All Elite Wrestling is ready to ring in the New Year with the first night of their two-week special edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT, as tonight marks the start of “NEW YEAR’S SMASH.”
AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 1 this evening is scheduled to feature Kenny Omega defending the AEW Championship against Rey Fenix, Hikaru Shida will put her AEW Women’s Championship on-the-line against Abadon and an eight-man tag-team bout with AEW Tag-Team Champions The Young Bucks teaming up with SoCal Uncensored (SCU) to take on The Acclaimed and The Hybrid 2 (TH2).
In matches featuring non-champions this evening, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes will go one-on-one against Matt Sydal, Jake Hager will meet Wardlow in a battle of big men from the Inner Circle and the weigh-ins will take place between TNT Champion Darby Allin and FTW Champion Brian Cage ahead of their showdown at AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 2.
Also on tap for tonight is the latest from “The Icon” Sting, “Le Champion” Chris Jericho will once again join Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur on commentary this week, Jon Moxley will be in action and hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg will also be making a special appearance.
Featured below are complete AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 1 results from Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at Daily’s Place amphitheater in Jacksonville, FL.
AEW DYNAMITE: NEW YEAR’S SMASH NIGHT 1 RESULTS (1/6/2021)
The first night of the two-week “New Year’s Smash” special edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT kicks off with the usual trademark weekly signature opening video package.
After that, we head inside Daily’s Place amphitheater in Jacksonville, FL. where Jim Ross begins by saying, “It’s Wednesday night … and you know what that means!”
From there, “Good Ole’ J.R.” introduces the rest of his broadcast team at the announce table — which includes Tony Schiavone, Excalibur and once again joining the regular weekly trio this week is “Le Champion” Chris Jericho.
The Young Bucks & SCU vs. The Acclaimed & The Hybrid2
As the four commentators for tonight’s special edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT banter among each other for a few moments, the AEW World Tag-Team Champions The Young Bucks — Nick and Matt Jackson — make their way down to the ring accompanied by their teammates for tonight — SoCal Uncensored’s own Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels.
While they babyface squad settles into the squared circle, the duo of The Hybird2 — Angelico and Jack Evans — make their way out. They are then joined by The Acclaimed — Anthony Bowens and Max Caster — rap their way down to the ring, dissing all four of their opponents for tonight as they do so.
Now everyone is in the ring and the bell sounds to kick off the opening match here at night one of the two-night AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash special. We see The Young Bucks dominate the action early on, hitting some big splashes and dives to the floor on their opposition to get the crowd on their feet. Daniels is in now and he goes for the Arabian Moonsault, however Bowens cuts him off and now we see Jack Evans take over and dominate the SCU member.
Caster tags in and picks up where Evans left off, taking it to Daniels of SCU. Now he tags in Evans and the TH2 member goes back to work on him. We see some nice double-team chemistry from The Acclaimed as they get involved in the action while we watch as the heel squad start to widen their gap in the offensive lead at the mid-point of the opening bout for this evening.
Daniels finally shows his first signs of life in several minutes and then he makes it over to his corner to make the much-needed tag to his partner, Frankie Kazarian. Kaz comes in and goes to work, taking out any-and-everything that moves — and gaining style-points while doing so. Nice German Release Suplex for a near fall. Kaz knocks Angelico off the ring apron but then turns into a big kick from Evans. Evans follows up with a standing moonsault for a near fall of his own, as the heels start to take back over the offensive control in this one.
Bowens makes the tag now, as he and Angelico hit a double-team move on Kaz. Kaz finally turns the tables and makes it over to tag in Matt Jackson. The Young Bucks member fires up, knocking the teammates of his opponent off the ring apron and then hitting dives onto them on the floor. He is quick to re-enter the ring where he grounds the legal man and heads to the top-rope, but instead of hitting the legal man he hits a dive onto the floor that takes out two additional opponents. He slides back in the ring and goes to work on Bowens, the legal man, now.
Frankie hits the ring and blasts Bowens with a DDT before going back to his spot on the ring apron. Now the legal man for their team, Matt Jackson, tags in Nick Jackson. The Young Bucks hit their BTE Trigger double-team spot but the follow-up pin attempt is broken up, leading to all hell breaking loose with bodies all over the place. When the smoke clears, we see the TH2 member go for a 640 splash but Jackson gets the knees up. He hits a DDT and now both Young Bucks hit stereo super kicks. They look for the Meltzer Driver on the follow-up, however Jackson is rolled up out of nowhere by Evans. He kicks out at two-and-a-half.
