AEW Dynamite on 34th Street on TBS and HBO Max came your way from New York City, as we were thrilled to be back in the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom for the second straight year for Christmas! A merry Christmas Eve began with a showdown of two of AEW’s best in front of a festive Hammerstein Ballroom.
We’re just two days from AEW Worlds End in Chicago, and so much more took shape ahead of that epic event, including learning the semifinal matchups in the Continental Classic.
Darby Allin’s Most INSANE Moments in AEW 🤯
Continental Classic Blue League: Takeshita vs. Cassidy
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita became the first person to clinch a spot in the Continental Classic Semifinals with his victory over Orange Cassidy in the Blue League. At the bell, Cassidy threw his glasses at Takeshita, who went to pick them up, so Cassidy rolled him up for a two count, and this one nearly ended quickly!
Takeshita sent Cassidy to the corner, but Cassidy avoided Takeshita and executed a hurricanrana into another nearfall. Cassidy captured Takeshita in another pinning predicament and was a hundredth of a second away from giving Takeshita his first loss!
An angry Takeshita chopped Cassidy and hit a big boot to knock Cassidy to the outside. Takeshita chased after and punished Cassidy on the outside with a clear focus on Cassidy’s injured back. They returned to the ring, where Takeshita continued the assault on Cassidy’s back. Cassidy turned things around by running Takeshita up and down the apron into the turnbuckles.
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He followed with a pair of DDTs and then hit multiple series of punches with Takeshita down in the corner. Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and angered Takeshita with devastating kicks to the shins. Cassidy needed three dropkicks to put Takeshita down, but Takeshita came roaring back with a Blue Thunder Bomb!
Takeshita worked over Cassidy on the outside and kept the attack on the lower back going in the ring. Cassidy hit a PK to a downed Takeshita to get back in it, but then found himself in the corner with Takeshita looking for a super Raging Fire. However, Cassidy was able to reverse it into a second-rope Stundog Millionaire!
Takeshita bailed to the floor, so Cassidy followed with a dive into a DDT on the outside! Cassidy threw Takeshita back in, only to walk into a giant boot by Takeshita that got a nearfall! Takeshita was bleeding from the mouth and was clearly furious!
Multiple reversals between the two saw Cassidy get a two-count before Takeshita caught him with a devastating wheelbarrow suplex. Cassidy got up and missed an Orange Punch, which allowed Takeshita to hit a big forearm strike, so Cassidy came back with an Orange Punch that connected on the second attempt!
The two fought on the apron, where Cassidy hit a Beach Break on the corner of the ring! As the referee counted both men on the outside, Takeshita tried to shove Cassidy into the guard rail to beat the count, but he missed a running boot, and Cassidy knocked him into the crowd!
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Cassidy returned to the ring and seemed to have a countout victory in hand, but Takeshita dove in at the last possible moment to keep the match alive. Cassidy was ready for Takeshita and got a pair of nearfalls, but The Alpha stopped an Orange Punch to go for Raging Fire, which Cassidy was able to reverse into another two-count. Takeshita picked Cassidy off the mat to hit Raging Fire for the pinfall victory.
Continental Classic Blue League: Dorada vs. Strong
Also in the Blue League, Máscara Dorada kept his hopes alive by beating Roderick Strong. Strong is mathematically eliminated, while Dorada needs to win to stay alive. Dorada escaped Strong’s attempts to keep him grounded by turning Strong’s mat work into offense of his own.
Dorada started to get into more of his high-flying offense with a kick to the side of Strong’s head, followed by an arm drag to send Strong to the outside. Dorada fired up the crowd for a dive, but Strong moved. Dorada chased after only for Strong to scoop him up into a backbreaker on the apron!
Now, Strong had the full advantage and put all his focus on Dorada’s back for the next several minutes. Dorada got back into the match by engaging Strong in a strike battle and staying a step ahead of him by leaping to the top rope and coming off for an armdrag.
