AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash Results 12/20: MJF Returns, Continental Classic Continues, Saraya In Action

This is Wrestling INC.'s live coverage of "AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash" for December 20, 2023!

The mystery surrounding The Devil will intensify tonight as MJF is set to return for the first time since he was attacked backstage. He will be appearing alongside his AEW World's End opponent, Samoa Joe, as the two of them continue to seek answers on who the mystery person is.

Last week saw The Devil instruct their group to attack Adam Page, who was sent crashing through a car windshield, seemingly removing the cowboy as a potential answer to the question of who is behind the mask.

Elsewhere, the Continental Classic will be continuing with Gold League action taking place. Jay White requires a win to progress to the next stage, but he must go through the undefeated Jon Moxley to achieve that goal.

Swerve Strickland also needs to win this evening, and he will face RUSH in the tournament. However, a win for Strickland and White would lead to them and Moxley all drawing level on 12 points.

Another match in the tournament will pit Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe against each other. While neither man can qualify for the next stage, they will each be fighting to ensure that they don't finish winless.

Roderick Strong will also be back in action tonight as he continues to put his Neck Strong days behind him. After facing Page last week he will be going one on one with Komander tonight.

Saraya will also be stepping into the ring on the show to face an old Outcasts rival, Riho. She defeated Ruby Soho last week in her return match, and now she faces the Englishwoman with the winner earning an AEW Women's World Championship match against Toni Storm.

RUSH wastes no time connecting with a few chops, but Swerve Strickland responds with arm drags as the two men then stand off from each other. RUSH picks up the pace by sending Strickland out of the ring, immediately diving over the top rope to continue the attack. Back inside the ring, RUSH stomps down on Strickland and then teases Bulls Horns, but he pulls out and opts to just kick Strickland.

After showing disrespect Strickland immediately looks to lock in an arm submission, but RUSH responds with a power slam. Strickland fires back by attacking the taped-up leg of Rush, kicking away at the area as RUSH heads outside the ring. Strickland tries to kick him, but RUSH catches it and dumps him on the ring apron before launching Strickland into the barricade several times. Strickland responds with a German suplex, but RUSH immediately dropkicks Strickland straight back into the barricade with both men down. 

Back inside the ring and Strickland connects with a sharp kick to the head, but RUSH kicks out at one. He connects with a German suplex to fire back at Strickland, but that is met by one from Swerve. They both then look for rolling elbows and then pump kicks which leaves them both lying again. The two men pound away at each other, but RUSH then launches Strickland into the turnbuckles and follows it with a Bulls Horns attempt but RUSH's leg gives up. It allows Strickland to lock in a stretch muffler, but RUSH reverses with a pinning attempt but it doesn't get the job done. 

RUSH then hits several chops and a rolling elbow as he then plants Strickland to the mat, but this time he kicks out. They head to the ring apron and exchange chops until Strickland gets thrown to the floor. RUSH then tries to go to the top turnbuckle but he takes too long and misses with a senton which allows Strickland to hit a 450, but RUSH kicks out at one. He fires up with some shots only for Strickland to roll in and plant RUSH to the mat, followed with a brainbuster. Strickland then connects with a House Cll, and that is followed by Swerve Stomp. 

Winner: Swerve Strickland

Chris Jericho is shown backstage, discussing Kenny Omega's health issue. He confirms it has impacted The Golden Jets title shot, and while they decide what they're going to do the most important thing is Omega's health. He says he will be waiting for him whenever he can return. 

The two men start out feeling each other out early on, both going for a body check as neither man drops down. Jay Lethal requests Briscoe chops him, but then slaps him in the face so Briscoe obliges with some big chops, which Lethal responds with. Lethal then connects with a hip toss as he cartwheels into a dropkick only for Briscoe to fire back with a strike to the throat. 

Lethal sends Briscoe out of the ring, but he fires back and then launches himself off the apron with an elbow drop to Lethal. However, back inside the ring, Briscoe gets dumped to the mat while he fires back with a chop to the face. The two men keep throwing chairs into the ring only for them to be thrown back out by the official, but Lethal Combination is then hit as the veteran focuses back on the in-ring work. 

He heads to the top turnbuckle for an Elbow Drop, but Briscoe meets him up there only to be dropped back down with an elbow strike. Lethal goes up again but eats a chop to the face as Briscoe hits a kick through the ropes. He brings a chair into the ring again, but this time uses it as a launching pad to dive out of the ring and take out Lethal. Back inside the ring, Lethal connects with several kicks and then a backbreaker, and this time he can hit the Elbow Drop, but Briscoe kicks out.

Briscoe then drops Lethal with a Death Valley Driver, and goes for Froggy Bow, but Lethal gets his legs up. Lethal Injection then misses, but Lethal hits the J-Driller to his opponent, but Briscoe kicks out! Briscoe counters the Lethal Injection again, before hitting a Burning Hammer, and he then nails the J-Driller. 

Winner: Mark Briscoe

A video package is shown for Wardlow, as he hypes up the idea of him coming for the AEW World Championship. He promises soon the world will see him broken, as the payment for his sins cannot be delayed any longer. 

Samoa Joe is out to the ring first, and he says last week he was asking the right questions, but maybe not to the right people. He says Roderick Strong brings up a point about MJF and The Devil. It seems like we always get footage of people getting stomped out, but MJF was just conveniently on the ground when he was attacked, so he calls out MJF to answer a few questions.

MJF says he gets attacked, but then Joe accuses him. He says that is interesting, as he recalls Joe claiming he would protect him heading to AEW World's End. MJF claims Joe claims as much about his property as he does about his diet. However, he points out that The Devil's goons didn't attack Joe previously and he then pushes Joe, but several masked men then appear and they beat them all up and take care of the entire group, but even more then appear.

