By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 219)
Arlington, Texas at College Park Center
Aired live December 13, 2023 on TBS
[Hour One] Samoa Joe made his entrance and was introduced by ring announcer Justin Roberts. The broadcast team of Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone checked in and recapped last week’s angle that saw MJF laid out backstage with a broken beer bottle next to him.
Joe recalled vowing to protect MJF until their AEW World Championship match at the Worlds End pay-per-view. Joe said he was made a liar due to what happened to MJF last week. He spoke about the beer bottle brand and insinuated that Hangman Page was behind the attack. Joe said he searched for Page backstage and he was missing.
Hangman Page made his entrance and joined Joe in the ring. Page told him he doesn’t care about the whodunnit. Joe said Hangman approached him like he was playing detective when he may have already made up his mind and was now in the role of executioner. Page suggested that Joe do something about it.
“Samoa!” was yelled by Roderick Strong, who walked onto the stage wearing a neck brace and was accompanied by Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Strong headed to the ring and recalled people being attacked by The Devil character after they challenged MJF. Strong said no one saw MJF be attacked, he was just lying backstage.
Page punched Strong, who exited the ring. Joe and Page bickered and then Joe left the ring. Strong returned to the ring and hit Page from behind and was rewarded for it by the referee, who strangely called for the bell to start the opening match…
1. Hangman Page vs. Roderick Strong (w/Matt Taven, Mike Bennett). Excalibur ran through the Continental Classic tournament matches that would take place during the show. Page hit a standing shooting star press on Strong for an early two count.
A short time later, Page dove over the top rope onto Strong at ringside. Page went to the ropes and was grabbed by Taven while Bennett distracted the referee. Strong kicked Page and then gave him a backbreaker on the top turnbuckle heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Page put Strong down with a powerbomb for a near fall. Strong came back and applied a Stronghold, but Page reached the ropes to break the Boston Crab. Page ended up on the apron and clotheslined Strong over the top rope. Page set up for his finisher, but Traven grabbed him while Bennett distracted the referee.
Page hit Strong and then moonsaulted onto Taven. Bennett ran over and was taken out by a Page punch. Page went up top and moonsaulted onto Taven and Strong on the floor. Taven returned to the ring and went for the Buckshot Lariat, but Strong stuffed and set up for another Stronghold, only to have Page counter into a rollup for a two count. Strong connected with a knee strike. Page came right back with a lariat and then hit the Deadeye and scored the clean pin…
Hangman Page defeated Roderick Strong in 14:45.
Excalibur hyped the upcoming Continental Classic matches and the leaderboard was shown… [C]
Powell’s POV: A really well worked opening match between a pair of ROH alums that was preceded by a quality verbal segment. The wrestlers creatively recapped the key points of The Devil angle while making accusations. The tension between Joe and Page was really good. I have no idea why Strong’s character would feel the need to interrupt that unless he’s in cahoots with Joe or Page. That said, I wouldn’t read too much into that because all pro wrestling companies are guilty of scripting wrestlers to interrupt potential fights for no good reason.
2. Brody King vs. Andrade El Idolo in a Continental Classic tournament blue league match. CJ Perry walked out with Andrade and then headed to the back with his mask. King was the early aggressor. Andrade came back with a moonsault off the top rope and onto King on the floor. Back in the ring, King chopped Andrade, who was on the ropes, and sent him to the floor. [C]
Andrade executed a dragon screw leg whip and then hit a flying forearm. Andrade kipped up and played to the fans. Andrade wanted to perform his double knees in the corner, but he had to duck a King clothesline instead. Andrade bodyslammed King and then followed up with a split legged moonsault that led to a two count.
Andrade went for double knees again, but King moved out of the way. King turned Andrade inside out with a lariat that got a near fall. King showed frustration. King followed up with a cannonball in the corner and then pulled Andrade away from the ropes and covered him for another near fall.
King hoisted up Andrade, who slipped away. They traded strikes. King ran the ropes and was hit by a big boot. King came right back with a strike of his own and then knocked Andrade to one knee with a forearm shot. King ran the ropes and ate a back elbow.
