It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means …
All Elite Wrestling returns from the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado for the annual New Years Smash edition of AEW Dynamite on TBS.
On tap for tonights show is Bryan Danielson vs. Ethan Page, Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Top Flight, Ruby Soho & Willow Nightingale vs. Tay Melo & Anna Jay, Samoa Joe vs. Wardlow for the TNT title, as well as falls count anywhere match no. 6 of the Best Of 7 Series between Death Triangle and The Elite.
Featured below are complete AEW Dynamite: New Years Smash results from Wednesday, December 28, 2022. The following report was written by Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live on TBS.
AEW DYNAMITE: NEW YEARS SMASH RESULTS (12/28/2022)
This week’s special New Years Smash edition of Dynamite on TBS kicks off with the usual theme song and accompanying opening video. From there, we shoot inside the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO. where the commentators welcome us to the show.
Bryan Danielson vs. “All Ego” Ethan Page
As fireworks and pyro erupts, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz settle in on commentary and then send things down to the ring for a big opening contest.
With that said, Bryan Danielson’s theme hits and “The American Dragon” heads to the ring to an enormous pop from the fans in attendance. He settles inside the ring and his music dies down.
Now the entrance tune for “All Ego” Ethan Page plays and out he comes accompanied by Stokely Hathaway for this one-on-one showdown to kick off the New Years Smash episode of Dynamite.
Before the bell sounds, however, the familiar sounds of MJF’s theme hits and the AEW World Champion appears in a luxary box with his title, some champagne and “the only hot chick in Colorado.” He taunts Danielson as Page beats on him from the ring.
Page also shouts insults up to MJF, whom the crowd focuses a loud “Assh*le” chant at as “All Ego” beats down “The American Dragon” here in the early goings of this opening contest.
Danielson starts to fight back with vicious chops. Page answers back with some of his own, but Danielson over-takes him and blasts him with repeated shots before delivering a high roundhouse kick and a knee to the bread basket.
“The American Dragon” gets an ankle lock on the ground, which Page ultimately escapes. Danielson continues to dominate the action, connecting with a big dropkick off the top-rope before taking the hat off the shiney dome of Stokely Hathaway.
He connects with a big dive to the floor on Page as well, but walks into a big kick from “All Ego” as he headed back inside the ring. Hathaway taunts Danielson as he’s laid out on the floor and on that note, we head to a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When we return from the break, we see some back-and-forth action until Danielson settles into the offensive lead, blasting Page with chops and kicks in the corner before sitting him on the top-rope. He stands up and connects with a standing hurricanrana off the top-rope, which pops the crowd.
The action spills out to the floor. Once out there, Page takes over, ramming Danielson into the steel ring steps and the steel barricade before rolling him back into the ring. He launches himself into the ring and connects on the way down with a cutter for a near fall on Danielson.
After kicking out at two, Danielson eats a series of repeated elbow shots from Page. Danielson turns things around by hitting a crazy DDT that spikes “All Ego” directly on the top of his dome. Danielson hits a big kick and then locks in the LeBelle Lock. Page gets his foot on the ropes to break the hold.
We see Danielson head to the top-rope after this, but Page cuts him off and begins climbing up backwards. He’s looking for an Ego’s Edge off the top-rope but Danielson avoids it. Page ends up hitting an avalanche powerslam off the top for a super close near fall, which Danielson just barely kicks out of.
Page hoists Danielson up for the Ego’s Edge and has a big smile on his face, however Danielson escapes and hits his running knee finisher. He does the Ronnie Garvin hold-and-stomp fest and then locks in a LeBelle Lock for the win.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson Calls Out MJF
Once the match wraps up, we see Bryan Danielson immediately turn his attention to AEW World Champion MJF, who is shown still in the luxury box reacting to him. MJF turns down his wave to join him in the ring for an impromptu fight.
Samoa Joe Attacks Wardlow
We see a quick word from Samoa Joe in a video package featuring “The King of TV.” We then return live where Renee Paquette is in the interview zone with Wardlow.
As he talks about there being too many words and not enough action, in comes Joe, who beats Wardlow down with a pipe. He yells “how’s that for action?! I did this to you!” He roars and officials run to the scene as he walks away and we head to another commercial break.
“Hangman” Adam Page Checked On By Doctors
We shoot backstage where Renee Paquette steps in between members of The Dark Order to try and get a word with a doctor shown checking on the condition of “Hangman” Adam Page.
Page snaps at her and then brings up Jon Moxley being in the next match, which gets Page to pop up and lose his cool. The doctor says two weeks until he can get back in the ring. He says if he keeps getting riled up, and things might not go that way. Page says okay.
Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Top Flight
We now head back inside the 1stBank Center where Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli make their way to the ring through the crowd. They will be competing in tag-team action next.
The two settle inside the ring and we await the arrival of their opponents. Their music dies down and now the entrance tune for Dante and Darius Martin — collectively known as Top Flight — plays.
