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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
JANUARY 21, 2026
ORLANDO, FLA. AT ADDITION FINANCIAL ARENA
AIRED ON TBS & HBO MAX
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reported that4,227 tickets had been distributed; arena is set up for 4,592. The arena has a capacity of 10,000 spectators when configured for MMA/boxing. Only six Dynamites drew a bigger crowd than this one. The previous time AEW was in this arena, on Dec. 28, 2023, they drew 5,729.
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Darrin Lilly to review AEW Dynamite LIVE tonight right after Dynamite. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Dynamite during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Dynamite. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
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[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with scenes of a cheering crowd as Excalibur introduced the show.
-Tony Schiavone stood mid-ring and introduced MJF. Schiavone said he defended his title last week against Bandido. MJF interrupted him and said he has “a fat triple chin mouth” and told him to leave his “fat geriatric arm up to his mouth.” Schiavone said, “I will” (conceding sheepishly like Jerry on “Parks & Rec”). He said everyone is looking at a man who wears custom suits and rides in helicopters and private jets and limousines “and I’ve got the baddest girl you’ve ever seen.” He said it’s because he is the best wrestler on God’s Green Earth.
He held up his AEW World Title and said it’s the proof. He said it’s real gold, real diamonds, and real platinum and costs more than the schmucks in the crowd can dream of attaining. He said if anyone on their TV screens on another pro wrestling show says they’re the best of the best, change the channel because what is coming out of their mouths is the same thing that is coming out of their ass. He said 2026 is the year of the Devil and “ain’t nobody on my level.”
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a great introductory promo or reset/reminder promo of who MJF is. You don’t want to do that same material every week, but it was just a straight-forward summary of his attitude toward himself and fans. Something like that with Kaz or Santana to open last week’s Impact would have been better than what they did.)
Brody King walked out and got in MJF’s face. Schiavone handed MJF the mic and patted him on the shoulder and said, “Good luck” and then walked away. Brody said after what he did to Bandido last week, the only thing he can think of is all the ways he wants to hurt him. He said there is nothing that would bring him more joy than putting his fist through his chest and ripping out his spine. “But I’m not going to do that,” he said. “Because we all know you’re just a bitch.” (Reset the Bitch-o-Meter.) Fans chanted “You’re a bitch!” He said if he puts his hands on him, he won’t get what he wants.” He said he wants a match against him for the AEW Title tonight.
MJF stepped back and said, “Uh, interesting or proposition, Brody.” He asked for complete silence from the “morons” in the crowd while he considered it. “Upon reflection, I’ve thought about it long and hard, I’m going to have to say no.” He said it’s not because he’s afraid of him. He said that would be ridiculous. He said his barking makes sense since he is all bark, no bite. He asked who he has beaten. He said he’s only defeated tomato cans, jabronis, and jobbers. He said until he beats elite talent, the match won’t take place. He sternly said if he ever interrupts him again, they will have a problem. Brody stepped up to him, so MJF hastily left the ring and flinched when Brody barked at him. He told laughing fans to “shut the hell up.” Excalibur said he was flustered. Taz said MJF made some great points, in particular why should he grant Brody a title shot. Excalibur said he has won big matches recently, but there are more sharks circling him.
-They went to Excalibur, Taz, and Schiavone at ringside. Excalibur threw to a video package on Jet Speed & Hangman winning the AEW Trios Titles last week.
-Renee Paquette interviewed Hangman, “Speedball” Mike Bailey, and Kevin Knight backstage. He said tonight is a night for celebrations. Hangman said they should come up with a team name. Knight suggested JetSet Rodeo. Hangman cut off Speedball. He said he has a singles match against Katsuyori Shibata on Collision. Speedball told Knigh to focus on his match and he’ll focus on his. Hangman told Speedball that he’s fast and flexible so if he can outlast the powerful Joe, he can win. Knight asked Hangman for advice against Swerve. Hangman didn’t have advice, but just said, “It’ll be one hell of a main event.”
-Excalibur said someone suggested “Air Horse One.”
(1) SAMOA JOE vs. “SPEEDBALL” MIKE BAILEY
The bell rang 14 minutes into the hour. Joe powered Speedball into the corner and punched away at him. Excalibur listed all the top wrestlers aiming for MJF’s title lately. Bailey dropkicked Joe out of the ring. Joe chopped him down hard at ringside. Speedball kicked Joe at ringside and then landed a springboard backflip onto Joe. Hook and Shibata walked to ringside. Joe knocked Speedball hard off the ring apron. Speedball landed on the back of his head. Hook and Shibata stomped away at him. They cut to a break. [c]
Speedball rallied after the break. He leaped off the top rope and landed a shooting star press for a near fall. When he went for a standing shooting star press on Joe on the ring apron. Joe moved and then Shibata suplexed him on the ring apron. He gave him a knee breaker and threw him into the ring. Joe stood over Speedball and smiled. He got cocky as he methodically pelted him with strikes and trash-talked him.
