SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
AEW DYNAMITE TV REPORT
JANUARY 19, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC AT ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS ARENA
AIRED ON TNT
REPORT BY TYLER SAGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
-Jon Moxley’s music hit and he walked to the ring through the crowd. The crowd chanted “Moxley” and “Welcome back” before he talked. Moxley then caused an FCC fine telling a fan to F off. Moxley described his “demons,” that has followed him his whole life. Moxley says that we all go through life with scars on the inside, and we try and pretend that they are not there. He said those are the scars that make us the people we are. Nobody should be afraid to be their authentic self to the whole world. He said people want to write him off, they can do whatever they want. He said that he doesn’t run from demons he beats them. He said that he will do whatever he wants in wrestling in 2022 and he is truly free. He said that all he drinks is blood these days and slammed the mic down.
-The announce team ran down the card for the tonight. [c]
-MJF and Wardlow were backstage, MJF talked about how Wardlow destroyed him last week. He said Punk cheated and got a tainted win, and said if Wardlow had more seasoning he would have reversed it. MJF then apologized to Wardlow for his birth day, he then said he would dock his pay for putting his hands on him last week. He then said that Spears would give Punk his first loss in AEW.
(1) ADAM COLE & BRITT BAKER vs. ORANGE CASSIDY & KRIS STATLANDER
Britt Baker and Kris Statlander started, Baker tagged in Cole before there was any contact, Cole then tagged in Baker to frustrate the opposing team. Cassidy did his kicks on Baker, who stepped on his foot. Statlander went in and hit a scoop slam, Baker was able to tag in Cole.
Cassidy hit a splash on Cole, the two then ran the ropes with Cassidy hitting a DDT sending Cole to the outside. Statlander then hit a standing vertical suplex on Baker, the two then did moves off the apron onto the opposing team. Cassidy and Statlander hugged, Cole and Baker then hit pump kicks and kissed going into the break. [c]
Baker and Cole dominated throughout the break, Cassidy and Cole hit double clotheslines sending both to the mat. Kris and Britt were then in the ring, with Statlander working her offense and hitting a Blue Thunderbomb to get a two count. Baker countered and transitioned to a backslide pinning attempt and then a neck breaker. Both women got tags and Cole and Cassidy traded strikes in the ring.
Cole hit a kick to the head, Orange countered with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Baker entered and stomped Cassidy, Statlander entered and got a two count. She then went to the top rope, Cole covered the body of Britt and Statlander hit 450 onto Cole. Cassidy then entered and got a near fall on Cole. Cassidy went for the Orange Punch, Cole rolled out and Cassidy tried to dive but was met with a super kick.
Baker hit a destroyer on Statlander, then Cole hit a Panama Sunrise on Cassidy for a near fall. Cole and Baker then grabbed the ringside table and placed it on the hard cam side of the ring. Cassidy then sent Baker through the table on accident. Cole hit a low blow, then The Boom on Cassidy for the pinfall win.
WINNER: Adam Cole & Britt Baker in 15:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A really fun match that seemed like the end to the Cole/Cassidy story. I would say that mixed tag matches, that don’t allow even competition between all participants, are the worst possible type of match in all of pro wrestling. But, this was a high watermark in this genre of wrestling)
-Jericho was backstage with Santana & Ortiz, Jericho told Kingston to GTFO. Santana & Ortiz then turned on Jericho and asked when they had his back, Santana said that they will focus on them next week not inner circle. [c]
Cody put a big ladder in the ring during the break. Cody asked what everyone wanted to talk about, and smiled. Cody said that the last match reminded him of the pipe bomb by CM Punk. He said that Punk listed things that were Taboo, he talked about New Japan and Ring of Honor. Cody said that Punk was unable to do that, but he has comeback and its the comeback of the decade. But, Cody said that he did all the things that Punk promised he did all of them while the crowd cheered. He said that he won’t go heel because they cheered for him. He then said that if you disagree with him then you are not allowed to be a wrestling journalist, he then clarified and said that was only if you don’t think he started the forbidden door. He then talked about a lot of wrestlers that did things in the last few weeks while he was gone. He then made a Walter/Gunther joke.
Cody then talked about the linage of the TNT title and said it was just as good as the world title.Cody then challenged Sammy to a ladder match next week and made a contract joke to end the segment.
(Sage’s Analysis: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly that is a 2022 Cody Promo. The Good, was the absolute intensity that Cody displayed as he paced between the ladder and got the entire crowd to cheer for him. The Bad, being the length of the promo, 20% of the promo could have been edited out to get to the point faster. The Ugly, is the part of the Cody character that doesn’t work for me. That being all the inside jokes and commentary about contracts he didn’t get and jokes de jour about WWE to be edgy.If Cody could focus on the parts of his act that got him actively cheered by this hostile crowd, he will be on the right track. But, if he continues all the meta references and the aspects of the character that say I will not go heel, then he will continue to stay in this pattern he has been on.)
-Tony was backstage with Anna Jay and Jade Cargill to set up a Rampage match for the TBS Title.
