AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage Notes: Samoa Joe Surprise Return, Megan Bayne Makes Dynamite Debut, Toni Storm Wins Women’s Casino Gauntlet & Women’s World Title Match Set for Grand Slam Australia, Continental Title Match Set for Collision Max. Carnage

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Samoa Joe Makes Surprise Return on Dynamite Maximum Carnage Show

Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage show at The Andrew J. Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio featured Samoa Joe making his surprise return to AEW.

During HOOK’s match with Christian Cage on the show, The Patriarchy’s Nick Wayne & Kip Sabian interfered leading to Katsuyori Shibata coming out to try to even the odds only to get laid out by Cage. Near the end of the match, HOOK locked in the Redrum and looked to be close to getting the tap out victory only for Wayne and Sabian to rush into the ring and attacked HOOK causing for the ref to call for the bell. The Patriarchy continued their attack on HOOK leading to Joe’s music playing and him coming out to the ring to save HOOK and helped clear The Patriarchy out of the ring with HOOK and Shibata.

Samoa Joe is back!

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork & @SportsOnMax@Christian4Peeps | @730HOOK | @MotherAEW | @TheNickWayne | @TheKipSabian | @SamoaJoe | @K_Shibata2022 pic.twitter.com/i4eOIGYv4W

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2025

This was Joe’s first appearance in AEW since this past July due to filming commitments for the second season of Peacock’s Twisted Metal television series.

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Megan Bayne Makes AEW Dynamite Debut Appearance & Competes in Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match

Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage show also featured indies wrestler Megan Bayne making her surprise return and official Dynamite debut appearance in AEW.

Bayne made her surprise return during the Women’s Casino Gauntlet as the third official entrant in the match.

MEGAN BAYNE IS HERE!

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork & @SportsOnMax@MeganBayne | @CallMeKrisStat | @jmehytr pic.twitter.com/pZKuItDntf

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2025

This was Bayne’s first appearance in AEW since December of 2021 for televised matches and June of 2023 for untelevised dark matches.

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Toni Storm Wins Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match & Gets AEW Women’s World Title Shot at AEW Grand Slam Australia

Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage show also featured Toni Storm winning the Women’s Casino Gauntlet match to become the new number one contender for the AEW World Championship.

This match featured in order Kris Statlander, Jamie Hayter, Megan Bayne, Julia Hart, Willow Nightingale, Storm, and Harley Cameron as the official competitors.

As a result of her victory, Storm will be facing off against “The Glamour” Mariah May for the AEW Women’s World title at AEW Grand Slam Australia, which takes place on February 15th at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia.

TONI STORM WINS THE CASINO GAUNTLET AND WILL FACE MARIAH MAY FOR THE WORLD TITLE AT GRAND SLAM 🇦🇺#AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/tepVTtbweK

— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) January 16, 2025

Current card for AEW Grand Slam Australia:

• AEW Women’s World Championship – Toni Storm vs. “The Glamour” Mariah May (c)

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Tomohiro Ishii vs. Kazuchika Okada for AEW Continental Classic Title Announced for Collision Maximum Carnage Show

Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage show also featured one new match for this week’s AEW Collision Maximum Carnage show on January 18th.

This upcoming show will be taped on Thursday, January 16th at The Andrew J. Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

This new match announced was an AEW Continental Championship match of Tomohiro Ishii vs. Kazuchika Okada (c).

Former stable mates & familiar rivals.
Tomohiro Ishii steps up and will face the AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada for the title THIS SATURDAY on AEW Collision Maximum Carnage!

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TBSNetwork & @SportsonMax @rainmakerXokada | #TomohiroIshii pic.twitter.com/CeBvmpjMrL

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 16, 2025

Current card for January 18th AEW Collision Maximum Carnage show:

• AEW Continental Championship match – Tomohiro Ishii vs. Kazuchika Okada (c)
• Texas Death Match – Hangman Adam Page vs. Christopher Daniels
• 12-Man Tag Team match – The Learning Tree (Bryan Keith, Big Bill, & Chris Jericho) & Death Riders (Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, & Jon Moxley) vs. Powerhouse Hobbs, The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum), & Rated FTR (Cope & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood))