AEW Dynamite
Episode 119
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: January 12, 2022
Event Date: January 12, 2022
(aired live on TBS)
City: Raleigh, NC
Venue: PNC Arena
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Taz (2)
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Ring Area
Adam Cole heads to the ring with Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly. Cole says 2021 was a great year for Cole, Fish, and O’Reilly, and 2022 will be even better. Cole says he is undefeated in singles competition in AEW, and the boys are back together. It’s a new “era” in AEW. Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler come out and heads towards the ring. The Young Bucks are very sarcastic about thanking Cole and reDRagon for an invite to the ring tonight. O’Reilly responds by saying no one invited the Bucks tonight, and no one invited them to the trios match a couple of weeks ago. O’Reilly, Fish, and Cole didn’t need help from the Bucks.
Matt Jackson says he and Nick will play nice, but one thing needs to be made clear: AEW is the Young Bucks’ company. Their one resolution is to win the AEW Tag Titles. Funnily, that’s reDRagon’s exact same resolution. Cole, making the best of the situation, says friendly competition is good for The Elite. It waill make them the best faction in AEW. I mean, look at the Best Friends…
Orange Cassidy leads Chuck Taylor, Trent Beretta, Wheeler Yuta, and Kris Statlander to the ring. Cole wonders what Cassidy could possibly have to say, but Cassidy doesn’t say anything. A brawl breaks out. Cole and Cassidy are alone in the ring when Cole hits Cassidy with a low blow. Kris Statlander gets in between Cole and Cassidy, but Britt Baker runs out and curb stomps Statlander. Cole then hits Cassidy with The Boom. The Elite get into the ring around Adam Cole. The Young Bucks go in to kiss Cole on the cheek, but Baker stops them. Baker and Cole share a kiss before The Elite leave the ring.
Video
Wardlow’s powerbomb symphony is shown set to classical music.
Match 1
Wardlow w/ MJF vs CM Punk
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: CM Punk wins via pinfall with an inside cradle
Time: 14:03
Match Thoughts
This was okay. It was probably Wardlow’s most interesting match, but that’s because there was a lot of story involved. Punk attacked Wardlow repeatedly to little effect, and eventually Punk was worn down. Wardlow hit Punk with multiple powerbombs, but MJF told Wardlow to not go for the cover. Instead, MJF wanted Wardlow to continue hurting Punk, adding more powerbombs, including one through a table. Eventually all the stalling backfired on Wardlow, thus continuing the story of Wardlow’s frustration with MJF, and continuing the story of CM Punk outsmarting MJF.
Ring Area
After the match, MJF gets into the ring and yells at Wardlow. MJF also shoves Wardlow and jams his finger in Wardlow’s chest, leading to Wardlow grabbing MJF’s hand and slowly walking towards him. Before Wardlow does anything, Shawn Spears runs out and gets everyone to leave the ring without any physicality.
Match 2
Powerhouse Hobbs w/ Ricky Starks vs Dante Martin
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Dante Martin wins via pinfall after the Nose Dive
Time: 10:08
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. Hobbs dominated for most of the match, and Ricky Starks helped with a few cheap shots. Martin built up to an attempted comeback late in the match, but it was short-lived. Towards the end, Jay Lethal ran out and stopped Starks from interfering again, and that distraction led to the finish.
Backstage
Alex Marvex is with Chris Jericho (accompanied by Santana, Ortiz, and Jake Hager). Marvez says PWI has named the Inner Circle as the faction of the year for 2021. Jericho isn’t surprised. The Inner Circle has done what they said they’d do: dominate. And tonight, Sammy Guevara will defeat Daniel Garcia, and the Inner Circle will deal with 2point0 if they dare to get involved.
Eddie Kingston interrupts Jericho. Kingston wants Garcia. He also tells Santana and Ortiz that they’re not tag champs because Jericho is holding them back. Jericho doesn’t care about what happens to Kingston on the streets. Jericho and Kingston argue, so Santana, Ortiz, and Jake Hager walk away. Jericho warns Kingston that if he gets involved in Guevara’s match tonight, Jericho will kiss Kingston’s ass.
Ring Area
MJF power walks to the stage. He calls the crowd hillbillies before calling out CM Punk. He says Punk’s victory over Wardlow tonight was a fluke. He says Punk will get his first “L” next week, because next week Punk will have a match with… Shawn Spears.
Backstage
Adam Cole and Britt Baker challenge Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander to a mixed tag match next week. The Young Bucks and reDRagon are also there.
Ring Area
“Hangman” Adam Page walks to the ring. Page says he’s recently spent 90 minutes in the ring with the best in the world. He’s bled and sweat for the AEW World Championship, and it’s still his. 90 minutes isn’t enough though. The AEW record have reset with the new year, and Hangman Page needs a new challenger.
Dan Lambert comes out to the stage. Page is annoyed, but Lambert says he’s out here to compliment him. Lambert says Page has earned everything he’s gotten in the business, except for his persona as a cowboy. Lambert wants Page to stop disrespecting the legacies of the Dick Murdochs and Blackjack Mulligans that preceded him. Page is still annoyed, and he invites Lambert into the ring so he can show him what a cowboy does. Lance Archer comes out, terrifying Lambert. Archer gets in Lambert’s face, but Archer chooses to attack Adam Page instead. Archer hits a Blackout on Page through a chair, and Page is in serious pain.
