The first match has been revealed for the New Year’s Smash edition of AEW Dynamite, which is scheduled for December 28 at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.
ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe will defend his AEW TNT Title against Wardlow in the New Year’s Smash.
Wardlow defeated indie wrestler Exodus Prime in singles action at the AEW Rampage tapings on Wednesday. Wardlow took the mic after the match and called Joe out. Joe appeared on the big screen and stated that he would not accept the challenge this week, but that he would defend the TNT Title against Wardlow at the New Year’s Smash. Full Rampage spoilers will be available here on Friday.
Joe captured the AEW TNT Title by defeating Powerhouse Hobbs and former champion Wardlow in a Triple Threat at the Full Gear pay-per-view on November 19. He has since retained over AR Fox and Darby Allin. Wardlow will be rematching on December 28.
Joe and Wardlow, then known as WarJoe, worked together for three matches in September, October, and November (defeating Josh Woods and Tony Nese, Nick Comoroto and QT Marshall, and current ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona), before Joe turned heel on Wardlow on November 9. Joe won the strap at Full Gear 10 days later. The upcoming New Year’s Smash match will be the former tag team partners’ first-ever singles match.
Joe defeated Minoru Suzuki for the ROH World Television Title at the April 13 Dynamite show. Since then, he has retained his titles against Trent Beretta, Jay Lethal, Josh Woods, current ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Brian Cage, and Juice Robinson, which he did this past Saturday at ROH Final Battle.
