The first match has been confirmed for the New Year’s Smash edition of AEW Dynamite, which is scheduled for December 28 at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.
New Year’s Smash will see ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe defend his AEW TNT Title against Wardlow.
Wednesday’s AEW Rampage tapings saw Wardlow defeat indie wrestler Exodus Prime in singles action. After the match, Wardlow took the mic and called Joe out. Joe appeared on the big screen and said he wouldn’t accept the challenge this week, but he agreed to defend the TNT Title against Wardlow at New Year’s Smash. You can click here for full Rampage spoilers to air on Friday.
Joe captured the AEW TNT Title by defeating Powerhouse Hobbs and former champion Wardlow in a Triple Threat at the Full Gear pay-per-view on November 19. Since then he has retained over AR Fox and Darby Allin. The match on December 28 will be Wardlow’s rematch.
Joe and Wardlow, then known as WarJoe, teamed up for three matches in September, October and November (defeating Josh Woods and Tony Nese, Nick Comoroto and QT Marshall, current ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona), until Joe turned heel on Wardlow during the November 9 Dynamite. This was 10 days before Joe won the strap at Full Gear. The upcoming New Year’s Smash match will be the first-ever singles bout between the former tag team partners.
Joe won the ROH World Television Title from Minoru Suzuki at the April 13 Dynamite show. Since then he has retained over Trent Beretta, Jay Lethal, Josh Woods, current ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Brian Cage, and Juice Robinson, which came at ROH Final Battle this past Saturday.
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