Backstage
Tony Schiavone is with Arn Anderson, Brock Anderson, and Lee Johnson. Arn says he’s proud of Brock and Lee as a tag team. Arn says they are in horsemen country, and as he says that Tully Blanchard walks up with FTR. Blanchard and FTR say Arn should “drop the dead weight” join them if he wants to relive the glory of the past. FTR challenges Brock and Lee to a tag match which is accepted.
Video
A look at the first TBS Champion, Jade Cargill (with Mark Sterling).
Match 3
Hikaru Shida vs Serena Deeb
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Serena Deeb with via referee stoppage while Deeb has Shida in a half crab
Time: 1:58
Match Thoughts
A good story, though it wasn’t much of an actual match. Deeb attacked Shida before the match as Shida was headed to the ring. Deeb focused on Shida’s left knee, driving it into the ring steps. Shida chose to start the match despite barely being able to walk. Shida gave a valiant effort for about two minutes, but Deeb continued punishing Shida’s knee and forced the referee to stop the match for Shida’s safety.
Ring Area
After the match, as the ring doctor is checking on Shida, Serena Deeb takes a kendo stick and repeatedly hits Shida’s knee. Referee’s are brought out to hold Deeb back. Deeb finally walks away as Tay Conti and Anna Jay help Shida leave the ring.
Backstage
Tony Schiavone is with Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, and Christian Cage. Christian wishes Rey Fenix a speedy recovery. Jungle Boy says, as new champs, he and Luchasaurus want to face any of the top five tag teams. John Silver and Alex Reynolds say they are a top five tag team, and they want a match on Friday. That sounds good to Jungle Boy.
Match 4
Matt Hardy w/ Private Party vs Penta El Zero Miedo w/ Alex Abrahantes
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Penta El Zero Miedo wins via pinfall after Fear Factor
Time: 8:47
Match Thoughts
Good match. Pretty evenly fought, and both guys looked good. This was a nice way to keep Penta going now that Rey Fenix is going to be out of action for a while.
Ring Area
Alex Abrahantes joins Penta in the ring, saying that “Penta says” he’s going to show Malakai Black some “respect.” The lights go out, and Malakai Black appears. Black attacks both Abrahantes and Penta. Black starts to rip at Penta’s mask, but Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr. run out and attack Black and Julia Hart cheers them on. The lights go out again, and Brody King appears. King attacks Pillman and Garrison, apparently joining the House of Black.
Backstage
Tony Schiavone is with Kris Statlander, Red Velvet, and Leyla Hirsch. Tony asks Statlander about her upcoming mixed tag match, but Hirsch thinks Statlander is being selfish for concentrating on that match rather than their upcoming six-person tag match. Red Velvet calms them both down and everything seems okay. For now.
Match 5
The Acclaimed vs Bear Country
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Max Caster pins Bear Bronson after the Mic Drop
Time: 6:17
Match Thoughts
Good match. Bear Country used their power well, but The Acclaimed were almost always double-teaming or, at least, exchanging with their partner at a rapid pace. The pace of The Acclaimed caught up to Bear Country as the match went on, leading to a good finish.
Ring Area
As The Acclaimed are walking up the ramp after the match, Sting comes out and backs Max Caster and Anthony Bowens back towards the ring. Darby Allin flanks The Acclaimed, attacking them with his skateboard. Max Caster then takes a Scorpion Death Drop from Sting.
Video
Pac might be blinded, but now he sees everything. His vision has never been so clear.
Backstage
Tony Schiavone is with Matt Hardy and Private Party. Matt is upset, and he says something has to change. Andrade El Idolo (with Jose) walks up and tells Matt to take it easy. As a fellow businessman, Andrade wants to discuss a deal with Matt Hardy. Matt is intrigued, but they should talk in private.
Match 6
Interim TNT Title Match
Daniel Garcia vs Sammy Guevara (Interim TNT Champ) w/ Chris Jericho
(referee: Bryce Remsburg; title belt presenter: David Crockett; at ringside: Eddie Kingston)
Result: Sammy Guevara wins via pinfall after GTH and retains the Interim TNT Title in his first defense
Time: 12:33
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Both men started out quickly, brawling more than wrestling. Once they finally separated, they had a quickly paced match that was quite competitive. There were some minor shenanigans towards the end of the match when 2point0 arrived, but other than that this was fought mostly in the ring without interference. A very good match that could’ve gone either way.
Ring Area
After the match, 2point0 attack Sammy Guevara. Jericho attacks 2point0 with Floyd the Bat, sending them out of the ring. Eddie Kingston and Chris Jericho argue with each other as the shoe ends.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. Nothing too surprising, but solid matches that entertained. I particularly enjoyed the tag match, the main event, and the non-match between Deeb and Shida.
Match of the Night
Daniel Garcia vs Sammy Guevara
Fast and fun.