By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite “Maximum Carnage” (Episode 328)
Phoenix, Arizona, at Arizona Financial Theater
Simulcast live January 14, 2026, on TBS and HBO Max
[Hour One] Excalibur checked in on commentary and said his color commentator would be Bryan Danielson. Excalibur ran through the show’s lineup…
Footage aired from “Earlier today” of Samoa Joe delivering a promo. He spoke about Hangman Page, but said he must prepare to defend the AEW Trios Titles. Joe said he put a bounty on Page, and then introduced Bryan Keith, who said he would collect…
Ring announcer Justin Roberts introduced Darby Allin, who made his entrance for the opening match. Renee Paquette checked in from ringside and spoke about Allin’s desire to beat Pac, because then he will have beaten every member of the Death Riders.
Pac was shown seated on a chair with the other Death Riders around him. Pac walked through the crowd and was followed by Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Marina Shafir, Wheeler Yuta, and Daniel Garcia. Once they approached Paquette, Pac told the others over her microphone that he needed to do this on his own.
Once Pac arrived at ringside, Allin hit him with a suicide dive. They fought into the crowd. Allin put Pac down and then climbed onto the railing on the second level and performed a Coffin Drop onto Allin.
They eventually made their way back to ringside, where Pac avoided a charging Allin before putting him down with a German suplex. Pac pulled the ring steps out and then executed an overhead belly-to-belly suplex that planted Allin on the steps. Ouch.
1. Darby Allin vs. Pac. Once both wrestlers entered the ring, referee Paul Turner stopped Pac from going after Allin. Turner checked on Allin, who told him to ring the bell. Pac performed a couple of suplexes, including another overhead belly-to-belly suplex into a bridge, which resulted in a near fall before the first picture-in-picture break. [C]
Pac performed a Razor’s Edge that launched Allin over the top rope and onto the stage, which is level with the ring. Allin beat the referee’s count by returning to the ring at nine. Allin sat on the mat and flipped off Pac, who had been seated on the top rope.
Pac dropped off the ropes and sold an ankle injury. Allin went right at Pac, who ended up on the floor. Allin hit him with a Coffin Drop. Allin got Pac on the apron and hit him with another Coffin Drop. Allin went for a move in the corner, but Pac pulled the referee in front of him. REF BUMP!!!
Allin put Pac in the Scorpion Leg Lock. Pac motioned for help and then tapped out. Wheeler Yuta came out with a chair, but Allin took him out with a Scorpion Death Drop. Allin wrapped the chair around Pac’s ankle and then performed a Coffin Drop on top of it. Allin put Pac in the Scorpion Death Lock. The referee recovered in time to see Pac tap out.
Darby Allin beat Pac in 11:05.
After the match, the other Death Riders came out to check on Pac while Allin made his exit… Excalibur hyped upcoming segments… [C]
Powell’s POV: A good opening match. The idea that Allin would find peace in beating every member of the Death Riders if he could get by Pac didn’t pack much of a punch. I guess we’ll see if Allin moves on or if his feud with the faction will continue. By the way, I’m filling in for Jake Barnett tonight. I believe he is lying low after sharing an Uber with Kiefer Sutherland the other night, but I could be mistaken.
2. Hangman Page vs. Bryan Keith (w/Big Bill). Both entrances were televised. Page dominated the offense until Bill distracted him. Keith took advantage by headbutting Page before a PIP break. [C]
Be the first to comment