AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from November 30
MJF defeated Jon Moxley to capture the AEW World Championship at Full Gear and for the first time since then, the self-proclaimed "Devil" spoke to the fans Wednesday night on Dynamite.
The new top dog in All Elite Wrestling headlined a show that also featured the third match in the Best-of-Seven Series for the world trios titles between The Elite and Death Triangle.
What did MJF have to say in his first promo as world champ and were Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks able to stop the bleeding and wrest a win away from Penta El Zero Miedo, Rey Fenix and PAC?
Find out with this recap from the final Dynamite of November.
Jon Moxley and Hangman Page's Explosive Start
Former AEW world champion Jon Moxley kicked off the show by touting his status as the "top of the food chain" in the company and then claimed no man had the courage to confront him.
This brought out "Hangman" Adam Page for the first time since suffering a scary concussion in his match with Mox on October 18. The two wasted little time getting into a physical encounter that was broken up by security and referees.
The red-hot start to the show drew chants of "Let them fight," the sign of an effective angle and something fans wanted to see. Page and Moxley are bona fide main event talent in AEW, and the fans believe in them.
The intensity and physicality worked and resulted in an opening segment that set up a match with an inadvertent build and a desire on the part of the audience to see it play out.
Grade
A
Top Moments
- "There are three certainties in this world: Death, taxes and Jon Moxley."
- "Nothing has really changed since day one. I am the top of the food chain."
- One of the extras playing a security guard pushed Moxley, who tripped and fell off the stage. Hopefully, they got out of Dodge backstage quickly for their own sake.
Bryan Danielson vs. Dax Harwood
Two of the most celebrated in-ring performers of 2022 battled in the night's first match as Bryan Danielson squared off with Dax Harwood.
The FTR man controlled through the commercial break, but a late reversal of bodyweight allowed Danielson to slow his opponent's momentum and mount a comeback.
The American Dragon uncorked his trademark kicks, but Harwood countered with a Liger Bomb for two.
A series of pinfall reversals gave way to Danielson applying the LeBell Lock and forcing a tapout, but not without his chest bearing the redness and welts of an intensely physical encounter.
There was considerable excitement across the internet the moment when the match was announced, and this did not disappoint. Was it a Match of the Year candidate? No, but it didn't have to be. It was still a hard-hitting affair with some great technical wrestling, even better timing and a finish that put over Danielson but didn't damage Harwood's credibility.
The post-match embrace reminded fans that both men are babyfaces and will remain that way. More importantly, it was a show of respect between two great professional wrestlers who have helped carry the promotion in 2022.
Result
Danielson tapped Harwood out
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- The crowd chanted, "This is awesome" during the lockup, a reflection of their excitement for the contest.
- Harwood's partner in FTR, Cash Wheeler, returned backstage so the match could go on uninterrupted.
- Harwood applied a Sharpshooter in an ode to his favorite wrestler, Bret Hart.
- Backstage, Ricky Starks cut a promo about next week's Dynamite Diamond Ring Battle Royal, claiming he is entering the match because he wants to take everything away from MJF: First his ring and then the AEW World Championship at Winter Is Coming.
TNT Championship: Samoa Joe vs. AR Fox
For the first time since winning it at Full Gear, Samoa Joe defended the TNT Championship against new AEW signing, AR Fox, in one-on-one action.
The Samoan Submission Machine dominated the action before and throughout the commercial, establishing a dominance that Fox struggled to counteract. He did, though, downing Joe with a cutter and adding a picture-perfect 450 splash for a near-fall.
The champ recovered, delivered the Muscle Buster and pinned Fox to retain.
A post-match promo was interrupted by Wardlow, who suggested his feud with Joe is not over.
This was fine for what it was but will likely be overrated by the AEW fans.
Joe was slow and methodical; Fox was flashy and again broke out his beautiful finisher to no avail. The focus was clearly on establishing the champion and highlighting him ahead of ROH Final Battle on Dec. 10, when he will presumably battle Wardlow for the TNT title.
Who wins that is anyone's guess, but common sense would say it cannot be Wardlow. At the same time, as one of the few faces of Ring of Honor, it would be detrimental to the brand to weaken one of its stars.
Result
Joe defeated Fox
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Moxley and Page continued their backstage brawl, with security again stepping in.
- Renee Paquette hosted a sit-down interview with the Jericho Appreciation Society and Blackpool Combat Club in which a tag match pitting Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta against Daniel Garcia and Jake Hager was announced. Yuta also challenged Garcia for the ROH Pure Championship at Final Battle.
- Excalibur revealed AR Fox was officially signed to AEW earlier in the afternoon.
- "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome you to a new era...of the one, true King of Television!" Joe said.
MJF Promo
One week after being ordered out of AEW by Moxley, William Regal made his way to the ring to a chorus of boos before introducing the new world champion to the fans.
MJF cut another stellar promo that introduced his "reign of terror" and teased Danielson as the top contender.
The champion reminded fans of the bidding war of 2024 and promised to hold the title until then while making the reigns of other top villains look short in comparison.
Then, in a shocking moment, he flattened Regal with his diamond ring. The commentary team sold the gravity of the moment and Danielson rushed to the ring to check on his mentor.
