The road to AEW Worlds End 2023 continues tonight.
All Elite Wrestling returns at 8/7c this evening on TBS from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida, for this week’s installment of the weekly two-hour AEW Dynamite program.
On tap for tonight’s show is a sit-down interview with Adam Copeland & Christian Cage, Skye Blue vs. Kris Statlander, MJF & Samoa Joe defend against The Devil’s Henchmen for the ROH World Tag-Team titles, an appearance by Keith Lee and Renee Paquette will interview Mariah May.
Also scheduled is Jon Moxley vs. Jay White vs. Swerve Strickland in the Continental Classic Gold League finals and Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston in the Continental Classic Blue League finals.
Featured below are complete AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash results from Wednesday, December 27, 2023. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 8-10pm EST. on TBS.
AEW DYNAMITE: NEW YEAR’S SMASH RESULTS (12/27/2023)
The regular “Light the fuse…” theme and opening video plays and then we shoot inside the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL. as fireworks and pyro explodes.
AEW Continental Classic (Gold League Finals)
Jon Moxley vs. Jay White vs. Swerve Strickland
Excalibur welcomes us to the show as the camera pans the jam-packed arena, who are all chanting “AEW! AEW!” The theme for Jon Moxley hits and out he comes for the Gold League finals in the AEW Continental Classic Tournament.
Mox makes his custom entrance through the crowd as “Wild Thing” plays. He limps as the commentators show us footage of the post-match attack last week that closed out the Holiday Bash episode of AEW Dynamite. He settles in the ring and his theme dies down.
The Bullet Club Gold theme hits and out comes the leader of the group, “Switchblade” Jay White. White avoids entering the ring with Mox due to his actions after the bout last week mentioned above. Swerve Strickland’s theme hits and the crowd pops as The Mogul Embassy leader emerges.
Prince Nana comes out to do the goofy dance alongside him before heading back to the backstage area. The fans continue their sustained roar for Swerve as he settles in the ring. The bell sounds and it’s time to find out who will emerge from this side of the bracket for the finals at AEW Worlds End 2023.
The fans continue to chant “Who’s House?!” “Swerve’s House!” at the onset of this one. White is knocked to the floor, leaving Mox and Swerve in the ring alone. They stare each other down and then begin trading shots. Swerve sends Mox to the floor and then follows out after him to continue delivering punishment.
Mox and White and Swerve all end up in the crowd fighting. The ref is lenient about this, not counting them out. Swerve brings Mox back down to ringside but they continue to fight on the floor. Swerve sits Mox in a chair and backs up. He charges at him and blasts him with diving knees for a big pop.
All three brawl in one area after that and then Mox sends Swerve back over the barricade and onto the ringside floor. White chop-blocks Mox’s bad knee from behind and now he takes over, beating down both guys at ringside as the crowd boos. White brings Swerve in the ring and hits a suplex in the corner for a two count.
White heads back out to work over Mox’s weakened knee on the floor. He goes to head back into the ring to follow-up on Swerve, but Swerve knocks him off the apron. He goes for a big dive but White sees it coming and counters. Swerve ends up running on the apron and blasts White with a running knee to take over.
Back in the ring, Mox scratches Swerve’s back. He then flips off Swerve with his middle finger literally touching his face, so Swerve bites it and makes a crazy facial expression for a huge roar from the crowd. He beats down Mox and then plays to the crowd, who is loving him tonight in Orlando.
Swerve knocks Mox and White out to the floor and climbs to the top-rope. He leaps off with a frog splash that takes both guys out at ringside. The crowd chants “AEW! AEW!” as we head into a mid-match commercial break as this Gold League final bout in the ongoing AEW Continental Classic tournament continues.
When we return, we see White blast Mox with a big chair shot on the floor. Swerve tries to capitalize by bringing White in the ring for a super close roll-up near fall attempt. After White kicks out, Swerve continues to try and finish off the Bullet Club Gold leader as the fans in Orlando rally behind him.
He hits a 450 splash off the top but Mox breaks up the pin attempt. We head into another mid-match commercial break on that note. When we return, we see Mox hit a big King Kong lariat on Swerve, but then get taken down by White. White brings a chair in the ring and wedges it in the corner, but Swerve sends him into it.
Mox then grabs Swerve with a choke, but Swerve counters for a pin attempt. Mox kicks out. Mox and Swerve trade shots ferociously in the center of the ring and then Swerve blasts Mox with back-to-back punt kicks. He hits a King Kong lariat of his own that nearly be-heads Mox. Moments later, White takes out Swerve and then Mox hits White with his Death Rider for the win.
