AEW Dynamite: New Year's Smash

This week, we have the dramatic conclusion of AEW’s New Year’s Smash. TNT Champion Darby Allin defends his title against Brian Cage. The Elite return to action after Kenny Omega’s epic win. Eddie Kingston faces PAC. The Inner Circle share their New Year’s Resolutions. NWA Women’s World Champion Serena Deeb defends her title against Tay Conti. Dr. Britt Baker presents “The Waiting Room” with Cody Rhodes. And, Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt of Jurassic Express battle FTR.





- Night two of the special "New Year's Smash" edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT kicks off with the usual trademark signature video opening package that starts off every week's episode.

- From there, we shoot inside Daily's Place amphitheater as fire and pyro explodes and Jim Ross says, "It's Wednesday night ... and you know what that means!" Tony Schiavone then chimes in to introduce the video package for our first match of the evening.

- Recap video of the rivalry between Eddie Kingston and PAC is shown.

- Earlier today, Kingston tells PAC he's going to bust him up, and then PAC's going back home (and never coming back).

PAC with Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Eddie Kingston with The Blade, The Butcher, and The Bunny

The leader of Death Triangle makes his way down to the ring in a hurry as Rey Fenix and Pentagon JR. are shown following behind him. PAC immediately tears into Kingston and the action quickly spills out to the floor, where "The Bastard" jumps off to an early offensive lead.

Back in the ring, PAC keeps the pressure on Kingston, blasting him with kicks as he falls against the ropes and into the corner. PAC continues to work him over in the corner with thunderous kicks to the dome as the commentary team of Ross, Schiavone and Excalibur tell the tale of the history between PAC and Kingston. Now we see PAC head to the top-rope for the first time in the match, as he comes flying off blasting Kingston with a well-timed missile dropkick.

Finally, Kingston blasts PAC with a knee to the back of the head to slow down his momentum. He sends him out to the floor where The Bunny scratches at his eyes with her long nails while Kingston had the referee tied up in the ring. Kingston heads out to the floor and hits a nice package suplex over his head, dumping "The Bastard" on the floor with authority. Back in the ring, Kingston hits a neckbreaker on PAC for a near fall.

Kingston continues to dominate the action as he focuses his offensive attack on the neck of PAC, which as the announcers explain on commentary, is something he softened up when "The Bastard" first made his return following a lengthy hiatus from the scene on Dynamite. Finally, PAC kills Kingston's offensive momentum and now with both men down, he is the first to make it back to his feet. He heads over to Kingston, who is up to his knees now, and begins peppering him with an assortment of big kicks.

This continues until Kingston pops up out of nowhere and catches PAC with a back-fist, which kick-starts an offensive flurry of strikes and moves which culminates in a back driver for a near fall. Kingston now stalks PAC as he struggles to get back to his feet. He blasts him with a knife-edge chop in the corner. He goes to follow in but PAC moves. PAC runs into Kingston's boot and now Kingston hops to sit on the top turnbuckle. PAC comes up with him and is now looking to hit a superplex on him after crotching him on the top. He does -- with auithority -- for a close near fall.

Ross speculates that Kingston hurt his lower back on the bump he took as a result of the big top-rope super plex from "The Bastard." PAC hits Kingston with another wide-variety of kicks, blasting him with a big one that decks him at the end. He builds some momentum but is floored by a clothesline from Kingston that turned him inside-out. Kingston tries to finish him off with that spot, but PAC kicks out after the referee's count of two. PAC hangs onto the top-rope now as Kingston attempts a DDT. He dropkicks Kingston in the face as he was on all fours. He drags him to the corner and heads to the top-rope. Schiavone speculates he is going for the Black Arrow. He does -- and he hits it. 1-2-3. PAC wins.

Winner: PAC

- Post-match, PAC locks in the brutalizer for a moment. Blade and Butcher jump in the ring, but so do Penta and Fenix. From the back, Lance Archer (along with Jake Roberts) runs out and clears Kingston's group out of the ring. Archer tells PAC he needs to "get on the same page" as him. Archer then heads to the back and PAC celebrates with his guys.

Miro with Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford vs. Chuck Taylor with Orange Cassidy

The Best Friends music hits and out comes Chuck Taylor, accompanied by "The Freshly Squeezed" Orange Cassidy. As they settle into the squared circle, we head to a commercial break.

When we return from the break, we see "The Best Man" Miro make his way out accompanied by Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford as "The Dapper Yapper" Justin Roberts does his formal pre-match ring introductions for the AEW competitor.