The lights then go out and The Devil is shown on the screen, asking "Where can you go?" "Who can you trust?" "Next week, will you accept a challenge, for the ROH Tag Team Championship?" The Devil ass if MJF is a hero. MJF says he promised Adam Cole he'd defend those titles, but Joe simply says they accept and next week they will beat The Devil's boys' asses. 

Best Friends are shown backstage, and Rocky Romero says he's looking for more gold, and Orange Cassidy just gives him a title shot.

Saraya immediately starts attacking Riho and showcasing her aggression, but as Riho tries to turn things around the Englishwoman rolls away. Riho keeps up the attack on the outside though, hitting several head scissors to send Saraya around the ringside area. Saraya responds by picking up Riho and battering her into the barricade repeatedly. Saraya continues the attack by stomping away at Riho as she shoves her into the barricade in front of a fan before launching her into another. 

Saraya hits a suplex on the outside, but back inside the ring she turns things around and manages to connect with a 619. Riho then heads to the top turnbuckle and looks to dive at Saraya, but she slips slightly, yet still catches her. Saraya turns things around herself, but as she looks for another suplex Riho reverses and rolls her up. Riho follows it with a Northern Light's suplex, but Saraya can kick out. Despite that, Riho stomps on Saraya from the top turnbuckle and hits a running knee strike to secure the win.

Winner (and new number one contender to the AEW Women's World Championship): Riho

Luther then carries Toni Storm down to the ring as she gets out some binoculars to help see Riho. However, she fires back with some punches and then a 619 which sends Storm across the ring. However, as Riho turns around Mariah May appears and uses Storm's title to nail Riho in the face.

Tony Schiavone then reads a prepared statement from Christian Cage. He says after his career-defining victory over Adam Copeland he has taken Nick Wayne on a vacation. He knows Copeland has challenged him to a No Disqualification match at World's End, and he will return to address Copeland this Saturday. 

Backstage Swerve and MJF confront each other backstage. MJF says Strickland is now all grown up and he's proud of him, but there is levels to this sh*t, and Swerve isn't on his. Strickland agrees, as MJF does tryouts and he signs contracts and he warns MJF how he speaks to him. MJF theorises that Strickland could be The Devil, but he denies it.

Komander tries to use the ropes early on, but Roderick Strong keeps hold of his arm and kicks away his legs. Komander once again uses his agility only for Strong to run and knee him in the face, before nailing a chop to the chest of Komander. However, he responds well by sending Strong across the ring, only for Strong to respond with a kick to the gut. Strong then focuses on trying to rip the mask off his opponent, before slamming him into the turnbuckles several times. 

Komander fires back with a chop, but once again Strong nails an attack on the midsection only for Komander to send him over the top rope. Komander connects with a kick, but Strong rips him off the apron and then just throws him back onto it spine-first. Matt Taven teases a chair shot but gets caught, so instead Strong begins nailing chops until Komander moves and Strong slaps the ring post.

Inside the ring, Komander catches Strong with a kick to the face and then several elbow strikes before tripping him into the ropes and hitting a springboard crossbody. Strong responds with a chop and then places Komander on the top turnbuckle as the two men fight and Komander aims for a powerbomb. Strong holds onto the ropes so Komander swings his legs around and swipes him only for Komander to hit a Phoenix Splash which Strong kicks out of. 

The Kingdom pulls Strong out of the ring, but that has no impact as Komander bounces off the top rope to wipe them all out. However, as he tries to dive back into Strong inside the ring, Strong reverses in mid-air with a knee strike, following it with End Of Heartache. 

Winner: Roderick Strong

After the match The Kingdom start handing out signs that say MJF is The Devil. Strong tells Renee Paquette that Samoa Joe needs to wake up and believe him.

Jon Moxley locks in a sleeper hold immediately and tries to choke Jay White out from the start, but he manages to escape only enough to suffer some hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Moxley hits a Piledriver as he continues working at an urgent pace with White unable to get any offense in himself. The fight spills to the outside, but White manages to get the best of the situation by sending Moxley into the steel stairs. 

Back inside the ring, the two men trade forearm strikes as they then brawl out of the ring and up the ramp, with Moxley hitting a backdrop. Moxley hammers down punches in the corner, but he misses with a big boot and that allows White to attack the leg. The official then checks on him, but White takes his chance to blast Moxley off the ring apron and continue the assault on the leg. 

White stomps away on Moxley in the corner of the ring before dumping him onto the barricade outside the ring, following it up with a suplex that launches Moxley's knee into the barricade to add further damage. White then locks in a leg submission as he yanks away until Moxley pokes his eyes to break the hold, but White responds with a chop to the neck of Moxley. 

The two then trade forearm strikes as Moxley sets White on the top turnbuckle as he slaps away at White's back before taking his fingers up it, and then biting White's nose. He follows that with a superplex and a clothesline that sends White out of the ring, connecting with a suicide dive straight after. However, White responds by launching Moxley face-first onto the steel stairs. He then grabs a chair but the official stops him from using it, he slides one into the ring, but as the official's back is turned he uses another chair to attack the knee. 

However, back inside the ring, Moxley counters White into a Paradigm Shift, only for White to kick out. The two men trade chops as Moxley once again aims for a sleeper hold, but White gets out and hits a dragon screw. Moxley reacts with a running knee strike of his own after avoiding a charge in the corner, and he then nails a cutter, only for White to respond with some sleeper suplexes to get a near fall. 

White hits the Kiwi Crusher and then another sleeper suplex but that fires Moxley up. He hits a couple of lariats, and then a stomp, but White escapes the Death Rider and hits Blade Runner. 

Winner: Jay White