Collision – October 4, 2025: AEW Is Better Than This

Collision
Date: October 4, 2025
Location: RP Funding Center, Lakeland, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re two weeks away from WrestleDream and some of the matches have been put together in recent days. This includes Hangman Page defending the World Title against Samoa Joe, which could make for quite the brawl. Other than that, it’s time to build up some other matches, which might start here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Stokely Hathaway, Kevin Knight, LFI, Eddie Kingston, Anna Jay, Orange Cassidy and the Paragon are ready to fight. Pac comes up to Cassidy and says he has six months of pent up frustrations to get out. The challenge is issued for Dynamite and Cassidy is on, after guaranteeing it’s one on one.

We run down the card.

Death Riders vs. Jay Lethal/Adam Priest/Tommy Billington

Lethal cartwheels into the basement dropkick to Garcia to start but Billington gets backdropped out to the floor. Back in and the Riders take over on Billington in the corner but he dives over to Garcia, who comes in and hammers on Moxley. Castagnoli cuts off the suicide dive though and gorilla presses Priest into the barricade. We take a break and come back with Lethal trying to make a save but getting stomped down for his efforts. Garcia rains down the right hands to Priest in the corner and Castagnoli unloads with uppercuts.

Castagnoli’s charge hits the post though and it’s off to Billington to start the comeback. A missile dropkick hits Garcia and the diving headbutt gives Billington two. Stereo crossbodies leave both of them down and Lethal gets to come in to face Moxley. The Lethal Combination looks to set up Hail To The King, which is countered into a rear naked choke. That’s escaped so Garcia tags himself in, with Moxley hitting a quick cutter. The Dragontamer, with a Stomp from Moxley, finishes Lethal at 11:08.

Rating: C+. The Riders winning is fine, though it’s kind of odd to see Priest and Billington continue to get what amounts to a push for them. They’re good enough at what they do, but they’re a fairly small team and are just getting a lot of TV time out of nowhere. With as many people as there already are on the roster with nothing to do, it’s quite the odd choice.

Post match Matt Menard yells at Daniel Garcia, who asks if Menard can take a hint. Garcia says Menard was like a brother to him but Garcia lost when they were friends, because Menard is a loser too. If he stayed around Menard, he would wind up a parasite like Nigel McGuinness (who doesn’t like those words, though we do cut to a closeup of Moxley who says “d***” in a funny reaction). My goodness can we please just stop with these two? With all the people sitting on the sidelines, we have time for this?

Video on Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley.

Nick Wayne is going to be out another 6-8 weeks. He doesn’t accept this diagnosis and says he’ll go find a real doctor.

Anna Jay vs. Jamie Hayter

Hayter headlock takeovers her down but gets shouldered over without much trouble. Back up and Hayter rams her into the buckle a few times but charges into a Downward Spiral. We take a break and come back with Jay fighting out of a chinlock, followed by some running forearms. The Queenslayer is broken up and Hayter hits a middle rope dropkick. A backdrop driver gives Hayter two but Jay is back with a DDT for the same. Jay’s middle rope Blockbuster gets another near fall but another Queenslayer is countered into Hayterade for the pin at 10:07.

Rating: C+. As usual, Jay can hang with the bigger names before losing in the end. I’m not sure what is going to happen with her in the future, but you can almost guarantee Jay and Tay Conti getting a run in whatever competition we have for the Women’s Tag Team Titles. One might wonder why she’s losing here if that’s the case, but one issue at a time.

Max Caster is happy with having won a match but Bryan Keith and Big Bill come in to mock him. Cue Anthony Bowens, who has a bunch of his own covers and awards. A match is set up, but they are NOT the Acclaimed.

Video on Sareee defending the IWGP Women’s Title against Alex Windsor next week on Ring Of Honor. Hokey smoke they actually acknowledged it.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Shayne Stetson/Cha Cha Charlie

The ROH Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line and LFI is Sammy Guevara/Rush with Dralistico. Charlie dances to start so Rush comes in and hits him in the face. Rush beats up Stetson on the floor, followed by the Bull’s Horns to Charlie. Guevara adds a Swanton for the pin at 1:48.

