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Credits: All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling delivered a special Holiday Bash episode of Dynamite on Wednesday night after the NBA action. Tag team action and a special interview in which Sting hosted the show and tried to continue the important driving of the company until the end of 2020.
Was it successful?
What developments, character advancements, and matching outcomes will help shape the company entering the new year?
Find out with this summary of the TNT show from December 23rd.
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Announced for this week’s show:
-
AEW Tag Team Championship Game: Young Bucks vs. Announced
- Best flight against Chris Jericho and MJF
-
Pac against the butcher
- Dustin Rhodes vs. Evil Uno
- Jurassic Express against Colt Cabana, Pres10 Vance and Alan Angels
-
Hikaru Shida in action
- Tony Schiavone interviews Sting
- The statue of Sabian and Penelope Ford announce the wedding date
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Credits: All Elite Wrestling
AEW wasted little time throwing out big guns to start the show on Wednesday as “Le Champion” Chris Jericho teamed up with teammate from Inner Circle MJF to fight the team of Dante and Darius Martin, Top Flight.
The upcoming babyface tandem dominated early on, frustrating heels until MJF and Jericho knocked Dante down and processed him, as long as they mocked his brother.
Darius marked himself, releasing a rush of insult at the heels that made the MJF roll. Dante almost fell in the fall, but The Salt of the Earth delivered a bomb, followed by a Lionsault from Jericho, close to two numbers.
Darius dropped the opponents with a double DDT and seemed to be rolling after sending Jericho to the timekeeper, to first drop him face down in the ring apron. The MJF capitalized, delivering the Heatseeker piledriver for a sharp win.
Jake Hager grabbed the microphone after the match, except for Wardlow’s late absence. He said that every member of the Inner Circle did his job, except him. After being clarified with Tony Khan, Hager revealed that he will be fighting Wardlow in next week’s show.
The result
Jericho and MJF defeated Top Flight
Rating
C +
Analysis
The action here was fast, furious and never gave the audience a chance to become disinterested. Jericho and MJF worked well together, but it was Top Flight that was the opportunity that really shone in this opening.
Everyone worked hard, the reservation was solid, and the result was another tough win for Inner Circle who is still in the aftermath after the addition of MJF.
Hager’s challenge poses further disagreement to Wardlow. It will be interesting to see if this is where Sammy Guevara really strikes against Jericho and Co for their acceptance of young Maxwell Jacob Friedman against his better judgment.
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Credits: All Elite Wrestling
Sting has joined Tony Schiavone for an interview that the company seems to have been advertising for three weeks.
Sting recalled his acquaintance with the main scene of the event after a chance encounter with Dusty Rhodes and how seeing his son Cody forced him to be part of the AEW.
Taz broke off the promotion.
Taz said he was tired of nostalgia for Schiavone’s call “STIIIIIING,” while Ricky Starks threatened that the Icon would be hurt if he continued to poke his nose into their business. The faction threatened to hit the ring when the arena darkened.
When the lights came on again, Darby Allin stood shoulder to shoulder with Sting.
Tim Taz “took the main road” and left as awake both old and young exchanged a look of understanding.
Rating
A
Analysis
Sting should absolutely be used to help legitimize Darby Allin as an icon painted on the face of this generation.
Allin has already broken out, and although the ring has already been shared with Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley and Cody Rhodes, he could certainly take advantage of the credibility and legitimacy emerging in a high-profile program with one of the biggest stars in wrestling history provides.
Taz and his team are still solid, and every second Starks proves that the person is the best for the long-term future of the company.
A solid segment that has never surpassed its welcome. It will be necessary to move things next week, as promotional segments that maintain the status quo can only continue for so long before they recur.
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Credits: All Elite Wrestling
Luchasaurus Jurassic Express, Jungle Boy and Marko Stunt fought Colt Cabana, Alan “5” Angel and Pres10 Vance from The Dark Order in a big match of the six-member team.
Babyfaces began to glow, surpassing the opposition with their unique offense. Cabana intervened to stop the momentum of the opposition, allowing Vance to deliver a German slingshot to Jungle Boy and take control of his team.
Luchasaurus entered the match, releasing the opponent’s rush slowed down only by the perfectly timed part of the interference that prevented the fall. On the ring, Cabana sent Luchasaurus into the pillar of the ring and heels appeared on the way to victory.
Stunt sent Angels to his partners, knocking Vance and Caban off his apron. Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy dropped the Angels with an auxiliary bomb to win.
Promotion after the match was interrupted by Tully Blanchard and FTR. The Hall of Fame issued a challenge for January 6. “We are trying to bring back those championships and we will not let the dinosaurs hold us back,” Blanchard warned. He ended up threatening to return to the 80s if Stunt intervened.
The result
Jurassic Express beat The Dark Order
Rating
C +
Analysis
Like most team team games at AEW, this one was super energetic and allowed everyone involved to throw in their stuff. Babyfaces acted as they prepared for a showdown with FTR in the new year, while the commentary did a fine enough job of putting Cabana, Vance and Angels done.