Winner and ADVANCING to the finals: Jon Moxley
Swerve Strickland Has Unfinished Business With Keith Lee
The commentators hype Mox advancing to the finals at Saturday’s AEW Worlds End 2023 pay-per-view. We then get video highlights of action in the Blue League from this past Saturday’s “Holiday Bash” episode of Collision. The commentators promote Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston in the Blue League final for later tonight.
We then head to another commercial break. When we return, we see Swerve backstage with Prince Nana. He is fired up about losing tonight in the Continental Classic Gold League final. He brings up having nothing to do in Long Island this weekend and mentions Keith Lee’s challenge. Swerve wants to see if Lee will show up on Saturday.
Mariah May Announces Her Debut For 2024
Now we head to Renee Paquette, who is on the entrance ramp. She introduces Mariah May, who comes out. She asks her about her attack of Riho. She talks about being a fan of “Timeless” Toni Storm and then announces her in-ring debut for next week’s show, the first AEW Dynamite of the New Year. She says 2024 is all about Mariah.
Riho comes out and chases her in the ring. May tries to back off. Storm runs out. She slides out to the floor but Riho dives off the top and splashes onto she and Luther the Butler.
Action Andretti & Top Flight Get Opponents For This Friday
Backstage, we see Action Andretti and Top Flight talking about coming up short to The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass, but claim they still have a lot to prove in the Trios division.
Up comes Orange Cassidy, Trent Baretta and Rocky Romero come in and Cassidy says he understands and accepts, even though no challenge was issued. The match is confirmed for AEW Rampage: New Year’s Smash this Friday night.
Miro Challenges Andrade El Idolo For AEW Worlds End 2023
When we return, we see the latest word from “The Redeemer,” as Miro addresses his ongoing issues with Andrade El Idolo. He issues a challenge to him for AEW Worlds End 2023 this Saturday night.
Don Callis Family Loses A Member, Chris Jericho Regains A Friend & Sting!
Now we head into the ring, where Tony Schiavone is standing in front of four pictures covered up by black cloths. He mentions it being boxing week and then introduces The Don Callis Family. Out comes the group consisting of Powerhouse Hobbs, Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher, accompanied by Don Callis.
The commentators inform us that boxing day in Canada is essentially comparable to Black Friday in America. They mention how Callis has named this boxing week for The Don Callis Family. The fans chant the f-word at Callis as he grabs the mic.
Callis unveils special pictures for each member of the group, except one, and then as he continues to ramble on, the theme for Sammy Guevara cuts him off. The commentators remind us he is a member of the group. He doesn’t look happy. The group looks happy to see him, though. He slowly makes his way to the ring.
Guevara snatches the mic out of Callis’ hand in mid-sentence as he settles in the ring. Callis asks if he got his gift. He then says he’s been haulting it in just in case he came to work. He unveils the fourth and final covered up picture in the ring. It shows Guevara with his baby and the rest of the group around him.
Sammy says he’s got a question. He asks Callis who the hell told him to put his baby on it. Callis says look at it again, you’ve got your whole family on there. He tells Guevara he’s not exactly mentally capable of being a parent. He says he’s gonna need all the help he can get. Guevara says Callis needs help running his own Don Callis Family.
He says Callis makes everything about him. Callis tells Guevara he can choose his other family or he can choose the Don Callis Family. He tells him to think before answering, because if he answers wrong, there’s consequences. He makes another remark about him being a failure as a dad and Guevara attacks him.
The Don Callis Family attack him back until the theme for Chris Jericho hits. Out he comes with Floyd the bat to clean house of everyone in The Don Callis Family. He also uses the bat to beat down the pictures, except the Guevara one, which he hands to Guevara to do himself. He does. The fans go wild.
They hug but are then attacked by Ricky Starks and Big Bill. The AEW World Tag-Team Champions beat them down as the fans boo. The lights in the building go out. When they come back on, we see Sting and Darby Allin in the ring as the fans go wild. They beat down the tag champs. Sting’s theme hits as all four faces stare at each other.
Roderick Strong Will Prove MJF Is The Devil
Backstage, Renee Paquette is standing by with Roderick Strong. He yells her name in his neck brace and then has The Kingdom show up with a chart, which he uses to demonstrate who isn’t The Devil and how MJF is, in fact, The Devil. He vows to expose him this week.
AEW Continental Classic (Blue League Finals)
Bryan Danielson vs. Eddie Kingston
The commentators run down the updated lineup as it stands for this Saturday’s AEW Worlds End 2023 pay-per-view. After that, we return inside the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL. where we hear the familiar sounds of Bryan Danielson’s theme song. Out comes “The American Dragon” with his eye patch on as fans go wild.
