‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Jan 4th 2023)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Ricky Starks def. Chris Jericho
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Starks cornered Jericho and lit him up with rapid shots. Jericho retaliated with chops to Starks. Jericho and Starks battled on the ring apron, jockeying for position. Jericho suplexed Starks from the apron to the arena floor. Starks battled back to his feet, taking down The Ocho with a dropkick in the center of the ring. Starks nailed Jericho with a Liger Bomb for a near fall. Jericho attempted a lionsault but Starks countered by lifting his knees into Jericho’s ribs. Starks smacked Jericho with a thrust kick. Jericho avoided a splash and landed a codebreaker on Starks. Jericho went for the Judas Effect but Starks had it countered. Jericho escaped the Roshambo and transitioned into the liontamer on Starks. Angelo Parker jumped on the ring apron and distracted the ref while Menard walloped Ricky with Jericho’s baseball bat! Starks still had fight left in him though! Starks up kicked Jericho away and cradled Jericho for a two-count. Ricky followed up with a DDT to Jericho! Starks speared Jericho and pinned him in the center of the ring!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: AEW World Tag Team Championship Match – The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) def. Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bowens stomped at Jarrett in the corner. Jarrett used a back elbow on Bowens and tagged out to Lethal. Bowens landed a guillotine leg drop on Lethal and Caster tagged in. Caster put an ankle lock on Lethal, mocking Jarrett while doing it. Bowens cracked Lethal with the Scissor Me Timbers. They dropped one on Jarrett for good measure. The ref ejected Billy Gunn after Lethal taunted Billy and Billy jumped into the ring. Lethal tried for an elbow drop but Bowens dodged it. Bowens tried to tag to Caster but Jarrett jumped in and prevented the tag. Lethal and Caster tagged in but Caster cleaned house on Lethal and Jarrett. Caster connected with a diving cross body on Lethal but Jarrett was there to make the save for Lethal. Caster grounded and pounded Jarrett and then served up a dropkick to Jarrett. Lethal and Jarrett isolated Bowens with combination offense. Lethal locked on the figure four on Bowens. Satnam threw Max into the steel ring steps! The ref called for backup and the AEW refs ejected Satnam and Sonjay. Bowens countered the Lethal Injection with a rip cord elbow but Jarrett was there to smash Bowens with the stroke! Lethal covered Bowens for the pin. Bowens got his foot up but the ref didn’t see it and counted the pin in favor Lethal and Jarrett. Ref Aubrey Edwards alerted the ref that Bowens had his foot up and the match was restarted. Bowens rolled up Jarrett with a reversal and the Acclaimed were victorious!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Bryan Danielson def. Tony Nese
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Woods grabbed Danielson’s boot from the outside and Nese cracked Bryan with a running knee! Danielson fired back with chops and kicks to Nese in the corner. Danielson nailed Nese with a running elbow strike. Danielson battered Nese with round kicks. Nese grabbed Danielson and powerbombed Danielson into the corner. Bryan charged at Nese with a running knee! Bryan Danielson grabbed Nese by the arms and began to stomp away at Nese, knocking him flat! Danielson locked on the LeBell Lock and ref Aubrey Edwards called for the bell as Nese was knocked unconscious!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: Swerve Strickland def. AR Fox
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Fox looked for a cutter but Swerve put on the brakes. Fox landed a pump kick into the jaw of Swerve and then vaulted off the ring post, rocking Swerve. Fox spiked Swerve with a corkscrew brainbuster. After interference from one of Swerve’s Mogul Affiliates, Swerve caught AR Fox with a cheap shot. Fox looked for another cutter but Swerve countered with a flatliner for a near fall. Fox baited Swerve and landed a low trajectory cutter and then hit another cutter on Swerve! Fox dropped a 450 splash on Swerve for a near fall! Parker passed Swerve a foreign object while the ref was distracted and Swerve quickly used it to get the edge. Swerve flattened Fox with a Death Valley Driver on the apron! Swerve dropped the double stomp on Fox’s throat and pinned him!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #5: Jade Cargill & Red Velvet def. Kiera Hogan & Skye Blue
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Skye Blue landed a running knee strike to Red Velvet. Kiera tagged in and leg dropped Red Velvet for a near fall. Skye Blue spiked Velvet with a DDT. Jade tagged in and planted Hogan! Jade yelled at Red Velvet and tagged her in. Kiera connected with a sliding kick to Red Velvet in the corner. Cargill tagged back in and served up pump kicks to the opposition. Jade chokeslammed Kiera Hogan. Jade tried to tag out to Red Velvet turned away from her partner on purpose. Jade managed to finish off Hogan and pin her as Red Velvet walked away.
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #6: TNT Championship Match – Darby Allin def. Samoa Joe
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Nick Wayne was sitting ringside and Samoa Joe grabbed Nick by the throat. Darby jumped out of the ring and began to pummel Samoa Joe with the skateboard. Darby pulled a massive ladder out from backstage. Darby climbed to the top of the ladder and somersaulted onto Samoa Joe. Darby’s leg buckled as his knee hit the ramp twelve feet below. The bell finally rang as both competitors made it to the ring. Samoa Joe spiked Darby Allin on the steel ring steps. Darby grabbed a rear naked choke on Samoa Joe and Samoa Joe splashed backwards with all of his weight on Darby! Samoa Joe dropped Darby with a double knee breaker. Samoa Joe sat back with a senton on Darby for a two-count. Samoa Joe applied a single leg crab to Darby but Darby reached the ropes with his hand. Samoa Joe was looking for the muscle buster but Darby slid out. Darby grabbed a waist lock but Joe held on to the turnbuckles, ripping the turnbuckle pad off in the process. Darby went over the top with an attempted stunner but Samoa Joe applied a rear naked choke. Darby rammed Joe into the exposed turnbuckle, followed up with a Code Red. Darby nailed Samoa Joe with two coffin drops and pinned Samoa Joe!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Damn! What a start to 2023 for AEW. Besides the refresh of the look of the show, it seems Tony Khan also wanted to see in the new year with the best matches and promos he could muster. Which meant that this episode was a blast from start to finish! It helped immensely that the audience in attendance we red hot for everything that occurred – their reactions really helped the show have a more grandiose feel and made all the matches all seem a LOT more exciting! Plus we got the start of new, and exciting, stories; the continuation of hot feuds and a crowd-pleasing main event that sent everyone home happy! A fantastic start to 2023!
