AEW Dynamite 1/5 — the first Dynamite of 2022 and the first on TBS — delivered a smash hit of a program. Some surprises, some teases, three title bouts, and an unfortunate injury. Let’s get right to it.
“Hangman” Adam Page defeated Bryan Danielson by pinfall
What a hell of a match. Call it a condensed version of their last encounter, but this near-40 minute match was intense with suspense. Both wrestlers wound up busted and bloody, Danielson with a number of super-close pinfalls. I believed, more than once, we could have a new champion. Hangman not only brought his A-game in wrestling, but leveled up in persona, often mimicking and making fun of some of Danielson’s antics. A suplex countered into a powerbomb, a submission reversal into a pin attempt. Danielson hits a Gotch driver which looked devastating. This was another true edge-of-the-seat match. In the closing moments, Hangman kicks out of Danielson’s running knee, counters a triangle choke into a powerbomb, followed up with a MASSIVE back-drop-driver. One wind up later, Hangman destroys Danielson with the Buckshot Lariat, scoring the pinfall in a huge victory.
What an insane match. It’s the first match on Dynamite and I’m already reserving this for Match of the Year.
Let’s not forget there were “judges” at ringside in the event of a draw, but I think perhaps Mark Henry, Paul Wight, and Jerry Lynn just wanted front row seats.
Captain Shawn Dean defeated MJF by DQ
Yep. MJF lost when CM Punk ran down, chased MJF away, then hit the GTS on Dean. This causes the ref to call for the bell, awarding the match to the Captain. Hysterical. Punk and MJF trade some serious verbal barbs, with Punk promising to continue these antics, while MJF offers to pick up and leave for “other opportunities” and perhaps do something Punk couldn’t, main event a WrestleMania. Golden moment for Punk to take another shot at a former employer by ridiculing he could go headline “night four of a buy one get one free.” Ouch. Teasing a confrontation, MJF says next week, Punk gets Wardlow one-on-one.
Wonder if next week is when we see the Wardlow face turn we’re expecting.
Editor’s Note: According to Tony Khan, this was the first DQ finish in the history Dynamite.
Chris Jericho hits the ring for a promo, targeting 2point0 and Daniel Garcia. The tag team come down, and we get some awkward cheap words between them, until they inevitably decide to throw hands. Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz rush the ring to clean house.
Backstage: Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, and Bobby Fish talk serious, Cole saw the footage, knows KOR’s superkick was an accident. Cole challenges Jake Atlas to a match on Rampage.
Wardlow defeats Antonio Zambrano
Spears hits the C4 (Death Valley Driver) prior to the match. Wardlow doesn’t look happy, but then decides to make the fans happy with five consecutive powerbombs.
Fans happy, Wardlow happy, Spears… Not so happy.
Jade Cargill defeated Ruby Soho to win the finals and TBS Championship
Let’s be honest, this was an obvious conclusion. I would have been happily surprised if Soho won. But the cameras continued to show Cargill’s daughter in the crowd, so… yeah this locked in victory. It was a good match. Not spectacular, and there were a few noticeable slow spots. Shockingly, the crowd seemed split on a favorite, with Cargill getting more cheers at its conclusion.
Interesting.
Taped interview featuring Jim Ross and Serena Deeb
Deeb goes right for the point, the reason she is known as the “Professor” is because she has a PhD in this s***. She is fuming at Hikaru Shida, and can’t move on until she proves to be better than her.
So much cursing tonight! Even from Tony Schiavone!
Malakai Black vs. Brian Pillman Jr.
Damn good match. Better than expected and didn’t end with a quick roundhouse. Julia Hart, looking resentful and at points, angry. Wearing an eye patch too. Hmmm… Wondering where this will lead… If anywhere.
Pillman put up one hell of a fight, but Black was too often the aggressor and Pillman defensive. At one point, Pillman attempted a leap off the side of the ring ropes, appearing to “slip” which allowed Black to clock him with Black Mass. I’m not certain if this was part of the plan, or was an accidental botch. I was thinking Pillman leaping and eating a kick, must be like the famous leap by Shelton Benjamin and eating a superkick from Shawn Michaels.
Ruby Soho’s backstage interview is interrupted by Dr. Britt Baker, a brawl breaks out which Riho comes to save.
Jurassic Express defeated the Lucha Brothers to become the new AEW World Tag Team Champions
High points, an insane Destroyer when Jungle Boy leaps over a standing Luchasaurus, later on kicking out of a crushing Made in Japan Driver. Fast paced and non-stop wrestling. Both teams with frequent tags. The best part truly is watching the challengers put their all into this, and it’s visible. Jungle Boy nearly hit the Killswitch/Unprettier. The match, truly worthy of main event. The character emotions, the falls, the comebacks, the… injury?!
Yes, in a tragic turn, a chokeslam through a table appeared to be executed right, but Rey Fenix lands horribly wrong with his left arm twisting at the shoulder and elbow underneath him. It looks excruciating. Penta goes for a second pump-handle cradle driver (Made in Japan), but Jungle Boy counters into a rolling-up pinfall for the shocking three count, and we’ve got new champs!
AEW Dynamite 1/5 brought new champions, new challengers as evidence by the final minutes of the program, where all the tag teams come out to give threatening stares and pointing fingers towards the new champions, while Chris Jericho waves from the stands, and one of the Gunn brothers dances to the theme music.
Fantastic show.
AEW Dynamite 1/5 is now streaming on demand and via TBS.
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