1/4/23 AEW Dynamite Recap

The new opening credits roll, and the new era of Dynamite kicks off from Seattle, Washington with Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone on commentary.

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Match #1 – Singles Match: Chris Jericho (w/Angelo Parker and Matt Menard) vs. Ricky Starks
They lock up and Jericho drops Starks immediately. Starks comes back with a headlock, but Jericho sends him off the ropes. Starks drops Jericho with a shoulder tackle, and then backs him into the corner with right hands. Jericho rolls to the floor, but Starks follows and delivers a few chops. Starks slams Jericho into the ring steps and sends him back into the ring. Jericho delivers a shot and takes Starks to the corner. Jericho delivers a few chops and follows with corner clotheslines. Jericho shoves referee Aubrey Edwards as she tries to get him out of the corner, but Starks comes back with a few shots and then clubs the head of Jericho from the top rope. Starks slams Jericho down and goes for the cover, but Jericho kicks out. Starks delivers a few kicks and chops and runs the ropes, but Menard trips him up. Jericho clotheslines Starks to the apron and charges at him, but Starks cuts him off and brings Jericho to the apron. Starks goes for a suplex, but Jericho grinds his fingernails into Starks’ back. Jericho pokes Starks in the eye and slams him down to the floor. Parker and Menard get in Starks’ face as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Jericho stands on Starks’ chest for the cover, but Starks kicks out. Jericho chops Starks down in the corner and sends him across. Starks comes back with a flying clothesline and delivers a few shots to Jericho. Starks goes for the Rochambeau, but Jericho gets free and backs Starks into the corner with elbow strikes. Starks comes back with a Liger Bomb and goes for the cover, but Jericho kicks out. Jericho comes back, takes Starks down, and then goes for the Lionsault. Starks gets his knee up to block and goes to the middle rope. Starks moonsaults, but Jericho dodges and Starks tweaks his knee. Jericho goes for the Codebreaker, but Starks counters and slams him down. Starks goes for the cover, but Jericho kicks out. Starks goes for a splash in the corner, but Jericho dodges and delivers the Codebreaker. Jericho goes for the Judas Effect, but Starks counters and goes for the Rochambeau. Jericho counters out and locks in the Walls of Jericho and Parker gets into the ring as Starks crawls toward the ropes. Menard hits Starks in the face with the baseball bat, but his arm only drops twice when the referee checks on him.
Starks turns over and delivers right hands and an up-kick to Jericho. Starks rolls Jericho up for a two count, and then drops him with a spinning DDT. Starks delivers right hands to Menard and Parker and drops Jericho with a Spear for the pin fall.
Winner: Ricky Starks
-After the match, the rest of The Jericho Appreciation Society rushes the ring and beats down Starks. Action Andretti comes to the ring with a chair and lays everyone out with it. Anna Jay and Tay Melo get in the ring and steal the chair and deliver a low-blow to him. The Society comes back in the ring and beats Andretti and Starks down even more. Jericho picks up the chair as Menard and Parker set up a table on the floor. Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia give Starks to Jake Hager, who power bombs him through the table from the apron.

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Tony Schiavone is in the ring, and he introduces Hangman Adam Page. Schiavone asks for an update on Page’s condition. Page says there is nothing that he wanted more than to come out and tell everyone that he is good to go, but he is still not medically cleared to compete. Page says he is told over and over that every time he gets physical it sets him back week after week, and that’s not what he wants. Page says if he gets a red-eye flight tonight and gets one more scan that shows he is good, he will be cleared for next week. Page says if he gets cleared, he will enjoy nothing more than fighting Jon Moxley and knocking his dick in the dirt. Moxley’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Moxley says he is surprised that Page even made it tonight and is sick of the on-going candlelight vigil for Page. Moxley says no one has sacrificed more for the business than he is, and it makes him sick to see Page playing the victim because he got knocked out. Page says he has been knocked out more times than he can count and he isn’t mad at Moxley for it, but he is angry that Moxley called him out and made a joke about it. Page says he wasn’t out for revenge initially, but he is now. Page says if anything knows about brutality, it’s him, and he has two in the chamber with Moxley’s name on them. Moxley says the only joke he thinks is funny is that Page thinks next time will be any different. Moxley says Page doesn’t belong in the ring with him and he will make sure he doesn’t get back up next time.