Moments later, The Young Bucks set up the Meltzer Driver again, however Jackson hits a dive onto the floor instead. This leads to Jackson holding Bowens while Daniels hits the BME for the pinfall victory.
Winners: The Young Bucks & SCU
After The Match: SCU Challenges The Young Bucks
Kaz gets on the mic after the match and talks about the previous promise SCU made that they would no longer compete as a team if they lost. He says he’ll be damned if that happens on his watch.
This leads to an eventual respectful challenge from SCU to the AEW Tag-Team Champion Young Bucks. The two teams pose on the top turnbuckles as the SCU music plays and the announcers run down some of the action still to come later tonight.
Jon Moxley Is Up Next
After the announcers run down some of the advertised action still to come here at night one of the AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash two-week special, they inform us that former AEW World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley makes his return — next.
On that note, we head to our first commercial break of the evening. When we return from the break, we hear the sounds of the familiar entrance music of the leader of “The Paradigm Shift” in the industry. On that note, Moxley makes his trademark walk to the ring through a special part of the venue.
Mox goes on to talk about how he’s not going anywhere. He asks what to do with Kenny Omega and that guy he has hanging around him that looks like a used car salesman. He talks about having a zero tolerance policy for “sh*tty people.” He says in a perfect world he would run down Omega and “that assh*le” with a car and beat them down with a crowbar.
He goes on to say that he won’t do that, however, because he respects the fact that Rey Fenix has spent 13 years scratching and clawing to earn his date with destiny tonight as he challenges Omega for the AEW Championship in tonight’s main event. He claims he would never interfere with another man’s destiny.
The Purveyor of Violence goes on to promise Omega that things are far from over between them. He claims he will get payback — and then some. He vows that one day he will prove to him that he crossed the wrong guy. On that note, he drops the mic. and his music hits as he exits the ring and leaves the building the same way he entered it.
Dasha Interviews Chuck & Orange Cassidy, Miro Interferes & Challenge Is Made
We head backstage to see Dasha Gonzalez talking with The Best Friends own Chuck, who is accompanied by “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy. They give an injury update on The Best Friends, noting Trent will be on the sidelines for months with a pec injury.
Up walks “The Best Man” Miro, accompanied by Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford. Miro taunts Chuck about Trent’s condition and then a challenge is eventually made and accepted for AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 2 next week.
The match will see Chuck take on Miro, and if “The Best Man” wins, The Best Friends teammate must become “The Young Boy” of Miro.
Jake Hager vs. Wardlow
Now we head back inside Daily’s Place amphitheater where the two big men of the Inner Circle make their respective individual entrances to the ring for tonight’s second bout of the evening.
The bell sounds and we’re off-and-running with Jake Hager going one-on-one against Wardlow. “The Demo God” is asked by J.R. for his prediction for this match on commentary, and “Le Champion” ends up picking Hager to win.
Early on we see both guys doing some exchanges in power displays. Hager out-wrestles Wardlow and gets him down on the mat and behind him. Wardlow works his way back up, however, and he throws Hager and then taunts him by smirking at him.
Hager blasts Wardlow with a back-elbow and then whips him into the corner, following him in with a big shot. He goes to do so again, however this time he runs right into Wardlow, who was running at him as well. The two bump shoulders and neither man budges. And repeat. And a third time.
On the fourth attempt, Wardlow hits a leap-frog and then clotheslines Hager over the top-rope, with both men flying over and landing on their feet on the floor. Wardlow gets in some punches before Hager takes a couple of steps back. He rushes forward and both men blast each other with a double-clothesline.
As both men are laid out on the floor outside of the ring as a result of the aforementioned double-clothesline, we listen as “Good Ole’ J.R.” leads us into a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break.
When we return from the break, we see Hager dominating the action in the ring, taking it to Wardlow in the corner. Seconds later, however, we see Wardlow start to show signs of life, as he begins his fired up comeback and starts taking over the offensive control of the contest.
Wardlow blasts Hager and knocks him off his feet with ease for the first time in the match and then follows up with a nice suplex. We see several members of the Inner Circle watching on from the entrance ramp as the action continues inside the squared circle.
As Wardlow continues to dominate the offensive action in the ring, he ends up slowing his momentum down when he runs into a big elbow from Hager. Now we see the MMA fighting cross-over member of the Inner Circle take back over control of the bout. He hits a big shot on Wardlow that drops him with ease and then he follows up with a big powerslam for a near fall.
