AEW Dynamite Live Coverage - December 4th, 2024

[Kemo]

AEW Dynamite

This week, Continental Classic action continues with Shelton Benjamin vs. Kyle Fletcher and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brody King. Swerve Strickland takes on The Acclaimed’s “Platinum” Max Caster. Plus, the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale returns.

– We are live! Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and "Daddy Magic" Matt Menard greet audiences at home as Shelton Benjamin makes his way out to the ring. Kyle Fletcher follows, and Don Callis joins the announce desk.

AEW Continental Classic Match (Blue League): Shelton Benjamin vs. Kyle Fletcher

Fans chant "Fletcher sucks! Fletcher sucks!" as he controls Benjamin with a standing side headlock, as Callis sings his praises like a cheerleader on commentary. Benjamin escapes, hits the ropes and runs through Fletcher for a big crowd reaction. Fletcher takes a break in between the ropes to regroup.

A loud "Let's go Shelton! Let's go Shelton!" chant breaks out as he stalks Fletcher, waiting to reengage. The two get ready to lock up, but Fletcher begins pummeling Benjamin with ruthless striking combinations. He backs him into the corner and unloads on him, stopping to taunt the crowd.

Fletcher looks to go back to work on Benjamin in the corner, but Benjamin counters and explodes. Fans roar and Fletcher exits the ring. He stands at ringside as fans loudly chant "Ospreay's better! Ospreay's better!" at Fletcher. Benjamin lays on the top rope in the corner, taunting Fletcher.

Fletcher hops on the top-rope in the opposing corner and does the same thing as fans shower him with boos. The two finally get back after it, and it is Benjamin who beats down Fletcher as he is tied up in the ropes. He blasts Fletcher with a loud smack to the back that draws gasps from the Indiana crowd.

Benjamin beats down Fletcher, who ends up on the floor at ringside. Benjamin looks for a high spot from the ring to the floor, but Fletcher avoids it and The Hurt Syndicate member crashes and burns. As both guys are down and out on the floor outside of the ring, the show heads into a mid-match commercial break.

When we return, we see some more back-and-forth action, with Shelton building up momentum after a series of German suplexes. Fletcher catches him on the mat and grabs the ropes for leverage to score the win with his cheating tactics. With the victory, he picks up three more points in the AEW Continental Classic Tournament, improving to six overall.

Winner: Kyle Fletcher

– We see the bat symbol for HOOK and then hear the familiar sounds of Action Bronson, as Taz's baby boy makes his way to the ring, and as usual, has his bah humbug face on. He gets on the microphone and addresses Christian Cage and The Patriarchy.

He calls Cage out for a fight at the Hammerstein Ballroom, but is willing to fight Nick Wayne right here, right now. This brings out Cage, only for HOOK to be blindsided by Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian in the ring.

Cage enters the ring to join in the beatdown as the Patriarchy grab a pair of steel chairs, setting HOOK up for a Con-Chairto that targets the left hand of the last-ever FTW Champion. The Patriarchy stands over HOOK to end the segment.

– Renee Paquette catches up with Mercedes Mone backstage for an interview. She asks her about what happened to Kamille last week. "The CEO" says that Kamille quit, so what happened to her after is none of her concern.

Anna Jay sticking her nose in her business is of her concern. Anna Jay faces Penelope Ford and the TBS Champion is going to keep an eye out, before reminding the ladies that there is a price to pay when you mess with Mone. The interview ends.

– Backstage, MVP talks about not being happy with Shelton Benjamin's performance tonight. He reminds him that they hurt people. A random stagehand walks by and "The Standard of Excellence" viciously assaults him. The Hurt Syndicate join in and MVP says that this is what they do. They hurt people.

AEW Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal

The bell rings and everyone begins brawling with one another. Evil Uno brawls with Adam Cole, then sends him crashing into the mat with a hair whip and mocks him. Mark Davis gets Uno up on his shoulders and dumps him onto the apron over the top rope, then connects with an enzuigiri to send him crashing onto the floor to eliminate him.

