AEW: Dynamite Results - December 22 2021

AEW’s festive Holiday Bash

Jack Atkins

Dec 23, 2021

AEW started the festive shenanigans with their Holiday Bash special of Dynamite, and it was an evening with 'undisputed' reverberations for the future of AEW.

The biggest talking point of the night came as Adam Cole finally revealed his ‘present’ for Orange Cassidy - Kyle O’Reilly. O’Reilly made his AEW debut at the tail end of a fine Dynamite opener between Cole and Cassidy, after The Young Bucks and Best Friends brawled to the back, Bobby Fish appeared to distract the ref, allowing his former reDRagon team-mate to arrive, beat up OC, then get out the way as Cole nailed the BOOM for the win.

Post-match Cole and O’Reilly looked like they were about to come to blows, but reverted to their Future Shock days as they beat up Best Friends, before the three former Undisputed Era team-mates posed together in the ring, as Matt and Nick Jackson looked puzzled by what was building before their very eyes.

After the events of last week’s incredible 60-minute draw between AEW World Champion Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson, Page came out to express his disappointment at not sealing the win in his inaugural title defence only to be greeting by a condescending Danielson. The two traded barbs as Danielson revealed that not only are they scheduled for a rematch on January 5, but that he’s suggested three judges be on hand to announce a winner in case of another tie. Page didn’t shy away from Danielson’s suggestions, and claimed that he’s given way too much of himself for the title “to have some p**** sit at ringside” and tell him he’s not good enough, and that he’s “a B+ player.”

We have our first finalist in the TBS Championship Tournament as Ruby Soho overcame Nyla Rose. ‘The Native Beast’ dominated large portions of the match, and after fighting out of a dragon sleeper looked to have things sewn up with The Beast Bomb, but Ruby kicked out, before hitting a No Future out of nowhere for the three.

The HFO and Jurassic Express took shots at one another ahead of Jungle Boy vs. Isiah Kassidy on the Christmas night edition of Rampage. Matt Hardy exclaimed that if Kassidy takes out Jungle Boy then Jurassic Express’ tag title number one contendership will be ‘DELETED’, before Jungle Boy threatened to shove a lump of coal so far up Kassidy’s ass that he’ll be spitting out diamonds.

And in the main event, CM Punk lived out every wrestler’s fantasy as he cosplayed as surfer Sting when he teamed with ‘The Icon’ and Darby Allin against MJFTR in trios action. Sting reciprocated Punk’s respect, himself sporting Punk inspired facepaint and a Punk t-shirt, and rolled back the years as he hung with The Pinnacle’s finest. Punk only had eyes for one thing though - MJF, and nearly got his man as he chased ‘The Salt of the Earth’ through the arena and back to the ring, before the Pinnacle’s head weaselled his way out of danger. Things nearly went pear-shaped for MJF though as he took a scary landing from a hip toss over the top, but recovered in time to eat a huge crossbody from the Stinger, before CM Punk got the pin on Dax Harwood after a GTS, Scorpion Death Drop and Coffin Drop, Harwood taking a bullet for MJF in doing so.

Elsewhere: Tensions between Wardlow and MJF continued before Wardlow powerbombed that absolute crap out of ‘The Captain’ Shawn Dean. Malakai Black dispatched of both Varsity Blonds with ease after defeating Griff Garrison in singles action. Dan Lambert returned to talk up the potential of The Men of the Year and wants them in the TNT Title hunt. Britt Baker and co. spoke of the AEW Women’s Champion’s credentials and disparaged Riho. We took a detailed look at the Serena Deeb/Hikaru Shida rivalry. And a wonderful video package aired of the late great Owen Hart ahead of the Owen Hart Tournaments in 2022.

Full results: