All Elite Wrestling delivered a star-studded show with the January 24 episode of AEW Dynamite.
Among other matches, Adam Copeland faced Minoru Suzuki, and Swerve Strickland clashed with Jeff Hardy. Plus, The Acclaimed and “Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn defended the AEW World Trios Championship against Mogul Embassy.
AEW Dynamite Results
In-Ring Segment: Samoa Joe
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe came to the ring and noted that it was a night of celebration, as opportunities would have to be earned from here on out. He says everyone would have to fight for an opportunity, but all they would get would be the worst night of their life.
HOOK interrupted and admitted that he lost. He shook Joe’s hand and said he would see him again. Joe demanded security to have him removed, and HOOK fought off the guards while Joe looked on.
Hangman Page vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes)
Hangman and Penta shake hands. They’re evenly matched early on. The two stars trade blows. Penta rocks Hangman with a kick. He drops Page with a slingblade. Page catches Penta and dumps him with a slam. He gets a two-count with a running Shooting Star Press. Page maintains the advantage. Page stares down Samoa Joe, who is on commentary. Penta rallies. They exchange chops. The two competitors keep battling, and they’re both down after an exchange of strikes.
Page takes control and sends Penta to the outside. He slams Penta into the ring post. Back in the ring, Page maintains the advantage. Penta fires up and dives onto Page at ringside. Page gets a two-count with a Death Valley Driver. Penta rocks him with a kick and slams him for a two-count. Page floors Penta with a powerbomb. Penta dumps Hangman with the Made in Japan. Page sends Penta to the outside and dives onto him with a moonsault. Penta dodges the Buckshot, but a clothesline and a Buckshot clinch the win for Hangman.
Winner: Hangman Page
Page again stares Samoa Joe down and says he’s going to take the title.
Backstage, AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy is asked about facing Roderick Strong at AEW Revolution. Cassidy notes that the show is six weeks away, and he would have wrestled Strong last week. Cassidy says he’ll keep wrestling in the meantime, and he wants to defend the title. He announces that he’ll have a title match on AEW Collision.
In an interview, The Young Bucks were asked about their plans. They said backstage morale was through the roof, and they were there to make sure the show was run smoothly. The Bucks run into Top Flight and warn them that they will get fined if they’re late again, though the duo say they had been there all day.
Wardlow (with Undisputed Kingdom) vs. Trent Beretta (with Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero, and Chuck Taylor)
Wardlow trucks over Beretta and overpowers him. Beretta gets a two-count with a small package. Trent fires up and sends Wardlow to the outside. He hits a dropkick through the ropes. Wardlow drills Beretta in mid-air. Wardlow slams Beretta into the barricade. He continues to control the action. The powerhouse sends Trent hard into the corner. Trent rallies with a knee strike and again sends Wardlow to the outside.
He dives onto the former TNT Champion. Trent gets a chair and hits Wardlow while the referee isn’t looking. He slams Wardlow to the mat.
Trent hits a tornado DDT and spikes Wardlow with a piledriver for a two-count. Wardlow catches Trent and slams him. Wardlow gets the win with an elevated powerbomb.
Winner: Wardlow
Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero, and Chuck Taylor check on Trent after the match while Undisputed Era looks on. Trent is clearly frustrated following the loss.
A video package hypes up the main event between Adam Copeland and Minoru Suzuki.
Deonna Purrazzo And Toni Storm Face Off
Renee Paquette introduces Deonna Purrazzo and AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm, alongside Mariah May and Lutha. Storm highlights the way Purrazzo was recently body-shamed and says there’s much more to shame her about. She says they have history, but that didn’t give Purrazzo the right to come in and demand a title shot. Storm notes that Purrazzo may be the best technical wrestler in the world. She threatens to twist Purrazzo’s lips so hard she’ll need an epidural.
Purrazzo responds by saying that she came to AEW to win the gold, and she had no problem earning a title shot. She says this is not the Toni Storm she wants to wrestle, as she calls her a sham. Purrazzo says she wants to wrestle the Storm she used to know, as she was one of the best in the world. She begs Storm to find that version of herself. Purrazzo points out that they have matching tattoos. Storm gets mad and throws her shoe at Purrazzo. Purrazzo takes her down and locks in an arm-bar, but May makes the save. Purrazzo kicks Lutha, and Storm runs away. “The Virtuosa” poses with the title.
Jon Moxley cuts a promo backstage about Blackpool Combat Club’s success. He says there’s always a bigger mountain to climb, and that’s what it takes to be elite. He notes that a lot of people don’t know what being “elite” means. Moxley vows to maim anybody who can’t keep up. He makes it clear he’ll be in action on AEW Rampage.
