AEW Dynamite: Beach Break airs live tonight from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
Adam Cole will face Orange Cassidy in a lights out match, set up on last week’s Dynamite after Cassidy accidentally bumped Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. through a table during a Cassidy and Kris Statlander vs. Cole and Baker mixed tag match.
In a ladder match, TNT Champion Cody Rhodes will take on interim TNT Champion Sammy Guevara to determine the rightful title holder.
In a trios contest, The Inner Circle’s Chris Jericho, Santana, and Ortiz will face Daniel Garcia, and 2point0.
Red Velvet will face “Legit” Leyla Hirsch in a women’s division match. Velvet is the top-ranked singles competitor in the women’s division, while Hirsch is ranked second according to AEW’s weekly rankings, released today.
Promos from Baker and CM Punk have also been advertised for the show.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Show Report —
The TNT Championship match participants were already in the ring when the show started. Justin Roberts gave them their introductions.
TNT Championship Ladder Match: Sammy Guevara defeated Cody Rhodes (w/ Arn Anderson) to become the undisputed champion
This was one of the best Dynamite openers of all time.
They shook hands to start. Neither man could establish an advantage early on as they kept the action inside the ring. Both men teased signature moves, but their opponent had it scouted. Guevara rolled to the floor to grab the first ladder, but Cody took him out with a forearm. Cody then made his way up the ramp. to pick up a bigger ladder, bridging it between the ring and the barricade.
Guevara surprised Cody with a pump kick and sent him into the barricade. They fought into the crowd, where Guevara hit a cutter on the floor. Guevara picked up another ladder and brought it into the ring, striking Cody with it and setting it up. Cody stopped Guevara’s ascent and they collided heads, leading to a double down.
They both climbed the ladder, but it wasn’t set up where anyone could reach the belts. Cody superplexed Guevara all the way to the mat in a cool spot, leading to a commercial. Once back, Cody suplexed Guevara between an inverted ladder, which looked incredibly painful. He then locked Guevara in the Figure Four around the rungs of a ladder.
Cody continued to beat down Guevara with overhand chops, but Guevara fired up and started a comeback with clotheslines. He went for a springboard, but Cody tossed a ladder into his face. Cody climbed a ladder, but Guevara climbed his own ladder and jumped off towards Cody, taking him all the way down with a cutter in an awesome moment.
Guevara trapped Cody under a ladder and climbed, but Cody powered out and sent Guevara crashing over the ropes. They fought on separate ladders, with Cody hitting a Cross Rhodes to the mat. Cody climbed and almost reached the belts, but Guevara cut him off and they both hung from the structure before losing their grip and falling to the canvas.
Out on the floor, Cody trapped Guevara’s leg between a ladder, but Fuego Del Sol ran out to talk him out of it. Cody landed a straight piledriver on Fuego, but Guevara took Cody out with a springboard and a Fosbury flop. The G.T.H. followed on the floor.
Guevara placed Cody on the ladder that had been bridged out on the floor earlier. He then set up a standing ladder adjacent to it, climbed to the very top, and hit a senton bomb onto Cody. Insane.
Back in the ring, Guevara climbed the ladder, but was met at the top by Cody. They traded forearms until Guevara used the belt to send Cody crashing down. Guevara then took down the belts to win.
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Out on the snowy beach, Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs were with Tony Schiavone. Hobbs challenged Dante Martin to a match and Starks did the same for Jay Lethal in an FTW Championship match.
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Two-on-One Handicap: Wardlow (w/ Shawn Spears) defeated Elijah Dean & Jake Alexander
Cleveland is Wardlow’s hometown and he was a major star. He dispatched both opponents and immediately powerbombed one followed by the other. Wardlow hit five powerbombs in total, with the last one planting one opponent on top of the other for the double pin.
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Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Santana, & Ortiz) defeated Daniel Garcia & 2point0 (Matt Lee & Jeff Parker)
The Inner Circle held control of the match early on until some dysfunction between Jericho and his partners allowed Garcia and co. to take advantage. They beat down Ortiz through the commercial break. Jericho desperately wanted the hot tag, but Ortiz tagged in Santana.
Santana ran wild on all three opponents and he an Ortiz hit an assisted cutter followed by a powerbomb lariat combination. Jericho hopped down from the apron and took himself out of the match, but then he broke up 2point0’s finisher and hit a Judas Effect on Lee. The piledriver from Santana followed for the win.
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A video promo aired from Lance Archer and Jake Roberts, addressing Hangman Page. Their world title match will be a Texas Deathmatch. Page said he’d “bring hell.”
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Jurassic Express and Hardy Family Offices were backstage. They will defend the tag titles against Private Party on Rampage. Christian said everyone was coming for the champions, and Hardy said on Friday, Private Party would become champs.
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CM Punk & MJF promo
Punk said he was here to fight, dressed in his ring gear, He had the crowd chant “MJF” before unzipping his jacket to show MJF’s Burberry scarf. He said he was sick of talking — he needs MJF in the ring. But if MJF comes out, he won’t fight, even though Punk’s gone through the entire Pinnacle.
MJF’s music played and he came out. He mocked the crowd as if he was going to wrestle Punk before insulting Cleveland. He said he’d give Punk the match in Chicago. After MJF beats him, they’ll see the real Punk — the one who loses his smile when he doesn’t get what he wants and blames his failures on everyone else, like LeBron James.