Hager runs and leaps off the middle rope, looking for his Hager Bomb finisher, however he calls an audible on the fly and slaps Wardlow in the ankle lock submission. Wardlow ends up kicking his way out of the dangerous submission hold and then doing one better by sending Hager flying from the ring to the floor, where he crashes into the steel barricade.
MJF’s bodyguard follows that up by heading out to the floor and grabbing Hager, rolling him back in the ring and going right back in after him. He hits a big slam for a near fall and then heads to the top-rope, where the big guy hits an impressive flying senton for a close near fall. Hager ends up snatching up an arm-triangle as a beautiful counter out of the attempt by Wardlow to finish him off.
Now with both guys standing up, Hager takes Wardlow up to the top-rope, all-the-while still holding onto the arm-triangle submission. Wardlow ends up escaping and sending Hager crashing down to the mat below. He follows that up with a giant F-10 for the pinfall victory.
After the match, we see the members of the Inner Circle that was watching on from the entrance aisle enter the ring to check on both guys. Then we see Wardlow and Hager each stand up and eventually shake hands as a sign of respect and peace and unity for the Inner Circle. Jericho likes what he sees as we hear him sing their praises on commentary.
Winner: Wardlow
Backstage: Private Party, Matt Hardy & Snoop Dogg
We’re backstage and we see Private Party bummed out that they don’t have all the required party favors for this New Year’s Smash special.
Their fears are put to rest when up walks hip-hop legend and a special guest here at night one of the New Year’s Smash special — Snoop Dogg — carrying exactly what they needed.
Finally, Matt Hardy walks up and approaches the three guys and focuses his attention on Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy. He talks about getting everything done, paperwork wise, to become their manager and earning 30-percent. He promises he took care of all the issues they specifically mentioned.
Weigh-Ins For TNT Championship
Brian Cage (w/ Team Taz) and Darby Allin
It’s now time to head back down to ringside, as the participants in next week’s TNT Championship showdown between current title-holder Darby Allin and FTW Champion Brian Cage are due to weigh-in.
On that note, as they finish up their respective ring entrances, we are led into a commercial break before the weigh-ins get underway for next week’s title bout between Allin and Cage.
We’re back from the break and as soon as we return, we hear Tony Schiavone introduce the TNT Champion Darby Allin. On that note, out comes “The New Face of TNT” with his new belt in one hand and his trademark skateboard in the other hand.
As he settles into the ring, we hear the commentators and Schiavoe in the ring both pointing out that the TNT Championship that Allin is carrying is the new belt as we all saw the classic red designed title belt retired in honor of former champion, the late Jon “Brodie Lee” Huber on last week’s “Brodie Lee Celebration Of Life” tribute show.
Finally, we get down to the proceedings. Taz does some complaining before things get started. He finishes up his complaint and then we get down to business with Brian Cage weighing in first. Cage has an official weigh-in of 272 pounds. Next to the scales is the champion, Allin, who weighs in at 171 pounds, over one-hundred less than his challenger for next week’s title match.
Allin now gets on the mic. and tells Taz to skip any further crap and let’s get down to business and do what we all know is going to happen before this weigh-in ceremony is all said-and-done. On that note, he drops his mic. and picks up his skateboard, slamming it on the mat and challenging all of Team Taz to fight right here, right now.
Taz is all about this, demanding Schiavone get out of the ring so they can get down to it. As Schiavone does just that, the lights go out. When they come back on, snow begins falling from the ceiling and the familiar sounds of the entrance music of “The Icon” Sting plays and out comes the wrestling legend to the ring to accompany Darby Allin, the man he has had a vested interest since showing up in AEW.
We watch now as Sting aligns himself next to Allin, all-the-while all of Team Taz makes the decision to exit the ring and retreat to the back. As they do, they stop half-way up the ramp and Taz gets on the mic. again, promising that Allin is going to get what he’s got coming to him next week at AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 2 when Allin puts his new TNT Championship title belt on-the-line against Cage.
After that, Taz sets the mic. down and all of Team Taz end up heading to the back. After they leave, “The Icon” Sting turns and faces Darby Allin. The two stare each other down as the commentators give one final push to next week’s Allin vs. Cage bout for the TNT Championship.
Backstage: MJF Checks On Jake Hager
Now we shoot backstage where we hear and eventually see a very pissed off Jake Hager raging out in his locker room as a result of losing his match against the other big man of the Inner Circle — Wardlow.