Joe applied a kneebar. Speedball crawled to the bottom rope to force a break at 13:00. Speedball recovered and landed a crane kick as Joe was laughing at him. He then landed a shooting star kneedrop on Joe. Taz said that move should be banned, it’s that dangerous. Speedball scored a two count. Speedball delivered a tornado round kick to Joe in the corner. Hook tried to interfere from the ring apron, but Speedball elbowed him to the throat. Speedball rolled up a charging Joe for a near fall. Joe then applied a Coquina Clutch. Speedball countered by leveraging Joe’s shoulders down for a two count.
Speedball quickly climbed to the top rope. Hook distracted the ref as Shibata grabbed Speedball’s leg. Joe then gave him a Muscle Buster for the win. They showed MJF watching on a monitor in the back.
WINNER: Joe in 15:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: A heck of a match. I don’t think they needed to have Speedball be that competitive that long with a recent World Champion in Joe, but he did so believably. In AEW’s universe, wrestlers last a long time against wrestlers a level above them as long as they can actually have a good match, of course.)
-Excalibur plugged upcoming scheduled matches. [c]
(2) JON MOXLEY & WHEELER YUTA & DANIEL GARCIA vs. ROCKY ROMERO & HECHICERO & LANCE ARCHER – Street Fight
Don Callis joined in on commentary. After the Death Riders made their way to ringside through the crowd, the Don Callis Family made their entrance on the stage. The Death Riders jumped them in the aisle. The bell rang 37 minutes into the hour. Moxley and Archer fought in the crowd. The others paired off at ringside. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
Archer eventually leaned a table in the corner. Marina Shafir confronted Archer. Archer grabbed her by her throat. Shafir countered into a hanging armbar Mox then entered and gave Archer a leaping cutter. Mox then charged at Archer, but Archer moved. Archer then slammed Mox through the table leaning in the corner. Garcia and Yuta took Archer down. Hechicero and Romero went after Yuta and Garcia next.
Archer slammed Mox onto a board with barbed wire, tacks, and “glass.” They showed the tacks stuck to Moxley’s back. Archer made the cover, but Yuta and Garcia broke up the count. Taz said it looked like he was attacked by a bear. Archer flipped onto Yuta and Garcia at ringside. Pac came out onto the stage and hit Archer in the back with his crutch. Claudio Castagnoli then bashed Archer with the crutch. Shafir and Hechicero battled a bit on the ramp. Meanwhile, in the ring, Mox had Romero in a Bulldog choke. Romero escaped. Garcia gave Romero a piledriver and then applied a Dragon Tamer. Mox gave Romero a running stomp. Garcia then got a submission win when the ref assessed that Romero was out.
WINNERS: Moxley & Yuta & Garcia in 16:00.
-Mox leaned into Callis’s space at ringside. He put his hand on Callis’s shoulder. Callis looked intimiated. Mox told Callis to tell his boy that he knows where to find him. A fan held up a sign that said: “Death Riders Rule (Except Yuta).”
-Excalibur plugged upcoming matches. [c]
-A promo aired with The Triangle of Maddness. Thekla said she would give Kris Statlander one week to enjoy her life and pretend she’s intimidated by her “alien-ass bullshit routine.” (They bleeped “bullshit.”) She said then she wants her title shot. Julia Hart challenged Willow Nightingale for a TBS Title mtach on Saturday. Thekla said if they like the taste of toxic, drown in it.
[HOUR TWO]
(3) FTR vs. ALEC PRICE & JORDAN OLIVER
Excalibur said it was the AEW debut of indy standouts Price and Oliver. At ringside in his wheelchair, Stokely Hathaway said he hoped Davis & Doyle were watching to prep for their tag title match next week. He then asked everyone to donate online at helpbigstoke.com for his medical bills for his injuries. He then introduced FTR. Schiavone told people not to donate and said it’s a fraud. (The website says he has raised over $1 million, but if you click to donate, it said you probably weren’t going to donate enough, and then it plugs his t-shirts for purchase instead.) Stokely joined in on commentary. Schiavone said he has known Oliver since he was age 19 and said he started at age 17.
After some early flashes by Oliver and Price, FTR took over. It went back and forth for a while. Price slipped on a springboard attempt on Dax and then FTR finished him with a sudden Shatter Machine.
FTR rolled Stokely in his wheelchair to the back as they celebrated.
WINNERS: FTR in 6:00.
-Statlander, Willow, and Harley Cameron cut a promo backstage. Statlander said her mind is sicker than Thekla can dream of. Willow accepted a rematch with Julia. Harley said they haven’t forgotten about Sky Blue.
-Excalibur said Tony Khan has made both of those matches official – Willow vs. Julia on Collision and Stat vs. Thekla on Dynamite next week.
