AEW Dynamite: Holiday Bash Recap, Big Debuts

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite comes to us from Greensboro, NC, and is a special AEW Dynamite. Tonight is the Holiday Bash. The show is highlighted by four big matches. These matches are as follows: MJF and FTR vs Sting, Darby Allin, and CM Punk, Nyla Rose vs Ruby Soho in a semifinals match, Malakai Black vs Griff Garrison, and Orange Cassidy taking on Adam Cole. The show kicks off with Cassidy vs Cole.

Results for the Dec. 22 AEW Dynamite.

Adam Cole vs Orange Cassidy

Adam Cole makes his way down to the ring first. Once again, his entrance probably gets one of the biggest pops up the night. Orange Cassidy makes his entrance next and the match begins. The match starts off with some taunting between the two. There was a funny moment where Orange Cassidy put Cole’s fingers in his pockets.

The two then started with some chain wrestling. We saw headlocks exchanged between the two, and a feeling out process of sorts. It was a good back and forth match by both wrestlers. Later in the match, the Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler make their way out to the ring. Cassidy jumps off the top rope and lays out Cutler and then hits a suicide dive on the Bucks. The Best Friends also came out to help Cassidy.

We went back to a one-on-one match after the outside interferences. Cole had the upper hand on Cassidy for the majority of the remainder of the match. Cassidy fought back, though, but Cole quickly stopped that. Cole hit the Panama Sunrise which Cassidy kicked out of, much to Cole’s surprise.

Bobby Fish came out to help Cole when Cassidy gained the upper hand. But, all Fish did was distract the ref for a debuting Kyle O’Reilly. Adam Cole then hit his finishing move on Cassidy for the win.

Winner: Adam Cole

After the match, O’Reilly and Cole had a stare-down and decided to work together to take out the Best Friends. We also saw Fish get in on the action and saw an Undisputed Era reunion of sorts. The Young Bucks make their way out to the ring and look annoyed with Adam Cole. This could be setting up the inevitable match between reDRagon and the Bucks. Adam Cole, Fish, and O’Reilly all leave the ring together, leaving the Young Bucks behind.

We then see a video package of “Hangman” Adam Page and Bryan Danielson’s match from last week. It is also announced that we will see Hangman vs Danielson in two weeks at AEW’s debut on TBS for the AEW World Championship. Tony Schiavone then interviews “Hangman” Adam Page in the ring.

Page talks about how last week was the first time he felt less than a champion because he couldn’t get the job done. He’s disappointed in himself. Danielson then interrupts him and calls him an “entitled millennial cowboy.” He also mocks how disappointed Page is. Danielson says that the AEW fans should be disappointed because he is not the AEW Champion yet.

Danielson says that the only reason Page survived that match is because he hurt his leg wrestling John Silver the week prior. Danielson proposes that on January 5th, the match should have judges, so if Page decides to “stall out” again, everyone will see and will know that the true AEW World Champion is Bryan Danielson.

Page says that he wants a match with no time limit. However, Page seems to accept Danielson’s terms and says that he will beat him regardless and he has worked too hard for this. He also calls Danielson a “B+ Player.”

We then see a promo backstage by The Pinnacle. MJF is trying to rally the troops. MJF is annoyed that Wardlow didn’t protect him last week and further plants seeds in the inevitable split that will happen. MJF then blames Punk for all of this and says that Punk, Sting, and Darby won’t be able to coexist.

Wardlow vs “Captain” Shawn Dean

Wardlow makes his way out to the ring to start the match. The two then start off with a tie-up that Wardlow quickly wins. He then hits a powerbomb on Dean, followed by three more. Wardlow then pins Dean by putting his boot on his chest.

Winner: Wardlow

After the match, Spears hits Dean with the chair and further attacks him. We then see a video package for Sammy Guevara defending his TNT Championship against Cody Rhodes on Saturday night on AEW Rampage.

Dan Lambert then cuts a promo with the Men of the Year in the crowd. Lambert talks about how he’s the best and talks about how his gym is the best in the world. Lambert mocks Khan still and points out how Scorpio Sky is the only man to beat Jericho twice.

Lambert is annoyed that they will be sitting on the sidelines watching Cody wrestle on Christmas night. He says that it’s his job to get people to cheer for Cody which is impossible. He says one of his guys will be the one to get the next TNT Championship match.

Tony and Britt Baker are seen backstage at their Christmas party. Schiavone asks Baker about her match coming up with Riho, who she’s never beaten. Baker says she has Jamie Hayter by her side and can beat Riho. Baker says she built the division from the ground up. Baker tells Riho to stay in her line.

We then see a vignette promoting Owen Hart’s Tournaments coming up next year. In the vignette, we see Mark Henry, Adam Cole, Matt Hardy, 2point0, Eddie Kingston, Dustin Rhodes, and Shawn Spears saying words about Owen.