Eddie Kingston vs. Dralistico

Sammy Guevara is on commentary and Hook is here with Kingston. Dralistico grabs a headlock but it gets broken up as Kingston takes the leg out to send Dralistico outside. A running knee has Kingston down and we take a break. We come back with Dralistico working on the knee but Kingston is back with an STO. Dralistico’s springboard Codebreaker sends Kingston outside…and he comes back in with the spinning backfist for the pin at 8:17.

Rating: C-. I’m not sure if he’s just shaking off the rust or what, but Kingston’s return has been rather dull to put it mildly. Granted he hasn’t exactly had much to do thus far, but this was another match where he didn’t do much until the finish. Hopefully he shakes it off, because this is going to get rough if he keeps it up.

We look back at the return of Andrade El Idolo on Dynamite, where he laid out Kenny Omega and joined Don Callis. Hologram’s clone joined the team later in the night.

Here is MxM TV to issue an open challenge.

MxM TV vs. Don Callis Family

Takeshita and TV start things off and everything breaks down in a hurry, with the Family cleaning house. Back in and MxM TV manages a double clothesline but stops to pose, allowing the Family to drop them again. Fletcher hits a big dive onto Madden but TV hits Alexander with the Flying Chuck. Mansoor avoids a Helluva Kick from Fletcher, who pops up to belly to back superplex him down. A C4 Spike into the brainbuster finishes Mansoor at 3:13.

Rating: C+. It was certainly not dull, though the comedy team got in a bit more offense than they should have against one of the big heel teams. At least the right team won, as the Family gets to run through some people. I’m not sure why that needed to be a comedy heel team, but the match could have been much worse.

Dalton Castle and the Outrunners want the Trios Titles. Castle isn’t so sure though, because they have to top their amazing performance from last week. The pressure is crashing down on him, so the Outrunners pick him up and carry him off. Castle thinks he’s in good hands.

The Triangle Of Madness jump Jamie Hayter and Queen Aminata.

Dax Harwood vs. Kevin Knight

Cash Wheeler, Stokely Hathaway, Mike Bailey and Willow Nightingale are here too. Harwood hammers away to start but gets knocked outside, only to come back in and get chopped rather hard. A knee that looked a bit low cuts Knight off but he’s able to send Harwood outside for a slingshot dive. Knight backdrops out of a piledriver on the apron and dives onto Harwood to send him over the barricade.

We take a break and come back with Knight grabbing a rolling DDT for two but his reverse frog splash hits raised knees. Back up and Knight manages a Sky High before they trade headbutts on the mat. Harwood’s slingshot powerbomb is countered into a sunset flip for two. Another attempt connects for two on Knight, who is right back with a springboard clothesline. Wheeler offers a distraction but gets taken out by Nightingale and Bailey, leaving Knight to hit his spinning frog splash for the pin at 13:50.

Rating: B-. Two weeks ago, FTR did what was supposed to be something totally heinous to Beth Copeland. Then her husband just walked out and now they’re losing a singles match to half of Jet Speed. I’m really not sure I get that, but FTR has been booked in some rather bizarre fashions for a long time now.

Post match FTR has to save Hathaway from Nightingale so here is Megan Bayne to take Nightingale out.

Skyflight wants the ROH Six Man Tag Team Titles. Shane Taylor Promotions are in.

Here is Kris Statlander to call out Toni Storm for a chat. Naturally they lay on the mat with their heads next to each other, with Statlander talking about how they have never faced each other. They’re having the match because they’re both fighting champions, but Statlander is going to fight even harder.

