AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from January 8

Will he or won't he?

It was the question hanging over Jon Moxley's head like a dark cloud Wednesday night as All Elite Wrestling invaded the legendary wrestling town of Memphis, Tennessee, for its latest episode of Dynamite.

Would he accept Chris Jericho's offers of wealth and ownership of The Inner Circle or remain the most unpredictable, unstable force in all of AEW?

What would Cody say of MJF's stipulations, laid down by the silver-spoon loudmouth a week ago?

The answers to those questions, plus in-ring action pitting Kenny Omega and "Hangman" Adam Page against Private Party, headlined the January 8 broadcast.

A week after Adam Page refused to join his Elite teammates in the ring to close out the broadcast, Hangman reluctantly partnered with Kenny Omega in Wednesday's opening match against Private Party's Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy.

The commentary team told the story of Page seeing himself as the "low man on the totem pole" in The Elite and discussed his desire to prove himself by taking a step back from the group, all while Hangman found himself at the mercy of the opposition early in the bout.

A tag to Omega turned the tide in the favor of the world title contenders.

The ultra-athletic Quen staved off the onslaught from Page and Omega, soaring through the air to wipe out both competitors on the floor. A 450 splash on Page nearly earned Private Party the upset win. Double-team offense, including a headscissors into a Spanish Fly, earned the charismatic young stars another near-fall on Page.

Page recovered with a fallaway slam and made the tag to Omega. Page manhandled the opposition while Omega unloaded a big snapdragon suplex to Quen. Private Party answered with the Silly String to The Cleaner for another close two-count.

Following up on previous issues between partners, Page nearly wiped out Omega with a Buckshot Lariat. Private Party recovered, capitalized on the dissension and delivered Gin and Juice for a near-fall on Omega.

Omega recovered and flipped Quen, who kicked Page in the head. Hangman recovered and delivered a Buckshot Lariat/V-Trigger combination before Omega finished off Quen with the One-Winged Angel for the win.

After the match, Pac appeared on the video screen, his arms clutching Michael Nakazawa in a crossface. The Bastard again demanded a rubber match with Omega or the beatings on his friend would continue.

     

Result

Omega and Page defeated Private Party

      

Grade

A

     

Analysis

A red-hot opener that continued to tease the dissension between Page and Omega, this was exactly what it needed to be. The wrestling was energetic, fast-paced and put Quen and Kassidy over as being on the same level as the competition, a hell of a compliment to the young team.

Of utmost importance was the story told by the commentary team regarding Page's continued distancing of himself from The Elite and the schism that presented itself throughout the course of the bout.

All signs point to a heel turn for Page soon, and given the fact that Pac has demanded a rematch with Omega twice now while The Cleaner was teaming with Page, it may happen just in time for Hangman to cost his teammate a huge singles victory.

After a blockbuster first month in the AEW women's division, Kris Statlander sought to turn her winning ways into championship gold as she challenged Riho for the world title.

Statlander controlled early, cutting off an attempted 619 and working over the champion throughout the break. Riho rolled out of the way of a moonsault but found herself in the grasp of the challenger, who brought her off the top rope with a delayed vertical superplex. Melanie Cruise (now just Mel) and Awesome Kong of The Nightmare Collective made their way to the ringside area, drawing a chorus of boos while Brandi Rhodes pleaded innocence on commentary.

Mel pulled Riho off the ring apron and sent her into the guardrail as Brandi mockingly expressed dismay. Statlander dove through the ropes and wiped out both invaders at ringside.

As Statlander came face-to-face with Rhodes, Japanese deathmatch legend Luther (as revealed by Excalibur) appeared from underneath the squared circle and provided a distraction that Kong was quick to capitalize on, bowling over the challenger.

Riho wiped out Luther at ringside, and the match continued back inside the squared circle. The champion countered a gorilla press with a crucifix bomb for two. Statlander followed with a near-fall of her own. Just as the challenger appeared poised to put Riho away, Kong swept the legs of Statlander and Riho scored the tainted victory.

After the match, Kong attacked Statlander. Riho tried to intervene but ate a beatdown at the hands of Mel. Hikaru Shida made the save while a disinterested Britt Baker watched from the stands.

Big Swole and Sonny Kiss also hit the ring, chasing The Nightmare Collective up the ramp.

