AEW Dynamite Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From Dec. 24

The Continental Classic continued Wednesday night on TBS and HBO Max as part of a special "Dynamite on 34th Street" broadcast of AEW's flagship show.

What happened when Orange Cassidy battled Konosuke Takeshita, Roderick Strong squared off against Máscara Dorada, and "Jungle" Jack Perry faced The Death Riders' Pac in tournament action, MJF returned to the squared circle, and women's champion Kris Statlander came face-to-face with Jamie Hayter.

Find out with this recap of Wedneday's broadcast from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City.

Lineup

Announced in advance of the Christmas Eve broadcast were:

Continental Classic Blue League Match: Orange Cassidy (6 points) vs. Konosuke Takeshita (7 points)

Continental Classic Blue League Match: Roderick Strong (0 points) vs. Mascara Dorado (3 points)

Continental Classic Gold League Match: Jack Perry (3 points) vs. PAC (6 points)

Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter face-to-face interview

Dynamite Diamond Ring Final: Bandido vs. Ricochet

MJF in action

Mina Shirakawa vs. Marina Shafir

Continental Classic Blue League Match: Orange Cassidy vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Continental Classic Stats: Cassidy (2-1, 7 points); Takeshita (2-0-1, 7 points)

Two of the highest-ranked competitors in the Continental Classic Blue League squared off in the opening match of Wednesday's show.

Cassidy started hot, nearly stealing an early win, but The Alpha settled down and seized control by utilizing his size and strength advantage. The elusive Freshly Squeezed, though, wormed his way free of his opponent's grip and caught Takeshita with a tornado DDT.

As the babyface mounted an offensive, the heel cut him off with a Blue Thunder Bomb to regain control heading into the commercial break.

Back from the timeout, Cassidy countered the Raging Fire from the ropes into a Stundog Millionaire. AEW's resident slacker caught Takeshita with a nasty kick and a DDT, but the heel obliterated him with a running knee.

The combatants exchanged blows, neither able to keep the other down.

Later, Cassidy rocked Takeshita with an Orange Punch, knocking him into the stands. With the potential for a countout defeat staring him in the face, the heel barely made it back into the ring, where he was immediately met by a Cassidy roll-up. Pins and reversals ensued before Takeshita finally downed his opponent and scored the pinfall victory.

As a result, Takeshita took the lead in the Blue League with a score of 10, cashing his ticket to the group final.

Result

Takeshita defeated Cassidy

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

Bryan Danielson put over the physical toll the G1 in New Japan Pro-Wrestling takes on the body while simultaneously putting Takeshita over for enduring it and remaining the only unbeaten competitor in this year's Continental Classic.

Cassidy has always thrived as the outmatched wrestler who manages to frustrate and enrage his opponents with his persistence and his ability to deliver that one strike that puts them in jeopardy of defeat. That was the case here as he absorbed everything Takeshita had, nearly upset him on more than one occasion, but ultimately succumbed to the better wrestler. A really strong match to kick off the night's in-ring action.

Gabe Kidd issued a challenge to Darby Allin for a match at World's End.

Continental Classic Blue League Match: Roderick Strong vs. Máscara Dorada

Continental Classic Stats: Strong (0-3, 0 points); Dorada (1-2, 3 points)

Eliminated from contention in this year's tournament, Strong entered the squared circle with nothing to fight for but his pride as he squared off with CMLL World Trios and World Historic Welterweight champion, Máscara Dorada.

Looking to offset his opponent's lucha style, The Messiah of the Backbreaker grounded him, then slammed him back-first onto the ring apron entering the commercial break.

Dorada recovered nicely, delivering a Swanton Bomb. Strong recovered and stunned his opponent with a Sick Kick as the action intensified. Dorada escaped End of Heartbreak, rocked his opponent with a short kick, and finished him off with the Shooting Star Press for the win.

Dorado earned three points by way of his win, pushing his total to six and bringing the field closer together.

Result

Dorada defeated Strong

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

The match was perfectly fine, featuring two accomplished in-ring talents, but the it lacked the drama and excitement of the opener. Such was destined to be the case considering the lack of stakes for Strong. That the chemistry was not as strong as Cassidy and Takeshita's did not help matters.

Jamie Hayter and Kris Statlander Face-to-Face

Ahead of their match for the AEW Women's World Championship at World's End, Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter came face-to-face for a verbal exchange on the entrance stage.

Statlander said she is transforming every day to be the best champion she can be but the last time she squared off with Hayter, it felt all too familiar.

The challenger claimed she had plenty to say but attempted to throw a lariat clothesline, warning Statlander that the last time she hit her with it, the champion did not get back up.

The two were pulled apart to close the segment, with Hayter getting the last word.

Grade

C

Top Moments and Takeaways

Statlander and Hayter are talented pro wrestlers capable of stealing the show out from underneath anyone on the card. With that said, one is a stronger talker than the other and it showed here, with the later shining while the champion's struggles to connect with the audience continuing.

MJF In Action

Last Time in Action: MJF lost to Mark Briscoe (AEW All Out, August 20)

MJF returned to the squared circle Wednesday night, steamrolling Dustin Waller in a squash match that was not competitive for even a moment.

After the match, he attempted to cut a promo on the upcoming four-way match for the AEW World Championship but Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland interrupted, appearing in the crowd.

Page told The Salt of the Earth to cut the same bottom-of-the-barrel promo that he always does, claiming he was sure the casting directors for the movies he wants to be in would love to hear it.

