‘AEW Dynamite on 34th Street’ Review (Dec 25th 2024)
Welcome to this week’s review of the AEW Dynamite on 34th Street special, which was broadcast from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. We’ve got Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone on commentary, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: Continental Classic Gold League Match – Will Ospreay def. Brody King
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Ospreay threw some round kicks at Brody’s thigh. Brody backed Will into the corner and then threw Will halfway across the ring! Brody blocked a running shoulder block from Ospreay. Brody body slammed Will and then went for a senton, but Ospreay got his knees up to defend. Brody blocked an Os Cutter and went for a Gonzo Bomb, but Will countered with a hurracanrana. Outside the ring Brody charged at Will but Will used drop toe hold to send Brody into the steps. Brody fired back with a spine buster on Will onto the corner of the steel ring steps. Back in the ring Brody back dropped Ospreay. Brody jacked up Ospreay with a release fisherman suplex and then dumped Will on Will’s back. Ospreay hit a running kick and then nailed Brody with a sky twister press to the arena floor. Will followed up with a springboard into an elbow to Brody. Will and Brody traded chops in the center of the ring. Brody barked at Will, inviting Will to hit him. Will obliged but Brody didn’t budge. Brody walloped Will with a chop and sent Will tumbling over the top rope. Brody threw his body at Will, sandwiching Will against the barricade. Brody followed up with a running cannonball for a near fall! Brody knocked off Will’s block with a rolling elbow. Ospreay attempted an Os Cutter, but King chopped him out of the air. Ospreay blasted Brody with a Styles Clash out of nowhere for a two-count. King blocked the Hidden Blade with a lariat. Brody King planted Ospreay with a Gonzo Bomb and covered him, but Will kicked out. Will sized up Brody and cracked Brody with a Hidden Blade but Brody kicked out. Will hit the Storm Breaker and pinned Brody King!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #2: Continental Classic Gold League Match – Darby Allin vs. Ricochet (Draw)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Darby brought Ricochet to the mat with a side headlock takeover. Darby countered off an arm drag attempt with a chin lock. Ricochet hit Darby with a cheap shot, jabbing Darby in the face over the referee’s back. Darby charged at Ricochet outside the ring, but Ricochet dodged him. Darby careened off the guardrail. Darby didn’t slow down, though, dropkicking Ricochet out of the ring. Darby tried to mount a comeback, jumping at Ricochet with a tope, but Ricochet countered with a knee strike. Ricochet set up a table at ringside. Ricochet smashed Darby repeatedly into the barricade. Ricochet crashed onto Darby with a 630 senton. Back in the ring, Ricochet stomped on Darby Allin. Ricochet battered Darby with chops in the corner. Darby drilled Ricochet with two consecutive Code Reds for a near fall on Ricochet! Darby was looking for a Coffin Drop but Ricochet rolled out of the ring, taking himself out of range. Darby dodged a springboard 450 and applied a Fujiwara armbar. Two minutes remained in the match. Ricochet reached the bottom of the ropes with his boot to force the break. One minute remained and it was crunch time. Ricochet rocked Darby with a jumping knee strike. Darby drilled Ricochet with a Scorpion Death Drop. Darby landed a Coffin Drop and went for the cover but time expired and the match was declared a draw!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: Continental Classic Gold League Match – Komander def. Claudio Castagnoli
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
As Komander was making his entrance, Darby was leaving the ring and whispered something into Komander’s ear. Claudio Castagnoli clubbed Komander with stiff shots and then a massive boot to the face. Komander dodged a charging Claudio. Komander attempted to use his agility, running the ropes, but Claudio grabbed him and planted Komander with a vertical suplex. Claudio blasted Komander with a gut buster from the top turnbuckle for a near fall. Claudio squashed Komander with a double foot stomp. Claudio blocked a poison rana. Both men tumbled outside the ring, over the top rope, but Claudio held onto Komander who was on his back. Claudio dumped Komander onto the ring apron. Komander took flight with a salute over the top post, wiping out Claudio. Komander countered a pop up European uppercut from Claudio. Komander face planted Claudio. Komander pulled out Darby Allin’s jacket from beneath the ring and retrieved a pair of brass knuckles from it. Komander decked Claudio with the brass knuckles unbeknownst to the referee. Komander landed his finisher and pinned Claudio!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Continental Classic Blue League Match – Kazuchika Okada def. Shelton Benjamin
