AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From Dec. 20
AEW presented its Holiday Bash episode of Dynamite Wednesday night on TBS, with three more matches in the Continental Classic Gold League and the latest in the saga of MJF.
On the heels of a controversial victory over Swerve Strickland last week, Jon Moxley sought to take an overwhelming lead in the Gold League as he battled "Switchblade" Jay White. Did the most decorated star in AEW history score another victory or was White able to stunt his momentum and create some doubt about a Moxley runaway on this side of the bracket?
Find out with this recap of the December 20 broadcast.
Match Card
1 of 8Matches announced in advance of Wednesday's show were:
- Continental Classic Gold League: Jon Moxley vs. "Switchblade" Jay White
- Continental Classic Gold League: Swerve Strickland vs. Rush
- Continental Classic Gold League: Mark Briscoe vs. Jay Lethal
- Komander vs. Roderick Strong
- Riho vs. Saraya
- MJF and Samoa Joe promo
Continental Classic Gold League: Swerve Strickland vs. Rush
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Swerve Strickland upped his point total in the Continental Classic Gold League, defeating Rush in the night's opener.
El Toro Blanco continued to highlight his aggression and tenacity, a trademark of his in-ring performance throughout the tournament, while the reaction to Strickland sold the shoulder injury that has been a staple of his matches since Full Gear.
A great opener to the show, it featured strong in-ring action from two of the hottest competitors on the roster and set Strickland on a collision course with at least Jon Moxley, with the potential for Jay White to tie the two of them at 12 points by night's end.
Result
Strickland defeated Rush
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- The pop for Strickland and reaction to his entrance was that of a star. Tony Khan did the right thing kicking off the show with the hottest, freshest competitor on his show.
- The use of Rush has been spectacular. He is a great, badass pro wrestler who does not need pomp and circumstance. His ring work makes him a star.
Continental Classic Gold League Match: Mark Briscoe vs. Jay Lethal
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Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal have been partners and opponents so often throughout their careers as staples of Ring of Honor that they probably could have a quality match with their eyes closed.
Luckily, they did not have to stoop that Wednesday night, despite being the two stars in this Continental Classic Gold League to not have won a single match before their showdown.
A good, competitive match saw Briscoe throw caution to the air at one point and sail over the top rope onto his opponent. Lethal weathered that burst but ultimately succumbed to the J-Driller as Briscoe earned the victory.
Even with the idea that Lethal is wrestling with the idea of splitting from Jeff and Karen Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh, it is disappointing that he ended the tournament shutout of points.
Result
Briscoe defeated Lethal
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Before the match, Chris Jericho sent well wishes to Golden Jets tag team partner Kenny Omega, who will miss an undisclosed amount of time following a bout with diverticulitis.
- Excalibur did his best to put over the individual stories of Briscoe and Lethal, but it is incredibly difficult to convince fans to care about a match when it is preceded by "both men are mathematically eliminated" and the revelation that neither man has won a match in the tournament.
- The idea that Briscoe didn't harp on the importance of the tournament because he still considers this his rookie year as a singles competitor is about as bad an explanation as there is. First, the tournament doesn't matter. Second, how did a guy in his rookie year as a singles star make the field in the first place?
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Samoa Joe Called Out MJF
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With tensions mounting and distrust running rampant, MJF and Samoa Joe found themselves hurling accusations during an in-ring promo before the masked minions of The Devil surrounded the squared circle.
A cryptic message aired, asking MJF if he would defend the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship with Joe next week. The Salt of the Earth agreed and Joe doubled down as the segment came to an end.
Unlike some in this feud, this segment felt like a placeholder in that it did not advance the story and in reality, only served to set up a match that was advertised for last week's show but switched at the last second.
Hopefully, this Devil nonsense ends sooner rather than later because the narrative has been lost and the intrigue as to who is behind the mask is nowhere near as great as it was even a month ago at this time.
Grade
C
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Joe expressed skepticism that MJF was attacked last week, especially since there were no cameras to catch the beatdown.
- The crowd's "No Show Joe" chant was fun, especially when MJF picked up on it and used it in the promo. Organic moments like that are always a good time.
