***CONTAINS SPOILERS***
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL.
Excalibur, Taz, and Jim Ross were the broadcast team for tonight’s event. Tony Schiavone was away on assignment.
“The American Nightmare” Cody (accompanied by the head coach of “the Nightmare Family”, “the Enforcer” Arn Anderson) vs. Darby Allin began tonight’s program.
Darby was fired up tonight! Both men locked up, but Cody hit Darby with consecutive shoulder tackles. It wasn’t long before both men tried for a quick victory with pinning exchanges. Darby ducked a lariat attempt, went for the Coffin Drop, which Cody countered by manhandling Darby, and tossed Darby into the corner turnbuckles. From the outside, Darby swept Cody’s legs, forcing him to land shoulder first on the ring apron. Darby connected with a tope suicida on Cody’s shoulder, and then rammed Cody’s left arm into the ring post.
Cody delivered a swift kick to Darby’s head, and then put Darby into the figure four. Darby forced the break by touching the ropes. Cody was clutching his arm, and Darby kicked Cody into the corner again. Darby worked over Cody with a double arm bar.
Darby was relentless in his attack. He tore off the pad from one of the turnbuckles, but Cody hit Darby with a power slam. Cody came back with a Cody-cutter on his opponent. Darby kicked out from a top rope Cross Rhodes!
Darby went for a Coffin Drop, but Cody, listening to Arn Anderson, who was on the outside of the ring, lifted up his knees. Darby crashed down on Cody’s knees, and Cody was finally able to score the pin fall!
Jen Decker was backstage interviewing SCU. Sammy Guevara interrupted SCU, and Christopher Daniels challenged Guevara to a match next week.
Nyla Rose vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. AEW Women’s World Champion, Riho, in a 4-way match followed this.
Nyla blindsided Riho, but Shida hit Nyla with a kendo stick and then a running knee to the temple. Nyla rolled to the outside. Riho blocked an arm drag by Shida, and then countered Baker by tossing her into the turnbuckles. Nyla set up a table on the outside and attempted to put Shida through it, but Riho jumped off the top rope and stopped Nyla’s assault!
Back in the ring, Nyla tried to powerbomb Shida, but Shida countered and back dropped Nyla. Then Nyla tossed Shida onto the ropes, and connected with a flying guillotine onto Shida. Nyla hit a senton onto Shida through a table on the outside of the ring.
As Nyla was trying to climb back into the ring, Riho hit a diving foot stomp on Nyla. Britt Baker was there and put Nyla into an arm bar, but Nyla powered out. Riho ran into the ring and stomped onto Nyla’s abdomen, but Baker broke up the pinning attempt. Baker got caught on the top rope as Shida suplexed her. Shida then suplexed Riho onto Nyla, who was sitting in the corner. Baker hit Shida with a superkick and went for the Lockjaw submission, but Shida escaped. Riho came in and rolled up Baker for the three count!
Nyla Rose, frustrated with the loss, brought a table into the ring. She placed Riho onto the table. Nyla jumped off the top, crashing right through the table on top of Riho!
Alex Marvez was backstage interviewing Joey Janela. “The Bad Boy” was cut short as he was given a low blow from behind from Penelope Ford. Ford and “Super Bad” Kip Sabian put an end to Janela’s interview. Janela was curled up on the floor, writhing in pain.
A video package for the Dark Order aired.
TRENT (with Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy) vs. Jon Moxley.
Taz said of Moxley, “he’s a rage-filled brother, and I like it!” Trent tried to turn this into a traditional wrestling match, but when he slapped Moxley in the face out of frustration, Moxley unloaded with some chops. Trent didn’t step down, and connected with knees to Moxley’s sternum. The chops continued, but Mox countered with a big right hand.
Jim Ross said this was a slobber knocker, just as TRENT speared Moxley on the outside! TRENT dumped Mox on the back of his head with a half-and-half suplex. TRENT hit a DDT from the top rope for a two count on Moxley.
Mox hit a knee on TRENT and then planted him for a near fall. Mox gave a stiff clothesline to TRENT, but TRENT connected with a haymaker clothesline of his own for a two count on Mox!
Orange Cassidy climbed into the ring and distracted Mox. TRENT used a running knee and a stuffed piledriver on Mox, but Mox kicked out at two!
Mox hit TRENT with a Paradigm Shift on the outside onto the ramp. Mox then dropped TRENT on the crown of his head and captured the victory over TRENT!
