Matt and Nick Jackson threatened to hit -1 with a BTE Trigger, but they missed. -1 then stole their shoes.
The Elite —
Footage from Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly’s match on Dynamite was shown, as well as The Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler watching the match backstage before they made their run-ins. The Bucks, Cole and Cutler speculated as to whether or not O’Reilly kicked Cole on purpose.
The Bucks think O’Reilly can’t be trusted, while Cole wants to trust him.
In the closing scene, Christopher Daniels returned and announced that he has work to do.
Dark Order —
The group returned to their old Daily’s Place lair. Colt Cabana did some magic tricks and turned himself into a miniature pumpkin.
Adam Cole went to his hotel room and was secretly disappointed that Silver and Reynolds were not in this bed. They then cut to Silver and Reynolds in their hotel room, where they were a little sad that Cole wasn’t there for them to squeeze.
Trent continued his passive aggressive badgering of Wheeler Yuta. He told Yuta that he had taken his place in Best Friends while he was out injured, but he’s back now, so Wheeler can go. He then told Wheeler he was just kidding.
The Elite —
The Young Bucks talked about how they hated to leave their families to make towns, but that’s what had to be done. They said that Adam Cole promised them a surprise.
Matt and Nick went shoe shopping at a mall.
Kyle O’Reilly’s debut was shown from Dynamite.
Adam Cole told the Bucks that Bobby Fish had set up Kyle coming in, that he and O’Reilly have stuff to work through but they’re dangerous together. He said they’re a super group now with the three of them and the Bucks. Matt and Nick acted like they weren’t so sure about Kyle coming in and walked off.
BTE Championship —
2point0’s Matt Lee defended the Championship against Daniel Garcia in a rock, paper, scissors battle.
Hollywood Hunk —
Ryan Nemeth got kicked out of a casting agency.
Leva Bates & Peter Avalon–
Leva Bates was trying on a Dark Order mask. JD Drake approached and said that Peter Avalon hasn’t been the same since she started messing with his mind. Drake tried to pay Bates to leave Avalon alone. Bates took the money and said she’s going to talk to Avalon anyway.
Matt Jackson said that the was feeling blue as the holiday season approached. Nick Jackson and Adam Cole said that they knew the feeling. Cole said that he knew what would cheer Matt up — a spray tan party.
Matt, Nick, Cole and Bobby Fish spray tanned each other.
The Elite —
Cutler Cam footage showed The Elite’s match on Rampage.
Dark Order —
John Silver and Alex Reynolds have moved on from Budge and are now into Hook. Cole seemed upset by no longer being the object of their attention.
Hangman Page asked the group to keep an eye on his belt after his match with Bryan Danielson.
Hangman announced that he’s getting stitches for Christmas.
Dark Order exchanged Christmas movie quotes and decided to set up traps backstage.
2point0 —
The group fell victim to Dark Order’s traps backstage over a series of skits.
Best Friends —
Trent showed Wheeler Yuta his new gear and called him a piece of sh*t.
Leva Bates & Peter Avalon–
Avalon gave Bates a Christmas gift. Bates gave Avalon a Christmas kiss.
Avalon had a video game deal go bad and he was attacked in a hotel room.
Hollywood Hunk —
Ryan Nemeth, his assistant Milk, and Luchasaurus drank eggnog. Luchasaurus went on a bad trip from the eggnog.
The Superkliq & Bobby Fish will be in eight-man tag team action on Friday’s AEW Rampage.
The Young Bucks, Adam Cole and Fish will take on Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, Trent and Rocky Romero of Best Friends. The two sides have been feuding for several weeks with the Best Friends looking to get revenge after being beaten down by the heels last week after Cole defeated Wheeler Yuta.
In a ten-man tag, AEW Tag Team Champions The Lucha Brothers will team with Santana & Ortiz and Eddie Kingston to take on Daniel Garcia, 2point0 and The Acclaimed.
In a submission match, Tay Conti will take on Penelope Ford in a grudge match between the two heated rivals.
Friday’s show will also see the return of ATT’s Dan Lambert in his first AEW appearance since ATT and Men of the Year lost to The Inner Circle at November’s Full Gear.
This week’s matches were taped on Wednesday in Garland, Texas, after Dynamite.
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Hosts are Taz, Excalibur, and Ricky Starks
Orange Cassidy, Chuck Taylor, Trent and Rocky Romero (w/ Wheeler Yuta) defeated The Young Bucks, Adam Cole & Bobby Fish (w/ Brandon Cutler) (13:28)
Confirmed for Dynamite on Wednesday during the entrances is the first TBS Title Tournament semi-final match, Ruby Soho v. Nyla Rose.
Chuck Taylor and Matt Jackson started out, and Taylor hit the standing sliced bread for an early near fall. Rocky Romero got the tag and hit Matt with a step up hurricanrana, and Matt quickly tagged in Bobby Fish.
Tags were soon made to make Orange Cassidy and Adam Cole the legal men in the ring. It looked like they’d face off, but Cole thought better of it and tagged out to Nick Jackson instead. This was an excellent exchange that saw both men do a top rope walk the tightrope spot and ended with the heels running in and taking out Cassidy. Then on the floor, The Bucks and Cole powerbombed Beretta on the edge of the ring apron, and back in the ring the Superkliq superkicked Cassidy. The show went to the split-screen ad break.
Back from break, Cassidy was double-teamed by the Bucks for a near fall. Cole set up Cassidy for the running double superkick from the Bucks, but the Best Friends tripped up the Bucks while they ran the ropes, and Cassidy cradled Cole for a near fall. Cassidy countered a Panama Sunrise attempt from Cole, then got the hot tag to Baretta.
