‘AEW Dynamite: Holiday Bash’ Review (Dec 18th 2024)
Welcome to this week’s review of the AEW Dynamite: Holiday Bash special, which was broadcast from the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, DC. We’ve got Excalibur, Matt Menard, and Tony Schiavone on commentary, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: TBS Championship Match – Mercedes Moné def. Anna Jay
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mercedes nailed Anna with the Three Amigos suplex sequence. Anna dodged a frog splash and followed up with a flipping neck breaker. Mercedes locked Anna in a straitjacket choke. Mercedes crunched Anna with a meteora off the middle turnbuckle for a near fall. Anna blasted Mercedes with a blockbuster neck breaker. Anna walloped Mercedes with three kicks in the corner. Anna flattened Mercedes with a face plant and covered the champion, but Mercedes reached over to the ropes to break the hold. Anna was looking for the Queen Slayer and hooked it on! Mercedes bit the arm of Anna out of sheer desperation to escape. Mercedes put Anna in the Statement Maker, but Anna reversed it with a cradle. Mercedes reversed it back, but Anna reached the ropes. Mercedes hit Anna with a sunset bomb in the corner. Mercedes smashed Anna with the Mone Maker in the center of the ring and pinned Anna Jay!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: The Patriarchy (Christian Cage & Nick Wayne) def. Hook & Katsuyori Shibata
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Nick Wayne and Hook grappled to the mat. Hook avoided a roundhouse kick. Christian Cage and Shibata tagged in for their respective teams. Christian ducked a kick. Shibata shoved Christian as Christian tried for the Kill Switch. Hook was looking to lock on Red Rum on Nick Wayne, but Christian pulled Hook’s legs as the ref was distracted. Nick Wayne and Christian isolated Hook, targeting his injured arm. Shibata grabbed a tag and cleaned house on the Patriarchy. Shibata bludgeoned Nick Wayne with chops and then closed in with a dropkick. Shibata drove Wayne down with a back heel trip and then delivered on to Cage. Hook took Christian for a ride on the floor with a T-bone suplex. Nick went for Wayne’s World, but Shibata countered with a sleeper. Mother Wayne distracted the ref while Christian nailed Shibata with the Kill Switch. Nick Wayne covered Shibata and stole the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Continental Classic Blue League Match – Shelton Benjamin def. The Beast Mortos
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mortos blocked a hip toss and wrenched at the ankle of Shelton. Shelton cracked the Beast Mortos with a knee strike, knocking Mortos off the top rope and down to the arena floor. The Beast Mortos power slammed Benjami for a near fall. The Beast headbutted Shelton Benjamin. The Beast crashed down and splashed Shelton from the top turnbuckle. Shelton retaliated with a running power slam. Mortos had an adrenaline rush and popped back up, headbutting Benjamin on the jaw. Shelton stunned the Beast with a thrust kick. Shelton launched the Beast with three consecutive German Suplexes! Shelton rocked the Beast with two knee strikes. Shelton planted the Beast with the Hurt Fall and pinned Mortos!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #4: Continental Classic Gold League Match – Darby Allin def. Will Ospreay
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
They were off to a quick start, both men going move for move, countering one another in a flurry of offense. Ospreay fired in a knife edged chop. Darby accelerated and blasted Ospreay with a running cannon ball to the outside! Darby went for the Coffin Drop but Will rolled out of the ring sending Darby crashing on the edge of the ring. Darby came over the top with a stunner to Will. Ospreay connected with a thrust kick. Ospreay scored with a Hidden Blade, but Darby drilled Ospreay with a Code Red for a near fall! Darby countered an Os Cutter with a Coffin Drop but Will kicked out at the two-count! Ospreay planted Darby with a Styles Clash off the apron and onto the arena floor. Ospreay, on the hunt, connected with an Os Cutter! Darby countered a Storm Breaker with a Scorpion Death Drop. Darby nailed Will with a Coffin Drop! Darby pinned Will after a second Coffin Drop!
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Match #5: The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Pac, & Wheeler Yuta) def. Orange Cassidy, Jay White, & “Hangman” Adam Page
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Orange dropkicked Wheeler Yuta. Orange flipped off the ropes and wiped out Pac and Yuta. Moxley jabbed Orange in the throat. Orange back body dropped his way out of a pile driver attempt from Mox. Hangman tagged in and Mox bailed out of the ring. Page took down Yuta with a lariat. After arguing with Jay White, Hangman walked out of the ring and left the match. Moxley clobbered White with a lariat. Jay White scored with a lariat on Pac. Jay White caught Mox with a cutthroat suplex. Orange tagged in and drilled Mox with a diving DDT! Orange pulped Mox with a second DDT. Wheeler Yuta blocked the Stun Dog Millionaire. Orange super plexed Pac back into the ring. Moxley mauled Orange with a cutter. Hangman Page jumped back into the fray. Wheeler shoved Orange, inadvertently causing Orange to collide with Hangman! Hangman blasted Wheeler with the Buckshot Lariat. Jay White served up the Blade Runner to Pac. Moxley rolled up Orange and stole the victory as Hangman and Jay White were arguing!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
Another great episode of Dynamite this week. We got two great Continental Classic matches – including a MOTY contender in Darby Allin versus Will Ospreay, a women’s title match to OPEN the show, and two great multi-man matches. What a great way to wrap up Dynamite before Christmas, almost like Tony Khan and co. were giving us the gidt of a great show! Here’s hoping this weekend’s AEW action can live up to this episode!
