12/6/23 AEW Dynamite Recap

Join the Starman as he covers tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite live from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

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The Dynamite intro hits, the fireworks go off and we are welcomed to tonight’s loaded show as the announce team hypes the card that will feature three Continental Classic Gold League matches, Toni Storm going against Skye Blue and the Christian Cage defending the TNT Championship against Adam Copeland. Jon Moxley’s music as we head into the first match of the night.

Match 1: Jon Moxley vs. Rush (Continental Classic Gold League Match)
The bell rings as Rush and Moxley trade chops in the middle of the ring. Moxley then leaves the ring after awkwardly landing on his shoulder and Rush follows him out as the two begin fighting through the crowd. Moxley then breaks the count before the fight again returns to the crowd until they finally make their way back into the ring and the referee refuses to actually count either men out. Rush then starts playing mind games, which sets Moxley off as the two trade blows until Rush hits a snap slam for a near fall. Moxley makes a comeback and lands a superplex for a near fall of his own. The fight then heads out to the floor once again where Rush sends Moxley into the railing with an overhead suplex as we head into a commercial break.

The match continues as Rush takes Moxley down with a piledriver, but Moxley is able to kick out at two. Rush follows with a superplex for yet another two count. Moxley then sends Rush out to the floor and takes him out with a dive through the ropes as both men take until the count of nine to make it back into the ring. Moxley and Rush then trade blows for a while until Moxley levels Rush with a lariat for a near fall. Moxley follows by locking Rush with a rear naked choke and the referee calls for the bell and awards the match to Moxley. Rush comes to and starts yelling at the referee.

Winner: Jon Moxley defeated Rush by submission to earn three points in the Continental Classic Gold League.

The Gold League standings is shown with Moxley standing at top with nine points and both Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal could be eliminated, with Briscoe taking on Swerve Strickland and Lethal taking on Jay White later on tonight. A video package highlighting the Lethal/White match is aired with both of them talking about their past and needing to win the match tonight.

Renee Paquette is standing on the stage and introduces Roderick Strong and the Kingdom. Strong comes wheeled out and wearing his neck brace and says MJF is going to stab Samoa Joe in the back tonight. Strong says actions have consequences and he will live with them until now. Strong stands up and says he won’t be held back by a wheelchair. Strong pushes the wheelchair off the stage and says it has been holding him back for far too long. Strong then spikes the microphone as the announce team hypes the next match and we head into a commercial break.

Renee Paquette is outside of MJF’s locker room and is approached by Adam Page, who says Swerve Strickland beat him on pay-per-view, however, he took something from Swerve that night and it’s not over. MJF steps out of his locker room and congratulates Page on his match and how it was impressive to see who could get more STDs. Page says he doesn’t have time for him and leaves but returns after MJF makes some cocky remarks. MJF and Page begin trading insults about past wrestling matches, title reigns and cats. MJF then says he thinks Page is the Devil, and Page says MJF is a manipulator and thinks it’s probably him. The two start standing nose to nose, until it is broken up by Samoa Joe, who reminds MJF that they have bigger things going on tonight.

Match 2: Mark Briscoe vs. Swerve Strickland (Continental Classic Gold League Match)
The bell rings as Briscoe and Swerve start grappling at a slow pace, with Briscoe putting Swerve in a headlock a few times. Briscoe then goes for a cover after a suplex for a two count, as Tony Schiavone has a Freudian slip and says WCW instead of AEW. Briscoe and Swerve begin trading blows on the ring apron before heading out to the floor. Swerve sends Briscoe into the crowd before sending him onto the floor with a superplex from the top of the guard railing and we head into a commercial break.

The match returns to the ring where Briscoe fights his way back with a series of chops and picks up a near fall after hitting a fisherman’s suplex. Swerve is able to comeback and picks up a near fall of his own after hitting a roundhouse kick. The two begin fighting on the middle rope until Briscoe sends Swerve out to the floor with an uppercut and then dives out on top of Swerve. Back in the ring, Briscoe hits a hard lariat for another near fall. Swerve then counters Briscoe’s offense and tries for a 450 Splash, but Briscoe counters for another near fall. Briscoe then tries for the Froggy Bow, but Swerve counters into a pin attempt of his own. The two begin fighting on the apron where Briscoe tries for the Jay Driver, but Swerve counters with a Death Valley Driver. Swerve then hits the Swerve Stomp from the top rope to pick up the pin fall.

Winner: Swerve Strickland defeated Mark Briscoe by pin fall to earn three points in the Continental Classic Gold League.

The announce team say that Swerve is now tied with Jon Moxley with nine points each and bring up the fact that Briscoe is mathematically eliminated, however, he will still compete in Gold League matches.

Renee Paquette is backstage with Mariah May and says Tony Khan and herself planned her debut and is to make AEW more glamourous. Renee presses to know who her first opponent will be, but she dodges the question and says tonight is all about Timeless Toni Storm.

Samoa Joe makes his way to the ring for the next match as the lights start to flicker and finally go out. A spotlight turns on and we see the ring is surrounded by four masked men. The lights go out again and turn on as the men are gone. We then see MJF laid out in the back with a bottle shattered around him. Joe runs up the ramp to check on his partner as we head into a commercial break.