Statlander is going to knock her back into black and white. Storm has always been impressed by Statlander and now she gets to see what kind of a woman Statlander is. There is no one she would rather lose to, but there is no one she would rather beat. They can do this right now and the fight is on, with the Triangle Of Madness running in to jump them both. Harley Cameron runs in for the save and the Triangle is cleared out. And yes, the six woman tag is set before the segment even ends.

Video on Hangman Page vs. Samoa Joe.

Don Callis Family vs. Paragon/Orange Cassidy

O’Reilly and Hechicero go to the mat for some grappling, with O’Reilly working on the leg. The grappling continues and Hechicero actually has go to over to the rope. Romero comes in so Strong powers him into the corner, meaning chopping can ensue. That’s broken up by Archer, who clears the ring and we take a break.

We come back with Cassidy coming in for a staredown with Archer, who gets low bridged out to the floor. Romero comes in and gets hit with the lazy forearms but Cassidy starts firing off some more serious shots. The Stundog Millionaire hits Romero and it’s back to O’Reilly to strike away on Hechicero. Archer comes back in and gets triple teamed down, leaving Romero to get caught with a tornado DDT. The cross armbreaker makes Romero tap at 10:54.

Rating: B-. Even with Romero out there, I’m surprised to see Paragon actually win what passes for a big match for them. The team is not likely going to be anything important, but if they’re going to put so many other teams over, they need to win now and then. Not a bad main event at all here, with the ending being a surprise.

The rest of the Don Callis Family comes out for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The wrestling was fine and there aren’t any real complaints about it, save for maybe Kingston. The problem here was how dull the whole thing felt. This was like the show you get when everyone that matters is either gone or not doing anything important. There was pretty much nothing important here (even the storyline developments that took place didn’t feel like they mattered) and it was a heck of a chore to get through this thing. It just felt like a show that didn’t matter in the slightest and that made for a very tedious two hours.

Results
Death Riders b. Jay Lethal/Adam Priest/Tommy Billington – Dragontamer to Lethal
Jamie Hayter b. Anna Jay – Hayterade
La Faccion Ingobernable b. Shayne Stetson/Cha Cha Charlie – Swanton to Charlie
Eddie Kingston b. Dralistico – Spinning backfist
Don Callis Family b. MxM TV – Brainbuster to Mansoor
Kevin Knight b. Dax Harwood – Spinning frog splash
Paragon/Orange Cassidy b. Don Callis Family – Cross armbreaker to Romero

 

 

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Dynamite – October 1, 2025 (6th Anniversary): They’re Here A Lot

Dynamite
Date: October 1, 2025
Location: Hard Rock Live At Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Hollywood, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Bryan Danielson, Taz

It’s a special event as we have the sixth anniversary of Dynamite. Naturally that means the show is an extra half hour longer, because if there is one thing AEW knows how to do, it’s go long. The big draw this week is a six man tag as Kenny Omega is back, though we also need to start getting ready for WrestleDream. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We run down the card.

Earlier today, Matt Jackson had an idea for a big entrance, but Nick Jackson lost their money at a casino.

Young Bucks/Josh Alexander vs. Bandido/Brody King/Kenny Omega

The Bucks are now introduced as the Broke Bucks with an account balance of 0.00. Don Callis joins commentary as Omega and Alexander start things off. A running shoulder takes Omega down as the fans do not approve of Callis. Matt and King come in, with King getting to fire off some clotheslines. Bandido ducks a bunch of superkicks and starts to dance but the Bucks flip out of a springboard armdrag.

The Bucks’ dance is cut off with a double hurricanrana and Omega comes in for his own dancing. Omega and Bandido hit some dives before King slams various people onto Alexander. Not to be outdone, Bandido slams King onto Alexander in a nice bit. Alexander is able to come back with a needed backbreaker and the Bucks can connect with some superkicks. We go to a weird overhead camera shot as Omega fights back on the Bucks, who cut off a big dive. The Bucks are sent to the apron but catch Omega with a triple dive, including an assist from Alexander.