Andrade went to the ropes and was cut off by King. They ended up fighting while standing on the middle rope. King went for a superplex, but Andrade countered into a DDT on the top turnbuckle. Andrade hit the hammerlock DDT and scored the clean pin…
Andrade defeated Brody King in 14:45 to earn three points in a Continental Classic blue league match.
The updated blue league standings have Andrade in first place with nine points, Brody King and Bryan Danielson with six points, Claudio Castagnoli and Eddie Kingston each with three points, and Daniel Garcia with no points. All six entrants have worked three tournament matches…
Powell’s POV: Another strong match. King is killing it in the tournament. I haven’t given much consideration to Andrade winning the tournament and I still don’t think he will, but I like that he’s being positioned as a strong threat by leading his league.
Renee Paquette interviewed Kevin Von Erich, Ross Von Erich, and Marshall Von Erich on the backstage ring set and asked how they came to be in AEW. Kevin said he loves AEW. He said he likes the style and has a lot of friends in AEW. Orange Cassidy, Danhausen, and Trent Beretta showed up. Cassidy invited Ross and Marshall to team with him on Rampage. Beretta took issue that he and Danhausen weren’t invited to team with Cassidy, who simply said they were in Texas, which Beretta accepted. They all put their hands together…
Kenny Omega made his entrance in non-wrestling attire… [C] The tail end of Chris Jericho’s entrance to Fozzy’s “Judas” was shown coming out of the break while the broadcast team recapped their issues with AEW Tag Team Champions Ricky Starks and Big Bill. Jericho blamed Starks and Bill for he and Omega not appearing on television lately. He said he thought of what he would say to them for the last three weeks and then called them out.
AEW Tag Team Champions Ricky Starks and Big Bill made their entrance and stood on the stage. Starks asked the fans if they missed him. Starks said he has nothing against Omega and thanked him for AEW, but he said Jericho sucks the life out of everything. Starks asked Omega if he really thinks he can trust Jericho and pointed to what happened to the Inner Circle and the Jericho Appreciation Society.
Bill told Omega to think of the things that Jericho has done to him. He said no one would be surprised if Jericho turned on Omega too. Omega said Jericho knows he doesn’t trust him. Omega brought The Firm faction and asked the fans if they remembered it, then said he couldn’t say that he did either. He said The Firm was more like The Flaccid.
Omega announced that he and Jericho will take the AEW Tag Team Titles from Starks and Bill at Worlds Collide. Starks accepted the challenge. Starks said he hopes Jericho remembers January when he beat him on Dynamite. Bill pointed out that Starks actually beat Jericho twice. Starks said he knows Jericho in and out.
Starks said he and Bill are the best tag team even though they don’t have a name. Jericho and Omega said they could fix that. Jericho went with “The Absolute Assholes” and was actually censored when he said assholes, but some fans chanted it. Jericho said he could do better and was censored when he suggested The Rick and The Dick. Omega asked if it was his first day on the job. Jericho said they could call them Big Billy Starks.
Starks said that one fell flat. He also accused Jericho of getting his clothes at Hot Topic. Jericho said Starks was a less charismatic version of Enzo Amore. Omega said Enzo at least talked up Big Bill and didn’t steal the full spotlight. Starks fired up and said if they want a war, they would get one and called them the Winnipeg Scumbags. Omega mocked the scumbags name and then did his usual closing line…
Powell’s POV: That was terrible. The mock names sucked almost as much as the Golden Jets name, and Omega’s closing line schtick is a groaner at this point. Omega also reverted to dressing like he’s doing a home workout rather than like a star on a major television show.
[Hour Two] AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm made her entrance and was followed by Mariah May, who held the title belt for her. Storm joined the broadcast team. The entrances of Ruby Soho and Riho followed. Storm asked if they wanted her to do color or play-by-play. Taz said he handles the color and his partners aren’t very good at play-by-play…
3. Riho vs. Ruby Soho. Early in the match, Riho went up top, but Soho cut her off. Soho went for a German suplex. Riho elbowed her way free, causing Soho fall back and hang onto the ropes while Riho double stomped her heading into a PIP break. [C]
As the match was taking place, Storm told “Mr. Khan” she was ready for her closeup and then they got a black and white shot of her mugging for the camera. Soho avoided a top rope double stomp and then hit the No Future Kick for a near fall.
