AEW Dynamite
Episode 114
#AEWDynamite
Original Air Date: December 8, 2021
Event Date: December 8, 2021
(aired live on TNT & the FITE app)
City: Elmont, NY (announced as Long Island, NY)
Venue: UBS Arena
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Dasha Gonzalez
Intro Video
“Dynamite” by No One Hero
Ring Area
MJF’s music plays, but CM Punk comes out and head to the ring instead. Punk gets booed, but he says Chicago is so much louder. He also insults the local sports team. Punk then removes his jacket revealing the “four pillars of AEW”: Darby Allin Sammy Guevara, Jungle Boy, and not MJF. Instead, MJF has been replaced by Britt Baker. Punk proceeds to insult MJF and manages to make a Hell Comes to Frogtown reference. Punk feels sorry that this town claims MJF as “their guy.”
CM Punk says he wants to be the next person to challenge for the AEW World Title, but he thinks he and MJF need to finish their thing first. Punk has tried to get MJF to fight, but MJF always backs away. Punk once again challenges MJF, saying he’ll even do it tonight. He doesn’t think MJF will accept that challenge though.
Match 1
Dynamite Diamond Battle Royale
MJF w/ Shawn Spears vs Wardlow vs Matt Hardy w/ The Bunny vs Frankie Kazarian vs Matt Sydal vs Powerhouse Hobbs vs Ricky Starks (FTW Champ) vs Jay Lethal vs Lio Rush vs Lee Moriarty vs Lee Johnson vs Dante Martin
(outside referees: Aubrey Edwards, Bryce Remsburg, Rick Knox, Mike Posey)
Result: MJF & Dante Martin win and will face each other one on one next week
1. Lee Moriarty eliminated by Wardlow (0:55)
2. Matt Sydal eliminated by Powerhouse Hobbs (1:05)
3. Jay Lethal eliminated by Matt Hardy (1:40)
4. Matt Hardy eliminated by Dante Martin (1:48)
5. Powerhouse Hobbs eliminated by Lio Rush (2:46)
6. Lee Johnson eliminated by MJF (7:23)
7. Lio Rush eliminated by MJF (7:23)
8. Wardlow eliminated by MJF (7:23)
9. Frankie Kazarian eliminated by MJF (7:46)
10. Ricky Starks eliminated by Dante Martin (8:23)
Time: 8:23
Match Thoughts
This was okay. It was fine for a battle royale, but with MJF in it, half of the results were completely unsurprising. Wardlow protected MJF for a while, then late in the match MJF dumped Wardlow over the top as one of the last people to get eliminated. The only other real story element was Dante Martin being part of Team Taz, but his turn on Starks late in the match didn’t seem like a huge deal. They paid off that deception very quickly.
Ring Area
After the match, Ricky Starks beats up Dante Martin. MJF thinks about running to the ring to break up the fight, and eventually he does. Instead of helping Date though, MJF joins Starks ad beats up Dante. CM Punk runs to the ring, so MJF runs away. Punk then helps Dante beat up Starks before inviting MJF back into the ring. MJF declines CM Punk’s invitation.
Match 2
The Varsity Blonds w/ Julia Hart & Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus w/ Christian Cage vs The Acclaimed & 2point0 w/ Daniel Garcia
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Jungle Boy submits Max Caster with the Snare Trap
Time: 8:52
Match Thoughts
Good match. It had the fun back-and-forth you’d expect from an eight-man tag like this which built up to a free-for-all towards the end. Daniel Garcia tried to get involved late in the match, but Eddie Kingston ran out and stopped him. Otherwise, this was a nice yet not terribly important match.
Backstage
After the match, Eddie Kingston is followed backstage by a cameraman. Kingston yells some stuff at the camera we can’t hear as Ortiz (who was hanging out in the back) tries to calm him down. After a few seconds, 2point0 and Daniel Garcia attack Kingston and Ortiz. Referees and security break up the fight, but not before Kingston and Ortiz are beaten down.
Backstage
Tully Blanchard complains about it being so difficult for FTR to get The Lucha Bros in the ring for a title match. FTR say that on Friday night, they will solidify themselves as the greatest tag team of all time by winning back the AEW Tag Titles.