Eliminated: Evil Uno

Lance Archer looks to eliminate Darius Martin as Davis looks to do the same to Dante Martin. The Martin brothers slide inside the ring as Cole rains down right hands on The Butcher in the corner. Action Andretti and Lio Rush then eliminate their Top Flight stablemates Dante and Darius.

Eliminated: Dante Martin and Darius Martin

Brian Cage and Archer double team on Davis and fire off right hands on him. They then clothesline him over the top to send him heading to the back.

Eliminated: Mark Davis

Back from the break, Rocky Romero sends Andretti crashing onto the apron and over the top. Andretti pulls Romero out to join him and the two brawl, but Kyle O'Reilly sends him crashing into the floor with a boot to eliminate him and dumps Rush over the top rope to send him to the back.

Eliminated: Action Andretti and Lio Rush

O'Reilly rocks Cage with a spinning forearm, but Archer levels him. Cage and Archer then deliver a powerbomb-chokeslam combination to Romero to send him over the top rope and crashing onto everyone else on the floor. The Butcher is then sent crashing over the top rope and onto the apron, then connects with an enzuigiri to eliminate him.

Eliminated: Rocky Romero and The Butcher

Cole dumps Cage over the top rope onto the apron, then rocks him with a superkick and connects with a kick to eliminate him as O'Reilly eliminates Archer on the other side with a kick.

Eliminated: Brian Cage and Lance Archer

Winners: Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly

– Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana then make their way down to the ring. Max Caster follows.

– We see a new vignette for Julia Hart, who makes it clear she has her sights set on Jamie Hayter ahead of her long-awaited return to the scene in AEW. We head backstage for a brief interview segment after this wraps up.

– Renee Paquette is standing by with The Acclaimed and "Daddy Ass" Billy Gunn. Max Caster says everything is fine, but Gunn says it’s not. Gunn says they built everything together and Caster is going about everything all wrong.

Anthony Bowens tells Caster to prove that he is the best wrestler alive and Caster sarcastically thanks him and walks away. Inside the arena, Prince Nana comes out and does his goofy-ass(ed), but always-entertaining dance to bring out former AEW Champion Swerve Strickland.

The two head to the ring together for our next match of the evening. The Acclaimed's theme hits and out comes Max Caster with a microphone in-hand, doing his freestyle routine. He hits diss rhymes on Swerve about his mom's house burning down and how she can stay with him and he'll become his new dad.

Max Caster vs. Swerve Strickland

Caster goes to boast about how good his rap was as he enters the ring, but is attacked by Swerve on the apron to get the match started with a bang. Swerve slams him into the barricade a few times. Strickland tosses Caster into the ring, and the bell finally rings to get this one officially off-and-running.

Caster comes back with a shot and goes for the FameAsser, but Strickland counters with a German suplex. Strickland throws Caster to the outside and kicks him in the face. Caster comes back and trips Strickland into the ring steps. Caster kicks Strickland in the face and follows with right hands.

Caster gets Strickland back into the ring and delivers a springboard dropkick. Strickland comes right back with the House Call, and then follows with another. Strickland delivers a third House Call and gets the pin for the victory.

Winner: Swerve Strickland

– After the match, he heads to the top-rope and hits a Swerve Stomp to Caster. He talks into the camera and says he's done fooling around. He tells Bobby Lashley that he's not done with him yet. On that note, we shift gears and head into a quick post-match commercial break.

– When we return from the break, we see highlights of the tension between Cole and O'Reilly following the conclusion of the AEW Dynamite Dozen Battle Royal. We then shoot to MJF at a special location for a quick word.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman appears on the big screen and talks about his "Better Than You Bay-Bay" duo with Cole and how popular they were, before addressing Cole’s mission of revenge leading to what has happened with the likes of Jon Moxley winning the AEW World Title and running roughshod all over the company .

Cole thinks he’s the hero, but MJF insists he’s the villain, and he thinks Cole can beat O'Reilly next week at AEW Winter Is Coming. He says then at AEW Worlds End, what will happen is something Cole can thank him for later.

