AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from January 4
Darby Allin struck out against TNT champion Samoa Joe last month, but he faced The Samoan Submission Machine again in Wednesday night's marquee bout in his home town of Seattle.
Would the face-painted daredevil of All Elite Wrestling be able to upset the dominant champion or did Joe run his win-loss record against Allin to 2-0?
Find out with this recap of a show that also featured a homecoming for Bryan Danielson and a battle between Ricky Starks and Chris Jericho to start the show.
Match Card
1 of 8- TNT Championship: Darby Allin vs. Samoa Joe
- AEW Tag Team Championship: The Acclaimed vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal
- Ricky Starks vs. Chris Jericho
- Bryan Danielson vs. Tony Nese
- AR Fox vs. Swerve Strickland
- Jade Cargill and Red Velvet vs. Kiera Hogan and Skye Blue
- Promos from Jon Moxley and "Hangman" Adam Page
- MJF appearance
Ricky Starks vs. Chris Jericho
2 of 8
Dynamite may have touted a new look Wednesday, but it started off with Chris Jericho stepping through the curtain and the fans in Seattle singing along to "Judas." Very fresh, very new.
The Ocho battled Ricky Starks in the night's opening match, the result of a promo that aired two weeks earlier.
Jericho controlled the pace and appeared to be en route to a win, particularly after interference from Angelo Parker and Matt Menard. Starks proved resilient, though, fighting through all of his opponent's offense before putting him away with a spear.
After the match, the Jericho Appreciation Society hit the ring and beat the victor down. Action Andretti attempted a save, but the heels neutralized him, and Jake Hager drove Starks through a table at ringside to put an exclamation point on things.
This was a great way to kick off the first Seattle episode of Dynamite as the crowd was red-hot for everything and really bought into Absolute as the babyface against an established heel like Jericho.
The action was solid, if unspectacular, and presented Starks as someone who could soldier through everything thrown his way and still score the all-important win.
It was interesting to see the commentary point out Jericho has lost two in a row rather than putting over Starks' win, but that is to be expected at this point as the future Hall of Famer's influence over the show is readily apparent.
Still, the crowd received everything well, treated Starks like a star and even popped huge for Andretti, proving this was a great place to begin a new era of AEW.
Result
Starks pinned Jericho
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- Starks looked big time on the new stage, with his graphics shining bright as he made his entrance for the high-profile bout.
- Starks showed off some great agility, replicating Undertaker's famed old-school rope walk and adding a strut to go along with it.
- Jericho delivered a suplex from the apron to the floor heading into the commercial break.
- Despite outside interference from Angelo Parker and Matt Menard, including a shot to the face with Floyd the Baseball Bat by Parker, The Ocho could not defeat Starks with the Walls of Jericho.
Health Update on 'Hangman' Page
3 of 8
"Hangman" Adam Page joined Tony Schiavone in the squared circle for a special update on his condition.
The former AEW world champion revealed he is not cleared to compete as of this week, but there is still time for one last scan that could see him being able to suit up next week in Los Angeles against Jon Moxley.
Moxley interrupted the proceedings and came face-to-face with his rival. After a momentary microphone outage, he took exception to Page painting himself as a victim for getting knocked out.
Hangman waxed poetically about his foe being threatened or some nonsense and then about lariat clotheslines, before Moxley put an exclamation point on the segment with a warning.
Page was all over the place here and his portion of this did not work. He was outclassed by Moxley, who is on another world right now on the mic even the ones that don't work.
The match is going to be awesome and Page will bring the intensity, but this was not the emphatic statement he needed to bring himself to Moxley's level verbally. It was a disappointment in that regard.
Grade
B
Top Moments
- "Jon, I will knock your d--k in the dirt," Page said in one of the more surreal lines ever uttered on AEW.
- The mic cut out on Moxley twice, prompting frustration from the former world champ.