Beretta came in like a house of fire. He hit a half-and-half suplex on Nick Jackson, then double clotheslined Nick and Cole. Beretta hit a senton on Cole on the apron, then nailed Fish with a spear on the floor. A diving splash on Nick Jackson got Beretta a near fall. Romero and Beretta hit a double knee strike on Nick Jackson. The former Roppongi 3K double teamed Nick Jackson. Romero hit a top rope dropkick on Nick’s back, and Beretta slid in with a knee strike. Then the Best Friends hit the half and half/soul food combination on Cole, and Taylor hit a tope con hilo on Fish and Matt Jackson on the floor. Beretta went to the middle rope for a move, but he was yanked off the ropes by Nick Jackson, hitting his neck against the turnbuckle. The Bucks and Cole hit a triple team neckbreaker on Baretta, and Fish came in with a top rope splash for a near fall.
Fish hit a top rope falcon arrow on Beretta for a near fall, but Cassidy broke up the pin attempt. Cassidy set up the Orange Punch, but Cole cut him off with a pump kick. Romero hit a heel kick on Cole, and then hit a tope suicida on the floor. Nick hit a twisting plancha on Romero and Taylor, and then Cassidy hit the Orange Punch on Matt, sending him to the floor. Cassidy then hit a top rope springboard senton on the pile on the floor. Back in the ring, Beretta hit Fish with the Strong Zero and held him down for the pin. This was crazy bonkers great. It probably should have been the party match that followed Danielson/Page on Dynamite to keep the million viewers that match had at its peak.
– Dan Lambert cut an in-ring promo with the Men of the Year. Lambert trashed Tony Khan, calling him two-faced. Lambert said Khan is giving the title matches to “undeserving EVPs” and started to trash Cody Rhodes, which of course brought out Cody. Rhodes is so screwed as a babyface if he can’t get cheered against Dan Lambert. Rhodes and Lambert took turns stealing the mic from each other in a funny bit, and then without saying anything Cody attacked the Men of the Year. Cody was quickly overwhelmed. Dustin Rhodes ran in to save his brother, but Lambert distracted Dustin and soon both Rhodes brothers were down. Sammy Guevara finally ran in and hit a double jump cutter on Scorpio Sky, and ran off the Men of the Year. Guevara and Cody Rhodes will fight for the TNT title on the Christmas Night episode of Rampage.
– Quick promos for the TBS Title Tournament semi-final matches from the remaining women involved.
Tay Conti (w/ Anna Jay) defeated Penelope Ford (w/ The Bunny) in a submission match (5:20)
Conti jumped Ford before the bell and hit a pump kick early on. Conti got a half-crab early on, but Bunny helped Ford get to the ropes to force a break. Conti also got a juji gatame for another submission attempt, again broken by Ford getting the ropes. Bunny distracted Conti when she locked in another submission attempt. Ford caught Conti in a dragon sleeper. Ford caught Conti with a handspring cutter, then rolled into a cravat for another submission attempt. Conti came back with a pump kick, then countered a cazadora attempt by dropping down. Conti chicken-winged Ford’s arm with her leg, then pulled back on Ford’s neck, and Ford quickly tapped out.
After the match, Bunny nailed Conti with the brass knuckles, and Anna Jay chased off Ford and Bunny with a steel chair. So I guess this feud must continue.
– The Owen Hart Cup: Excalibur announced that both men’s and women’s tournaments will take place next May and wrap up at Double or Nothing, and that Dr. Martha Hart would present trophies to the winners. The graphic for the tournaments looked to be the traditional single elimination brackets. More details will come on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Run down of new matches for upcoming shows:
Adam Cole vs. Orange Cassidy was added to Dynamite on Wednesday.
Hook vs. Bear Bronson was added to Rampage which will air next Saturday (Christmas Day) at 9pm.
And the first match for Battle of the Belts on January 8th, Dr. Britt Baker will defend the AEW World Women’s title against Riho.
Main Event Face to Face Promo Segment: Mark Henry moderates. Kingston cut off the 2point0 guys from their nonsense, then told Mark Henry it was time to do his thing “and all that jazz.” “It’s TIME for the MAIN EVENT.”
2point0, Daniel Garcia and The Acclaimed defeated Eddie Kingston, Santana, Ortiz and Lucha Bros (w/ Alex Abrahantes) (8:31)
Kingston and his team attacked the heels on their way to the ring, robbing us of the opportunity to be offended by Max Caster’s rap. Lots of brawling around the ring before the match officially started with Penta and Caster in the ring. Taz tried to claim Penta’s chest protector was loaded with steel, which Excalibur quickly refuted. “Stop sticking up for the masked guys all the time!” The Lucha Bros were incredibly over with the crowd, and Caster took a beating from both Penta and Fenix. Santana and Ortiz hit some wild double teams on Anthony Bowens and the show took its last split-screen break.
Back from the break, Santana hit a springboard moonsault on both Parker and Lee of 2point0, and got the tag to Penta. Penta hit sling blades on 2point0. Fenix got the tag and hit a punt on Bowens, then a tor-knee-do on Garcia for a near fall. Kingston got the tag so he could get after Garcia, but the 2point0 guys pulled him out of the ring. Penix and Penta hit stereo dives on the 2point0 guys. Santana hit a piledriver on Garcia, and Kingston hit an exploder suplex on Bowens. Garcia then got a rollup on Kingston and held his tights to get the surprise win.
After the match, Bowens hit Kingston with the boombox. Jungle Boy’s music played, and the heels stood facing the stage waiting for Jurassic Express. Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus and Christian Cage ran in from the crowd and attack the heels from behind, chasing them off. Then, Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus made a point of giving the Lucha Bros their belts back, teasing a future match between the number one contenders Jurassic Express and the World Tag Champions the Lucha Bros.
