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AEW Dynamite Celebrates the Life of Brodie Lee [Recap]

This week's AEW Dynamite is a tribute show to the late Brodie Lee. AEW booked the show this week, pushing back the planned start of New Years Smash. I think I may have to set aside my usual cynical and sarcastic tone tonight.

AEW Dynamite Recap for December 30th, 2020

"It's Wednesday, and you know what that means," says Jim Ross as the entire AEW roster and crew, and Brodie Lee's family, stand at the top of the ramp for a 10-bell salute to open AEW Dynamite. Then it's right to a tribute by Jon Moxley, who talks about the outpouring of emotion at the news of Brodie Lee's death and the ten-year span of his career he spent with Lee. He talks about how much Lee loved his family and Lee telling him how much he'll enjoy being a father. He says pro wrestling is a community and they support each other and he hopes that Lee can inspire people to enjoy every day of life.

Matt Hardy and Private Party vs. The Young Bucks and Colt Cabana

Matt Hardy heads to the ring with Private Party. Then the Young Bucks come out, followed by Colt Cabana, who is visibly crying. The Bucks give him a hug. "If you want to cry, cry god damn it," says Chris Jericho on camera. Well, if you insist. They have a fun match, a spotfest. Nick Jackson takes Gin and Juice, a Twist of Fate,  a Senton Bomb, and a 450 Splash and still kicks out. The finish comes when Hardy wants to interfere with a steel chair but Marq Quen won't cooperate. Instead, he ends up taking an Indietaker and getting pinned by Colt Cabana.

Winners: The Young Bucks and Colt Cabana

Cut to Brodie's kids cheering on Colt Cabana. Then The Acclaimed come out. But before they can cut an insulting rap about the Dark Order, SCU come out and attack them. They get superkicks from the Bucks and elbows from Cabana. Dynamite takes a commercial break.

Darby Allin talks about meeting Brodie Lee for the first time when he debuted in AEW and wanting to wrestle him. He talks about Lee's lack of ego and how he helped everyone around him in the locker room. He regrets not getting to wrestle him.

Stu Grayson, Evil Uno, and Lance Archer vs. Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade

Stu Grayson, Evil Uno, and Lance Archer (who is dressed like Brodie Lee in his Luke Harper gear) heads to the ring. Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade head to the ring with The Bunnie. Kingston gives a shout-out to Brodie Lee but says now without him the Dark Order is nothing and they're gonna get their asses kicked. They have a match. It ends with Grayson and Uno pinning The Blade as you see the trend tonight: Dark Order triumphing in their leader's honor.

Winners: Stu Grayson, Evil Uno, and Lance Archer

Uno, Grayson, and Archer beat up Eddie Kingston a bit after the match and even Jake the Snake gives him a clothesline.

Then we see a video package about Brodie Lee as a family man with commentary from a bunch of people: Dax Harwood, Arn Anderson, Colt Cabana, and Bryce Remsburg, who is broken up and says Brodie Lee should be on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling dads.

Hangman Page, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds vs. MJF, Santana, and Ortiz

Hangman Page comes out, then the Dark Order's John Silver and Alex Reynolds. Santana, Ortiz, and MJF head to the ring with the rest of the inner circle (minus Jericho, who is on commentary). MJF is wearing Puerto Rican flag tights. Dark Order throw papers at their opponents before the match in a Brodie Lee tribute. They have a match. During the match, MJF gets in Brodie Lee's son's face yells at him. The match makes Silver and Reynolds look like stars. At one point, Wardlow interferes and Erik Rowan runs out to beat him up. Shortly after that spot, MJF gets in Brodie Lee Jr.'s face again and rips his mask off. The kid hits him with a Kendo Stick. Silver gets the pin on Ortiz.

Winners: Hangman Page, John Silver, and Alex Reynolds

Rowan comes back out after the match to hug Dark Order and Hangman Page.  Rowan holds up a sign. "Goodbye for now my brother. See you down the road." Rowan is also crying.

Eddie Kingston talks about his memories of Brodie Lee and has a message to Brodie's son about what a good man his father was and how he's never truly gone as long as his son remembers him. Damn.

