AEW Dynamite
Fresno, California
January 18, 2023
Thanks to allelitewreslting.com for the results


Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, CA!


A graphic aired at the start of the show paying tribute to Jay Briscoe: 1984-2023. #DEMBOYS


Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.


It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!


AEW All-Atlantic Championship Match!


“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) (with Danhausen)

vs.

Jay Lethal!


It was announced that if Sonjay Dutt, Satnam Singh, and Jeff Jarrett were to interfere, Sonjay Dutt would be fired. Before the match began, they walked down the arena steps, kicked fans out of ringside seats, and then claimed them as their own.


Danhausen was dressed as an usher and checked on their tickets. Danhausen signaled for Trent and Chuck Taylor to sit at ringside and take the seats. Trent and Chuck walked over holding cold beverages and popcorn.


Lethal sent Orange Cassidy tumbling out to the floor. Jay Lethal slammed Orange’s spine into the edge of the ring and then whipped him into the ring post.


“Looking good for the challenger there,” said Taz.


“Orange bouncing off of that ring post,” added Excalibur.


Lethal tried for the figure four but Orange kicked him away. Orange hit a diving cross body press and followed up with the stundog millionaire. Orange jumped off the top rope but Lethal countered with the Lethal Combination!


Lethal ducked the Orange Punch and nailed Orange with the Lethal Injection. Orange rolled out of the ring, as an act of self-preservation. As the ref was distracted, Jarrett tried to hand off his guitar to Lethal. Danhausen intercepted the guitar. In the chaos, Cassidy connected with the Orange Punch and pinned Jay Lethal!


Satnam Singh jumped in the ring, about to chokeslam the Best Friends. Sonjay Dutt stopped Satnam. “You’re going to get me fired,” he said. Jarrett tried to smash the guitar on Orange but Sonjay yanked it out of Jarrett’s hands. Lethal and his associates walked to the back, letting cooler heads prevail.


AEW World Trios Champions The Young Bucks—Matt & Nick Jackson

vs.

Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin!


Nick reversed a wrist lock from Dante, and Dante matched Nick’s counter with one of his own. Nick shoved Dante away and Dante fired back with a roundhouse kick.


Matt tagged in and Top Flight employed rapid tags, using tandem offense on the Bucks. But the Bucks were there to answer with their own patented elite level tag team maneuvers.


Darius hit a diving cross body on Matt for a near fall. Darius cracked Matt with a forearm. Nick tagged in and rocked Darius with a superkick.


Dante was double-teamed by the Bucks. But Top Flight responded with double team offense on the Bucks. Top Flight spiked Matt with the powerbomb/nosedive combination until Nick Jackson made the save!


The fans chanted “A-E-W! A-E-W!


Nick jumped over the top with a destroyer on Darius for a two-count. The Bucks smashed Darius with the Briscoes’ Doomsday Device. Dante broke up the pin. Dante hit a springboard but the Bucks countered with stereo superkicks!


The Bucks attempted the BTE Trigger on Darius but Darius dodged it. Darius scored the pin with a massive upset!


“The audience is shocked. Don’t be shocked. It happened!” said Taz.


“This could shape up to be a gigantic year for Top Flight,” replied Excalibur.


Up next: We were supposed to hear from AEW World Tag Team Champions The Acclaimed—Max Caster and Anthony Bowens—and Daddy Ass—instead Austin and Colten Gunn demanded a microphone and came out to the ring!


Max told the crew to shut off Austin’s mic. Max performed a rap. Caster and Bowens got face to face with the Gunns and began to ground and pound them. Billy Gunn tried to play peacemaker.


Billy: “I’m sick and tired of this. Next week we’re gonna sit down and hash all this out. So I have two words for you: Family Therapy.”


Renee Paquette interviewed “Hangman” Adam Page backstage!


Page: “After our first match, Jon took something from me. I feel like after this win after Jon Moxley, I at least have my word back. I understand the nature of wrestling. Our first match he put me to sleep but then he wanted to make a joke out of it. So in the second match I knocked him out. I have some fences I need to mend, but I don’t want to get overly specific just yet. If you get the chance, could you tell…never mind.”


Jericho Appreciation Society’s Jake Hager (with Chris Jericho, Matt Menard, and Angelo Parker) vs. “Absolute” Ricky Starks!


Ricky grabbed a wrist lock and Hager’s bucket hat! Starks’ sliding dropkick was intercepted. Jake smashed Ricky with a giant boot!


Parker and Menard set up a table outside the ring. Starks wiped out Parker and Menard and then hit a springboard crossbody on Hager.


Hager attempted the Hager Bomb but Starks had it scouted. He stuck Hager with a DDT for a near fall!


“I think he dazed him with that DDT because Jake is moving slowly now,” said Jericho.


Starks blasted Hager with a spear and then pinned him!


“Dammit!” said Jericho.


Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara sprinted down to the ring but Starks escaped into the crowd!


“Ricky Starks overcoming the 5-on-1 disadvantage and scoring the win tonight,” said Excalibur.


