AEW Dynamite results 01/31/24: Hangman, Swerve are on collision course again

After Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page won again, they’ll fight for a title shot next week on AEW Dynamite.

What wrestling fan doesn’t love them some mystery opponent? We’d say none, which is why the Dealer’s Choice matches on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite from New Orleans should be a lot of fun.

In fairness, Swerve Strickland already took some of the surprise away by revealing he’s going to send fellow Mogul Embassy member Toa Liona to fight Hangman Adam Page. A perfectly defensible selection, that, given that Liona is a beast who should benefit from the additional spotlight.

But Hangman hasn’t revealed his choice to be Swerve’s opponent, and that has us hoping that everyone’s favorite cowboy really gets creative. And yes, that actually means Tony Khan getting creative, but let’s not lose ourselves in the space between kayfabe and real life.

Strickland and Page are having the kind of long-term feud that just satisfies that place in a wrestling fan’s heart, because even when they branch off and do other things, they can’t seem to help but cross paths again. Long may it continue.

Beyond that, we’ll see the first ever singles match between Jon Moxley and Jeff Hardy. And Deonna Purrazzo will take on her toughest foe since joining AEW, Taya Valkyrie. “Timeless” Toni Storm will once again be on guest commentary, which is pretty close to guaranteed entertainment value.

So yeah, looks like a decent enough two hours. Let’s run it all down as it happens.

AEW Dynamite results from New Orleans:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Jon Moxley def. Jeff Hardy by submission
  • After the match, Mistico and the other three CMLL wrestlers who were watching the opening match attack Moxley after the bell, but Matt Sydal, Daddy Magic and Cool Hand Ang eventually come to the rescue and drive the luchadores off
  • Hangman Adam Page def. Toa Liona by pinfall
  • Nicholas Jackson fines a staffer for not using the Young Bucks’ full names, and Matthew apologizes but still expects the fine to be paid by end of day

  • Wardlow def. Komander; after the match, Orange Cassidy and Best Friends come to prevent Roderick Strong and The Kingdom from administering a post-match beating, and the heels want no part of a scuffle tonight
  • Tony Schiavone mediates a sitdown interview with Big Bill and Ricky Starks on one side and Darby Allin and Sting on the other; Starks seems upset that Sting got his first ever AEW victory over him, and Ricky and Darby start yelling at each other while Sting wonders if Bill is a killer like other big men he’s fought; Starks throws a drink on Darby, who has to be restrained by The Icon

  • Chris Jericho def. Kyle Fletcher by pinfall; Konosuke Takeshita appears on the stage afterward to taunt Jericho
  • Deonna Purrazzo explains the meanings behind her tattoos, including the identical ink she and Toni Storm got, wondering if it means the same thing to Timeless Toni
  • The Bang Bang Scissor Gang does some good natured guns up and scissoring along with Rock Card Juiceboard

  • Deonna Purrazzo def. Taya Valkyrie by submission with Toni Storm watching closely from the commentary desk
  • Allin is being interviewed by Renee Paquette when the Young Bucks stop by to propose becoming a trio with Darby, but jokes aside, they also accuse him of ducking them

  • AEW World Champion Samoa Joe joins the announcers for the main event
  • Swerve Strickland def. Rob Van Dam by pinfall in a Hardcore match that also sees Brian Cage and Hook briefly get involved
  • Hangman comes down to mock congratulate Swerve, noting that both of them are likely to top the rankings when they come out tonight before vowing to never let Strickland become world champion; Swerve yells back that he has two victories over Page and says Hangman is obsessed with the idea that he can’t win … but Page says it took the whole Mogul Embassy to beat him, and Strickland says they can fight one more time before he leaves this feud behind him to focus on the AEW World Championship
Lee South

Jon Moxley vs Jeff Hardy

New Orleans, LA

AEW Dynamite

January 31, 2024

Jon Moxley grinds out a victory over Jeff Hardy

Hardy wastes no time taking to the air, diving onto Moxley from the apron. The announce team suggests the rules for this one are “lax,” so they can do some extreme stuff without fear of DQ and probably won’t be counted out either. Moxley takes flight with a tope suicida, not something he always does.

Back in the ring, Moxley stomps on Hardy’s left arm. Jeff gets flipped over with a suplex of sorts and has to kick out of the ensuing cover.

Mox goes right to a submission attempt, scissoring Hardy’s neck with his legs. Their battle eventually goes back outside the ring, where Moxley end up over the barricade among the CMLL talent that is here for tonight’s show. A right hand from Mox smashes Hardy in mid-flight right as the side-by-side pics arrive.

Th full picture returns to find Hardy running through a bunch of offense, leading to a near fall Tony Schiavone believes Jeff will need to keep Mox on the mat, but he doesn’t and pays for it as he takes a piledriver.

Moxley wants another piledriver on the apron, but Hardy counters with a Twist of Fate. He follows with the Whisper in the Wind, and he’s back up top but met by Moxley, who treats him to a superplex.