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Okada and Benjamin traded arm drags. Okada lured Shelton in and then DDT Shelton on the floor. Okada climbed to the top rope, but Benjamin jumped up there and brought Okada down the hard way with a suplex. Shelton ate a running back elbow from Okada. Okada’s precision is second to none. Okada spiked Benjamin with a DDT for a near fall. Shelton grabbed an ankle lock. Okada escaped but Shelton shoved Okada into the turnbuckles. Okada picked up Shelton and nailed him with a neck breaker. Benjamin was dazed. Okada landed a big elbow drop from the top rope. Okada punished Benjamin with a series of German Suplexes. Benjamin retaliated, launching Okada with a series of suplexes of his own. Okada cradled Benjamin for a near fall. Okada hit a picture perfect dropkick. Shelton countered a rainmaker with a flatliner for a two-count. Okada hit the rainmaker out of nowhere and pinned Benjamin.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: Toni Storm def. Taya Valkyrie
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Taya used a flurry of offense to take down Toni. Taya grounded and pounded Toni. Taya drove a clothesline into Toni in the corner. Taya smashed Toni with double knees in the corner. Toni hit two shoulder tackles. From outside the ring Deonna grabbed Toni’s ankle, taking her off her game and allowing Taya to regain her momentum. Taya hit a lariat on Toni. Toni jumped on Taya and walloped her with a series of punches. Toni smashed Taya with the running hip attack. Taya speared Toni. Taya went for a suplex, but Toni rolled her up with a quick cradle and scored the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #6: Continental Classic Blue League Match – Kyle Fletcher def. Daniel Garcia
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Fletcher took down DG with a shoulder block. Fletcher kicked Garcia in the face. Garcia fired off right hands. Fletcher dumped Garcia over the top rope, sending Garcia crashing to the arena floor. Garcia chopped Fletcher, sending Fletcher back against the barricade. Fletcher power bombed Garcia onto the apron. Fletcher spiked Garcia with a draping DDT. Garcia clocked Fletcher with a lariat, taking Fletcher off his feet. Fletcher blocked a neck breaker. Fletcher charged at Garcia, but overcommitted. Fletcher’s momentum carried him over the top rope. Garcia blasted Fletcher with a John Woo dropkick. Garcia punished Fletcher with a draping neck breaker. Garcia locked in a guillotine choke. Fletcher flipped Garcia over the top rope. Garcia went back to the guillotine. Fletcher fought out with a brain buster on the apron. Fletcher power bombed Garcia, but Garcia kicked out at the two-count! As ref Aubrey Edwards had her back turned, Fletcher snuck in a low blow, kicking Garcia between the legs. Fletcher flattened Garcia with a brain buster, but Garcia kicked out! Garcia and Fletcher went toe to toe, slugging it out. Fletcher pump kicked Garcia in the face. Garcia lit up Fletcher with thunderous chops. Garcia applied the Dragon Tamer but Fletcher escaped by grabbing Danny’s head. Fletcher rattled Garcia with a knee strike. Fletcher caught Garcia with a lariat and then two running boots to Garcia’s head. Fletcher spiked Garcia with a turnbuckle brain buster and Fletcher pinned him for the victory!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This week’s Dynamite episode was another great one. It was not quite on par with last week’s, but it was still a brilliant Christmas episode. The only thing that let this week’s show down was the women’s match, which felt like only a small step up from a squash match. Of course, given that we had plenty of C2 matches, we knew going in that this would be something great – it’s just a shame the entire show couldn’t live up to the first match of the night. Though many tried!