‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Dec 28th 2022)

Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast live from the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado. We’ve got Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and Taz on commentary so let’s get into the review!

Match #1: Bryan Danielson def. Ethan Page

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Before the match began, AEW World Champion MJF’s music hit! MJF was in a skybox and he began to taunt Danielson on the microphone! Ethan Page used the distraction to ambush Danielson. Ethan Page bodyslammed Danielson. Bryan fired back with a running elbow, and then he chopped Page in the corner. Danielson continued the attack with round kicks. Danielson stomped on Page’s ankle. Page used his size advantage to take down Bryan. Danielson headbutted Page and then followed up with a dropkick. Hathaway jumped onto the ring apron to scream at Danielson. Bryan avoided another ambush from Page and then jumped out at “All Ego” with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Bryan defended with a German Suplex. The two competitors traded strikes in the center of the ring. Danielson sent Page spilling into the middle of the ring with a top rope hurracanrana. Danielson tried hit Page with a flying knee off the apron but Hathaway shoved Page out of the way. Page powerslammed Danielson on the arena floor! Page followed up with a cutter on Danielson in the ring. Bryan countered a slam by Page with a DDT. Bryan Danielson applied the cross face but Ethan Page managed to touch the bottom rope with his boot, forcing the ref to break the hold. Ethan Page had Bryan on the top turnbuckle but Bryan countered with hammer and anvil elbows. Page trapped Bryan’s arm, propped Bryan over his shoulder, and smashed him with an avalanche powerslam for a near fall! Bryan escaped the Ego’s Edge and blasted Page with the running knee. Bryan Danielson grabbed Page in a submission after nailing him with elbows and Page was out!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #2: Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli def. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Darius jumped through the ropes at Moxley and Moxley caught him and rammed him into the barricade. Meanwhile, Claudio caught Dante, countering Dante’s tope. Claudio tossed Darius with a gut wrench in the ring. Moxley tagged in and drove his boot into the head of Darius. Dante tagged in and used a springboard crossbody press onto Moxley! Dante connected with a standing moonsault press. Moxley retaliated with a side suplex. He hammered down elbows on Dante. Darius jumped into the ring and hit Moxley’s knee from behind. Claudio tagged in and he rocked Dante with European Uppercuts. Claudio was looking for the Giant Swing but Darius pulled his brother out of the way. Claudio grabbed Darius with the Giant Swing but Top Flight used tandem offense to take Claudio off his feet. Top Flight tried for a double suplex on Claudio but Claudio countered by suplexing both men at once! Top Flight fired back with combination offense. Darius wiped out Claudio with a standing Spanish Fly for a near fall on Claudio! Claudio came back with a Neutralizer on Darius for a near fall! Moxley smashed Dante with the King Kong Lariat! Moxley spiked Dante with the Paradigm Shift on the floor! Claudio spun around and clobbered Darius with a killing blow, good enough to pin Darius!

My Score: 4 out of 5

Match #3: HOOK def. Baylum Lynx

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Hook clubbed Lynx with body shots. Hook tossed Lynx with an overhead suplex. Hook locked in the Redrum and forced Baylum Lynx to tap out!

My Score: 1 out of 5

Match #4: The Elite (Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks — Nick & Matt Jackson) def. Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo, & Rey Fenix)

