All Elite Wrestling delivered a star-studded show with the January 3 episode of AEW Dynamite.
Orange Cassidy defended the AEW International Championship, Adam Cole explained his betrayal, and Mariah May made her AEW in-ring debut. Plus, TNT Champion Christian Cage gave his 2024 State of the Union.
The results are as follows:
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe comments on his victory over MJF.
Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Mike Bennett, Matt Taven, and Wardlow come to the ring, and “Undisputed” appears on the screen. Cole says it’s ironic that people were shocked by what happened at AEW Worlds End. He says that means they couldn’t tell right from wrong. Cole notes that MJF made more enemies than anyone. Cole says that if that makes him The Devil, buy him a ticket straight to hell. He calls MJF a narcissist and says MJF only cares about himself. He says it’s time for a change and claims most of the locker room and the fans will thank him. Cole claims that MJF is gone, and he’s never coming back.
Cole says he beat MJF to the punch, as MJF would have betrayed him. He says he never needed MJF, but MJF needed him. He notes that the fans would not be cheering MJF if not for him. Cole says this all became about destroying a man, and he says MJF is dead. He claims that MJF does not work there anymore. He names their group the Undisputed Kingdom and notes that they all will chase titles. Cole says that Wardlow will eventually hand the AEW World Championship over to him. He says that AEW needed a change, and the Undisputed Kingdom made it happen.
Jay White interrupts and says he didn’t like the way Cole made him collateral damage. White and The Gunns charge the ring and brawl with the Undisputed Kingdom. The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn run out to send the Undisputed Kingdom running. The two groups stare each other down, and Bullet Club Gold leaves.
Daniel Garcia discusses his match against Swerve Strickland and says he will not fold under the pressure.
Orange Cassidy Defends The Gold
AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Dante Martin
Cassidy and Martin feel each other out. They trade counters, and they’re evenly matched. Cassidy heads to the outside to regroup. Martin crashes face-first into the barricade. Cassidy hits him with a dropkick. The challenger gains the upper hand. Cassidy fires back with a suplex. They go back and forth. Cassidy hits the Stun-dog Millionaire. Martin dives onto Cassidy at ringside. He gets a two-count with a crossbody. Martin hits some of Cassidy’s signature “kicks”. Cassidy rocks Martin with a kick.
Cassidy plants Martin with a DDT for a two-count. A diving DDT earns Cassidy another two-count. Martin dodges the Orange Punch and counters the Beach Break. Martin dives across the ring onto Cassidy.
Cassidy gets a two-count with a crucifix. Cassidy dodges a senton and gets the win with the Orange Punch.
Winner and still AEW International Champion: Orange Cassidy
HOOK and Danhausen come out to celebrate with Cassidy. Private Party makes their return, as Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen come out and say they’re putting the tag team division on notice.
Backstage, AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm says she thought they were in New York, so she was disappointed to learn they were actually in New Jersey. When asked about Mariah May’s debut, she says she doesn’t watch wrestling, and she tells Lutha to carry her away.
The House of Black sent a message to FTR ahead of their match on AEW Dynamite.
In an interview, Prince Nana hypes up Swerve Strickland, who previews his match with Daniel Garcia. He looks ahead to 2024 and says he wants to win the world title in 2024. Strickland targets Samoa Joe.
Mariah May Makes Her AEW In-Ring Debut On AEW Dynamite
Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata
May quickly gains the upper hand and takes the fight to Aminata. She takes her down with a headscissors and floors her with a dropkick. May maintains the advantage and grounds Aminata. Aminata rallies with some stiff strikes. She drills May with some forearms. May drops her with a Slingblade. May hits Mayday for the win.
Winner: Mariah May
Renee Paquette enters the ring to interview Mariah May. May expresses her excitement and says she wanted to be a wrestler since she was a kid. She says she hoped Toni Storm was proud. May says the first Dynamite of the year was all about her. Deonna Purrazzo interrupts and notes that she is from New Jersey, which gets a pop from the crowd. Purrazzo says she will find Toni Storm. She says she is All Elite, and this is the Age of the Virtuosa. Purrazzo rocks May with a kick and stands tall.