Backstage, Taya Valkyrie reintroduces herself and Johnny TV to the fans and says they’re the most TV-ready couple in AEW. She says she knows “The Virtuosa” very well and challenges her to a match.
Swerve Strickland Faces Jeff Hardy On AEW Dynamite
Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Jeff Hardy (with Matt Hardy)
Strickland and Hardy battle for positioning. Hardy takes control. He drops Swerve with a Russian legsweep and gets a two-count with a pin attempt. Swerve floors Jeff with a nasty neckbreaker. Hardy dives into Swerve and spills into the crowd. Back in the ring, Jeff Hardy continues to control the action. Swerve gains the upper hand and grounds Hardy.
Hardy rallies with the Whisper in the Wind. Strickland and Hardy trade blows. They go back and forth. Hardy gains momentum with a flurry of offense. Swerve shoves Hardy off the top rope. Hardy hits a Twist of Fate onto the steel steps.
Swerve evades the Swanton Bomb and hits the House Call. Jeff gets a two-count with a backslide and another with an inside cradle. Swerve drops Hardy with a Flatliner. He slams Hardy with a delayed vertical suplex and gets the win with the Swerve Stomp.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
Backstage, Swerve Strickland interrupts an interview with Hangman Page, and they argue. Renee Paquette announces that they will choose each other’s opponents next week.
Thunder Rosa Returns To Singles Action On AEW Dynamite
Thunder Rosa vs. Red Velvet
Rosa and Velvet feel each other out. Velvet gains an early advantage. They keep battling in the ring. Rosa fires up with a flurry of offense. She hits a running dropkick in the ropes and gets a two-count with a dropkick. Velvet hits Rosa with some body shots and stomps her.
Rosa floors Velvet with a shotgun dropkick and slams Velvet to the mat with the Tijuana Bomb for the win.
Winner: Thunder Rosa
Rosa teases coming after Toni Storm after the bell.
The broadcast team runs through the lineups for the upcoming shows.
In-Ring Segment: Darby Allin and Sting
Darby Allin highlights Sting’s impact on his career. He looks back on joining forces with Sting in 2020. Allin notes that the rankings are back, so their undefeated record should put them at the top when it comes to the tag team titles. He leads the fans in a “You still got it” chant. He asks Sting if he wants to finish his career as a champion. Sting says, “Alright, I’m all in.”
Backstage, AEW World Tag Team Champions Ricky Starks and Big Bill accept Sting and Darby Allin’s challenge. Starks says Sting won’t make it to AEW Revolution.
AEW World Trios Championship: The Acclaimed (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) & “Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn (with Bullet Club Gold) vs. Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) (with Prince Nana)
Anthony Bowens squares off with Brian Cage and gains the upper hand. Mogul Embassy gains the upper hand. Nana tries to interfere, and Liona sends Bowens crashing to the floor. The challengers isolate Bowens. Bowens rallies and tags Gunn, who clears house with a flurry of offense. The match breaks down in chaos as the two teams brawl, and bodies are flying. Jay White stops Kaun from using a chair. The Gunns slam Nana through a table at ringside.
The Acclaimed triple-team Kaun for the win.
Winners and still AEW World Trios Champions: The Acclaimed And “Daddy Ass” Billy Gunn
A video package hypes up Sereb Deeb’s looming return.
Adam Copeland vs. Minoru Suzuki
Copeland and Suzuki trade blows. They’re evenly matched in the early going. Suzuki drills Copeland with a knee and locks in a guillotine. Copeland tackles Suzuki through a barricade.
They narrowly avoid getting counted out. They trade strikes again. Copeland holds his own with the NJPW legend. Both men go down after some stiff shots. Copeland hits the Impaler. Suzuki counters a Spear into a Fujiwara arm-bar. Copeland hits a Spear for a two-count. Suzuki locks in a rear-naked sleeper.
Copeland nearly gets choked out, but he escapes. He sends Suzuki into an unprotected turnbuckle and hits the Killswitch for the win.
Winner: Adam Copeland
TNT Champion Christian Cage is shown watching backstage while Copeland celebrates. Copeland gets a microphone and says he had never been hit that hard in his life. He says he respects Suzuki and offers him a handshake. Suzuki storms off. Copeland says the match was a war, the kind of war that Christian Cage knows nothing about. He says he’s still coming for Cage.
WrestleZone recently interviewed Samoa Joe. The full video can be seen below:
WrestleZone will have coverage of the show as it airs on Wednesday.