Sammy Guevara walked through the crowd with a microphone and called out Moxley. Sammy said the Inner Circle promised a big surprise for Mox.
Le Champion, Chris Jericho appeared on the big screen in the venue, and said he wanted Moxley to lead the Inner Circle with him. Jericho also said Moxley could have a brand new Ford GT, with his very own “MOX” vanity license plate, if Moxley says “yes” to joining the Inner Circle. “Happy New Year, Mox, and we’ll be waiting for you,” said Jericho, as he drove off in the sports car.
Moxley said, “The truth is I’ve always considered Chris Jericho a friend and a mentor, and out of respect, I will give you my answer in person next week, and the whole world will find out what’s in store live on DYNAMITE.”
“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes vs. “the Spanish God” Sammy Guevara was up next!
Rhodes came from behind and wrapped his arm around Sammy’s head with a mean lariat! Sammy didn’t even have a chance to remove his leather jacket. Rhodes clotheslined Sammy to the outside, and then smashed Sammy with a senton!
“What is he? Middle-aged and crazy?” asked Jim Ross.
“The Big Hurt” Jake Hager walked down the ramp and eyeballed Dustin Rhodes. As Hager distracted his opponent, Sammy landed a kick. Sammy connected with a beautiful moonsault on “the Natural.” Dustin Rhodes was reeling here.
Rhodes fought back and countered Sammy G. with a powerslam and then two consecutive shots to “the Spanish God.” Rhodes used a spine buster on Sammy. Sammy countered with a running shooting star press, but Rhodes kicked out at two!
Rhodes smashed Sammy with a Canadian Destroyer on the ring apron, and then hit Hager with a right hand! Rhodes tried to give the Unnatural Kick to Sammy, but the referee stopped him. As the referee turned his back to release Sammy from the corner turnbuckles. Hager interfered with a low blow. Sammy capitalized on the downed Dustin for the three count!
MJF, accompanied by Wardlow, walked down to the ring to announce his stipulations in order for Cody to have his match at REVOLUTION.
Stipulation #1: Cody can’t lay his hands on MJF before REVOLUTION.
Stipulation #2: Cody has to go one on one with Wardlow in a solid steel cage, and he has to beat Wardlow.
Stipulation #3: “Live on TNT, in front of your family and friends and God, you are going to get down on all fours like the dog that you are, and I’m going to whip you Cody…ten glorious times! And Cody, as the leather of my belt repeatedly rips off your skin, each scar will be a reminder that I’m better than you and you know it!”
The main event of the night—the Elite—Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) vs. “the Bastard” PAC and The Lucha Bros (Rey Fenix & Pentagon Jr.)!
“Hangman” Adam Page, who had been drinking some cocktails, joined the commentary team for this match.
Kenny and PAC were about to begin, but PAC tagged out to Pentagon. The two men exchanged chops. Kenny ran into the ropes but was kneed by PAC, who was on the ring apron. Kenny went for the one-winged angel on Fenix, but Fenix escaped.
Nick Jackson was tagged in and gave a shoulder block to Fenix, and then an arm drag. Fenix dropkicked Nick. Fenix and Nick exchanged roundhouse kicks to a stalemate.
The Elite dished out tremendous trios sequences to their opponents, cleaning house. PAC tripped up Kenny, and then went over the top and crashed down onto Kenny! “The aerial artistry of PAC is on full display here,” said Excalibur.
Kenny tagged in to Nick Jackson, who nailed a knee and then a running bulldog to PAC. Matt Jackson was tagged in, and the Bucks gave double Canadian destroyers to the Lucha Bros.
Kenny Omega and PAC slugged it out in the center of the ring. PAC hit a pump kick and then a snapdragon suplex on Kenny. Then Omega hit a snapdragon suplex of his own onto PAC, and then a Liger bomb for the two count on PAC.
Pentagon hit sling blades on the Jacksons, and then a backstabber on Kenny! Fenix was tagged in, but the Bucks hit stereo superkicks. Fenix rolled through with a cutter on Kenny. PAC hit the black arrow on Omega, but the Bucks made the save!
PAC applied the brutalizer on Omega, but Matt Jackson hit a blindside kick to PAC’s head. Kenny hit the one-winged angel on Fenix, and the Elite won the match!
Cody came out to join his friends and celebrate in the ring. They called “Hangman” Page to join them, but Page waved them off and walked away.
Be sure to join us next week on January 8th, as AEW DYNAMITE is live on TNT from Landers Center in Southhaven, MS.