Christian Cage’s State Of The Union
TNT Champion Christian Cage comes to the ring with Nick Wayne, Killswitch, and Shayna Wayne come to the ring. Shayna hypes up Christian Cage. Cage notes that he went through a war at AEW Worlds End, and he thanks “Mother Wayne”. He also thanks his “pride and joy” Nick Wayne. He tells Nick that he loves him. Lastly, he thanks the man that sealed his victory, himself. He addresses Copeland and notes that he has beaten him twice, so he won’t get another title shot.
Cage says that he is superior to Copeland. He says he doesn’t have a soul, and he issues a warning to anyone who wants his title; he states that AEW Worlds End was just a glimmer of what he will do to retain the gold.
Backstage, Ruby Soho says she appreciated Harley Cameron’s help on Friday. Cameron says she’s glad to be part of The Outcasts.
Konosuke Takeshita vs. Darby Allin
Takeshita and Allin battle for positioning. Allin flips out of a suplex. Takeshita sends Allin flying with a back body-drop. Allin goes for a dive, but Takeshita nails him with a knee strike. Takeshita hits Allin with a rolling German suplex on the ramp. Takeshita maintains the advantage and grounds Allin. Allin rallies with a falling Stunner off the ropes. He dives onto Takeshita at ringside. Takeshita slams Allin for a two-count. Allin heads to the outside and dodges a running strike from Takeshita.Allin hits a Coffin Drop onto Takeshita at ringside.
Allin gets a near fall with the Code Red. Takeshita blocks a Coffin Drop and dumps Allin with a German suplex. He levels Allin with a lariat. Takeshita rocks Allin with a kick. He slams Allin with an avalanche German suplex. Takeshita drills Allin with a knee strike for the win.
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita
Backstage, Don Callis issues a challenge for next week; he wants Darby Allin and Sting to face Konosuke Takeshita and Powerhouse Hobbs.
Winner Earns AEW Continental Title Shot: Trent Beretta vs. Brian Cage vs. Bryan Keith vs. El Hijo del Vikingo
The competitors duke it out right away. Vikingo kicks Cage and dives onto him. Keith and Beretta trade blows. Keith drops Beretta with a big boot. Vikingo catches Keith with some kicks. Cage overpowers Vikingo and slams him. Beretta rocks Cage with a knee strike. Trent dives onto Cage at ringside. Beretta stares down Danhausen in the front row. Cage suplexes Beretta onto the floor. Back in the ring, Cage slams Beretta and Keith. Beretta kicks Cage.
Cage overpowers Beretta. They battle back and forth. Vikingo kicks Cage and takes him down with a springboard dropkick. Keith rocks Vikingo with a headbutt. Beretta hits a German suplex on Cage off the second rope and gets a two-count with a knee strike. Keith clotheslines Vikingo. Cage floors Keith with the F10. He powerbombs Trent and gets a two-count.
Danhausen enters the ring and curses Cage.
Cage goes to slam him, but Keith and Vikingo kick him. Vikingo dives onto Cage at ringside. In the ring, Keith slams Trent and hits a headbutt for a two-count. Beretta slams Keith and gets the win.
Winner: Trent Beretta
Backstage, Hangman Page returns and says he is here to beat someone’s ass.
Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Daniel Garcia
Strickland and Garcia feel each other out early on. The match is a stalemate in the early stages. Garcia takes control. Nana gets in his face and does the Nana. Garcia dances right back. Nana distracts Garcia again, and Strickland kicks him. Swerve slams Garcia with a Death Valley Driver onto the apron. He drives Garcia into the barricade and the ring apron. Strickland hits a diving elbow and mocks Garcia’s dance.
Strickland grounds Garcia. He hits him with some uppercuts. Garcia rallies and drills Swerve with a knee strike. He dropkicks Strickland and suplexes him. Swerve slams Garcia for a two-count. Strickland shoves Matt Menard at the broadcast table. Garcia capitalizes and gains the upper hand. They both fall off the broadcast table. Strickland suplexes Garcia. Garcia nails Swerve with a stiff shot to the face. Swerve drops him with a Flatliner. Strickland hits the House Call. Garcia rolls up Swerve for a two-count. A House Call and a slam earn Strickland the win.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
Prince Nana hits Garcia below the belt when he goes to shake Strickland’s hand. Matt Menard tries to make the save, but Strickland drops him. Hangman Page comes out and confronts Strickland.
They brawl until they’re separated. Hangman breaks free, and the brawl continues.