– A special video package is shown to look at the rivalry history between Jay White and PAC. When it wraps up, we return inside the arena where "Switchblade" Jay White makes his way out to the ring for our next match of the evening. Out through the crowd is his opponent, "The Bastard" PAC. He is accompanied by Wheeler Yuta.

Jay White vs. PAC (w/ Wheeler Yuta)

PAC gets in the ring as the commentators remind us that Claudio Castagnoli is also in the building, as he has a match later in the main event against Brody King. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. White blasts PAC with multiple chops in the corner. PAC heads out to the floor to regroup.

As the action continues, we head into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, PAC and White exchange shots in the ring. White delivers a back elbow, and then suplexes PAC into the turnbuckles. White delivers chops and right hands in the corner, and then drops PAC with a DDT for a two count. PAC rolls to the floor, but White follows and delivers another chop.

White gets PAC back into the ring, but PAC comes back with a German suplex. White comes right back with a uranage, but PAC drops him with a boot to the face. PAC goes for the Black Arrow, but White dodges and goes for the Bladerunner. PAC counters with a back elbow, but White delivers a shot of his own.

White comes back with a half-and-half suplex and goes for the Bladerunner, but PAC locks in a standing Brutalizer. White collapses into the ropes, and then Yuta delivers the Busaiku Knee to White on the outside. Yuta gets White back into the ring and PAC goes after him, but White delivers the Bladerunner and gets the pin fall.

Winner: Jay White

– After the match is when things get really interesting. Yuta gets into the ring, but White drops him with a Bladerunner. Marina Shafir gets into the ring, and then Jon Moxley attacks White from behind. Moxley beats White down, and then drops him with the Paradigm Shift.

Moxley and Shafir leave the ring, but then Adam Page walks out. Moxley and Page stare each other down, and then Orange Cassidy jumps on Moxley’s back and chokes him with a cable. Page beats Moxley down in the ring, but PAC and Yuta make the save.

Page gets sent to the floor, and then Cassidy drops Yuta and PAC with Orange Punches. Cassidy delivers one to Moxley as well, and then White drops Moxley with the Bladerunner. White and Cassidy stare each other down, and then Page drops Moxley with the Buckshot Lariat.

White, PAC, and Page stand in the ring, the Death Riders back up the ramp, and Christian Cage looks on from the tunnel with his contract in-hand to wrap up a very eventful post-match scene.

– Backstage, Jamie Hayter is shown standing by herself. She talks directly into the camera and says she can’t quite figure out Julia Hart. Hayter says mind games aren’t really her thing, because she likes to do things face to face.

Hayter says it seems her return pissed Hart off, but her return has nothing to do with Hart. Hayter says she is ready to fight anytime and any place, but she can’t fight what she can’t see.

Hayter says she will come find Hart, and the last thing Hart will see as she is laying on the mat is her. On that note, we shift gears and head into another commercial break.

– When we return from the commercial break, Chris Jericho is standing on the set of his New York Minute segment wearing a bedazzled cowboy hat. He says he is live from Hell's Kitchen in the Bronx with a new edition of New York Minute.

He mentions the ticket information for the upcoming AEW shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City and plugs a special edition of "TV Time with Chris Jericho" on this week's episode of ROH On HonorClub. A big cheesy "Thanks guys!" wraps up this brief entertaining segment.

– We shoot to a very odd, parody-film style pre-taped video package segment, with some bad actors doing a cowboy walk-and-talk. It ends with these random dudes stumbling across an old western style "Most Wanted" poster outside of a saloon.

It says "AEW's Most Wanted Man: Bandido." The segment wraps up on that note. We return in the arena to Excalibur and company on commentary promoting Bandido being on the AEW comeback trail.

– The theme for Anna Jay hits and she makes her way to the ring for our next match of the evening. After she settles inside the squared circle, her music dies down and the entrance tune for her opponent plays. Out comes Penelope Ford.

Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with one-on-one action in the AEW women's division. After some initial back-and-forth action, we head into an early mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see Ford working over Jay in the corner, stopping to lick her face.

Jay crotches Ford on the top-rope in the corner. She locks in the Queenslayer choke-finisher, but Ford escapes. Ford misses a top-rope spot. Jay blasts her with a drop kick. Ford fights back and drops Jay and covers her for a two-count.