Punk no-showed in Cleveland in 2014 when he left WWE. When MJF beats Punk, he’s going to just cry about it on a podcast. Punk responded: “The best thing I ever did was leave, and the best thing I ever did was come back.” Punk demanded the match right now. “These people love me because I get back up and fight.”
MJF brought out FTR and Wardlow, but Punk was taken out from behind by Spears. They all beat Punk down and Spears whacked him with the chair. Wardlow didn’t get involved until MJF demanded he powerbomb Punk. Wardlow did so onto the chair, and MJF sat on top of Punk and said he’d see him in Chicago.
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The Acclaimed called out Jon Moxley, as this Friday, Anthony Bowens will face him in a match.
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Griff Garrison and Julia Hart were backstage. Hart was about to talk about the House of Black, but Mark Sterling showed up and made her sign a waiver before her TBS Championship match against Jade Cargill on Rampage.
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“Legit” Leyla Hirsch defeated Red Velvet
This was really rough — a disappointing effort between two women with lots of potential. Velvet was the top contender before her loss.
They fought before the bell. Velvet quickly took Hirsch down with a dropkick and went for the Final Slice, but Hirsch rolled to the floor and beat Velvet down. Velvet regained control with a knee lift and a cutter over the ropes. She went for a triangle hold, but Hirsch powered out and hit a buckle bomb. She targeted Velvet’s shoulder through a break.
Once back, Hirsch hit a springboard stunner to start a comeback. She followed it up with double knees to Hirsch’s back. A spear from Velvet got two. Hirsch countered the Final Slice and hit a powerbomb and knee strike. The knee strike had it won, but Hirsch transitioned into an armbar, allowing Velvet to reach the ropes for a break.
They had an awkward cradle exchange before Hirsch rolled Velvet up with the tights for the win.
– After the match, Hirsch slapped on the armbar, leading to Kris Statlander running her off.
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Malakai Black cut a video promo. He said Brody King was the embodiment of conflict and violence. King said PAC would be humbled, and that Death Triangle would feel true pain. “Just like death, we are inevitable.”
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New TNT champion Sammy Guevara did his cue-card gimmick through a commercial.
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Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. promo
There was a display setup in the ring featuring her 2021 awards from PWI. Baker came out in a full Pittsburgh getup, mocking the Cleveland fans. She talked up her awards and insulted the Browns. She said she created this women’s division and became the face of AEW. Baker insulted another Baker, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, a lot. She said she won’t settle until she’s “female of the decade.”
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AEW Rampage: Championship Friday (1/28) lineup:
- Jon Moxley vs. Anthony Bowens
- FTR vs. Lee Johnson & Brock Anderson
- TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Julia Hart
- AEW Tag Team Championships: Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus (c) vs. Private Party
AEW Dynamite (2/2) lineup:
- CM Punk vs. MJF
- House of Black (Malakai Black & Brody King) vs. Death Triangle (PAC & Penta El Zero M)
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Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero came out. Rose said she’d be champion if not for Ruby Soho, and next week, she wants her in a match.
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Unsanctioned Lights Out match: Orange Cassidy defeated Adam Cole
This was a fun brawl but it wasn’t at the level of the great AEW Lights Out matches. The Danhausen signing is a major red flag for this company.
They immediately traded right hands. Out on the floor, Orange sent Cole into the barricade and hit the hands-in-pocket shotgun dropkick. Cole returned the favor. He went under the ring to pick up a chair, and indie star Danhausen came out with it. Orange took control with a DDT. That was… odd.
Both men were perplexed, allowing Cole to hit a pump kick through a chair. Cole wanted Panama Sunrise, but Orange countered it and put Cole through the timekeeper’s table with a spinebuster. He tried to follow it up with the Orange Punch, but Cole got the ring bell up to block it. Cole continued to target Orange’s right hand through commercial. During the break, Orange bought himself some space through using a fire extinguisher.
They jockeyed for position with a chain, leading to Cole hitting a ushigoroshi for two. He tried to put Orange through chairs, but Orange countered with a stunner and hit a Mincinoku Driver through the chairs for two. Orange’s hand was bloodied.
Orange ran into a superkick and Cole called for backup. Brandon Cutler ran out but was taken out by Wheeler YUTA, Bobby Fish took out YUTA, Chuck Taylor dispatched Fish, then the Bucks nailed Chuck with double superkicks. The SuperKliq lined Orange up for the triple superkick, but Roppongi Vice stopped them. Orange then hit the Beach Break and the Orange Punch but could not cover due to the pain.
Cole hit a low blow on Orange, but Orange was wearing a cup with thumbtacks pointed out. Orange then hit a Panama Sunrise for a good near fall. He wrapped the chain around his hand, but Cole escaped the Orange Punch. Cole retreated into the backstage area and used Jerry Lynn as interference to put Orange through the “Go” position table, where Lynn and Tony Khan were seated.
Back on the stage, Cole landed another superkick. He wanted to lower the Boom, but Orange hit a superkick of his own and called for the chain-assisted Orange Punch. Cole countered with a strike from a stage light.
Cole climbed the staging and stood in front of the video board, but Orange pursued him to the top and hit a low blow. Orange “hugged” Cole and sent him crashing through the stage for the win.
– The match does not count against the wrestlers’ records due to it being unsanctioned.