“It’s always a numbers advantage with the JAS but not tonight,” added Tony Schiavone.


Backstage, Jericho told Tony Schiavone that he and Sammy have a match next week against Starks and Action Andretti. Daniel Garcia said he wanted to be in the match. Sammy offered Garcia his spot!!


“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Bandido!


They chain wrestled to begin the match, with Bryan grappling Bandido to the mat. Danielson captured Bandido’s arms into a pinning predicament but Bandido escaped. Bandido applied the Romero Special but Bryan transitioned into his own Romero Special, then stomped on Bandido’s legs.


Danielson tried for a sunset flip but Bandido rolled through. Bandido was looking for Blue Panther’s finisher but Danielson headbutted his way out.


The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”


Bandido hoisted up Danielson for a delayed vertical suplex!


“Very impressive but it takes a lot out of the tank,” said Taz.


Bandido tried for the frog splash but Danielson got his knees up and then transitioned into the LeBell Lock!


“Tap!” yelled Bryan.


Bandido pivoted and reached the ropes with his boot, forcing the ref to break the hold. Bryan walloped Bandido with roundhouse kicks. Bandido intercepted the last kick and backed up Bryan. Bandido lifted up Danielson and dropped him directly into a knee strike. Bandido went for the 21-plex but Danielson countered it!


Bandido used a single leg trip and cradled Danielson for a near fall! Danielson clobbered Bandido with a jumping knee. Bandido brought Danielson back into the ring with a flipping fallaway slam and followed up with the 21-plex for a near fall!


Bandido rocked Bryan with a thrust kick. Bryan Danielson countered a brainbuster from Bandido with the LeBell Lock. Bandido powered Danielson up but Danielson fired back with the running knee, enough to pin Bandido!


“He wiped him out,” said Schiavone.


“First it was Takeshita, now it is Bandido. One step closer to MJF and the AEW World Championship,” said Excalibur.


MJF appeared on the big screen!


MJF: “I see everyone saying I’m not worthy of my position here in this company. I take that very personally. To think of all of the moments I’ve given you people. Fickle. Bryan, since you and I have first crossed passed, you’ve only dealt with masked Max. But the closer we get to our match, the more my mask slips off. You don’t want that, Bryan. You may think you’re a dragon. But even a dragon is no match for a monster behind the mask.”


Backstage, Renee Paquette was backstage with Prince Nana and “The Machine” Brian Cage! It was announced that next week Cage would be facing Danielson! MJF approached them with a padded enveloped and said the money was all for Cage if he could break Danielson’s arm next week.


Willow Nightingale vs. Toni Storm (with Saraya)!


Willow suplexed Toni and followed up with the crossbody. Willow extended her hand to shake Toni’s but Toni slapped Willow. Hikaru Shida came down to the ring with her kendo stick.


After the running hip attack, Toni spiked Willow with a DDT for a near fall. Willow walloped Toni with the pounce! Willow smashed Toni with a running cannonball in the corner.


Saraya jumped up on the apron and distracted Willow. Toni rolled up Willow and scored the pin. Saraya blindsided Willow with an attack after the match!


Ruby Soho ran down to the ring to even up the odds for Willow!


Main Event Time!


TNT Championship Open Challenge Match!


Darby Allin (c.) (with Sting) vs. Kushida!


Darby was looking for the arm bar but Kushida countered. Darby grabbed the bottom rope to force the ref to distance Kushida from him. Kushida grabbed a single on Darby. Kushida blasted Darby with a dropkick.


Kushida kicked at Darby’s arm. Kushida continued to work over the limb, trying to separate the shoulder.


Darby hit a Coffin Splash in the corner. Darby connected with the Code Red for a near fall.


“Guys, Darby is still hurting. He’s holding that arm,” said Schiavone.


Darby cannonballed to the outside and wiped-out members of the LA Dojo. Kushida grabbed Darby’s arm and rammed Darby’s shoulder into the thin mat on the arena floor.


Darby tried to mount a comeback with forearms to Kushida’s face. Kushida rocked Darby with the Pele kick! Darby intercepted Kushida with a Scorpion Death Drop!


Kushida dropped a diving knee onto Darby’s shoulder. Darby went over the top with a stunner on Kushida right on the apron!


“I don’t know who got the worst of that,” said Tony Schiavone.


Darby grabbed a steel chair. Darby blasted Kushida with forearms. Darby jumped off the top turnbuckle but Kushida moved off the chair! After Darby crashed onto the arena floor, Kushida applied an arm bar to Darby!


Kushida brought Darby into the ring hard, grabbing the Hoverboard Lock! The LA Dojo members offered the towel to Sting, implying he throw the towel in. Sting had no intentions of throwing the towel in to end the match. Darby blocked Kushida’s attempt at the Hoverboard Lock and grabbed the pin with the Last Supper!


“How did he do that?” asked a bewildered Tony Schiavone.


“A highly technical cover by Darby Allin to retain the championship,” replied Excalibur.


Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY!


This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!


And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!