We take a break and come back with Omega avoiding More Bang For Your Buck and bringing King back in to clean house. Bandido comes back in off a blind tag as Callis is hiding from Omega. Everything breaks down and Omega hits a big running flip dive. Back in and a triple Tombstone gives Bandido two but Alexander starts German suplexing Omega.

The double superkicks let Alexander German suplex King and a superkick into a double Neutralizer gets two. More superkicks don’t do much as Omega is back up with the snapdragons. The poisonrana into the V Trigger hits Alexander. King hits a dive and it’s the 21 Plex into the One Winged Angel for the pin on Alexander at 15:41.

Rating: B. They basically stopped with the tagging part in the middle, making this rather perfect for a big time AEW show. The Bucks got to do a lot of their stuff, including the spamming of superkicks, but at least Omega was able to be in the ring. Like him or not, he’s one of the biggest stars AEW has ever had and it means a lot to have him around when he’s healthy enough.

Post match Omega has to be turned around for the pose at the camera. Bandido and King leave and we get the tease of a reunion with Omega and the Bucks…but Alexander breaks it up before anything can happen. The beatdown is on and the Bucks aren’t sure what to do. Cue the Jurassic Express to take the Bucks out, leaving Jack Perry and Omega to argue a lot.

Perry keeps going after the Bucks and Omega is left alone. Omega talks about the journey that it took to get here and he’s glad to have fans who have been here since the beginning or who are just starting out. He hits the catchphrase and the lights go out….and Andrade El Idolo is back to lay Omega out. And yes, of course he’s with Callis.

We look back at the last six years of Dynamite. That’s a nice touch and there have been some great highlights.

Mark Briscoe says this is a night for celebration and reflection. The last few weeks have seen his life consumed by MJF, who let Mark’s brother’s name out of his mouth. He recaps the TNT Title situation and will be happy to see Orange Cassidy win the title tonight, while MJF will still be pulling tacks out of his a**.

TNT Title: Kyle Fletcher vs. Orange Cassidy

Cassidy is challenging and blocks some early brainbuster attempts. A backslide attempt doesn’t work so Cassidy just stops running on an Irish whip attempt in a funny bit. Fletcher knocks him outside but Cassidy runs back inside for a suicide dive. Cassidy gets knocked outside though and we take a break.

We come back with Fletcher kicking away but Cassidy makes a comeback, only to get kicked in the head. The lawn dart is countered into an armdrag though and Fletcher is sent into some buckles. A high crossbody is countered into a Michinoku driver to give Fletcher two but Cassidy grabs a Stundog Millionaire.

Fletcher’s powerbomb attempt is countered into a DDT for two but Cassidy’s rollup is countered into a tombstone for the same. They trade superkicks until Fletcher kicks him in the head on the top. Don Callis gets up for a distraction so here is Hologram (that is not Hologram), who chases Callis off and then crotches Cassidy on top. Fletcher brainbusters Cassidy onto the turnbuckle for the win at 14:15.

Rating: B-. This was good enough, though the “that’s Hologram” deal was straight out of the “THAT IS STING” from the Nitro days. At the same time, I’m not sure how smart it is to have Cassidy lose so soon after his return. It helps Fletcher, but maybe build up a match like this and put someone else in there instead?

Post match the beatdown is on as Hologram seems to have joined Callis as well. The Paragon runs in for the save. The rest of the Family runs in, with Hologram revealing that he is in fact the Clone.

We look back at Andrade joining the Don Callis Family. Callis has been around for almost the entire first hour of the show.

Mercedes Mone is still wanting her tenth belt but she’s willing to defend her TBS Title next week on Title Tuesday. She wants to face someone local in Florida but we’ll figure out who that will be. Mone is asked about the Women’s Tag Team Titles and needs a partner, so here is Harley Cameron, with the Mone puppet. Arguing ensues, as Mone isn’t interested in Cameron’s pitch.

