Post by sethisthegoat on Jan 16, 2024 9:23:15 GMT -5
AEW Dynamite
Jan. 17, 2024
Announcers - Pat McAfee and Coach
Interviewer - Taz
The show starts right away with DX coming out. Triple H cuts the Outlaws off in the middle of their schtick and says he wants to know right now why Brian Cage put his foot on the ropes last week, keeping Big E from winning. Would Cage really rather face The Game than Big E?
The Natural Selection trio come out next and walk down to the ring, with Cage coming face-to-face with Triple H.
Cage - “You seem to think that I care about who faces me for the International Championship. I have held this belt for 8 months now. I’m AEW’s longest reigning champion, and I don’t intend to let this belt go any time soon. I was merely trying to get the two of you to beat each other up a little more.” The Blackpool Combat Club comes out next, making Cage look exasperated. They join the others in the ring.
Mox - “I’m going to cut right to the chase. Last week, we said that we were coming for the top of the tag team division. And later in the night, Claudio and Wheeler here were attacked backstage.” He looks at Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander. “I know it was the two of you.” They denied it as the New Day’s music hit. Before they can get down to the ring, Tony Khan pops on the screen.
Tony - “Is anyone else feeling a sense of deja vu out there? The 12 of you brawled at the start of Dynamite two weeks ago. And it looks like we’re on the way there again. So let’s make it official with tonight’s main event: A fatal four-way trios match. If Natural Selection wins, you get next week off. But if another group gets the win? Natural Selection will defend both of their championships next week on Dynamite!
—
Match 1 - Anthony Bowens (0-1) w/ Max Caster vs. Hernandez (3-2) w/ Homicide and Konnan
Before the match, we see highlights from last week when Caster defeated Homicide, then Hernandez and Konnan attacked The Acclaimed afterward.
Bowens tries his hardest to win, but Hernandez is just too strong. He wins with the Border Toss at 8:29 after a physical matchup.
—
Cody Rhodes, wearing a suit, is walking through a cemetery at night. He takes a deep breath and turns toward the camera. “Malakai Black, I think you have a false sense of security. You’re too used to seeing the squeaky clean version of Cody Rhodes. And, yes, I fight with honor — that’s why I agreed to give you a second chance after the way I won at Winter is Coming. But when push comes to shove, I am the American Nightmare. I’ll do whatever it takes to win and remain champion this Saturday. Even if it means awakening the beast and burying you alive.”
—
Match 2 - Bianca Belair (7-2) vs. The Bunny (1-4)
Belair gets the win with the KOD in 1:24. She calls out Jade Cargill after the match and says she’ll be watching her match this weekend against Michelle McCool.
—
Kevin Nash is backstage with Taz, who asks about the Owen Hart Cup, and also about Scott Hall’s recent departure from AEW.
Nash - “I wish Scott all the best, but it’s time to focus on Big Daddy Cool, Big Sexy, Diesel. Jon Moxley is distracted with his trio and tag team matches, while I’m fully focused on hitting him with the Jackknife Piledriver and moving on.”
—
We follow JBL down the hallway. He reaches Tony Khan’s door and knocks. It opens and Khan is there. He thanks JBL for coming and says they have a lot to talk about. The door closes.
—
Match 3 - Roman Reigns (2-1) w/ Solo Sikoa vs. Matt Jackson (2-2) w/ Nick Jackson
Reigns wins with the Superman punch after dodging a super kick at 7:10. Nick thinks about attacking after the match but grabs Matt and hits the bricks up to the entrance stage when Kenny Omega’s music hits.
Omega and the Young Bucks rush toward the ring next, while Reigns and Sikoa prepare for them. It’s a brawl in the ring, and eventually the numbers game works out for The Elite, as the Bucks lay Sikoa out with the BTE Trigger as the Usos finally rush down to the ring.
The Elite scatter and head back up the ramp, laughing…until Scotty Flamingo (Omega’s 2nd round opponent for the Owen Hart Cup next week) pops out from backstage with his surfboard and swings it across all 3 of the Elite’s backs. He then hits Omega with a Piledriver on the stage and poses briefly, before heading to the back as the Young Bucks recover.
—
Match 4 - The OC (3-1) vs. Butcher and the Blade (3-10)
The OC get the win with the Magic Killer in 2:46.
—
Malakai Black is sitting in a pew in a church. “There's a part of me that is scared of this Saturday. I'm man enough to admit it. I'm scared of the lengths I might go to to ensure I bury you, Cody, under 6 feet of dirt. You had better pray - and maybe take some vitamins - that our match doesn't get to the third stage of hell. I, Malakai Black, am the true nightmare in AEW. And I am the next AEW World Champion.”
