AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash (Night 1) aired live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville. Kenny Omega defended the AEW Championship against Fenix in this week’s main event.
Dynamite Results (1/6)
- Young Bucks & SCU def. The Acclaimed & The Hybrid 2
- Wardlow def. Jake Hager
- Cody def. Matt Sydal
- Hikaru Shida def. Abadon to retain the AEW Women’s Championship
- Kenny Omega def. Rey Fenix to retain the AEW Championship
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Young Bucks & SCU Picked Up A Win
Young Bucks and SCU teamed up to face The Acclaimed and Hybrid 2 to begin this weeks show. The Acclaimed and Hybrid 2 controlled the action early and isolated Daniels in the ring.
Daniels was finally able to battle back and hit the Blue Thunder Bomb on Bowens. Kazarian tagged in and cleaned house before tagging in Matt Jackson. Matt hit a few Northern Lights Suplexes and then Young Bucks hit the BTE Trigger on Bowens but Jack Evans broke up the cover. Daniels connected with the Best Moonsault Ever for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Kazarian noted that the next time they lose as a team they will be done forever. SCU told Young Bucks that they will have their back up until the night that they face them for the AEW Tag Team Championships.
Jon Moxley Warned Kenny Omega
Jon Moxley made his AEW return tonight on Dynamite. Moxley said he was not here to bitch and complain about how he lost the AEW Championship. Jon stated that he was not going anywhere and wondered what he is going to do about Kenny Omega and Don Callis.
Moxley said he has a zero tolerance policy for shitty people but tonight the AEW Championship on the line. Jon stated that it is not his right to interfere in Fenix’s destiny but added that he will get even with Kenny Omega in due time. Moxley added that he will forever be in Kenny’s blind spot and that one day he is going to beg for mercy when he realizes that he crossed the wrong guy.
Wardlow def. Jake Hager
Jake Hager and Wardlow battled on this week’s show. Inner Circle was on the entrance ramp for the match. The match started out back and forth with both men Clotheslining each other out of the ring as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Wardlow sent Hager to the corner and hit him with several knees to the midsection. Hager battled back and hit Wardlow with a Splash and followed it up with a massive Clothesline.
Jake planted Wardlow with a Slam and went for the cover but Wardlow was able to kick out at two. Wardlow connected with a German Suplex for a near fall. Wardlow followed it up with the F10 for the pinfall victory.
Sting Showed Up & Team Taz Retreated Again
Darby Allin and Brian Cage had a weigh in for the TNT Championship match next week. Darby had the new TNT Championship with him as the red one was given to Brodie Lee’s son last week. Taz bitched about Brian Cage having to be weighed first for whatever reason but eventually he got on the scale. Tony Schiavone announced Brian Cage weighed in at 273 lbs. Tony then announced that Darby Allin weighs 170 lbs and that is a 100 lbs weight difference.
Allin told Taz that he has dealt with shit his entire life from people like Taz and said he wanted a fight. Taz told Tony to take his wide ass out of the ring before the lights went out. Sting’s music hit and snow began falling in Daily’s Place. Sting got in the ring with Darby Allin and Team Taz retreated. Taz shouted that he was sick of Sting and vowed that Brian Cage will win the TNT Championship next week.
Opinion: I’m hoping that AEW has something planned for Sting besides showing up and Team Taz retreating every week. Sting’s debut entrance was cool but he’s done nothing of note since showing up on Dynamite. I don’t know how one is supposed to enjoy Sting walking to the ring and Team Taz running away over and over again. I’ve completely lost interest at this point, so hopefully AEW has something up their sleeve because this has become ridiculous.
Snoop Dogg Hit A Splash
Cody faced Matt Sydal tonight on Dynamite. Snoop Dogg was in Cody’s corner to promote the “Go-Big Show” on TNT. Cody and Sydal battled to the entrance ramp where Snoop Dogg was standing. Sydal hit Double Knees off the top rope and brought Cody back into the ring.
Sydal caught Cody with a Dropkick to the face and knocked him out of the ring. Sydal went for a Crossbody but Cody rolled through and applied a Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Sydal was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Sydal locked in a Crossface but Cody was able to escape. Cody connected with a Clothesline and followed it up with the Disaster Kick for a two count. Cody hit Cross Rhodes for the pinfall victory. After the match, Serpentico and Luther attacked Cody because he accidentally hit them when the action spilled out of the ring. Cody and Sydal beat Luther and Serpentico down as Snoop climbed to the top rope. Snoop Dogg then hit one the worst/funniest Splashes off the top rope on Serpentico to end the segment.
