AEW Dynamite Results 1/3: Adam Cole Explains His Actions, Garcia Vs. Strickland
This is Wrestling INC.'s live coverage of "AEW Dynamite" for January 3, 2023!
Tonight's episode will be the first of the year, as the company looks to follow on from AEW Worlds End, which was the night when The Devil finally revealed himself. It turned out to be Adam Cole underneath the mask as The Kingdom, Roderick Strong, and Wardlow were shown to be the other masked men.
Following on from his betrayal of his former tag team partner MJF, Cole is expected to appear on the show to explain his actions.
MJF lost his AEW World Championship before Cole's revelation, and tonight will mark the start of Samoa Joe's reign, and he is going to address the fans.
Meanwhile, Swerve Strickland will be competing in singles action fresh from defeating Dustin Rhodes at the PPV, and he will face Daniel Garcia, who is another AEW star in good form, after he scored the win in the eight-man all-star tag team match on Sunday.
Mariah May is also set to make her in-ring debut for the company this evening as she is set to compete against Queen Aminata.
Christian Cage is also going to give a 2024 State of the Union following a whirlwind Worlds End where he lost the TNT Championship only to win it back immediately after courtesy of Killswitch's title shot.
There will also be a title match on the show as Orange Cassidy will be defending his International Championship once again. He will be defending the title against Dante Martin, who is continuing to look for his first singles title in AEW. Finally, Darby Allin will also be in singles action as he faces Konosuke Takeshita.
Adam Cole Explains His Actions
The show begins with a pre-taped video from Samoa Joe from backstage at AEW Worlds End claiming he took everything from MJF, claiming he will do the same to anyone who tries to take the title from him.
Adam Cole's music hits, but that then changes to a different theme as he and his new crew make their way to the ring. He says people are stupid and don't understand right from wrong for thinking they're the bad guys for betraying MJF. He points out that MJF has created more enemies than anyone, and he has run his mouth about the locker room and the fans. If that makes him the devil, buy him a ticket straight to hell.
Cole claims MJF only cares about himself, and it is time there was a change after MJF has had his claws into the company. Cole says the fans, the wrestlers, and Tony Khan will thank him one day because MJF is gone and he's never coming back. Cole claims he just beat MJF to the punch, as he believes MJF needed him, and not the other way around. He sacrificed everything in that friendship, which is how he broke his ankle.
He claims nobody would be chanting for MJF without him as he made Better Than You Baby. In the beginning, this was all about the AEW World Championship, but it turned into much more as it is about ripping out a man's heart and bringing him to his knees. He says the Undisputed Kingdom is alive, and they have one goal which is to win gold. Cole says Roderic Strong will go after the International Championship, while Wardlow will go after the AEW World Championship. When is 100% healed, Wardlow will forfeit the title and give it to him.
Cole then congratulates Joe, and says it was a pleasure doing business with him. However, he hopes by the time Wardlow moves up the ranks that Joe isn't champion as it would suck to hurt a friend. Cole says this is a new era for AEW.
Jay White then appears and says he didn't appreciate being made collateral, and he's not alone. The Gunns then join him and they hit the ring and brawl with The Kingdom and Strong. Wardlow gets back in and the numbers game takes advantage, but The Acclaimed then hit the ring and the Undisputed Kingdom back away.
Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Dante Martin (International Championship Match)
The two men start out competitively going back and forth, but Dante Martin blocks the champion from putting his hands in his pockets several times as he keeps being one step ahead of him. Orange Cassidy ends up rolling out of the ring to regroup, and it works after Martin attempts a suicide dive only to end up hitting the barricade. It allows Cassidy to run around the ring with his hands in his pockets as he dropkicks Martin into the barricade again.
Cassidy takes too long before his next move though which allows Martin to suplex him on the outside. As they get back into the ring both men scale to the top turnbuckle and Cassidy wins out with a superplex. The two men then trade suplexes, and they both then battle to hit another, but Cassidy reverses with a Stundog Millionaire. However, Martin fights back and sends Cassidy out of the ring, and this time his suicide dive connects.
Back inside the ring, Martin hits a diving crossbody, but it doesn't keep Cassidy down for three. Cassidy responds with a thrust kick and then stomps down on his challenger in the corner before spiking him with a DDT, and this time it is Martin kicking out. Cassidy follows wth a diving DDT, but Martin kicks out yet again. Martin manages to reverse with a big knee strike, but Cassidy then rolls away from his top turnbuckle move so Martin moves to the ropes and springbards across to land on him. However, Cassidy avoids a big dropkick and follows it with an Orange Punch to retain.