The bell sounds as Miro shouts out like a beast and Taylor blasts him from behind to get things going. He hits him with some follow-up shots and then cloitheslines Miro out to the floor. The commentators now remind fans about the added stipulation to this match where Chuck Taylor becomes Miro's butler if he loses tonight.

While they tell that story to the fans, we see Chuck continue to add punishment to Miro as he beats him from pillar to post on the floor. He rolls back in the ring and hits a dive onto Miro on the floor. He follows that up by slamming him into the ring barricade and blasting him with some follow-up punches. Miro pushes Chuck and tries charging at him, but Chuck side-steps him and Miro runs face-first into the ring post. Chuck hops on the ring apron and flies off with double stomps onto Miro.

The camera focuses on Orange Cassidy taunting on the outside of the ring and we see Kip Sabian blast him from behind with a cheap shot out of nowhere. Distracted by this, Chuck is then caught off guard by a vicious onslaught from a recovered Miro. Miro continues going on an offensive rampage, beating Chuck Taylor all over the squared circle in near squash-match fashion at this point. He stomps over and over again in the corner as he waits for Chuck to get up. Once he does, Miro runs and hits a jumping thrust kick that decks Chuck. Now he calls for it and applies his submission finisher. Chuck taps out.

Winner: Miro

- Backstage, Dasha talks with Private Party and how they signed with Matt Hardy as their manager. Hardy jumps in and says things are great now that these guys are part of the Hardy brand! Private Party try to be positive, but Quen says he can't do this and is still bothered Hardy is making 30% on them. Hardy told them they should have read the fine print. Quen calls Hardy a "money grabbing carny." Hardy says when they first got her, nobody cared about them, but he did! Hardy tells them ultimately when he says "jump," they say "how high," and ends the interview

- Inner Circle heads out to the ring for their New Year's Resolutions.

- Inner Circle heads out to the ring for their New Year's Resolutions. Chris Jericho on the mic first and says it's going to be a huge year for the group. Jake Hager says championships are a big goal this year. MJF says he just wants to strengthen his bonds with the other members, also, fat people gotta go. Ortiz wants to improve a family recipe. Jericho says this will be the year that he and MJF will win the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Santana jumps in and says he hand picked Santana / Ortiz to be in the group, and be the tag team in the Inner Circle. Guevara stops him and says Jericho is a little "tag team s--t." Guevara wonder what's up with Jericho teaming up with a bunch of different people. MJF says Jericho is just trying to do his job, Guevara tells him to shut up. Hager tells Guevara that "MJF is cool" and calms him down. Jericho says like Hager and Wardlow did last week, maybe they should blow off some steam for bragging rights and to decide who is the official tag team of Inner Circle. Next week: MJF / Jericho vs. Santana / Ortiz vs. Guevara / Hager. MJF says they are still the Inner Circle, "We're better than you, and you know it."

- Backstage, Alex Marvez talks with Dark Order and wonders what's next after losing their leader, Brodie Lee. Evil Uno says they have to be better people and do everything in Lee's name. He then says next week Hangman Page should team with Dark Order. The group pulls Page in and wants to talk with him. They ask when Page is going to decide if he's in the group or not. Silver says next week after the match is a good time! Page agrees that's when he'll let the group know. Silver fully expects Page to join and the group yammers on as Page just stands a few feet away and continues enjoying his drink.

- Video for the AEW Dynamite Awards on January 27 at 7 pm ET (B/R Live app), hosted by Tony Schiavone.

- We return from the commercial break to an in-depth vignette / video package that tells the full story of the rivalry between Darby Allin and Team Taz leading up to tonight's showdown between "The New Face of TNT" and "The Machine" with the TNT Championship on-the-line.

Backstage, Dash catches up with Kenny Omega, Don Callis, and The Young Bucks. Callis says it's fantastic that the band is back together. Omega asks if they want to do The Elite entrance, Callis says the Young Bucks should get their own entrance, and they should head out on their own. Omega goes along with that and heads out for his entrance.

Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers vs. Danny Limelight, Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman Jr.

On that note, he starts his long, drawn out pre-match ring introduction for the AEW World Heavyweight Champion. Out come the dancers ahead of him and then his music peaks and he emerges through the entrance tunnel as cool as a cucumber with his leather jacket on and his AEW World Heavyweight Championship around his waist.

He makes his way down the aisle as pyro and fireworks erupt and Don Callis joins him by his side. They make their way into the ring as the commentators do their obligatory reaction to the arrogant ring introduction of Kenny Omega.

