Originally published at AEW Winter Is Coming: MJF retains, Death Triangle goes up 3-1, Action Andretti
AEW Dynamite – ‘Winter is Coming’
December 14th, 2022
Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
AEW World Trios Championship Best of 7 Series (Match 4): The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) (w/ Brandon Cutler & MT Nakazawa) vs. Death Triangle (PAC, Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) (w/ Alex Abrahentes)
‘Roundball Rock’ by John Tesh (famously used as The NBA on NBC theme) was used to start this show. Don Callis comes out with The Elite, but goes and joins the commentary team for the start of the match as Nick Jackson and Penta El Zero Miedo start this fourth match in the series. Right away Penta goes for the Fear Factor, but Nick runs up the ropes to escape as Rey Fenix and Matt Jackson tag in. The Elite makes quick tags in and out. Nick Jackson shows a bit of an injury on the outside with Doc Sampson checking on his foot as Fenix dives onto the outside on Kenny Omega. Nick Jackson is brought to the back, as we go to a commercial.
When we come back, Matt is trying to escape kicks from Fenix in the corner but ends up blocking him with a trio of Northern Lights suplexes including the last one involving Penta as well. Matt escapes and makes the hot tag to Omega who goes to work on Pac, hitting a second rope moonsault for a two count. Omega starts fighting off Fenix and Pac with kicks and suplexes, but Penta is able to stop a V-Trigger attempt. Omega sends Fenix to the outside on top of Penta and goes for the Terminator dive, before Pac trips him up, and hits a springboard cutter, and a big boot in the corner. Omega tries to tag out to Matt, but Penta stops Matt and hits him with the Fear Factor piledriver on the apron. The Lucha Brothers start double-teaming Omega, ending with Fenix hitting an inverted Frog Splash for a two-count. Nick Jackson hobbles his way back to the ring as Omega tags out to him. Nick goes for a superkick, but Fenix stops him as Penta takes out Nick’s leg with the hammer. Fenix follows with a knee bar on Nick as he taps out.
Winners: Death Triangle (Pac, Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) by submission at 14:58, Death Triangle leads the series 3-1
It’s Hammer Time
As Death Triangle is heading to the back, Kenny Omega gets on the mic and says what he’s about to say is a message for Death Triangle and says a 3-1 deficit is bad but in the next match he suggests the hammer being legal, since they have used it in every match. Omega says not only hammers but how about they make all weapons legal by making it no DQ. Omega asks if the fans want it, as they cheer. Omega says he wasn’t formatted to cut this promo and signs off.
Diamond or Dust
Alex Marvez is backstage with MJF who says everybody is rooting for Ricky Starks as they are calling last week a star-making performance. MJF says the first time he ever appeared on Dynamite, he was already a star and is batting a thousand with all hits and no misses, and asks Starks how many at-bats did he have before he finally hit that homer. MJF says at 26 years old he is the most talked about person in this business and a star maker. MJF starts to mimic Starks at his hard upbringing and says he doesn’t care and none of it matters and all that matters is if you are the AEW World Champion or not. MJF talks about how he was born better than Starks and everybody else on this planet and he’s already the man who has the Dynamite Diamond Ring and everybody wants to see his downfall. MJF says how everybody around the world wants Starks to win ‘the big one’, and asks if he can do it or if he’ll let everyone die. And tonight, we will find out what happens when pressure is applied to the pebble, and if he will turn into a diamond or into dust.
Yo, Listen… Up, Slapnuts
As The Acclaimed were making their way to the ring and Max Caster was spitting a freestyle, they got attacked from behind by Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh. They hold up Max Caster in the middle of the ring, as Jarrett smashes a guitar over his head.
Shadow Your Elder
Tony Schiavone is backstage with The Jericho Appreciation Society and brings up Chris Jericho tapping out to the Giant Swing and losing the ROH World Championship to Claudio Castagnoli. Jericho calls that move barbaric and how it should be banned and he will take out his frustration on some jobber on his road to reclaiming the ROH World Championship and calls Claudio a flash in the pan like Joe Exotic and Ricky Starks. Schiavone starts asking Daniel Garcia about losing the Pure Championship to Chris Jericho but Jericho talks on his behalf and says he let him down and he needs a little more experience and from now on should shadow his elder in Sammy Guevara. Guevara says he can start on Friday, as he will kick Jon Moxley’s ass on Rampage.