Riho vs. Saraya
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Riho defeated Saraya Wednesday night to earn an AEW Women's World Championship opportunity against "Timeless" Toni Storm at World's End.
The match was inoffensive, with good effort along the way, even if the two did not click on a few occasions. Saraya brought some solid physicality, Riho was her typically solid self, and the right competitor went over.
The post-match activities, which saw Storm interrupt the victor's celebration, and Mariah May blast Riho with the title belt, should add some heat to the feud but the No. 1 contender has next to no shot at winning the gold, hurting any drama or real intrigue surrounding the PPV showdown.
That is an indictment on the current state of the women's division.
An indictment on the overall state of it in 2023, really.
Result
Riho defeated Saraya
Grade
C+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Storm throwing to the commercial, and Excalibur claiming "she stole my bit," was a nice back-and-forth that brought some added levity to the segment.
- The Northern Lights suplex by Riho was dangerously close to landing Saraya on her head and neck, making for a breathtaking spot for the wrong reasons.
- Ruby Soho watched from the backstage area, with Excalibur teasing a smile that would seem to suggest she was pleased with her Outcast partner losing.
- Storm plus opera glasses equals hilarity.
Komander vs. Roderick Strong
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Roderick Strong continued his crusade to convince Samoa Joe and those around him that MJF is, indeed, The Devil.
Before that, he battled Komander in a strong match that saw the masked babyface throw everything he had at the experienced, former Ring of Honor world champion, including the aerial arsenal that sets him apart from his peers.
Strong negated it, though, and delivered End of Heartache for the win.
Strong's determination to direct suspicion toward MJF suggests he has something to hide or simply wants to soil the reputation of the world's champion. Considering how integral a part he has played in the story involving the champ and his best friend, Adam Cole, the first option appears most likely.
Result
Strong defeated Komander
Grade
B
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Backstage, MJF confronted Swerve Strickland. A tense exchange of words included MJF claiming Swerve is not on his level and Strickland responded, telling the world champion, "While you were failing tryouts, I was signing contracts." MJF questioned whether Strickland was The Devil.
- Taz's analysis of Strong's mustache is the type of hard-hitting commentary this writer tunes in for.
- Strong and The Kingdom distributed "MJF is The Devil" signs after the match.
Continental Classic Gold League: Jon Moxley vs. "Switchblade" Jay White
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"Switchblade" Jay White ensured his involvement in the conclusion of the Continental Classic Gold League by defeating Jon Moxley in a hotly contested main event.
The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion capitalized on a hobbled opponent, targeting Moxley's injured left knee before stunning him with a Blade Runner that put him down just long enough to score the win.
The outcome sets up a three-way match between White, Moxley, and Swerve Strickland on next week's show for the right to compete against the winner of the Blue League at World's End.
A post-match attack on Moxley's knee by White created doubt about his ability to be 100 percent in one of the biggest matches of the year.
Result
White defeated Moxley
Grade
B+
Top Moments and Takeaways
- Jim Ross returned to the announce position Wednesday and, while it was nice to have him back, comparing Moxley to Mid-South legends like Steve Williams and Butch Reed probably was certainly a choice.
- Moxley continued to sell the left leg, which had plagued him over the last week or two.
- Beating Moxley with the Blade Runner may be the biggest win of White's AEW run to this point. Few beat Mox clean so when they do, it means more.
Overall Grade
8 of 8
Wednesday's show did what many of the recent episodes of Dynamite have: advanced the Continental Classic tournament, did the bare minimum in the women's division, and focused heavily on the MJF world title scene.
The wrestling was good to excellent, there was very little of note that went on between Riho and Toni Storm that would notably spark interest in their upcoming match, and the stuff with MJF and Samoa Joe felt more like a placeholder than a segment of significance.
With that said, the continued elevation of Swerve Strickland and his confrontation with MJF was fantastic and teased a potential big-money match down the road for the two of them.
This feels like a show that is getting back to its roots but it is becoming abundantly clear that there are not many creative irons in the fire for several stars beyond the tournament setup. That will have to change.
For now, though, the shows are easy to watch with some great wrestling, making it an easy thumbs up.
Grade: B
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