Snoop Dogg is a boss.
In the hip-hop world and in the ring.
The rap legend proved this fact with his special appearance on AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 1 on Wednesday night.
After appearing in a brief backstage segment with Private Party and Matt Hardy in the first hour of the show, the pop culture icon and fellow coach of TNT’s “Go Big Show” made his way out to the ringside area alongside “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, as he remained in his corner for his match against Matt Sydal.
Once the match wrapped up, however, it was Snoop Dogg who was the one getting physically involved inside the squared circle, even hitting an electrifying top-rope spot on some sneak-attackers.
Featured below is a recap of the match and segment featuring Snoop Dogg, as well as video footage of both aforementioned segments that included the rap legend on AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 1.
Matt Sydal vs. “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes (w/ Snoop Dogg)
We head back inside the building where Matt Sydal, formerly known as Evan Bourne, makes his way down to the ring for our next match of the evening.
As he settles into the squared circle, we hear the familiar sounds of the entrance theme music of “The American Nightmare,” which quickly switches and transitions into a hip-hop / rap-remix version of the song.
On that note, Cody emerges from the entrance tunnel with what “The Dapper Yapper” Justin Roberts introduces as his special coach — Snoop Dogg.
The two make their way to the ring and after playing to the crowd for a minute, the bell sounds and we see Cody and Matt get right down to business. Cody controls the action early on but then Sydal quickly turns the tables.
After securing his spot in the offensive driver’s seat in this contest, Sydal sends Cody to the floor and climbs to the top-rope. He looks for a big high-risk spot to the floor, however nobody was home when he landed — although Snoop Dogg was close by and almost got taken out by accident.
Instead, Sydal ate dirt on his landing and Cody immediately takes over from there. He beats down Sydal outside the ring a bit before returning the action into the ring where he locks in a Texas Cloverleaf submission on Sydal. The high-flying veteran struggles but eventually makes his way to the bottom rope, forcing the hold to be broken.
As Cody lets go of the hold, he fires up and starts stomping at the softened up leg of Sydal. He then blasts him with a roundhouse kick while he was laid out and follows up with some push-ups as we are led into a mid-match, picture-in-picture commercial break with the action still in progress in the ring.
We return from the break to a nice reverse suplex spot from Cody. The action then continues with Cody dominating his smaller foe until finally, he goes to the top-rope looking for a moonsault. Things don’t go well for the former TNT Champion and this leads to Sydal showing his first signs of life in several minutes, as he turns the tables and shifts the momentum in his favor.
Sydal gets in a couple of moves but then both guys are sent flying out to the floor with their own momentum. Each landed hard, however Sydal is back up first. He sends Cody back into the ring and follows in after him, however he walks into a disaster kick from “The American Nightmare.” Snoop Dogg then leads the fans in a “This Is Awesome” chant. Sydal hits a hurricanrana for a pin attempt, however Cody kicks out at two.
Seconds later, Sydal hits Lightning Spiral on Cody for a very close near fall. Cody avoids a jumping knee-strike from Sydal and reverses into a Cross-Rhodes. That will do it, as he covers Sydal and gets the three-count for the victory.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
After The Match: Snoop Dogg Takes Flight!
After the match wraps-up, as soon as Cody finished the pinfall on Sydal, he was attacked from behind by Serpentico and Luther, who hit the ring out of nowhere. Sydal ends up sending one of them to the floor, leaving the other in the ring for Snoop Dogg.
On that note, the hip-hop legend and fellow host of The Go Big Show on TNT, which will also feature Cody Rhodes, heads to the top-rope.
Snoop settles in on the top-rope, where he hits a flying knee/leg drop on him to clear the ring of the dastardly heels and leave it free-and-clear for himself and Cody to enjoy as they celebrate in style before we head back to another commercial break.
Watch video footage of Snoop Dogg on AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash Night 1 via the following videos embedded below courtesy of the official AEW Twitter and YouTube channels.
BIG SPLASH FROM @SNOOPDOGG!
WATCH #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama. pic.twitter.com/6W4CbVwBB0— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 7, 2021
After that, you gotta go watch @GoBigShowTBS @SnoopDogg showing out on #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/Nf5UL46Wam
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) January 7, 2021
Coach @SnoopDogg is taking his job seriously…who would’ve seen this coming #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/efylZgzRF8
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) January 7, 2021
.@CodyRhodes enters the arena with a special guest, @SnoopDogg!#AEWDynamite is available on https://t.co/zvOOm4JoWK in select Intl markets from #FITE pic.twitter.com/FdEUkgv4I2
— FITE (@FiteTV) January 7, 2021
The duo you never knew you need but you’re damn happy to have @SnoopDogg @CodyRhodes #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/Z28Jqia7Oj
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) January 7, 2021
Always read your contract people! @SnoopDogg made sure of that as he was the witness for #PrivateParty
WATCH #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama. pic.twitter.com/AWttqnV6e3— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 7, 2021
Tune in tonight at 8e/7c for #AEWDynamite LIVE on @TNTDrama as ‘The American Nightmare’ @CodyRhodes w/ @SnoopDogg takes on Matt Sydal (@findevan) pic.twitter.com/QRO0x15xzF
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 7, 2021
Tonight on #AEWDynamite ‘The American Nightmare’ @CodyRhodes w/ @SnoopDogg takes on Matt Sydal pic.twitter.com/VMw0Du1FPW
— All Elite Wrestling on TNT (@AEWonTNT) January 7, 2021
