AEW Dynamite: Sammy Guevara Retains His TNT Championship

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite comes to us live from Nashville, TN. It is headlined by a TNT Championship match, where Sammy Guevara defends his championship against Darby Allin. We will also see Mercedes Martinez take on Thunder Rosa in a no disqualification match, Wardlow takes on Max Caster, and The Inner Circle implodes when Chris Jericho and Jake Hager battle Santana and Ortiz.

The show kicks off with CM Punk sitting in the middle of the ring with a microphone in his hand. Punk says that he’s straight edge, and that means he’s better than you. Punk says those words became the foundation of his career over 20 years ago when he first spoke those words.

He says some became wrestlers because of him and some became straight-edge because of him. He says MJF tries to be him but fails. CM Punk says that with everything considered, he is proud of MJF. He says the foundation of MJF’s career is the diamond ring. He also shoutouts Jon Moxley and thanks him for the assist.

CM Punk announces that on March 6th at AEW Revolution he wants MJF in a dog collar match. Punk says that he know’s MJF is backstage scared, because sometimes these matches take years off your life, but Punk says that is the goal and the lesson he needs to teach MJF.

Punk calls out MJF and MJF makes his way out to the entrance ramp. MJF looks visibly annoyed. Punk tells MJF to take it all in. He shows MJF a picture of him meeting CM Punk when he was a little kid. He says that this was the greatest day of MJF’s life, but on March 6th, that will be the worst day of his life.

Punk says the ring will be stained with his blood after they’re done. MJF goes to speak but he can’t talk, and he drops the mic and leaves the entranceway. This will be the second dog collar match in AEW history, behind Brodie Lee and Cody Rhodes’ dog collar match. We see a hype video for the upcoming match between Bryan Danielson and Lee Moriarty.

We see Tony Schiavone interviewing Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus, and Christian Cage. Over the next couple of weeks, we will figure out who will take on Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus for the AEW Tag Team Championships. Cage says one thing is certain, we know who will be AEW Tag Team Champions after Revolution, and that is Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus.

Bryan Danielson vs Lee Moriarty

Bryan Danielson makes his way out to the ring first. He is followed by Lee Moriarty who is accompanied to the ring by Matt Sydal. The match starts with Danielson extending his hand out for a handshake but he pulls it away when Moriarty goes to shake it.

The match starts off with some mat wrestling and a feeling-out process between the two men. Moriarty then briefly gets the better of Danielson. Danielson quickly counters and locks in a Romero special into a dragon sleeper of his own onto Moriarty.

Moriarty counters with a stretch submission of his own. Danielson slaps him in the face and then goes to hit him with a knee. Moriarty counters and gains the upper hand in the match. Moriarty sends Danielson out of the ring and goes to hit a high-flying move.

Danielson counters however and he regains control of the match. Danielson remains in control of the majority of the remainder of the match. Moriarty gets back into the match and the two start throwing punches at each other while in a submission hold. Danielson counters and locks in the Lebell Lock, but Moriarty is able to reach the ropes.

The two begin throwing strikes at each other in the center of the ring. Moriarty rolls up Danielson but Danielson is able to kick out. He then slaps Moriarty in the face which sets Moriarty off. Moriarity hits Danielson with a lot of strikes.

Moriarty is able to hit a belly-to-belly-like move on Danielson. Moriarty locks in his submission maneuver on Danielson, but Danielson is able to get out of it it. Danielson then hits Moriarity with the running knee. He then hits his foot stomps onto Moriarity and locks in a triangle sleeper hold for the win.

Winner: Bryan Danielson

After the match, Danielson grabs the mic and says that he came out there to teach Lee Moriarty a thing or two about violence. He asks the crowd if he passed or failed. The crowd says he passed, but Danielson says that’s why he doesn’t trust the American public about anything.

