AEW Dynamite: New Years Smash Live Coverage - December 28th, 2022
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AEW Dynamite
This week, it's the DYNAMITE New Year's Smash! Can Wardlow win back the TNT Championship from Samoa Joe? Bryan Danielson faces Ethan Page. Plus, will the The Elite even the score or lose it all in match 6 against Death Triangle!
:aew:
– This week's special New Years Smash edition of Dynamite on TBS kicks off with the usual theme song and accompanying opening video. From there, we shoot inside the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO. where the commentators welcome us to the show.
Bryan Danielson vs. Ethan Page
Before the match can begin MJF is shown in the box watching the match as his distraction allows Ethan Page to jump Bryan Danielson as he attacks him immediately, dropping the American Dragon with a forearm and a slam. Danielson fires back though with a big few chops and kicks in the corner, but All-Ego instantly responds with a chop of his own. A knee to the mid-section drops his opponent, and he follows it up by manipulating the ankle as he then stamps him back to the mat and then onto the Achilles of Page as an angry Stokely Hathaway looks on.
Page responds well though with a power slam as he slows the pace, but he gets sent back down from the top turnbuckle with a headbutt as Danielson follows it with a missile dropkick, which leads to Hathaway getting onto the apron. He flicks off his hat as Page charges in, almost hitting his manager and a knee strike from Danielson then sends him to the floor as he follows up with a suicide dive.
However, once again Hathaway distracts Danielson, and that allows Page to nail a pump kick which sends Danielson back to the floor, following it by sending him into the ring post. Page goes for a rake of the eyes, but after Danielson trips him into the corner and that allows more kicks from Danielson who follows with a hurricanrana from the top rope. He tries to follow it by diving off the ring apron but Hathaway saves his client and that allows Page to launch him into the steel stairs.
All-Ego then dives back in with a cutter, but Danielson can kick out. However, once again Danielson counters Page's plans and plants him head-first, following it with a huge strike to the head. That only gets a near fall but Danielson follows it with the LeBell Lock, only for Page to get to the ropes with his foot. Page blocks the top rope attempt from Danielson and aims for an Ego's Edge, yet Danielson once again counters and reigns down with elbow strikes only for Page to power him up to connect with an Avalanche Power Slam, which Danielson kicks out of!
Page once again looks for his finisher, but he spends too long smiling and Danielson charges in with a Busaiko Knee, following it with stomps and the LeBell Lock for victory.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
– Wardlow is shown backstage with Renee Paquette and he says there have been too many words, and tonight is about actions, but he gets jumped by Samoa Joe who attacks him with a metal pipe.
Paquette then asks Adam Page for a medical update and he admits he's frustrated but he doesn't think there's a good one right now. However, the doctor says if he keeps it up then he could be back in two weeks.
Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Top Flight
Top Flight immediately attacks their opponents, but the Blackpool Combat Club members get the best of the situation outside the ring to take firm control immediately. Jon Moxley takes Darius Martin into the ring and isolates him as Claudio Castagnoli tags in to hit some uppercuts and a stomp as he then brings his partner back into things. The duo makes frequent tags as Castagnoli slams him to the mat.
Moxley returns and hits a big knee to the face, but Darius fights back and hits a missile dropkick as Dante Martin then comes in with a diving crossbody, with Castagnoli eating an enziguri for trying to get involved. A standing moonsault press is hit on Moxley and the two then go back and forth with the former World Champion coming out on top with a suplex and then the elbow strikes.
Top Flight works together to attack the knee of Moxley as Darius then runs up the back of his brother to dropkick Moxley to the floor, following it by launching Moxley into the guard rail. The brothers continue to isolate Moxley as Dante launches himself over the top rope to drop down on him with force. Darius returns to the ring and continues focusing on the knee, kicking Moxley's leg away from underneath him.
Despite that, he's able to tag in Castagnoli who drops Dante straight away, following it up with running European uppercuts into each corner. He then looks for the Giant Swing but Darius makes the save only to be put into the move himself as Dante then leapfrogs him before almost catching the ROH World Champion with a roll-up, yet he then gets thrown into a DDT, gaining Top Flight a near fall.
Castagnoli showcases his strength with a double suplex to both Martin's, yet they respond with a combination offense which requires Moxley to make the save. Dante manages to launch out of the ring to wipe him out though, and Darius then almost gets the win. He gets distracted by Moxley, but he reverses an uppercut attempt with a backslide, yet that is met with the Neutralizer...only for Darius to kick out!
