AEW Battle Of The Belts Live Results & Recap – 1/8/22
Today marks the first of four quarterly specials that AEW plans to run on Saturdays throughout the year and Bodyslam has you covered with live results, match recaps and highlights. Keep it locked to this page for updated results and highlights during the show. Feel free to leave your reactions in the comment section below!
AEW Battle Of The Belts is coming at you live from Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The card for tonight’s special is as follows:
- Interim TNT Championship match: Dustin Rhodes v. Sammy Guevara
- AEW Women’s World Championship match: Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. (c) v. Riho
- FTW Championship match: ‘Absolute’ Ricky Starks (c) v. Matt Sydal
Results for AEW Battle Of The Belts
- Interim TNT Championship match: ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes w/ Arm Anderson v. ‘The Spanish God’ Sammy Guevara – Sammy Guevara wins by pinfall (rollup)
With Cody sidelined due to COVID protocols we are given our first interim title match in AEW. The pair started out battling for an advantage until Dustin faked a break to catch his breath. After a signature Rhodes drop-down uppercut the pair took to the floor. Dustin battered Sammy’s skull off the steps before spiking him on the floor with a piledriver. Rhodes rolled into the ring to get Sammy counted out, which is entirely possible in an interim title match. Guevara was able to roll in just before the ten count was reached. With Sammy favoring his knee the veteran Rhodes immediately went to work as we cut to a picture-in-picture break.
Rhodes continued to work the knee over the break and we came back to see a signature Dustin Rhodes powerslam. Sammy caught Rhodes with a clothesline that sent the veteran tumbling to the outside, where Sammy met him by jumping from the top rope into a double springboard senton. Guevara tried another high risk move with a double jump cutter but was caught by Rhodes.
Rhodes fought his way back into it with a Crossroads but Guevara kicked out at 2. This led to another exchange between the two that ended in Sammy hitting a Go To Hell on Dustin. After Rhodes kicked out we saw Fuego Del Sol appear from under the ring, pulling out a table and setting it up at ringside. Arn Anderson scared Fuego away as Sammy and Dustin battled on the apron, each man looking to put the other through the table. After a series of counters we saw Dustin hit a Canadian destroyer off the apron though the table. He bought a battered Sammy back into the ring for a cover, but Guevara kicked out at 2. Rhodes picked Sammy up and delivered two more Cross-Rhodes. Sammy kicked out again. The two began trading back and forth counters, which led to a back and forth series of pin attempts. During the exchange Dustin could not reverse in time and Sammy won by pinfall.
Post-match the two hugged and showed respect for each other. As Rhodes left up the ramp Sammy was attacked by Daniel Garcia. They were pulled apart by the referee corps and the show went to commercial.
- Video package: A video recap of this past week’s championship wins before Tony Schiavone interviews Sammy Guevara backstage.
Sammy addresses Daniel Garcia’s attack, saying the TNT Title has always been about open challenges. He announces Daniel Garcia will face Sammy on Dynamite 1/12/22. - FTW Championship match: Matt Sydal v. ‘Absolute’ Ricky Starks w/ Powerhouse Hobbs – Ricky Starks wins by pinfall (Roshambo)
Sydal opened up with a flurry of offense, displaying his striking and aerial offense early in the bout. Sydal got Starks to the outside, but as he looked to capitalize he was cut off by Powerhouse Hobbs. As Hobbs stood between Starks and Sydal we went to a picture-in-picture break. Ricky was able to recover during the break thanks to Hobbs buying him time, and he took control as the combatants brought the fight back into the ring. Starks began working Sydal’s back in an attempt to limit his explosive offense and the show transitioned to a full commercial break.
We came back from break with Starks still in control, but Sydal fought back with some kicks and a running knee in the corner. Sydal hit a very impressive step-up hurricanrana on Starks and followed it with a Michinoku Driver. Starks kicked out, so Sydal hit him with a Lightning Spiral. Starks kicked out again. Sydal hit the Meteora. Starks got his foot on the rope. As Sydal’s frustration boiled over Starks capitalized by hitting a Roshambo on Sydal to get the pinfall. Ricky Starks retains the FTW World Championship.
Following the match Hobbs joined Starks in the ring and the two began putting the boots to Matt Sydal. Lee Moriarty ran out to make the save but was quickly dispatched by Hobbs. Dante Martin ran out next, clotheslining Starks at the foot of the ramp before clearing Hobbs from the ring. The two will meet on Dynamite this coming Wednesday.
- AEW Women’s World Championship match: Riho v. Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. (c) w/ Jamie Hayter & Rebel
Prior to the match we are shown a video package of Britt Baker’s struggles in trying to beat Riho.
The wrestlers started the match off circling each other inside the ring. Rebel and Hayter took turns grabbing at Riho’s feet and Britt capitalized by attacking her opponent from behind. Britt rolled to the outside for a breather and Riho took the opportunity to dive to the floor off the top rope. Britt dodged the dive, letting Rebel take the full impact of a diving Riho. As the challenger laid on the floor Hayter and Baker discussed what to do next. Hayter grabbed a table from under the ring. As Baker and Hayter tried setting the table up, Riho hit Baker with a snapdragon suplex before running up the table like a ramp to hit Hayter with a dropkick. The pair returned to the ring where Baker took the advantage during a picture-in-picture break.
We returned to full-screen as Riho began mounting a comeback, kicking a charging Britt from the corner before running toward the champion and hitting a tijeras (head-scissor takeover). Riho locked a submission in on Baker, who escaped with a rope break. Riho went to the top rope as Baker laid on the apron. Rebel then covered the champion to protect her, so Riho took the opportunity to double stomp Rebel.
Baker began to fight her way back into the match, attempting the Lockjaw multiple times. Riho escaped each attempt. At this point Hayter got on the apron to give Britt the title belt. She dropped the belt on the mat, prompting Rebel to get up and hand it off to Baker. Referee Paul Turner caught this and sent Rebel and Hayter to the backstage. Riho took advantage of a distracted Baker and hit a crucifix bomb followed by a northern lights suplex but the champion kicked out at 2. The pair exchanged a series of counters before Britt hit a kick to Riho’s head and sunk in the Lockjaw, tapping Riho out and retaining the AEW Women’s World Championship.
This was a fine kickoff to AEW’s Saturday night specials. Dustin and Sammy gave fans an awesome match despite it being thrown together under short notice. Britt Baker finally got a win over Riho, something she had not done until this point, and finally we saw the FTW Championship defended on air.
AEW returns to action on 1/12/22 with Dynamite on TBS at 8pm EST. Bodyslam will have you covered as always, with live results and highlights during the show!
