Background On the December 9, 2020, episode of
Dynamite,
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced that the December 30, 2020, and January 6, 2021, episodes would be a two-part event titled "New Year's Smash". However, on December 28, it was announced that the event had been postponed to January 6 and 13, 2021, due to the death of AEW wrestler
Brodie Lee on December 26. Night 1 of New Year's Smash aired
live while Night 2 was taped on January 7 and aired on
tape delay on January 13. The December 30 episode was in turn held as a memorial event titled
Brodie Lee Celebration of Life, featuring matches and segments with fellow wrestlers honoring and paying tribute to Lee. As part of a tie-in with
TBS's
Go-Big Show, in which former AEW executive and wrestler
Cody Rhodes served as a judge, rapper
Snoop Dogg, who was also a judge on the show, was announced to make a special appearance during New Year's Smash. During the Brodie Lee Celebration of Life event, it was announced that
Sting would also make an appearance on Night 1. Also announced for Night 1 was an
AEW TNT Championship weigh-in between champion
Darby Allin and challenger
Brian Cage, with the title match taking place on Night 2.
Storylines New Year's Smash featured
professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and
storylines. Wrestlers portray
heroes,
villains, or
less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Storylines were produced on AEW's weekly television program,
Dynamite, the supplementary online streaming show,
Dark, and
The Young Bucks'
YouTube series
Being The Elite.
Rey Fenix was originally scheduled to face
Kenny Omega on October 28, 2020, in the
AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament, but was replaced by
Penta El Zero Miedo due to an injury Fenix sustained in his previous bout. On the December 16, 2020 episode of
Dynamite, it was announced that Omega would defend
AEW World Championship against Fenix on Night 1. On the November 25 episode of
Dynamite,
Hikaru Shida retained her
AEW Women's World Championship against
Anna Jay. After the match,
Abadon made her return and went after Shida and her title. On December 23 at
Holiday Bash, it was announced that Shida would defend her title against Abadon on Night 1. On May 23 at
Double or Nothing, Taz accompanied the debuting
Brian Cage in the
Casino Ladder match, a match Allin was also competing in, which Cage won. On September 5 at
All Out, Cage eliminated Allin in the
Casino Battle Royale after putting him in a body bag with thumbtacks and powerbombing him over the top rope. On November 7 at
Full Gear, Allin defeated Rhodes to win the
AEW TNT Championship and after the match, Team Taz (Cage and
Ricky Starks) beat down Allin and Rhodes. This led to a tag team match on the November 18 episode of
Dynamite, pitting Team Taz against Allin and Rhodes, in which Cage pinned Allin to win. On December 23 at
Holiday Bash, it was announced that Allin would defend the TNT Championship against Cage on Night 2. Fenix and Penta would reunite with Pac on the November 18 episode of
Dynamite to reform their stable Death Triangle. The trio began feuding with Kingston, The Butcher and The Blade, and on December 30 at
Brodie Lee Celebration of Life, it was announced that Pac vs. Kingston would take place on Night 2. ==Reception==