TBS Championship Semifinal Match: Nyla Rose vs Ruby Soho

Nyla makes her way out to the ring, followed by Ruby. Nyla takes the fight to Ruby as soon as she gets in the ring and gets the upper hand almost immediately. Soho uses her quickness to get back into the match but Nyla reverses it and stops the momentum from changing hands.

The two then brawl outside the ring for a little while. Vickie saves Nyla from getting hit and this causes Ruby to run into the steel steps. The two women then get back into the ring and Ruby begins to fight back, hitting Nyla with a Tornado DDT.

Ruby went to the top rope to try and hit Nyla with a big move but Vickie pushed her off which causes Nyla to hit her with the flying knee. Nyla went for the pin but Ruby kicked out. Vickie got involved again as Nyla was about to tap out, Ruby kicked Vickie off the apron, once again giving Nyla the advantage.

Nyla hits Ruby with a Beast Bomb which Ruby kicks out of. Ruby then out of nowhere hits No Future on Nyla and pins her for the victory. Ruby Soho will take on the winner of Jade Cargill and Thunder Rosa.

Winner: Ruby Soho

AEW airs a vignette on the rivalry of Hikaru Shida and Serena Deeb. Deeb says this rivalry is far from over and the next time they wrestle, Deeb says she will make sure Shida begs Khan to keep Deeb away from her for good.

Malakai Black vs Griff Garrison

Malakai Black makes his way down to the ring. Black still has one of the best entrances in wrestling today. Garrison makes his entrance next with Brian Pillman Jr. by his side. Garrison charges Black to take the fight to him right away. Black kicks him and takes control right away.

Garrison fights back but to no avail. Black hits him with his famous strikes and kicks in the corner. The match sees Garrison try to fight back a lot but nothing ever works out. Black makes Garrison submit with a single-leg crab.

Winner: Malakai Black

After the match, Pillman comes to the aid of Garrison but eats a knee from Black and gets knocked out. Matt Hardy cuts a promo saying that Private Party deserves to be AEW Tag Team Champions more than Jurassic Express and how Isiah Kassidy will beat Jungle Boy. Jungle Boy says that Kassidy will be spitting out diamonds when he’s finished. Christian Cage promotes his new shirt and says Matt Hardy should buy it for the Private Party.

CM Punk, Sting, and Darby Allin vs MJF and FTR

MJF and FTR make their entrances first followed by Sting, Darby, then CM Punk. CM Punk has his face painted with paint similar to “surfer” Sting. Sting also had his face painted with CM Punk’s logo, so this was cool to see. The match starts off with CM Punk and MJF.

MJF quickly tags in Dax Harwood in a heel move. Punk and Harwood lock up to start the match. The two men have a feeling out process to start the match and it’s followed by a slap by Punk onto Harwood.

Punk and Harwood tag out. In come Allin and Wheeler. Darby takes the fight to Wheeler, which makes him nervous, so he tags in MJF. Allin tags in Punk and MJF runs to tag in Wheeler again because MJF wants zero to do with Punk. Finally, the match really gets underway with Punk and Wheeler.

Punk makes the tag to Sting, which causes the crowd to erupt. Wheeler gets the upper hand on Sting and tags in MJF. Sting hits a lariat on MJF and tags in Punk. Punk comes in the ring and MJF runs into the crowd, pursued by Punk. MJF runs back into the ring and right back out of it where FTR stands in front of him while CM Punk tries to fight him.

Darby Allin takes both members of FTR out with a suicide dive. FTR gets the upper hand on Darby Allin when Wheeler dumps him out of the ring. For the majority of the rest of the match, FTR and MJF are in control of Darby.

Darby eventually tags in Sting and Sting takes out everyone for the “hot tag” spot. This gives the babyfaces a big advantage over the heels. However, when Sting locks in the Scorpion Deathlock on Harwood, MJF comes in and hits him from behind to give his team the upper hand.

Sting eventually hits the “hot tag” to CM Punk. Punk takes out both members of FTR. Punk motions to the crowd the “go to sleep” signal as he measures up Wheeler but Harwood tags himself in and makes the save.

CM Punk goes for the elbow drop on Harwood but gets distracted by Wheeler. Harwood goes up to the top rope with him and the two exchange blows. Harwood suplexes Punk to the mat and Wheeler hits him with a splash from the top rope and goes for the pin on Punk, but Punk kicks out.

Sting throws MJF out of the ring and onto FTR. MJF took a very scary fall, landing on his face and head but looked to be okay. Sting jumps off the top rope onto all three men. Sting tags in Punk and Harwood then eats all the faces finishers. Punk pins Harwood to pick up the victory for his team.

Winner: CM Punk, Darby Allin, and Sting

After the match, MJF gets on commentary and accuses Punk of running away the whole match. The faces celebrate in the ring to end the show.