As he continues raging out, we are led by MJF into said-locker room, where Hager nearly takes his head off until somehow, just like he did with Santana and Ortiz, he found the right combo of words to say to bond with the big man.
Hager says he had every intention of knocking MJF’s lights out when he entered the locker room, but he did a good job of changing his mind. Now he asks to be left alone and MJF obliges.
On that note, we head back to another commercial break, when we return, we enter hour number two of tonight’s AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 1 special event.
FTR & Tully Blanchard Confront Jurassic Express
When we return from the break, we see footage from AEW DARK of the promo segment that saw Brodie Lee Jr., the eight-year old son of the late Jon “Brodie Lee” Huber, confront Marko Stunt.
After the highlights from last night’s digital episode wrap up, we return live backstage at Daily’s Place where Jurassic Express are standing by. Before they can say much of anything, they are interrupted by FTR and Tully Blanchard.
Marko Stunt and Jungle Boy vs. FTR is eventually set up for next week’s AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 2 special.
Matt Sydal vs. “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes (w/ Snoop Dogg)
We head back inside the building where Matt Sydal, formerly known as Evan Bourne, makes his way down to the ring for our next match of the evening.
As he settles into the squared circle, we hear the familiar sounds of the entrance theme music of “The American Nightmare,” which quickly switches and transitions into a hip-hop / rap-remix version of the song.
On that note, Cody emerges from the entrance tunnel with what “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts introduces as his special coach — Snoop Dogg.
The two make their way to the ring and after playing to the crowd for a minute, the bell sounds and we see Cody and Matt get right down to business. Cody controls the action early on but then Sydal quickly turns the tables.
After securing his spot in the offensive driver’s seat in this contest, Sydal sends Cody to the floor and climbs to the top-rope. He looks for a big high-risk spot to the floor, however nobody was home when he landed — although Snoop Dogg was close by and almost got taken out by accident.
Instead, Sydal ate dirt on his landing and Cody immediately takes over from there. He beats down Sydal outside the ring a bit before returning the action into the ring where he locks in a Texas Cloverleaf submission on Sydal. The high-flying veteran struggles but eventually makes his way to the bottom rope, forcing the hold to be broken.
As Cody lets go of the hold, he fires up and starts stomping at the softened up leg of Sydal. He then blasts him with a roundhouse kick while he was laid out and follows up with some push-ups as we are led into a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break with the action still in progress in the ring.
We return from the break to a nice reverse suplex spot from Cody. The action then continues with Cody dominating his smaller foe until finally, he goes to the top-rope looking for a moonsault. Things don’t go well for the former TNT Champion and this leads to Sydal showing his first signs of life in several minutes, as he turns the tables and shifts the momentum in his favor.
Sydal gets in a couple of moves but then both guys are sent flying out to the floor with their own momentum. Each landed hard, however Sydal is back up first. He sends Cody back into the ring and follows in after him, however he walks into a disaster kick from “The American Nightmare.” Snoop Dogg then leads the fans in a “This Is Awesome” chant. Sydal hits a hurricanrana for a pin attempt, however Cody kicks out at two.
Seconds later, Sydal hits Lightning Spiral on Cody for a very close near fall. Cody avoids a jumping knee-strike from Sydal and reverses into a Cross-Rhodes. That will do it, as he covers Sydal and gets the three-count for the victory.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
After The Match: Snoop Dogg Takes Flight!
After the match wraps-up, as soon as Cody finished the pinfall on Sydal, he was attacked from behind by Serpentico and Luther, who hit the ring out of nowhere. Sydal ends up sending one of them to the floor, leaving the other in the ring for Snoop Dogg.
On that note, the hip-hop legend and fellow host of The Go Big Show on TNT, which will also feature Cody Rhodes, heads to the top-rope.
Snoop settles in on the top-rope, where he hits a flying knee/leg drop on him to clear the ring of the dastardly heels and leave it free-and-clear for himself and Cody to enjoy as they celebrate in style before we head back to another commercial break.
AEW Women’s Championship
Abadon vs. Hikaru Shida (c)
We return from the commercial and head down to the ring, where our first of two world championship matches scheduled for this evening is up next.
With that said, Abadon’s music hits and the challenger makes her way down to the squared circle. The theme music of the AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida hits and out she comes, with the action immediately getting underway before the bell even sounds.
Shida blasts Abadon with a kendo stick shot, a brutal one at that, and the challenger essentially no-sold it. Now the bell sounds to officially get this one underway and within seconds, Shida is controlling the action. She lays Abadon over the bottom rope and heads out to the floor, however Abadon takes over from there.