He settles in the ring and his entrance tune dies down. The theme for his opponent hits and out comes the NJPW STRONG Openweight and ROH World Champion Eddie Kingston to a huge roar from the crowd. “The Mad King” settles in the ring to loud “Eddie! Eddie!” chants as his theme music fades down and off.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. Danielson starts off strong but then Kingston hits a strong side suplex that sends Danielson flying across the ring. He knocks him out to the floor and then hits a big dive through the ropes on the floor for a big pop from the Orlando crowd. He continues to work over Danielson at ringside.
Back in the ring, Danielson takes back over, blasting Kingston with a wide variety of strikes and kicks in the corner. Kingston fights back and grounds his smaller opposition. He heads out to the ring apron with the Blackpool Combat Club member and looks for a full nelson suplex, but Danielson kicks his way free and hits a DDT on the apron.
Danielson follows up with a flying knee off the apron to Kingston on the floor. He plays to the crowd as Excalibur talks us into a mid-match commercial break as this tourney tilt continues. When we return from the break, we see Danielson working over Kingston in the ring. He hits an arm-breaker and then a unique suplex before playing to the crowd, who actually boos.
Fans chant “Let’s go Eddie!” and “He’s no Bum!” as the two head to the top-rope. Danielson looks for an avalanche back suplex, but Kingston counters in mid-air and comes down on top of “The American Dragon” for a big pop. On that note, we head into another mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When we return, we see Kingston and Danielson exchanging vicious back-and-forth chops. Danielson gets knocked down to a knee after Kingston suffered the same fate. Both guys chests are as red as a chest can get. Danielson gets Kingston down and kicks the be-jesus out of him. Kingston stops and spits in his face, Danielson spits back and kicks him more.
Kingston fights back to his feet and takes Danielson down with a big lariat. He connects with a Northern Lights bomb for a close near fall but Danielson kicks out after the count of two. Fans break out in a loud “This is Awesome!” chant. Danielson takes back over and stomps the piss out of Kingston.
The ref looks at possibly stopping it when Kingston seems out of it, but Kingston throws up the middle finger to show he’s still alive. Danielson looks for his running knee finisher but Kingston counters. He hits a couple of spinning back-fists and then hits a stacked power bomb into a pin for the three count.
He gets the win and moves on to face Mox this Saturday. Kingston gets emotional after the win. Mox comes down and looks at Kingston in the ring and then slides into the ring. He checks on his fellow BCC member. Kingston notices him and turns around. The two lock eyes and the commentators hype the longtime friends doing battle on Saturday.
Winner and ADVANCING to the finals: Eddie Kingston
Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston Have Words Ahead Of Continental Classic Finals
Mox has a mic in hand. The fans chant “Eddie! Eddie!” Mox says all he’s ever asked of Eddie every time he stuck his neck out for him, was that he gives 100 percent. He says for a guy who is angry at the whole world and thinks the whole world is against him, he says he sure has a lot of people that loves him. The fans roar.
Mox says everyone in Orlando loves Eddie Kingston. Everyone on Saturday is gonna love him, too. He says they don’t care if he wins or loses, they want and deserve his maximum effort. Mox says the problem is he knows him better than he knows himself. He says he knows he can’t beat him and he knows he can’t beat him so for his money, he’s already lost.
He’s already given up and he’s already making excuses. He says that’s not gonna fly this time. He says a couple of years go he let him die a warrior’s death but this time he says he’s not gonna give him a single favor. He says if he wants to become a triple crown champ like all his heroes, he’s gonna have to earn every single inch. Mox goes to continue but Kingston says no you’ve talked enough.
He took his mic and tells him not to treat him like his young boy b*tch. He tells him he’s his sempei, he broke in before him. He says the kid is gonna push him this Saturday. He recalls Mox once telling him he’s not allowed to quit. He tells Mox to show his fighting spirit, because he’s gonna show his and he’s gonna bust him up and enjoy doing it. They stare each other down to end the segment.
Christian Cage, Adam Copeland Sit-Down Interview Ahead Of Worlds End 2023
Backstage, we see Christian Cage sitting with his TNT Championship, along with Nick Wayne, his mom and Lexy Nair. He talks about feeling disrespected waiting on Adam Copeland to show up for their scheduled sit down interview ahead of Saturday’s AEW Worlds End 2023 pay-per-view showdown. We head to a commercial break as they are informed Copeland has arrived.
