex off the top. After the two land, we see immediate replays of the spot. From there, Excalibur talks us into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When we return from the break, we see the ladder set upside down and unfolded in the ring. Cody then hoists Sammy up and hits an inverted suplex, dropping Sammy sternum first in the middle of the opening. We see some immediate replays of that as Cody follows up by securing a figure-four leg lock on Sammy with a ladder placed on top of him.
The fans try and rally behind Sammy by chanting his name. Meanwhile, Cody sets the ladder back up the normal way in the middle of the ring under the TNT Championship. Cody blasts Sammy with a pair of knife-edge chops. He turns to boast, and again this decision backfires on him as Sammy fires up for an offensive comeback. Cody ends up cutting it short after throwing a ladder at Sammy, Sabu-steel-chair-style.
Now we see a second ladder introduced into the mix, and with both set up next to each other in the ring, Sammy leaps from one and hits a flying cutter to bring Cody off of the other. We see multiple camera angles show replays of this high spot as the fans break out into a thunderous “Holy sh*t!” chant. After the two recover and get back after it, we see another wild spot as Cody hits a crazy Cross-Rhodes to bring himself and Sammy off the two ladders.
Both guys end up climbing up a ladder a few moments later and each end up grabbing onto the bar holding the TNT Championship as the ladder is knocked out from under them. We see the two continue to hang on but ultimately both drop and crash and burn on the mat down below. The fans are going nuts as the physicality and intensity of this one picks up.
With the action spilling out to the floor at ringside, we see Cody repeatedly slam a ladder onto the knee of Guevara. After doing this a few times, Sammy’s best friend, Fuego Del Sol, runs out to scold Cody for his vicious behavior. Cody ends up hitting him with a Cross Rhodes. Immediately after this, Sammy comes flying into the picture as he connects with a splash after springboarding off the top-rope. He hits another high spot and then takes Cody to the floor where he hits his GTH finisher at ringside.
As Cody is down and out, Sammy brings out another ladder from under the ring and creates a ladder-bridge from the ring apron to the ringside barricade. He then brings out and sets up another ladder in front of the aforementioned ladder bridge. He hits Cody with a couple of shots to ensure he stays out while laid across the ladder bridge, and then he begins climbing up the additional ladder. He does the “I’m crazy” hand-gesture after settling on the top of the ladder. He extends his arms and soaks in the atmosphere before leaping off and hitting a senton splash onto Cody.
Sammy looks to be nearly as beaten up as Cody after taking that fall. Both guys are down and out as the commentators talk us through multiple replays of that wild high spot. Sammy is back to his feet first, and he re-enters the ring. He sets up a ladder and begins climbing as Cody is also finally back up and moving. Cody now enters the ring and climbs up after Sammy. The two begin trading shots on opposite sides of the ladder. Sammy hits Cody with one of the hanging belts, which knocks him down to the mat below. He then unhooks both TNT Championship belts to win the match and become the Undisputed TNT Champion. Great opening match for this Beach Break special edition of Dynamite on TBS.
Winner and NEW Undisputed TNT Champion: Sammy Guevara
Team Taz With A Message From The Snowy Beach In Cleveland
After the opening contest wraps up, the commentary team sends things over to an “earlier today” segment where Tony Schiavone talks to Team Taz members Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs at the snowy beach in Cleveland, OH.
Powerhouse Hobbs talks first, addressing his loss to Dante Martin. He challenges him to a rematch. The FTW Champion Ricky Starks then speaks up and ends up making a match with himself taking on Jay Lethal on Rampage.
Handicap Match
Wardlow vs. Elijah Dean & James Alexander
Now we head back inside the Wolstein Center where Wardlow’s theme song begins playing. Out comes the enforcer of The Pinnacle faction, accompanied by “The Chairman of AEW” Shawn Spears. After being introduced as “from Cleveland, OH.,” the site of tonight’s show, Wardlow gets the hometown hero reception.
As he settles into the ring, “The Dapper Yapper” introduces his two opponents for this two-on-one handicap match — Elijah Dean and James Alexander. The bell sounds and we’re off-and-running with this one.
