Our AEW Dynamite: Holiday Bash results for tonight include Continental Classic action, Mercedes Moné defending against Anna Jay, and The Death Riders battling on Hangman Page, Orange Cassidy, and Jay White. Plus, HOOK and Katsuyori Shibata will face Christian Cage and Nick Wayne
AEW Dynamite Card
The announced card is as follows:
- The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, PAC & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Orange Cassidy, Jay White & “Hangman” Adam Page
- TBS Championship: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Anna Jay
- MJF speaks
- AEW Continental Classic Blue League Match: The Beast Mortos vs. Shelton Benjamin
- AEW Continental Classic Darby League Match: Darby Allin vs. Will Ospreay
- FTR to speak
- HOOK & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Christian Cage & Nick Wayne
AEW Dynamite Results
AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and The Death Riders are shown arriving backstage as the broadcast team runs through the card.
Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews Orange Cassidy and Jay White, who discuss their match tonight and their upcoming world title bout. White says he is focused on the title, but he knows that he has to make it there first, so he has to rely on Cassidy and Hangman Adam Page. White says Page lets everyone down, and their team doesn’t need him. Page interrupts and says Jon Moxley is his.
In a backstage promo, Darby Allin says “it’s showtime” ahead of his match with Will Ospreay. Ospreay says it’s time for warfare, and he is on another level.
Mercedes Moné Defends The Gold
TBS Championship: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Anna Jay
Moné slaps Jay and briefly takes control as she grounds Jay. Jay answers with a slap of her own. Moné dumps Jay with the Three Amigos in a tribute to Eddie Guerrero. “The CEO” goes for a frog splash, but Jay evades it and hits a neckbreaker. Moné hits a backstabber and controls the action. Moné gets a two-count with a Meteora. She continues to ground Jay. Jay rallies and gets a two-count with a blockbuster.
Jay keeps rolling with some strikes in the corner. She gets a two-count with a Gory Bomb. She locks in the Queen Slayer, but Moné bites Jay to get out of it. Moné locks in the Statement Maker, and Jay briefly escapes, but Moné traps her in it until Anna reaches the ropes. Moné bridges up, and Jay gets a two-count with a roll-up. The champion its a sunset bomb into the corner and a meteora in the corner. Moné hits the Money Maker for the win.
Winner and still TBS Champion: Mercedes Moné
Kris Statlander is shown watching backstage.
Grade: B
Good, hard-fought match to kick off the show. Jay was coming off of multiple losses to Mariah May in recent title matches, so the outcome was never in doubt. AEW needs to build up some fresh contenders for the women’s division.
FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) appear in a taped video and respond to The Death Riders. They say they’re not cleared for the rest of the year. Harwood warns that they’re coming for The Death Riders on the January 1 episode of AEW Dynamite, and they’re not coming alone.
MJF Speaks
MJF comes to the ring and takes some shots at the fans and the Washington Wizards. He says he’s not a scrooge, and he sings, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” MJF says Santa is not real, and he’s not sorry. He says he’s feeling philanthropic, as he has started a fundraiser. He cues up emotional music and describes a starving child who needs food. MJF says this child is “this Bay-Bay”, and he brings up an edited picture of Adam Cole, who is made to look extremely skinny. He says to support this child, scan the QR code on the screen to buy AEW Worlds End.
He says that part of the proceeds will go to his foundation, which will help put this “small child” out of his misery. Adam Cole appears on the video screen and says that he had a meeting with Tony Khan, and Mike Bennett and Matt Taven will stop MJF from using his ring before their match starts. Cole says this will finally end at AEW Worlds End. Cole sneaks into the ring behind MJF and attacks MJF. He drops MJF with a superkick. MJF escapes, and Cole stands tall.
Grade: B
This writer is biased as a big fan of MJF, admittedly. The promo was fun at first, even if was MJF’s typical act. The “sick child” bit missed the mark, specifically the picture of Cole. Cole got some momentum back by outsmarting MJF, but this was still disappointing.
Backstage, Jamie Hayter responds to Julia Hart attacking her on AEW Collision. She says it was a sneaky, classless move. Hayter says she’s going to get revenge on Hart at AEW Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen.
The broadcast team hypes up Kenny Omega’s match at NJPW x AEW Wrestle Dynasty and says they hope he’ll return to AEW soon. A video package highlights Omega.