The somber voices of Excalibur, Taz and Tony Schiavone, the concern on the faces of those involved and the ambulance angle really put over MJF for being the vile villain he is for targeting a legendary figure with well-known health issues.
Danielson kicking the life out of MJF is going to be a ton of fun and will likely be the Match of the Year candidate that The American Dragon has lacked this year and a foundational moment for the heel's reign.
This was all sorts of greatness from guys who all know what it takes to get an angle of this magnitude over.
Grade
A+
Top Moments
- "He wanted me to leave Moxley with an emotional scar, so he never forgot about the day he was outsmarted by MJF," the new champion said of his alliance with Regal.
- "This belt is tacky. It lacks class," the heel said before revealing a new belt.
- "He has desecrated the title!" Tony Schiavone said of the new design.
- "I'm not sure if a pro wrestling company wins the bidding war of 24. I am tired of looking at the disgusting, grotesque faces of pro wrestling fans. Maybe Hollywood wins," MJF said of his eventual free agency in just over a year.
- "I'm about to have a title reign that is about to make Hulk Hogan, JBL and Jeff Jarrett's look short and sweet."
- MJF recited a version of the email sent to him by Regal, just moments after rocking him with a shot to the head with the Dynamite Diamond Ring in a poetic angle. "Will, the game has changed," he said.
Ricky Starks vs. Ari Daivari
Prior to Ricky Starks battling Ari Daivari, The Firm's Ethan Page vowed to enter the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal and win it with the reluctant assistance of Matt Hardy, just so he could then call his shot at Winter Is Coming on December 14.
Starks responded to All Ego's threats by making short work of Daivari in a squash, spearing him and delivering Rochambeau for the pinfall victory.
This was little more than an excuse to highlight the babyface and inform the fans that the issues between Absolute and All Ego are far from finished.
There is nothing wrong with that and, if anything, Tony Khan probably deserves props for finally booking an undercard program to make use of the criminally mismanaged Starks and the always-entertaining Page.
Result
Starks squashed Daivari
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Page blatantly laying out his entirely heel plan is such a great bad-guy thing. Think of every villain in any Scream film.
Willow Nightingale vs. Anna Jay A.S.; Jade Cargill's TBS Championship Celebration
The women's division was highlighted next as Willow Nightingale battled Anna Jay A.S. in singles competition, with the latter accompanied to the squared circle by Tay Melo.
A competitive match saw Nightingale overcome a game opponent, fight back from underneath and deliver a sit-out powerbomb for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Ruby Soho made a surprise return, attacking Melo and leaving her lying on the ramp.
The match was solid but would have benefited from a bit of build beyond the multi-team match we saw a week ago. Nightingale is a star, as is Jay A.S.
Unfortunately, the latter was there simply to set up the post-match attack on her friend, which should relate in another secondary program but helps neither of the women actually involved in the contest itself.
Following that contest, TBS champion Jade Cargill made her way to the ring alongside baddies Red Velvet and Leila Grey.
She cut a nondescript promo before Bow Wow appeared on the video screen, admitted his continued infatuation with the Cargill, and the segment came to a screeching halt.
What on earth was this?
None of it was productive, Cargill looked uncharacteristically fazed at one point, and the Bow Wow stuff has nothing to do with the champion or her title. This was not good at all.
Result
Nightingale defeated Jay A.S.
Grade
C+ for the match; D- for the title celebration
Top Moments
- The pop for Soho was encouraging and proved that, despite the changes that have occurred in the women's division, she is still a popular member who can contribute in a major way. A feud with TayJay could be fun if it isn't relegated to a one-off on an episode of Rampage.
Best-of-Seven Series: The Elite vs. Death Triangle (Match 3)
For the third show in a row, The Elite (Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks) and Death Triangle (Rey Fenix, Penta El Zero Miedo and PAC) battled in the Best-of-Seven Series for the AEW World Trios Championship.
A desperate Elite attacked from the opening bell, setting a frantic pace for the remainder of the match. Bodies soared through the air, wiping the opposition out on more than one occasion, while the champions forced their challengers on the defensive.
Omega, Nick and Matt Jackson proved resilient, not only overcoming an 0-2 deficit in the overarching series but also mounting a comeback to score the win after Matt got his knees up during PAC's Black Arrow attempt and Nick rolled him up for the three-count.
This was probably the weakest of the three matches to date, but it had the best storytelling of the series, with the narrative involving The Elite's desperation to score a win and avoid a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 deficit.
It was a party match, a nonstop trios bout the likes of which AEW has long been known, and that is perfectly fine. If you like that kind of contest, odds are that you were immensely entertained; if not, you probably hoped for a sweep so you could stop paying attention.
For now, The Elite remains in the fight and will look to even up the series at Winter Is Coming.
Result
The Elite defeated Death Triangle (Death Triangle lead 2-1 in the series)
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- On the defensive in the series, The Elite attacked Death Triangle on the stage prior to the bell.
- The match was not officially underway until after the commercial break, during which The Elite seized control of the action.
- Penta teased using the timekeeper's hammer, Fenix prevented him from doing so, and Omega flattened the latter with the V-Trigger.
- PAC used the protective facemask to rock Omega with a headbutt and then delivered an avalanche Falcon Arrow for two.