Dorada took Strong over with a headscissors to the outside and followed him out to hit an armdrag off the apron. Dorada threw Strong back in and was on the money with a senton bomb from the top, but it only got a two. Dorada went back to the top, but this time, Strong moved, and Dorada landed on his feet.
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Strong hit a pair of big boots and then dumped Dorada neck-first on the top turnbuckle before following with a running boot and a face-first slam to the mat. Dorada battled out of that pin attempt to kick out at two, so Strong stayed on him with a Sick Kick that got another two-count. Dorada escaped a double-underhook to catch Strong with a hurricanrana to get a near-fall.
Strong hit a uranage backbreaker across his knee and called for the end. He lifted Dorada for End of Heartache, but Dorada escaped and then kicked Strong in the side of the jaw. With Strong down, Dorada went to the top and nailed a shooting star press to get the win and three significant points.
MJF's Return and the Aftermath
MJF had a triumphant return to action, but he paid the consequences for his pointed words towards his Worlds End opponents by getting a beatdown both verbally and physically from “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland. MJF def. Dustin Waller, Taken Out by Hangman and Swerve.
MJF took Waller down at the bell and rained down punches on him with an undeniable intensity. He followed with a back elbow and then took his time running his crotch into Waller’s face. Waller chopped MJF, so MJF slapped him to the mat and captured him in a hammerlock DDT before locking on Salt of the Earth for a speedy tap-out victory.
MJF grabbed the mic, but before he was able to speak, we heard the music of “Hangman” Adam Page, who appeared on the balcony! Then Swerve’s music hit, and he was in a different part of the balcony with Prince Nana! Page reminded MJF of the contractual agreement that they couldn’t touch, which was left in Manchester, so he dared MJF to make another lowbrow, misogynistic joke because he knows the casting directors and people he works with in Hollywood would love to hear them.
Page and Swerve started to make their way to the ring, with Page reminding MJF that he beat him twice this year. And no matter what MJF says tonight, he’s getting his ass beat! The Opps Dojo ran out to go after Swerve and Hangman, but they took care of them and had MJF surrounded until MJF ducked, and they almost took out each other with chains!
Then we heard Samoa Joe, who was in the back, say that he put together that training exercise to show who Swerve and Page truly are. Joe said he’ll be coming for all of them and will end their hopes and dreams at Worlds End. MJF tried to sneak in from behind on Swerve, but he ducked, and Page nailed MJF with a fist wrapped in a chain.
Swerve nailed a House Call on MJF, so Page wrapped the chain around MJF’s neck, as Swerve took the mic. He said he wanted to tell everyone something that MJF doesn’t want you to know. MJF doesn’t hate all of you. In fact, he likes all of you and every place they go because he lives off your likes and adulation, which feeds his ego.
Swerve said MJF is the toxic combination of being a terrible person with power. He made MJF stay awake, as MJF was fading in the choke of the chain. Then, he reminded MJF of everyone who fell victim to being alongside him, including The Pinnacle, Wardlow, and Adam Cole. Swerve makes everyone around him better, and will always be better than MJF as an actor, wrestler, and husband.
Dynamite Diamond Ring Final: Bandido vs. Ricochet
The ROH World Champion, Bandido, defeated AEW National Champion Ricochet to win the Dynamite Diamond Ring and earn a guaranteed shot at the AEW World Championship on January 14 in Phoenix at AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage. While Ricochet was backed up by Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun of The Demand, Bandido came out alone, although he was wearing the mask, chain, and ring jacket of his partner, Brody King.
Ricochet messed with the crowd instead of paying attention to Bandido, as they were clearly in favor of the ROH World Champion. Bandido took Ricochet down for a brief moment and tried to do the Macarena, so Ricochet nailed him and tried to send him over the top. Ricochet tried to dance, so Bandido slapped him in the back of the head!
Bandido ate a chop and then sent Ricochet over the top onto the corner of the apron with a one-handed press slam! He performed the Macarena to celebrate! Unfortunately, that celebration gave Ricochet time to recover, so when Bandido went out to chase him, Ricochet was ready and sent Bandido back-first into the steps!
