With a new opening montage and stage design, AEW opens it’s first Dynamite of 2023 kicking off with Chris Jericho versus Ricky Starks. Before the end we also got an in-ring confrontation between Hangman and Moxley, a homecoming for Bryan Danielson, some awkward promos from women’s division, and title matches for the AEW World Tag Team Championship and TNT Championship.
Highlights:
- In a back-and-forth opening match, Ricky Starks defeated Chris Jericho despite the interference of both Angelo Parker and Matt Menard. After the match the JAS attacked Starks and Action Andretti, who ran to the ring to offer assistance but was taken out as well by the overwhelming numbers of Jericho’s stable which put Starks through a table at ringside.
- Confrontation between “Hangman” Adam Page and Jon Moxley setting up a match for next week’s Dynamite if Hangman is cleared as expected. Some unfortunate mic issues to start the segment ultimately didn’t detract much from the rising tension between the pair.
- After a false finish that saw Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal champions for less than two minutes thanks to shenanigans of Sonjay Dutt, The Acclaimed successfully defend the AEW Tag Team Championship.
- Bryan Danielson took out Tony Nese in what was little more than a squash match but was enhanced by the roar of the crowd cheering their hometown hero’s return to Seattle. Immediately followed by a verbal exchange between Bryan and MJF. Fun back and forth setting up the possibility of an Iron Man Match between the pair at AEW Revolution.
- The Darby Allin and Samoa Joe TNT Championship match started outside the ring with crazy Darby antics on the ramp and off a ladder before moving back to ringside where Joe took back control. Darby took a beating here before hitting a pair of Coffin Drops and regaining the TNT Championship he lost in May 2021.
- Athletic match between Swerve Strickland and AR Fox which played on previous (pre-AEW) history between the pair.
- Jade Cargill and Red Velvet beat the team of Kiera Hogan and Skye Blue despite the further tension between Velvet (who left ringside before the end of the match) and Cargill.
Lows:
- Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter cut another babyface promo against Saraya despite being the heels in rivalry. The promo was strong, but it doesn’t really fit the storyline and seems designed by Baker to work against the promotion and undercut the popularity of one of AEW’s newest babyfaces before she ever truly gets started in the company.
- Follow up interview with Saraya picking Toni Storm as her mystery partner in an underwhelming and awkward segment I can only hope is a swerve. I love Storm and have no problem seeing more of her on television, but, barring some big swerve before next week, the choice isn’t the big surprise announcement fans were expecting (although it did look to light a fire under Hikaru Shida possibly setting up some shenanigans).
- Gunn Club performed a memorial for FTR branding themselves the new top guys of AEW. Best part of the segment was how short it was.
Less Notable:
- Pre-taped promo from Samoa Joe setting up the main event against Darby Allin.
- Jungle Boy promo setting up a tag match next week.
- Promo recapping recent history between Kip Sabian and Orange Cassidy and announcing the pair’s match at Battle of the Belts.
- Announced rematch between The Acclaimed and Jarrett & Lethal.
- Announced TBS Championship match between Skye Blue and Jade Cargill.
