AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from February 9
"Hangman" Adam Page defended the AEW Championship against Lance Archer in a Texas Deathmatch Wednesday night on Dynamite but it was the mystery surrounding Tony Khan's promised surprise free agent signing that garnered the attention of the fans.
Which fresh face made an enormous impact, promising to alter the face of the company for the foreseeable future?
Was Page able to secure a successful title defense or did The Murderhawk Madman leave with the gold?
Find out with this recap of the February 9 episode.
MJF Celebrates to Start the Show
Wardlow kicked off the show by carrying cardboard cutouts to the squared circle, then handing a script to Justin Roberts to read off as he introduced FTR, then Shawn Spears, and, finally, MJF. The Salt of the Earth entered amid a chorus of boos while perched atop a palanquin.
Braggadocios in his first address following his controversial victory over CM Punk in the main event of last week's show in Chicago. As he beamed with pride over his accomplishment, Wardlow watched on, seemingly unimpressed by his charge.
MJF thanked his big, strapping friend...Spears...for warming him up ahead of the match. He claimed to be better than Bret in Canada, Piper in Portland and Punk in Chicago before revealing his intentions to challenge for the AEW world title.
Punk entered the arena sans theme music and was joined by Tony Schiavone. He introduced his friends, Sting and Darby Allin, and demanded a rematch. Not against MJF, but the guy who really beat him in Chicago, Wardlow.
Dax Harwood grabbed the mic and said he wanted a rematch from Greensboro. Punk accepted and MJF said he could have it, but he had to find a partner not-named Sting or Allin. A win and he would get a rematch of any kind, at any time, against MJF.
Grade
A
Analysis
MJF is at his best when he touts his own greatness and toughness, all while supported by four other guys and riding the wave of momentum afforded him by Wardlow's interference in his last defining victory. He was on fire, cutting a loud and obnoxious promo that had Atlantic City ready to see him get his ass kicked.
While the proposed main event pitting Punk and a mystery partner against FTR may not deliver said ass-kicking, it does set up a blockbuster for later in the night, with implications for the Revolution pay-per-view should Punk win.
A strong segment, with dynamic personalities and a main event match to top it off, this is how you execute an opening promo.
Wardlow vs. The Blade
Backstage, Darby Allin vowed never to work for Andrade El Idolo before both men staked their claim to the next TNT Championship opportunity.
Back in the arena, short notice, Wardlow took to the squared circle for a match with The Blade.
The big man found himself at a disadvantage early, his leg the focus of his opponent's attack early. The powerhouse recovered and took the fight to his veteran opponent, overwhelming him and punishing him at ringside as the show headed to a picture-in-picture commercial break.
Back from the timeout, Wardlow delivered four consecutive powerbombs to a growing ovation en route to a definitive victory.
Result
Wardlow defeated The Blade
Grade
B+
Analysis
This was probably longer than it needed to be given the fact that Wardlow destroying fools in short order seems to work just fine. The Blade is perceived to be a greater challenger to his recent win streak, though, so it makes sense that the match would run longer than others.
The crowd's mounting cheers with every powerbomb is indicative of a push that is working and a character the fans are eager to get behind. Especially in a tough, passionate wrestling city like Atlantic City. Wardlow is going to be a massive star sooner rather than later and may still make his presence felt by the end of the night.
The Inner Circle Team Meeting
Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Jake Hager made their way to the ring for the Inner Circle team meeting. Santana and Ortiz, conspicuous by their absence, arrived moments later to their own theme music.
Santana cut an impassioned promo denouncing the selfishness of Jericho, claiming The Demo God only gives a damn about himself. He said the days of taking a backseat to Jericho and not focusing on the tag team titles are over.
Jericho claimed that all of Santana and Ortiz’s successes and financial wellbeing can be attributed to him bringing them into the Inner Circle. “Maybe I chosen the wrong two members of LAX,” Jericho said before asking Hager for Homicide and Hernandez’s phone number.
The leader of the group told Guevara to shut up, to which the TNT champion shut him down. The Spanish God claimed that all of the in-fighting isn’t going to help him achieve his own goal of becoming the greatest champion in wrestling. He threatened to quit the group like he did in the past unless they figure it out.
Ortiz stepped up, told Jericho his assessment that Eddie Kingston never helped them was wrong, and challenged Jericho and Hager to a match on next week’s show. The former AEW world champion accepted.