Ricochet threw Bandido back in to continue to work on Bandido’s back. Bandido tried to fight back, but Ricochet kept cutting him off. Ricochet hit a Northern Lights suplex, a vertical suplex, and then a third on the apron. On the floor, Bandido reversed Ricochet into a suplex of his own!
Back in the ring, the two traded near-falls until Ricochet pulled Bandido’s hair into Vertigo, but a sloppy cover only got him a two. Ricochet missed a Spirit Gun, but nailed a kick and tried for a Benadriller only for Bandido to turn into a Poisonrana! Ricochet flipped out of a 21 Plex attempt and sat on top of Bandido to get another two-count!
Bandido popped Ricochet out of a hurricanrana attempt into a Liger Bomb, but Ricochet kicked out! Bandido missed a frog splash, only to come back with a massive thrust kick. Bandido nailed the X Knee and tried for the 21 Plex, but Kaun held Ricochet as the referee was distracted by Liona. Ricochet took that chance to hit a mule kick low blow, but when he went for a Spirit Gun, Bandido reversed the momentum into a pin for the three count!
Shafir vs. Shirakawa
Plus, AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayer came face-to-face during an interview that nearly came to blows, and Marina Shafir beat Mina Shirakawa, then dropped Toni Storm. Before the match, we saw Shirakawa tell “Timeless” Toni Storm to stay in the back because she needed to fight for Storm tonight.
Shirakawa came out hot out of the gate with strikes in the corner, followed by a focused attack on Shafir’s knee. Shirakawa hit a tornillo splash from the outside in, but only got a one count. Shirakawa stayed on the move and knocked Shafir down with a dropkick from the top! Shafir fought through it and slammed Mina to the mat to swing the match in her favor!
Allin and Kidd
Darby Allin Thrown Down Familiar Steps by Gabe Kidd! Somewhere in the bowels of the building, Lexy Nair caught up with Darby Allin and congratulated him for being medically cleared. As Allin spoke to Nair about Gabe Kidd’s challenge earlier in the night, we could see Gabe Kidd coming down the stairs behind him.
Allin said he had bigger things to worry about than Gabe Kidd. As he said that, Kidd attacked, and the camera went out, but we could hear the attack. When the camera came back, Kidd dragged Allin to the top of the stairs, where he had been thrown down a year ago.
AEW Year-End Accolades
Among the many year-end awards given out by Sports Illustrated, AEW took home both Female and Male Wrestler of the Year thanks to Mercedes Moné and “Hangman” Adam Page. FTR won Tag Team of the Year, and “The Protostar” Kyle Fletcher was named Breakout Wrestler of the Year. And Will Ospreay won Best in the Ring!
AEW also took home Show of the Year for Double or Nothing, as well as “Timeless” Toni Storm winning Best on the Mic and “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Jon Moxley earning Rivalry of the Year honors. With all those honors, it shouldn’t be a surprise that AEW won Promotion of the Year!
Statlander and Hayter Face-to-Face
Standing on top of the ramp, Renee Paquette introduced Statlander and her challenger, Hayter, for this face-to-face interview. Statlander and Hayter did shake hands before Paquette began. However, that pot was stirred immediately when Paquette asked Statlander how she felt about giving Hayter this opportunity, only for Hayter to take out Statlander and pose with her AEW Women’s World Championship last week on Collision Holiday Bash.
Statlander said she gave Hayter this shot because she knows what it’s like to be at the top and lose it all. She lost friends, her knees were shredded, but she came back and won the AEW Women’s World Championship. She doesn’t want Hayter to dwell on the past. Statlander made it clear, “So don’t pity me for what I’ve been through. Fear me for what I’ve become!”