We immediately see Wardlow nearly take the heads off of Dean and Alexander with a big clothesline. He then begins the power bomb symphony as he hoists Dean up and brings him down with a vengeance.
He does the same to Alexander and then begins churning them out like butter over-and-over-and-over again, finishing by power-bombing one of his opponents onto the other and putting his boot on them for an arrogant pin fall, which secures him the easy victory. After the match we head to another commercial break.
Winner: Wardlow
Chris Jericho, Santana & Ortiz vs. Daniel Garcia & Team 2point0
We return from the break to the familiar sounds of “Judas in my Mind” by Fozzy. With that said, out comes the leader of The Inner Circle — “Le Champion” Chris Jericho. The fans sing along as he makes his way to the ring along with Santana & Ortiz.
The Inner Circle trio settles into the ring and continue singing the lyrics to the song as the music fades down. Jericho applauds them and then the six men in this advertised AEW Trios match decide who will start things off for their respective teams.
The bell sounds and we’re off-and-running. Jericho and Matt Lee kick things off for each team. Santana ends up tagging himself in before anything happens, which confuses Jericho, but ends up affecting Santana even worse as he is ambushed from behind and ultimately double-teamed by Lee and Jeff Parker.
Team 2point0 beat down Santana and then Parker settles in the ring as the legal man. Santana starts to fight back into competitive form and begins hitting three suplexes in a row on him, tagging in Ortiz to hit one final one as a double-suplex. Ortiz goes for a follow-up splash and then covers Parker, but Parker kicks out after the count of two.
As the action continues, we see a pattern evolve where Santana & Ortiz are only tagging each other in, essentially excluding “Le Champion” from the match. Eventually, Jericho tags himself in and this leads to an argument within The Inner Circle trio in this match. On that note, we head to a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When we return from the break, we see Lee and Parker hitting some double-team spots on Ortiz. Santana tries entering the mix but gets stopped. Finally, he does enter the mix and helps his Proud ‘N’ Powerful brother. Later in the match, we see one member of the duo get hit with a cheap shot. The other member makes it over for the much-needed tag, but still decides to tag in the barely standing Santana.
This leads to some more bad vibes within The Inner Circle, as Jericho is clearly upset about this. We end up seeing Jericho take matters into his own hands, as he connects with a Judas Effect that sets up the pin fall victory for Santana & Ortiz. He leaves without them and yells something at them from the entrance aisle. There is definitely trouble brewing within The Inner Circle.
Winners: Chris Jericho, Santana & Ortiz
Hangman Page & Lance Archer To Do Battle In Texas Death Match
We shoot to a vignette furthering the ongoing rivalry between “Hangman” Adam Page and “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer. It is announced during the video package that the two will square off in two weeks time in a Texas Death Match with the AEW World Heavyweight Championship on-the-line. After the vignette wraps up, we head back to another commercial break.
Jurassic Express & Private Party Match Set For Rampage
As we settle back in from the break, we see Tony Schiavone standing in the staircase with Matt Hardy and Private Party, as well as Christian Cage and Jurassic Express.
Schiavone begins by asking Christian a question and he goes on to bring up being attacked last week by Hardy and company. Hardy says his thoughts don’t matter and then we hear Jungle Boy and Private Party bicker as a match is announced for Rampage between the two teams.
CM Punk & MJF Match Set for Next Week, The Pinnacle Beats Punk Down
Now we return inside the Wolstein Center where the familiar sounds of “Cult of Personality” plays as CM Punk emerges from the entrance area and begins making his walk towards the squared circle.
As the commentators point out, “The Best in the World” appears to be dressed in his ring gear, presumably because he is ready for a fight. They plug the return of AEW to the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Punk’s hometown. He settles in the ring and his music dies down.
Punk gets on the mic and thanks the Cleveland fans for the warm reception. He says he came out here trying to look like a bad ass but he ended up smiling ear-to-ear. He then points out how he’s ready to fight and that’s why he’s wearing his ring gear.
From there, he points out the obvious, which is that there’s one specific person he wants to trade punches with — Maxwell Jacob Friedman. The fans in Cleveland begin chanting his name. Punk tells them to go ahead and says it’ll be the only time anyone hears fans chant for MJF.