Brian Cage (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Jack Perry
Jack Perry is displaying neck issues after being taken out by Big Bill (W. Morrissey) last week during the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal. Right away, Brian Cage tackles Perry down and picks him up, but Perry is able to headscissors his way out, goes to the top rope and hits a diving hurricanrana. The neck still is giving Perry issues, as Cage takes advantage and starts whipping Perry in the corners before hitting him with a superplex. Cage starts doing bicep curls with Perry and tosses him back as they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Cage is in control and goes for the Drill Claw but Perry reverses with a roll-up for a two followed by a super kick, before running the ropes and getting stopped with a big clothesline. Cage puts Perry on his shoulders, but Perry counters with a Destroyer and puts on the Snare Trap. As Cage is tapping out, Prince Nana is on the apron and distracts Aubrey Edwards. Perry and Cage go back and forth until Perry is able to roll up Cage for the pin.
Winner: Jack Perry by pinfall at 8:00
New Jack Perry
Jack Perry gets on the mic after and calls out Big Bill, but Stokely Hathaway comes out instead. Perry goes to rush Stokely, but Lee Moriarty and Big Bill attack him. Stokely says there should be music and says RIP New Jack. They take it to the ring and keep attacking Perry until Hook makes his way out and chases The Firm away. Hook helps up Perry.
One Last Worm
We go backstage to the Blackpool Combat Club where Jon Moxley says they were going to make a statement at the ROH Final Battle as Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli both won championships. Moxley brings up choking Konosuke Takeshita unconscious and that’s just a small statement on what they can do and in 2023 they are putting everybody on notice. Moxley brings up that there is one last worm to stomp out in Sammy Guevara and he promises he will do it on Rampage. Moxley tells Hangman Adam Page he knows where to find him and he can bring his Dark Order buddies if he wants to.
Just Affiliates
We see a video package where Swerve Strickland tells Keith Lee he gave him everything and he threw it away, but next week in San Antonio, they will go face-to-face and he doesn’t have family or friends in this business, just affiliates.
House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews) (w/ Julia Hart) vs. The Factory (QT Marshall, Cole Karter & Aaron Solo) (w/ Nick Comoroto & Lee Johnson)
Before the bell rings, Nick Comoroto gets in Julia Hart’s face and throws a toothpick at her, but she sprays the black mist in his face as they start brawling on the outside. QT Marshall is watching the brawling on the outside, as Malakai Black is in the corner. As the bell rings, House of Black surrounds Marshall, followed by the Malakai kick to Marshall for the quick pin and win.
Winners: House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King & Buddy Matthews) by pinfall at 25 seconds
Blue & Baker
We see a quick promo for next week’s match between Jamie Hayter and Hikaru Shida, before going to Renee Paquette backstage with Dr. Britt Baker DMD, and Rebel, as Baker talks about how she defeated Shida before. Skye Blue interrupts and challenges Baker on Rampage this Friday.
Chris Jericho vs. Action Andretti
Chris Jericho starts the match smacking Action Andretti, but ends up smacking him back. Jericho starts stomping away at Andretti in the corner followed by chops and clotheslines. Andretti makes a bit of a comeback, but Jericho quickly stops him and hits him with a Death Valley Driver as the crowd chants ‘let’s go jobber’. Jericho follows with the Code Breaker, but Andretti kicks out at two as we go to commercial.
When we come back, the crowd is behind Andretti, who hits a bunch of clotheslines and a neckbreaker on Jericho. Andretti tries a split-legged moonsault, but Jericho puts his knees up, tries the Judas Effect but Andretti dodges it and rolls up Jericho for a two count. Andretti follows with an Enziguri and clotheslines Jericho to the outside where he hits him with a springboard moonsault. Andretti tosses Jericho back inside and tries to dive onto him, but Jericho catches him and tries the Walls of Jericho, but Andretti rolls him up for another two. Andretti hits a dropkick and a running shooting star press for the pin and the win.
Winner: Action Andretti by pinfall at 9:35
The Most Coldest & Stylist
We go backstage to Ricky Starks who talks about how it’s fitting that he’s getting a world title shot tonight in his backyard and it’s been a long road for him to get here. When he got his neck broken he still told people he had no other option than to win the world title. He paid his dues for the last 11 years and all that comes to a head tonight and he’s been telling people who he was since day one. Starks says nobody gives a damn about MJF, but they do care about him stomping MJF’s ass tonight. Starks says he has a lot of people who look up to him and MJF might think of that as a joke because he doesn’t know what it’s like to have people support him and after tonight he will prove to everybody why he is the coldest and most stylish anyone has ever seen.
