**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: “Winter Is Coming” was held live from the sold-out Curtis Cullwell Center in Garland, TX!
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Tony Schiavone, “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz, and Excalibur were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
AEW World Championship Title Match!
Champ “Hangman” Adam Page vs. “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
Tonight is “Hangman” Adam Page’s first title defense since being crowned World Champion last month at the FULL GEAR pay-per-view. Danielson defeated Miro at FULL GEAR to be the #1 contender here tonight.
There was a faceoff before the match began, and as Taz described, some mind games were being played.
Both men locked up in a collar and elbow tie-up with both men trying to gain positioning. Page backed Bryan back into the corner. Danielson did jumping jacks in the corner, showing disrespect toward the champion.
“Danielson is cocky as hell and I dig it,” said Taz.
Page got frustrated with Bryan and began to shove him. Page used a side headlock takedown on Bryan. Page avoided a sweep from Bryan and then quickly kicked Bryan in the chest.
“That’s what makes Adam Page so dangerous. He’s got the size, he’s got the power, but most importantly, he’s got the speed,” said Excalibur.
Bryan tried a leapfrog and Page caught him and body slammed Bryan. The challenger transitioned, grabbed Page’s legs and began to wrench on them. Bryan began to work over Page’s back with well placed knees. Danielson locked on the Romero Special and transitioned to a Dragon Sleeper on Page!
Bryan head butted Page but Page ran right through and rocked Bryan with a chop. And then another! Bryan grabbed Page’s ankle and singled it out.
“Danielson is working on the knee, the joint, of the champion,” said Taz.
With Page’s legs locked, Bryan began to whoop Page with body shots.
“Bryan Danielson in control of the AEW World Champion ‘Hangman’ Adam Page,” said Excalibur.
Danielson knocked Page out of the ring and was looking for a tope suicida but Page jumped back into the ring and nailed him with a forearm. Page went over the top rope and shut down Danielson on the arena floor!
Adam Page climbed the top rope and jumped but Danielson met him with a beautiful roundhouse kick. Danielson had it scouted and smirked at Page before he began to drive more knees into the midsection of the champion.
Danielson catapulted Page throat first across the bottom rope. Danielson trapped Page’s arm behind the top rope and began kicking him forcefully. Danielson climbed the top rope and jumped onto Page with a diving knee to the back of Page’s head!
“This is for the most important prize in our industry,” said Taz.
Danielson got caught up on the top rope and Page spring boarded off the turnbuckle and connected with a lariat to Danielson. Page collided with Bryan using a tope suicida to the outside. The champ followed up with a moonsault to the outside onto Bryan Danielson!
“Great execution on that moonsault!” said Taz.
Page hoisted Danielson up with a Death Valley Driver and wrecked him for a near fall! Page was about to set up Danielson with a superplex but Bryan escaped and went behind Page. The champ sent Danielson to the mat with a hard elbow. Page attempted a moonsault but Danielson moved out of the way and rolled up Page for a near fall!
“That landing drove all the oxygen out of Adam Page’s lungs,” said Excalibur.
The fans began chanting “This is awesome!”
Danielson attempted the Le Bell Lock but Page freed his arm and rolled up Danielson for a near fall. Danielson grabbed an ankle and started wrenching Page’s legs. Danielson walloped Page in the midsection with a stiff kick! Danielson ran into the corner but Page countered with a popup powerbomb for a near fall on Danielson!
“Hangman” Adam Page was setting up for the Buckshot Lariat but Danielson saw it out of the corner of his eye and he rolled out of the ring. Page improvised with a sliding dropkick. Page went up for another moonsault but Danielson shoved him off and Page landed on the ring apron! Danielson concentrated on Page’s shoulders and rammed him repeatedly into the steel ring post!
“That’ll pop your shoulder out,” said Taz.
Page was busted open from being rammed into the corner ring posts. Danielson jumped off the ring apron with a flying knee, attacking Page’s open wound! Danielson once again rammed his knee into the head of Page, and then wrapped Page’s right arm around the steel ring post!
“Danielson is a tremendous tactician. He’s trying to eliminate the threat of Page’s right arm because that’s what Page uses for the Buckshot Lariat,” said Taz.
“It seems like Danielson is trying to hold Page underwater until he drowns,” added Tony Schiavone.
Page countered a knee strike from Danielson but Danielson came back with a German Suplex! Danielson applied the Cattle Mutilation submission. Page escaped but Danielson fired off body kicks to ‘Hangman” Adam Page! Danielson wound up for a roundhouse but Page ducked and Danielson’s shin collided with the ring post!