He has some fun with the crowd and then shows off a keepsake he took home from his last interaction with Friedman. He then opens his jacket to expose the trademark scarf of MJF. He talks about it being as cheap as MJF’s personality.
Finally, MJF’s music hits and out he comes to interrupt Punk. He taunts Punk and the fans by once again acting like he’s going to wrestle Punk on the spot, only to make it clear that he won’t. He bashes Cleveland and he fans, prompting them to break out in a loud “Assh*le! Assh*le!” chant.
From there, MJF says he’ll do one better and give everyone a match they’ve been waiting for next week in Chicago, Illinois. He says it will be CM Punk versus MJF and then quickly says “but..but..but.” He points out that they’re not in Chicago right now, but rather in “crappy-Cleveland.”
As MJF continues to rant, Punk cuts him off and says “let’s do it right here, b*tch!” MJF doesn’t acknowledge that and then proceeds to taunt and trash Cleveland and the fans in attendance. He makes a reference about Cleveland once loving LeBron James, too. He asks how that went for them.
He then brings up the viewing audience at home and says all their chants for Punk isn’t going to do anything but the same thing it did last time — result in Punk leaving and then complaining about it on a podcast. Punk reacts and says a podcast that MJF listened to because he’s a fan.
Punk references leaving WWE as the best thing he’s ever done and if it weren’t for that, MJF wouldn’t be having the brush with greatness that he’s having right now. Punk talks about how you’ve got to take matters into your own hands. He continues talking to MJF like he’s nothing more than a fan.
He says he’s never lied to the people. He says the fans don’t love him because he always wins, or because of his losses. He says they love him because he always gets back up and keeps trying. MJF asks Punk if he’s gonna get back up this time, and proceeds to bring out the rest of The Pinnacle, except for Shawn Spears.
Spears ends up showing up from behind and attacking Punk. The Pinnacle joins him in the ring and we see a multiple-person beatdown of Punk as the fans erupt with boos. Then they break out into chants for Punk as The Pinnacle holds his arms and legs while Spears blasts an unprotected Punk with a steel chair shot. MJF taunts Punk and asks him to get up now.
Punk does but is held back by The Pinnacle. They beat him down again and then MJF demands that Wardlow power bomb Punk. Spears sets a chair up for Wardlow to power bomb him on. Wardlow hesitates but ultimately hoists Punk up and plants him onto the steel chair spine-first with a vicious power bomb. MJF turns Punk over and then sits on him in arrogant fashion.
He says it’s only fitting that Punk’s journey ends the same place it began. He then ends the segment by saying, “I’ll see you next week in Chicago!” His music plays to end the segment.
The Acclaimed With A Message For Jon Moxley
From one loud mouth to two says the commentators, who send things backstage to The Acclaimed. Max Caster and Anthony Bowens talk about the Jon Moxley match from last week and then make some cracks about him looking like Al Bundy.
Ultimately, a match is announced pitting Anthony Bowens one-on-one against Mox on this week’s Rampage. After this quick backstage promo segment wraps up, we head to another commercial break.
Jade Cargill Chooses Opponent For Next TBS Women’s Title Defense
We shoot backstage where Tony Schiavone is standing by with Griff Garrison and Julia Hart of The Varsity Blonds. Before they can say much of anything, up walks “Smart” Mark Sterling in a neck-brace holding a contract.
Sterling informs Hart that Jade Cargill has selected her to be the next challenger for the TBS Women’s Championship. Garrison doesn’t like the idea, as Hart is still wearing an eye patch, but she insists she’s ready to fight and signs the papers to make the match official.
“Legit” Leyla Hirsch vs. Red Velvet
Now we shoot back inside the Wolstein Center in Cleveland where “Legit” Leyla Hirsch’s theme music hits. The women’s contender makes her way down to the ring for our next match of the evening.
Hirsch settles inside the squared circle and her theme music fades down. Now the theme for Red Velvet hits and she sprints her way to the ring. The two collide and this one gets off with a bang. Hirsch quickly takes over and starts taking it to Velvet.