     

Result

Riho defeated Statlander

     

Grade

C

    

Analysis

This was disjointed and messy, hurt significantly by overbooking. Instead of involving Kong, Mel, Luther and Brandi during the match, one of them easily could have swept the leg to cost Statlander the win before the big save and showdown between sides unfolded afterward.

The women's division remains the weakest area of the AEW product, thanks to a lack of definition. Yes, we at least know The Nightmare Collective is a heel faction, but the lack of development in characters elsewhere hurts the overall effect.

Statlander and Riho showed some solid chemistry here, but there was too much going on around them for the performers to really have the quality of match they are probably capable of. Given how many weeks of television had been spent building to this, the final product was a disappointment. At the very least, though, it at least helps build to a multi-wrestler battle between babyfaces and Rhodes' carnival of heels.

A week after suggesting Christopher Daniels can't match up with him anymore, The Inner Circle's Sammy Guevara squared off with The Fallen Angel in singles competition.

The Spanish God earned the upper hand, capitalizing on a momentary distraction by the official to seize control of the bout and halt Daniels' early onslaught. He mocked the legendary Jackie Fargo strut in the city it was made famous in and continued to wear down Daniels.

The baldheaded leader of SCU dumped Guevara with a T-bone suplex to create separation. A big back body drop gave way to a babyface comeback for Daniels, who scored a two-count off a powerbomb attempt. Guevara recovered, delivered a running knee strike and earned a near-fall off a running shooting star press.

Daniels fought back and appeared to be rolling when Pentagon Jr. appeared and demanded his rival try for the moonsault. Daniels did not and ran into a big boot to the back of the head before Guevara scored the win.

After the match, The Dark Order entered the arena. Evil Uno touted the reputation of Daniels but then claimed the fans do not share his high opinion of The Fallen Angel. The masked mouthpiece of the group offered Daniels a spot in The Dark Order, imploring him to be one with the group and wear its mask.

Daniels rejected the offer and endured a beatdown at the hands of Stu Grayson, Alex Reynolds and John Silver. Scorpio Sky, Frankie Kazarian and The Young Bucks hit the ring to make the save, stomping out Reynolds and Silver. Grayson attempted to fight the babyfaces on his own but paid for it. Sky soared through the air, wiping out the heels.

     

Result

Guevara defeated Daniels

     

Grade

C

    

Analysis

There was not much to this one.

Daniels and Guevara never felt like they really clicked, and then the involvement of Pentagon in the closing moments of the match served as yet another bit of interference to further a storyline, not unlike what we saw in the last match.

Guevara wins another match that he spent most of getting his ass handed to him, continuing to call into question his legitimacy when he is supposed to be Chris Jericho's handpicked star of the future in The Inner Circle.

That lackluster use of The Spanish God, followed by Creative's further insistence that The Dark Order is actually something fans want to see when the reactions have been anything but, makes for a questionable segment overall.

The dream match pitting brothers against brothers saw Cody and Dustin Rhodes battle The Lucha Bros' Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix.

The Brotherhood started hot, but it was The Lucha Bros who had control of the bout heading into the commercial break thanks to their ability to isolate Dustin and cut the ring off from his partner.

Dustin finally created some separation, head coach of The Nightmare Family Arn Anderson kicked a chair away from Fenix and Cody received the hot tag to a thunderous ovation. The EVP of AEW exploded into the match and dropped Fenix with a powerslam. A tope wiped out Pentagon at ringside, and Cody continued his onslaught with some hard right hands to the face of Fenix.

The action broke down and Dustin re-entered the ring. After Cody dropped Pentagon with a Cody Cutter, Dustin hit a destroyer on Fenix and put away the luchador for the win.

After the match, Anderson spoke on behalf of Cody and said they would discuss MJF's stipulations and get back to him next week.

     

Result

The Brotherhood defeated The Lucha Bros

    

Grade

A

    

Analysis

Is there anyone more fun to watch right now than Dustin Rhodes?

The second-generation star has found the fountain of youth and appears to be motivated by the challenge of performing up to the level of the younger, faster stars of today. He was pure fire in this one late, showing the speed and agility of a much younger man en route to a victory. One of the most influential stars of all time for his work as Goldust, this may actually prove to be his best incarnation yet.

Cody, as usual, was equally as great and has really developed into one of the most consistently excellent in-ring performers in all of wrestling.

If there was a negative, it was the questionable use of The Lucha Bros, whose use continues to befuddle fans who consider them the best team in the world. They could stand a series of impressive victories to regain position in the tag title hunt.

