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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
DECEMBER 28, 2022
BROOMFIELD, COL. AT 1ST BANK CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON TBS
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
Tonight after AEW Dynamite, join Wade Keller live with guest co-host Javier Machado to break down the show with live callers and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
•CALL: (347) 215-8558
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wadekellerpodcast@pwtorch.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, SEARCH “WADE KELLER” ON YOUR PODCAST APP TO SUBSCRIBE AND THEN DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW TWO HOURS OR SO AFTER THE TV SHOW ENDS.
[HOUR ONE]
-Excalibur introduced the show as pyro blasted.
(1) “ALL EGO” ETHAN PAGE (w/Stokely Hathaway) vs. BRYAN DANIELSON
As the match was about to begin, MJF’s music played. Fans popped. MJF, chomping on gum, was in a luxury suite with a woman, whom he called “the only hot chick in Colorado.” He referred to Danielson as “Brain Damage Bryan.” Ethan attacked a distracted Danielson before the bell. The ref, as is usually the case in AEW unfortunately, rewarded Ethan’s pre-bell attack by calling for the bell immediately. Ethan stayed on offense. As MJF continued to talk, Ethan yelled up at MJF angrily. Excalibur said Ethan feels that MJF used The Firm and then discarded them. Fans popped for Danielson’s comeback. Danielson threw a barrage of roundhouse kicks at Ethan in the corner. Hathaway eventually stood on the ring apron and got Danielson’s attention. Danielson avoided a charging Ethan, though, and then dove through the ropes and tackled him into the barricade. Danielson backed Hathaway at ringside, which gave Ethan a chance to recover and catch Danielson with a boot to the face. They cut to a split-screen break at 7:00 with Ethan in control at ringside. [c/ss]
Back from the break, they showed MJF still watching. Danielson landed a German suplex to interrupt Ethan’s attack. The crowd chanted along to Yes Kicks a minute later. Ethan regrouped at ringside. Hathaway shoved Ethan out of Danielson’s path when Danielson leaped at him with a flying knee at ringside. He then powerslammed Danielson at ringside. At 13:00 Danielson applied a crossface. Ethan crawled over to the bottom rope to force a break. A “Let’s Go Bryan! / Ethan Page” dueling chant broke out. Ethan set up a top rope move, but Danielson took over with elbows. Ethan countered in to a powerslam off the second rope for a near fall.
Ethan set up the Edge’s Edge next, but after walking around smiling, Danielson slipped free and hit his Psycho Knee. He followed with body stomps and submission for the win. The ref determined Ethan was out before he tapped out. Danielson yelled up at MJF afterward.
WINNER: Danielson in 17:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match and at the level you’d expect from these two. This was one of Ethan’s biggest matches in his career and he delivered.)
-A vignette aired with Samoa Joe soundbites bragging about taking the belt from Wardlow.
-Renee Paquette interviewed Wardlow backstage. As he said everything shifts from powerful words to powerful actions, Joe attacked him with a lead pipe. Joe yelled down at him as he smashed his knee. “You want action!” he said. “This is action. I did this to you!” [c]
-Renee interviewed “Hangman” Adam Page and Dark Order backstage who were with a trainer. Hangman said he hasn’t wrestled in two months and he’s not sure when he’ll be cleared. When she brought up Jon Moxley’s name, he leaped up. Dark Order had to restrain him and talk him down. The trainer said he might be cleared in two weeks if he doesn’t get riled up and get physical prematurely. Hangman took a deep breath and said, “Alright.”
(2) JON MOXLEY & CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI vs. TOP FLIGHT (Darius & Dante Martin)
As Mox and Claudio made their entrance through the crowd, Schiavone wondered if Wardlow would be able to wrestle as scheduled. Dante and Darius went on the attack before the bell. Claudio dropped Darius throat-first over the ringside barricade after catching him flying at him. Fans chanted “Moxley!” Mox and Claudio took over against Darius in the ring. When Darius tagged in and took over against Moxley at 4:00, they cut to a split-screen break. [c/ss]
After the break, Claudio and Dante hot-tagged in. Darius was bumping everywhere for Claudio. His rapid-fire, corner-to-corner offense got the crowd in a frenzied state. He scored a two count after an European uppercut. He set up a giant swing next, but Darius helped by grabbing Dante’s arms. Claudio gave Darius the swing instead. Dante leaped over his brother like a jump rope twice before breaking up the swing. Top Flight made a comeback and scored a near fall. When four-way action broke out, fans chanted “This is awesome!” Dante saved Darius from a lift-and-drop uppercut by Claudio. Darius landed a Spanish fly on Claudio for a near fall. Claudio caught Darius with a Neutralizer for a near fall at 11:00.