The announce team run down what just happened with Samoa Joe and MJF as they wonder who it could be. Jon Moxley is backstage and says he expected to be 3-0 and expects to win the Continental Classic. Swerve Strickland then comes in and says they are tied at nine points and he will do whatever it takes to win and at whatever costs. Moxley says he will do the same thing as Swerve says he will see Moxley in Texas. These two will face off next week during Winter is Coming.

Ben Mankiewicz from Turner Classic Movies says every generation a performer comes along that defines what it means to be human. Toni Storm is that person for our generation and tonight will be her greatest performance of her career, which brings us into the next match of the night.

Match 3: “Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Skye Blue (AEW Women’s World Championship)
Storm and Blue go back and forth in the opening moments of the match until Storm rolls out to the floor and lures Blue in to take her out with a punch. Storm then gets on Luther’s shoulder and sends Blue crashing out to the floor. Storm then sends Blue into the announce table and smashes Blue against the guard railing with a hip attack as we head into a commercial break.

The match continues in the ring where Blue is making a comeback with a series of kicks and picks up a near fall after hitting a cross body block from the ropes. Blue then connects with a hip attack and follows with the Code Blue to pick up a near fall. The two begin fighting on the turnbuckle as Storm takes Blue down with a superplex. Blue is able to counter Storm’s attempt at the Storm Zero, but Storm is able to counter with a roll up to pick up the pin fall to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship.

Winner: Toni Storm defeated Skye Blue by pin fall to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship.

Riho interrupts Toni Storm’s celebration and hits her with a dropkick. Luther is able to save Storm from Riho’s attack as the two stare each other down. The announce team hype the match between Jay White and Jay Lethal as we head into a commercial break.

A video package highlighting the history between Christian Cage and Adam Copeland is aired. Cage talks about having to work his way to the top, while Copeland was the golden boy that had everything handed to him. Cage says it is finally his time and is the face of AEW now and forever. This will be their first meeting in more than 13 years later on tonight.

Match 4: Jay Lethal vs. Jay White (Continental Classic Gold League Match)
The bell rings as Lethal and White go back and forth to a standstill with a series of counters and reversals until we head into a commercial break. We return to see White and Lethal fighting on the turnbuckle before Lethal hits White with the Lethal Combination. White rolls out to the floor where Lethal takes him out with a dive. Lethal then rolls White back into the ring and hits an elbow drop from the top rope for a near fall.

White is able to mount a comeback and takes Lethal down with a brainbuster for a two count. White and Lethal begin trading chops in the ring before countering each other’s finishers until the two counter roll ups and White picks up the pin fall victory. The loss means Jay Lethal is eliminated from the tournament.

Winner: Jay White defeated Jay Lethal by pin fall to earn three points in the Continental Classic Gold League.

After the match, the announce team runs down the standings for both the Gold and Blue Leagues and run down the upcoming card for Rampage and Collision, as well as the Winter is Coming card for next week’s Dynamite. They then hype the main event, which will be coming up after the commercial break.

Match 5: Adam Copeland vs. Christian Cage (AEW TNT Championship)
The match starts as Copeland quickly takes Cage down and sends him out to the floor. Copeland goes out to the floor and sends Cage repeatedly into the announce table before rolling Cage back into the ring. Cage pleads for mercy and tries to go for a low blow, but Copeland blocks it and continues on the attack. Cage rolls out to the floor and Copeland follows and sends Cage into the railing a few times before sending him into the ring post. Cage finally counters Copeland’s attack as Cage sends Copeland into the ring post and then into the crowd as we head into a commercial break.

The match continues with Cage methodically wearing Copeland down, however, Copeland is able to make a comeback and takes Cage down with a clothesline from the top rope that sends them both crashing to the floor. Cage then sends Copeland into the steel steps with a drop toe hold and follows with a frog splash for a near fall. Copeland then counters a spear and turns it into an Impaler DDT for a near fall. The two begin fighting on the turnbuckle which ends with Copeland driving Cage down with a powerbomb for a close near fall. Cage tries for a Killswitch, but Copeland counters for another near fall.

Copeland then locks in a crossface submission, but Cage is able to get his foot to the rope to break the hold. Copeland continues on the attack and nails Cage with a series of blows. Copeland then tries for a spear, but Cage is able to leap frog it and connects with a Killswitch for a near fall of his own. Cage then goes for spear of his own but Copeland dodges, however, he clips the referee in the process. Cage then hits the referee from behind with a low blow as Cage leaves the ring. Cage grabs his title and returns to the ring as both Cage and Copeland hit each other with spears.

Shayna Wayne then makes her way to the ring and grabs the TNT Championship before hitting Copeland with it, knocking him out. Shayna then leaves the ring to a chorus of boos as Cage takes Copeland down with a Killswitch. Cage then stomps on the back of Copeland’s neck and rolls him over for the pin as the referee finally gets up to make the three count as Cage retains the TNT Championship and Dynamite comes to a close.

Winner: Christian Cage defeated Adam Copeland by pin fall to retain the AEW TNT Championship.

Quick Results
– Jon Moxley defeated Rush by submission to earn three points in the Continental Classic Gold League.
– Swerve Strickland defeated Mark Briscoe by pin fall to earn three points in the Continental Classic Gold League.
– Toni Storm defeated Skye Blue by pin fall to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship.
– Jay White defeated Jay Lethal by pin fall to earn three points in the Continental Classic Gold League.
– Christian Cage defeated Adam Copeland by pin fall to retain the AEW TNT Championship.