Death Riders vs. Hangman Page/Samoa Joe/Powerhouse Hobbs

Castagnoli charges in at Joe to start fast and gets taken into the corner so Joe can easily slug him down. Moxley comes in and knocks Joe into the wrong corner for some knees to the face, allowing Garcia to choke on the ropes. That’s broken up and Joe backsplashes Garcia, allowing the big tag off to Page.

House is quickly cleaned and Page sends Garcia outside for a slingshot dive. Hobbs comes in and fires off the shoulders and clotheslines to drop the villains again. Moxley gets crushed in the corner and slammed onto the apron as we take a break. We come back with Hobbs in trouble and striking it out with Castagnoli. A gutwrench suplex drops Hobbs for two and Castagnoli knocks Page off the apron.

The distraction lets Hobbs get in a powerslam, allowing the tag off to Page for the comeback. Moxley slips out of a Deadeye attempt and grabs a piledriver, followed by a big running uppercut from Castagnoli. Hobbs is back in for the save and Joe knocks Garcia off the apron. A Paradigm Shift drops Joe and Castagnoli clotheslines Page for two. Page is right back up with the Deadeye into the Buckshot Lariat to pin Castagnoli at 14:32.

Rating: B. This was the kind of hard hitting brawl that you would expect, with everyone working with the effort to make it work. I’m not sure who is next for Page, but it doesn’t seem like it is going to be another member of the Death Riders. The team seems to be shifting away from Page, which is what needs to happen. On the other side…well it’s not like the Trios Titles mean anything anyway.

Post match Joe gets in Page’s face, apparently mad that he didn’t get a tag in the match. Security (and Hobbs) break it up. Joe says Page never beat him (aha) and that seems to be a WrestleDream title match.

Willow Nightingale and Jet Speed want to take out FTR and Stokely Hathaway, with a singles match coming on Collision.

Post break Hangman Page is very confused by what Samoa Joe did (which was apparently about handing him a title). Page knows it’s about the World Title and he has it partially because of what Joe did at All In. If Joe wants a title shot, we can do it at WrestleDream, but don’t come at him like that again.

Toni Storm vs. Tay Melo

Storm is in a trench coat and fedora and looking a bit shaken up. We get a handshake to start as Storm is in more regular clothes and not gear. Storm hits a running shoulder and basement dropkick to set up a backbreaker. Melo sends her outside but gets dropped onto the apron as we take a break.

We come back with Melo hitting some running boots in the corner but Storm grabs a running faceplant. They slug it out until Storm grabs a DDT, only to miss the running hip attack. Melo kicks her in the face in the corner but Storm snaps off a German suplex. The hip attack sets up the Storm Zero to pin Melo at 7:59.

Rating: C+. It’s nice to see Storm win a short match instead of going long, as she should be able to run through someone at Melo’s level. Storm is likely going to be facing Kris Statlander in a singles match for the title so boosting her up again like this is fine. Then again, you never know with Storm as she can be a bit, shall we say, out there.

Post match Storm, in black and white, says she heard a silence at All Out and it completely gobbled her up. What is she without the title? She’s not finished with Kris Statlander so she’s ready anywhere, anytime.

Sammy Guevara is ready for Eddie Kingston on Collision….to face Dralistico.

Kingston doesn’t speak Spanish but tells Dralistico to not let Guevara speak for him.

Samoa Joe isn’t surprised by Hangman Page because maybe they aren’t friends. He has been so distracted by the Death Riders so maybe it’s time to get back to what he is. Page is all about cowboy s*** but if he messes with Joe, welcome to the world of deep s***.

Gates Of Agony vs. Swirl

Ricochet is here with the Gates and sits in on commentary. Johnson slips out of Liona’s suplex to start so Kaun comes in for a rather loud chop. Christian comes in and gets caught with a fireman’s carry gutbuster as we take a break. We come back with Christian getting planted for two but he fights out and brings Johnson back in. Everything breaks down and Johnson hits a big running flip dive, with Christian adding a dropkick. The Gates are right back up to drop Christian, followed by some running shots in the corner to drop Johnson. Open The Gates finishes Johnson at 7:59.

