1/12/22 AEW Dynamite Recap

Jan 12, 2022 - by Michael Riba

The opening credits roll. Excalibur, Jim Ross, and Tony Schiavone are on commentary from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O’Reilly make their way to the ring. Cole says 2021 was a great year for the three of them, and 2022 will be even better. Cole says he is undefeated in singles competition, and the boys are now back together. He says Fish and O’Reilly are the baddest team, but The Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler come to the ring to interrupt. Matt thanks them for the invitation, and O’Reilly says they weren’t invited to Jacksonville either. O’Reilly says they didn’t need the Bucks’ help beating the Super Friends, and Matt says he’s right. Matt says this is their company and they are the longest-reigning tag team champions in company history. Matt says their New Year’s resolution is to get their titles back, and Fish says their resolution is to win the titles and no one is going to stand in there way, including the Bucks. Cole says this is exactly what we need, a little bit of friendly competition. He says this is what makes them the best faction in AEW history. He calls Best Friends a joke, but their music hits and they come to the ring. Cole calls for the music to be shut off and mouths at Orange Cassidy. Cassidy takes him down, and Best Friends clear the ring of reDRagon and The Young Bucks. Cassidy beats down Cole in the ring and then sends Cutler onto everyone on the floor. Cole drops Cassidy with a low blow and goes for the Boom, but Kris Statlander gets in between Cassidy and Cole. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. rushes the ring and takes out Statlander and delivers a Curb Stomp. Baker holds Cassidy and Cole delivers a superkick and the Boom. Cole, Baker, Cutler, reDRagon, and The Young Bucks stand in the ring. The Bucks to go kiss his cheeks, but Baker stops them and kisses him instead.

A video package for Wardlow airs.

Match #1 – Singles Match: CM Punk vs. Wardlow (w/MJF)
Punk ducks out of the ring and goes toward MJF, but Wardlow gets in between them. They get back into the ring and lock up. Wardlow shoves Punk into the corner and they lock up again. Punk applies a side-headlock, but Wardlow sends him off the ropes and drops him with a shoulder tackle. They lock up once more and Wardlow backs Punk into the corner. Punk turns it around and delivers a few shots, but Wardlow takes him down with one shot. Wardlow drives his shoulder into Punk’s midsection and stomps him in the corner. Wardlow delivers a right hand and sends Punk across the ring. Wardlow charges, but Punk dodges and kicks Wardlow in the hamstring a few times. Punk goes for the GTS, but Wardlow gets free and goes for Powerbomb Symphony. Punk gets free and rolls to the floor as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Wardlow sends Punk into the corner. Wardlow charges, but Punk kicks him in the face. Punk goes to the top for a tornado DDT, but Wardlow counters and throws him across the ring. Wardlow goes for Powerbomb Symphony, but Punk gets free and delivers a few kicks. Punk delivers a few clotheslines, followed by clubbing shots to Wardlow’s chest and back. Punk delivers a springboard clothesline and finally drops Wardlow to the mat. Punk delivers a running knee in the corner, but Wardlow comes back with a power bomb as Punk looks at MJF. Wardlow begins the Powerbomb Symphony and delivers five power bombs. Wardlow stands on Punk’s chest for the cover, but MJF gets on the apron and tells Wardlow no. MJF tells Wardlow he wants more and Wardlow delivers a sixth. MJF tells him again, and Wardlow delivers a seventh. Wardlow stares at MJF and MJF tells him one more. Punk rolls to the apron and Wardlow goes to the floor, but MJF stops him and cleans off the timekeeper’s table. Wardlow looks at MJF and drags Punk to the outside and power bombs him through the table.
Wardlow gets back into the ring, and Punk crawls back in at nine. MJF gets on the apron and tells Wardlow to power bomb him again. MJF asks what he pays Wardlow for and tells him to do it. Wardlow picks Punk up, but Punk counters with an inside cradle and gets the pin fall.
Winner: CM Punk
-After the match, MJF gets in the ring and yells at Wardlow. MJF shoves him and jabs his finger into Wardlow’s chest. Wardlow grabs MJF’s hand, but Shawn Spears runs out and gets in between them. Spears calms Wardlow down and Wardlow leaves the ring. Spears follows him and talks to him, and MJF follows them out as Punk is still down at ringside.

Taz has joined the commentary team for the next match.