We see a video package for FTR and The Gunns as FTR says they got their attention now.
I’m The Ocho!
We see Chris Jericho backstage destroying everything and yelling in anger that he’s the ‘Ocho’ before going into his locker room.
Tay Melo vs. Ruby Soho
As Ruby Soho is making her way to the ring, Tay Melo attacks her on the apron and they start fighting on the outside. Bryce Remsburg checks on Ruby, before ringing the bell. Ruby starts with three back-to-back back suplexes for a two-count. Ruby hits the No Future kick, but Melo rolls to the outside and starts heading to the back. Ruby follows her, but Melo takes her out with a DDT on the ramp as we go to a commercial.
When we come back, Ruby sends Melo face-first into the turnbuckle and follows that by smashing her face repeatedly into it. Ruby follows with an STO for a two-count. Melo comes back with a pump kick and Gotch-style piledriver for a two, on both instances. Ruby blocks the Tay KO with a knee and hits Destination Unknown for the pin.
Winner: Ruby Soho by pinfall at 7:22
Anna Jay runs out after the match and joins Tay Melo in attacking Ruby Soho.
What’s His Name?
Alex Marvez is backstage and asks Adam Page about the challenge he got from Jon Moxley. Page gives an update on his health before talking about when he got knocked out by Jon Moxley in Cincinnati on October 18th. He was able to answer all the questions except when they asked him what his son’s name was, and for a whole hour he didn’t know. And if Moxley wants to take him to hell, he will go with him.
Rampage Line-Up
- Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara
- Skye Blue vs. Dr. Britt Baker DMD
- Wardow in action
- Orange Cassidy, Best Friends & Dustin Rhodes vs. The Butcher & The Blade, Trent Seven & Kip Sabian
Dynamite ‘Holiday Bash’ Line-Up
- AEW Women’s World Championship: Jame Hayter (c) vs. Hikaru Shida
- FTR vs. The Gunns
- AEW World Trios Championship Best of 7 Series (Match 5) No Disqualification Match: Death Triangle vs. The Elite
AEW World Championship & Dynamite Diamond Ring Winner Takes All Match: MJF (c) vs. Ricky Starks
Ricky Starks’ Dynamite Diamond Ring that he won last week is on the line in this World Championship match as well. Big-fight feel here, and it’s noted by Excalibur how the referee put the diamond ring in his pocket as they have a face-off to start the match. MJF starts the match trying to fight dirty while mocking Starks pose. MJF does a strut as they run the ropes with Starks knocking MJF to the outside with a shoulder tackle. MJF heads into the crowd as Excalibur mentions that if the Best of 7 Series continues then match 6 will be Falls Count Anywhere and match 7 will be a Ladder Match. As MJF enters the ring, Starks meets him with a back body drop with a whole string of pin attempts but as the referee gets in between them, MJF hits him with a thumb to the eyes. Commentary mentions how this is the first time in a while in which Starks has wrestled without his ribs taped up, and on cue, MJF works on the ribs before spilling Starks to the outside, as they go to picture-in-picture.
When we come back, Starks comes back with a hip toss and a lariat as both men are laid out. As they get up, Starks takes control with clotheslines and a tornado DDT as the crowd is fully behind him. Starks struggles to lift up MJF, but when he does he hits a Liger Bomb with MJF kicking out at the possible last moment. MJF blocks a Rochambeau attempt before they trade roll-up attempts. They go back and forth until MJF hits another thumb in the eye, but Starks comes back with a spear. Starks’ arm is bothering him, so he fails to go for the pin before eventually covering MJF. MJF kicks out at two and puts on the Salt of the Earth on Starks’ injured arm and holds back his other arm and leg, before Starks finally puts his one free limb on the rope to break it up. They trade side head locks and go back and forth with counters, until MJF pushes the referee out of the way and kicks Starks down low, before rolling him up for the win.
Winner: MJF wins by pinfall at 15:49, to retain the AEW World Championship and win the Dynamite Diamond Ring
As MJF is headed to the back, he gets stopped by Bryan Danielson who chases MJF through the crowd as MJF heads all the way to the top of the arena. Danielson gets back in the ring and points to MJF and his championship.