Tay Conti and Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford and Britt Baker

Tay Conti and Anna Jay head to the ring now. Penelope Ford heads out with Kip Sabian and Miro. Then Britt Baker comes out with Rebel. They have a match. It's pretty good. JAy gets a little emotional mid-match about Lee. But she makes Ford tap out with the Queenslayer.

Winners: Tay Conti and Anna Jay

Jay and Conti share some tears and a hug after the match. Tony Schiavone heads to the ring to interview Britt Baker. She says that match was rigged. The whole thing is a "Big Rig." Thunder Rosa runs out and attacks Baker. OFficials break it uop.

Next week: Snoop Dogg will be on the now first night of New Years Smash. Kenny Omega will take on Rey Fenix. Jon Moxley returns to AEW. Hikaru Shida defends the AEW Women's Championship against Abadon. The Young Bucks and SCU face Teh Acclaimed and the Hybrid2. Jake Hager will face Wardlow. and Cody Rhodes will fight Matt Sydal. And Chris Jericho will be on commentary. In two weeks, on AEW Dynamite: New Years Smash night 2, Darby Allin will defend the TNT Championship against Team Taz. Jurassic Express will face FTR. Chuck Taylor will fight Miro. Britt Baker will take on Thunder Rosa. And Pac will face Eddie Kingston.

Now we get a tribute from Chris Jericho who talks about working with Brodie Lee in Saudi Arabia and how Brodie explained to him that a sticker on the ceiling was the arrow pointing to Mecca to illustrate how smart Lee was. Jericho says Lee was very knowledgeable and a great performer. Jericho says Harper proved over the last six months that he could be a main eventer. Jericho says his dog, who doesn't like strangers, immediately liked Brodie Lee.

10, Orange Cassidy, and Cody Rhodes vs. Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricky Starks, and Brian Cage

And now, in a Dynamite main event booked specifically for Brodie Lee Jr. because it features his favorite trio, Team Taz come to the ring. Then Lee Jr.'s favorites, Dark Order's 10 (aka Preston Vance), Orange Cassidy, and Cody Rhodes. Bryce Remsburg is the ref here and he is once again crying. Cody gives him a hug. A match ensues. It's a pure babyfaces vs heels match with 10 picking up the pin on Ricky Starks.

Winners: 10, Orange Cassidy, and Cody Rhodes

Team Taz attacks after the match. The lights go out. Darby Allin comes out in the stands. The lights go out again. The snow starts falling. Sting comes out to the stands too. Sting and Darby Allin walk to the ring together, skateboard and baseball bat in hand. Team Taz retreats to the top of the stage. The two groups stare each other down. Dynamite takes a commercial break.

Cody Rhodes is in the ring with a microphone. He's fighting back tears. He talks about all the people who were affected by Brodie Lee. He says Lee was a beautiful man who leaves behind a beautiful legacy. Cody brings out Brodie Lee Jr. His mom walks him out, carrying Brodie's boots with her. 10 and Tony Khan follow behind. Brodie Lee Jr. places Brodie's boots in the middle of the ring. Cody puts a purple bandana over them.

Tony Khan grabs a mic. He presents Lee Jr. with a TNT Championship belt and names him TNT Champion for life. Everyone is crying now, me included. Khan calls Lee one of wrestling's greatest men and they end the show with a video tribute to Brodie Lee, featuring footage and photos from his career and his life. Dynamite ends with that.

Final Thoughts on AEW Dynamite

I thought tonight was a really awesome tribute show. You could feel the love coming from everyone in the company for Lee. The whole show was booked, essentially, for Brodie Lee's oldest son, who was at ringside the whole time and got involved a few times. But a show booked to make an 8-year-old feel better about going through a terrible loss turns out to be exactly what we all needed. As sad as Lee's death is, Dynamite tonight also brought some smiles and, I think, lived up to its goal of celebrating the life of Brodie Lee.

AEW is selling a Brodie Lee t-shirt with proceeds going to Lee's family, so pick one up here.

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