Soho hit a back elbow and then applied a standing guillotine, but Riho performed a Northern Lights Suplex. Riho followed up with a Dragon Suplex and then hit a meteora and scored the clean pin. Storm did a slow clap while Excalibur said she didn’t look all that impressed…
Riho beat Ruby Soho in roughly 9:30.
A Wardlow video package aired. As match footage aired, he said he’s been preparing for war since he returned. He said he’s left a path of pure mayhem behind him, destroying every single person in his way. He said just like the archangel Michael, he will be the one who will bring The Devil to his knees. Wardlow said MJF’s world is coming to an end…
Rush came out with Dralistico, Preston Vance, and Jose. Rush headed to the ring for his tournament match, which Excalibur said was a “must win” for him… [C] Jay Lethal made his entrance…
4. Rush vs. Jay Lethal in a Continental Classic tournament gold league match. Taz drew attention to the wrap around Rush’s left thigh. Lethal did the early strut for boos. Rush came right back with a suplex and a running knee strike. Lethal rolled to the floor. Rush followed and ran Lethal into the barricade twice.
Late in the match, Rush suplexed Lethal into the corner. Rush went for Bull’s Horns, but Lethal stood up and kicked him. Lethal went for a Lethal Injection, but Rush put him in a sleeper and got the submission win. Excalibur said Rush hasn’t forgotten about how Jon Moxley put him to sleep last week.
Rush defeated Jay Lethal in 4:30 to earn three points in a Continental Classic gold league match.
The updated gold league standings were shown. Excalibur said Rush needs Swerve Strickland to lose in the main event and then he had to beat him next week to have any chance to advance to the semifinals of the gold league. Meanwhile, Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett, and Sonjay Dutt came out and walked to the back with a dejected Lethal…
Powell’s POV: The match was well worked, but Lethal continues to feel like the weakest link of the tournament due to the predictability of his match outcomes thus far.
As the previous match was taking place, Excalibur hyped Andrade vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Eddie Kingston vs. Daniel Garcia, and Brody King vs. Bryan Danielson in blue league tournament matches for Saturday’s AEW Collision…
A video package aired on Jon Moxley vs. Swerve Strickland and included soundbites from their past promos…
5. Jay White vs. Mark Briscoe in a Continental Classic tournament gold league match. Briscoe dropkicked White to start the match. The crowd chanted “Dem Boys” in support of Briscoe, who performed a Death Valley Driver. Briscoe went up top and hit his Froggy Bow elbow drop. White rolled to the floor to avoid being pinned.
Briscoe followed White to ringside. White got tangled up in camera cords, which prevented Briscoe from tossing him back inside the ring momentarily. A short time later, White dumped Briscoe over the top rope and to the ringside floor. Back in the ring, White put Briscoe down with a DDT for a two count heading into a PIP break. [C]
Excalibur ran through the ROH Final Battle lineup while the match continued. Briscoe hit his Cactus Jack elbow drop from the apron onto White on the floor. Back in the ring, Briscoe covered White for a near fall. Briscoe followed up a short time later with a Razor’s Edge for another near fall.
Briscoe set up for the Jay Driller and another “Dem Boys” chant broke out. White countered into a dragon screw leg whip. Jay caught him in an inside cradle for a two count. White executed a sleeper suplex and went for his finisher, but Briscoe countered into a wicked suplex of his own. Briscoe went for Froggy Bow, but White put his knees up. White hit the Bladerunner and scored the pin…
Jay White defeated Mark Briscoe in roughly 11:00 to earn three points in a Continental Classic gold league match.
The updated gold league leaderboard was shown with White reaching nine points to tie Moxley and Swerve, who both had one fewer match than White. Rush had six points through four matches, while Lethal and Briscoe have no points through four matches… [C]
Powell’s POV: A solid match. Mark has lost all of his tournament matches so far, but his style and personality makes him a better entrant than Lethal.
