5 Biggest AEW Stories of the Week for 01/08/23 | Revolution Main Event Set and New TNT Champion

Welcome to the 5 Biggest AEW Stories of the Week for 01/08/23, where we break down the biggest All Elite Wrestling stories both in the ring and beyond.

This week brought us an action-packed Dynamite, Rampage, and Battle of the Belts V special. New Japan Pro Wrestling also presented their annual Wrestle Kingdom event, which saw multiple AEW talent compete from the Tokyo Dome. With that in mind, we bring you the five biggest AEW stories of the week for 01/08/2023.

5 Biggest AEW Stories of the Week for 01/08/23

1. Revolution Main Event Set?

Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite saw hometown hero Bryan Danielson defeat Tony Nese, then taking to the mic to call out AEW World Champion MJF. The American Dragon has every intention to take the title off Maxwell Jacob Friedman.

MJF strolled onto the ramp, and a war of words began between the two. The AEW World Champion revealed that he had talked to AEW President and CEO Tony Khan, who said that if Danielson is able to win every match up to the Feb. 8^th edition of Dynamite, he would be number one contender for the AEW World Championship. MJF would then give Danielson his match at AEW Revolution on March 5^th.

Danielson agreed under one condition; he would choose the stipulation for the match at Revolution. Once MJF agreed, Danielson reveled it would be a one-hour long Iron Man Match. The American Dragon wants to expose that the AEW World Champion doesn’t put the work in and won’t last the 60 minutes.

5 Biggest AEW Stories of the Week for 01/08/23

2. New TNT Champion

The main event of Dynamite saw AEW TNT and ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe defend his TNT Championship against another hometown Seattle hero, Darby Allin. The pair’s second bout for the TNT Title was even more physical than their first, and following a pair of Coffin Drops, Darby Allin was able to get the three-count and win his second TNT Championship.

Allin’s first reign with the strap began in Nov. 2020 with a win over Cody Rhodes at Full Gear. He dropped the title to Miro on the May 12, 2021, edition of Dynamite.

5 Biggest AEW Stories of the Week for 01/08/23

3. Hangman Page Cleared

Tensions between Jon Moxley and Hangman Adam Page continued to rise on Dynamite. The two traded jabs, and Hangman revealed he’d be undergoing a brain scan the next day, if all went well, he’d be cleared for a match on next week’s Dynamite.

On Friday’s Rampage Hangman had his medical release from the doctor, declaring Moxley will remember being knocked out on Wednesday. The match has been set for next week’s Dynamite from the KIA Forum.

5 Biggest AEW Stories of the Week for 01/08/23

4. AEW Stars at Wrestle Kingdom 17

The biggest event on New Japan Pro Wrestling’s calendar, Wrestle Kingdom 17, took place on Wednesday. Multiple AEW stars competed on the Jan. 4th card.

Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler of FTR came up short against Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi of Bishamon, losing their IWGP Tag Team Championships. FTR have now lost all three titles which they were holding simultaneously, dropping the ROH World Tag Team Championships to The Briscoe Brothers at ROH Final Battle and losing the AAA World Tag Team Championships to Dralistico and Dragon Lee at AAA Noche de Campeones.

Elsewhere on the Wrestle Kingdom card, Kenny Omega defeated Will Ospreay to win his second IWGP United States Championship. Omega was the inaugural champion, having won an eight-man tournament in July of 2017 at the G1 Special in the USA.

Omega and Osprey’s matchup was perhaps the highlight of Wrestle Kingdom 17, receiving a 6.25-star rating from Dave Meltzer, the second-highest rating he’s ever given after Omega’s out with Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Dominion 2018. Omega also tagged with new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Okada at NJPW’s New Years Dash on Thursday.

Omega will team with The Young Bucks on next week’s AEW Dynamite to face AEW World Trios Champions Death Triangle in Match 7 of their Best Of 7 Series, in a Ladder Match with the titles on the line.

Mercedes Mone, formerly Sasha Banks in WWE, also made her long-rumored debut in her first post-WWE appearance at Wrestle Kingdom 17. This, along with comments made by Saraya, Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter on Dynamite have only added fuel to the rumors of Mone being AEW-bound as Saraya’s mystery partner next week.

5 Biggest AEW Stories of the Week for 01/08/23

5. Battle of the Belts V

AEW presented their fifth Battle of the Belts special immediately following this week’s Rampage. The event continued the tradition of zero title changes on an event so focused on championship matches. Battle of the Belts V saw The Acclaimed defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett, Jade Cargill knock off Skye Blue and Orange Cassidy best Kip Sabian to retain their respective straps.

Please share with us what you thought of the 5 Biggest AEW Stories of the Week for 01/08/23 in the comment section below.

*****

Stay tuned to Pro Wrestling Post for this and additional stories from the wrestling world. Readers can rely on Pro Wrestling Post as their daily source for everything inside the squared circle. As a result, readers can expect daily news, history, and much more.

Also, please visit All Elite Wrestling’s official website here for news and information on the promotion and upcoming events and FITE TV’s official website to watch AEW Dynamite and Rampage for International viewers. FITE TV’s official website. FITE+ currently boasts 1000+ hours of live action each year. $4.99 a month/$49.99 a year with a 7-day Free Trial.