(3) MALAKAI BLACK & BRODY KING vs. THE VARSITY BLONDES
Brody King took out Griff Garrison and then Brian Pillman jr. was going to do a springboard move. It was portrayed on commentary that Black has gotten in the head of Pillman. Black and King then took out Pillman together and got the quick pinfall win.
WINNER: Black & King in 2:00
(Sage’s Analysis: I like the decisive win for these two, the stuff after the match was silly and has not worked for me thus far.)
-Malakai implored the audience to rise, they did and a Pac video aired showing that he does in fact have eyes still.
-A video setting up an Adam Page and Lance Archer match. [c]
-Trent and Rocky Romero had a video on the “cutler cam,” Rocky and Trent said that they beat the Bucks in Japan and challenged them to a rematch on Rampage.
(4) LANCE ARCHER vs. FRANKIE KAZARIAN
Archer hit an elbow strike and took his shirt off. Kazarian then got a few punches in, but Archer quickly took over and worked moves along the ring ropes. Archer then transferred Frankie form ring corner to ring corner as he continued with strikes and chops. Kazarian made a brief comeback, but Archer punched Kazarian out of the ring as the next commercial break started. [c]
Kazarian was eating chops in the corner when the show returned, Archer continued to get his domineering offense in. Archer tried a choke slam and was reversed. Kazarian got a few moves in before Archer tried for the Blackout off of the top rope, Kazarian then hit a top rope dropkick, then a top rope leg drop. Archer kicked out at one after that.Archer countered a submission attempt with a choke slam, Archer then hit a big slam. Archer then hit a Blackout for the win.
WINNER: Lance Archer in 9:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A really slow match that defined and reminded Lance Archer in teh ring and got heat for himself and then for Page when he came out.)
-Post mach Dan Lambert got on the mic and backed Archer. He said that Adam Page, was not from the same generation as Lambert or Archer. Lance Archer grabbed the mic and said look at what I will do to you. Archer then set up a chair on the entrance ramp and set up a Blackout, but Page came out and made the save. Page and Archer brawled with Page knocking Archer out of the ring.
-Dante Martin said that Lee Moriarty and Matt Sydal were his brothers until his real brother comes back. Ricky Starks responded that he has no friends, Hobbs told Dante to watch all his sides. [c]
-Kris Statlander and Red Velvet were backstage, Leyla Hirsch interrupted. Red Velvet tried to bring the peace and Leyla laid her out as they all brawled.
(5) SERENA DEEB vs. SKYE BLUE
Serena and Skye battled trying to get holds locked in, the match ended up on the apron as Deeb hit a neck snap in the ropes and then had control of the match as she catapult slammed Blue into the bottom rope. Deeb then hit a neck breaker. Deeb then hit Detox, and then hit the Serenity Lock and tapped out Skye Blue.
WINNER: Serena Deeb in 4:00
(Sage’s Analysis: A fine match that continued to build up Deeb as the #2 heel in the division.)
-Ethan Page called out Jon Moxley and said that he was ready to step out. He said that he has been getting wins, Page asked for the fight on Rampage.
-A promo video Hook was shown as it was announced he would be in action on Rampage.
-The announce team ran down Rampage and next week’s Dynamite. [c]
-Matt Hardy and Andrade announced a deal, Andrade gets 51% and Hardy gets 49%. Hardy will be CEO and Andrade will be the president. The target for Darby was announced.
-A video from Caster and Bowens was shown pre-match, making fun of Sting.
(6) STING & DARBY ALLIN vs. THE ACCLAIMED
Caster took out Sting as he entered the ring, the match spilled out with The Acclaimed setting up a chair on Darby’s next as they slammed him into the ring post. Doctors saw to Darby at ringside as Sting looked on. It was now Sting alone as the bell rang. Sting worked over Bowens and then kicked Caster off the apron. Sting threw Bowens and Caster into the stairs. Back in the ring, Sting hit drops in the corner, until he ran into an exposed turnbuckle. Caster and Bowens then began a beatdown on Sting as the last break started. [c]
Sting made a comeback and put Caster in the Scorpion Death Lock, Bowens then hit a boot and Sting no sold it. Bowens then hit a drop kick and broke sting. On the outside, Bowens hit Sting with the boombox, and then the plan was to slam him into the stairs. Darby then flew into the frame and saved Sting and got the legal tag in.
Darby then hit a coffin drop from the outside and then battled in the ring until the Acclaimed wore down Darby and hit Mic Drop. Sting made the pinfall save and then took the fight to the stage area. Sting then did a dive off the stage and thru a table with Bowens in between. Darby thin hit a Coffin Drop for the pinfall win on Max Caster.
WINNER: Sting & Darby Allin in 13:00
(Sage’s Analysis: As is now a habit for me, I undersell what I think these Sting main events are going to be like. But, they turn out to be super fun ways to end AEW shows. The spot off the stage was pretty amazing, Sting continues to expand himself in ring in AEW)
Final Thoughts: A very newsworthy show. The Return of Moxley and The Cody Promo being the big two. I’m sure the discourse on Cody will be as interesting as always. Cole & Baker as a team worked out great, Sting & Darby had a fun main event. Punk and Archer showed dominance in the ring. I though this was a pretty good show overall and look forward to a live Rampage this week.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.