An infuriated MJF made his way to the ring with Wardlow and wasted little time calling out Cody, referring to him as "a little b---h" in the process. Unexpectedly, Diamond Dallas Page appeared. He responded to those on social media asking him if he was coming back for one more match, hinting that he might have a showdown with the loudmouthed villain in mind.

MJF said DDP at his best couldn't lace his boots and, with his arthritic hands, couldn't hold his jock now. MJF introduced The Butcher and The Blade, both of whom ate Diamond Cutters.

A momentary distraction from The Bunny and Wardlow allowed MJF to deliver a low blow.

Before a beating could ensue, QT Marshall and Dustin Rhodes hit the ring to make the save.

     

Grade

C

    

Analysis

Between losing to Cody and being fodder for DDP, is there any act more devalued as quickly as The Butcher and The Blade? And what, exactly, was the point of debuting them as hot as they did if this was to be their role on the show?

That was hardly the only issue with the segment.

Was anyone really begging for a DDP comeback? As a legend who makes the occasional appearance, dropping fools with the Diamond Cutter, he fills a nice niche. As an in-ring worker for a high-profile match against a much younger star who cannot possibly benefit from beating him? Not exactly the ideal role.

And finally, where the hell was Cody?

Dustin can limp his way down the ramp to aid DDP but Cody, the younger star who appeared to be perfectly fine after his match, cannot rush the ring to come to the aid of his friend?

This was a segment unnecessarily full of questions with no real logical answers for any of them.

Hometown boy Marko Stunt teamed with Jurassic Express teammates Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus to battle fellow babyfaces Best Friends and Orange Cassidy in a big Six-Man Tag Team match.

During the break, Chuck Taylor and Trent seized control of the bout, working over Jungle Boy. The young son of the late Luke Perry created separation and made the hot tag to Luchasaurus, who exploded into the match and came face-to-face with Cassidy. After some of the slacker's "offense," the masked competitor downed him. Cassidy answered with a no-hands tope to the delight of the crowd.

The de facto heels teased double-teaming Stunt, but the pint-sized hero delivered a destroyer to Trent. Luchasaurus sent Stunt over the top and into Trent and Cassidy while Jungle Boy countered a roll-up, jackknifed Taylor and scored the pinfall victory.

        

Result

Jurassic Express defeated Best Friends and Cassidy

    

Grade

B+

   

Analysis

This was lighthearted fun that did no one any harm and popped the Memphis crowd with a couple of high spots and the typical excellence of Cassidy.

Luchasaurus continued his hot streak, and Jungle Boy captured the first win of his young career.

The match earned Jurassic Express the victory and set the team up for its showdown with Chris Jericho, Santana and Ortiz in two weeks, revealed by the commentary team after the match. Beyond that, it had very little (if any) impact other than riling up the crowd prior to the main event promo segment.

Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Jake Hager hit the ring for the night's closing segment in which Jon Moxley would provide them his answer to the AEW champion's proposal.

Moxley said no one really knows his motivations. He did not want a car, did not care about ownership in The Inner Circle. He wanted to dominate, and for that reason, he said "yes."

Moxley said he believes Jericho is the best of all time and wants to learn from him. He told Jericho to pop open some bubbly, and as Le Champion did, Moxley gave the camera a low-key wink.

Mox celebrated with his new teammates and addressed fans' chants of "you sold out," saying he paid cash for his Dodge Ram before he received the gift of Jericho.

Moxley grabbed the microphone as Guevara and Hager exited the ring and revealed he was "just kidding." "I would never join The Inner Circle. It's a stupid group and you have nothing that I want. Except that," he said, motioning toward the title.

He blasted Jericho with a bottle of the bubbly and then dropped him with the Paradigm Shift before taking off through the crowd to end the show.

    

Grade

A

    

Analysis

This was great.

Moxley cut the first part of his promo with so much conviction that it appeared as though he actually was joining the heels. Then, the wink to the camera.

From there, the viewing audience waited with bated breath for the top contender to the AEW title to drop Jericho and reaffirm his status as the lead antihero of AEW. He did just that, to a thunderous ovation.

This was an old-school angle that featured the babyface duping the heel to great effect. It was prime Moxley, minus the stupid dialogue that would have accompanied him if this angle happened in another major wrestling company this side of the Atlantic.

It created more hype for Moxley vs. Jericho, as intended, and set up Moxley as the most popular star in the company going forward.