They both rise to trade right hands until Hardy’s Twist of Fate attempt is countered with a cutter. Jeff comes right back with a Russian leg sweep, then uses a legdrop right into a pinning predicament that comes oh so close to winning it.

Hardy connects on another Twist of Fate but finds no one home for the Swanton Bomb. Moxley drops to the mat and locks on his bulldog choke, and Hardy eventually goes to sleep.

Lee South

Adam Page vs Toa Liona

New Orleans, LA

AEW Dynamite

January 31, 2024

Hangman Adam Page pulls off an AEW first, pinning Toa Liona

Page notes during a quick pre-match promo shown during his entrance that Liona has never been pinned or submitted in AEW. Did not know that. Early on, Hangman is able to stay one step ahead of the bigger man, at least until Liona can slow the pace.

Two springboard lariats aren’t sufficient to knock Liona off the apron, though he has no such trouble hurling Page over the top rope and out to the floor. Liona hits a diving cross body to the floor, looking very confident.

Liona sits on Page’s chest back in the ring, good for a near fall. A series of right hands from Hangman leads to Liona chucking him back out to the floor as boos rain down.

After more commercials, it’s not looking much better for Page until he’s able to get Liona to miss and land hard on his back. Hangman steps on the gas, leading to a high cross body off the top for a near fall.

Page tries but can’t get Liona hoisted for the Deadeye. A thrust kick comes back and leads to a near fall for Liona.

What will it take to get Liona off his feet? Three lariats finally do the trick. This time Page is able to get the Deadeye on target too, but Liona pops right back up for a headbutt.

A discus lariat smashes Page back down, and though he’s able to kick out again, he takes a senton on the apron right after that. Liona tries and misses on a moonsault, but Hangman doesn’t miss his off the top rope.

The Buckshot looks like it’s next, but even though Liona evades it and hits a Samoan drop, Page is able to roll up his shoulders and hold on for a pin.

Lee South

Deonna Purrazzo vs Taya Valkyrie

New Orleans, LA

AEW Dynamite

January 31, 2024

Deonna Purrazzo keeps rolling by tapping out Taya Valkyrie

AEW Women’s World Champion Taya Valkyrie joins the announcers for this one, claiming she has no knowledge of the matching tattoos that Purrazzo has been talking about. The Virtuosa gets off to a strong start, controlling Valkyrie with a variety of holds until a leg sweep tilts the momentum.

Purrazzo goes hard into the steps on the outside, giving Valkyrie a chance to do some making out with Johnny TV as commercials slide in. They battle back to the ring during the half-break, with Purrazzo using knees and kicks to set up a Russian leg sweep. A pump kick leads to the second of two quick two counts.

Valkyrie’s Blue Thunder Bomb gets her a two count right back. A sliding lariat makes Purrazzo kick out again as Storm mugs for the camera.

A baseball slide drop kick is on target for Purrazzo, who ends up flinging Valkyrie into the champ. Back in the ring, Deonna gets both of Taya’s arms pulled up behind her while sitting on Valkyrie’s back, and that’s enough to get the submission.

Lee South

Swerve Strickland vs Rob Van Dam

New Orleans, LA

AEW Dynamite

January 31, 2024

Swerve Strickland outdoes Rob Van Dam in his own game: a Hardcore match

Hangman Page appears on the screen after RVD heads to the ring to reveal one more twist: Dealer’s Choice means they get to pick the match, not just the opponent, so this is a Hardcore match.

Van Dam wastes no time putting chairs to good use once the bell rings thanks to that stipulation. He sends Strickland into and over the ringside barricade, and the fans are already happily chanting “we want tables.”

After some picture-in-picture, Swerve has taken control, using a chair to assist him. He sets that across one corner but ends up getting an Irish whip right into it.

Rolling Thunder is on target by RVD, and he picks up another chair to use for a Van Terminator in the corner. A cover follows but Swerve kicks out at two.

Van Dam wants a monkey flip but sees it countered into a sitout powerbomb onto the chair, somehow managing to kick out. Brian Cage arrives to lend a hand to Swerve, but he’s neutralized by a chair-wielding Hook. They fight out of the ring and up the ramp.

RVD is distracted but manages to counter into a pinning predicament and a near fall. Strickland comes right back with a near fall of his own, and now it’s reaching “what will it take to win it?” territory as the crowd calls for tables again.

There is one set up on one side of the ring, but the two combatants fight to a chair on the opposite side. RVD takes a Swerve Stomp and falls back into the steps.

With Van Dam rolled into the ring, Strickland climbs up top but takes a thrown chair to the face and crashes down from the top rope through the table. Rob tries to follow with a Five Star Frog Splash but finds no one home and eats a chair to the face before kicking out at two.

Both men head to the top rope again, though Van Dam is knocked to the mat. He flips Strickland the double bird but takes a Swerve Stomp, and that’s it for the legend as Swerve is victorious.