AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From Jan. 17 (2024)

Welcome to Bleacher Report's live coverage and recap of AEW Dynamite on January 17.

Just over two weeks after winning the AEW world title from MJF, Samoa Joe already found himself with his first challenger in the form of Hook.

In addition to that world title bout, Dustin Rhodes also challenged Christian Cage for the TNT Championship, and The Mogul Embassy defended the ROH six-man titles against Bullet Club Gold.

We also saw Deonna Purrazzo take on Anna Jay, and we heard from The Young Bucks following their shocking return last week.

Let's take a look at what happened on Wednesday's Dynamite.

This week's Dynamite opened with a video package hyping Samoa Joe vs. Hook before Justin Roberts introduced Cage for his TNT title defense against Rhodes.

Nick Wayne and Killswitch were at ringside while Rhodes was all by his lonesome, so The Natural was at a disadvantage before referee Aubrey Edwards called for the bell.

Cage was firmly in control until the fight spilled out of the ring where Rhodes slammed his head into the announce table and threw him into the steel steps.

This was a competitive back-and-forth contest between two veterans of the game. Cage is rarely the younger competitor in the ring these days, but Rhodes came into this with several years on him both in age and experience.

The bout was paced well and made both stars look good in different ways. The TNT champion connected with a Spear followed by The Killswitch, but The Natural kicked out. It took a second Killswitch to finally put him away.

Result: Christian Cage defeated Dustin Rhodes

Grade: B

Notable Moments and Observations

The Lucha Bros and Best Friends were going to have a tag match this week, but injuries to Chuck Taylor and Rey Fenix necessitated some changes.

Trent Beretta teamed up with Orange Cassidy to take on Penta El Zero Miedo and Komander. Both of these duos have experience working together, so they didn't go into this bout blind.

All four men are capable of working at breakneck speeds, so this was a match full of quick sequences, exciting spots and double-team moves.

However, it was not without its faults. Trying to go that fast is bound to lead to a few awkward moments.

After a solid outing, Beretta and Cassidy scored the win. They had no time to celebrate as The Kingdom and Roderick Strong came out to confront OC. He laid down a challenge for Cassidy to defend the international title at Revolution.

Result: Cassidy and Beretta defeated Penta and Komander

Grade: B+

Notable Moments and Observations

Mark Briscoe paid tribute to his brother, Jay, on the anniversary of his death. He also brought out his nieces, who were in the same car accident and have recovered from their injuries. It would be hard for anyone not to get emotional seeing this.

After a break, Nick and Matt Jackson gave an interview with Renee Paquette. They demanded to be called Nicholas and Matthew Jackson from now on.

The next match saw Brian Cage, Toa Liona and Kaun defend the ROH six-man titles against Jay White, Austin and Colten Gunn. White and Liona started for their teams with a nice exchange. Switchblade tried everything he could, but Liona was simply too big for him to take down.

The champions were in control for the majority of the first half before the commercial break. When we returned, BCG began to show more signs of life

The Mogul Embassy is a great stable with three completely different kinds of powerhouses, so it's always fun when they get a chance to work with three guys they can hurl around.

This was an enjoyable trios bout that put the skills of all six men on display.

With a little help from Anthony Bowens to combat Prince Nana's interference, White was able to pin Kaun to claim the ROH six-man titles for Bullet Club Gold.

Result: Bullet Club Gold defeated The Mogul Embassy

Grade: B+

Notable Moments and Observations

AEW's newest acquisition was in action this week when Deonna Purrazzo took on Anna Jay. Toni Storm joined the commentary team while Luther and Mariah May stood nearby.

Purrazzo came into this with a lot more experience than Jay, so she not only overpowered her, but she was also playing the role of a veteran trying to put a younger star in her place.

After a decent exchange, The Virtuosa scored the win and gave an interview with Paquette afterward. She addressed Storm directly and said this was not the same Toni she had known for years.

Storm got on top of Luther's shoulders and berated Purrazzo before being carried away.

All of this was incredible.

Result: Deonna Purrazzo defeated Anna Jay

Grade: C+

Notable Moments and Observations

Two of the best young tag teams that have been with AEW almost since the start met this week when Darius and Dante Martin took on Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy.

Darius and Kassidy locked up to kick things off. They came to a stalemate after some quick moves and shook hands before both made the tag and initiated a standoff between all four men. They showed some respect before Dante and Quen had their turn.

The first half was all about sizing each other up, while the second half was about outdoing each other with bigger and flashier maneuvers.

The match ended with a bit of controversy when Quen grabbed the top rope during a pinning combination. Private Party celebrated its win while Top Flight and Action Andretti voiced their anger from the ring.

Result: Private Party defeated Top Flight

Grade: B+

Notable Moments and Observations

The main event was presented commercial-free thanks to a deal with the Suicide Squad game, so Joe and Hook were fully in the spotlight for this match.

The Coldhearted Handsome Devil went right at the AEW champion in an attempt to gain an early advantage, but Joe is no rookie. He anticipated it and fired back immediately.

A massive back elbow from Joe stopped Hook in his tracks and completely changed the pace of the match. For the next few minutes, The Samoan Submission Machine showed the 24-year-old the meaning of violence.

Hook flipped him off after being put through the announce table, so Joe powerbombed him onto the apron. He refused to be counted out and made it back into the ring. When Joe tried to finish him with a powerslam, Hook kicked out.

Hook even kicked out of a Muscle Buster at one and began making a comeback, much to the surprise of Joe and the announcers who had written him off for the night. The Coquina Clutch finally sealed the win for the champion, but he looked shocked at how much it took to put his challenger away.

Hook talked a little trash when he woke up, so Joe hit another Muscle Buster. When Hook refused to stay down again, Adam Page ran down to make the save. The show ended with Hangman and Swerve both watching Joe walk up the ramp.

Everything about how this was paced and laid out was designed for maximum entertainment, and it delivered in every way.

Result: Samoa Joe defeated Hook

Grade: A

Notable Moments and Observations

Wednesday's episode of Dynamite felt like a packed one, so allowing the main event to breathe without the burden of commercials was a great way to end the show.

Joe and Hook told an incredible story of a veteran who is still as dangerous as ever meeting the young man who might one day supplant him as one of AEW's most dangerous competitors.

Taz being on commentary lent weight to the emotion of the situation, especially when Hook took a scary bump through the announce table.

The main event stole the show, but every match on the card was good on some level. The interviews and promos were also strong this week, so it's hard to point to any weak segments.

This episode just seemed to have the right layout and participants.

Grade: B+