The action spills out of the ring to the floor at ringside. Hirsch dominates there as well, but not for long, as Velvet takes back over. On the ring apron, Velvet hits a big stunner on Hirsch across the middle rope.
We see the action resume inside the ring where Velvet looks for a submission on Hirsch. She slaps a modified triangle choke from the bottom position, but Hirsch muscles her up and power bombs herself free by slamming Velvet into the turnbuckles in the corner.
“Legit” Leyla is now focusing her offensive attack on the shoulder of Velvet. Excalibur talks us into a mid-match commercial break as the action in this showdown between the number one and number two ranked women’s contenders continues.
We’re back from the break and we see Hirsch still dominating the offense until Velvet hits a middle rope cutter that leaves both laid out. Velvet gets back to her feet first and starts picking up the pace as she takes over on offense. She hits a couple of big spots and goes for the cover, but Hirsch kicks out at the count of two.
As Velvet looks for the final slice, Hirsch counters it and hits a big knee lift to the dome of Velvet. She goes for the cover but instead transitions into the Legit-Look submission hold. She nearly finishes Velvet off, however Velvet gets her boot on the ropes, forcing the referee to break the hold.
The match continues with Hirsch putting the boots to Velvet in the corner. Velvet tries for a counter but Hirsch scoops her leg out from under her and looks for an ankle lock. Velvet counters into a pin attempt but Hirsch kicks out. Hirsch ends up countering Velvet moments later and rolling her up for the pin fall victory.
Winner: “Legit” Leyla Hirsch
Leyla Hirsch Continues Attack On Red Velvet, Kris Statlander Makes Save
Once the match wraps up, Hirsch isn’t satisfied so she continues the beatdown of Velvet. She re-applies her Legit Lock submission finisher and cranks back with all she’s got until Kris Statlander sprints out to the ring from the back. She makes the save and runs Hirsch off to end the post-match segment.
The House Of Black With Message For PAC & Death Triangle
We shoot to the latest message from Malakai Black and The House of Black. He and Brody King talk about PAC and Death Triangle. They vow to beat them down and have them praying for death.
Sammy Guevara & Fuego Del Sol Flip Through Cards During Break
After this wraps up, we see Sammy Guevara come out with his signs / cue-cards. Fuego Del Sol accompanies him and as we head to another commercial break, the two flip through the cards to deliver a message to the viewing audience in the muted half of the screen.
Britt Baker Taunts Cleveland Browns & Gloats Over Her Accomplishments
We return from the break to Tony Schiavone in the ring where a table with a bunch of awards and some stands holding covers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazines are shown. Schiavone then introduces his guest at this time — Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.
On that note, the AEW Women’s Champion makes her way out in Pittsburgh Steelers colors and holding a “terrible towel” to taunt the Browns fans in Cleveland. She settles in the ring and Schiavone hands the mic over to her.
Baker talks about how long it has been since she has been in the ring with a mic in her hand. She says it’s criminal that it’s been so long and then proceeds to taunt the Cleveland fans some more over the Steelers vs. Browns rivalry. From there she gloats about the aforementioned awards and magazine covers.
She keeps taunting the Browns and praising the Steelers, citing some specific examples and then making a reference to Adam Cole with a “BAY-BAY” drop. She boasts a bit more and then exits the ring, draping herself in a big Pittsburgh Steelers flag to further stick it to Browns fans in Cleveland.
Matches Announced For Friday’s Rampage & Next Week’s Dynamite
The commentators run down the lineup for this week’s Rampage and then a brief video package is shown to remind fans about the match pitting Brock Anderson and Lee Johnson against FTR.
After that, we hear the familiar sounds of a women shrieking the words “Excuse Me!” Out comes Vickie Guerrero accompanied by Nyla Rose. Rose announces she will be squaring off against Ruby Soho next week.
From there, the commentators run down some more matches for Friday’s Rampage and next week’s Dynamite. They give one final plug to tonight’s “Unsanctioned Lights Out Match” between Adam Cole and Orange Cassidy before sending us into another commercial break.