Both teams are in the ring and it’s time to get this one underway. Darius Martin attacks Jon Moxley on the floor. Dante Martin tries the same but Castagnoli catches him and slams him onto the steel barricade. Moxley is shown beating down the other Martin brother on the other side of the ring.
Mox rolls Martin into the ring and now the bell sounds to officially get this one off-and-running. Mox continues to dominate the action, taking it to Martin until he finally buys himself enough time to make the tag.
The other-half of Top Flight hits the ring and now Dante Martin goes to work on Mox, hitting a big dropkick and a standing moonsault for a near fall. Mox takes over and starts blasting Martin with elbows to the collar bone.
Martin tags in his brother and the two take out the knee of Mox from behind. On that note, we head to a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
As we settle back in from the break, we see Martin still working over the weakened knee of Moxley with a submission hold in the center of the ring. Castagnoli ends up tagging in. He whips Martin into the corner and blasts him with a running european uppercut.
He proceeds to do this over-and-over-and-over-and-over again before stopping to do the big swing. He does it on the wrong man, and is rolled up after finishing, but kicks out. Top Flight double-teams Claudio but he hangs in there.
We see Claudio with a lifeless Darius as Mox takes out Dante with a lariat and a paradigm shift on the floor. Castagnoli finally hits the finishing blow on Darius in the ring for the pin fall victory.
Winners: Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli
AEW All-Atlantic Championship Match Set For Rampage: New Years Smash
We shoot backstage to Renee Paquette who is with Orange Cassidy, Danhausen, The Best Friends, Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford after footage of the $300,000 Three Kings Trios Casino Royale is shown.
Sabian says it’s time for his title shot at Cassidy. Cassidy says Trent gets one before him. Sabian says he looks forward to seeing this. Cassidy says they’re gonna do it on AEW Rampage: New Years Smash.
FTW Championship
Hook (C) vs. Baylum Lynx
We head back inside the arena where FTW Champion Hook makes his way to the ring. Taz points out that he spoke to him earlier and that Hook isn’t in a great mood tonight.
His music dies down and then his opponent, who is already in the ring, Baylum Lynx, is introduced. The bell sounds and we’re off-and-running with this one. Hook rag-dolls the newcomer around and slaps on his Red Rum finisher for the easy submission win.
Winner and STILL FTW Champion: Hook
Hook & Jungle Boy Duke It Out With Big Bill & Lee Moriarty
After the match, Hook is celebrating his win when Stokely Hathaway comes out with Big Bill and Lee Moriarty. They threaten Hook as they come to the ring but Jungle Boy Jack Perry comes out to make the save.
Big Bill is in the ring with Hook and the two stand face-to-face, with over a foot in size separating them. Jungle Boy has Moriarty down in the aisle so things are even. Hook goes for a t-bone on Big Bill, but Big Bill fights it off. Big Bill goes to hoist Hook up but Jungle Boy hits the ring with a giant piece of wood like Hacksaw Jim Duggan.
Chris Jericho’s Message To Ricky Starks
We return backstage after a video package showing Ricky Starks turning down Chris Jericho’s offer to join the J.A.S. and Jericho’s subsequent fireball attack of Action Andretti.
“The Ocho” talks directly into the camera as we return live and he talks about Starks turning them down. He says Jan. 4th in Seattle he’s gonna school “Absolute” Starks. After this, we head to another commercial break.
Wheeler Yuta Challenges “Swerve” Strickland To Match
We return from the break to see “Swerve” Strickland backstage with his fellow members of The Mogul Affiliates. They are confronted by Wheeler Yuta of the Blackpool Combat Club, who challenges him to a match at AEW Rampage: New Years Smash. He accepts.
Falls Count Anywhere Match No. 6 Of Best Of 7 Series
Death Triangle vs. The Elite
From there, we shoot backstage where we see the teams of Death Triangle (PAC, The Lucha Bros — Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) and The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks — Nick & Matt Jackson) duking it out.
The bell sounds and the backstage brawl continues as match number six in their ongoing best of seven series continues in this falls count anywhere showdown here on New Years Smash.
Don Callis joins Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on special guest commentary for this match, which takes place all throughout the backstage area with a ton of foreign objects and production equipment used for spots in the brutal contest.
The right arm / elbow of Nick Jackson is rumored to be injured after he comes down off a high spot backstage in awkward form. Replays are shown as the commentators hype the rumored injury heavily on the broadcast.
Shortly after that, we see the wrestlers emerge on the top of the entrance stage to a big pop from the Colorado fans in attendance. Rey Fenix is shown up high in the entrance way stage. He dives off of it onto The Young Bucks for a huge pop. After this, he turns around into a V-Trigger from Omega, who comes flying into the picture.
PAC hits a brutal German suplex on Omega on the entrance stage, which as Taz points out, has no “give” to it in terms of the rough landing for all-involved. The fans loudly chant “This is Awesome!” as PAC and Matt Jackson hit a Northern Lights suplex spot all the way down the entrance ramp. We head to a mid-match commercial break as this insane match continues.