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The video preview for tonight’s main event between Darby Allin and Samoa Joe airs.

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Match #2 – AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) (w/Daddy Ass Billy Gunn) (c) vs. Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett (w/Satnam Singh and Sonjay Dutt)
Bowens and Jarrett start the match. Jarrett slaps Caster in the face in the corner, but Bowens takes Jarrett to the corner and delivers a few chops. Jarrett comes back with a back elbow and tags in Lethal. Lethal delivers a few shots to Bowens, but Bowens comes back with a kick to the chest and a guillotine leg drop. Caster tags in and applies an ankle lock to Lethal. Caster delivers a scoop slam and then Bowens delivers Scissor Me Timbers. The Acclaimed go to scissor, but Jarrett gets in the middle and flips them both off. Bowens delivers Scissor Me Timbers to Jarrett, as well, and then The Acclaimed and Gunn scissor in the ring. Lethal slides to the outside and slams Gunn in the face, and then Gunn goes after him and gets ejected from ring side as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Lethal slaps Bowens down and goes up top. Bowens dodges Lethal as he comes down and Jarrett tags in. Bowens and Jarrett exchange shots, and then Bowens slams Jarrett down. Caster and Lethal tag in and Caster delivers back elbows to Lethal and Jarrett. Caster back drops Lethal and delivers a back hand to Jarrett. Caster slams Jarrett down and dives onto Lethal on the floor. Caster drops Jarrett with a diving cross-body and goes for the cover, but Jarrett kicks out. Caster delivers right hands, but Lethal breaks it up. Caster delivers a dropkick to Lethal and tags in Bowens. Caster goes up top, but Jarrett shoves him to the floor. Lethal and Jarrett double-team Bowens and slam him down. Lethal goes for the cover, but Bowens kicks out. Lethal locks in the Figure Four, and Jarrett slams Caster into the ring steps. Singh and Dutt try to get involved, but they are ejected from ringside. All of the referees rush to ringside to get them away, and then Jarrett drops Bowens with the Stroke and gets the pin fall as Dutt gets by the referees and shoves Bowens’ foot off the ropes.
Referee Aubrey Edwards gets into the ring and tells referee Stephan Smith what happens and the match gets restarted. Bowens delivers a right hand to Jarrett and then Caster helps Bowens roll up Lethal for the pin fall.
Winners and still AEW World Tag Team Champions: The Acclaimed

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Tony Schiavone interviews Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Jamie Hayter. Baker says Saraya doesn’t understand what AEW is about and what it means to them, the fans, or their families. Hayter says they are AEW originals and Saraya will never get it. Baker says she and Hayter both worked their way from the bottom to the top of the women’s division and wonders why Saraya hasn’t made a decision on who her partner is for next week when she is surrounded by great professional wrestlers. Baker says this is the boss of the women’s division and hypes up Hayter as the champion.

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Jack Perry cuts a promo. He says he wasn’t sure that there was anyone he could count on, but he spoke to soon. He challenges Big Ball, Lee Moriarty, and Stokely Hathaway to meet he and Hook next week.

