All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite: January 10, 2024: Homecoming

January 10, 2024 8:23 PM - Season 5, Episode 15

Dynamite returns to its ancestral home -- Daily's Place in Jacksonville. A pair of multi-person matches honor the late Brodie Lee, Hangman Page goes on a tear, and Sting takes far too much risk for a 62-year-old man.

(Stuff in quotes comes from The Wrestling Observer.)

Hangman Adam Page defeated Claudio Castagnoli

"An outstanding back and forth opener, as this was a big win for Hangman Page in what would assume to be his quest back to the World Title. I say that because Swerve Strickland wants the AEW Title as well, so those two seem to be attached at the hip to at least start 2024."

These two pulled out almost all their biggest moves on each other -- Claudio kicking out of the Deadshot and resisting stiff forearms while Page fought out of the Sharpshooter and several big uppercuts. AEW viewers need to be reminded occasionally that Page was a BFD back in New Japan, placed on equal footing with main eventers like Jay White and Kenny Omega plus having a pivotal role in Bullet's Club's civil war. With Kenny out for an undetermined time, the show is keeping gas on Hangman as a stronger top face again.

"We see some highlights of the late Brodie Lee during the Daily’s Place run for AEW. Tonight will feature multiple 8 person tag matches that will include Lee's proteges Preston Vance & Anna Jay. Despite both being heels, they'll be teaming with fan favorites this evening. It’s really hard to believe Brodie’s whole AEW run was during the pandemic. He is truly missed."

Eight-man tag match: AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy + Adam Copeland + Dustin Rhodes + Preston Vance (w/Jose The Assistant) defeated Lance Archer (w/Jake Roberts), Brian Cage, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun (w/Prince Nana)

"Your standard party match where the babyface in Cassidy was isolated during break, but when things returned, everything broke down and we got a series of high impact moves. I wouldn't be surprised if we got a ROH Six Man Title match with Archer & The Righteous vs. Mogul Embassy after what happened in the finish here. I’m not sure if this makes Vance a permanent face again or this is just a one off, but everyone seems to have forgot Vance turned heel by making Brodie Lee Jr. cry and attacking Dark Order. None of that was mentioned tonight, though."

Cassidy took a lot of offense in this match, like a surprising amount. Granted, he was the smallest guy on the face side so this is the easiest way to build the crowd's energy, but it was almost as though the booking was hesitant to have any of the bigger men in for too long. Once it broke down, everyone got their moves in like the classic PWG shows of old. Side note: between the presence of Jake The Snake, Dustin Rhodes and Adam Copeland in this match, it's a spread of former WWE experience that stretches unbroken from the 80s until 2022.

Samoa Joe Addresses Daily’s Place

Yeah, I'm calling the shot here. Give Hook the title. Since the story of 2023 was that no one could get the championship off MJF, let 2024 be the year where the belt changes hands more frequently and top guys are constantly in a mad scramble so that no one sits too comfortably (and then Adam Cole swoops in once his ankle heals in Q3). That segment had real energy behind it.

Sammy Guevara defeated Ricky Starks

"This could’ve been so much more, but this felt like they were saving it for Battle of the Belts this Saturday. This gives the challengers another win and the post match built up the Street Fight stip that goes along with the Tag Title match."

Somewhat disagree, these twinks basically did all they could to each other without their larger partners tagging in. The problem with running them one-on-one is that Ricky is actually the larger of the two men ("twunk"), so his charisma doesn't land quite right.

Eight-woman tag match: Thunder Rosa, Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale & Anna Jay vs. TBS Champion Julia Hart, Skye Blue, Saraya & Ruby Soho (w/Harley Cameron)

"A very similarly put together party match like the men’s earlier tonight, as this made it 2-0 for Brodie Lee protégés coming out on top for their team. I wouldn’t be surprised if Anna Jay gets a TBS Title match as a result of this. Stokely Hathaway was ringside holding a sign that said 'Let Stoke Manage You Stat.'"

Former Dark Order members working face and winning matches? Did Negative One book this show? By the way, between this match and the backstage segments with Toni Storm, Mariah May, and later Deonna Purrazzo and Red Velvet, you will meet nearly the entire active women's roster tonight. I keep hoping that building the women's side is a precursor to Mercedes Moné making her debut soon... maybe for Revolution in March?

Roderick Strong (w/The Undisputed Kingdom) defeated Bryan Keith

"A quick victory for Strong, who has announced he’s setting his sights on the International Title, so this was a way to just get victories stacked up before the Cassidy showdown presumably happens in the near future. [...] Post match, Adam Cole sat in the middle of the ring and said when he said things would change, he meant that. They aren’t worried about the fans at all because they deserve everything. Strong is a 20 year veteran and Cole said the International Title has his name all over it. Cole put over Taven & Bennett for being the greatest ROH Tag Team Champions of all time, never getting the respect they deserve. Cole finally brought up the monster, dominator, Wardlow, who is finally surrounded with people who respect him. When the time is right “we” are going to win the AEW World Championship. Cole told the fans to say hello to their new Kingdom, get comfortable, as they will be there for a very long time."

For an ROH guy, Bryan Keith has spent a lot of time hanging out in AEW recently, is he signed to both brands?

Sting & Darby Allin (w/Ric Flair) defeated Powerhouse Hobbs & Konosuke Takeshita (w/Don Callis) in a Tornado Tag

"This was a pretty standard brawl of a main event, with Allin taking his signature crazy amount of punishment, including being launched by Hobbs & Takeshita in a spot that needs to be seen. The end of this made me concerned about Sting’s health, as he landed really hard off the stage with Hobbs. It appears we have the match set for Sting’s final match and I’m sure it will leave fans conflicted. I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s built over the next few months. [...]

During break, Hobbs & Takeshita set up a table ringside that I believe had Sting’s eyes painted on it. Allin tried a comeback, but Takeshita & Hobbs hit a double team flipping powerslam before launching Allin clear across the ring in an insane visual. Sting was left along to fight back for his team with Stinger Splashes, only to be cut off with a Takeshita jumping knee. Ric Flair got in the ring and tried chopping Hobbs, who no sold, so Flair opted for eye pokes. Sting sent Takeshita packing, with Allin there to hit a dive to the floor. Sting dropped Hobbs with a spinebuster as all four men fought to the stage, where Hobbs sent Sting into the metal entrance structure. Allin dodged a Takeshita charging knee and Takeshita smacked the guard rail. Allin climbed up high on the stage and leapt off with a Coffin Drop. Hobbs hoisted Sting up and walked him over to the edge of the stage where the table was placed, but Sting countered and hit a Scorpion Death Drop off the stage through the table. Sting draped an arm across Hobbs and got the victory."

As soon as I saw the way the railings and scaffolding had been arranged near the ramp entrance, I knew Darby would be leaping off that shit. I feel like him and Sting are in a race to see who can die first before Revolution. The Young Bucks are an interesting choice for the final match, after having been off TV for a while. Since Sting and Darby are undefeated as a team, Sting could either wrap up his career beating them or the Bucks could do something dickish to cost him his retirement victory.

posted by The Pluto Gangsta