Match #2 – Singles Match: Dante Martin vs. Powerhouse Hobbs (w/Ricky Starks)
Martin and Hobbs brawl at ringside, and Hobbs gains the advantage. Hobbs gets Martin in the ring and the bell rings. Martin comes back with quick strikes and drops Hobbs on the floor. Martin comes off the ropes, but Hobbs catches him and delivers a spine-buster on the floor. Hobbs throws Martin into the ring and kicks him in the head. Hobbs delivers a pair of scoop slams and gouges at his face on the mat. Martin fights back with body shots, but Hobbs sends him off the ropes and drops him with a clothesline. Hobbs delivers right hands on the mat, but Martin comes back with a few shots. Hobbs clubs Martin in the back a few times and goes for the Rack. Martin counters out and sends Hobbs into the ropes. Martin comes off the ropes, but Hobbs drops him with a cross-body. Hobbs goes for the cover, but Martin kicks out. Hobbs takes Martin to the corner and delivers an uppercut. Hobbs sends Martin to the floor and Starks stomps him on the floor as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Hobbs delivers shots to Martin on the mat. Martin fires back with an elbow strike and a kick to the head. Martin comes off the ropes, but Hobbs catches him and puts him in the Rack. Martin gets free and delivers a dropkick to Hobbs. Martin delivers an enzuigiri and an missile dropkick. Martin goes for the cover, but Hobbs kicks out. Hobbs goes to the floor, but Martin dives onto him. Martin delivers a kick to Hobbs’ head as he gets back into the ring. Martin runs the ropes again, but Hobbs takes him down. Starks gets on the apron, but Jay Lethal comes to ringside and pulls him to the floor. Martin connects with the Nosedive off the distraction and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Dante Martin

Alex Marvez interviews Chris Jericho, who is with Jake Hager, Ortiz, and Santana. Jericho says it is a great honor to get the Best Faction of the Year award, and says it has been their goal since day one to take over the company and be the best band of brothers. Jericho says if 2point0 get involved in the main event tonight, The Inner Circle will take care of them. Eddie Kingston walks in and says he doesn’t care about Sammy Guevara but wants Daniel Garcia. Kingston says Santana and Ortiz aren’t tag champions because of Jericho. Jericho and Kingston argue and Santana tells them to get it together and walks away. Ortiz and Hager follow Santana out. Jericho says he will be in Guevara corner and will kick 2point0’s asses if they get involved. Jericho says he might kick Kingston’s ass if he gets involved, too. Kingston tells him that he wishes he would, and Jericho walks away.

MJF comes to the stage and says he knows Punk is in a world of pain. MJF says Punk got a fluke victory tonight, but he will make sure Punk takes his first loss in AEW next week. MJF says he is going to give the match that everyone wants, and says Punk will face Spears.

Cole, reDRagon, and The Bucks are backstage. Cole says they have whooped Best Friends’ asses over and over, and it’s silly now. Cole says even Statlander thought she would be safe, but now Baker is involved. Baker challenges Statlander and Cassidy to a Mixed Tag Team Match next week.

The AEW World Champion, Adam Page, makes his way to the ring. Page says he has fought the best in the world to get and retain the AEW World Championship. He says he went 90 minutes with Bryan Danielson, but now he needs a new opponent. Dan Lambert interrupts and throws a few insults at Page. Page says if Scorpio Sky or Ethan Page want a match, they can come say it to his face. Lambert says he knows how good Page is and respects him because he didn’t take the path that Cody Rhodes took to get his title. Lambert says Page has earned everything except the persona he is using as his gimmick. Lambert tells Page to keep the title, the money, and the fans, but stop disrespecting the real cowboys that came before him. Page says he came looking for an opponent and challenges Lambert to get into the ring. Lambert says no, and then Lance Archer comes to the ring. Archer grabs Lambert, but throws him aside and attacks Page. Archer hits Page with a chair a few times and sets it up in the ring. Archer delivers a few more shots to Page, and then slams him through the chair with the Blackout.

Tony Schiavone interviews Arn Anderson, Brock Anderson, and Lee Johnson. Anderson says they are a great tag team and they are in Horseman Country. Tully Blanchard and FTR walk in and says if Brock and Johnson want to experience it for real, they need to leave the dead weight behind and join the winning side. FTR challenges Brock and Johnson to a match next week, and then Arn and Blanchard shake hands to make it official.