Grade
A
Analysis
You know it is a hot show when the Jericho segment hits hard.
Santana and Ortiz, in their first real extended opportunity to showcase their promo skills, were fantastic and spoke with the conviction they needed to hammer home the significance of the confrontation. They believed what they said and more importantly, made good points.
Jericho, feeding off the energy, delivered one of his best promos in recent months, countering with his own solid points.
Hager was oddly quiet and didn’t outwardly or obviously seem to take either side, an element of the story that one has to imagine will come into play next week in the pitched tag team match. Might he betray Jericho, no longer willing to stand by in silence and watch the decimation of a faction that once ruled AEW?
Face of the Revolution Ladder Match Qualifier
Prior to the commercial break, Adam Cole and The Young Bucks attacked Roppongi Vice’s Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero, only to be interrupted by the debuting “Switchblade” Jay White of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The newcomer tossed Beretta into a production truck to put an exclamation point on the debut.
In the arena, Isiah Kassidy of Private Party hit the ring, accompanied by both Marq Quen and Matt Hardy. His opponent? The debuting free agent, Keith Lee.
The Limitless One’s debut drew a thunderous ovation and his manhandling of his opponent only intensified the applause. Hardy walked out on Private Party, leaving them to fend for themselves. Lee shook off a plancha and swatted Kassidy away en route to a fireman’s carry powerslam for the win.
After the match, Quen jumped the victor, only to fall prey to the wrath of the Lee, who basked in the applause of his fans.
Result
Lee defeated Kassidy
Grade
A
Analysis
It had been so long since we witnessed Lee in all of his dominant glory that it was refreshing to see him toss an opponent around, put him down with his finisher and remind fans of just who the hell he is.
Lee was wasted in a way that questioned whether the creative team on the other show knew what they were doing. Now, it will be up to him to prove them wrong, to be the unstoppable force many expected him to be for many years to come.
Unhampered by unnecessary tweaks to his look or idiotic alterations to his name, Lee should finally find the success reflective of his talents in a company more adept at utilizing to his fullest potential.
CM Punk and His Mystery Partner vs. FTR
A smiling CM Punk walked through the curtain, acknowledging that he had found a partner to battle FTR in tag team action. That partner? Jon Moxley, who entered the arena to an enormous pop. He stood side-by-side with a man against whom he waged war many times in their previous place of employment.
After a frustrating exchange to start the match, Dax Harwood clipped the injured left knee of Punk and joined Cash Wheeler in isolating the Chicago native and cutting him off from Moxley. The former world champion finally received the tag from Punk and exploded into the match, dropping the opposition with a pair of DDTs, then delivering a tope suicida that wiped out the opponents and his own tag team partner ahead of the commercial break.
During the picture-in-picture, the heels drove Moxley through a table, putting the babyfaces at a disadvantage as the show returned.
The heels drove Moxley face-first into the turnbuckle and continued their control of the bout, not only proving they could hang with two of the best and brightest singles stars but also preventing MJF from having to battle Punk in a rematch of his choosing.
The Straight Edge Superstar tagged back into the match, re-igniting the babyface offensive despite an unstable left leg. With Mox, he delivered a big Doomsday Device to Harwood for a strong near-fall. At ringside, Wheeler delivered a tornado DDT to Moxley. Wheeler blasted Punk with a ring bell but the Second City Saint kicked out at two, his desire for a match with MJF that strong.
FTR delivered the Big Rig but Moxley broke up the pinfall as chants of "this is awesome" spilled from the stands.
Moxley grabbed the rear-naked choke on Harwood and Punk tapped out Wheeler, but referee Aubrey Edwards was out of position. Tully Blanchard interfered but ate Go To Sleep. Wheeler did, too, leading to the babyface win.
Result
Punk and Mox defeated FTR
Grade
A
Analysis
This could have shaved off five minutes and it would have been one of the best matches in Dynamite history.
As it is, it is still a damn fine match that once again proved that FTR is the best tag team in the business and can hang with anyone on the loaded AEW roster.
Moxley was a great surprise and received exactly the sort of reaction you would expect from an Atlantic City audience consisting of some die-hard Game Changer Wrestling fans that are uber-proud to call him their world champion.
Punk winning sets up what should be a legitimate PPV main event-worthy match with MJF in time for March 6 and Revolution.