Mox gave Dante a DDT on the ringside mat as Claudio had Darius virtually knocked out in the ring. Darius showed a last gasp of fight before Claudio finished him with an uppercut.
WINNERS: Claudio & Moxley in 14:00.
-They went to the announcers on camera. Excalibur said they’re still awaiting word on the status of Wardlow.
-A clip aired of the Kip Sabian-Orange Cassidy brawl during the battle royal on Rampage last week.
-Renee interviewed Orange (with his friends) and Sabian (with Penelope Ford). When Sabian said he should get a title shot against Orange because he eliminated him, Trent said he should get a title shot first because he eliminated Sabian next. Orange said he’d defend against Trent on Rampage.
(3) HOOK vs. BAYLUM LYNX
Hook’s ring entrance aired. He was listed at 17-0. Hook dominated and finished Lynx via tapout with Red Rum.
WINNER: Hook in 1:00.
-Afterward, Hathaway walked out with Big Bill and Lee Moriarty. He said Hook is “like the Southwest Airlines of AEW.” Jungle Boy charged out as his music played and tackled Moriarty. Hook and Bill had a staredown mid-ring. The announcers noted the height difference. Bill grabbed Hook’s throat. Hook went for a T-bone suplex, but Bill blocked it and set up a chokeslam. Jungle Boy hit Bill with a two-by-four to break it up. Bill rolled out of the ring as Jungle Boy swung at him. Fans sang to Jungle Boy’s “Tarzan Boy” theme song as Hook stood by him.
-A video package aired on Chris Jericho’s loss to Action Andretti.
-In a backstage promo, Jericho said Andretti made the mistake of a lifetime by turning down the offer of Jericho Appreciation Society. He said Andretti has the confidence of a superstar, but he lacks the tools. He told him to enjoy the highlight of his career and go back to the indies and stay out of his face. He said he is a wizard and he will show Ricky Starks the deep end and bring him back next week on Dynamite. [c]
-They went back to the announcers on commentary. They commented on the feud between Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee.
-Renee interviewed Strickland and his two Mogul Affiliates cohorts. She called his actions disgusting. A cackling Swerve said Lee didn’t have the same vision that he had, so he replaced him with two people who believe in his vision. Wheeler Yuta interrupted and challenged him to a fight on Rampage. Swerve laughed as he walked away.
-They cut abruptly backstage to The Elite and Death Triangle brawling backstage.
(4) DEATH TRIANGLE (Rey Fenix & Penta el Zero Miedo & Pac w/Alex Alahambres) vs. THE ELITE (Kenny Omega & Nick & Matt Jackson w/Michael Nakzawa) – Sixth Trios Title match in Best of Seven Series
The match was considered started backstage as a bell rang. They brawled backstage and used apparatus as weapons.
[HOUR TWO]
Nick flip dove off folded bleachers onto Penta and crashed through a table which led to a near fall. When they brawled onto the stage, Fenix leaped off the opening tunnel onto The Bucks and his two partners with a tornillo. As he celebrated, Omega landed a flying knee. They creative suplexed each other down the ramp for near falls. They cut to a split-screen break at 7:00. [c/ss]
Death Triangle put a metal garbage can over Omega and then triple dropkicked him. A series of big moves got roars from the crowd. Omega put the trash can over Pac’s head and then landed a running V-Trigger. He gut-wrenched Pac into a Doctor Bomb onto the trash can for a two count. Fenix and Penta landed a Fear Factor on Omega at ringside at 14:00. Fenix hit a cutter on Matt in the ring and then a running flip dive onto Omega and Nakazawa at ringside.
Penta set up a piledriver on Nick on the ring apron, but Nick countered with a backdrop. Matt then gave Penta a Tombstone piledriver at ringside for a near fall, interrupted by Pac at the last split-second. Back in the ring, the Bucks doubled Penta with a BTE Trigger. Pac broke up the count. Pac ducked so Matt inadvertently superkicked Nick off the ring apron. Pac applied a Brutalizer. Meanwhile, on splits crene, Omega gave Fenix a leaping One-Winged Angel off a platform through a table for the three count. Pac thought he won by tapout, but The Elite’s music played. Excalibur plugged the deciding match in two weeks in Los Angeles, Calif. Schiavone said, “Hats off to all of them!”