A video package aired on the FTR and Mark Briscoe vs. Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, and Claudio Castagnoli match that will be held in Jay Briscoe’s honor at Friday’s ROH Final Battle…
Justin Roberts conducted introductions for the main event. Swerve Strickland made his entrance with a dancing Prince Nana, who headed to the back. Jon Moxley made his entrance through the crowd. Excalibur said they would stick with the match if it ran past the top of the hour (Tony Khan tweeted that his amazing, wonderful, and downright glorious partners at TBS granted them a five-minute overrun)…
6. Swerve Strickland vs. Jon Moxley in a Continental Classic tournament gold league match. A “holy shit” chant broke out to start the match. A “holy shit” chant broke out to start the match. Swerve got the better of Moxley to start. Moxley took a moment at ringside to regroup. A short time later, Swerve sent Moxley to the floor. Moxley crotched Swerve on the ring skirting and then raised it into his groin twice before running him into the ring steps going into a PIP break. [C]
The broadcast team noted that they were midway through the time limit of the match. Swerve took offensive control until Moxley caught him with a cutter that led to a near fall. Moxley followed up with a Gotch style piledriver for another near fall. Swerve rallied with a suplex that Moxley no-sold, but Swerve put him down with a kick and got a near fall of his own. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.
Swerve grabbed Moxley’s arms and stomped his face. Swerve got Moxley in a seated position and threw elbows at him. Swerve hit the House Call kick. Swerve went up top, but Moxley stood up and shoved him to the floor. Moxley told referee Paul Turner to count Swerve out.
[Overrun] Swerve beat the referee’s count, but Moxley hit him with a Stomp and then covered him for a two count. The ring announcer told the crowd there were five minutes remaining in the time limit. Moxley caught Swerve in a crossarm breaker, but Swerve got his foot on the bottom rope to break it.
Moxley went to ringside and grabbed a chair. Swerve dove from the ring onto Moxley on the floor. Swerve went back to the apron and booted Moxley, who ended up seated on the chair. Swerve executed a double stomp from the apron and then rolled Moxley back inside the ring. Swerve went for a top rope double stomp (the camera angle showed that Swerve made no contact) and then covered him for a near fall.
Swerve went for the JML Driver, but Moxley rolled him into a pin and got the three count while holding Swerve’s tights. Taz pointed out that Swerve’s shoulder may have been up (it definitely was). The broadcast team also acknowledged that Moxley grabbed Swerve’s belt for leverage.
Jon Moxley defeated Swerve Strickland in 16:25 to earn three points in a Continental Classic gold league match.
Swerve seethed in the ring while Moxley looked into the camera and said, “I told you, whatever it takes, baby.” The updated gold league leaderboard showed Moxley with 12 points, Swerve and White with nine points, Rush with six points, and Briscoe and Lethal with no points with every wrestler having worked four matches.
Excalibur said that barring some crazy last week circumstances, Moxley has all but guaranteed himself a spot in the semifinals. The blue league leaderboard was also shown and then Moxley hopped over the barricade. Swerve sat in the ring and was upset. Excalibur said Swerve was still alive in the tournament. Excalibur ran through the blue league matches that will be held on Collision.
Cameras cut to outside the building where The Devil’s sidekicks beat up Hangman Page. The Devil emerged from the driver’s side of a car. The henchmen slammed Page onto the windshield of the car.
Powell’s POV: Hey, look, real glass. Anyway, I suspected Moxley would win when they said that Rush needed Swerve to lose to stay alive in the tournament, but I also couldn’t rule out a draw in the main event. The match was entertaining and the crowd clearly saw it as a big deal. The level of protection for Swerve adds to my suspicion that he will end up as an anti-hero babyface. The post match angle seemingly rules out Hangman as being The Devil, which I actually felt was a compelling option.
This was an action packed edition with a lot of wrestling and minimal promo segments. While I typically prefer a balance of wrestling and talking, AEW has been giving us a pretty good mix lately, so going with a wrestling heavy show for one week worked for me. Of course, it helped that most of the matches delivered.
I will be back shortly with my weekly same night audio review of AEW Dynamite for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
If the devil isn’t jungle boy I’d be shocked.