Unsanctioned Lights Out Match
Adam Cole vs. Orange Cassidy
We’re back from the break and we hear the familiar sounds of the entrance theme of Adam Cole. He makes his way to the ring as the fans do the “Adam Cole …BAY-BAY!” routine along with him. He settles in the ring and his music fades down.
Now the equally familiar tune for Orange Cassidy plays. Out comes the “Freshly Squeezed” one himself, as it’s time for this one-on-one Unsanctioned Lights Out main event match here on the AEW Dynamite: Beach Break special event on TBS.
Both guys are in the ring and ready to rock, and the bell sounds to get this one off-and-running. We see Cassidy throw his usual slow-moving, unphased style of wrestling routine out the window, as he goes after Cole with a vengeance straight out of the gate. Early on, we see his trademark sunglasses get smashed.
The action quickly spills out to the floor where some early-match high spots begin to get mixed in. Cole takes control of the offense thus far and he connects with another big spot that leaves Cassidy laid out on the floor selling his wrist as the commentators talk us into a mid-match commercial break.
When we come back from the commercials, we see some more weapons have been added to the mix. A steel chair and a trash can get used. Cole remains in control of the offense, but now we’ve got some added elements in the form of some extra wrestlers. The Best Friends’ own Wheeler Yuta takes out Brandon Cutler on the entrance ramp.
Bobby Fish takes out Yuta so out comes Chuck Taylor. Taylor takes out Fish but then turns right into stereo super-kicks from Nick and Matt Jackson. The Young Bucks then join Cole in the ring and the trio prepare to hit Cassidy with a triple super kick.
Instead, Trent and Rocky Romero takes the Bucks out of the ring and work them over as Cassidy hits a Beach Break on Cole in the ring for a super close near fall. He lets out a crazy war scream and then connects with an Orange Punch. He sells his wrist / hand that was injured earlier in the match and isn’t able to make the cover in a timely fashion as a result.
When Cassidy goes to make the cover, Cole blasts him with a low blow. Cassidy, however, does not react at all. He reveals a steel cup that he was wearing and then returns to form with his trademark wimpy / lazy “Sweet Shin Music” kicks before heading up the ropes. He leaps off and connects on Cole with Cole’s own Panama Sunrise finisher for another very close near fall.
The “Freshly Squeezed” one doesn’t seem to be able to finish off Cole, however he doesn’t seem bothered by this. He finds a steel chain and begins wrapping it around his fist as the fans chant his name in the background. He stalks Cole and waits for him to get up, but Cole high-tails it and heads up the entrance aisle. Cassidy exits the ring and heads out after him.
In the “Go Position” (a.k.a. the “Gorilla Position”), we see the action resume as Cassidy catches up with Cole. Cole shifts the offensive momentum in his favor, however, putting Cassidy through a table in the “Go Position” for a close near fall of his own. He drills Cassidy with some punches and yells at him to stay down as the two brawl back out through the entrance tunnel.
Back on the entrance aisle / ramp, we see Cole connect with a vicious super kick that decks Cassidy. Cole looks to “lower the boom” on Cassidy to finish him off, but he ends up walking into a big shot from Cassidy. Cassidy wraps his hand with the steel chain again and heads after Cole with intentions of hitting him with a steel-chain-supported Orange Punch. Instead, he is met with a big counter shot from Cole.
Cole drags the lifeless body of Cassidy out to the middle of the aisle and then glances over to the rafters, which he begins climbing. He makes his way to the top of the rafters by the entrance area and does a big pose once up there, however the camera shot and his viewpoint are both such that no one realizes until it’s too late that Cassidy isn’t down below any longer. He’s right behind him.
Cassidy grabs a hold of Cole and makes the big leap. The two crash down through some tables and production equiptment below. He puts an arm over him and gets the three-count for the victory in this entertaining Unsanctioned Lights Out main event. The commentators talk us through some highlights of the match and then plug matches for Friday’s Rampage and next week’s Dynamite. This week’s show goes off the air with The Best Friends celebrating with Cassidy while Cole remains laid out in the background. Thanks for joining us!
Winner: Orange Cassidy
Credit: Matt Boone