Rating: C+. You know what you’re getting with the Gates and that’s what you got here. They beat up a team that is beneath them and didn’t have much trouble doing so. The Swirl might mean something in Ring Of Honor, but they don’t mean much of anything in AEW and that was on display here.

Post match Ricochet gives Christian a Spirit Gun but here is the Hurt Syndicate to interrupt. MVP asks if there are any Miami locals around here and then apologizes to his partners for getting pinned at All Out. Maybe he isn’t as good as he used to be, but he knows he can still fight. That’s why he wants a street fight rematch next week. Ricochet says it’s on.

Kris Statlander says she has never faced Toni Storm one on one so they can do it at WrestleDream. Harley Cameron comes in to approve, but hides Mini Mone.

Don Callis, with Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita, says the two of them will be facing Bandido/Brody King next week. They don’t seem thrilled, but Callis assures them it will be fine.

Darby Allin/Kris Statlander vs. Death Riders

Tornado Tag and Allin/Statlander jump them during their entrance to start the fight in the crowd. Statlander jumps off a wall to take Shafir down, leaving Allin to chair Yuta in the back at ringside. A big dive only hits chair though, leaving Shafir to strike away at Statlander as we take a break.

We come back with Statlander faceplanting Shafir, who is right back with a headscissor driver onto the apron. Yuta German suplexes Allin onto the pile of chairs but Allin pops up for a top rope superplex onto the pile of chairs. Back up and Yuta drops Allin onto the apron and whips out the bag of thumbtacks.

Yuta Angle Slams Statlander, who suplexes him onto the chairs. Shafir comes after Statlander but gets dropped feet first onto the tacks. Allin ducks powder from Yuta, which goes into Shafir’s eyes. That leaves Shafir to choke Yuta, leaving Statlander to hit a 450 onto both of them at once. The Coffin Drop finishes Yuta (with Statlander covering too) at around 12:30 (the bell didn’t ring to start).

Rating: B-. Good, wild main event here and it was something that had to be on the show for the sake of AEW’s history. Allin gets a win over the Death Riders (rough night for them) on the way to facing Jon Moxley at WrestleDream while Statlander gets to do more with whatever she’s doing with Yuta.

Post match Toni Storm comes out to brawl with Statlander. With the two of them gone, Allin whips Yuta with a belt but Pac runs in to beat Allin down. Moxley says Allin can’t make him quit and while he doesn’t know how he’ll do it, he’ll make Allin quit at WrestleDream.

Overall Rating: B. While I’m not sure if this needed to be a special extended show, it did a nice job of getting things ready for both next week as well as WrestleDream. The action here was mostly ok, though I could go a long time without seeing the Don Callis Family or the Death Riders. The latter seems to be on a downward trend while the Family is somehow getting even bigger. Good enough show here, though they really need some better top heels.

Results
Kenny Omega/Bandido/Brody King b. Josh Alexander/Young Bucks – One Winged Angel to Alexander
Kyle Fletcher b. Orange Cassidy – Brainbuster onto the turnbuckle
Hangman Page/Powerhouse Hobbs/Samoa Joe b. Death Riders – Buckshot Lariat to Castagnoli
Toni Storm b. Tay Melo – Storm Zero
Gates Of Agony b. Swirl – Open The Gates to Johnson
Darby Allin/Kris Statlander b. Death Riders – Coffin Drop to Yuta

 

 

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Collision – September 27, 2025: He Has The Star Power

Collision
Date: September 27, 2025
Location: Marshall Health Network Arena, Huntington, West Virginia
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re back to the regular Collision and that means we’re going to be seeing something interesting this week. In this case, we’re done with All Out and less than a month away from WrestleDream. That means we should be in for some nice action, as well as the build towards the next pay per view. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

The Death Riders, Paragon/Matt Menard, Jamie Hayter, the Triangle Of Madness, Kommander and Hologram…well normally they’re ready to fight but Kyle Fletcher runs in and jumps Hologram (who was interrupted by the CLON deal anyway).

