There’s a dark cloud hanging over the professional wrestling world today, and that is the unfortunate passing of Jay Briscoe. If you want to head to see the AEW Dynamite results, scroll on down, but I’d like to say a few things about Jay Briscoe here.
A Briscoe Brothers promo brought me back in to Ring of Honor in 2013, after not paying attention to the company for a few years. Jay Briscoe, to me, was not only one of the best professional wrestlers in the world, but one of the most believable. The Briscoe Brothers were not putting on a show or an act, Jay and Mark Briscoe were being Jay and Mark Briscoe. Inside the ring, however, they were not just good, or great, they were one of the absolute greatest tag teams of all time.
On a personal level, they were my favorite. Jay Briscoe as a singles wrestler, the Briscoe Brothers as a tag team, didn’t matter, I wouldn’t miss it. I met Dem Boys probably half a dozen times, each and every time they had line longer than anyone else. Whether it was Ring of Honor, GCW, or House of Glory (just a month ago), I’d travel to these shows in New York City thinking “Man, I can’t wait to watch The Briscoe Boys wrestle tonight.” I’m gutted for the entire Briscoe family. Professional wrestling is a better for Jay and Mark Briscoe being a part of it.
I appreciate having the outlet to get that out of my system, and now, it’s time to use professional wrestling as an escape. Let’s get to tonight’s stacked card, still in California:
- Jake Hager vs. Ricky Starks
- Young Bucks vs. Top Flight
- Bryan Danielson vs. Bandido
- Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale
- AEW All-Atlantic Title: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jay Lethal
- AEW TNT Title: Darby Allin (c) vs. Kushida
Make sure to keep refreshing the page as the most recent results are below!
AEW Dynamite 1/18/23
Live from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California! Taz, Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone are on the call and we’re getting to business.
Match #1. AEW All-Atlantic Title: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jay Lethal
Both men jockey for position to start, as Jeff Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh have officially bought tickets, as it was announced today that if there was any interference, Sonjay would be fired. The Best Friends have also joined the front row, beers in hand. Lethal is on the floor and Cassidy meets him with a suicide dive. Cassidy looks for the satellite DDT but Lethal drops him throat-first on the top rope. Lethal now pings Cassidy’s head off the ring post on the outside and throws him into the stairs. Lethal looking to drop the Savage Elbow back inside the ring, but Cassidy rolls away from it, albeit very slowly. Once more. A third time. Cassidy now grabs a hold of Lethal and runs his head into the turnbuckle ten times. Diving cross body by Cassidy. Stundog Millionaire by Cassidy. Satellite DDT gets a two count. Cassidy heads up to the top rope but Lethal catches him with the Lethal Combination! Lethal Injection try by Lethal but Cassidy strolls away. Orange Punch is blocked by Lethal into a fireman’s carry, Lethal drops him, Lethal Injection! Cassidy rolls out of the ring to the outside, and Sonjay is there to distract the referee. Jarrett tries to give Lethal the guitar, but DanHausen intercepts it! THE CURSE IS ON! Ring around the rosey on the outside of the ring as Cassidy catches Lethal coming in with a cradle for two. Orange Punch! Finito.
Winner and STILL AEW All-Atlantic Champion: Orange Cassidy
Rating: **3/4. Lots of comedy here, and it was entertaining as heck. The perfect actors in this play and everyone played their role just fine.
After the match, Sonjay prevents Singh and Jarrett from attacking and saves their jobs.
Match #2. Top Flight vs. The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks are visibly emotional on the ramp way here. Nick and Dante to start as both men trade arm drags and kip ups. Trip/bulldog combination to Matt Jackson who just got tagged in, followed by a snap suplex senton combo by Top Flight. Nick saves Matt from a double suplex, Nick hits a double stomp to Dante and a rolling hanging backstabber to Darius. Dante and Nick are legal now. Nick superkicks Darius from the apron to the floor as Matt now gets the tag. Fists in the corner as the Young Bucks cut the ring in half and Darius is in trouble. Body slam by Nick and a leg drop. Bucks miss a double superkick as Dante backflips over both of them. Nick swats Darius off the apron just as Dante is to make the tag. Rising knee strike, elbows, and a bulldog/dropkick combination from the Bucks. Risky Business from the Bucks gets a two count. Martin hits a double arm drag reversal to the Bucks and a tieres to Matt, which allows him to tag Darius. Atomic drop to Matt and a flurry of right hands. Big clothesline to Matt and a standing Spanish Fly! Tope suicida to Nick on the outside. Diving cross body to Matt by Darius gets a two count. Superkick to Nick to Dante . Meltzer Driver thwarted by Darius on the otuside and a flatliner to Matt. Dante takes out Nick on the outside with a moonsault. Powerbomb/double jump sliced bread combination by Top Flight! Nick with a facebuster to Darius and a moonsault to Dante on the outside, back on the apron now and Nick hits an outside in destroyer! Woah. Long two count here. Doomsday Device by the Bucks but Dante makes the save and tosses both Bucks to the floor. Double jump dive to the outside by Dante but the Bucks meet him with a double superkick. BTE Triger to Darius but Darius ducks and the Bucks go knee to knee. Darius shoves Matt into Nick and rolls him up for the three!