HOOK And Shibata Team Up
HOOK & Katsuyori Shibata vs. Christian Cage & Nick Wayne
Wayne and HOOK start the match and go back and forth. Cage and Shibata tag in, and Shibata gains the upper hand. Shibata hits Cage with some stiff strikes. HOOK sends Wayne to the outside. He dumps Cage onto Wayne at ringside. HOOK goes for Redrum, but Wayne escapes. Cage attacks HOOK’s injured arm when the referee isn’t looking.
Wayne takes control by targeting HOOK’s wounded arm. Cage tags in and maintains the advantage. Wayne and Cage continue to isolate HOOK and keep him grounded. HOOK rallies and tags Shibata, who clears house with a flurry of offense. He drills Wayne with some stiff chops. he dumps Wayne with a suplex.
Wayne and Shibata trade blows. Shibata drives Wayne down to the mat and slams Cage as well. Wayne gets a two-count with a roll-up. HOOK attacks Kip Sabian at ringside and suplexes Cage. Shibata counters Waynes’s World and locks in a sleeper. Sabian distracts Shibata, but HOOK attacks him. Mother Wayne distracts the referee. Cage sneaks in and hits Shibata with the Killswitch. Wayne covers Shibata for the win.
Winners: Nick Wayne & Christian Cage
Grade: B
This exceeded expectations. HOOK and Shibata worked well together, and Wayne got a chance to shine. Cage got the cheap win, likely setting the stage for a match between him and HOOK in the near future.
The broadcast team runs through the card for AEW Christmas Collision.
In a vignette, ROH World Champion Chris Jericho walks around New York City and calls himself the King of New York. He highlights various parts of NYC culture. He says he’ll be damned if he lets anyone take his crown.
A vignette hypes up Bandido’s looming return.
Backstage, AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May sends a message to Thunder Rosa and says she eclipsed everyone there. She looks forward to their match at AEW Worlds End and takes a shot at Rosa’s father, who is set to attend the show.
Ricochet Appears On AEW Dynamite
Ricochet comes to the ring to speak with Tony Schiavone. He is asked about his change in demeanor. The Hurt Business (MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin) interrupt. Ricochet says they all look good, and he highlights his recent wins. MVP asks Ricochet for the business card he gave to him. He gives it to him, and Lashley grabs Ricochet. MVP rips up the card and says nobody likes a kiss-ass.
Grade: B-
Ricochet came off somewhat geeky here. He was outshined and overshadowed by The Hurt Syndicate. If this is eventually leading to him joining the group, this was a misstep. If not, it’s hard to see where this s going, aside from a heel turn for Ricochet.
Shelton Benjamin Faces The Beast Mortos
AEW Continental Classic Blue League Match: The Beast Mortos vs. Shelton Benjamin
Benjamin and Mortos battle back and forth early on. Benjamin slams Mortos. Mortos takes Benjamin down with a headscissors. Mortos takes control and wrenches Benjamin’s leg. Benjamin rocks Mortos with a knee, sending him to the outside. Benjamin continues to control the action, as he keeps Mortos grounded. Mortos rallies and slams Benjamin.
Mortos dives onto Benjamin and gets a two-count. Benjamin slams Mortos. Mortos drills Benjamin with stiff strikes. Benjamin nails him with a thrust kick. He dumps Mortos with trhee German suplexes and hits two knee strikes. He slams Mortos for the win.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin
Benjamin celebrates with MVP and Bobby Lashley after the match. The Hurt Syndicate attacks Mortos after the match. MVP says this is what Daniel Garcia has to look forward to on AEW Collision. Garcia comes to the stage and says he knows what will happen if he comes to the ring, but he doesn’t care. He comes to the ring, and Mark Briscoe joins him.
They brawl, and MVP hits Briscoe with a cane. The Hurt Syndicate leaves Briscoe and Garcia laid out. Benjamin poses with the TNT Championship and talks some trash.
Grade: B+
Good, hard-hitting match with Benjamin and Mortos. Benjamin has looked great since he arrived in AEW, and this was more of the same. Having him face TNT Champion Daniel Garcia in the tournament is a natural step to the two feuding for the title.
Backstage, Ricochet is asked about the Hurt Syndicate seemingly rescinding their offer. He brushes it off and looks forward to his match with Will Ospreay on AEW Collision. He says he wants to beat Ospreay.