While Statlander knows Hayter said she’ll be bringing someone different to Worlds End, Statlander knew that sounded familiar because that’s what she’s become. Hayter may have beaten her before, but that was before Statlander became the Cosmic Killer. She told Hayter to prove to her and the world that she deserved to reclaim her throne.
Paquette asked Hayter if she had anything to add. Hayter said, “Oh, I have plenty of things to add.” And with that, she tried to throw a lariat, only for Statlander to catch it.
Continental Classic Gold League: Fletcher vs. Perry
And with “Jungle” Jack Perry’s win over PAC in the main event, we’ll head into the final night of league action with a six-way tie in the Gold League! The night began with a first-time matchup of two of AEW’s brightest stars. The Hammerstein Ballroom crowd actually seemed split in their support in the early going, especially as Perry and Fletcher were feeling each other out.
Fletcher took advantage of Perry’s ankle injury and put a target on the joint to ground Perry. Fletcher continued to stomp away on the ankle while working in some submissions to do further damage. Perry showed fight with some chops and then took Fletcher over the top to the floor with a headscissors!
He tried it again off the apron, but Fletcher caught Perry and powerbombed him on the corner of the ring! Fletcher went for a brainbuster to end it early, so Perry bit him to get out of it! An angry Fletcher slammed Perry ankle-first into the top rope. He trapped Perry near the ring post and tore off his boot and sock before stomping on the exposed leg!
After the medical team examined Perry, he was able to continue, although Fletcher did nothing to let up and began taunting Perry to hit him. Perry’s strikes didn’t have much effect until a desperation dropkick. Perry tried to escape getting run into the corner, but landed awkwardly on a flip. Fletcher tried to pounce, but Perry fought out and floored Fletcher with a clothesline!
Fletcher bailed to the outside, so Perry chased after him through the ropes and nailed Fletcher with a bulldog. Perry tried another dive, but Fletcher caught him and hit a brainbuster on the floor! Fletcher brought Perry back in for a Michinoku Driver and seemed to have it locked up, but Perry kicked out!
Fletcher nailed a big boot in the corner and put Perry on the top rope. However, Perry fought Fletcher off and nailed a sunset flip powerbomb! Perry went for his running knee, only for Fletcher to block it and lock on a single-leg crab with five minutes remaining! Perry battled out of that and locked Fletcher in the Snaretrap! Fletcher nearly passed out, but made it to the ropes to break the hold in the nick of time.
The two fought back to their feet with a strike battle until Fletcher nailed Perry with a half-and-half suplex and a running knee on the ropes. Perry escaped a powerbomb with a hurricanrana that spiked Fletcher on his head! Perry muscled Fletcher up for a piledriver and nailed it, but Fletcher kicked out with less than two minutes remaining.
Fletcher and Perry traded near-falls until Fletcher laid Perry out with a clothesline. He put Perry on top, but Perry kicked Fletcher off long enough to stand up. With less than a minute to go, Fletcher came back with a running boot to knock Perry back to the mat and followed with another with Perry up against the corner. He quickly grabbed Perry for a brainbuster and nailed it to get the pinfall before the time limit!
Continental Classic
With a six-way tie in the Gold League, our night began with “The Protostar” Kyle Fletcher defeating “Jungle” Jack Perry to get to nine points, which wound up being enough to clinch the C2 semifinals this Saturday at Worlds End. He’ll be joined by the defending Continental Classic Champion, “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada, who also got to nine points with his win over “Speedball” Mike Bailey in the main event.
“The Jet” Kevin Knight and “The Bastard” PAC wrestled to a time-limit draw, leaving them both short with seven points. The Blue League had one spot available after IWGP World Heavyweight Champion “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita clinched last night on AEW Dynamite on 34th Street. He finished his final Blue League match with a win over Máscara Dorada to get to 13 points with a 5-0-1 record.
Roderick Strong got his first win in his last match of the tournament and played spoiler to Claudio Castagnoli, who wound up in third with seven points. Jon Moxley defeated Orange Cassidy for his third straight win to clinch the other spot in the Blue League.