Fight For The Fallen - Dynamite recap for January 1, 2025

In backstage footage from Worlds End, Jon Moxley says everybody talks about what they are going to do, but when things get real, things get different. He says she has grabbed AEW by the strap during the pandemic and has dragged it to safety and has taken bullet after bullet for the company, and says he will destroy the AEW World Championship before anybody can take it from him. Moxley tells Adam Copeland that they are not rebels; instead, he is king who nobody has authority over while Copeland is the loudest guy in the room. We then hear from Rated FTR (Adam Copeland, Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler). Dax and Cash are ready to fight, as is Copeland, who says he saw fear in Moxley's eyes because he knows he is sicker than him.

"Hangman" Adam Page beats Orange Cassidy with the Buckshot Lariat despite taking three Orange Punches. After the match, Hangman continues to attack Orange and hits him with the Deadeye not once, but twice. Officials rush into the ring, and Christopher Daniels confronts Hangman for his actions only to be struck by him.

We hear from "Switchblade" Jay White. He says 2025 is not starting as planned thanks to Wheeler Yuta costing him his moment, and that he will show Wheeler Yuta exactly how he feels. He says that next week in the Casino Gauntlet, he will make his way to Moxley, but first, he must go through Swerve Strickland and Roderick Strong, who he calls collateral on the way to the gold.

MVP guests on commentary for the next match.

The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin) beats The Acclaimed ("Platinum" Max Caster and Anthony Bowens) after Anthony Bowens gets irritated and leaves the ring apron when Max Caster tags himself in.

Backstage, Alex Marvez interviews Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland. Swerve says he can still hear the fans and apologizes to them due to being distracted the past few weeks, but tonight, he gets back to doing what he does: proving that AEW is his house. Swerve realizes he has never been in the Casino Gauntlet due to being World Champion, then Prince Nana wishes everyone a Happy New Year.

Julia Hart beats Jamie Hayter after spitting red mist into Hayter's eyes when the referee takes Julia's arrow away from her.

We see a video package for Kenny Omega, who returns next week.

We hear from "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada, who says that he made 2024 his era and proved he is the best tournament wrestler alive in the Continental Classic. He says "nice try" to Will Ospreay and tells Kenny Omega to stay out of his business.

Mercedes Moné heads to the ring for a TBS Championship celebration. Mercedes plays a video package of herself, then says that Wrestle Dynasty at the Tokyo Dome is the first stop on the money train and that Mina Shirakawa has more gold that she wants.

AEW asks fans to help those affected by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina. First responders from Asheville are seen in the crowd. AEW donates $20,000 each to Asheville Dream Canter and Be Loved Ashville.

Backstage, Alex Marvez interviews Undisputed Kingdom (Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Roderick Strong). Adam Cole says they are complete and that 2025 will be their year, and Kyle O'Reilly says that they will dominate in all matches. Roderick Strong says he will enter the Casino Gauntlet, and it will be every man for himself.

"Switchblade" Jay White beats Roderick Strong and Swerve Strickland to enter the Casino Gauntlet Match next week at #1. After the match, it is revealed that Swerve is badly busted open. When Prince Nana confronts Ricochet, Ricochet points the scissors at him to keep him at bay before stabbing at Swerve's forehead again. Ricochet grabs a metal folding chair, and when Prince Nana tries to take it away, Ricochet shoves him into the ring steps, then hits him with the chair before bringing it into the ring and seating Swerve on it. Ricochet then hits Swerve with the Spirit Gun before fleeing when Undisputed Kingdom gets in the ring.

Backstage, Jeff Jarrett shows up as Alex Marvez interviews Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh. Jarrett says tonight is a big night, Jay Lethal says they are behind whatever Jeff wants to do, and Sonjay wants Jeff to be sure about what he is going to do. Karen Jarrett shows up and says the business has affected them, which makes Jeff's decision hard. She then says that whatever he wants, she wants, because they are unbreakable. She then hands Jeff a pair of red wrestling boots.

Backstage, we hear from Mariah May, who says that she cannot say anything negative about the women's division. She then says that she had more matches than anyone else in the division, who could not even reach the top ten, because she is so good at her job. She then says it is time for the division to prove themselves to her, as she is the woman from hell and she would love to see the rest of the division touch her.

Jeff Jarrett heads to the ring, which has a red guitar in it, and places his red wrestling boots in the middle of the ring. Jeff thanks the fans and says that he has so much to be thankful for in his career, and says that while it is sad to think about things coming to an end, it caused him to think about how his family got started in the business in 1946 and changed his family's life. He talks about how his grandmother and his father made high-risk, high-reward decisions to get to where they are and how he had to make the high-risk, high-reward decision of dropping out of college and trading basketball for pro wrestling. Jeff also talks about how he launched TNA, which has produced some of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, and says that all of this brings him to tonight. He says that as a twelve-time World Champion and two-time Hall of Famer, he has to ask himself if he should ride off into the sunset, and then says the answer is "hell no," and announces that he has signed his final contract and has re-signed with AEW. Jeff says he wants not just "one more ride," but championship gold. He then makes a New Year's resolution: to win the Casino Gauntlet Match and the AEW World Championship.

We hear from Hook, who tells Christian Cage to ask "The Prodigy" Nick Wayne what it is like to be in Redrum and tells him that he is going to choke him out.

Powerhouse Hobbs beats Jon Cruz and Rob Killjoy in a two-on-one handicap match.

Backstage, Alex Marvez interviews "The Redwood" Big Bill and "The Bad Apple" Bryan Keith. Bill and Keith say that Asheville, North Carolina is alright, but "The Learning Tree" Chris Jericho is not here. Big Bill then sees Rated FTR (Adam Copeland, Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler). He then says he cannot tell who is more ashamed: Rated FTR for being fans of Asheville, North Carolina or Asheville being fans of FTR (Dax and Cash), and says the hometown heroes should be knocked down a peg. Adam Copeland calls Keith "a little tumbleweed" and that Big Bill's face is stupid, then challenges The Learning Tree (Jericho, Big Bill, Bryan Keith) to a trios match on Collision.

In memoriam: Sweet Daddy Siki, 1933 - 2024.

In backstage footage from Worlds End, MJF mocks Adam Cole for losing to him and saying that it took a whole army for Cole to beat him up. He then says that the "Better Than You Bay Bay" chapter has come to a close and that it is time for the next chapter. He says that it is time for retribution and that it is time to take the AEW World Championship back from Jon Moxley, and asks Moxley what a king is to a god, as nobody is on his level and Moxley knows better than anyone else. MJF says he has no problem with Moxley and that Moxley can burn AEW down for all he cares, as he just wants the World Championship, and says that regardless of who has it, he is getting his due and he is getting his title back.

Rated FTR (Adam Copeland, Dax Harwood, Cash Wheeler) beats The Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta) in a trios match after "Switchblade" Jay White shows up and hits Wheeler Yuta with a Blade Runner as Jon Moxley is about to put Adam Copeland through the announce table. Before the match, it is now announced that Adam Copeland is now going solely by the name '"The Rated R Superstar" Cope.'

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!