The January 18th edition of AEW Dynamite included Orange Cassidy defending the All-Atlantic Championship against Jay Lethal, the Young Bucks’ first tag team match of the 2023, Bryan Danielson versus Bandito, appearances by Danhausen and “Hangman” Adam Page, a heel turn for Toni Storm, and Darby Allin’s defense of the TNT Championship against Kushida.
Highlights:
- Top Flight pulled the upset beating The Young Bucks in the Trios Champions fist tag team appearance as a duo. The teams provided a match full of tag-team 2-on-1 spots and a couple of close near-falls before Top Flight earned a huge pop from the crowd with the win.
- Continuing to build momentum to his chance at an eventual title shot, Bryan Danielson defeated Bandido in a match which did as much for Bandido as Danielson before the luchador ultimately falling to the American Dragon. The match was immediately followed by a backstage interview with MJF. This was followed-up later in a backstage interview announcing Brian Cage taking on Danielson and MJF interrupting to pay Cage to break Danielson’s arm next week.
- Orange Cassidy successfully defended the All-Atlantic Championship against Jay Lethal in a fun match with plenty of antics in the crowd as Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, and Sonjay Dutt (all barred from ringside) worked themselves into the front row along with Danhausen and the Best Friends as well. Extra points for Danhausen stealing Jarrett’s guitar.
- In the main event, Darby Allin narrowly defeated a game Kushida making his AEW debut. Darby is best playing against larger wresters, but Kushida offered a different type of match for the champion while also putting over Kushida as a credible threat.
- Preceding the match, we got a backstage segment between Toni Storm, Saraya, and Hikaru Shida laying the foundation for both Storm and Saraya turning heel against the rest of the AEW Women’s Division. The match between Storm and Willow Nightengale was notable for a more vicious version of Storm playing the obvious heel role to crowd favorite Willow. The heel turn was cemented with Storm holding the tights for the win and both and Saraya and Storm jumping Willow after the match.
- Short, but enjoyable, backstage interview by Renee Paquette with Konosuke Takeshita.
- Starting with an opening screen, the night had multiple mentions of the passing of Jay Briscoe.
Lows:
- Not so much a low in itself as what it portends. We got a confrontation with The Acclaimed and The Gunns (covering already well-trod ground here between the two teams in one of those AEW feuds that just won’t die) which was ended with Daddy Ass coming between the two teams possibly beginning the end with his time with the champs and (sigh) setting up his reunion with his sons?
Less Notable:
- Backstage interview between Renee and “Hangman” Adam Page about his matches with Jon Moxley and teasing more for the pair down the line and foreshadowing Hangman looking to mend fences with old friends. The conversational tone deflated the rivalry a bit but did successfully underline the mixed feelings Hangman had about knocking Moxley out.
- Ricky Starks defeated Jake Hager despite interference by both “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker and “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard.
- Pre-taped segment celebrating the return of Adam Cole.
- JAS backstage interview with Jericho setting up a tag match for next week against Starks and Action Andretti with either Daniel Garcia or Sammy Guevara as his partner.
- Short backstage interview with Ethan Page calling out Jungle Boy for a match.