When we return, we hear Cage complain some more about waiting on Copeland. Finally Copeland shows up, but there is no sit-down interview. Instead, Copeland comes in swinging and they immediately brawl as security tries, and fails for quite a while, at breaking them up. Other wrestlers jump in to help separate the two.
Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue
Now the theme for Kris Statlander hits and out comes the former TBS Women’s Champion. She heads to the ring as Stokely Hathaway is introduced on special guest commentary as someone who has made his interest in acquiring the services of Statlander clear. She settles in the ring and her theme music dies down. The theme for Skye Blue hits and out she comes.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. The commentators talk about how Blue and Statlander used to be friends, but that has changed, as has Blue’s attitude and personality. Meanwhile, Statlander jumps into the early offensive lead, taking it to Skye Blue and controlling things coming out of the gate. Blue goes for a spot, but Statlander counters.
Stokely Hathaway talks about hooking up his cousin and mentions how much potential Statlander has if she changes her attitude. Statlander hits a delayed vertical suplex on Blue for a big pop. Stokely talks about getting Taz a Starbucks gift card after Taz says they aren’t friends after being grilled by Schiavone for being a suck-up. Skye Blue takes over, knocking Statlander to the floor.
On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When we return, we see Statlander taking back over control of the offense until walking into a big super kick from Blue. Blue hits a Code Blue after that for a close near fall attempt. Skye looks for a top-rope spot but Statlander catches her and power bombs her for a close near fall.
Julia Hart comes out and hits Statlander with a cheap shot behind the ref’s back. Skye follows that up by hitting an avalanche code blue off the top-rope for the pin fall victory. Julia Hart joins Skye in the ring after the match to celebrate while Stokely looks disappointed at commentary. The two continue to beat down Statlander after the match until Willow Nightingale runs out to make the save.
Winner: Skye Blue
Saraya Approaches Ruby Soho Backstage
Backstage, Renee Paquette talks to Ruby Soho about her match with Marina Shafir this Friday on Rampage. In comes Saraya to interrupt her, only for Soho to get a call from Angelo Parker and walk off to talk to him.
ROH World Tag-Team Championships
MJF & Samoa Joe (C) vs. The Devil’s Henchmen
It’s main event time!
The commentators then run down the lineup for Friday’s Rampage: New Year’s Smash show, the Worlds End 2023 pay-per-view on Saturday and the “Zero Hour” pre-show for the PPV this weekend. After that, we head to another quick commercial break.
When we return, we see the ref in the ring holding the ROH World Tag-Team title belt as “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts begins the introductions for this championship contest. He then introduces the challenges and after a delay, with no music, out comes guys in black masks and attire coming through the crowd.
As they settle around the ring, the theme for MJF hits and out comes the AEW World Champion and one-half of the ROH World Tag-Team Champions. He settles in at the ringside area and then Samoa Joe’s theme hits and out comes his substitute tag-team partner in place of the injured Adam Cole, as well as his opponent for this Saturday’s AEW World title tilt.
Joe’s music plays but no one comes out. The music ends up cutting off. MJF looks around confused. We then see Samoa Joe laid out backstage clutching his knee and shouting in pain. MJF tells the ref he’s still doing this match. He heads into the ring by himself as fans chant his name.
The bell sounds and MJF, with a heavily taped up shoulder, goes to work on the first of the two masked men. He beats him down in the corner and then rag-dolls him into the opposing corner. MJF yells let’s see your face and goes after the mask of one of the guys, but the other guy comes in and helps stop that from happening. MJF throws one of them out to the floor.
MJF asks the fans who wants to see who this piece of sh*t is. He goes to take his mask off at ringside but a third masked man rolls from under the ring with a pipe and lays out MJF. They roll MJF back in the ring and take him out with his own Heatseeker move for the pin fall victory. We have new ROH World Tag-Team Champions.
The commentators hype this fact while saying we don’t know who they are. A total of four masked men stomp MJF out in the ring. Samoa Joe’s theme hits and he comes limping down to the ring with a chair. The four masked men run off. He limps over to MJF and helps him up. The Devil appears on the big screen and says “Pleasure doing business with you.”
Joe then attacks MJF from behind with a chair. The commentators point out the obvious, which is that Joe has been working with The Devil the whole time. Joe continues to beat MJF down and then hits his Muscle Buster finisher on him on MJF’s bad shoulder. He picks up MJF’s AEW World title and raises it as the fans boo. That’s how this week’s show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us!
Winners and NEW ROH World Tag-Team Champions: The Devil’s Henchmen