Page lifted Danielson and rammed Danielson’s knee into the ring post! Page exposed the ringside barricade, trapped Danielson’s leg, and then kicked it!
“Page is rising to the occasion here tonight in his first AEW World Championship title defense,” said Excalibur.
‘Hangman’ Adam Page locked in the figure four submission on Danielson! The challenged rolled to the ropes to force the ref to break the hold.
“This is epic! The longest match in AEW history at over 45 minutes already, and I think the challenger just hit his second wind,” said Taz.
Out of nowhere, Page planted Danielson with a tombstone piledriver but Danielson kicked out!
More “This is awesome!” chanted broke out throughout the sold-out arena!
Page propped Danielson onto the top turnbuckle and chopped away at him. Page tried for a top rope superplex but Danielson hit him with short jabs to the ribs, knocking him down. Danielson followed up with a shoulder trap suplex for a near fall! Danielson hoisted Page onto the top turnbuckle and took him down hard with a back suplex! Danielson hooked Page’s leg for a near fall!
Danielson was using the hammer and anvil strikes on Page. Danielson was trying to wrench the arm of Page out of the socket but Page made it to the bottom rope to force the break.
“This is a classic battle,” said Excalibur.
Bryan attempted the Gotch style piledriver on the apron but Page reversed with the Dead Eye on the apron!
“Holy hell, man, can Danielson even get up off the arena floor?” said Tony Schiavone.
Page jumped off the top of the ring post, hurling himself at Bryan Danielson, but Danielson moved and Page smashed into the timekeeper’s table! Back in the ring, Danielson countered a lariat with a kick to Page’s arm!
“We’re on the cusp of one hour here. What do you have to do to win this match?” said Taz.
Danielson tried to suplex Page off the top rope but Page landed on his feet and followed up with a lariat that turned the challenger inside out! They traded strikes in the center of the ring! Danielson began to head butt Page. “Hangman” Adam Page tried for a rolling elbow but Bryan countered with a roundhouse! Danielson covered Page for a near fall! Five minutes remained in the match!
Danielson trapped Page’s arms and then began stomping Page’s face!
“Hangman is almost defenseless,” said Excalibur.
Bryan was lining up Page for the running knee but Page caught him and countered with the Dead Eye for the near fall!
“Unbelievable!” said Excalibur.
The fans chanted “A-E-W!”
Page trapped Bryan’s arms and began stomping Bryan’s face! Page removed his elbow pad and went for the Buck Shot Lariat but Danielson countered with the Le Bell Lock!
There was one minute remaining!
Page slingshot Danielson into the ropes and Page exploded onto the challenger with a clothesline. Page connected with the Buckshot Lariat but time expired!
Announcer Justin Roberts declared the match a draw as Danielson and Page went to the full 60-minute time limit!
“We need a rematch! This has been a defining moment in our promotion!” said Tony Schiavone.
What an extraordinary display of professional wrestling from both AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page and “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
Matt Sydal vs. Wardlow (with “The Chairman” Shawn Spears)!
Wardlow is on a 13-match winning streak.
Sydal went to the lower body with round kicks to Wardlow. Sydal rocked Wardlow with two kicks to Wardlow’s head. Sydal attempted a leg lariat but Wardlow caught Sydal and powerbombed him! Wardlow conducted a powerbomb symphony on Sydal and then pinned Sydal.
Shawn Spears grabbed a microphone and instructed Wardlow not to do so many powerbombs and to just go for the pin because they don’t get paid by the hour. Spears whacked Sydal with a steel chair. Spears phone began to ring and it was a call from MJF. Spears said MJF wanted Wardlow to go run and errand and get some champagne for MJF’s post-match celebration.
The Rubber Match!
“The Woman of 1000 Holds” Serena Deeb vs. Hikaru Shida!
Deeb attacked Shida as Shida tried to enter the ring. Shida hurled the kendo stick at Deeb!
“Shida does her best when she’s angry. She wrestles with purpose,” said Tony Schiavone.
Shida used a hammer throw on Deeb into the corner. Shida sprung off the middle rope but Deeb countered with a leg lock. Deeb hit a European Uppercut on Shida. Deeb locked on a figure four leg lock as Shida’s leg was tied up around the ring post!
Shida rallied back with multiple strikes to Deeb’s head!
“This is why we call it a grudge match,” said Excalibur.
