All Elite Wrestling presented a star-studded show with the December 20 episode of AEW Dynamite.
The “Holiday Bash” classic featured the last night of Gold League action in the AEW Continental Classic. Plus, Saraya faced Riho, and the winner would earn a title shot at AEW Worlds End.
AEW Continental Classic Continues On AEW Dynamite
AEW Continental Classic Gold League: Swerve Strickland vs. RUSH
Strickland and RUSH battle for positioning. They’re evenly matched early on. RUSH gains the upper hand and sends Strickland to the outside. RUSH dives onto Strickland. Back in the ring, RUSH grounds Strickland and catches him with a kick in the corner. Strickland fires up, but RUSH slams him. RUSH catches a kick from Swerve and slams him onto the apron. RUSH slams Strickland into the barricade.
Swerve dumps RUSH with a German suplex on the floor. RUSH dropkicks Swerve into the barricade. Strickland kicks RUSH’s leg into the steel steps. He continues to target RUSH’s leg. Strickland controls the action, but RUSH rallies. They trade German suplexes and rolling elbows. Both men are down after a double kick. RUSH suplexes Swerve into the turnbuckles. Swerve takes RUSH down and locks in a single-leg crab. RUSH escapes and gets a two-count with a piledriver. They battle on the apron. RUSH suplexes Swerve onto the floor.
Swerve dodges a senton and hits a 450. Strickland drops him with a flatliner and gets a two-count with a Brainbuster. He hits the House Call and the Swerve Stomp for the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
A video package recaps AEW Collision.
Backstage, Chris Jericho addressed Kenny Omega’s absence. He says it’s unclear how long Omega will be out of action. As for their title shot at AEW Worlds End, Jericho says they are deciding what they are going to do. Jericho says the most important thing is Omega’s health. He says they are all pulling for Omega, and the Golden Jets will resume once Omega returns.
AEW Continental Classic Gold League: Mark Briscoe vs. Jay Lethal
Briscoe and Lethal feel each other out early on. Briscoe chops Lethal, and the former world champion fires back. They keep trading chops. Lethal drops RUSH with a dropkick. Mark drills Lethal with a shot to the face and hits a missile dropkick. Lethal sends Briscoe to the outside. Briscoe catches a dive attempt by Lethal and suplexes him on the floor. Briscoe hits a diving elbow drop off the apron.
Back in the ring, Briscoe drops Lethal with a chop. Mark drops him with a brainbuster. They exchange blows. Lethal drops Briscoe with the Lethal Combination. Briscoe knocks Lethal off the top rope and hits a dropkick through the ropes. He dives onto Lethal over the ropes. Lethal rallies with some kicks and slams Briscoe. He hits a diving elbow drop for a two-count. Mark counters the Lethal Injection and slams Lethal. He gets a two-count with a Fisherman Buster. He hits a Death Valley Driver, but Lethal blocks the Froggy Bow. Lethal spikes Briscoe for a two-count. Mark hits the Jay Driller for the win.
Winner: Mark Briscoe
Briscoe and Lethal shake hands after the bel.
A video package highlights MJF getting into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Wardlow sent another message to MJF in a vignette and says the payment for his sins cannot be delayed any longer, and he will bring The Devil to his knees.
In-Ring Segment: Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe comes out and says he wants answers. He notes that Roderick Strong made a good point, as The Devil continues to rack up victims. Joe questions the way MJF was shown in the aftermath of an attack backstage and calls out MJF. MJF comes to the ring and responds to Joe, as he notes that Joe promised to protect him ahead of AEW Worlds End, but he got jumped. MJF points out that the goons didn’t lay a finger on Joe. He says he doesn’t trust Joe. MJF wonders why he is waiting for Worlds End, as he could end his world right now. MJF gets in Joe’s face.
A gang of masked men charge the ring, but MJF and Joe fight them off. The lights go out, and The Devil appears on the screen. Through typed words, The Devil challenges MJF to defend the ROH World Tag Team Championship. MJF and Samoa Joe accept.
Backstage, The Best Friends, Kris Statlander, and Rocky Romero are interviewed. Renee Paquette notes that Chuck Taylor is out injured. AEW International Champion Cassidy agrees to face Romero on AEW Rampage.