As Hangman and Strickland made their way to the ring, steel chains in hand, Powerhouse Hobbs sent members of the OPPS Dojo to the ring.

They were put down by the challengers in the pay-per-view main event before world champion Samoa Joe appeared on the video screen and vowed to come for each of his challengers, one by one, and that their championship aspirations end at World's End.

MJF tried a sneak attack but Page and Strickland stopped him. As Hangman choked him, Swerve tore him up on the mic, telling the resident scumbag that he is above him because he makes everyone better, rattling off The Pinnacle, Wardlow, and Jay White as examples of wrestlers who have been worse off for being associated with him.

Result

MJF defeated Waller

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

This did not work. The New York crowd was red-hot for MJF, but everything that came after the match felt out of place. The crowd did not want to see their hometown guy beaten down and humbled, and it showed in their reaction to the segment. Sure, Strickland and Page needed to have a response, but this would have worked better as a straight beatdown instead of the awkwardly set-up promo that it was.

Dynamite Diamond Ring Match: Bandido vs. Ricochet

Last Time in Action: Bandido and Ricochet were co-winners in the Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royal (Dynamite, December 17)

The Ring of Honor World champion, Bandido, battled AEW National champion, Ricochet, for the Dynamite Diamond Ring. It was the first time since the prize's introduction that MJF was not involved.

Bandido flexed his power advantage early and often, gorilla press slamming Ricochet to the floor ahead of the break. Back from the commercial, he blocked an attempted Three Amigos, powering The One and Only over with a suplex to the floor.

Later, Ricochet hoisted his opponent into a fireman's carry but Bandido countered and delivered a poison rana. The heel avoided the frog splash but the ROH champion turned him inside out with a heel kick.

Bandido tried for the 21 Gun Plex, but Bishop Kaun held onto the heel while Toa Liona distracted referee Aubrey Edwards, preventing the finish. A low blow by Ricochet threatened to end the match controversially, but the luchador recovered and rolled his opponent up for the win.

A post-match beatdown from The Demand was thwarted by Brody King, who rushed to his partner's aid.

Result

Bandido defeated Ricochet to win the ring

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeways

This match was different from what was expected in that there was not an abundance of high-flying offense, but, instead, good, solid, physical wrestling. The chemistry was strong and the only negative was the commercial break that ate up a portion of the match.

The post-match save by King suggests that a rivalry with The Demand could be on the horizon. Given the talent involved, that may not be a bad thing.

Mina Shirakawa vs. Marina Shafir

Last Time in Action: Mina Shirakawa, Toni Storm, Harley Cameron, and Willow Nightingale lost to Marina Shafir, Megan Bayne, Athena, and Mercedes Mone (Dynamite, December 17)

Shirakawa controlled early, simply out-wrestling her opponent and keeping her from utilizing her strength, size, and striking advantage entering the break.

Back from the commercial, she continued her offensive by applying the Figure Four. Instead of tapping, she damaged Shirakawa's hand, then applied Mother's Milk for the quick submission victory.

After the match, she reapplied the hold until "Timless" Toni Storm made the save. A single kick by Shafir, though, dropped Storm onto her own partner, allowing the enforcer of The Death Riders to exit to a chorus of boos.

Result

Shafir defeated Shirakawa via submission

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

This was the perfect use of Shafir. The match was not necessarily pretty, but it did not have to be. Shafir was positioned as an absolute destroyer who can strike at any moment and defeat anyone. She tapped out Shirakawa in seconds, then dropped a three-time women's champ with a single kick. She looked like a complete badass and, assuming that was the plan, this was effective.

Continental Classic Gold League Match: "Jungle" Jack Perry vs. PAC

Continental Classic Stats: Perry (1-2, 3 points); PAC (2-1, 6 points)

Looking to separate himself in the five-way tie for first place in the Gold League, PAC squared off with Jack Perry in the main event of Wednesday's show. Early on, The Bastard found himself frustrated as the artist formerly known as Jungle Boy out-wrestled him.

The Brit gained control, though, and dominated throughout the commercial break.

Later in the match, though, Perry fired up and mounted a comeback, only to have his momentum cut off by a boot to the face and an overhead suplex that sent Perry into the corner.

Later, Perry rocked PAC with a knee but his lackadaisical cover opened him up to the Brutalizer as the heel looked for the submission. Instead, Perry fought through it. He ate a nasty lariat but countered a Brutalizer by biting PAC's fingers. One last counter into a roll-up earned Perry a crucial victory and tied the score in the Gold League at six points for all six competitors.

Result

Perry defeated PAC

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

This was a ton of fun, with Perry overcoming a bum ankle to best a better wrestler than him and ensure a six-way tie in the tournament. PAC is as good as they come in AEW and the former Scapegoat has been a man possessed of late, with some of his best in-ring work in years. The outcome sets up a big episode of Christmas Collision Thursday night, where every Gold League match-up carries major stakes.

Overall Grade

For a show taking place on Christmas Eve, typically a time of throw-away programming, this was a fun show with some strong in-ring action and meaningful Continental Classic contests.

Perry vs. PAC and Cassidy vs. Takeshita stole the show but the booking of Shafir was excellent, and Bandido vs. Ricochet delivered.

There were a few hiccups, like an AEW world title match promo segment that fell flat and a Dorada vs. Strong match that was merely good on a night of much better, but this was an enjoyable spring of a show that set up what looks to be an even better night of action Thursday as part of Christmas Collision.

Grade: B