Final Thoughts:
I would think Cody teaming with his brother against Lambert’s crew would get the fans behind him again, but if that doesn’t do it, I don’t know what will. Also the announcement regarding the Owen Hart cup was kind of a nothingburger. The 8 man tag was great, the 10 man was fine, and the submission match was pretty skippable.
Trent made his return to AEW on tonight’s Dynamite.
After The Young Bucks defeated Rocky Romero and Chuck Taylor, they and Adam Cole continued to beat up both Romero and Taylor. Wheeler Yuta tried to make the save, but failed. It was then when Sue’s van showed up in the arena and Trent emerged from the van, sporting a new bald look. He helped clear The Elite out of the ring and hugged his friends as the Roppongi Vice music from his run in NJPW played.
Trent had been out of action since June when he announced he had undergone successful neck fusion surgery. He hasn’t wrestled since the April 21 edition of Dynamite, where he faced Penta El 0 M.
Since Trent’s absence, the Best Friends team has evolved into a stable involving Kris Statlander and Wheeler Yuta. They have also returned to New Japan’s CHAOS stable, teaming in recent weeks with the likes of Tomohiro Ishii and Romero.
The Young Bucks spoke about taking a week off and how that had helped them recover from some burnout. They promised less personal information would be on BTE. They talked briefly about their three-year deals had always been three-year deals with a two-year option, and that they had their options exercised.
The Elite —
Adam Cole did a commercial for the AEW General Manager mobile game.
The Bucks shot some footage to be used for Giphy stickers.
Dark Order —
Silver and Reynolds tried to talk to Adam Cole, but he told him that he hates them and doesn’t want to see them again. Instead of calling him “Budge,” Silver and Reynolds called him Cole and said they would respect his wishes. Cole acted sad as they left the room.
The group discussed their problem with Bryan Danielson. Anna Jay told Danielson that she’s next and demonstrated on Stu Grayson what she wanted to do to Danielson, beating him up all over the backstage area.
Best Friends —
Kris Statlander prepared for her TBS tournament match. John Silver appeared and wanted to be part of the training montage, but Statlander kicked him low. Wheeler Yuta started joining in on the Silver beatdown, but Statlander choked him out.
Hollywood Hunk —
Ryan Nemeth and Peter Avalon were both still caught up on their exes.
This week’s cold open was a commercial for Killing The Business coming out in paperback tomorrow.
The Elite —
Matt Jackson stated that he and Nick were not medically cleared as of the filming of this last Wednesday. He said Nick had a foot issue and his neck was “giving him grief.”
They showed The Bucks doing a run-in on Rampage during Adam Cole’s match.
The Elite gathered in Kenny Omega’s hotel room. He informed them that he wouldn’t be around for a while. Cole offered Omega a Monster energy drink, the same way that Cole was written out of the show when he went to NXT. Omega took a sip, teased “dying,” but was okay. Nick joked that he thought Kenny had signed with WWE or that he was going to die like Cole did.
Dark Order —
John Silver and Alex Reynolds again crashed Adam Cole’s hotel room. The three argued over Cole being called Budge, they argued over Silver and Reynolds being in Cole’s bed. Cole woke up from a dream where he imagined Silver and Reynolds kissing him.
2point0 —
Matt and Jeff cut a promo on Eddie Kingston on Chew of the Week.
Matt and Jeff were informed that if they didn’t defend the BTE title in the next 30 days, they would be stripped of the belt.
Best Friends —
Rocky Romero choked out Wheeler Yuta this week for impersonating Trent last week on the show.
Hollywood Hunk —
Ryan Nemeth tried to invent a new genre of music called “the blues,” to get over his heartbreak. His assistant Milk agreed to join his band. Nemeth played the trumpet while standing in his swimming pool, then made Milk put on his “special big boy hat.”
AEW’s Trent is currently recovering from neck fusion surgery, once again putting him out of action.
He posted a message of himself in a hospital bed, with a noticeable scar on his neck, writing “neck fusion surgery went well.”
Trent returned to AEW back in March, helping Chuck Taylor in his match against Miro. He had previously been out of action with a partially torn pectoral muscle suffered in December that kept him out of action for several months. Trent and Taylor continued to team up after his return, but Trent had not wrestled since a match against Penta El Zero Miedo that took place on the April 21st edition of AEW Dynamite, though he continued to appear on AEW television as recently as the tapings that took place two weeks ago.
In recent months, The Best Friends have evolved into a stable, which features Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander. Orange Cassidy appeared on last week’s Dynamite, defeating Ceazar Bononi after an assist from the rest of the Best Friends.
Four matches have been announced for this week’s AEW Dark: Elevation.
Chuck Taylor will face Rey Fenix in one of the marquee bouts. Best Friends and The Lucha Brothers have been feuding in recent weeks, with Penta El Zero Miedo picking up a win over Trent this past Wednesday on Dynamite.
Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page, who have teamed together in recent weeks, will take on Alex Reynolds and Allan “Five” Angels of The Dark Order. Sky and Page were also involved in the show closing angle on Dynamite, where they attacked Darby Allin after he successfully defended the TNT title against Jungle Boy.
Additionally, Matt Sydal will face Joey Janela. Sydal will team with his brother Mike this Wednesday against The Young Bucks in a AEW World Tag Team title eliminator. Big Swole and Red Velvet, meanwhile, will team up to take on Nyla Rose and Madi Wrenkowski.
AEW Dark: Elevation is streamed every Monday starting at 7 pm Eastern.