It is disappointing, however, to see the Dark Order in its current state given how hot it was with Mr. Brodie Lee running it just a few months ago. Yes, his unfortunate ankle injury stopped the group’s momentum, but AEW hasn’t done much since then to prevent danger to the lineup.
No matter how many times he tried to recruit Dustin Rhodes or Hangman Page.
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Credits: All Elite Wrestling
Alex Marvez caught up with Kenny Omega and Don Callis at an undiscovered location. AEW world champion criticized Ray Fenix for his injury and threatened to return him to Impact Wrestling or AAA. “You get hurt, I get the title.”
The promotion gave way to Phoenix’s Death Triangle teammate, “The Bastard” Paco, who fought Butcher in singles competition. Blade and Bunny supported Butcher from the ring, while Penta El Zero M supported Paco. Eddie Kingston joined the commentary with Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross and Excalibur.
The big man overpowered Paco and handled him, somewhat surprisingly dominating the action. Butcher founded Paca, achieving a picturesque perfect gut suplex during a commercial timeout. A beautiful powerful bomb brought Butcher two numbers, igniting frustration in the bassist who threatened to divert his focus from his opponent.
Kingston rose from his commentary position and was greeted by Lance Archer, providing a distraction that allowed Paco to recover and rock Butcher with a kick. The Black Arrow followed and Pac scored the victory. Archer engaged in a tense station with Paco to complete the segment.
The result
Pac defeated Butcher
Rating
C +
Analysis
The butcher could be the most advanced wrestler last year. He is more confident and faster than he was when he first arrived at the company.
His work is sharp, the arsenal based on power grows with each match. With Blade, he has established an upward trajectory that should delight wrestling fans with these teams in their future.
Paco’s victory was a real call, as he remains the star of the top echelon of the AEW, and the star with Archer continued to tease the loose alliance as they clash with a possible war with Kingston and company.
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Credits: All Elite Wrestling
Tony Schiavone joined Peace, Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford to announce their wedding dates.
After teasing the performance of best friends, Miro threw in the footage behind the arena, where an ambulance took away the apparently injured Trent.
After that, the heels revealed that the wedding will take place on February 3 at Beach Break.
Rating
C +
Analysis
This was a short, sweet segment that added a layer to the rivalry between Peace, Sabian and Best Friends by removing Trent from the injury equation as he prepared a big wrestling wedding for the big Break Break show.
It achieved what it set out to do, and for something that was short, no more could be asked for.
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Credits: All Elite Wrestling
AEW women’s champion Hikaru Shida shook off a cheap shot and tried to attack Abaddon in time to fight Alex Gracia in a headless action.
Shida dominated the action before distracting her best candidate. She attacked Abaddon, dragging her over the fence and touching her. She returned to the ring in time to defeat Gracia before turning her attention to Abaddon on the floor.
A dangerous potential challenger rose from unconsciousness and attacked Shida, culminating in a nagging bite that broke the skin on the champion’s neck.
The result
Shida defeated Gracia
Rating
B
Analysis
The match itself was mostly a celebrated squash, but it still had flashes of Grace that suggest that, with a little more spice, it could become a key gear in the future of AEW’s women’s division.
It was all about Abaddon terrorizing Shida and presenting him as a real threat to the title. In that regard, it worked extremely well.
Abaddon seems impervious to pain and has obviously hit a nerve with Shida, sincerely threatening her. Throw a bite, a demon sign if you will, and you have a mental hurdle that the champion will have to overcome if she wants to stay that way.
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Credits: All Elite Wrestling
Cheeky, arrogant, cheeky and above all talented young duo Anthony Bowens and Max Caster challenged the champions of the AEW Tag team The Young Bucks in the main night event.
Early on, they looked like a mostly inexperienced team struggling to find a foothold as Matt and Nick Jackson outclassed and outdid them. The proclaimed finally took control of the fight to their opponents, throwing Nick in first place on the ring apron to do so.
Returning from a commercial break, the challengers continued their success, working on Nick. The dynamic brother fought from below and gave a hot chance to Matt, who exploded in the match and dropped the challengers with a double DDT.
The Bucks dominated late until Caster sent Matt over the barricade and into the stands. Bowens ’superplex in crossbody led to a breakup before the fall, with no Matt time.
There was a blow and Bowens rocked Nick boom-boom in his face. The second judge arrived and counted two before Nick knocked him out. Matt bombed Bowens through the table, and back inside, the champions delivered a BTE trigger to win.
The result
The Young Bucks won the proclamation
Rating
B
Analysis
It can’t be underestimated how much Matt and Nick Jackson took their young opponents and pulled them to their level.
Although the Acclaimed showed flashes of potential, it was clear last week against SCU that Bowens and Caster are not at the level of Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian, and definitely not at the level of the Bucks.
Yet, despite some time weaknesses and a general understanding of what to work on when, they are clearly learning at work. There is no better team to show them the ropes than The Young Bucks.
An energetic, fun game that Matt and Nick could very likely do in their sleep, it was a convenient main event of the show that was just that: fun and energetic.