Match 3
Young Bucks w/ Adam Cole, Brandon Cutler vs Chuck Taylor & Rocky Romero w/ Orange Cassidy
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Matt Jackson pins Rocky Romero after a Meltzer Driver
Time: 15:41
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Rocky Romero stood out as the focal point of the match for a lot of it (either waiting for Chuck to give him a hot tag or Rocky taking on both of the Bucks). Rocky and Chuck worked pretty well as a team, but the Bucks were definitely a more cohesive team as the match went on. This was fun.
Ring Area
After the match, the Super Kliq (and Brandon Cutler) beat up the Chaos team. Wheeler Yuta runs out to help his friends, but the Jacksons and Cole quickly beat him down. Suddenly, a minivan carefully drives up to the ring area. We can see Sue in the driver’s seat, and Trent Barreta, back from surgery, exits the van. After a kiss on the cheek from his mom, Trent runs to the ring and takes out the Super Kliq. Kris Statlander and Sue join Chaos/Best Friends in the ring for a celebration.
Backstage
Alex Marvez is with Ruby Soho. Allie/The Bunny and Penelope Ford interrupt Ruby and inform her that she will be competing against them in a tag match on Friday. It’s too bad Ruby doesn’t have any friends. Ruby attacks, but Nyla Rose (with Vickie Guerrero) shows up and attacks Ruby. Soon after, Tay Conti and Anna Jay run up with chairs to chase away all of Ruby’s attackers.
Ring Area
On the stage, Tony Schiavone is with Sammy Guevara. Guevara begins to talk about his TNT Title Open Challenge, but he is immediately interrupted by Cody Rhodes. Rhodes tells Guevara that, on Christmas day, Rhodes will be challenging for the TNT Title. Rhodes wishes Guevara luck before leaving.
From the balcony, Ethan Page complains about having to work so hard to get a TNT Title match when an EVP of AEW can just walk up and take one. He also says Dan Lambert is coming back. Scorpio Sky says Guevara is scared to defend his title against anyone ranked in the top five.
Video
A look at the upcoming TBS Title Tournament match featuring Thunder Rosa and Jade Gargill.
Match 4
Jamie Hayter w/ Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D., Rebel vs Riho
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Riho wins via pinfall after Somato
Time: 13:10
Match Thoughts
Great match. Riho had a quick start, but the size and strength of Hayter was a lot to overcome. The middle part of the match saw Hayter destroy Riho with a series of rough-looking slams and backbreakers. Riho wouldn’t stay down though, and some spectacular counters and reversals led to Riho taking back the lead and forcing Hayter to get desperate. Hopefully Riho’s upcoming title match against Baker will be as good as this.
Ring Area
After the match, Britt Baker attacks Riho and puts her in the Lockjaw.
Ring Area
From the commentary table, Taz says, this Friday, Hook will make his in-ring AEW debut.
Video
Serena Deeb is mad at Hikaru Shida for ruining her chance at the TBS Title, and Shida is mad at Deeb for ruining her original fiftieth-victory match.
Ring Area
On the stage, Tony Schiavone welcomes the Varsity Blonds and Julia Hart, but the lights in the area go out. When the lights come back on, Malakai Black is on the stage. Black spits black mist at Julia Hart, the lights go out, and Black disappears.
Match 5
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs John Silver w/ Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Alex Reynolds, Alan Angels, Preston Vance, Colt Cabana
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Bryan Danielson wins via KO after a Gotch-style piledriver
Time: 10:46
Match Thoughts
Very good match. John Silver put up a decent fight, but Danielson was in control of about 95% of this match.
Ring Area
After the match, Bryan Danielson talks about all of the members of Dark Order whose head he’s kicked in. Danielson promised to kick in Silver’s head as well, so he goes over to Silver who is being attended to. Danielson begins to stomp Silver’s head, but Adam Page runs out and attacks. Danielson escapes from the ring and backs away.
Show Impressions
This was a fun show. Winter is Coming is getting close, and this was a good build-up for that show.
Match of the Night
Jamie Hayter vs Riho
This the most dramatic match of the night, and the action was superb.