- "The only joke I think is funny is that you think that next time is going to be any different. Your little punk ass doesn't belong in the ring with me and next week, I'm gonna make sure you don't get back up," Moxley warned his rival.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: The Acclaimed vs. Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal
4 of 8
The Acclaimed defended the AEW World Tag Team Championship against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal in the night's second match.
Max Caster's pre-match rap intensified the dislike between the teams, while the challengers isolated and worked over Anthony Bowens.
A hot tag to Caster sparked a babyface comeback, but the late distraction of Satnam Singh and Sonjay Dutt's ejection allowed Jarrett to deliver The Stroke to Bowens and score the win after Dutt shoved the babyface's foot off the rope.
Aubrey Edwards informed the referee of the chicanery and the match restarted, with Bowens then scoring the win off a rollup on Lethal.
The match was good fun with a slightly overbooked finish that was executed so well that it can be easily forgiven.
Edwards got to shine, much to the delight of the audience, and the right team went over, so the false finish was harmless and drummed up some drama to boot.
Backstage, Britt Baker and AEW world women's champion Jamie Hayter cut a promo on Saraya, her mystery tag team partner and next week's high-profile tag team match.
Result
The Acclaimed defeated Jarrett and Lethal
Grade
B
Top Moments
- Caster delivered a hellish rap, citing Karen Jarrett's recent Twitter drama, Impact Wrestling, Dixie Carter and Andrew Tate.
- Jarrett applied an ankle lock, taunting former rival Kurt Angle and causing Taz to recite the old TNA Wrestling tagline, "cross the line."
- Lethal manipulated the situation and Billy Gunn, who got himself ejected from ringside.
Bryan Danielson vs. Tony Nese
5 of 8
Another hometown hero, Bryan Danielson, made his way to the ring to a thunderous ovation ahead of his match with Tony Nese.
The heel attacked at the opening bell, gaining a sneaky upper hand early. Danielson answered with a barrage of kicks, dodged a running knee strike in the corner and delivered a Busaiku Knee.
A few stomps to the face and the LeBell Lock earned Danielson the win.
After the match, the winner called out MJF. An insult-heavy promo culminated with the world champ telling The American Dragon he has to wrestle every week between now and February 8 and if he did, he would grant him a title shot at Revolution on March 5.
Danielson countered with a stipulation for that title match: a 60-minute Iron Man match. After goading MJF into accepting, The American Dragon promised to kick his head in.
The promo section of this segment went on too long and featured stuff that didn't need to be there. With that said, it recovered nicely to get to the point and featured the typically great stuff from MJF.
The proposed Iron Man match will be absolute fire and the journey there should be a fun one. Hopefully, Danielson can stay healthy enough to get there.
Result
Danielson defeated Nese
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- The crowd's love for Danielson prior to the bell was undeniable, but Nese shut it down with a sudden attack.
- "I'm feeling a little froggy and I'm ready for another fight. MJF, get you're ass out here!"
- "Unlike you, Bryan, I don't get my rocks off by putting my body on the line to entertain these shmucks. I don't care about them at all," MJF said.
- "If Lance Storm and Dean Malenko were somehow able to procreate, their kid would still be more charismatic than you," MJF insulted his top contender.
- "I hit a mom joke, and I'm OK with that, but...I hate you and I think it's time for us to fight," Danielson said.
- "If you can win every week between now until February 8, I'll give you a shot at the Triple B on March 5 at Revolution," MJF said.
AR Fox vs. Swerve Strickland
6 of 8
A rivalry that dates back to Lucha Underground continued as Swerve Strickland, accompanied by Parker Boudreaux and his unnamed tattooed associate, battled AR Fox.
Swerve wrestled control of the bout early and maintained it throughout the picture-in-picture commercial break. That ended with an enzuigiri from Fox. Strickland countered a cutter attempt with a German suplex to regain the upper hand.
Fox would mount a late comeback attempt and delivered a 450 splash but Strickland survived and fought through it, ultimately delivering the killshot double stomp for the win.