Shida caught Deeb with a step-up enziguri for a near fall! Deeb exposed the turnbuckle and dropped Shida with a neck breaker on it. Deeb followed up with a powerbomb! Deeb hit two consecutive neck breakers on Shida. She tried for another but Shida countered with a falcon arrow! Shida caught Deeb on the back of the head with an ax kick!
Deeb applied a single leg crab on Shida! Deeb wrenched back and then slapped at Shida’s ear. Deeb pulled off the turnbuckle pad. She tried to send Shida into the exposed corner but Shida reversed it by kicking Deeb into it. Shida jackknifed Deeb for the pin!
Tony Schiavone was backstage with The Varsity Blonds, asking how Julia Hart was doing after the attack from Malakai Black.
Griff Garrison: “Julia Hart isn’t here this week. Next week Malakai, I’m going to break your jaw.”
Time for our main event!
The Dynamite Diamond Ring Final!
MJF vs. Dante Martin!
MJF walked out with a Mic.
MJF: “This place is a dump! You got a problem with me, Texas? Maybe you’d like me if I was more like you: anti education and pro incest. CM Punk, you’ve got the balls to come out here and pretend that all I use is low hanging fruit.
“Well, CM Punk, the second he got nervous last week, all he could come up with was, ‘Your local sports team sucks’ for 10 minutes. I didn’t realize that having an undefeated streak against underwhelming challengers made you championship material. I just thought that made you the new Ryback.
“Dante Martin, you may be a great athlete, but I’m not CM Punk. I’m not going to pretend I care about the young talent. It’s easy to forget I’m the top talent in this company and I was born in 1996. I’m about to be the three-time Dynamite Diamond Ring winner. Dante Martin, I don’t claim to be ‘the best in the world’. I just am.”
Dante Martin made his entrance. He’s on a 7-match winning streak.
MJF took down Dante with a side headlock takeover. MJF stomped on Dante’s back and then did a strut. Dante got up and slapped MJF in the mouth!
Dante executed a 450 knee drop on MJF for a near fall! Dante was going to go for the nosedive but MJF moved so Dante held off. MJF rolled to the outside of the ring to collect his thoughts.
Dante attempted the nose dive but MJF shoved him off the ropes and sent him flying into the barricade! MJF rammed Dante Martin into the barricade again! Back in the ring, MJF tried for a powerbomb but Dante rolled up MJF for a two-count!
MJF tried a pin attempt with his feet on the ropes, but ref Bryce Remsburg saw it and stopped the pin attempt.
The fans were chanting Dante’s name!
Dante jumped over the top rope and down onto MJF on the arena floor! Dante followed up with a tope con hiro over the turnbuckles onto MJF!
“Dante Martin will not be denied!” said Excalibur.
Dante blasted MJF with a shooting star press outside the ring, his knee connecting hard with MJF’s face! Back in the ring, Dante dropped MJF with one shot. Dante cracked MJF with a right hand!
Dante surprised MJF with a leg lariat and then a back slide for a near fall. Dante rolled up MJF in a small package for a two-count. Dante tried a sunset flip but MJF bailed out. MJF spiked Dante with a Liger Bomb for a near fall! Dante rolled out of the ring.
“I think maybe Dante overextended himself a little bit,” said Excalibur.
Dante brought MJF into the ring the hard way. Dante connected with the nose bleed springboard. He almost had MJF pinned but “Absolute” Ricky Starks ran out and placed MJF’s foot on the bottom ropes to stop the pin. MJF applied the Salt of the Earth armbar and forced Dante Martin to tap out!
FTR—Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler—came out to help MJF celebrate!
The arena lights went dark! The lights came back on and Sting and Darby Allin were in the ring. They attacked FTR until MJF hit a low blow on Sting! FTR and MJF began to beat down Darby and Sting until CM Punk’s music hit!
CM Punk sprinted to the ring with a baseball bat!
“Like cockroaches, MJF and FTR have scattered,” said Excalibur.
CM Punk: “You don’t want to do it one on one in Texas. That’s fine! Next week on DYNAMITE, your friends against mine!”
Be sure to tune in next Wednesday to AEW DYNAMITE: Holiday Bash live on TNT from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC!
Don’t miss AEW RAMPAGE this Friday on TNT featuring:
-A 10-man tag challenge—Eddie Kingston, Santana, Ortiz, and the AEW World Tag Team Champions Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix vs. 2point0, Daniel Garcia, and whoever else they pick!
-The Young Bucks, Adam Cole #BayBay, & “Infamous” Bobby Fish vs. The Best Friends & Rocky Romero!
-Tay Conti vs. Penelope Ford in a Submission Match!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!