Don Callis grabs the mic from Justin Roberts. He tells him he has the night off. It's too special of a night to leave this in the hands of an amateur. Callis talks about this being a historic night because the band is back together, courtesy of Kenny Omega and Don Callis, it's time for the dream six-man tag-team match. He now wants to introduce two very special people in Kenny's life -- our world tag-team champions -- and Kenny Omega's two best friends in the world -- The Good Brothers. He started to say The Young Bucks first but switched and said The Good Brothers instead.

As The Good Brothers emerge from the crowd, we see The Young Bucks watching on monitors and reacting backstage. The commentators are baffled and Tony Schiavone is annoyed, calling this a complete joke. Excalibur points out that The Young Bucks didn't appear to be in on it. The bell sounds and the heel trio immediately jump off to an offensive lead with their ambush attack. When the smoke clears, we see Danny Limelight actually taking it to Omega. He tags in Brian Pillman Jr. Pillman gets in a shot and then tags in Garrison. Garrison works on the arm of Omega and tags in Pillman Jr. again.

Pillman Jr. gets in a couple of shots and tags Danny Limelight back in. They are doing super quick tags to keep fresh guys with a different approach on the AEW World Heavyweight Champion, and it's working well thus far. Omega now turns the tables and starts going to work on Limelight. Karl Anderson tags in now and he picks up where Omega left off, taking it to Limelight. As the heel trio settles back into the offensive lead, we head to a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break as the action continues in the ring.

We return from the break to see Omega as the legal man, as the heels are still in control of the offense. The commentators reflect on a triple splash that took place during the aforementioned commercial break. Now the babyfaces start to enjoy some time in the offensive driver's seat, as Limelight hits a flurry and then tags in Pillman Jr. Pillman Jr. enjoys some time in the lead and then Garrison tags in, and from there, it was all downhill as "the so-called Elite" took over from there and dominated. Gallows and Anderson look for the Stun Gun on Garrison, however he tags in Limelight. They dominate him instead and hit a Magic Killer for the 1-2-3.

Winners: Kenny Omega & The Good Brothers

- Post-match, Jon Moxley's music hits and he strolls out from the crowd. Moxley goes right at Omega, then is able to fight off The Good Brothers for a moment. The numbers game get the best of Moxley though. Out run Penta and Fenix to help even the odds as they battle with Anderson and Gallows. Moxley and Omega battle away in the middle of the ring. Now the locker room is emptying out to help separate the two sides. The Young Bucks run out and tell Moxley to ease up and try talking some sense into them. Fenix and Penta hop into the ring and give Matt and Nick double superkicks! Omega takes off with Callis as the brawl continues in the ring.

- We return from the break to Rebel talking directly to camera from the special set of The Waiting Room. She then handles the introductions of the host of this new segment, Dr. Britt Baker.

She comes out and tells the fans to look under their seats for a free gift from her. Nothing is under there. She laughs and says she couldn't help it.

Now she begins to introduce her special guest for tonight, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, one of the hosts of the new TNT "Go-Big Show." She mocks him for being the only non-famous judge on the show.

Baker continues to do a monologue style of introduction with Rebel doing a hokey laugh every time she hits a punchline. Now she introduces Cody and she and Rebel walks over with sparklers, ala Gillberg, as "The American Nightmare" emerges to his Snoop Dogg remix of his entrance music.

They joke about hitting all contractual obligations with the sparklers, mocking his entrance pyro. She then makes another crack and says, "No fake friends, only fake teeth," busting on Cody for his overly flawless chompers. Before Cody can say a word, Baker says she has another huge surprise guest.

She introduces Jade Cargill. Out she comes as Rebel opens the door to the set for her and her music plays. Baker asks if she always wears her ring gear. She says she's a bad ass bitch and wears whatever she wants. She then says nobody gives a damn if Brandi is pregnant. She claims Cody did her a huge favor. She says she and Shaq are tired of waiting and demands to know where her opponent is. She then vows if Brandi ever returns, she's gonna beat that ass. She pie-faces Cody. In behind her comes Red Velvet. Velvet smacks Jade. Jade smacks her back. They brawl and a bunch of people rush the set as they scream and squeel. Another fight breaks out and again they are restrained. Cody gets out of there.

Now a video starts playing showing Baker attacking Thunder Rosa while she narrates it live from the set of The Waiting Room.

From there, a video of Thunder Rosa talking directly to camera airs with her announcing herself versus Baker at AEW Beach Break. We return live and Baker freaks out, complaining about being told she didn't have to wrestle her. The graphic airs to begin promoting the match for Beach Break. She ends The Waiting Room segment.