Winner Earns AEW Women’s World Championship Match: Saraya vs. Riho
Riho gains an early advantage and sends Saraya to the outside. She takes her down with a hurricanrana on the floor. Saraya hides behind a security guard and hits Riho with a cheap shot. She slams Riho into the barricade. Saraya again slams Riho into the barricade and continues to control the action. She keeps Riho grounded and gains more momentum.
Riho rallies and hits a tiger feint kick. She keeps rolling, but Saraya catches her with a kick in mid-air. Riho perseveres and slams Saraya for the win.
Winner: Riho
AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm comes to the ring. They brawl, and Riho hits the tiger feint kick. Mariah May blindsides Riho and hits her with the title.
Tony Schiavone reads a prepared statement from TNT Champion Christian Cage. In the statement, Cage comments on his absence and says he took Nick Wayne on a vacation. He addresses Adam Copeland’s challenge and says he will return on Saturday’s episode of AEW Collision.
Backstage, AEW World Champion MJF argues with Samoa Joe. He finds one of the masked men’s masks outside of Mogul Embassy’s locker room. Prince Nana comes out, and MJF grabs him and yells at him. Swerve Strickland confronts MJF and says he feels like he has been ducking him. MJF mocks Swerve’s theme song. He references their history and says Swerve is all grown up. MJF says he is proud of him, but he hasn’t been ducking him. MJF tells Swerve he’s not on his level. Swerve responds and calls MJF a whiny little bitch. He tells MJF to be careful, as he hung Hangman Page. MJF says Swerve should watch his mouth and mocks his grills.
MJF threatens to blow Swerve’s house down and says he will break his arms so he will always swerve when he drives. Mogul Embassy is standing in the locker room door, but Samoa Joe shows up to even the odds.
Roderick Strong (with Mike Bennett and Matt Taven) vs. Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)
Strong and Komander feel each other out early on. Strong takes control and chops Komander. Komander takes Strong down with an arm drag and catches him with a dropkick. Strong drops Komander with a backbreaker. Komander sends Strong over the ropes and down to the floor. Back in the ring, Strong continues to ground Komander. Komander rallies and hits a springboard dive. He gets a two-count with a Phoenix Splash.
Komander dives onto Strong, Taven, and Bennett at ringside. Strong gains the upper hand and pins Komander with the End of Heartache.
Winner: Roderick Strong
After the match, Roderick Strong says it’s obvious that MJF is The Devil. He tells Samoa Joe it’s time to wake up. Strong says Joe is his best friend by proxy.
AEW wrestlers appear in a promotional spot for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Jim Ross makes his return and joins the broadcast team.
Jon Moxley Faces Jay White In High-Stakes AEW Dynamite Main Event
AEW Continental Classic Gold League Match: Jon Moxley vs. Jay White
White heads to the outside and plays mind games with Moxley. He gets back in the ring, and Moxley takes him down with a sleeper hold. Moxley drills him with some elbows. He floors White with a piledriver and goes for the Bulldog choke, but White escapes. They head to the outside, and Moxley keeps up the attack. White slams Moxley into the steel steps. White gains the upper hand. Moxley again sends White to the outside. He brings White up the ramp. Moxley dumps White with a back body drop on the ramp.
They return to the ring. White dodges Moxley, and he gets caught up on the ropes. He knocks Moxley to the floor. White takes control and targets Moxley’s leg. Moxley rallies and gains the upper hand. He superplexes White. He dives onto White at ringside. White slams Moxley onto the steel steps. He gets a chair, but the referee stops him. White tosses one chair into the ring, and the referee goes to get it. “Switchblade” capitalizes and hits Moxley with a chair. Moxley hits a Paradigm Shift for a two-count.
White takes Moxley down with a dragon screw. Moxley drills White with a knee to the face. Moxley and White keep battling. White dumps Moxley with a sleeper suplex and a slam. White gets a two-count with a Kiwi Crusher. Moxley levels White with a lariat. He dodges the Blade Runner. Moxley stomps White. White hits the Blade Runner for the win.
Winner: Jay White
Swerve Strickland comes out and stares down White. White attacks Moxley’s injured leg and walks away.
