AEW Dynamite Preview: World Title Match, Christian Cage Defends, Young Bucks Address Return

All Elite Wrestling treks further into the new year. AEW concluded 2023 with AEW Worlds End, the first time Tony Khan's wrestling company has wrapped up a calendar year on pay-per-view. AEW Worlds End served as a season finale of sorts for AEW, as multiple storylines were bow-tied and new narratives blossomed. One of those fresh stories revolves around Samoa Joe as AEW World Champion. The Samoan Submission Machine defeated Maxwell Jacob Friedman to capture the AEW World Title at AEW Worlds End, winning via referee stoppage as MJF passed out to the Coquina Clutch. 

Entering 2024, Joe is a marked man, as both "Hangman" Adam Page and Swerve Strickland have set their sights on him. Before either of those two bitter rivals can get their hands on him, Joe has a defense against one of AEW's hottest young stars.

Samoa Joe Defends AEW World Title Against Hook

The cold-hearted handsome devil is getting a crack at the company's top prize.

After calling out Joe in previous weeks, Hook confronted the AEW World Champion this past Wednesday on AEW Dynamite. The two stared each other down before the match was made official.

Hook made his professional wrestling debut in December 2021, defeating Fuego Del Sol on AEW Rampage. The second-generation star has been white-hot ever since, losing just one singles match in his entire career.

Christian Cage vs. Dustin Rhodes

The Patriarch meets an old foe.

Christian Cage defends his AEW TNT Championship against Dustin Rhodes. This represents the first time since 2009 that Cage and Rhodes are meeting in singles action. Prior to that, their most recent encounter was in 2003. Coincidentally enough, the past four meetings of Cage and Rhodes, then competing as Christian and Goldust in WWE, were all with singles championships on the line (ECW and WWE Intercontinental Titles).

The Young Bucks Address Their Return

The bad boys are back.

Last week's AEW Dynamite concluded with Matt and Nick Jackson making their return to AEW television, confronting Sting and Darby Allin. This led to The Young Bucks being announced as the opponents for Sting's final match, which goes down at AEW Revolution in March. The Bucks will address their AEW return tonight.

AEW Dynamite goes down at 8 PM ET on TBS. You can check out the full lineup below...