The match was very competitive, with unquestionable chemistry between the two. Strickland looked like a star, shining bright especially at the end. Fox was every bit as good and sold his opponent's offense to further put him over.
It accomplished what it set out to and the result was the continued elevation of Strickland.
Backstage, Saraya announced the best wrestler in the world would be her tag team partner, then revealed it will be Toni Storm. The announcement was a major diss to Hikaru Shida, who was seated on the other side of her.
It may not be the announcement expected, but it still feels like Mercedes Moné will make an appearance, perhaps after a vengeful Shida lays out Storm to free up a spot beside Saraya in the tag match against Baker and Hayter.
Result
Strickland defeated Fox
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- Strickland countered a cutter into a German suplex in a badass spot.
- Fox delivered his picture-perfect 450 splash for two.
- Strickland delivered a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron. "There's no way Fox is doing anything else in this match."
Jade Cargill and Red Velvet vs. Kiera Hogan and Skye Blue
7 of 8
Prior to the match, The Gunns cut a promo eulogizing FTR, claiming to have ended the AEW careers of Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. It was a solid bit of mic work that included a nice fake-out teasing the arrival of FTR that never came.
After Red Velvet prevented Jade Cargill from attacking Kiera Hogan on last week's show, she had a chance to prove herself as the two battled Hogan and Skye Blue in tag team action.
Cargill showed off a bit during the commercial break, much to the chagrin of her partner who looked unimpressed on the apron. When she was disrespectfully tagged in by Cargill, Velvet immediately found herself on the defensive.
Cargill again tagged in but when she demanded Velvet finish Hogan off, the Baddie jumped off the apron, leaving the TBS champ to go it alone. She did, defeating Hogan with a pump kick.
The match wasn't pretty and was rather disjointed, even as the effort was clearly there. Red Velvet aligning with Cargill, then immediately taking exception to her and her demands, was an interesting booking decision. It felt very thrown together rather than well thought out.
That Velvet still has not necessarily connected with audiences, and Cargill is uber-over, does not help the story the creative forces are attempting to tell.
Result
Cargill and Velvet defeated Sky and Hogan
Grade
C
Top Moments
- FTR's music interrupted the Gunns, only for the heels to laugh it off, admitting the popular team was not there.
- Cargill demanded Velvet get in the ring and "whup her ass" but the latter refused and walked out on her teammate.
TNT Championship: Darby Allin vs. Samoa Joe
8 of 8
Darby Allin took the fight to TNT champion Samoa Joe before the bell rang, using his skateboard and a ladder to earn himself an early advantage.
A potential knee injury and the ferocity of his opponent put the Seattle native on the defensive, despite the loud support of his hometown fans.
Joe focused his attack on the challenger's knees and cut off everything he attempted. Late, Joe applied the Coquina Clutch, but a defiant Allin fought through it, sent the champion into an exposed turnbuckle and delivered consecutive Coffin Drops for the win.
Confetti fell as Allin knelt in the center of the ring as the new champion. Sting joined his friend, embracing him in a moment that drew a thunderous ovation from the audience.
This was something we don't get from AEW often: a legitimate moment.
The bout was fine, but the post-match events are what elevated the segment. The eruption of the fans, the confetti and the arrival of Sting all helped make this a special moment not just for Allin, but for the company as a whole.
With so much attention being paid to Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson, here was a homegrown star, who has been over with fans since day one, closing out the show on what had been dubbed as a new era of AEW Dynamite.
It was the right call, in the right city and whether you like him or his in-ring style or not, the right guy for the job. It was a feel-good moment and one that can replay in best-of videos for years to come.
Result
Allin defeated Joe to win the TNT Championship
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- Allin embraced Nick Wayne, son of his trainer, Buddy, and independent breakout star. Joe attacked the 17-year-old AEW Futures contracted competitor, sparking Allin's initial fury.
- Allin dived from the top of a ladder on Joe and drove his foot into the entrance ramp, appearing to injure his knee.
- Joe broke up a sleeper by falling back on him, driving the air out of the challenger.
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