—
During the break, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta were attacked again as they walked toward the entrance ramp. Moxley had been sidetracked by talking with Kevin Nash and didn't see what happened. But Yuta and Castagnoli can't wrestle tonight. Mox is upset and says he'll beat all other 9 men by himself.
—
Main Event - Fatal Four Way trios - Natural Selection vs. DX vs. Blackpool Combat Club vs. New Day
Moxley emerges by himself. As the match is getting ready to start, The OC’s music hits. Karl Anderson stands on the stage and says that the teams are a little uneven. They’re offering their services to Mox, even though they’ve already fought tonight. When they win, they can figure out title shots with the Blackpool Combat Club later. Mox looks at them warily, but accepts their help.
The rules - 1 man is legal from each team. The team that scores the first pinfall or submission wins the match. No countouts or rope breaks (but weapons aren't allowed).
- Mox, Benjamin, Gunn and Woods start. Benjamin goes after Woods; Mox and Gunn start off.
- The match is action-packed as each trio works on getting their signature moves in. Natural Selection gets an early advantage when Luke Gallows spills to the outside with Triple H, and the champion trio isolates Kofi Kingston.
- Cage tries for the Tornado Claw (discus lariat), but Kingston ducks and gets the hot tag to Big E, who bolts into the ring with a shoulder block on Cage, following up with elbows to Benjamin and Alexander, knocking them to the floor.
- Big E hits the Big Ending on Cage! 1…2…but Mox breaks it up.
- The match devolves into a 12-man brawl for a short time - Gunn hits Benjamin with a Fameasser; Mox hits the Paradigm Shift on Kingston; Triple H Pedigrees Anderson; Cage with the Drill Claw on Road Dogg.
- Eventually, the ref clears the ring of all non-legal participants, and Benjamin, Triple H, Woods and Mox are in the ring.
- Mox is able to isolate Woods in his corner with the OC, who enter for a triple team maneuver, lifting Woods so that Mox hits a massive Midnight Special (Kryptonite Krunch), but before Mox can go for the cover, Anderson and Gallows hit the Magic Killer on Mox!
- While that is happening, Triple H ducks a super kick from Benjamin and knocks the rest of Natural Selection off the apron. He hits a knee lift on Benjamin and follows that up with a Pedigree.
- The OC put Woods’ arm over Mox’s shoulders and leave the ring. Triple H pins Benjamin at the same time. The rest of New Day and DX are frozen and don’t break up either pin as the ref uses both hands to count the falls, awarding the win to both the New Day and DX after an eventful 24 minutes.
McAfee and Coach question what this means for the tag team and International Championship matches next week when Tony Khan emerges from backstage alongside JBL.
Khan - “It’s time to make a change to how things are run around here. While I am still the owner and lead booker, it’s clear that AEW needs a general manager to keep things flowing in situations like this. So I’d like to introduce our new GM, John Bradshaw Layfield!” This draws boos as JBL takes the mic with a big smile. The New Day, DX and Natural Selection are all looking on with great interest.
JBL - “I’d first like to thank Mr. Khan for recognizing the value I can bring to the position. As my first order of business, I’m going to clean up the mess that was just made in the ring. Mr. Khan promised two title matches next week on Dynamite. And he’ll get two title matches. Natural Selection will defend the tag team championships in a triple threat match against both DX and the New Day; and Brian Cage will defend the International Championship in a triple threat match against Triple H and Big E!”
Natural Selection is apoplectic in the ring as McAfee and Coach react to the news of JBL as the general manager and close the show by previewing this Saturday’s jam-packed episode of Collision featuring two title matches and Jade Cargill’s first match of 2024!
AEW’s Big Collision Event Card: (1/20/24)
AEW World Championship: Cody Rhodes © vs. Malakai Black
3 Stages of Hell: Standard (no Countouts); Tables Match; Buried Alive
AEW TNT Championship: Sammy Guevara © vs. Mankind
Steel Cage (Pinfalls and Submissions Only)
UWA Women’s Championship Eliminator Match: Jade Cargill © vs. Michelle McCool
Alexa Bliss and Ronda Rousey vs. Beth Phoenix and Sasha Banks
Next Week on Dynamite:
AEW Tag Team Championship: Natural Selection (c) vs. New Age Outlaws vs. The New Day
AEW International Championship: Brian Cage (c) vs. Big E vs. Triple H