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Match #3 – Singles Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Tony Nese (w/Josh Woods and Smart Mark Sterling)
Nese delivers a shot to Danielson after a distraction from Woods and takes him down. Nese goes for the cover, but Danielson kicks out. Nese delivers a series of right hands, but Danielson comes back with a series of kicks and drops Nese with an elbow strike. Danielson kicks Nese in the chest repeatedly, but Nese blocks the one to his head and slams Danielson into the turnbuckle. Nese goes for Running Nese, but Danielson dodges and delivers the running knee strike. Danielson stomps on Nese’s head a few times and locks in the submission, but Nese was already out.
Winner: Bryan Danielson
-After the match, Danielson says he is feeling froggy and wants another fight, and then he calls out MJF. MJF says he isn’t going to get into the ring because he doesn’t get off by performing for the schmucks. MJF says he gets paid whether he wrestles or not, and that makes him a special attraction. He says just because Danielson looks like a goat, it doesn’t make him the greatest of all time. MJF insults Danielson’s mother and the women of Washington, and then Danielson makes fun of MJF’s mom and basically calls her a whore. MJF gets mad and tells Danielson he is delusional. MJF says Danielson isn’t the best wrestler in the world, because he is. MJF says he is touted as being the best in the world by people who have actually been in the business, unlike Bryan, who has been touted as the best by guys who have never left their basement. MJF brings up Disco Inferno, Eric Bischoff, and Jim Cornette as the guys who have called him the best, and Danielson tells him to shut up. Danielson says he hates MJF and it is time for them to fight. Danielson goes to leave the ring, but MJF tells him to hold on and says he is here as a favor for Danielson. MJF says if Danielson wants a shot at the title, he has to become number one contender first. MJF says he talked to Tony Khan and says Danielson has to wrestle on Dynamite every week from now through February 8th, and if he wins all of them he gets a title match at Revolution on March 5th. Danielson says no, and then says he will just wrestle whenever he wants and become number one contender anyway. MJF says no, because he runs the company and Danielson will do things his way or he won’t get a title shot. Danielson says he will agree to MJF’s stipulation if he gets to pick the stipulation for the match at Revolution. MJF calls him a moron for letting him cheat in front of the referee and then tells Danielson to pick any stipulation he wants. Danielson says he wants MJF in a one-hour Ironman Match at Revolution. MJF accepts and says everyone will see that Danielson is a choke artist, and then Danielson says he will run through everyone MJF puts in front of him and then will expose him at Revolution.

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A video package airs for the feud between Kip Sabian and Orange Cassidy. Cassidy will defend the AEW All-Atlantic Championship this Friday on Battle of the Belts V.

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Match #4 – Singles Match: AR Fox vs. Swerve Strickland (w/Parker Boudreaux and Mogul #2)
Fox delivers a quick shot and sends Strickland to the apron. Fox goes after him, but Strickland flips to the floor as Fox flips onto the apron. Strickland gets Fox back into the ring, but sends him to the apron. Strickland goes for a dive, but Fox flips onto the floor as Strickland flips to the floor and lands on his feet. The Moguls stand behind Strickland, but Fox dives onto Strickland and sends him back into the ring. Fox delivers a corkscrew brain buster and goes for the cover, but Strickland kicks out. Fox delivers a corner clothesline, but Mogul #2 delivers a shot to Fox in the corner. Strickland kicks Fox in the face on the floor as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Strickland is in control in the ring. Strickland delivers right hands, but Fox backs him into the corner. They exchange kicks the midsection and the head, and then Fox delivers an enzuigiri. Fox delivers a back elbow in the corner, but Strickland comes back with a suplex out of the corner. Strickland delivers a Flatliner and goes for the cover, but Fox kicks out. Strickland puts Fox up top, but Fox delivers a few elbows. Fox drops down and drops Strickland with a low cutter. Fox kicks Strickland in the face in the corner and drops him with another cutter. Fox hits the 450 splash and goes for the cover, but Strickland kicks out. Fox puts Stricklan up top, but Mogul #2 distracts referee Rick Knox and Boudreaux hands something to Strickland. Strickland hits Fox with it and drops him with a Death Valley Driver from the top to the floor. Strickland gets Fox back into the ring and hits the Swerve Stomp for the pin fall.
Winner: Swerve Strickland

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Renee Paquette is backstage with Saraya, Hikaru Shida, and Toni Storm. Saraya says Baker is trying to gatekeep the women’s division, and Storm says they screwed her out of the title and broke her face. Paquette asks Saraya about her partner for next week, and Saraya says the best female roster and matches are in AEW and she picks Storm as her partner for next week. Shida looks confused at the announcement as Sarata and Storm talk about the match.

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The Gunns come to the ring to host the funeral for FTR. Austin says they are here to pay their respects to FTR’s legacy, and Colten says FTR had a hell of a year in 2022. They read mocking statements about FTR and say they destroyed FTR’s legacy in ten minutes. They hold a moment of silence for FTR’s legacy, and then FTR’s music hits. It’s a ruse by The Gunns and Austin says FTR will never wrestle for AEW again. Colten says they are the best young tag team in the business, and “Top Gunns out.”