The wedding of Penelope Ford and Kip Sabian will take place on February 3, a special edition of Dynamite called Beach Break.
On tonight’s episode of Dynamite, titled Holiday Bash, Miro, Sabian, and Ford came out to announce the wedding date. When they first threw it to the video screen for the announcement, Best Friends’ music played. The trio acted shocked at first, but then laughed, as it was all a ruse. They threw it to footage of Trent being stretchered out after being attacked backstage. Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy boarded the ambulance, which then left the arena.
Sabian then announced the date for the wedding, which Tony Khan confirmed on Twitter.
“It’s official, Beach Break on #AEWDynamite on February 3 on @tntdrama, a huge card with great matches + we’re all invited by @ToBeMiro to the wedding of @thePenelopeFord & @TheKipSabian Live at Beach Break! Thank you everyone joining us tonight on TNT for our @AEW Holiday Bash!” Khan wrote.
AEW’s next special televised event will be New Year’s Bash, which will take place over the next two weeks. Kenny Omega vs. Fenix will headline next week’s card.
World Champion Kenny Omega will be in action in a no DQ match against Joey Janela on tonight’s AEW Dynamite.
Omega and Janela were originally scheduled to face off in the first round of the AEW World title eliminator tournament in October. Janela ended up being pulled from the tournament due to contact tracing. Omega went on to win the tournament, beating Hangman Page at Full Gear in the finals.
Should Janela win, he will be granted a future title shot against Omega.
A 12-man tag is also scheduled for tonight’s show. Last week’s battle between MJF and Orange Cassidy for the Dynamite Diamond Ring saw involvement in, or interference from, all fourteen competitors. The match will be Chris Jericho, MJF, Santana, Ortiz, Sammy Guevara & Jake Hager vs. Best Friends, Top Flight & Varsity Blondes.
As The Dark Order continues to look to add to their ranks, Hangman Page agreed to team with Alex Reynolds and John Silver on tonight’s show. They will face Matt Hardy and Private Party in trios action.
Cody Rhodes will face Angelico this evening. SCU will also take on The Acclaimed. An appearance by Sting and promos by Dustin Rhodes and Eddie Kingston have also been advertised.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Show Report —
Matt Hardy & Private Party (Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy) defeated “Hangman” Adam Page & Dark Order (John Silver & Alex Reynolds)
Page and Quen started off, but they wrestled to a stalemate, so Hardy tagged in. Hardy forced Page into his corner, but Page escaped a triple team and his team dispatched Hardy and Private Party. Silver celebrated by jumping on Page’s back, so Page dropped him onto Kassidy and covered for two.
Reynolds made a blind tag and he and Silver nailed Kassidy with a double team. Page followed it up with a running Shooting Star Press for two. Kassidy escaped and reached Quen for a hot tag. Quen downed all three opponents and Private Party hit a double team sequence on Silver for two.
Hardy and Private Party maintained control by isolating Silver, who eventually countered a dive and hit a brainbuster, allowing him to reach Page. Kassidy also tagged in, but Page went on a roll with clotheslines and a fallaway slam before landing a plancha on Hardy.
Back in the ring, Page flattened Kassidy with a lariat for a near fall. Hardy made a blind tag and hit the Side Effect for two. Page fought out of the Twist of Fate and reached Reynolds for yet another hot tag. Reynolds ran wild with forearms and a neckbreaker, then he, Silver, and Page hit a nice combination of power moves. Reynolds had it won, but Hardy pulled him out of the ring before the three, and hit Silver with the Twist of Fate on the floor.
Reynolds was isolated in the ring as Private Party hit him with Gin ‘n’ Juice. Before they could cover, Hardy tagged in, and he covered for three.
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The Inner Circle were interviewed about MJF’s New York Times Best Performance award for the Dinner Debonair. MJF began to speak, but Jericho emphasized that he created the Dinner Debonair and was the co-star. MJF said that the Times got one thing wrong: he couldn’t have done it without Jericho. MJF patronizingly said that he sees Jericho as a mentor, the GOAT, and his best friend. Through gritted teeth, all Jericho could say was “congratulations.”
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A video aired of Cody and Brandi Rhodes preparing for Christmas at home. A present arrived at their door, and inside the package was an ornament that read “We’re expecting a new baby, due 2021.”
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Cody was billed as a “future father” from Justin Roberts’ ring introduction.
Cody Rhodes (w/ Arn Anderson) defeated Angélico (w/ Jack Evans)
They performed technical wrestling early on, but neither man could establish any sort of advantage. Angélico was able to match Cody move for move and taunted as Cody sold frustration. Cody took control with a dropkick after a lengthy rope-running sequence as we went to a break. During the break, Evans hopped up on the ring apron, but Arn pulled him off and shoved him down. Angélico controlled the whole way.
Back from break, Cody escaped out of a suplex and downed Angélico with a kick. Cody hit clotheslines and a powerslam for two. Angélico caught the Rhodes drop-down right hand and turned it into a grounded octopus. With his arms trapped, Cody had to use his teeth to get a rope break.
Cody hit a pump kick and went for a backslide for two, but Angélico countered the Disaster Kick into a dragon screw. Angélico locked on the Navarro Death Roll, but Cody was able to reach the ropes. Cody hit the drop down right hand and went for Cross Rhodes, but Angélico fought out. Cody then hit a step-up Cody Cutter from the top rope for the pin.
After the match, Team Taz came out to “congratulate” Cody on he and Brandi’s pregnancy. Starks asked where this congratulations was when he and Cage made Cody and Darby Allin, who was watching from above, their sons. Taz said that Cage would whoop Allin’s ass. Team Taz walked to the ring to attack Cody, but the lights went out and Sting made his entrance, bat in hand. He stared down Team Taz and then the segment just ended.