Danielson says he wants an answer from Jon Moxley about what he asked him about teaming up. Mox makes his way out through the crowd as he always does. Mox enters the ring and grabs the mic. He says that he used to be a lot like Lee Moriarty and a lot of the other kids in the locker room.

He says that he took a shot ten years ago at taking down the “great American dragon, Bryan Danielson.” He says that he gave everything he had that night but still came up short. He says that getting a taste of the best made him meaner, angrier, and made him want it more. He says he has never beaten Bryan Danielson.

Mox says that when Danielson showed up in AEW he was happy. He finally has a chance to slay the one dragon he could never slay. Mox says that he thought about how awesome them teaming up could be. However, then he also got to thinking about what they could create and giving something back to AEW and the legacy they could leave.

He says no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t think of one good reason to say no. Mox says then he got to thinking that Danielson wants to stand side-by-side with him because he knows what will happen if they stood on the opposite side of each other.

Mox then asks Bryan why he wants to team up. He says that he doesn’t stand side-by-side with anybody until he bleeds with them first. It looks like we will be getting Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley at AEW Revolution. We then see a hype video for Keith Lee making his debut in AEW.

Face of The Revolution Qualifier: Wardlow vs Max Caster

Wardlow makes his way out to the ring accompanied by Shawn Spears. Max Caster makes his way out next accompanied by his fellow Acclaimed tag team partner, Anthony Bowens. The match starts off with a feeling-out process between the two men.

Thanks to a distraction by Bowens, Caster quickly gains the upper hand on Wardlow but this doesn’t last long at all. Wardlow sends Caster to the outside and hits him with a lariat on the floor. He beats him up on the outside of the ring for a little while before finally throwing him back inside.

Caster gains the upper hand again due to another distraction by Bowens. Caster hits a back body drop onto Wardlow on the ring apron before throwing him back into the ring for a two count. The two men then start throwing punches in the middle of the ring at each other and it ends when Wardlow hits a slam on Caster.

Bowens pulls Caster out of the ring to save him and then jumps up on the apron to confront Wardlow. Caster steals his chain from the back of Bowens without Wardlow knowing. Wardlow sets up Caster for the powerbomb symphony but Caster hits Wardlow with the chain. He then hits a mic-drop for a two-count on Wardlow.

Caster goes for a powerbomb of his own on Wardlow but Wardlow counters. Wardlow then hits a powerbomb of his own onto Caster followed by two more. Wardlow pins Caster for the victory.

Winner: Wardlow

After the match, Bowens jumps Wardlow from behind and hits Bowens with a powerbomb. Spears came in the ring and hit them both with a chair after they were already laid out. Tony Schiavone is seen interviewing Britt Baker and Mercedes Martinez.

Baker says that Mercedes better finish the job tonight. After the match tonight, Baker says it will be undeniable that she is the best female in AEW. Mercedes says she knows her job and she’s ready to kill Rosa. We then see Tony Schiavone standing in the ring.

Schiavone brings out Hangman Adam Page. Hangman makes his way down to the ring following his hellacious match with Lance Archer last Wednesday on AEW Dynamite. Hangman goes to speak but gets very quickly interrupted by Adam Cole.

Cole says that Hangman has been in absolute battles. He tells Cody to get the hell out of his ring. Cole tells Hangman that he has earned the right to call himself the AEW World Champion. He says that it’s a shame it will need to come to an end pretty soon.

Hangman says that his friends built a wrestling empire without him. He says that it must feel weird to see his friends and look and see that this is the only World Championship that he will never hold. Cole says that Hangman is a bad friend to the Dark Order.

Hangman says he has made some mistakes. He also says that Cole getting in the ring with him is one of the biggest. Cole says that he is now  in AEW and that every time they are in the same promotion, Hangman is just known as the “other Adam.” Cole says that he has nothing but love, respect, and admiration for him.

Cole says that someday they will fight for that AEW World Championship. He says that filled with respect, may the best man win when that day comes. Cole leaves the ring and heads up the entrance ramp. Hangman is attacked from behind by Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish.