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The video preview for Match 7 in the Best-of-7 Series for the AEW World Trios Championship airs. It will take place next week, and will be Escalera De La Muerte.

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Match #5 – Tag Team Match: Jade Cargill and Red Velvet (w/Leila Grey) vs. Kiera Hogan and Skye Blue
Velvet and Blue start the match with a lock up. Velvet sends Blue to the ropes, but Blue holds on to dodge a dropkick. They exchange roll-ups for two counts and then Blue delivers a running knee strike. Hogan tags in and delivers a hip attack on the ropes. Hogan delivers a leaping leg drop to Velvet’s neck and goes for the cover, but Velvet kicks out. Blue tags back in and drops Velvet with a pile-driver. Blue goes for the cover, but Velvet kicks out. Blue backs Velvet into the corner, but Cargill tags in and delivers a shot to Blue as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Cargill slams Hogan with Eye of the Storm. Cargill goes for the cover, but Hogan kicks out. Cargill sets up for Jaded and then mouths at Velvet. Cargill taps Velvet on the head to tag her in, but Hogan takes Velvet down with a quick shot and sends her to the corner. Hogan delivers the sliding kick and goes for the cover, but Velvet kicks out. Hogan delivers a snap suplex, but Cargill tags in. Cargill drops Hogan with a kick, and then kicks Blue off the apron. Cargill chokeslams Hogan and gets in Velvet’s face. Velvet drops off the apron instead of tagging in, and Hogan gets a roll-up for a two count. Cargill delivers a pump kick to Hogan and gets the pin fall.
Winners: Jade Cargill and Red Velvet

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Renee Paquette interviews Lethal, Jarrett, Singh, and Dutt backstage. There will be a rematch this Friday at Battle of the Belts, and it will be No Holds Barred.

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Announced for this Friday’s Rampage:
-Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley vs. Top Flight
-Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Jamie Hayter vs. The Renegade Twins
-Preston Vance in action
-House of Black will speak

Announced for this Friday’s Battle of the Belts V:
-AEW World Tag Team Championship – No Holds Barred Match: The Acclaimed (c) vs. Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett
-AEW TBS Championship Match: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Skye Blue
-AEW All-Atlantic Championship Match: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Kip Sabian

Announced for next Wednesday’s Dynamite:
-AEW World Trios Championship – Escalera De La Muerte Match 7 in a Best-of-7 Series: Death Triangle (c) vs. The Elite
-Big Bill and Lee Moriarty vs. Hook and Jack Perry
-Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. and Jamie Hayter vs. Saraya and Toni Storm
-Adam Page vs. Jon Moxley
-Bryan Danielson vs. Konosuke Takeshita

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Match #6 – AEW TNT Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Darby Allin
Before the match, Darby Allin hugs Nick Wayne at ringside, but then Joe chokes Wayne during his entrance. Allin goes after Joe before the bell rings and hits him with his skateboard. Allin performs an ollie with the board onto Joe’s back and then grabs a ladder and sets it up on the stage. Allin climbs up and takes Joe out with a senton. Allin drags Joe to the ring and the bell rings. Allin dropkicks Joe into the corner, and Joe rolls to the floor. Allin goes after him and kicks him in the face. Allin comes off the apron, but Joe catches him and slams him into the ring steps as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Joe is in control in the ring. Joe delivers a few kicks to Allin’s chest and delivers a senton. Joe works over Allin’s ankle and trips him up with a flipping leg sweep. Allin fights back with body shots and comes off the ropes, but Joe catches him and delivers a double knee breaker. Joe delivers another shot to Allin and goes for the cover, but Allin kicks out. Joe delivers shots to Allin and takes him to the corner. Joe goes for the Muscle Buster, but Allin gets free. Allin pulls Joe out of the corner and the top turnbuckle pad comes off. Allin gets a roll-up for two, and then Joe turns it into a choke. Allin gets Joe’s shoulders down and Joe has to release the hold to kick out. Joe applies a rear choke, but Allin sends him into the exposed turnbuckle. Allin delivers Code Red and hits the Coffin Drop to Joe’s back. Allin hits another Coffin Drop and gets the pin fall.
Winner and new AEW TNT Champion: Darby Allin
-After the match, Sting comes to the ring and celebrates with Allin.