When we return from the break, we see a BTE Trigger, Meltzer Driver and every other close near fall spot you can imagine, only for each team to hang on time after time. Finally, this one gets finished off with Omega slamming Fenix off a part of the arena into the win. In the ring, PAC has a finisher on as well but while he thinks he’s getting the win, he doesn’t realize Omega already secured it.
Winners and ADVANCING to Match No. 7: The Elite
The Acclaimed Music Video World Premiere
After the Best of 7 Series Match No. 6 wraps up, we shoot to a music video world premiere for a song from The Acclaimed. The video featured himself and Anthony Bowens and “Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn mocking Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal and others.
Tay Melo & Anna Jay A.S. vs. Willow Nightingale & Ruby Soho
We head back inside the arena where the team of Tay Melo and Anna Jay A.S. make their way out and head to the ring as Excalibur reminds fans on the broadcast of their past with Ruby Soho, noting they broke her nose.
They settle into the ring and their music dies down. Now the theme for the first of their two opponents plays and out comes Willow Nightingale. She stops and is joined by Ruby Soho. The two head to the ring together.
Women’s tag-team action is up next here on the New Years Smash edition of Dynamite on TBS. Willow takes it to Tay as the two kick things off for their respective teams.
Ruby Soho tags herself in while Willow was on a roll. She looked annoyed but quickly went to the ring apron. Soho takes over and takes it to Anna Jay, who tags in for her team.
When we return from the break, we see Tay Melo and Anna Jay A.S. use a steel chair and a Tay-KO to pick up the pin fall victory.
Winners: Tay Melo & Anna Jay A.S.
Ricky Starks With A Message For Chris Jericho
We shoot backstage to Renee Paquette, who is standing by with Ricky Starks. “The Absolute One” runs down “The Ocho” Chris Jericho and hypes their upcoming showdown. From there, we head to another commercial break.
TNT Championship
Samoa Joe (C) vs. Wardlow
We return from the break to the ring announcer setting the stage for our main event of the evening here on the special New Years Smash edition of AEW Dynamite on TBS.
From there, Samoa Joe’s theme music hits and “The King of TV” makes his way out and heads to the ring for his scheduled defense of the TNT Championship.
The commentators debate among themselves the condition of the challenger, Wardlow, following the attack from Joe with the lead pipe earlier in the show this evening.
Joe’s music dies down and he awaits the arrival of his opponent. Now the theme for Wardlow hits and after a delay, Joe gets on the mic and addresses the crowd as the “one true king of television.” He says unfortunately tonight Wardlow is suffering from a little bit of stage freight.
Finally, Wardlow emerges and with two officials on each side pleading with him not to do it, Wardlow stumbles and limps to the ring on his one good wheel as the commentators question how badly his injuries are after the lead pipe attack from Joe.
Wardlow hits the ring and immediately begins pummeling Joe. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our final match of the evening. After Wardlow dominates for a moment or two, we see Joe take over.
When he does, it looks like Wardlow’s leg is badly injured. As ringside medics check on him, we head to a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When we return from the break we see the match still in progress.
Joe is dominating Wardlow with relative ease, taking it to the bum wheel of the former champion. As he continues to maul his former WarJoe tag-team partner, Wardlow starts to fight back into competitive form.
Wardlow ends up stopping Joe on the top-rope, power-bombing him off. He goes for the powerbomb symphony as the crowd goes wild, however his knee gives out on him. Joe then chop-blocks the knee out from under him and locks in his submission-finisher. He chokes the life out of Wardlow, who finally goes out. With the win, Joe retains the TNT Championship.
Winner and STILL TNT Champion: Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe Cuts Off Wardlow’s Trademark Pony Tail
Once the match wraps up, it looked after a nod of the head of Joe as he watched Wardlow struggle back to his feet after coming-to, that the TNT and ROH TV Champion was going to show a rare sign of respect. Instead, he charges at Wardlow and knocks him down.
Joe heads out to the ringside area and reaches under the ring. He pulls out a toolbox and brings out a pair of scissors. He heads into the ring with a big smile on his face as the crowd reacts.
The TNT and ROH TV Champion heads over to a knocked out Wardlow and is stopped by referee Paul Turner. Joe knocks the ref on his ass and then picks up a lifeless Wardlow. He grabs the scissors and with one mighty whack, cuts off the pony tail of Wardlow.
He holds it up in the air as the fans roar. Joe raises his title in one hand and the pony tail in the other and then Darby Allin’s theme hits. The crowd goes nuts. Joe stares at the entrance area and waits for him, but instead, Darby appears inside the ring behind him and bashes him with the skateboard.
He knocks Joe out of the ring, who looks back at him at Darby lays Joe’s TNT title out across the ring and clearly shows his interest in it. He kneels down and looks at it as his theme plays to end this week’s show. Thanks for joining us!
#AEWDynamite: #NewYearsSmash is LIVE in less than ONE HOUR on @TBSNetwork; dont miss it! pic.twitter.com/AFeyf0EZY7
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 29, 2022
