**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
The show kicked off with -1’s (Brodie Lee, Jr.’s) Birthday Celebration and Six-Man Tag Action!
John Silver asked the crowd in attendance at Daily’s Place to sing “Happy Birthday” to -1 (Negative One)!
Luther and Serpentico interrupted the celebration. Luther said The Chaos Project does not like children and they do not like -1! He said they were going to ruin -1’s birthday and Dark Order took exception to that. They all began to brawl, and then “Hangman” Page leapt off the stage and onto TH2 and the Chaos Project!
“Hangman” Adam Page & The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana, & John Silver) vs. TH2—Angelico & Jack Evans, and Chaos Project—Luther & Serpentico!
“This was really underhanded by Chaos Project. The Dark Order didn’t even get a chance to cut the birthday cake,” said Tony Schiavone.
Back in the ring, Luther hit a butterfly suplex on John Silver for a near fall. Jack Evans tagged in and Luther slammed Evans on Silver! Luther bulldogged Angelico—his own partner in the match—onto Silver for a near fall.
“That’s some great team work,” said Schiavone.
Page tagged in and cleaned house on the opposition with a spine buster to Jack Evans and a big boot to Angelico! He tossed Serpentico with a suplex for a near fall! Silver nailed a cannonball senton on Serpentico! Alex Reynolds flew over the top onto them! Page followed up with a moonsault to the outside! The Dark Order worked together, with Page hoisting up Reynolds and Silver and back slamming them onto Serpentico, with Colt following it with a pin attempt! Page powerbombed Jack Evans over the barricade! Back on the ramp, -1 blasted Luther with a kendo stick, and Luther went face-first into the birthday cake!
Page hit the Buckshot with Reynolds there to grab the German suplex combo and then scoring the pin on Serpentico.
“You can’t deny how well Adam Page worked with Dark Order tonight,” said Excalibur.
-1 swatted Serpentico with a wad of papers after the match and said, “My birthday was three days ago, you idiots!”
Inside the ring, John Silver got on his knees and asked Page, “Will you join The Dark Order?”
Page declined the offer. “I did the group thing before and it didn’t end well for me. I’m so sorry.”
Alex Marvez was backstage with MJF and Chris Jericho: “Tonight, this is going to be something that brings the Inner Circle together and stronger than ever. No matter what happens, at the end of the night, we have a deal that we will all leave as a unit,” said Jericho.
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to introduce TNT Champion Darby Allin and Sting!
“This is Stiiiiing!” said Schiavone, as it began to snow in Jacksonville. Sting walked alone to the ring.
Schiavone then introduced the TNT Champion Darby Allin!
“This kid is one of my favorites. Because I know what’s in his heart. He gets better every week,” said Jim Ross.
Sting was handed the microphone. “There’s something that reminds me about me…in you. And I kinda like it. I want to be the first to congratulate you on being our TNT Champ. And second, I want to make sure everyone knows I was there just to make sure there was a fair fight—”
Sting was interrupted by Taz, who was backstage with Team Taz: “You guys fight dirty! I grew up in the streets, Sting. I say we take it to the streets. You want to go hard? You want to go nasty? Ball’s in your court. What’cha got?”
“You want to take it to the streets, Team Taz? Be careful what you wish for because it just might happen,” warned Darby Allin.
“A challenge was laid out by Team Taz and it seems like Sting and Darby Allin have accepted,” noted Excalibur.
Footage from earlier in the day aired. The Elite were at Kenny Omega’s house when The Young Bucks showed up. Nakazawa answered the door and said they are expecting The Bucks. Don Callis came out and asked The Bucks if they liked the painted portrait on the wall that he had commissioned for Kenny’s birthday.
“Where is Kenny?” asked Matt.
“He’s too busy to be here at this interaction,” replied Don Callis.
“He doesn’t answer his phone,” said Matt.
“We changed his number a week ago. I’m surprised you guys don’t have it yet,” said Callis.
Callis asked The Bucks how long they’ve known Kenny. The Bucks said they’ve been friends for twelve years. Don Callis said it was a good investment and tried to buy them out of their friendship with business checks.
“You guys are holding him back,” said Callis.
“You’re manipulating Kenny,” said Nick Jackson.
The Bucks moved toward Callis and Callis yelled, and then the camera feed cut!
Up next: “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes (with “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson) vs. “Pretty” Peter Avalon!