She looks for the sharpshooter, but changes to a bridged death lock. Jay crawls to the ropes to break the hold. She begins to fight back and hits a big finisher for the pinfall victory.

Winner: Anna Jay

– After the match, Jay gets on the microphone. She says she knows Mercedes Mone is watching. "Get out here right now!" Mone's annoying "CEO" theme hits and out she comes doing her even more annoying "CEO" dance.

Mone gets in the ring and talks trash to Jay, talking down to her like she's a nobody who's never done anything in the business. She says to talk to her again when she does something in this business. Jay says, "You mean like this?" and slaps her.

Mone gets up and takes her watch off and other jewelry, but then drops down, rolls under the ropes and grabs her belt and leaves. We are told Mone vs. Jay will take place in two weeks for the TBS Championship at AEW Dynamite: Holiday Bash. We head to a commercial break.

– We return from the commercial break to Renee Paquette sitting down with "The Glamour" Mariah May. Paquette tries to get up and walk out, but May forces her to sit there and simply listen. May talks about doing a generous thing by giving her friend Mina Shirakawa a shot at her title. She says afterwards, they can drink all the champagne in the world.

She talks about women's wrestling being dead and buried. Up comes Mina Shirakawa with a bottle of champagne. She reaches back with it, and May covers up and flinches, but Shirakawa stops and hands May the bottle. "Do it to my face!" She tells her Winter is Coming and walks off to end the pre-main event segment.

AEW Continental Classic Match (Gold League): Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brody King

Back inside the arena, the lights go down and the theme for Brody King plays. Out comes The House of Black member for Gold League action in the ongoing AEW Continental Classic Tournament in our main event of the evening. He settles in the ring, the lights come back on and his music dies down.

Now the entrance tune for his opponent plays and out comes Claudio Castagnoli through the crowd. The Death Riders member and one-third of the AEW Trios Champions heads to the ring where he, like King, has three points and a victory in one match thus far in the ongoing 2024 AEW Continental Classic Tournament.

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with our final match of this week's show. After some early back-and-forth action, Castagnoli settles into the early offensive lead. He appears to hurt King's hand and immediately starts focusing his offensive attack on it.

As he continues to dominate, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, King starts to fight back into competitive form and ultimately begins taking over on offense. Castagnoli tries a comeback, and begins hitting his rapid-fire elbows to the collar done of The House of Black member.

King has blood coming out of his ear, but begins fighting back, turning Castagnoli inside-out with a big clothesline. The two begin trading shots back-and-forth in the middle of the ring. King's hand starts bothering him, but he continues taking over, hitting a big splash and running cannonball on a slumped over Castagnoli in the corner.

The two continue battling and King takes Castagnoli to the top-rope, where he connects with a massive super-plex for a huge crowd pop. He follows up with a stuffed piledriver for a close two-count.

A loud "Let's go Brody! Let's go Brody!" chant breaks out. Castagnoli exits the ring to avoid an onslaught from King.

King follows out after Castagnoli and brings the fight to him on the floor. He lands some big chops, but his injured hand starts bothering him. He fights through the pain but goes for a big spear or splash to Castagnoli, who moves, resulting in King crashing into the barricade with authority. Castagnoli lands a big follow-up shot and heads into the ring.

he referee nearly counts King out, but King gets back into the ring just in time. King lands a big lariat out of the blue on Castagnoli. He falls on top of him for the immediate follow-up cover, but Castagnoli kicks out. Castagnoli lands a low-blow that the referee doesn't see. He follows that up with The Neutralizer for the win.

Winner: Claudio Castagnoli

– With the victory, Castagnoli now has six points in the Gold League with two consecutive victories in the Gold League in the ongoing AEW Continental Classic Tournament. PAC & Jon Moxley vs. Jay White & Orange Cassidy is announced for AEW Dynamite: Winter Is Coming next week. After that announcement is made, this week's show wraps up and we head off of the air.

[Kemo]

[LionDen]

Good ol Dynamite. Thanks for the LC Kemo. Cool photos.