A vignette for the new AEW TBS Champion, Jade Cargill, airs.

Match #3 – Singles Match: Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb
Deeb attacks Shida on the entrance ramp and takes out her knee. Deeb delivers a shot with the kendo stick and slams Shida’s knee into the ring steps. Shida crawls into the ring and the bell rings. Deeb stomps Shida down in the corner and delivers a dragon-screw leg-whip in the ropes. Deeb keeps working over Shida’s knee and pulls off the athletic tape. Deeb slams Shida’s knee into the mat a few times and locks in the Serenity Lock and the referee stops the match.
Winner via referee stoppage: Serena Deeb
-After the match, Deeb brings the kendo stick into the ring. She swings it at the referee and the doctor, and then beats down Shida with it. She beats Shida’s knee repeatedly, and then more referees rush the ring and pull her off.

Tony Schiavone is backstage with Christian Cage and the new AEW World Tag Team Champions, Jurassic Express. They send well wishes to Rey Fenix, and Jungle Boy says what’s next is whoever wants the next shot. Jungle Boy says any top five team that wants a match can have one, and then Alex Reynolds and John Silver walk in and challenge them to a match on Friday night.

Match #4 – Singles Match: Matt Hardy (w/Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (w/Alex Abrahantes)
They taunt each other for a bit, and Penta delivers a kick to the midsection. Hardy comes back and takes Penta down, but Penta comes right back and sends Hardy to the corner. Penta slaps Hardy’s chest a few times as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Hardy sends Penta off the ropes, but Penta kicks him in the chest to counter. Penta drops Hardy with a pair of Slingblades, followed by a rib-breaker. Penta goes for the cover, but Hardy kicks out. Penta sets up for the Fear Factor, but Hardy counters with a DDT. Hardy goes for the cover, but Penta kicks out. Hardy takes Penta to the corner, but Penta counters and hangs Hardy in the corner. Penta delivers a double stomp and goes for the cover, but Hardy kicks out. Penta and Hardy go to the apron and exchange chops. Penta sets up for Fear Factor, but Hardy fights free. They exchange shots again and Hardy delivers the Side Effect on the apron. Hardy rolls Penta back into the ring and goes for the cover, but Penta kicks out. Hardy goes for the Twist of Hate, but Penta sends him into the corner and delivers an enzuigiri. Penta takes Hardy up top and climbs, but Hardy elbows him back down. Hardy goes for a moonsault, but Penta dodges it and delivers a kick to the midsection. Penta delivers Fear Factor and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Penta El Zero Miedo
-After the match, Abrahantes tells Malakai Black that Penta is going to show him some respect. The lights go out in the arena, and when they come back on Black drops Abrahantes with a quick kick to the face. Black delivers a shot to Penta, followed by a few kicks. Black tries to rip Penta’s mask off, but Varsity Blonds and Julia Hart come to the ring. The Blonds and Penta beat down Black, but they stop and the lights go out. They come back on and Brody King is in the ring. He takes out the Blonds and Penta and Black pulls himself to his feet. Black throws Griff Garrison to King, who slams him to the mat.

Tony Schiavone is backstage with Kris Statlander, Leyla Hirsch, Red Velvet. Schiavone asks Statlander about her match next week, but Hirsch says Statlander should focus on their Trios match this Friday. They argue a bit, and Velvet says if they have any chance of winning, they need to focus.

Match #5 – Tag Team Match: Bear Country (Bear Boulder and Bear Bronson) vs. The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster)
Bear Country immediately slam The Acclaimed to the mat, and then double team Bowens for a bit. They make quick tags, but Bowens shoves them into each other. Caster tags in as Bowens delivers shots to Bronson. Caster connects with a cross-body as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Bronson and Bowens are the legal men. Bronson sits down on the chest of Bowens, and then Boulder and Caster tag in. Boulder drops The Acclaimed with a double clothesline and slams them to the mat. He sets up for a double choke slam, but The Acclaimed counter. They run the ropes, but Boulder drops them with a double flatliner. Bronson tags in and they set up for the Bear Bomb, but Bowens makes the save. They send Boulder to the floor and Bowens drops him with an elbow strike. Bronson clotheslines Bowens to the floor and Caster rolls Bronson up for two. Bowens drapes Bronson over the top rope and Caster his the Mic Drop for the pin fall.
Winners: The Acclaimed
-After the match, Sting’s music hits and he meets The Acclaimed on the stage. He backs them to ringside, but Darby Allin dives through the ropes and hits Caster with his skateboard. Sting takes down Bowens and destroys the boombox with his bat. Allin gets Caster in the ring and delivers a Coffin Splash in the corner. Sting drops Caster with the Scorpio Death Drop.