Hikaru Shida Retained
Hikaru Shida defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Abadon tonight. Abadon tried to attack Shida during her entrance but the champ was ready and hit her with a kendo stick. Shida hit Abadon with a couple punches but Abadon wouldn’t go down. Abadon tried to bite Hikaru Shida but the champion avoided it and connected with a Dropkick.
Shida went for the Running Knee but Abadon caught her leg and started biting. Abadon launched the AEW Women’s Champion into the barricade and then dragged her under the ring. Abadon emerged by herself and then Shida followed. Shida was bleeding from her neck as the announcers said that Abadon must have bit her.
Abadon bounced Shida’s face off the canvas several times as Dynamite went to a commercial break. When Dynamite returned, Abadon leveled Shida with a Clothesline for a near fall. Shida then hit a running knee for the pinfall victory. Shida is still the AEW Women’s Champion.
Kenny Omega Retained & Bullet Club Reunited
Kenny Omega defended the AEW Championship against Rey Fenix in this week’s main event. Don Callis was ringside for the match. Omega dominated early but Fenix sent Kenny out of the ring with a Hurricanrana. The action spilled out of the ring and Omega connected with a Snap Dragon Suplex on the floor.
Omega slammed Fenix onto the ring apron and rolled him back into the ring. Omega controlled the next few minutes and focuses his attack on Fenix’s back. Fenix battled back and hit Omega with a chop to the chest. Fenix bounced off the ropes and leveled Omega with a Dropkick. Fenix then flipped onto Omega outside the ring and crashed into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Fenix hit an awesome German Suplex and went for the cover but the AEW Champion was able to kick out at the last moment. Fenix followed it up with a Double Stomp to the back of Kenny’s head as Dynamite went to a commercial break.
When Dynamite returned, Fenix hit Kenny with a Superkick but Omega responded with a V-Trigger. Fenix hopped right up and hit Omega with another Superkick. Fenix was the first up and made his way to the apron. Omega caught Fenix with a knee to the face and followed it up with a Powerbomb for a near fall.
Omega hit another V-Trigger for a two count. Kenny hit Fenix with another V-Trigger and set up for the One Winged Angel but Rey countered into a Destroyer. Fenix rolled out of the ring and Don Callis distracted him. Omega capitalized with another knee to the face but Fenix shrugged it off and hit a Cutter for a two count.
Fenix hit the Fire Thunder Driver and went for the cover but somehow Omega was able to kick out at two. Fenix went for a Frog Splash but Omega was able to get his knees up. Kenny went for a Superplex but Fenix blocked it. Fenix tried to leap onto Omega but Kenny caught him with a Tiger Driver. Omega followed it up with a V-Trigger and then the One Winged Angel for the pinfall victory. Kenny Omega is still the AEW Champion.
After the match, Don Callis said that you have witnessed history but they are going to give everyone something they did not pay for. Eddie Kingston, Butcher, and Blade were then shown backstage after attacking Pentagon and PAC. Don Callis told Omega to get Fenix up and finish him off with another One Winged Angel. Jon Moxley rushed the ring with a barbed wire bat and hit Omega in the midsection. Don Callis scampered out of the ring as Moxley circled Omega.
Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions Gallows and Anderson then rushed the ring and attacked Jon Moxley. The Good Brothers planted Moxley with the Magic Killer and beat him down some more with Omega. Kenny then grabbed the barbed wire bat and stuck Moxley with it several times. Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr. tried to make the save but Gallows and Anderson fought them off.
Omega hit Moxley one more time with the barbed wire bat and posed with the Good Brothers. Moxley hit Karl Anderson with a punch to the face but Omega beat him down some more. Finally, the Young Bucks rushed the ring but just started talking to Omega and the Good Brothers. Matt Jackson Superkicked Griff Garrison as Omega and the Good Brothers held up the “too sweet” sign. Matt and Nick Jackson then joined in as Dynamite went off the air.
Opinion: Omega and Fenix had a hell of a match and my only complaint is that it didn’t go longer. Overall, Night 1 of New Year’s Smash was a decent show that was saved in the final half hour. Shida & Abadon had an okay match but I was hoping for something much better. The ending of Dynamite was very entertaining and I’m looking forward to see where this goes over the next few weeks.