Winner (and still International Champion): Orange Cassidy
Private Party's music then hits as Marq Quen returns. They say the tag team division has been lacking, and it has been missing some excitement and has been missing them. They put every team on notice, including The Hardys. They say, new year, new champions.
Toni Storm is shown backstage with Renee Paquette, she claims she doesn't watch wrestling. But Mariah May could do with paying her dues.
Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata
Renee Paquette interviews Swerve Strickland, and Prince Nana says they get it, Daniel Garcia is doing well, but he's facing the boss. Swerve Strickland says he respects that Garcia is going after gold. He says Garcia will have to go through pain, and in 2024 he wants championship gold, and he tells Samoa Joe to be ready.
Mariah May slaps Queen Aminata to start, and follows it up by slamming her down to the mat. Aminata tries to slap her back, but it misses and May hits several chops as she then takes Aminata down with a head scissors before delivering a major dropkick, which she does again – this time to her opponent's back as she's trapped on the top rope. She then delivers several chops and a suplex, but Aminata kicks out.
May sets Aminata on the top turnbuckle, but Aminata fights back with a big boot and then a slap, stopping whatever May's plans were. She then delivers several more slaps as she starts to pick up the pace with a huge running knee strike. Aminata then delivers a chop of her own in the corner followed by a running elbow strike. However, she goes to the well one too many times and May reverses with a sling blade, following up with May Day
Winner: Mariah May
After the match, May tells Paquette she hopes Toni Storm was watching. She says her only regret was that it happened in New Jersey, but that leads to Deonna Purrazzo appearing! She points out that she is from New Jersey, and if Storm doesn't want to be here then they don't want her here either. She then tells May to pass a message on, she will find Storm, because she is All Elite. May says she's not the messenger, so she can tell Storm herself, b****. She then slaps Purrazzo, but she responds with one of her own and a sharp kick to send May out of the ring.
Christian Cage's 2024 State Of The Union
Mother Wayne gets on the microphone first and questions how people can boo her. She demands people get on their feet and pay respect to Christian Cage. He then claims he's been TNT champion from the first episode of "AEW: Collision" (which is when Killswitch won it). He says there are people he needs to thank following Worlds End, and he praises everyone but Killswitch for their impact at the PPV.
He tells Adam Copeland he's at the back of the line now after two title shots. He says he could talk about how Copeland grew up without a father, or how his mother isn't here. However, Copeland now knows that Christian Cage is superior to him. He points out Copeland did bring the fight to him and he thinks they left their souls in the ring, but one of them doesn't have one – which is why he is still the TNT Champion.
Cage warns Copeland and any wrestler who has eyes for his title that what happened at Worlds End is a glimpse at what he is willing to do for the title. He points out he's made this the most prestigious title, and he will hold it for as long as he wants until he hands it to Nick Wayne to carry on his legacy. Cage says they run AEW, now and forever.
Renee Paquette is then shown with Ruby Soho, Saraya, and Harley Cameron. Soho says she appreciates the help and Cameron says she will do anything for either of them. Soho then walks away and Saraya whispers that Cameron needs to stop it as she's making it obvious.
Darby Allin vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Konosuke Takeshita uses his strength and height advantage early, launching Darby Allin across the ring with a huge back-body drop to start. Allin smartly manages to send Takeshita outside the ring, but as he tries to follow up by diving outside the ring Takeshita catches him in mid-air with a huge knee strike. He then just rag-dolls Allin and whips him into the entrance ramp back-first.
Takeshita then carries Allin up the ramp and then rolls backward with him to deliver a German suplex on the ramp. Back inside the ring, Takeshita continues the attack by stomping down on Allin who tries to fight back with a few chops. However, he instantly gets knocked back down to the mat with a huge elbow strike. He then takes Allin to the top turnbuckle, but he reverses Takeshita's plans with a stunner in mid-air.
The Don Callis Family member heads outside the ring, but Allin instantly launches himself out of the ring to attack him again. Takeshita then attempts a running knee strike, but Allin gets out of dodge and he slams into the barricade. Allin follows up with a Coffin Drop to the outside, landing on Takeshita just as he stands up. Takeshita beats the 10 count, but eats a Code Red, yet he manages to kick out to keep the match alive.