Swerve Strickland shows up and says he was wondering how long it would be before the real “Trevor” showed up. He calls Ricochet a follower and says that won’t work in AEW. Ricochet fires back by saying that Strickland did not win the Continental Classic last year, so he would one-up him by winning it this year.
In a taped video, Toni Storm speaks with RJ City and says grinding on the independent scene led her to AEW. She says she can’t believe she made it there. Storm is asked about being a three-time AEW Women’s World Champion and says it’s early to say that. She says Mariah May is the best in the business. Storm brushes off City’s mention of her “Timeless” name. She hugs City and says this has been fun.
Grade: A
Toni Storm is one of the best characters in wrestling, and this reinvention of her character is working. Everything she does is entertaining, and given how good her storyline with May was, expectations are high for this new chapter.
Will Ospreay Battles Darby Allin
AEW Continental Classic Darby League Match: Darby Allin vs. Will Ospreay
Allin and Ospreay feel each other out early on. They go back and forth, and they’re evenly matched. They trade blows. Allin dropkicks Ospreay. Ospreay sends Allin to the outside. Allin evades a dive from Ospreay and dives onto him. He goes for a Coffin Drop on the apron, but Ospreay moves, so Allin lands hard. Ospreay drops Allin with a back-breaker. He grounds Allin and maintains the advantage.
Allin rallies and catches Ospreay with a stunner. Ospreay nails Allin with a Hidden Blade. Allin responds with a Code Red. Ospreay and Allin trade blows. Allin evades the Os-cutter and hits the Coffin Drop off the ropes. Ospreay hits the Styles Clash from the apron and onto the floor. Ospreay seemingly hurts his knee. Allin narrowly avoids getting counted out. Ospreay hits the Os-cutter for a two-count. Allin catches Ospreay with the Scorpion Death Drop and hits a Coffin Drop. Allin hits another Coffin Drop for the win.
Winner: Darby Allin
Allin celebrates after the match. Claudio Castagnoli comes out and stares down Allin.
Grade: A+
Depending on what you’re into, you either loved or hated this, as this style of wrestling is divisive. Allin took some crazy bumps. There were a few points where Ospreay and Allin somewhat no-sold a spot, but the action was so good that it didn’t matter. Allin winning was somewhat surprising, but he needed a bounce-back victory.
The Death Riders Compete On AEW Dynamite
The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, PAC & Wheeler Yuta) vs. Orange Cassidy, Jay White & “Hangman” Adam Page
Page starts the match but tags out to Yuta, Cassidy takes the fight to Yuta. Cassidy dives onto the Death Riders. Moxley takes control, and Page tags in. He gains the upper hand and slams Yuta. He levels Yuta with a lariat. White tags himself in, and Page argues with him. Page walks out on the match. Moxley dodges a Blade Runner attempt and drops White with a lariat. Castagnoli attacks Cassidy at ringside. Moxley spikes White with a piledriver.
The Death Riders gang up on White and maintain the advantage. White rallies. He drops Moxley with a DDT. Cassidy tags in and fires up with a flurry of offense. Yuta suplexes Cassidy. White suplexes Yuta. Cassidy superplexes PAC. Moxley drops Cassidy with a cutter. Page comes back to the ring and brawls with Moxley. Cassidy hits Moxley with an Orange Punch. Page hits Yuta with the Buckshot Lariat. White hits PAC with the Blade Runner for the win. Page and White argue. Moxley capitalizes and rolls Cassidy up for the win.
The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, PAC & Wheeler Yuta)
Cassidy, Page, and White argue after the match.
The Death Riders surround the ring. Cassidy, Page, and White brawl with The Death Riders. Moxley leaves, and Page, Cassidy, and White stand tall.
Grade: B
The match itself was good, as you’d expect. They told the story of the three contenders struggling to coexist well. But the finish fell flat, as Moxley rolling up Cassidy from behind was pretty weak. Why would it matter if the three contenders could get along when they’ll be fighting each other and Moxley at AEW Worlds End? The heels winning, especially on a holiday-themed show, was a downer.
Grade: B+
This is right on the border between B+ and A, but it feels wrong to give the whole show an A for Ospreay vs. Allin. However, that speaks to how great the match was. The main event and the MJF segment were misses. The TBS Title match, the Mortos/Benjamin bout, and the tag team match were solid as well. Hopefully, the Hammerstein Ballroom shows will give AEW some momentum heading into the end of the year.