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

The match began backstage with both teams brawling! Penta El Zero Miedo swung a metal garbage can at the Elite. Pac smashed Kenny with a brainbuster on a stack of pallets. Pac used a moonsault off risers, landing on the Young Bucks. Nick Jackson wheeled Pac on a travel case directly into a superkick from Matt Jackson! Penta El Zero Miedo threw a trashcan at Nick! Matt Jackson nailed Pac with right hands. Rey Fenix was perched atop the entrance ramp. Fenix jumped off with a tornillo onto the Bucks! Kenny Omega ran through the tunnel with a V-Trigger on Rey Fenix. Pac dropped Omega with a German Suplex on the ramp! Matt Jackson broke up Pac’s pinfall attempt on Omega. Matt Jackson planted Pac and Rey Fenix with locomotion Northern Lights suplexes down the ramp! Back in the ring, Death Triangle triple dropkicked Kenny Omega, who had a garbage can on his head. Penta El Zero Miedo used a sling blade on Nick Jackson but Matt Jackson was there to wipe out Penta El Zero Miedo with a destroyer! Omega placed the trash can over Pac’s head and then crunched him with the V-Trigger! Omega planted Pac with a Doctor Bomb on the trash can for a near fall! The Lucha Bros rocked Omega with the Fear Factor on the floor! Rey Fenix rocketed out of the ring, through the ropes, and crashed into Omega and Matt Jackson! Penta attempted the Fear Factor on the apron but Nick Jackson backdropped his way out of it. Nick Jackson threw a steel chair at Pac and Penta El Zero Miedo. The Bucks smashed Penta with the BTE Trigger. Matt went for the pin but Pac saved his partner, breaking up the pin attempt. Pac placed Matt Jackson in the Brutalizer. Meanwhile Omega smashed Rey Fenix with the One-Winged Angel through a table and then pinned Fenix! Matt Jackson tapped out to Pac’s brutalizer but Omega already pinned Fenix prior to Matt taping out.

My Score: 3.5 out of 5

Match #5: Anna Jay & Tay Melo def. Ruby Soho & Willow Nightingale

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Willow took down Tay. Tay quickly tagged out to Anna Jay. Ruby tagged in and pummeled Anna Jay with right hands. Willow splashed Anna in the corner and then took her down with a high boot. Willow dropped a cross body on Anna for a near fall. Willow attempted to tag out but Tay pulled the ankles of Ruby. Tay and Anna utilized quick tags and tandem offense on Willow in their team’s corner. Willow fought back with a lariat to Anna. Willow tagged out to Ruby, getting the break she needed. Ruby clobbered Tay with a forearm! Ruby landed the No Future on Tay for a near fall! Tay pump kicked Willow. Tay tried again but Willow answered with a roundhouse kick. Tay spiked Ruby with a DDT! Willow snap suplexed Anna on the arena floor. Ruby and Tay traded strikes in the middle of the ring. As ref Aubrey Edwards was distracted, Tay pump kicked a chair into Ruby’s face! Tay followed up with the Tay-KO and then pinned Ruby!

My Score: 2 out of 5

Match #6: TNT Championship Match – Samoa Joe def. Wardlow

The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:

Wardlow hobbled to the ring, not listening to the advice of the AEW medical staff, shoving them away. Wardlow planted Joe with a spinebuster. Instead of going for the pin, Wardlow pounded Samoa Joe with fists. Samoa Joe chopped at Wardlow, but Wardlow stood up and answered with a clothesline. Samoa Joe fired back with a knee breaker on Wardlow. Samoa Joe propped Wardlow on the turnbuckles but Wardlow shoved Joe to the mat. Wardlow splashed Samoa Joe with a senton atomico! Wardlow nailed Samoa Joe with two German Suplexes. Wardlow reared back for a clothesline but Joe blocked it. Wardlow headbutted Samoa Joe and then headbutted Samoa Joe for a near fall. Samoa Joe swept out Wardlow’s legs out from under him. Wardlow powerbombed Samoa Joe off the turnbuckles, feeding off the energy of the crowd. Wardlow tried to powerbomb Samoa Joe again but Wardlow’s legs gave out. Samoa Joe chop blocked Wardlow and then locked Wardlow in a rear naked choke. Wardlow was rendered unconscious and Samoa Joe earned the victory! After the match, Samoa Joe smashed his two title belts into Wardlow’s head! Samoa Joe grabbed a tool box from beneath the ring. He pulled out a pair of scissors. Ref Paul Turner tried to stop Samoa Joe but Samoa Joe headbutted Turner! Samoa Joe cut off Wardlow’s ponytail!

My Score: 3 out of 5

Final Verdict: 4.5/5

What a way to end Dynamite’s 2022… Two four-star matches, TONS of quality storytelling and only one squash match (and that was HOOK, so it kind of doesn’t count!) The only real letdown was the women’s tag match – mainly becasue the feud between Ruby Soho and Tay Melo is clearly not over. And I wish it bloody was! It was an odd choice to have Samoa Joe cut Wardlow’s hair (that felt very WWE) after their match but what the hell, I’m all in on this feud so I’m willing to roll with it. A cracking epsiode of Dynamite that hopefully sets the stage for an even better 2023!