Jurassic Express vs. FTR

We hear "The Dapper Yapper" begin his formal pre-match ring introductions for Jurassic Express, as the team of Marko Stunt and Jungle Boy come out accompanied by Luchasaurus. He heads to the back as they make their way down to the ring by themselves.

As they settle into the squared circle, their music dies down. Now the music of their opponents begins playing as the former AEW World Tag-Team Champions, FTR, make their way out accompanied by Tully Blanchard.

Cash Wheeler and Marko Stunt kick things off for their respective teams as the bell sounds to kick off this tag-team contest. Wheeler ends up not liking the lay of the land and he tags out. Dax gets in Marko's face. Marko smacks the hell out of him, which enrages him, and now he begins a one-sided beatdown of the Jurassic Express member.

He makes the tag and now the two hit some punishing double-team offense. Marko blasts Wheeler with a chop after he spent too long taunting Jungle Boy on the apron. Tully Blanchard taunts Marko from outside the ring as Wheeler starts taking it to Marko. Marko fires up again on offense, however, blasting Wheeler with a dropkick and tagging in Jungle Boy.

The two Jurassic Express members hit some nice double-team offensive spots on both members of FTR. They eventually knock each FTR member to the floor and then they follow that up with a series of high-flying dives onto them on the floor. They roll back in the ring and pose for the fans as J.R. talks us into a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break as the action continues.

When we return from the break we see things build to a big comeback sequence for Jurassic Express, after FTR spent several minutes dominating the action during the break. Things culminate with Marko Stunt and Jungle Boy hitting an assisted-senton followed up by Marko going for a sliced bread, only for Harwood to throw him half way across the ring to escape at the last minute.

Finally, Tully Blanchard slams Marko Stunt face-first into the steel ring post, which brings over Jungle Boy. He tries to make Tully answer for what he did, but he ended up walking right into a big shot from Harwood, who sends him into the ring where both FTR members hit their Big Rig double-team finisher for the pin fall victory.

Winners: FTR

NWA Women's Championship: Tay Conti vs. Serena Deeb (c)

Now we see the respective ring entrances of the champion and the challenger for our co-main event of the evening here on New Year's Smash Night 2 -- as Tay Conti and NWA Women's Champion Serena Deeb make their way down to the squared circle.

The bell sounds and we're off-and-running with our first of two scheduled championship contests here on the second and final night of the AEW Dynamite: New Year's Smash specials on TNT.

The commentators sing the praises of Deeb for being a veteran of the women's scene, bringing up her winning titles in several promotions before her current reign as NWA Women's Champion, and touching on her being a trainer behind-the-scenes when Conti was first getting going in the business.

Meanwhile the action is in full effect now inside the ropes, with both women utilizing a lot of mat-based amateur style wrestling here in the early goings, with neither establishing any meaningful lead over the other. Now the two lock up on the feet for a test of strength, only for Deeb to use the hand-grips to take Conti down. Conti nips up and takes Deeb down into a triangle choke.

She peppers Deeb with elbows from the bottom, however she escapes and blasts her with an elbow for a near fall. She's lookig for her Detox finisher now, however it is avoided. Conti ends up blasting the champ with a big punt kick to the grill that knocks her out to the floor, just as J.R. talks us into a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break as Conti goes out after her.

When we return from the break, we see Deeb looking for a death valley driver in the ring, however Conti avoids it and hooks a full nelson into a modified slam for a near fall. She follows that up by locking the champion in some kind of unique leg submission. Deeb counters that with an equally unique hold until Conti makes it to the ropes to force the hold to be broken.

Deeb yanks her back to the center looking for the Serenity Lock, however Conti avoided it. Deeb hits a rib-breaker for a near fall, but again Conti hangs on. Deeb sits Conti on the top-rope and hits the Gory Special with assistance from the ropes. Back on the mat, Conti hits a big pump kick and is looking for the Tay KO, but Deeb avoids it and counters with her own Detox finisher for the pinfall victory to retain her NWA Women's Championship.

Winner and STILL NWA Women's Champion: Serena Deeb

TNT Championship: Brian Cage vs. Darby Allin (c)

Now we get ready for our main event of the evening, as Team Taz makes their way out, led by "The Machine" Brian Cage, who is wearing his FTW Championship -- which the commentators point out is not one recognized by AEW -- or anyone else.

As they settle into the ring, we head to a pre-match commercial break, with "The New Face of TNT" making his way out on the other side, as our featured bout of the night here at the second and final night of AEW Dynamite's "New Year's Smash" is up next.