“Peter Avalon has been on quite a winning streak on AEW DARK,” noted Excalibur.
“Cody has gained 19 pounds of muscle in three weeks,” said Tony Schiavone.
Cody hit Avalon with the CrossRhodes! Jade Cargill’s music hit and she walked out onto the ramp, distracting Cody and the ref. Cody turned around and was drilled by a low blow from “Pretty” Peter.
Cody turned the tables with an overhand chop on Avalon, and then dropped down to the mat and connected with an uppercut. Cody climbed to the top and Peter met Cody up there—superplexing “The American Nightmare”! Avalon attempted a moonsault but Cody got out of the way. Cody tried for a leap frog but Cody’s knee was tweaked. Avalon wasted no time going after it, hitting a tope suicida on Cody! Avalon came off the ropes and Cody countered with the Cody Cutter! Cody powerslammed Avalon.
“I think this match may have slipped up on Cody a little bit,” said Jim Ross.
Cody locked the figure four on Peter Avalon, but Avalon was able to reverse it! Cody turned it back around and threatened to slap “Pretty” Peter in the face and Avalon tapped before Cody could do it.
“Jade almost cost Cody the match but Cody battled through that,” said Tony Schiavone.
FTR were backstage with Tully Blanchard. The Jurassic Express stormed into the room.
“You guys just might be the best in the world and being in there with you last week taught me something about myself. It taught me I could beat any one of you,” said Jungle Boy.
Luchasaurus said he’d be ringside next week to make sure no one would get involved.
Dax Hardwood agreed to the match, and then chucked his glass at the door out of anger, as Jurassic Express exited.
Jon Moxley vs. Nick Comoroto (in his DYNAMITE debut)!
“The man who had his title stolen by Kenny Omega and Don Callis. His first match since December 2nd, 2020, here tonight,” said Excalibur of Mox.
Mox took the boots to Comoroto and then chopped him in the corner. Mox attempted a crossbody but Comoroto caught him and slammed him!
“He’s a student of QT and Dustin,” noted Schiavone.
Comoroto planted Mox with a backbreaker over his knee, and then hit another! Mox tried to bite his adversary but Comoroto countered by pancaking Mox and getting a near fall on him! Comoroto sprinted toward Mox but Mox dodged him and then began to kick Comoroto across the sternum. Moxley laced in the kicks hard, and then used his opponent’s momentum to suplex him. Mox got the hooks in and put Comoroto to sleep!
Mox asked for a microphone after the match. “Now anything can happen on Wednesdays on AEW DYNAMITE. And things are getting crazy around here and I can’t keep track of everything. Kenny Omega thought he’d bring his frat brothers from Nashville in and they’d watch his back. Kenny, all you did was make it more fun and interesting. More bodies, bigger brawls, more blood, more violence, more necks to break, more limbs to snap, I love this! You can bring whoever you want from Nashville, Mexico, Japan, but all roads lead through me!”
Dasha was backstage with Eddie Kingston (with Butcher, Blade, and The Bunny) and asked Kingston about his match next week against Lance Archer. “The MurderHawk Monster” stormed onto the set with Jake Roberts. “Save it for next week,” said Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
Alex Marvez caught up with Kenny Omega and asked him about earlier today.
“No comment,” said Omega.
Don Callis was hiding a black eye under sunglasses, and Kenny Omega made him take the glasses off to show him. Omega was outraged over what he saw.
Matt Hardy & Private Party—Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen vs. Matt Sydal & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)!
“Private Party are the #1 contenders for the Impact World Tag Championships after last night,” noted Excalibur.
Dante Martin and Marq Quen started the match for their teams with a handshake. Top Flight looked amazing early on with dropkicks to the opposition. Matt Sydal hit a spinning kick after a triple leapfrog with Top Flight.
“Private Party are aggressive tonight. This is a side we haven’t seen,” noted Schiavone.
Quen splashed Sydal with a beautiful cross body from a springboard position, matching some of that newfound aggression with a beautiful aerial assault. Kassidy tagged in and worked over Sydal’s neck, isolating him in the corner. Private Party attempted a double suplex but Sydal countered and took them down and tagged in Darius! Matt Hardy was sent over the top and Darius drilled him with a tope suicida!