Cole comes back down to the ring and helps them beat up Hangman. Security gets brought out to try and break it up but it doesn’t work. The Dark Order hits the ring and sends Cole and reDRagon packing up the entrance ramp.

Number 10 starts taking out all the security guards. Dark Order is finally able to restrain 10 and control him. We then see a hype video for tonight’s main event match, Sammy Guevara defending his TNT Championship against Darby Allin.

Inner Circle Implodes: Chris Jericho and Jake Hager vs Santana and Ortiz

Chris Jericho and Jake Hager make their way out to the ring first. Santan and Ortiz come out with their faces painted and make their way down to the ring. The match starts off with a face-off between the two teams.

Eddie Kingston’s entrance music hits and he makes his way down to the ring to watch the match in person from Santana and Ortiz’s corner. The match starts off with Jericho and Santana in the ring. They immediately start hitting each other with strikes and take the fight to each other immediately.

Santana throws Jericho into the corner and hits him with two hard slaps. Santana makes the tag to Ortiz and they perform a double-team move onto Jericho. Ortiz goes for a cover on Jericho but gets only a two-count. Jericho is able to counter and tag in Hager. They hit a double shoulder tackle onto Ortiz.

Hager gets in the face of Ortiz and starts screaming “why?” Hager takes the fight to Ortiz but Ortiz uses his quickness to get the best of Hager. This doesn’t last long as Hager hits a belly-to-belly throw onto Ortiz to send him flying. Hager remains in control of Ortiz for a little while.

Hager tags in Jericho and Jericho also remains on the offense. Jericho hits a suplex onto Ortiz and sends him flying. He then slaps him in the back of the head before Ortiz hits a clothesline to get back into this match. Ortiz makes the hot tag to Santana as Jericho tags in Hager.

Santana quickly comes in and brings the fight to Hager. Santana is able to take down Hager using his quickness. Jericho comes in but Santana makes light work of him. Hager hits Santana with a slam for a two-count. Hager and Jericho then double-team Santana.

Santana sends Hager to the outside and goes to hit Jericho but Jericho stops Santana in his tracks. Ortiz makes the save for Santana and takes out Jericho and Hager on the floor. Santana tags in Ortiz and they hit the “street sweeper” on Jericho for a two-count.

Ortiz tags in Santana and the two go for a double-team move on Jericho. However, Jericho counters with the “lion tamer” but Santana is able to get to the ropes to break the hold. Kingston comes on the apron but Jericho hits him with a dropkick. Santana hits a discus lariat onto Jericho for the three-count.

Winner: Santana and Ortiz

After the match, Kingston and Jericho brawl on the entrance ramp. They have to be separated by referees. We see Young Bucks, Cole, and reDRagon cutting a promo in the back. Cole asks where the Bucks were when they took out Hangman. Cole says that next week will be a tag team battle royale.

Young Bucks say that they will win next week. However, reDRagon says that they will win. The two teams bicker and it ends with Cole trying to get them all on the same page.

No DQ Match: Mercedes Martinez vs Thunder Rosa

Mercedes Martinez makes her entrance first with her lead pipe. She waits on the bottom of the entrance ramp for Thunder Rosa. Rosa makes her way out with a steel chair. Rosa hits the pipe out of Martinez’s hand and hits her with the chair. Rosa throws Martinez in the ring and the two brawl.

Martinez rolls back out of the ring and Rosa remains in pursuit. Rosa brings out a table but Martinez is able to hit Rosa from behind and throw her into the steel steps before throwing two chairs in the ring. Rosa throws Martinez through a barricade and the two brawl out in the crowd.

Rosa hits a high-flying move onto Mercedes Martinez out in the crowd. Mercedes is able to gain the upper hand by throwing Rosa into the guardrail and throwing her back in the ring. Martinez throws a whole bunch of chairs and a trash can in the ring and continues to bring the fight to Rosa.