Winners: Top Flight
Rating: ***1/2. Entertaining tag team match here, with the Bucks giving a heck of a lot to the young boys. Top Flight are young in the game and they’ve got a lot to learn, but they’ve grown a lot as a team the last year or so. The Bucks are Teflon, so a loss won’t hurt.
The fans expected The Acclaimed… but they’re getting the Ass Boys. Show some respect to the Gunns, they’re the best team in the world. The Gunns made the Acclaimed popular, they even gave them their dad. Enter… The Acclaimed.
The Gunn’s aren’t letting Max Caster rap, but he’s going to do it anyway. Caster tells them to shut Austin’s mic off, and they do. THE ACCLAIMED, HAVE ARRIVED. The Acclaimed immediately brawl with The Gunns, and Billy breaks it up and Billy has had enough. Billy says his kids are brats the The Acclaimed need to act like champions, so next week it’s family therapy time.
Renee is here with Adam Page. Page said Moxley took something from him, and Page took it back with the win. Renee mentions the term “Elite,” which prompts Page to say he’s got to mend some fences. Page then inquires as to how Jon is feeling, and Renee says he’s going to be fine, he’s been hurt for ten years. Page asks Renee to tell him… nothing. Never mind. Page looks concerned but thinks better of it.
Match #3. Ricky Starks vs. Jake Hager
Hager uses his power early and keeps his purple bucket hat on. Starks fights back, grabs the purple hat, then goes old school! Hager catches him but Starks gets free and sends Hager to the outside. Hager looks to post Starks but Starks slides through the bottom and middle buckle, but catches his ankle and Hager boots him in the face. Hager in control in the ring, as Menard and Parker set up a table on the outside. Hager looks for a big powerbomb but Starks gets free and sends Hager to the outside with a dropkick. Baseball slide to the outside. Starks takes out Daddy Magic on the outside and Hager on the inside with a springboard cross body. Starks charges and eats a boot in the corner. Hager looks for the Hager Bomb on the inside but Starks gets his feet up and plants Hager with a tornado DDT! One, two, no! Parker and Menard are on the apron but Starks disposes of both of them and catches Hager with a big spear to seal this one.
Winner: Ricky Starks
Rating: **1/2. Fine little match here, with the majority of it occurring in picture-in-picture. Starks keeps his momentum going strong and sometimes, simple is good.
Next week, Jericho wants Le Sex Gods or GarciaCo vs. Starks and his little buddy, Action Andretti.
Match #4. Bryan Danieslon vs. Bandido
Arm ringer to start and Bandido flips his way out. FINGER GUNS TO DANIELSON. Danielson kicks Bandido’s hand away as the entire arena is chanting “Bandido!” Danielson out grapples Bandido to start and almost gets a pin with an inverted bridge. Bandido returns the favor with a Romero Special attempt but Danielson flips out and locks Bandido in one of his own (side note, Taz on commentary explaining why the wrestlers slap the midsection to get the opponent to move their hands is why having a pro wrestler on commentary is so vital). Shoulder tackle by Danielson but Bandido rolls through and traps Danielson arms under his legs in a pinning predicament, and Danielson headbutts his way out. Bandido locks in… something that looks like a Russian Knot in jiu jitsu, I can’t even explain it. Danielson finds himself back in control and locks Bandido to the tree of woe and places some stiff round kicks to the stomach. Romero Special finally locked in by Danielson, before transitioning to a pin that gets two. Danielson locks Bandido in the rope and lays in some body shots. Bandido catches a charging Danielson and hits a pop up facebuster as both men are down. Danielson up first and both men start chopping each other, quite viciously. Danielson back flips over Bandido but Bandido boots him in the face and hits a springboard twisting body press. Stalling vertical suplex by Bandido gets a two count. Bandido heads up top for a frog splash but Danielson ges the knees up. Labell Lock is in! Bandido fights for the rope but Danielson adds a straight arm bar to the mix. Bandido finally gets the rope but took a ton of punishment in the process. YES (si) kicks by Danielson but Bandido catches him, inverted fireman’s carry into the GTS! 21 Plex but Danielson flips out and looks for a cradle! Two count! Bandido returns the favor with a cradle of his own… another two count! Danielson elevates Bandido over the top to the floor. Baseball slide by Danielson and a jumping knee strike off the apron send Bandido crashing to the floor! Danielson heads up top but Bandido catches him with a boot and both men are up on the top! Backflip fall away slam by Bandido! 21 Plex! One, two, NO! Both men are just trading open hand strikes like a hockey fight. Right high kick by Danielson! Super kick by Bandido! Brainbuster attempt by Bandido but Danielson counters into the Labell Lock! Bandido PICKS UP DANIELSON WITH ONE ARM but Danielson head scissors out! Danielson hits the ropes behind Bandido, Psycho Knee! This one’s over!