They advertised Sting’s appearance tonight as “Sting Speaks,” so unless that happens later, that segment will come across as treading water from prior weeks.
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Miro was interviewed. It was revealed that Miro injured three AEW staff members and that he is being fined $75,000. Miro said that his problem with Orange Cassidy is that he doesn’t care about all the important things like subscribers and ratings. He said that he’d face Sonny Kiss on AEW Dark next week, and Kip and Penelope would announce their wedding date on next week’s Dynamite.
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Eddie Kingston came out to the ring and said he doesn’t care about anyone in attendance. He’s here to address his enemies. Kingston’s first enemy is God, because he’s still living. His second enemy is PAC, who he said went back home to nurse his injuries and that his career is done. He was about to talk about Lance Archer, but Archer immediately ran out to beat him down.
Butcher, Blade, and Bunny ran out to stop Archer’s attack, but then the Lucha Bros arrived alongside PAC. They all beat down Kingston, Butcher, and Blade. Fenix took out Butcher and Blade with a tornillo. Archer was about to chokeslam Kingston, but PAC kicked Kingston out of his grip, and they exchanged words, but they and the Lucha Bros stood tall.
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Dustin Rhodes was inteviewed by Dasha. Regarding Evil Uno’s offer from last week, Dustin said that “7” is still a bad idea. He said that every single member of Dark Order will fall, and next week, he’ll face Uno.
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Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, MJF, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana, & Ortiz) defeated Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent?), Top Flight (Darius Martin & Daunte Martin), & Varsity Blondes (Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman Jr.)
This was originally a 14-man tag with Wardlow and Brandon Cutler added, but Wardlow couldn’t make the show due to a family conflict. Orange Cassidy joined commentary for the match, but he didn’t say much.
Trent and Jericho started off, but Pillman wanted in. Pillman surprised Jericho after a strong lockup, so Jericho beat him down with strikes. Pillman fought back with chops and springboard moves. A springboard dropkick sent Jericho to the floor. Pillman dove with a rotating plancha, which nearly missed.
Garrison tagged in and landed a slingshot legdrop for two. Jericho was able to push Pillman into the Inner Circle’s corner and Guevara tagged in. Garrison tagged in Daunte as two of the best athletes in the company faced off. Guevara flipped him off and downed him with a dropkick. Daunte surprised Guevara with a leg lariat and Top Flight tried a double team which didn’t really land like they intended.
Guevara dropped Daunte with a right hand, leading to Trent and Santana tagging in. Taylor and Ortiz faced off as well as the Best Friends interacted with Santana and Ortiz for the first time since their parking lot brawl. Everyone entered the fray, but the face team sent the Inner Circle packing, and they all came together for a six-way hug.
Back in the ring, Santana hit the Three Amigos suplexes, with Ortiz joining for the third. MJF tagged in with a dive onto Trent’s arm. The Inner Circle beat Trent down on the floor as their team complained to the official, and maintained their advantage through a commercial break.
Guevara cockily went for a Shooting Star Press, but Trent rolled out of the way and hit a bicycle knee, allowing him to tag in Darius. Darius sent the Inner Circle off the apron and hit a Spanish Fly on Ortiz. He went for a dive, but was cut off, so Daunte made a blind tag and immediately dove onto the pile after.
Best Friends hit their half-and-half Soul Food combination and Garrison tagged in. Garrison cleared the ring but was cut off by a bat strike from Jericho. Hager tagged in and hit an awkward-looking F10 in a reference to Wardlow, then MJF tagged in to get the pin.
The teams brawled after the match, but Top Flight were the only ones left standing in the ring when it was all said and done.
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Thunder Rosa was interviewed about Dr. Britt Baker. Rosa said that she’s wrestled all over the world, and that it was Baker’s fault that she lost her NWA Women’s Championship match with Serena Deeb. She laughed at the idea that Baker said Rosa “doesn’t belong.” Rebel arrived and said that Rosa’s laugh is terrible, and Baker attacked from behind. They poured water on Rosa’s face, smearing her face paint, and Baker called Rosa ugly.
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The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) defeated SCU (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian)
The Acclaimed made their Dynamite debuts in this match. Caster’s schtick is that he raps about his opponents before their matches in a very similar manner to Thuganomics-era John Cena, and he did the same to SCU. Kazarian grabbed a mic and returned the favor. I’ll just say he’s a better wrester than rapper.
Kazarian and Bowens started off. A Northern Lights suplex got Kazarian a quick two count. Daniels tagged in, and a double team got another two. Bowens powered out of a move and tagged in Caster, who was met with a diving dropkick from Daniels.
Bowens tagged in but was again met with an attack from Kazarian until Caster knocked Kazarian off the apron, allowing The Acclaimed to beat him down on the floor. The Acclaimed maintained their advantage for a long time, until Kazarian hit a slingshot DDT and tagged in Daniels.
Daniels hit clotheslines and right hands on Bowens. He hit an STO on Caster and a Blue Thunder Bomb on Bowens for two. Daniels set up for the Best Moonsault Ever, but The Acclaimed cut him off. Bowens and Daniels fought on the top rope, but Daniels pushed Bowens down and landed a diving crossbody for two.
Bowens kicked out of an O’Connor roll, allowing Caster to hit Daniels with their boombox. Bowens followed it up with something similar to a Final Cut for the win, their eighth straight.
After the match, Caster took a mic and rapped about the Young Bucks, who were ringside, saying he and Bowens want the tag titles. Bowens grabbed the mic and laid down the challenge, saying that The Acclaimed have arrived.