I hope you are shocked because that does nothing for me. I’m all for bringing him back, but I just don’t think he’s a big enough deal to the average fan to be a satisfying payoff.
A couple times a week I see Jungle Boy and/or Jack Perry trending on Twitter. When I look to see why, it’s almost always a bunch of people saying things like if The Devil is revealed as Jungle Boy it will be the biggest disappointment AEW has ever had, begging for it to NOT be Jungle Boy, asking why Jungle Boy even has a job, etc.
There’s a real argument to be made that hour two of tonight’s show was the worst hour of TV that AEW has ever put on.
Bah. They’ve produced far shittier hours. I didn’t care for the cheap finish in a wannabe G1, but the main event was entertaining otherwise. Note to AEW production: Never use that camera angle while shooting a top rope double stomp. White vs. Briscoe was solid. Now if you replace the main event with the Jericho and Omega segment, then you might have a case, but that shit fest took place in hour one.
Kenny Omega & especially Chris Jericho should be ashamed of themselves after that segment. At this point, I’ve given up on Omega being able to deliver a main event money promo but that name calling was bad & cringey even by his low standards.
Jericho should’ve known better with all his experience. Most veterans know the difference between running down their opponents & ridiculous insults that build less to no interest in a match. I know WWE gets criticized for scripts & having wrestlers get approval to say things on TV but the WWE would’ve never let Jericho & Omega get away with the lame crap they said tonight.
I wouldn’t blame Ricky Starks if he left AEW because he’s going to get nothing out of this feud (even if he & Big Bill win) just like he got nothing out of the Jericho feud last year. AEW views Starks as a mid-carder & nothing more.
No disagreements from me.
Personally, I can’t blame Jericho for this one. It’s all on Omega. Those guys feed off each other. Omega brought NOTHING. Look at everyone involved in the segment. They at least “tried to look like stars.” Omega looks like he just walked out of a GNC or strip mall gym. That’s one of your top dogs? Looked like a scrub to me! He said absolutely nothing of value. Totally phoned it in. Even when Jericho had Starks’ or Bill’s dialogue to work with, Kenny would step in a blow it. I hope Kahn was having a total fit backstage after that segment.
That said, every company has bad segments. Not one “big” pro wrestling company has been CONSISTENT in the last 15 to 20 years. TNA-itis.
Britt Baker is the devil. It would be a great swerve and would elevate her big time.
She did it for Adam. Used his friends as henchmen. But he actually disapproves.
Sorry, replied to the wrong person, but see above.
I agree on Britt as the devil however the “devil” that stepped out of that car had broader shoulders..
It’s a popular theory. I’m open to it, but not the part about Cole disapproving. I like the idea of Britt and Cole working together as the devil in kind of a double villain reveal (see Scream). Because if it’s just Britt, then what matches do you get out of it? MJF and Cole against her henchmen? Meh.
Powell-a-mino, just wondering if you saw how bad Page’s finisher looked in the opener? Either it was badly botched or a poorly conceived move. Curious which one.
Just watched it back and it was an ultra safe version of the Deadeye. Strong’s head didn’t come anywhere near the mat.
Thanks for the feedback!
Match of the night was King vs Andrade, that was really terrific. It’s nice to see a motivated and seemingly engaged Andrade again, because he’s so talented in the ring.
I hope you seen his match on Collision vs. Bryan
Ignoring the usual marks who come here just to slam AEW, I think this episode was just ok. Not “bad”, but not great. I really, really think the one fix needed is get someone in there to create ongoing storylines. Tony has the talent, the vast majority of the matches are good, but storylines, in my opinion, that last weeks or months would really help a LOT of people watch more regularly….
Tony is reliable for a decent angle or two at a time.
I’m good with long angles/feuds, but every time we get one out come the nerds stating “it’s taking to long to get to the reveal/payoff/whatever.” Just like everyone is doing with the “Devil” is now.
Is anyone reminded of TNA’s dreadful Ace’s and Eights with this “Devil” thing? I hope the payoff is somehow better.
I’m really surprised no one’s prediction is Adam Cole. I mean… there’s really no one else.