Allin looks for a Coffin Drop, but Takeshita gets the knees up and he follows it with a German suplex. Takeshita then almost gets caught with a roll-up, but he responds with a huge lariat. He follows it with a running boot in the corner before taking him to the top turnbuckle to hit an avalanche German suplex. Allin calls for more, and so Takeshita delivers the Powerdrive Knee.
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita
Backstage, Don Callis challenges Allin and Sting to a tag team match next week against Takeshita and Will Hobbs, claiming they'll end Sting's undefeated run.
Brian Cage vs. Trent Beretta vs. Bryan Keith vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo (Winner Earns A Continental Crown Championship Shot)
Straight away Brian Cage runs through everyone, but El Hijo Del Vikingo nails a strike that sends him out of the ring and he follows it with a dive to Cage outside the ring. Inside it Bryan Keith connects with several shots to Trent Beretta, eventually nailing a big boot. Vikingo and Keith then go back and forth with the "Bounty Hunter" being sent out outside the ring.
Cage comes back in and launches Vikingo, but he gets hit with a half-nelson from Beretta, who then launches himself over the top rope to attack Cage once again. Cage responds with a brainbuster on the floor, and he then manages to catch both Keith and Vikingo in id-air to slam them both down. Keith responds by chopping Cage, but he turns it around with a suplex that instantly puts him back in control only to be hit with a dropkick by Beretta.
He tries to keep up the momentum, only to be leveled with a huge clothesline. Vikingo then catches Cage with a dropkick from the top rope, following by a running knee strike in the corner. He then heads to the top rope but Keith leaps up and headbutts him, but he gets a kick to the midsection from Cage for his troubles. Cage then climbs up, but Beretta hits a German Suplex to Cage from the top turnbuckle.
Vikingo breaks up that pinfall attempt, and Kieth then breaks up the other as all four men are doing. Cage is up and hits an F5 to Keith before powerbombing Beretta and following with a Liger Bomb. However, Danhausen then gets in the ring and curses Cage, but as he gets Danhausen on his shoulders Vikingo dives out of the ring to attack him again. Meanwhile, inside the ring, Keith hits the battering ram and gets a near fall. However, Beretta reverses the Tiger Driver and plants him on the mat.
Winner: Trent Beretta
Swerve Strickland vs. Daniel Garcia
Renee Paquette is shown backstage as Adam Page barges in and says he's here to fight someone, and he dares them to give him a reason.
Daniel Garcia and Swerve Strickland then waste no time getting into the action as they go back and forth. Garcia brings Strickland down to the mat, and while Strickland gets to the ropes Garcia spanks him, and that angers Strickland as the two begin showing more aggression. Garcia catches Strickland with a knee strike, and he then hits another that sends Strickland off the apron and into the barricade.
He continues the attack, launching him into the barricade again. However, Prince Nana talks trash to him and they have a dance-off. Strickland tries to attack Garcia from behind but he is ready for it and throws Strickland into the ring post. However, Nana then grabs Garcia's leg, and that allows Strickland to hit a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron.
Back inside the ring, Strickland maintains control as he connects with a big boot. The two men then go back and forth with punches, and Garcia comes out on top as he stomps away at Strickland before hitting a running knee shot and a dropkick into the turnbuckles which is followed by a stalling suplex. Strickland responds with a backbreaker, and he then drives him down to the mat, but Garcia is able to kick out.
Strickland throws Garcia into the ring post as he talks trash to Daddy Magic on commentary, and that allows Garcia to charge him into the barricade. Garcia then sets him on the announce table, and he tries to lock in his submission finisher in, but they both slip and fall off the table. However, they come back into the ring with Garcia nailing a superplex, but he hangs on and Strickland responds with a suplex of his own instantly.
Garcia hits a big boot, but Strickland then nails a Flatliner and House Call, but Garcia kicks out! Strickland follows it with the Swerve Stomp, but he kicks out again! Garcia then almost catches him out with a roll-up immediately, but Strickland then hits another House Call before a Death Valley Driver.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
Post-match Strickland looks to shake hands with Garcia but Nana comes in with a low blow as Strickland then attacks him and Daddy Magic. Nana claims we're looking at the next AEW World Champion, but Adam Page then heads down to the ring and the two men begin brawling until security split them.