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Top Flight were interviewed about why they made the save against MJF and Chris Jericho after the match. Darius said that MJF was the hottest young star until Top Flight arrived. They’re the coldest team in AEW, and they challenged MJF and Jericho to a match next week.
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Big Swole & Serena Deeb defeated Ivelisse & Diamante
Ivelisse & Deeb started off. Deeb downed Ivelisse with a clothesline. Swole and Diamante tagged in, and Diamante was able to hit a German suplex. Ivelisse and Diamante kept up their beatdown on Swole through the break.
Deeb got the hot tag and hit a rope-hang neckbreaker on Ivelisse. She applied a figure-four leglock, but Ivelisse rolled to tag in Diamante. Ivelisse and Diamante flattened Deeb with a combination sidewalk slam for two.
Swole tagged in and laid in chops on Diamante, but missed Dirty Dancing. Ivelisse grabbed Swole’s hair, but Swole was able to fight out of a Sliced Bread and hit a Tiger Driver. She followed it up with the Clearwater Cloverleaf, Deeb controlled Ivelisse, and Diamante tapped out.
Nyla Rose attacked after the match with Vickie Guerrero. They and Ivelisse and Diamante continued their beatdown, but Red Velvet ran out with a steel chair, sending the heels packing.
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After the commercial break that occurred during the previous match, a video aired promoting AEW’s new partnership with Rooster Teeth, headlined by Scorpio Sky.
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The Best Friends and Orange Cassidy addressed Miro outside. They said they’d make an appearance at Kip and Penelope’s wedding.
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A video aired highlighting Jurassic Express, who will face “5” and “10” of the Dark Order next week. FTR and Tully Blanchard came out to commentary to complain, calling Jurassic Express a sideshow. They’re offended that as the greatest tag team in the world, time is being sent on a gimmick like Jurassic Express.
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Lineup for next week’s Dynamite:
Young Bucks (c) vs. The Acclaimed for the AEW Tag Team Championships
Chris Jericho & MJF vs. Top Flight
Dustin Rhodes vs. Evil Uno
Jurassic Express vs. Colt Cabana, “5”, and “10
PAC vs. The Butcher
Hikaru Shida in action
Also, Chris Jericho will be on commentary. Dynamite will air either at its normal time or immediately following the end of NBA on TNT.
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No Disqualification match: Kenny Omega (w/ Don Callis) defeated Joey Janela (w/ Sonny Kiss)
Janela tossed a garbage can in Omega’s face during his entrance as Callis told Schiavone to get out of commentary so Callis could speak. Schiavone told Callis “kiss my ass.”
Janela landed a tope suicida and set up a chair, but Omega turned it into a Kotaro Crusher onto the chair. Omega hit a baseball slide and his Terminator dive as Callis called the match with a house microphone, calling it “personal commentary.” Omega attacked Janela with a cookie sheet.
Callis handed Omega a microphone and Omega used it to amplify his attack as he and Callis bantered. Omega then landed a moonsault through a trash can. He continued his attack with chops and strikes with the cookie sheet before hitting a springboard stomp through the trash can. Omega set up for the One-Winged Angel, but Janela countered out with a reverse hurricanrana.
Kiss set up a table on the outside as Janela looked for weapons. Janela set up Omega on the table and put him through it with a diving leg drop. Back in the ring, Omega rolled out of the way of a top-rope moonsault and landed two V-Triggers. The One-Winged Angel followed for the win in about six minutes.
After the match, Callis said that there are no more unanswered questions after the AEW Title eliminator tournament. The Death Triangle came out and PAC said that there was unfinished business, as Fenix never lost to Omega because he couldn’t compete due to injury.
Callis said that wrestlers don’t tell the world champion what to do, but PAC had already spoken to Tony Khan, and on December 30, Omega will defend the AEW Championship against Fenix. Callis and Omega berated them as the show closed.
Fourteen matches have been announced for Tuesday’s AEW Dark.
AEW Women’s champion Hikaru Shida will face KiLynn King in one of the more high-profile bouts. Chaos Project will also face Best Friends in a tag team match.
Women’s division matches taking place on the show include the likes of Ivelisse, Leva Bates, Tay Conti, and Anna Jay. Others slated for action include Brian Cage, Matt Sydal, Jurassic Express, and the team of Sonny Kiss & Joey Janela.
Here are the full list of matches that will take place on Dark this Tuesday, streaming at 7 pm ET:
Best Friends defeated Santana & Ortiz in a brutal parking lot fight in the main event of last night’s AEW Dynamite.
After the win, Trent’s mom Sue showed up in her van to take Trent, Chuck Taylor, and Orange Cassidy home.
FTR defeated Jurassic Express in the show opener. FTR relied on an assist from manager Tully Blanchard to score the pinfall win over Jungle Boy.
Hangman Page defeated Frankie Kazarian in singles action. Kenny Omega joined the commentary desk for the match. Omega teased a singles run rather than teaming with Page again.
Dynamite featured a bunch of promos from some of the best talkers in the game as MJF, Eddie Kingston, Jake Roberts, Taz, and Jon Moxley all worked the microphone.
Taz’s clients, Brian Cage and Ricky Starks, attacked Moxley before Will Hobbs made the save.
For more of what you missed, including Private Party vs. Chris Jericho & Jake Hager, scroll down.
Dynamite opened with Jurassc Express in the ring for their match against FTR.
The Young Bucks entered and hit the referee with superkicks. The announcers pushed that the Bucks have a new edge to them since Hangman Page turned on them and speculated as to how much they might be fined for their actons.
