Tonight on AEW Dynamite Jon Moxley makes his return after a three month absense, Cody Rhodes also comes back and CM Punk faces Shawn Spears in singles action!
AEW DYNAMITE
January 22, 2022, Washington, DC
Commentary: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone & Excalibur
“Wild Thing” hits and it’s Jon Moxley kicks off the show in DC. “Welcome back” chants. Moxley remembers being on a plane and realized a demon has been following him. A “cloud” has been laughing at him, and it asked him if he was really going to make it out unscathed. Jon then woke up. He talks about having those scars and that’s what makes you the person you are. Everybody should show their scars off. He doesn’t run from demons, he just beats the shit out of them. He thanks everyone who supported him through thick and thin. He’s going on a pilgrimage, he’s going to do whatever the hell he wants because now he is truly free. Big “Moxley” chants. He’s been to hell and it was very liberating. If there’s anybody in AEW that thinks they can take him through that, beware, because these days all he drinks is blood. He slams the mic down.
MJF recaps last week and says CM Punk took advantage of Wardlow. Max apologizes to Wardlow on his birthday. He says he lost his cool last week and that’s not okay. However, he says because Wardlow put his hands on him, he has to dock his pay. He believes Spears will be the first to beat Punk as Wardlow stares at him.
MATCH 1
Britt Baker & Adam Cole vs. Orange Cassidy & Kris Statlander
Orange and Britt start it off. Britt implores Orange to hit her so he does his “shin kicks.” Tag to Kris who boops Britt and bodyslams her. Tag to Cole and Orange does a diving crossbody before hitting his tornado DDT. Cole rolls to the floor.
Kris and OC do a double team to Britt before both fall off the apron to their respective foes. Kris and Orange BF hug before Britt and Adam superkick the two. We go to break. Back from it, Cole and Cassidy double lariat one another. Statlander gets the hot tag to and takes it to Britt. Blue thunder bomb to Britt gets a two count. JR says she has to put more pressure on the shoulders. Britt does a unique backslide pin attempt. Twisting neckbreaker by DMD. Both women are down. Orange gets the tag and he and Adam are quick to trade shots. Cole kicks OC and hits an enziguri. ORange counters in mid-air with a Stundog Millionaire. Britt interferes to hit a curb stomp on Orange behind the ref’s back. Statlander gets a near fall on Britt. Kris climbs up and goes for a 451 splash. Cole covers her up but Statlander still hits it. Beach Break to Cole via Cassidy, but it only gets a two count. OC is fired up and pulls off the elbow pad. Cole powders, Orange dives and gets connected with a superkick. He aims for a Panama Sunrise on the outside, but Statlander shoves Orange back in the ring. Britt hits a Pittsburgh Sunrise on Kris. Cole does hit a Sunrise on OC. 1-2-no!
Cole goes to the timekeeper’s table as he and Britt place it at ringside. Orange goes after Cole, but misses and inadvertently hits Britt through the table. Cole is furious as OC is shocked at what just happened. Cole hits a harsh low blow on OC and lowers the Boom for the 1-2-3.
WINNERS: Adam Cole & Britt Baker
Alex Marvez is with Inner Circle. Jericho says he could care less about Eddie Kingston, which prompts both Santana and Ortiz to push back against him. Maybe Eddie has a point that Jericho has held them back from holding the Tag Titles. They’ll see if they can get the job done next week in six-man tag action. Santana asks if Jericho “feels him” and Jericho says no, he doesn’t.
After break, Marvez is with Cole, but Cole kicks him to the curb. Cole is sick of Orange Cassidy. Next week is Beach Break and he proposes an anything goes, no DQ lights out match. He says it’s about damn time he ends his career.
MATCH 2
Shawn Spears vs. CM Punk
MJF joins commentary. Punk gets hold of Spears. GTS. 1-2-3.
WINNER: CM Punk
MJF goes to attack Punk post-match, but Punk catches him by his scarf. MJF escapes Punk, but without his scarf.
Billy Gunn confronts Christian Cage backstage. He thinks his boys deserve a shot against Jurassic Express. Christian Cage says Billy could never get the job done when the lights were brightest. Does the apples fall far from the tree? He doesn’t think so, but implores Billy’s boys to do it if they want a shot. He gets attacked by Austin and Colten from behind.
Cody Rhodes kicks off the next segment. Their is a huge ladder in the ring. Cody mentions CM Punk’s “Pipebomb” transcendent promo from WWE. Cody says he did all that Punk pontificated in that promo. You know why he won’t turn heel? Because fans chanted for him. Cody claims he was the one who built the forbidden door. He was gone for two weeks. He mentions Young Bucks, RedDragon (calls them developmental), Ricky Starks, Jay Lethal and Malakai Black. He mentions talent not getting renamed in AEW and brings up Brody King (coming with the name “Brodie”). He then brings up the TNT Title and how it’s only secondary right now cause there’s two. Cody says there’s only one thing to do as he looks at the ladder before opening up the challenge to Sammy Guevara at Beach Break.