Winner: Bryan Danielson
Rating: ****1/4. Man oh man, what a match. Contrasting styles, and styles make fights. A dream match here, and Danielson is on an absolute tear, to the surprise of no one. The fans LOVE Bandido, and I’m hoping AEW is listening pretty closely.
MJF shows up on the tron, and reminds us that AEW fans are fickle. Danielson has only been dealing with masked Max, but the closer we get to Revolution, the more MJF’s mask slips off. A dragon is no match for the monster behind the mask.
Saraya is clearly angry as Shida for the kendo stick incident next week, but Toni Storm sticks up for her.
Brian Cage is the next mountain for Danielson to climb next week. MJF shows up and offers Cage a ton of money to hurt Danielson.
Match #5. Willow Nightingale vs. Toni Storm
Willow showing her power early with a pair of shoulder blocks and a one count. Back suplex by Willow and a basement cross body for a one count. Willow cartwheels out of an Irish whip and Storm slaps her in the face. Shida hits the ramp with kendo stick in hand, as Storm beats on Willow on the outside. Saraya chastises Shida but Shida insists she’s just here to watch. Big hair toss by Storm, who is now openly mocking and kicking Willow in the face. Ruh roh. Willow’s had enough of the chicanery and responds with a big lariat and a spinebuster. Two count. Dropkick off the middle rope by Willow. Willow misses a charge and Storm counters with a running hip attack in the corner! Tornado DDT by Storm gets another two count. Misdirection by Willow results in a pounce! Straps are down now and it’s cannonball time! One, two, no! Saraya gets on the apron to distract the referee and Storm grabs a roll up from behind, with a hand full of trunks, for the three!
Winner: Toni Storm
Rating: **1/4. Short match here, but interesting storyline progression. Seems like AEW listened to the fans, as Saraya was born to be a bad guy. Really good call in my opinion .
After the bell, Saraya and Storm attack Willow! Here’s Ruby Soho to make the save! Ruby tends to Willow in the ring as Storm and Saraya take a powder.
Match #6. AEW TNT Title: Darby Allin (c) w/ Sting vs. Kushida
THE TIME SPLITTER IS HERE! Both men trade some grapples to start. The fight spills to the outside as Darby throws Kushida into the guard rail. Kushida catches Darby coming back in the ring with a kick to the left arm, as Kushida tries to prepare Darby for his finisher, the kimura. Coffin splash by Darby early but Kushida catches him with a rolling elbow. Darby fights back and hits a running Code Red that sends Kushida to the outside, surrounded by members of the LA Dojo. Darby comes off the top with a somersault senton, but only manages to take out the LA Dojo fellas. Kushida drops Darby with a single arm DDT on the outside! Darby favoring the arm now, as he charges Kushida and eats a palm strike in the face. Another running palm strike by Kushida and Darby is hurting. Arm trapped straight arm bar by Kushida but Darby gets to the ropes. Double handspring kick by Kushida. Darby rolls to the outside but Kushida comes off the apron with a knee to Darby’s injured arm. Both men are on the apron now and Darby comes over the top with a stunner and that didn’t feel great for either guy. Darby sets Kushida up on a chair on the outside, hammers him with some elbows, and heads up top. Coffin Drop by Darby to the outside but Kushida adjusts and catches Darby with a straight armbar on the outside! Kushida holds the armbar until the last second as Darby struggled to make it in the ring by the ten count. Kushida locks in a top wrist lock over the ropes and drags Darby up to the top rope. Kushida tosses Darby off the top rope with the wrist lock! Hoverboard lock is in! The LA Dojo fellas throw the white towel to Sting, and ask him to throw the towel in. Sting throws the towel in the crowd. Darby tries to roll through a few times and finally does, before trapping the legs together, bridging over Kushida, and getting the three!
Winner and STILL AEW TNT Champion: Darby Allin
Rating: ***1/4. Solid pro wrestling match here. Darby continues to use the “underdog willing to use his body as a weapon” strategy to perfection, and he’s racking up some solid wins along the way. Great to see Kushida in an AEW ring, but eventually one of these men or women “Forbidden Door” will have to win something, so we know they’re not just fodder for AEW champions.
Final Thoughts: On a day when a lot of people needed something to brighten their spirits, AEW delivered a heck of a pro wrestling show. Bryan Danielson continues to deliver in his quest to be the greatest wrestler that ever lived, all the while elevating every single person who steps in the ring with him, like Bandido. Saraya and Toni Storm turning their backs on the fans was a genius move and opens up a nice spot for Ruby Soho. Top Flight getting the biggest win of their careers against the Young Bucks was a nice moment, and reminiscent of what the Bucks did for Private Party early on in AEW. Darby beating Kushida was fun, but Darby could benefit from a long program with someone, a strong foil… Swerve, maybe? Really fun, consistent wrestling show tonight with a cant-miss match in Danielson vs. Bandido. 8.0/10.