WINNERS: The Elite in 17:00 to even the series 3-3.
(Keller’s Analysis: A distinct, wild, and exciting sixth match in the series.)
-A video aired with The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn responding to the Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal/Sonjay Dutt rap video last week. Caster said, “You’re the worst Jeffrey since Dahmer.” He said, “You’re spending money like it’s Kurt Angle’s wife.” He said Lethal is “ROH’s top star from their worst years.” He said he’s known for imitating other wrestlers. He said his elbow is better than his. “We the Acclaimed, we always get the last word,” said Caster to close it out.
(Keller’s Analysis: That really worked and was on-brand for Acclaimed with some good zingers in there and fun mockery of the heels.)
(5) TAY MEO & ANNA JAY vs. RUBY SOHO & WILLOW NIGHTINGALE
The heel duo came out first. Nightingale’s entrance video says, “Nothing Matters. Smile anyways.” Ruby came out last and Taz sang along to her song briefly. Ruby blind-tagged herself in a minute in; Willow was okay with it. Melo tagged out right away to Jay. Several minutes in they cut to a partial split-screen break with a heels in control. [c/ss]
Four-way action broke out. Jay hit Willow with a pump kick. All four were down as fans applauded. A few minutes later, the ref stopped Anna from using a chair at ringside against Willow. Melo snuck in with a chair too and threw it at Ruby and then kicked it into her. Melo hit Ruby with her Tay-KO for the win. Melo gave the crowd double middle fingers afterward.
WINNERS: Melo & Jay in 10:00.
-Colten and Austin Gunn were leaving the arena and said they’d address their FTR win next week.
-Excalibur plugged Rampage: Jamie Hayter would speak, Cassidy vs. Trent, Jade Cargill vs. Kiera Hogan, Swerve vs. Yuta, and Moxley will speak. Then Dynamite next week feature Jericho vs. Starks.
-Renee interviewed Starks backstage. He said he’s getting revenge on behalf of Andretti for the fireball incident. Starks told Jericho he is a star he can’t control and he doesn’t like that. He said he’s not going to end the Starks Experiment, and next week will be a master class in how to whip Jericho’s ass. He said he has a big mouth and a bad attitude and he’s going to take Jericho down several notches. Excalibur said a new era of Dynamite starts next week. They showed the teaser of the new red and blue laser-like color scheme which might be a glimpse at the new look for 2023. [c]
(6) SAMOA JOE vs. WARDLOW – ROH TV and TNT Title match
Schiavone said doctors wouldn’t let him get close to Wardlow during the break to see if he was physically cleared. Joe came out first. When Wardlow’s music played, he didn’t come out right away. Joe said he has to find a new opponent, apparently. Instead, Wardlow limped out. The match began and Joe went after Wardlow’s leg. Fans chanted, “Joe’s gonna kill you!” Wardlow took over. They cut to a split-screen break a few minutes in after Joe took over again with a knee-breaker. [c/ss]
During the break, medics checked on Wardlow’s leg at ringside. Back from the break, Wardlow eventually made a comeback. His leg kept giving out. Joe chopped away at Joe in the corner. Wardlow countered a corner mount with a powerbomb of Joe out of the corner. Wardlow set up a powerbomb mid-ring, but his leg gave out again. Joe clipped Wardlow’s leg from behind and then applied a sleeper mid-ring. Wardlow faded and the ref called for the bell.
WINNER: Joe to retain his titles in 12:00.
-When Wardlow came to, he grabbed at the ref as if confused that the fight might still be going. Taz said it’s never a good thing when your opponent’s music is playing when you wake up. Joe appeared to be on the verge of a show of respect for Wardlow, but then he lunged and hit him with a title belt. Joe pulled a toolbox out from under the ring. Joe had scissors. The ref tried to intervene, but Joe headbutted him. Joe then snipped off Wardlow’s manbun/pony tail. Joe dangled it over Wardlow’s body and then held up his belts. Darby’s music played and he hit Joe from behind with a skateboard. Fans loudly chanted, “Darby! Darby!” as the show ended. Joe was seething made at ringside.
Tonight after AEW Dynamite, join Wade Keller live with guest co-host Javier Machado to break down the show with live callers and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
•CALL: (347) 215-8558
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wadekellerpodcast@pwtorch.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, SEARCH “WADE KELLER” ON YOUR PODCAST APP TO SUBSCRIBE AND THEN DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW TWO HOURS OR SO AFTER THE TV SHOW ENDS.
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