AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash 2022 delivered an incredible night of action to close out the year! Last night’s show gave me the familiar vibe of an early-WCW / ECW style show. The type of show AEW put on during their early years on television. AEW has been going back to what made them a great promotion in the first place. Featuring younger, newer wrestlers alongside the veterans. Combine with a hot live crowd and you’ve got the equation for a great program.
Opening with a wrestling battle, Bryan Danielson defeated Ethan Page. Probably Page’s best showing yet. Ethan Page has been sorely under-utilized in 2022, and there were plenty of opportunities where we thought Page would get a push but fizzled out. Remember, he main evented New Year’s Smash on Rampage last year, but was defeated by Cody Rhodes for the TNT Championship. He spent most of the year standing alongside Scorpio Sky or in mid-card and Youtube limbo. Hopefully Page will see some more TV time in 2023.
Danielson? He wins the match with the Regal Stretch. There’s a statement. For 2023? There’s nothing more to add here. He’s going to continue to do what he wants, and coincidentally what us fans want him to do. Kick some damn heads in!
MJF is seen in his skybox with an unknown woman, not his fiance. Since becoming champion, MJF has promised he will only compete on the big shows and otherwise not be bothered. He is holding true to his word, last week a quick glimpse watching a monitor, this week sitting in a skybox. MJF is the champion of old-times and doing it perfectly.
Backstage: Wardlow is attacked by Samoa Joe, hit with a lead pipe in the leg, reenacting Tonya Harding on Nancy Kerrigan.
Backstage: An AEW doctor is checking on “Hangman” Adam Page with Dark Order members, Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver trying to talk Page into not sabotaging his recovery. Renee Paquette shows up which riles up Page, who apologizes, and is advised he is close to recovering, unless he does something to sabotage it.
Blackpool Combat Club (Moxley & Castignoli) defeated Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) in Mike’s Match of the Night
What? I didn’t pick the trios match? That match was great also but there was something special with Top Flight tonight. While known for high-flying and crowd-popping arsenals, tonight also was display of wrestling emotions and tenacity not seen before from Dante and Darius. We expect the wrestling brutality from Mox and Claudio, as evidenced by Claudio mauling Darius over and over with turnbuckle uppercuts. If Top Flight can remain injury-free in ‘23, perhaps a run at the tag team championships may be in order. The final moments saw Darius kick out of a Neutralizer, then beaten down mercilessly, then one last punch, resulting in being KO’d by Claudio with a massive uppercut.
Shades of Wheeler Yuta, when he wound up being recruited by BCC in the first place. I can’t help but imagine Top Flight being recruited by Mox and Claudio and being “trained’ towards tag team championships.
Speaking of Yuta, he challenged Swerve Strickland to match for Rampage.
Backstage with Renee Paquette, Best Friends have words with Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford. Sabian resembling a Riddler-like persona, tries to challenge for the All-Atlantic Championship, but Orange Cassidy possibly accepts an inadvertent challenge from Trent Baretta instead? Everyone appears confused while Freshly Squeezed seems all chilled out.
Hook defeated Baylum Lynx by submission in a squash.
After the match, Stokley, Lee Moriarty, and Big Bill head to the ring to intimidate someone who can’t be intimidated. Jungle Jack Perry rushes the ring, stops Hook from eating a chokeslam with a 2×4. Jungle Hook is in full effect here folks, and I’m loving it.
Chris Jericho cutting a promo to hype up his match with Ricky Starks next week.
The Elite defeated Death Triangle in match six of seven. This was very close. The end of the match saw Omega hit Fenix with a One-Winged Angel off the balcony through a table, and in the momentary delay where ref has to inform the timekeeper to ring the bell, Matt Jackson tapped out to the brutalizer.
Despite the intent for a questionable finish, the match was fantastic. Prior to the match, highlights were shown of previous no-DQ and Falls Count Anywhere matches, reminding viewers while at one point we might have been tired of seeing The Bucks and Omega, but they can put on some great matches. Tonight’s Fall Count Anywhere match, was absolutely bonkers! Brainbusters on wood pallets, crashing through catering! The cookies! The gourmet cookies were ruined! The match started somewhere in the back of the arena and made its way to the ring where wrestling and brawling collide in beautiful fashion. Matt Jackson scored his trademark Locomotion Northern Lights Suplexes all the way down the entrance ramp. Indy Taker later saw one of many near-falls.
This was one hell of a fun match to watch. I know the spots and dives are not everyone’s favorites, but you have to agree wrestling can be fun to watch when reality is suspended for 20 minutes.
The Acclaimed aired a music video trashing Jeff Jarrett and his cohorts. Taking clear shots at TNA, GFW, and even referencing Karen former-Angle. It turned to Jay Lethal and a forgettable run as Ring of Honor Champion and impersonating others to get over.
It was funny as hell.
The Acclaimed always deliver 😂 #AEWDynamite: #NewYearsSmash pic.twitter.com/iH5zAdUH1k
— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) December 29, 2022
Ana Jay & Tay Melo defeated Ruby Soho & Willow Nightingale
Willow was over with the live crowd. She brings such enthusiasm and a genuine joy on TV. Character or not, the personality makes her unique. Lasting longer than I anticipated, all four women put on a good match, put in a difficult slot right before the main event. Soho and Willow did not exactly get along, but their mutual disdain for the heels brought some cohesive double-team moves. Soho takes the pin after a chair shot and Melo’s Tay-KO for the win.
Makes sense for the heels to win, and pinning Soho to further add fuel.
I want Willow Nightingale to be the one to end Cargill’s streak and take the TBS Championship. Trust me, it will make people care about both the TBS title and Jade Cargill.
Backstage: The Gunns are shown leaving the arena but promising to have more to say next week.
Ricky Starks hypes up his match with Chris Jericho next week.
AEW Dynamite New Year’s Smash 2022 Main Event: Samoa Joe defeated Wardlow to retain the AEW TNT Championship
Despite the earlier attack, Wardlow held his own against the dominant champ for a good portion of the match. Late in the bout, Wardlow hit a powerbomb, and it seemed this would signal the end of Joe’s reign. Unfortunately, Wardlow was not able to capitalize, and ultimately would succumb to Joe, passing out instead of submitting. Post match, Joe appeared to show respect respect towards Wardlow who gave his all in a near-20-minute contest. It was a ruse, as Joe clocked Wardlow with the ROH TV title. However, a wild Darby Allin appeared and used fury to spook Joe off. Definitely an interesting way to cap off the final Dynamite of 2022.
I was expecting Powerhouse Hobbs to show up or replace Wardlow in the title bout. Hobbs winning the title to close out the show would have been a blockbuster and unexpected way to cap off the year. They built up Hobbs so much in 2022, only to shelve him after the last PPV. Hopefully Hobbs will be a contender to face off with Joe in the near future, if not for the TNT Championship, perhaps the Ring of Honor TV Championship?
It appears 2023 will see AEW hedge on its roots to regain some of the lost footing in 2022. Despite the drama in the last quarter of the year, 2022 was still pretty solid, with many highlights such as the rise of Eddie Kingston, domination of tag team wrestling by FTR, and breakout wrestlers in Powerhouse Hobbs, Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta, and many more.
With this in mind, I wish everyone a Happy Holidays and one hell of a New Year’s to all!
