AEW Dynamite: Beach Break - January 26, 2022

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Sammy Guevara def. Cody Rhodes in a Ladder Match to Become the Undisputed AEW TNT Champion

I wasn't a fan of the idea of this match going in because the whole interim title thing was silly, but I knew it would be a hell of a match and they definitely delivered. This was wild. Both men went all out, and while there were some spots I could've done without (the swanton off the ladder looked like it hurt Guevara more than it did Cody), but that cutter off the ladder in particular was a thing of beauty. I don't care much about individual at the moment, but Guevara winning was the better option of the two.

Wardlow def. Elijah Dean and James Alexander in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match

Wardlow is a Cleveland native, so that's why he was more beloved by the crowd than usual. He wasted no time in destroying his opponents despite the disadvantage with it being a Handicap match. It gave me Ryback vibes circa 2012 (and I mean that as a compliment). This was short, sweet, and exactly what it needed to be. I can't wait for when Wardlow inevitably kicks the shit out of Shawn Spears.

Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Santana and Ortiz) def. Daniel Garcia and 2point0

The whole story coming into this contest was that Santana and Ortiz were teasing tension with Jericho because they believed what Eddie Kingston said about how Jericho's been holding them back (which is true, by the way). It was a solid six-man tag team affair, but once again, Garcia and 2point0 don't win when it matters most. Color me surprised. Jericho basically aiding Santana and Ortiz to victory was certainly a choice, but we'll see where they go with it.

The Pinnacle Attacked CM Punk

This storyline has had its ups and downs since it started back in November, but it's been excellently executed for the most part and this was one of their best verbal exchanges yet. I loved that MJF acknowledged how it was in Cleveland that Punk quit wrestling and Punk's response was perfect. He agreed to face Punk next week in Chicago, but we'll see if it actually happens or if they go with some sort of an angle instead. This was a really strong segment that successfully put heat on the heels and left me looking forward to the next chapter.

"Legit" Leyla Hirsch def. Red Velvet

I'm all for Hirsch getting more television time (and it's nice to have a secondary storyline in the women's division that doesn't involve a championship), but they need to find another way to put heat on Hirsch now that she's a heel. Velvet is technically a babyface, but she seems to get booed more than she's cheered. They had a well-wrestled match, but I was stunned when I heard they were ranked number one and number two in the women's rankings because none of their wins have happened on TV. I don't blame the crowd for being quiet for this one. The finish looked a little wonky, but the right woman won.

AEW Women's World Champion Britt Baker Addressed the Audience; Nyla Rose Challenged Ruby Soho

Baker is a really talented talker and she got to boast about her accomplishments in this segment, but I'm not sure what purpose this served on the whole. I guess it was refreshing that no one interrupted her, but it didn't accomplish anything other than get her on TV. Rebel and Jamie Hayter not being out there with her was weird and we've gotten no follow-up with Baker and Hayter since the seeds were planted for a split a few weeks ago. Oh, and Rose came out on the stage with Vickie Guerrero after the segment was over to blame Soho for getting eliminated from the AEW TBS Championship Tournament and they'll have a match next week. Okay then.

Orange Cassidy def. Adam Cole in a Lights Out Match

I maintain that this didn't need the Lights Out gimmick because this hasn't been a blood feud by any means and this wasn't crazy enough to justify that stipulation being added, but now we know they did it so Cole could lose without it counting toward his win-loss record. The highlight for me was the random Danhausen cameo (which fits his character perfectly) at the very beginning as everything else was just sort of there for me. The awful-looking finish didn't help, either. Again, I'm aware that Cole is still technically undefeated, but the fact Cassidy pinned him at all is ridiculous when you consider Cole has a much higher ceiling than Cassidy and Cole could be contending for the AEW World Championship sooner rather than later.

Overall Show

Dynamite is never a chore to sit through (at least not as much as Raw and SmackDown on certain weeks), but the two hours flew by quicker this week for me than usual, probably because it was bookended by two big matches and had that stellar segment with Punk and MJF in the middle. I wasn't enamored with the main event or its finish, but honestly, the Danhausen cameo made it worthwhile for me (and he's officially signed, by the way). All in all, this was an entertaining Beach Break edition of Dynamite. They have just over a month until Revolution, so I'm curious to see what matches they put together for that show and if the build will begin next week.

SEE MORE: Dynamite Reviews