The Bucks made their way to the back and threw a stack of bills at Tony Khan, paying their fine in advance.
The Bucks crossed paths with FTR as the AEW Tag champs prepared to enter for the opener. FTR mocked Matt and Nick.
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FTR (w/Tully Blanchard) defeated Jurassic Express
Excellent action in this opener and a finish straight out of a Demolition match in 1988.
Jungle Boy and Dax kicked things off and traded hip tosses. Luchasaurus and Cash entered. Cash tried to distract the referee. Luchasaurus overcame the distraction. Jurassic Express hit some tandem offense. Jungle Boy hit a senton off Luchasaurus’s back.
Cash and Jungle Boy ended up the legal men. Cash cut Jungle Boy off with a powerslam. FTR isolated Jungle Boy and worked him over.
Luchasaurus got a hot tag and ran wild with pump kicks. He connected with a standing moonsault for a near fall. Jungle Boy blind tagged in. Luchasaurus hit a tail whip on Dax and Jungle Boy covered for a two count.
FTR gave Jungle Boy about a million different near falls off a variety of cradles. Jungle Boy hit a high cross. Dax rolled through and held the tights but Jungle Boy reversed into another two count.
Jungle Boy and Dax traded strikes as Cash and Luchasaurus brawled to the floor. Jungle Boy got yet another near fall after an inside cradle.
Cash launched Luchasaurus over the barricade. Jungle Boy hit a tope suicida to Cash.
For the finish, Jungle Boy tried a sunset flip near the ropes. Cash and Blanchard flipped Dax over, reversing the cradle. Dax pinned Jungle Boy.
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Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur previewed the rest of the show.
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To the back —
Alex Marvez approached a fallen Matt Hardy. Hardy was laid out selling his left knee. Private Party said they were about to talk strategy for their match with Hager and Jericho when they found Matt.
Jericho and Hager entered. They mocked Hardy and Jericho was carrying Floyd the baseball bat. The clear implication was that it was Jericho who attacked Hardy.
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Kenny Omega joined the commentary desk for the next match.
Schiavone said that Omega had been offered a chance to make the match a tag match but he refused. Omega said he’s a singles competitor now.
Hangman Page defeated Frankie Kazarian
This was another good match.
They opened with a striking exchange. They had a loud chop battle. Hangman hit a springboard clothesline and a plancha. Page was firmly in control before an ad break.
Kazarian worked Page over during the commercials, including hitting his leg slice in the ropes. Kazarian fought for a fisherman’s suplex forever but Page kept blocking. Kazarian finally hit the move for a two count.
Kazarian grabbed a front facelock. They traded clotheslines. Page blocked a swing DDT and hit a fall-away slam and a standing shooting star for a near fall.
Kazarian blocked a springboard clothesline and hit a slingshot DDT for a two count. Each guy fought for a backslide. Kazarian reversed a backslide attempt into an unprettier for a two count.
Page hit a sliding lariat and a DVD for a two count. Page teased a Buckshot. Kazarian countered into a slingshot cutter for a two count.
Kazarian tried a springboard attack. Page blocked and hit a Liger bomb for a two count. Kazarian avoided another Buckshot attempt. Kazarian avoided a moonsault off the apron and hit a right hand. Page hit a clothesline on the floor.
Kazarian climbed back inside. Page was on the apron. They traded strikes. Kazarian tried another leg slice in the ropes but Page blocked, shoved Kazarian off and hit a Buckshot Lariat for the pin.
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Omega left the commentary desk without congratulating his former partner. Page drank a beer in the ring after his win.
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A video package played hyping the parking lot fight.
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MJF (w/Wardlow) defeated Shawn Dean
Dean had his left arm taped up. MJF used a thumb to the eye and a Salt of the Earth to win in seconds as Dean immediately tapped out.
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Wardlow continued beating down Dean after the match.
MJF cut a promo. He said he’s an honest man, unlike that cheater Jon Moxley. MJF demanded that Justin Roberts introduce him as the undefeated, undisputed, uncrowned champion of AEW.
MJF said to get any attention on Dynamite you have to be in a stable. He said there’s a new faction every week. He’s not wrong.
MJF said whether he picks a group to be a part of or not it doesn’t matter because he’s better than you and you know it.
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Taz broke down the offense of Ricky Starks.
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Eddie Kingston was in the ring with Penta and Fenix. Butcher and Blade paced around the ring while Kingston cut a promo.
Kingston said he never lost the Casino Battle Royale. He said his group isn’t a faction or a stable, they’re a family. He said after they fight, some families go to dinner. He said his family celebrates with violence.
Butcher and Blade pulled Griff Garrison and another jobber out of the crowd and beat them up.
Kingston told Blade it was time for him to get his house in order.
And the segment ended.
Kingston is a gifted promo. The inside baseball stuff about Blade and his wife is awful.
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Private Party entered.
The announcers used Private Party’s entrance time to announce that Jon Moxley and Lance Archer will be on opposite sides of a six-man tag next week and will be picking their partners tonight.
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Chris Jericho & Jake Hager defeated Private Party
This was more formulaic than the tag team opener but a good match. Much like the FTR match this was a case where the established veterans gave the young guys a ton before coming away with the win. Kassidy got at least two near falls on Jericho and Jericho bumped all over for him.
Quen and Kassidy hit tandem dives to start the match off hot.
Quen got cut off and worked over during a break. Hager hit some of his lumbering offense. Kassidy got a hot tag and Private Party hit Silly String on Hager for a near fall.
Jericho got a tag. Kassidy ducked a Judas Effect and hit a springboard cutter for a two count. Quen and Hager brawled to the floor after a double clothesline over the top.