Martinez goes for a body slam onto the chairs and trash can but Rosa counters out of it and hits her. Rosa sets up the table on the outside of the ring. Martinez hits a suplex on Rosa from the apron through the table but the table barely breaks. Martinez hits Rosa with a steel chair before sending her back into the ring.

Rosa hits a hurricanrana from the top rope on Martinez. Rosa then hits Mercedes with a trashcan before putting the can on Martinez and hitting her with a running dropkick. Martinez was able to grab the ropes in the pinfall to save the match for herself.

Rosa makes her way to the top rope but Martinez hits her with the trash can lid. Martinez hits a spider German suplex off the top rope onto Thunder Rosa. Martinez hits an elbow drop from the top onto Rosa for a two-count.

Martinez sets up the chairs in a pile in the middle of the ring. Martinez then goes to powerbomb Rosa but Rosa is able to counter into a crucifix bomb. Rosa hits her finishing move onto Martinez on the pile of chairs for the three-count.

Winner: Thunder Rosa

After the match, Rosa extends her hand to Martinez to help her up. Rosa bows to Martinez and a sign of respect is shown. Baker makes her way down to the ring flanked by Rebel and Jamie Hayter. Hayter and Rebel attack Rosa from behind while Martinez watches.

Baker picks up the lead pipe and makes her way into the ring. She hands the pipe to Martinez and instructs her to hit Rosa. Martinez hesitates and Hayter attacks her from behind. Baker, Hayter, and Rebel leave Martinez and Rosa laying.

TNT Championship Match: Sammy Guevara (c) vs Darby Allin

Darby Allin makes his entrance first accompanied by Sting. However, Sting goes to the back because Darby wants to do it himself. Sammy Guevara makes his way out next. Guevara is still wearing both TNT Championship belts.

The match starts with a staredown between the two men. Darby sticks his hand out for a handshake and Sammy accepts and the two shake hands. They then lock up in a collar-and-elbow tie-up.

Darby Allin locks in a headlock onto Guevara, followed by a side headlock takeover. Guevara is quickly able to get out of that and we see some more chain wrestling to start off the match. Darby hits a dropkick onto Sammy and is able to gain the upper hand briefly.

Guevara then goes to hit a Spanish fly off the top rope but Darby counters. Guevara drops Darby on his stomach off the ropes and apron onto the floor. Guevara covers Darby but is only able to get a two-count. Guevara hits a senton off the top rope onto Darby as he is hanging over the top rope.

Guevara is able to remain in control of the match for the majority of the rest of the match. Allin is able to get back into the match and hits three coffin splashes onto Sammy. Allin is able to continue the attack on the knee and leg of Guevara.

Guevara is able to hit a Spanish fly onto Darby and pins him for just a two-count. Sammy went for a rolling neck breaker but Darby countered with a knee strike. Darby is able to lock in a figure-four leg lock onto Guevara. The two men sat up while in the submission hold and started slapping each other.

Guevara goes for a running knee but Darby countered. Darby was able to hit the stunner on Guevara but Guevara rolled outside. Darby goes for a suicide dive but Sammy was able to counter into a cutter. Guevara throws Darby back into the ring and positions him on the apron.

Sammy went for a senton but Darby moved and Sammy’s back hit the apron hard. Darby comes outside the ring and throws Sammy back into the ring. Darby makes his way to the top rope to hit his finisher. Jose the assistant gets involved but Sting makes the save.

Andrade attacks Darby and knocks him out on the turnbuckle. Sammy then hits Darby with the GTH for the three-count.

Winner: And Still TNT Champion, Sammy Guevara

After the match, Matt Hardy makes his way to the ring and beats up Darby Allin. Sammy Guevara makes the save for Darby. Andrade hits Sammy with his tablet and holds up both TNT Championships. Sting enters the ring which causes Andrade to retreat up the ramp with both TNT Championships, to end AEW Dynamite.