AEW Dynamite Review – January 3, 2024
Kicking off this week’s Dynamite with comments from new AEW World Champion 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 b*tch. 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 AEW World Title from him.
Roderick 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 1st 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 World Tag Team Champions in Mike Bennett & Matt Taven, says Strong is going after the International Title and Wardlow is going after the AEW World Title 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. Trios Champions 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 Bullet Club Gold leaves the ring as commentary brings up the connection between Billy and his sons.
We see a video from Eddie Kingston after his Continental Crown Title win at Worlds End.
Daniel Garcia talks about tonight’s match with Swerve Strickland being a big one to start 2024 with 2 rising stars. Garcia brings up Strickland’s song Big Pressure and talks about all the pressure going into this match and how he will beat Strickland.
International Title Match
Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Dante Martin
Orange Cassidy & Dante Martin starts the match trying to take each other down before Martin starts working on Cassidy’s wrist and stops him from putting his other hand in his pocket as they go into a test of strength.
Martin kicks Cassidy off of a monkey flip before they run the ropes and Cassidy tries to stop it with his hands in the pocket but Martin stops it again and Cassidy goes to the outside as Martin follows.
Cassidy attacks him against the barricades then runs a lap around the ring with his hands in his pocket before hitting a dropkick to Martin into the barricade before Martin makes a comeback as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Martin dives to Cassidy on the outside before hitting a top rope crossbody for a two count inside the ring.
They start trading their soft kicks before Cassidy lands a thrust kick sending Martin into the corner where he starts stomping away at him gradually building up.
Cassidy continues by hitting a DDT for a two count then Cassidy goes to the top rope & pushes Martin off and hits a diving DDT for another two count.
Back & forth before Martin hits a knee for a two count then 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 a two count then a bit of back & forth until Cassidy hits the Orange Punch for the win.
Winner & Still International Champion: Orange Cassidy (STILL CHAMPION!!!!!)
After the match FTW Champion Hook & Danhausen come out to join Orange Cassidy as Darius Martin & Action Andretti help Dante up. Dante & Cassidy shake hands as we hear Private Party’s music. Isiah Kassidy 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, Young Bucks & The Hardys. Kassidy says they say new year, new me but to them it’s new year, new champs.
Backstage Renee Paquette is with Women’s Champion Toni Storm & Luther as Storm says Paquette’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. Paquette 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.
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.
Backstage Renee Paquette is with Swerve Strickland & Prince Nana and asks Strickland how he feels about Daniel Garcia being his 1st opponent in 2024. Nana starts by asking if Garcia knows who he’s facing tonight with the Boss Of The Bosses. Strickland brings up them being in 2 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. Strickland 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 takes Queen Aminata down and attacking her against the ropes with chops.
May continues with a headscissors and a dropkick for a one count then May traps Aminata on the ropes and hits another dropkick as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Aminata stops May off the corner and lands a couple of slaps and continues with her offense.
Aminata continues with elbows off the corner until May stops her with a Sling Blade and hits May Day for the win.
Winner: Mariah May
After the match Renee Paquette joins May in the ring and asks how it feels for her to have her 1st 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 1st 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. Purrazzo 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 Purrazzo could tell her herself then smacks Purrazzo before Purrazzo takes out May with a slap then a boot.
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 Christian 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.
Backstage Renee Paquette is with Ruby Soho, Saraya & Harley Cameron as Soho admits Saraya was right when saying Cameron could be helpful. Harley says she will do anything as Saraya tells her on the side to be cool or she’ll blow it. Paquette sees that something is up between them and questions it.
Darby Allin vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Konosuke Takeshita slams Darby Allin down but Allin comes right back with a roll up for a two count. Takeshita goes to hit a German suplex but Allin rolls all the way over and lands on his feet.
Takeshita follows with a big backdrop on Allin before holding him down with a side headlock.
Allin sends Takeshita to the outside and tries to dive into him but Takeshita stops him with a knee. Takeshita stops Allin 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.
After the break Allin hits a tope to Takeshita on the outside then trying the Code Red back inside that gets stopped with a driver down by Takeshita for a 2 count.
Takeshita gets tossed by the commentary table where Don Callis checks on him before Allin follows this with a Coffin Drop to Takeshita.
Back inside Allin hits a Code Red for a two count before trying another Coffin Drop as Takeshita gets his knees up. Takeshita comes back with release suplexes as Allin falls in all sorts of ways.
Callis tells Takeshita to finish off Allin as Takeshita hits a boot to Allin in the corner puts him on the top rope and hits an avalanche German suplex followed by Power Drive Knee for the pin
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita (Recommend)
After the break Renee Paquette is with The Don Callis Family as Callis says next week at Daily’s Place they are challenging Darby Allin & Sting to take on Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs and make Sting 25-1.
Continental Crown #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way Match
El Hijo Del Vikingo vs. Bryan Keith vs. Trent Beretta vs. Brian Cage
All 4 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 & Bryan Keith go at it before Cage joins in and suplexes Vikingo down as we go to a break.
After the break Vikingo takes Cage down with a springboard dropkick and knees in the corner but gets stopped by Keith with a headbutt then knocks Vikingo off the top rope before Cage joins them.
Beretta runs up and suplexes Cage off before hitting a knee strike for a pin that Vikingo breaks up. Cage catches Beretta with a couple of powerbombs before hitting a Liger Bomb for a two count.
Danhausen runs into the ring and puts a curse on Cage then he 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 a two count then Beretta stops a Tiger Driver attempt from Keith and hits Strong Zero for the win.
Winner & #1 Contender To The Continental Crown: Trent Beretta
Backstage Renee Paquette is 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 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 vs. Daniel Garica
Swerve Strickland & Daniel Garica starts the match running the ropes and trade off pin attempts before Strickland takes Garcia down with a headscissors.
Garcia challenges Strickland to meet him down on the mat which he does and tries to put on a Crossface as Strickland puts his foot on the rope.
Garcia ends up taking Strickland 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.
Strickland breaks it up before they head back to the apron where Nana pulls Garcia by the boot giving Strickland the advantage to hit a Death Valley Driver on the apron as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Garcia attacking Strickland in the corners before hitting a stalling Saito Suplex for a two count before Strickland comes back with a capture backbreaker.
Strickland 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 Strickland 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 Strickland hangs on and hits a superplex himself. Strickland continues on the attack by hitting Swerve Stomp for a two count.
Bit of back & forth before Strickland hits House Call then JML Driver for the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
After the match Strickland goes to shake Garcia’s hand after but Nana low blows Garcia. Menard runs in the ring but gets taken out by Strickland. Hangman Page goes to the ring and gets face 2 face with Strickland before they start going at it with each other. Security separates them to close out Dynamite.
Friday’s Rampage
Trios Match
The Hardys (Matt & Jeff) & Mark Briscoe vs. The Butcher, The Blade & Kip Sabian
Tag Team Match
Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale vs. Kennedi Hardcastle & Notorious Mimi
Hikaru Shida vs. Anna Jay
ROH Pure Title Match
Wheeler Yuta (c) vs. Komander
Saturday’s Collision
Tag Team Match
House Of Black (Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews) vs. FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)
Continental Crown Match
Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Trent Beretta
Next Week’s Dynamite
Tag Team Match
The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs) vs. Darby Allin & Sting