Castagnoli comes in with the elbows, and while Dante tries to save him, Moxley stops it with a King Kong Lariat as Darius just gets beaten down with elbows until Castagnoli has enough and nails him with another big strike to provide the final blow with a huge uppercut after taking his mouthguard out.
Winners: Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley
– Kip Sabian is shown backstage with the Best Friends as he says it is finally time for him to get a title shot, but Trent points out he eliminated Sabian so Orange Cassidy gives him a title shot instead.
HOOK vs. Baylum Lynx
HOOK immediately picks the ankle of his opponent and then starts unloading body shots in the corner. That's followed with lariats into the corner and then an overhead suplex which is followed by crossface shots and the Red Rum for a routine in.
Winner: HOOK
– Stokely Hathaway then appears with Big Bill and Lee Moriarty as he says against them he won't be able to get the job done. However, before they can cause any attacks Jungle Boy sprints down to the ring and attacks Moriarty, while inside the ring HOOK and Bill face off, and HOOK almost lifts him, but the big man stops it and aims for a Chokeslam until Jungle Boy pops up with a 2x4 to attack him.
– Chris Jericho is then shown backstage saying that Ricky Starks turned down the opportunity of a lifetime to work with them. He says he is foolish and small-minded, calling Starks a flash in the pan. He says Starks has the confidence of a superstar but he doesn't have the tools, yet he does. Jericho promises to school him and Starks won't know what has hit him, as he always wins and he warns Action Andretti to not come back to AEW.
– Swerve Strickland is shown with Renee Paquette and he had to replace Keith Lee with people who believe in him, and that leads to Wheeler Yuta appearing saying he was not surprised by his actions. He says it's not down to violence as they love that, and he challenges him to a match on "Rampage."
Falls Count Anywhere Match No. 6 Of Best Of 7 Series: Death Triangle vs. The Elite
All six men are shown fighting backstage immediately with no entrances taking place here as PAC nails a brainbuster to Kenny Omega on some wooden pallets. He then climbs some risers as Lucha Brothers hold The Young Bucks and he nails a moonsault from that spot. Matt Jackson fights back by sending Rey Fenix through a table while PAC gets wheeled to him for a superkick.
Nick Jackson then launches himself off the risers, which slams Penta through a table, picking up a near fall for his team. The Young Bucks then fight Penta and PAC up to the entranceway, but as they brawl Fenix is shown on top of an entrance tunnel, and he launches himself off to take out everyone down below. However, he is immediately dropped with a V-Trigger from Omega!
PAC comes in to drop The Cleaner with a German Suplex on the ramp, but Matt saves the match and then hits several Northern Lights Suplexes as they go downhill, with Nick leaping over them to hit Penta as Matt then suplexes both PAC and Fenix! The latter fights back though, chopping Matt while Nick and Penta brawl their way up the stairs as Nick gets choked out with a crutch across the neck.
Death Triangle then places all their focus on Omega as they trap him in a trash can and connect with a triple dropkick. He fights back though, launching the Lucha Bros out of the ring with Nick then nailing a knee to PAC only to turn into a thrust kick and Slingblade. Matt then hits a Destroyer to Penta but he's immediately hit with a Frog Splash by Fenix who is then taken out with a Dragon Suplex from Omega.
He gets the trash can and attacks PAC with it, putting it over him as he follows up with a V-Trigger, crushing the steel onto his head. That is followed by a Dr. Bomb onto the trash can, but PAC manages to kick out. Penta stops a One Winged Angel and they hit the Fear Factor on the floor, with the pinning attempt being broken up. Fenix manages to wipe out both the Bucks and then launches himself out of the ring to take out Omega as well.
The Young Bucks respond with a Meltzer Driver on the floor to Penta, but a running dropkick from PAC prevents the three count. He hits Matt with a pump kick but he misses with a Shooting Star Press and then eats a chair to the face, which Penta does as well. That's followed by the BTE Trigger, but PAC saves his team again, only to be booted in the head. PAC avoids a superkick as Matt hits his brother, and that's followed by a Brutalizer submission, meanwhile, Omega nails a One-Winged Angel from a platform in the crowd through some tables, and he gets the win for his team even though Matt then taps out. However, it is The Elite who gets the win first!
Winners: The Elite (this series is now tied 3-3)
– A video is then shown of The Acclaimed producing a rap song about Jeff Jarrett and his teammates.