As they fight on the floor, Abadon ends up dragging Shida under the ring — or as the commentators refer to it — “dragging Shida to hell with her.” The two disappear under the ring for a moment or two and then Abadon emerges and is covered in blood, but it’s not hers. She makes a scary face and then finally we see Shida emerge from under the ring with her neck again covered in blood, much like previous weeks when Abadon has bitten her like a blood-thirsty vampire.
Abadon brings a blood-soaked Shida into the ring and hits a big spot and covers her, however she pulls her up before the ref can count to three even though it seemed as though she had things wrapped up. Instead, she decides to add insult to injury, as she bites on Shida again and shows off her vicious, scary side some more. As this goes on, we finally take a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break. J.R. began talking us into one a few minutes ago, however he said “we’re going to stay right here! They’re going crazy in the back!”
After we return from the break, we see Abadon still in control, however it doesn’t take long at all before the reigning, defending champion takes things over and finishes off the scary challenger in a hard-fought victory.
Winner and STILL AEW Women’s Champion: Hikaru Shida
AEW World Championship
Rey Fenix vs. Kenny Omega (c)
We return inside Daily’s Place amphitheater in Jacksonville, FL. where the commentators run down some announced matches for next week’s AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 2 special on TNT.
From there, things are about to get underway as it is time for our main event of the evening here at AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 1. On that note, the challenger for tonight’s AEW Championship featured attraction — Rey Fenix of The Lucha Bros and Death Triangle — makes his way down to the ring.
As he settles into the squared circle, “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts begins his trademark prolonged, extra-arrogant-and-unnecessarily-elaborate ring introduction for the reigning, defending title-holder heading into this AEW Championship contest — Kenny Omega. As Omega makes his way down to the ring, we are led into a pre-match commercial break.
Our main event of the evening is just moments away. We’re back from the break and it’s time for this main event match to get underway. The bell sounds and here we go.
Within minutes we see multiple top-rope spots already, as the announcers compare this to several past high-profile Omega matches. Things keep escalating, as each guy are going for their finishers in the early goings, leaving this one nowhere to go but up more-and-more as this one develops. We head to a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break after a big high-spot on the floor.
We’re back live and this one is still all over the place, as Fenix starts to fight his way back into the contest. He hits Omega’s own finisher on him and nearly seals the deal afterwards, however Omega ends up recovering and hitting his finisher for the victory, retaining his AEW World Heavyweight Championship in the process. This was one of the best main events in the history of the show.
Winner and STILL AEW World Champion: Kenny Omega
After The Match: The Good Brothers Debut, Join Forces With Omega & Young Bucks
Once the match wraps up, an arrogant Don Callis enters the ring and gets on the mic, adding insult to injury by talking trash after Kenny Omega’s successful title defense.
Now Callis and Omega reveal their master plan for this evening, showing why they promised that Pentagon Jr. wouldn’t be coming to Fenix’s aid for any reason, as they had him restrained as we see on the big screen.
Finally, as they get ready to end Fenix’s career, as he remains laid out in the ring and with Pentagon Jr. tied up backstage there is no one to help him.
Wait just a minute!
Jon Moxley makes his way out and hits the ring, carrying a baseball bat with him. As soon as he hits the ring, however, out of nowhere, two men emerge and hit the ring to take him out.
It’s The Good Brothers!!
Anderson and Gallows from IMPACT Wrestling have arrived and they mean business! They beat down Moxley, take his bat from him and attack him with that. They put him through a table outside the ring.
Omega taunts Mox and then goes to talk trash into the camera when out of nowhere, Moxley pops up and tries fighting back, only to be squashed once again by The Good Brothers and Omega.
Finally, The Young Bucks — Nick and Matt Jackson — run down and hit the ring. Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr. are also out at ringside. Now we see The Young Bucks hit super kicks on Garrison and Pillman Jr.
The commentators thought The Young Bucks were out to talk and try to reason with them to help Jon Moxley out, but instead, after hitting their aforementioned stereo super kicks on Garrison and Pillman Jr., we see Omega, Callis, Anderson and Gallows do their hand sign and touch hands. Finally, The Young Bucks close in and join them, making the same hand sign and touching as well, showing that they have apparently aligned themselves with this unit as well.
On that note, night one of the AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash special goes off the air on TNT. Make sure to join us here again next Wednesday night for AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 2 results coverage from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL.
Credit: Matt Boone