A vignette for PAC airs. He says Malakai Black might have blinded him, but now he sees everything. He says his perspective is different and his vision has never been so clear.

Announced for this Friday’s Rampage:
-AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: Jurassic Express (c) vs. Alex Reynolds and John Silver
-Trios Tag Team Match: Kris Statlander, Leyla Hirsch, and Red Velvet vs. Nyla Rose, Penelope Ford, and The Bunny
-Adam Cole vs. Trent Beretta
-Shawn Spears vs. Andrew Everett
-An in-depth look at the rivalry between Mercedes Martinez and Thunder Rosa

Announced for next Wednesday’s Dynamite:
-Mixed Tag Team Match: Adam Cole and Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander
-Brock Anderson and Lee Johnson vs. FTR
-Darby Allin and Sting vs. The Acclaimed
-CM Punk vs. Shawn Spears
-Serena Deeb vs. Skye Blue
-Cody Rhodes returns

Tony Schiavone interviews Matt Hardy. Hardy says maybe he needs to stop focusing on the future of AEW and start focusing on himself, but something has to change. Andrade El Idolo walks in and says they are both business men and both love money. Idolo says he wants to make a deal with Hardy and Hardy says he would love to talk with Idolo, but not in front of everyone. They walk away to Hardy’s office.

Match #6 – Interim AEW TNT Championship Match: Sammy Guevara (c) (w/Chris Jericho and Eddie Kingston) vs. Daniel Garcia
They lock up immediately, and Guevara takes Garcia down with a side-headlock take down. Garcia gets free and they slap each other in the face. Guevara backs Garcia into the corner, but Garcia drops him with a right hand to the jaw. Garcia delivers an elbow strike and kicks him in the back. Guevara comes back with an elbow strike and a kick to the back of his own. Guevara delivers a palm strike and clotheslines Garcia to the floor. Guevara drops Garcia with a dive on the floor and gets him back into the ring. Guevara chops Garcia a few times in the corner and drops him with a snap suplex. Guevara goes for the GTH, but Garcia counters with a back-breaker that sends Guevara to the floor as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Garcia has a waist-lock applied, but Guevara delivers elbow strikes to break the hold. Garcia goes for a back-suplex, but Guevara counters and spears Garcia in the corner, Guevara delivers an enzuigiri, but Garcia goes to the floor. Guevara dives onto him anyway and tosses him back into the ring. Guevara goes to the ropes, but Garcia trips him up. Garcia delivers a clothesline to Guevara’s head and drops him with a back-drop driver. Garcia goes for the cover, but Guevara kicks out. Garcia grabs Guevara, but Guevara counters with an inside cradle for two. Guevara goes for the GTH, but Garcia counters and locks in a Scorpio Death Lock. Garcia wrenches back, but Guevara makes it to the ropes. Garcia sends Guevara to the corner and charges, but Guevara dodges him and Garcia crashes into the ropes. Guevara delivers a Cross Rhodes and goes for the cover, but Garcia kicks out. Guevara stomps on Garcia and goes to the apron. Guevara goes for the double-jump cutter, but Garcia catches him and locks in a rear choke. Garcia turns it into a pile driver and goes for the cover, but Guevara kicks out.
Guevara comes back with an enzuigiri and Matt Lee and Jeff Parker come to the ring and jump Jericho and Kingston. They beat Kingston down and slam Jericho into the barricade. Guevara delivers a knee strike and goes for the GTH, but Parker gets on the apron. Guevara knocks Parker off the apron, and Garcia rolls him up with a handful of tights for two. Guevara sends Garcia into Lee on the apron, and then hits the GTH and gets the pin fall.
Winner and still Interim AEW TNT Champion: Sammy Guevara
-After the match, 2point0 attack Guevara, but Kingston and Jericho get in the ring for the save. Kingston and Jericho shove and yell at each other. They get face-to-face as the show comes to a close.

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