Kassidy went for a senton atomico but Jericho moved out of the way. Jericho hit the Judas Effect for the pin.
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Jericho put Kassidy in the Walls after the match. Quen made the save and hit a Pele kick, sending Jericho packing.
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They announced Scorpio Sky vs. Ben Carter, Anna Jay vs. Brandi Rhodes, plus Matt Sydal vs. Shawn Spears for Late Night Dynamite, airing Tuesday after Inside the NBA on TNT.
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NWA World Women’s Championship: Thunder Rosa defeated Ivelisse to retain the title
This was a back and forth match with very little flow to it. Just move, move, move, move, move.
Rosa’s offense looked good, Ivelisse’s did not.
They showed Hikaru Shida in the crowd watching the match.
Rosa hit a jumping clothesline and a meteora in the corner. Ivelisse hit a tiger driver. Rosa used a crossface. Rosa blocked a springboard attack and hit a DVD.
Rosa used a tombstone for the pin.
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Diamante ran in after the match and attacked Rosa. Shida jumped the rail to make the save, then left the ring to Rosa to take a bow.
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Miro was bench pressing. He asked Kip Sabian to let him get in the ring and devour somebody.
Sabian said Miro has to throw him a bachelor party first. Miro promised the best bachelor party ever. Sabian and Miro fist bumped Penelope Ford.
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Jake Roberts and Lance Archer entered for a promo.
Archer pulled someone out of the crowd and beat him up.
Jake cut a creepy promo about being in bed with the Tasmanian devil.
Taz entered. Taz said he and Jake made a deal that Ricky Starks and Brian Cage will be Archer’s partners next week provided Cage gets the first shot at Archer when Archer wins Moxley’s title.
Moxley entered but got jumped by Cage and Starks. Will Hobbs made the save for Moxley with a steel chair.
Moxley put Hobbs over strongly on the mic. Moxley called on Darby Allin who he knew was watching at home to join his team next week.
Really good promo from Moxley. Hobbs looked great.
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Archer, Cage & Starks vs. Moxley, Hobbs & Allin, Mr. Brodie Lee vs. Orange Cassidy for the TNT title, Hikaru Shida & Thunder Rosa vs. Diamante & Ivelisse, plus a Chris Jericho promo were announced for next week’s Dynamite.
The main event is next.
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Parking lot fight: Best Friends defeated Santana & Ortiz
These guys beat the hell out of each other in a brutal, violent main event.
They hit each other with car hoods, a police baton, a sledgehammer, a door, a dustpan, a baseball bat, a board and a pipe.
Santana took two sentons while trapped under the hood of a car and bled. Taylor took a suplex and a splash on the roof of a car. Taylor suplexed Ortiz on a guardrail.
Ortiz hit Trent with a low blow and a powerbomb on a car roof as Santana and Ortiz doubled up on Trent. Trent got launched into the back window of a car and came up with his back all cut up.
Taylor fired back with a bat before taking a backdrop on a trashcan before he was cut off.
Santana teased a pipe shot to Taylor. Orange Cassidy jumped out of a car trunk and hit an Orange Punch with a chain. Taylor hit a piledriver on the hood of a car on Santana.
Trent hit a crunchie on Ortiz through a plywood board and pinned him in the bed of a pickup truck.
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Sue showed up in her van and drove the winning team away to close the show. Sue flipped the bird as she drove off.
Being The Elite Episode 217 began with another Best Friends, Orange Cassidy and Brandon Cutler confrontation. Taylor held a blunt object behind his back while Trent hid a box cutter. They wanted to do another crime.
Cutler apologized to Trent, Taylor and Cassidy for accusing them of masturbating Colt Cabana with cake before murdering him. They all parted as friends but after Cutler left, Trent said that he could not wait to kill him.
Other highlights from the episode included:
The Young Bucks went to a Wal Mart looking for their AEW action figures. They were sold out.
The Bucks spoke about their rivalry with Dark Order and how it goes back to PWG a decade ago.
Santana and Ortiz were on trial, charged with making Marko Stunt’s Tinder analytics plummet. Alex Marvez represented Stunt. Santana and Ortiz represented themselves. Dasha Gonzalez was the judge. She found Santana and Ortiz innocent.
The Bucks were in their dressing room when Christopher Daniels entered, looking for Colt Cabana. They all realized Cabana had not been seen in two weeks. After Daniels left, Matt and Nick remembered hearing Kenny Omega say that he wanted to murder Cabana. They looked at Omega’s gear and saw the sunglasses from his Cleaner character.
They showed Cutler Cam footage from Dynamite.
Daniels did a commercial for poison mortgages but realized while taping it that he didn’t understand the concept.
Matt Hardy continued to attack people backstage when he confused them with Sammy Guevara.
Matt Jackson asked Cutler to come up with something for this week’s 50-plus seconds for 50-plus. Matt said he needed something slow and plodding. Cutler suggested a Randy Orton match.. Instead, Cutler built a PC.
Alex Reynolds and John Silver met to discuss potential Dark Order recruits. They considered Jon Moxley, Tom Arnold and Pauly Shore. The Librarians entered. Peter Avalon pitched himself as a Dark Order member. Reynolds and Silver rejected him.
Mr. Brodie Lee met with Evil Uno, Stu Grayson and Ten. Lee wanted to coach Uno on how to do a better job of hitting people with stacks of paper. Uno threw paper at Tony Schiavone. Lee was not happy and left with Schiavone.
A figure was walking backstage. We saw things from his point of view. He entered the medical room. The doctor called him “Scotty” and said “That’s a lot of gold, man,” a play on Cabana’s name.