We're back and the dark-and-ominous entrance theme song of the TNT Champion plays as Darby Allin makes his way through the entrance tunnel and down the ramp as he heads into the ring and poses on the top-rope while Taz joins in on special guest commentary for our main event of the evening.

Allin sits in the corner of the ring like Raven as "The Dapper Yapper" Justin Roberts handles the formal pre-match ring introductions. The bell sounds after the referee holds up the newly designed TNT title. Our main event is off-and-running, as is Allin, who sprints after Cage with a dropkick to the shins to kick this one off.

He sends Cage out to the floor, where he drives him head-first into the steel barricade. He re-enters the ring and hits the ropes to build some momentum, he dives through the ropes but is caught in mid-air by Cage, who slams him down to the floor with authority before sending him back in the ring as Taz talks us through some immediate replays of the aforementioned offensive sequence.

Back in the ring. Allin angers Cage with a smack in the mouth, so the FTW Champion turns him inside-out with a big clothesline. He scoops Allin up with a military press and sends him sailling over the top-rope where he goes flying and crashing through a table set up at ringside with a cloth over it and some ring gear. We see some immediate replays of that insane spot as well.

Cage goes out after Allin, who is covered in blood in his face as a result of that spot. Cage hoists Allin up in the suplex position and then walks with him while maintaining said-position, climbing up the ring steps before finally suplexing him once on the apron. The camera shows a close-up of the crimson mask developing on the face of the TNT Champion. Cage stalks Allin waiting for him to get up.

He does and Cage charges across the ring, taking Allin nearly out of his boots with a big pounce like smash. He follows up with some other high-impact offense as Allin is getting ragdolled in a one-sided beatdown at this point. Schiavone brings up AEW official and the ref for this match, Paul Turner, taking a closer look at Allin, noting he seems to want to call it off.

Cage mounts Allin and slugs away at the bloody dome of the champ while Taz talks on commentary about Allin being over-matched. Cage continues to pound a lifeless Allin with forearm shots like an old-school Vader as we head to a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break as the action in our main event of the evening continues in the ring.

We return to see Cage still dominating Allin, who somehow manages to kick out at one. Cage then begins a series of three straight power bombs in a row. Allin from his back, half-dead, flips Cage off. Cage picks Allin up and hoists him up for a fourth power bomb, which he finishes by sending Allin sailing over the top-ropes and landing on the entrance ramp. Allin again half-dead flips Cage off from his back from the entrance ramp.

Cage goes out on a rage after Allin and brings him in the ring. He takes him to the top-rope and hits a super-duper super-plex for a near fall. Cage now goes out to the floor and removes the top-half of the set of ring steps at ringside. He sets it up outside of the ring apron on the side of the ring. He hops on the ring apron and Allin is now back on his feet and is starting to show signs of life, as he swings away at Cage. Allin ends up sending Cage back-first into the steps and then follows out after him with a crazy high-flying spot.

Allin is slow to get up as well, but he does first, rolling back in the ring at the referee's count of eight. Cage rolls in at nine. Both guys are standing and trading shots. Allin hops on the middle rope and jumps backwards but Cage catches him. Allin bites Cage in the face while he was holding him. Allin ties the legs of Cage together with something and starts unloading on him with big shots. Allin builds up some momentum and hits his Code Red. But that wasn't enough to finish offf Cage. The camera shows the blood pouring from Allin's face again.

We see Ricky Starks and Team Taz members getting involved on the ring apron, and while distracted Starks goes to knock Allin off the top-rope. Before he can, however, the lights go out. When they come back on, Sting is standing behind Starks and he stops him. Allin ends up hitting the crucifix bomb off the top with Cage for the pin fall victory as we see Sting watching on. Allin still half dead is the winner and the ref hands him his TNT Championship while he is still laid out. Sting enters the ring and holds off Team Taz, including Taz himself who left his position as special guest commentator.

Highlights of the match are shown. When we return inside the amphitheater, Allin's music continues playing while the snow associated with Sting falls from the skies above. Sting and Darby Allin stare down Team Taz from the ring as they retreat and the lights start to come back up a bit. We see Darby Allin start to look up at Sting as Tony Schiavone promotes the encore presentation of The Go-Big Show. That'll do it for night two of the AEW Dynamite: New Year's Smash special. Thanks for joining us here this evening and make sure to stop back by again next Wednesday night for AEW Dynamite live results coverage from Jacksonville, FL.

Winner and STILL TNT Champion: Darby Allin