(4) KENNY OMEGA vs. JOSH ALEXANDER
Alexander attacked Omega from behind during his ring entrance. Callis joined in on commentary again as fans chanted “F— Don Callis.” Omega landed a leaping moonsault off the ringside barricade. Callis said Omega does appear to be on his game. The bell rang 12 minutes into the hour. Alexander ducked a big boot by a charging Omega. He then gave Omega a powerslam onto the ring apron. They cut to a double box break. [c/db]
Alexander got in sustained offense during and after the break. Omega made a comeback and gave Alexander a butterfly suplex at ringside. Omega then landed a running flip dive onto Alexander. Excalibur said Omega landed hard on his tailbone, though. They tumbled over the top rope to ringside. Callis stood and pretended to be concerned for Omega. The ref warned Callis to stay away. They eventually stood and exchanged strikes.
Back in the ring, Omega took over and landed a powerbomb and a running knee strike for a near fall. He lifted Alexander onto his shoulders and landed a One-Winged Angel for the win.
As Omega celebrated, MJF was shown watching on a monitor backstage.
WINNER: Omega in 12:00.
-Afterward, Omega said he now lives in Orlando and he feels better than he has in years. He told Don Callis none of his men can beat him. He did his closing routine. They cut to Callis pouting at ringside.
-A video package aired on the MJF-Bandido match with Taz commenting on the techniques used with technical proper names of some of MJF’s submission holds. [c]
(5) TONI STORM & MINA SHIRAKAWA vs. MEGAN BAYNE & PENELOPE FORD
Bayne and Ford made their entrance first. Luther applauded Shirakawa and Storm as they walked onto the stage. The bell rang 33 minutes into the hour. They cut to a double-box break at 4:00. [c/db]
Storm hot-tagged in and rallied. A four-way brawl broke out. Storm gave Bayne a DDT. Ford ducked Storm and landed a stunner. Shirakawa gave Ford a spinning backfist. She then set up a figure-four, but Bayne clotheslined her. Bayne lifted Shirakawa onto her shoulders for a Doomsday Device for the win. Meanwhile, Shafir put Storm in her Mother’s Milk at ringside. She then entered the ring and raised the arms of Bayne and Ford.
WINNERS: Ford & Bayne in 11:00.
-Excalibur threw to a video preview of Claudio vs. Roderick Strong for the CMLL Title on Collision. He hyped the rest of the line-up: Davis & Doyle in action, Andrade vs. Magnus, Protoshita vs. Billy & Austin Gunn, Isla Dawn vs. Statlander, Hangman vs. Shibata, and Willow vs. Julia. Dynamite next week features Mark Briscoe vs. El Clon for the TNT Title, FTR vs. Davis & Doyle, and Statlander vs. Thekla. [c]
(6) KEVIN KNIGHT vs. SWERVE STRICKLAND (w/Prince Nana)
They showed MJF watching from a seat in a luxury suite. Swerve came out first. Then Knight. The bell rang 53 minutes into the hour. Taz said Swerve was one of the men who tried to end the career of his son, but he’ll remain professional. They fought back and forth for a couple minutes. Knight ducked a charging Swerve, then flung himself at Swerve at ringside. Knight leaped off the top rope with a crossbody. He struck a pose and then went after Swerve. Swerve grabbed Knight’s wrist and then chopped him to the floor. Knight backdropped Swerve off the ringside steps as a counter and then leaped off the ring apron with a dropkick. They cut to MJF who looked impressed. [c/db]
[OVERRUN]
Swerve was in control after the break. Schiavone said Swerve was taking “the young man” Knight to school. Knight came back and scored a near fall with a DDT. MJF was shown standing. Excalibur said he wants Knight to beat Swerve and take him out of the AEW World Title picture. Swerve caught Knight on the ring apron and delivered a Death Valley Driver. Fans began chanting “This is awesome!” Swerve dragged Knight onto the ringsid barricade and piledrove him on the top ledge. Fans chanted “AEW! AEW!” Swerve returned to the ring as the ref began counting out Knight. Knight beat the count, barely of course. Swerve applauded with a smile. Knight springboarded off the top rope and took Swerve off the top rope with a huracanrana. Knight followed up with a Coast to Coast. He then leaped off the top rope with his UFO Splash. Swerve draped his boot over the bottom rope to stop the count. Another “This is awesome!” chant broke out.
Knight then hit Swerve with a House Call. He followed with a Death Valley Driver set-up, but Swerve elbowed out of it. They exchanged strikes mid-ring. As they criss-crossed, Swerve hit Knight with a House Call out of mid-air. He then hit a Veribreaker and a JML Driver for the win. They cut to an unhappy MJF watching from the luxury suite.
WINNER: Swerve in 19:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Exciting and competitive main event.)
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Darrin Lilly to review AEW Dynamite LIVE tonight right after Dynamite. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Dynamite during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Dynamite. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
VIP VIDEO CALLER CODE: CLICK HERE
https://streamyard.com/qz5jmsgu2u
Click that link during the post-show to enter the waiting room as “live video caller” (or just audio if you turn off your cam, which is fine). This is a private link, so don’t share. It’s just for VIP members at this time.
Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.
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