Anna Jay cuts a promo on Jade Cargill as she’ll be the first to challenge the TBS Champ for the Title. Jade calls herself “That Bitch Show.”
MATCH 3
House Of Black (Brody King & Malakai Black) vs. Varsity Blonds (with Julia Hart)
Brody and Black show synergy, but the VBs fire back. Brody catches Brian hesitant to hit an Air Pillman aginst him and has to regroup. Griff and he argue on the outside, before Griff saves Brian from an attack by Brody. This ultimately leads to an assault on Brian and they hit a Dante’s Inferno on Brian for the 1-2-3.
WINNER: House Of Black
Post-match, we see PAC gets on the big screen. His eyes are bandaged. He calls Black self-obsessed and power hungry, but the Bastard is beyond his reach. He says he’s going to make a martyer of Black as he removes his bandages.
We see Jake Roberts with Lance Archer and Dan Lambert. Good cuts between that trio and Hangman Page to hype their feud.
Trent Barretta and Rocky Romero catch Brandon Cutler’s camera to issue a challlenge to the Young Bucks on Rampage. Trent is very nice to Brandon Cutler.
MATCH 4
Frankie Kazarian vs. Lance Archer (with Jake Roberts and Dan Lambert)
Archer elbows Kazarian hard. He continues his attack, not allowing Frankie to fight. Frankie does fight back but it’s Archer who keeps him grounded. Archer keeps dominant and we head to a break.
This dominance conntinues for awhile after break until Kaz flips out of a chokeslam attempt. Archer does go for a corner Blackout, but Kaz fights him off. Missile Dropkick to Archer. Frankie hits an impression rebound leg drop, but only gets a one count. Frankie goes for a crossface chickenwing, but Archer hits his chokeslam. He hits a rip chord Hellacoaster before nailing a Blackout. 1-2-3.
WINNER: Lance Archer
Post-match, Dan Lambert gets on the mic. He runs down the softness of Hangman Page. Archer grabs hold of the mic. “Enough of this cowboy bullshit. I’m going to show you what I’m going to do.” Archer throws a chair on the entryway and the does the same to Kaz. He goes to chokeslam Kaz on the chair, but out comes Hangman. He stands face to face with Archer. Big “cowboy shit” chants as the two trade shots. Archer slugs him hard. Hangman boots back. Archer stumbles back into the ring and Hangman goes for a Buckshot, but Archer catches him by the throat. Hangman strikes free and Archer gets sent to the outside.
Dante Martin is with Matt Sydal and Lee Moriarty. Dante credits Matt Sydal as a brother. Lee Moriarty says that both he and Matt have his back. We cut to Ricky Starks who says Dante has a little brother complex. Powerhouse Hobbs says he better watch his front, back and his side to sides when mixing it with Team Taz.
Schiavone is with Statlander and Red Velvet. Enter Leyla Hirsch who is upset with with Stat because she claims she cost the match on Rampage for the trio. RV tries to settler her down but Leyla has had enough she attacks both and puts Statlander in an armbar.
MATCH 5
Skye Blue vs. Serena Deeb
Serena catches Skye Blue with a front guillotine on the ropes. Deeb hits a running lariat in the corner and then slingshots her throat first into the bottom rope. Swinging neckbreaker to Blue. “Deeb” chants. She hits her Deebtox pancake driver. Serenity Lock. Blue submits.
WINNER: Serena Deeb
Andrade El Idolo is the new president of the HFO. They are now known as the AHFO. Andrade expresses his interest in recruiting Darby Allin.
We cut to The Acclaimed doing a Darby Allin/Sting cutscene parody.
MAIN EVENT
The Acclaimed vs. Sting & Darby Allin
Acclaimed gang up on them before the bell. They wedge a chair over Darby’s head and send him crashing into the ring post. The bell hasn’t even rung and Darby is down as officials come in to check on Darby. Darby is unable to compete and it’s Sting on his own. Sting keeps Bowens isolated briefly as the bell rings. He sends him int the steel steps before doing the same to Max Caster. He does it again to Caster. Stinger splash to Caster. He goes to splash Bowens, but Bowens removes the corner pad. He gets a two count and we go to break.
Back from it, Sting double lariats both down. Sting has a Scorpion Deathlock in on Caster. Bowens hits him, but is unphased. Another strike takes Stinger down. Bowens nails Sting with a boombox. They go to continue their attack, but back comes Darby. Tag made and Darby hits a Coffin Drop to the outside on both men. Code Red to Caster for a two count. Caster gets to his feet for two Coffin splashes. Hanging guillotine by Darby. Caster tags in Bowens. A flurry of strikes by Bowens. Mic Drop. Sting makes the save just in time. Sting back body drops Bowens on the entry ramp. Sting goes up to the stage and dives on top of Caster through a table. Darby hits a flipping stunner after Bowens runs into the open turnbuckle. Coffin Drop. 1-2-3.
WINNERS: Sting & Darby Allin
