The first ever AEW Battle of the Belts aired on TBS on Saturday night, and originally Cody Rhodes was set to defend the TNT Championship against Sammy Guevara at the event. However, Tony Khan announced that Cody had been pulled from the show because he wasn’t cleared, and it was also announced that an interim TNT Champion would be crowned in his absence.
With medical protocol scratching @CodyRhodes, we’ll crown an Interim TNT Champion tonight! We’re allotted 1 hour for the live #AEWBOTB show tonight on TNT + for the Charlotte fans there’s a house show: EVERY AEW champion besides Cody in action TONIGHT! We’ll tape it all for Dark!
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) January 8, 2022
Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara faced off in the opening match at Battle of the Belts and during the match Fuego Del Sol appeared from underneath the ring and set up a table on the outside. Arn Anderson scared Fuego off as Sammy and Dustin battled on the apron. Dustin Rhodes got the upper hand and hit Sammy Guevara with a Canadian Destroyer off the apron through the table.
The end of the match came when Dustin and Sammy were in the ring trading pinning attempts and Sammy managed to roll Dustin up for a 3 count. After the match Sammy was presented with the TNT Championship and Dustin hugged him.
Daniel Garcia then got in Sammy Guevara’s face and they brawled as referees tried to pull them apart. After the commercial Sammy announced that he’ll put the title on the line against Daniel Garcia on Dynamite.
The Legendary David Crockett presents Sammy Guevara with the Championship belt
Tune in NOW to @tntdrama #BattleOfTheBelts #AEWBOTB pic.twitter.com/xHu9RhOeSN
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 9, 2022
