AEW Dynamite aired live on TBS from the the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. CM Punk squared off against Wardlow and Sammy Guevara defended the Interim TNT Championship against Daniel Garcia.
Dynamite Results
- CM Punk def. Wardlow
- Dante Martin def. Powerhouse Hobbs
- Serena Deeb def. Hikaru Shida
- The Acclaimed def. Bear Country
- Sammy Guevara def. Daniel Garcia to retain the interim TNT Title
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Britt Baker Aligns With The Elite
Adam Cole kicked off this week’s Dynamite and made his way to the ring with Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish. Cole stated that 2022 is going to be an even better year for the three of them. Cole said he is undefeated in singles competition and that the boys are back together. Adam added that it is a new era here in AEW and was interrupted by Young Bucks.
Matt boasted about kicking COVID’s ass in a couple days and thanked them for the invite to the ring. Kyle got annoyed and shouted that nobody invited Matt & Nick. to the ring. Matt told Kyle and Bobby that this is their company and they are the longest reigning AEW Tag Team Champions in history. Matt added that their new year’s resolution is to get their belts back. Cole grabbed the microphone away and suggested that they need a little friendly competition. Adam claimed that they were the best faction in AEW and mocked Best Friends.
In some incredible timing, Best Friend’s music immediately hit and they made their way to the ring. Cole asked for their stupid music to be cut off and Cole wondered what Orange Cassidy could possibly have to say. A brawl broke out and Adam Cole hit Orange Cassidy with a low blow. Kris Statlander then rushed into the ring and AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker joined the party. Baker hit Statlander with a Stomp and Cole delivered the Last Shot to Cassidy. Cole asked for a smooch from Young Bucks but kissed Britt Baker instead.
CM Punk Escaped With A Win, Tension Between Wardlow & MJF Continues To Build
Wardlow battled CM Punk in the first match on Dynamite. MJF accompanied Wardlow to the ring for the match. Punk didn’t take his eyes off MJF while he was posing on the ring apron. CM rolled out of the ring right away and tried to go after MJF. Wardlow got in the way and Punk got back in the ring.
Wardlow hopped on the apron and got back into the ring. Wardlow flexed in front of Punk before the two locked up. Punk got Wardlow in a headlock but he escaped and hit a shoulder tackle. The two locked up again and Wardlow drove Punk to the corner of the ring. Punk unloaded some chops but Wardlow put a stop to it with a boot to the midsection. Wardlow then stomped on Punk’s lower back and continued to beat him down as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Wardlow was still in control and MJF had a big smile on his face. Punk went for a couple Clotheslines but couldn’t knock the big man down. Punk hit a springboard Clothesline and finally knocked Wardlow down. CM hit Wardlow with a knee to the face in the corner and took some time to chat with the crowd. It backfired and Wardlow slammed him to the mat with a Powerbomb. Wardlow hit another Powerbomb and then a third. Wardlow hit two more Powerbombs and went for the cover but MJF hopped on the ring apron.
MJF told Wardlow he wanted more and Wardlow hit a sixth Powerbomb. Wardlow hit a 7th Powerbomb and Punk was laid out on the mat. MJF taunted the crowd as Punk rolled to the ring apron. MJF asked Wardlow to slam Punk through the table. Wardlow obliged and delivered an 8th Powerbomb through a table. Referee Aubrey Edwards began counting as MJF dared him to quit. Punk got in the ring at a generous count of 9 and the match continued. MJF demanded that Wardlow Powerbomb him some more and Punk stumbled around. Punk rolled Wardlow up and escaped with the pinfall victory. Wardlow was pissed and stared at MJF.
Maxwell demanded that Punk’s music be cut and MJF started shouting that Wardlow will never win the big match. Wardlow grabbed MJF’s hand but Shawn Spears broke it up. Wardlow backed away and marched up the entrance ramp to end the segment.
Dante Martin def. Powerhouse Hobbs
Dante Martin battled Powerhouse Hobbs tonight on Dynamite. Ricky Starks was ringside for the match. Dante took Hobbs to the outside and hit him with a dive. Martin hopped off the apron but Hobbs caught him with a big Spinebuster. Hobbs threw Dante into the ring and planted him with a Suplex. Hobbs dominated the next couple minutes and connected with a Crossbody for a near fall. Powerhouse sent Dante to the ropes with such force that he wound up flying out of the ring. Ricky Starks got in some stomps as Dynamite went to a break.