TBS Championship Match: A.Q.A. vs. Jade Cargill
The Booker T-trained A.Q.A. made her first AEW appearance Wednesday, answering TBS champion Jade Cargill’s open challenge and looking to re-establish herself as one of the industry’s best young talents after a brief run in NXT in 2021 as Zayda Ramier.
Overpowered and outmatched by the phenom Cargill, she was forced to fight from underneath early and often. She did that coming out of the commercial break, firing off some hard rights and a pair of jumping forearms. The sling blade followed and the challenger found herself on the offensive.
A.Q.A. stunned the audience with a picture-perfect shooting star press but a second attempt ended in ugly fashion as the match became disjointed. Cargill recovered, slammed her opponent and delivered Jaded for the pinfall victory.
Result
Cargill defeated A.Q.A.
Grade
C
Analysis
This was not a particularly great match, thanks to clashing styles that became apparent the longer the match went on.
With that said, A.Q.A. looked like a star. She showed up and showed out, seizing the spotlight placed on her by the match. Cargill, conversely, highlighted her strength advantage and her own physical gifts by tossing her opponent around the ring in the manner she did.
For the TBS champion, it will be imperative to put her in the ring with experienced performers who can help bring her along as an in-ring worker herself. She has the tools but is still in need of reps to help her reach her full potential.
The Professor's Five-Minute Rookie Challenge
In an attempt to prove she can defeat anyone in five minutes, Serena Deeb introduced The Professor's 5 Minute Rookie Challenge, just one week after impressively defeating Skye Blue. Her opponent this week? Katie Arquette.
Deeb outclassed and outwrestled her opponent, tapping her out with the Serenity Lock in short order.
Result
Deeb defeated Arquette
Grade
C
Analysis
Deeb looking to establish her greatness by beating up on rookies and inexperienced performers is great heel booking, especially if it culminates in her getting her ass kicked by a returning Hikaru Shida or another veteran in-ring competitor.
A higher grade awaits these segments as they gain traction in the coming weeks.
Texas Death Match for the AEW World Championship
"Hangman" Adam Page proved turnabout was fair play early in the night's main event, attacking Lance Archer backstage and throwing him through plate glass in the opening minutes of the Texas Death Match for the AEW Championship.
A Buckshot Lariat nearly ended Archer's championship aspirations early but an alert Dan Lambert rushed the ring while the combatants fought on the floor and undid the top turnbuckle, taking that element of Page's game away from him.
The Murderhawk Madman dominated throughout the commercial break, working over the champion and threatening to drive him through two tables at ringside. Both men bloodied, Page teased the Deadeye through the tables but Archer cut that off.
On the floor, Jake "The Snake" Roberts delivered a short-arm clothesline and called for the DDT but his charge cut him off. Page responded by delivering said DDT, much to the delight of the fans. Page lit up his opponent with a barrage of kendo stick shots to the body, only for Archer to deliver a chokeslam through a trash can.
Archer produced a handful of steel chairs before revealing a barbed wire-wrapped chair. Before utilizing it, Archer delivered the Blackout from the ring, onto the edge of the ring steps in a jaw-dropping spot. Page recovered, wrapped the barbed wire around his arm and rocked Archer twice. He delivered a big German suplex, the utilized the referee to deliver the Buckshot Lariat, driving his challenger through the tables at ringside.
Paul Turner made the count, Page answered it barely and retained his title.
After the match, Adam Cole made his way to the ring, grabbed the AEW world title and draped it over Page’s shoulder as the commentary team discussed the possibility of him as the next top contender.
Result
Page defeated Archer to retain
Grade
B+
Analysis
This started slow and escalated in both violence and drama, culminating with two extraordinary spots that wowed the audience and provided Page another gutsy title defense.
What could have been a cluster from the beginning instead opted to cerebrally build from spot to spot, each a little more dangerous and violent than the one before it. We have seen so many different high spots from AEW in the three years since its debut that it would be understandable to think you have seen it all.
Then Page goes and does something like the referee-assisted Buckshot and the crowd’s interest is renewed.
Archer started the match having no shot in hell of winning but the layout of the match had him in a position to be a believable victor late. That is a testament to the performers and what they were able to accomplish within the context of the match because it damn sure didn’t happen in the lead-up.
Cole vs. Page is a big-time match and should headline Revolution but even as such, it feels like Page’s title reign is just beginning.