Private Party attempted Silly String but Top Flight had it countered. Dante had a European clutch on Kassidy for a two-count! Matt Hardy tagged in and dropped Darius and Dante with two side effects! Hardy caught Sydal off the top and countered with another side effect! Top Flight and Sydal got the advantage on Marq Quen until Matt Hardy pushed Darius Martin off the top. As the ref was distracted, Isiah Kassidy swung a steel chair at Dante’s ribs. Marq Quen smiled at his partner’s antics, followed up with a shooting star press, and pinned Dante!
“They have come around to Big Money Matt’s way of thinking,” noted Excalibur.
After the match, Private Party assaulted Top Martin and Matt Sydal, with some encouragement from Matt Hardy.
MJF and Wardlow went into the Inner Circle’s dressing room. “I love these guys, and I love you Sammy, and I want what’s best for this group. Let’s just go out there, get this match out of the way, and finish this,” said MJF. He tried to fist pump Sammy and Sammy replied, “We’re not there yet.”
“Legit” Leyla Hirsch vs. Penelope Ford (with fiancé Kip Sabian, “The Best Man” Miro, & “Butler” Charles Taylor)!
Orange Cassidy was seen watching from ringside.
Leyla used an ankle trip on Ford, holding onto a waist lock. Ford kicked Leyla’s kneecap.
“Dirty but effective,” said Excalibur.
Leyla applied the cross arm breaker in the center of the ring but Penelope made it to the bottom rope to force the rope break. After Kip distracted Leyla on the outside, Ford had Leyla seeing stars with a blindside pump kick!
Back in the ring, Leyla used a deadlift German suplex and then double knee strikes on Penelope for a two-count!
“We could be seeing an upset in the making,” said Jim Ross.
Leyla avoided an ax kick from Ford. Leyla ran up to the top rope and jumped onto Sabian and Charles Taylor! Penelope stole the pin after Kip Sabian held down Leyla’s ankle.
Miro called “Butler” Charles Taylor into the ring. “I need you to grab this microphone and tell the George Michael wannabe (Orange Cassidy) that I’m your best friend now.”
Reluctantly, Charles Taylor held the microphone and did as instructed, saying, “Miro is my best friend now.”
Orange Cassidy got up from his seat and walked away, crushed.
The Good Brothers—Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows— assaulted Penta El Zero Miedo backstage! Kenny Omega joined the attack, kicking Penta El Zero Miedo! Kenny removed his designer boot and stuck the point of it right in Penta El Zero Miedo’s eye!
Main Event Time! The Inner Circle Tag Team Challenge! To determine the official tag team of the Inner Circle!
Ortiz & Santana vs. “Demo-God” Chris Jericho & MJF (with Wardlow) vs. Sammy Guevara & Jake Hager!
Anyone can tag anyone, but whoever gets the pin will win for their team, explained Schiavone.
Sammy chopped at Jericho’s chest! He hit a corkscrew dropkick on Jericho and flipped him off with a middle finger. Jericho tried for a dropkick but Sammy caught it and catapulted Jericho into Hager’s fist!
Santana was tagged in and he took Hager off his feet with a dropkick, and then tagged in Ortiz. They double teamed Hager but Jericho made a blind tag on Hager. Santana used a moonsault press on Jericho for a near fall!
Hager tagged in and trucked MJF with a lariat! Sammy tagged in and connected with a cutter on MJF! Sammy superkicked Jericho on the outside. Sammy hit a corkscrew over the top onto MJF! Santana kicked Sammy in the spine as Sammy had his back turned. But Sammy was on fire and little could stop his momentum. Sammy planted MJF with a reverse hurracanrana. He decimated Ortiz with a Spanish fly! Jericho called for his baseball bat, but Hager knocked him down with a big boot! MJF asked for his “Dynamite” ring, but Hager rocked him!
MJF power bombed Sammy and Jericho followed up with a lionsault for a near fall. Santana and Ortiz tagged in and blindsided Jericho. Ortiz got a two-count on Jericho, but Jericho came back with a code breaker! Ortiz kicked out at two! Sammy connected with a jumping knee strike and then blasted Jericho with the GTH! Sammy tried to finish off MJF but as he had MJF hoisted on his shoulders, he walked into Wardlow, who had popped up onto the apron! As Sammy fell backwards from the collision, MJF rolled up Sammy for the victory!
Be sure to join us next week for all the explosive action as AEW DYNAMITE is broadcast live on TNT!