Dante battled back and connected with a big Dropkick off the top rope for a near fall. Hobbs rolled out of the ring and Dante hit a springboard corkscrew Splash. Dante hit Hobbs with a kick to the face while was getting back into the ring. Hobbs leveled Dante with a shoulder tackle and Starks hopped on the apron. Jay Lethal broke it up and Dante hit a springboard flip.
MJF Announced CM Punk vs. Shawn Spears For Next Week
MJF marched to the entrance and shouted that he is the only real star on this program. Maxwell congratulated Punk on his victory as the crowd chanted “asshole!”. MJF shouted that Punk got a fluke victory over an oaf tonight. Friedman shouted that he was going to give everyone the match they have all been waiting for. MJF announced that Punk will wrestle Shawn Spears next week and left to a chorus of boos.
Lance Archer Returned & Attacked Hangman Page
AEW Champion Hangman Adam Page came to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Dan Lambert interrupted and complimented Page on having some of the best matches in AEW history against Danielson. Lambert noted how Page told the fans that he earned it when they chanted “you deserve it!”. He also said that Page accomplished everything on his own and didn’t use backstage politics like Cody Rhodes.
Lambert eventually got around to saying Hangman isn’t a cowboy and Page boasted about turning down six figures to start a new company. Page added that winning the championship in that company is cowboy shit. Lance Archer showed up and beat Hangman down. Archer bashed Page with a chair several times before slamming his back on top of it with the Blackout.
Serena Deeb def. Hikaru Shida
Hikaru Shida faced Serena Deeb this week on Dynamite. Deeb attacked Shida during her entrance and tried to hit her with the kendo stick but Shida booted it away. Deeb slammed Hikaru’s knee into the steel steps and posed in the ring. Serena focused her attack on Hikaru’s knee for the next few minutes. Deeb applied a Half Crab in the middle of the ring and the referee stopped the match. Deeb got into the ring and attacked Shida with a kendo stick. AEW referees finally got to the ring to break it up.
Brody King Debuted
Matt Hardy faced Pentagon Jr. tonight on RAW. Matt’s wife and kids were in the crowd. Matt connected with a Clothesline but Penta shrugged it off. Hardy controlled the beginning of the match and applied a Headlock during the break. When Dynamite returned, Penta escaped and tried to get the crowd to make some noise. Pentagon hit a Slingblade and then a Double Stomp for a near fall. Matt planted Penta with a Uranage on top of the apron.
Back in the ring, Hardy went for a cover but Penta kicked out at two. Penta got out of the way of a Moonsault and hit a Piledriver for the pinfall victory. After the match, the lights went out and Malakai Black got in the ring. Malakai attacked Penta before the Varsity Blonds rushed the ring. Brody King debuted and beat everyone down. Brody and Malakai posed in the ring.
The Acclaimed Picked Up A Win
Bear Country faced The Acclaimed tonight on Dynamite. The Acclaimed dominated the match early as Dynamite went to a break. When Dynamite returned, the bigger Bear Country got in some offense but their momentum was short lived. Caster connected with an Elbow Drop for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Sting appeared on the entrance ramp and started walking towards Max Caster. Darby Allin capitalized on the distraction and leveled Max with a dive. It was announced that Sting & Darby Allin will face The Acclaimed next week.
Sammy Guevara Retained The Interim TNT Title
Sammy Guevara defended the Interim TNT Championship against Daniel Garcia in the main event. TNT Champion Cody Rhodes will be returning next week. Sammy controlled the action early and sent Garcia to the outside. Guevara connected with a dive and posed for the camera. Garcia connected with a Backbreaker and beat Sammy down in the corner as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
Garcia connected with a Suplex for a near fall when Dynamite returned. Chris Jericho and Eddie Kingston were ringside for the match and cheering Sammy on. Guevara went for the GTH but Danny countered into a Sharpshooter. Sammy escaped and hit the Cross Rhodes but Garcia wouldn’t stay down. Guevara leaped off the top rope but Garcia caught him. Daniel applied a Triangle and then connected with a Piledriver for a near fall. 2point0 showed up and attacked Jericho & Kingston.
Sammy booted Jeff Parker off the ring apron and then sent Daniel to the ropes. Garcia knocked Matt Lee off the apron by accident and then turned around into a GTH for the pinfall victory. After the match, Eddie Kingston and Jericho argued again after clearing the ring.