Tay Melo & Anna Jay A.S. vs. Willow Nightingale & Ruby Soho
Willow Nightingale tries to get hold of Tay Melo but she avoids it and then shimmies and twerks, but Nightingale eventually gets her hands on Melow, throwing her to the mat and then twerking herself. However, as she looks to get going Ruby Soho tags herself in, only for Melo to run and make a tag for Anna Jay, who gets slammed to the mat as Soho fires down with several punches.
Nightingale comes to slam Jay and she then works with Soho, throwing her down onto Jay for further damage before she charges into the JAS star in the corner. Nightingale then connects with a big boot and a running crossbody, but Melo is then on hand to pull Soho off the ring apron as Jay connects with a chop block to get the advantage. Melo tags in and hits a big punch to the back, however, she then avoids a pump kick but is hit by another straight after.
Melo drives Nightingale's head into the bottom rope as Jay then returns to action, slamming her opponent to the mat via her hair as she then throws Melo into her in the corner. Jay follows that with a swinging boot to the face, but Nightingale can kick out of the pinfall attempt, and she follows it with a lariat which allows the hot tag. Soho charges in and take Melo down and follows with some big right hands.
She drives Melo face-first into the second turnbuckle pad, and while she chases Jay around the ring to eventually slam her on the mat, she is almost caught out by Melo. Soho has eyes in the back of her head though and she nails No Future, yet she gets taken out by Jay as Nightingale sees to her, only for Melo to hit a great pump kick.
Melo and Nightingale go for some combination offense, but Jay saves the match and then throws Nightingale out which creates a two-on-one situation as Soho gets spiked on her head, only for Nightingale to charge Jay into them to stop the pin. On the floor, she hits a snap suplex, while Soho and Melo exchange slaps, chops, and headbutts which leads to them both falling down.
Jay sends Nightingale into the ring post while she tries to use a chair only for Aubrey Edwards to pull it away. However, while that is happening Melo throws a chair for Soho to catch, as she proceeds to punt kick it into her face. This is followed by the TayKO for a win.
Winners: Tay Melo & Anna Jay
– The Gunns are then shown leaving as they claim to be the best tag team in the world, and they will address the FTR win next week.
– Ricky Starks is interviewed and says he will get revenge for Andretti next week, and he's a star that Jericho can't control, which is what he doesn't like. He says it will be a masterclass when he whoops Jericho's ass.
TNT Championship: Samoa Joe (C) vs. Wardlow
Samoa Joe says that Wardlow is suffering from stage fright and he won't be out here tonight, but as he says that Wardlow appears and fights through security and referees to reach the ring. He does so and immediately starts brawling against Joe, charging into him in the corner of the ring. He showcases his power by nailing a Spinebuster and then a flurry of strikes to the champion.
He continues the attack, driving Joe into the second rope before charging at him in the corner, but Joe sits him own by planting Wardlow to the mat. However, the challenger fires back with a big clothesline, despite that Joe responds with a knee breaker, which sends the challenger out of the ring as the champion boasts about it inside. Wardlow once again fights off the medical team to get back into the ring, but Joe attacks it immediately, twisting the injured area on the second rope as Wardlow yet again falls to the floor.
Wardlow beats the 10 count, but walks staright into further attacks from Joe, who takes his time beating him down. Joe props him up on the top turnbuckle, hitting several jabs and chops before climbing up, but Wardlow fights him down and then connects with a Senton! He continues the attack with several suplexes and then a major Whisper in the Wind, despite his leg injury, which Joe only just kicks out from afterward!
Joe then runs into a headbutt and the big lariat, but the champion kicks out once more. However, yet again Joe targets the lower legs of Wardlw, sweeping him back down to the mat as he then boots his chest and follows with some chops. Joe tries to climb up the turnbuckles to get more height, but that allows Wardlow to lift him up to hit a Powerbomb, but as he goes for one more his knee buckles.
Joe then charges in with a chop block, and he follows it with the Coquina Clutch and Wardlow fades out.
Winner and still TNT Champion: Samoa Joe
– After the match, Joe appears to show respect to his opponent, but instead, he blasts him with the titles. He pulls out some scissors, and as the official tries to stop him Joe headbutts him and then chops the ponytail from Wardlow's hair before kneeing him back down to the mat, showing zero respect. However, this leads to the music of Darby Allin, and he pops up from behind to nail Joe a skateboard strike across the spine.