Death Riders vs. Paragon/Matt Menard

Garcia and O’Reilly get things going, with Garcia having to use the ropes to escape a headscissors. Castagnoli comes in to beat up Menard before it’s off to Moxley for a knee to the head. It’s back to Garcia, who gets taken into the corner for the alternating strikes, including O’Reilly firing off the knees. Menard hammers down the right hands in the corner and O’Reilly adds a running dropkick against the barricade. We take a break and come back with O’Reilly in trouble.

O’Reilly fights back but Castagnoli is right there to pull Menard down before the tag. Instead O’Reilly gets over for the tag off to Strong who strikes away at everyone. The Sick Kick hits Moxley for two but Castagnoli is back to swing Strong into Moxley’s dropkick for another near fall. Menard comes in for the big showdown with Garcia and hammers him down but it’s quickly off to Moxley to take Menard down. Garcia’s stomp finishes Menard at 14:23.

Rating: C+. The problem here is very simple: the big climax of the match is the goofy commentator getting his hands on one of the least interesting heels in the company. Simply put, it’s just not something that I cared to see and the live audience didn’t seem thrilled either. It doesn’t feel important and they are going to need something more interesting than that if they want Garcia to feel like a big deal. Oh and look: Paragon losing. What a novel concept.

Video on Bandido/Brody King.

King wants to get his hands on the Don Callis Family and wants to settle the score with Josh Alexander and the Young Bucks. On Dynamite. When he teams with Bandido. And Kenny Omega.

We recap the Opps/Hangman Page/Death Riders brawl from Dynamite but in a bit of a production gaffe, Nigel tries to throw it to a post show interview but we go to the ring instead.

Death Riders vs. Rachael Ellering/Rosario Grillo

Yuta jumps Grillo to start fast and stomps away in the corner. The elbows to the head have Grillo in more trouble and Yuta drags him over for the tag to Ellering. Shafir quickly kicks her down and Mother’s Milk gets the tap at 2:11.

Post match Yuta is not happy with Kris Statlander, who betrayed the people who cared about her the most. He’s the reason she’s the champion today and on Dynamite, she will pay for making the wrong choice. Speaking of people making the wrong choice, Darby Allin will not give up and go away. Allin saw a lot of dead bodies on Mount Everest, so the Death Riders will put him right next to them. Jon Moxley yells about the Opps a bit more.

We look back at Darby Allin challenging Jon Moxley for WrestleDream and the I Quit match is official.

Now we get the video from after Dynamite, with Hangman Page and the Opps being ready to destroy the Death Riders next week. Samoa Joe promises a lot more lessons in violence.

Anthony Bowens/Max Caster vs. Swirl

Bowens and Caster argue over who gets to start and keep changing places until Caster drops to the floor. Then Caster pulls Bowens out with him so they can argue some more, with Christian diving onto Caster to take over. Back in and Swirl rolls into a right hand to Bowens, who comes back with a snap suplex. What used to be Scissor Me Timbers is broken up and Caster gets chopped in the corner as we take an early break.

We come back with the fans getting behind Caster but Christian kicks him in the face to cut if off. Bowens goes to leave but Jerry Lynn comes out to yell at him, forcing Bowens back. The tag brings Bowens in to clean house, including something like a reverse Angle Slam to Johnson. Christian is back up with a running flip dive to Caster, followed by a handspring kick/brainbuster combination for two on Bowens. Caster tags himself in but Johnson shoves Bowens into him for the crash out to the floor. Bowens is back up with a heck of a right hand, allowing Caster to get the rollup pin at 11:15.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure if the former Acclaimed are going to get back together but I’ll take this over another loss. If nothing else, the division could certainly use the help, though I’m not sold on another old 90s veteran being what it takes to get them back together. If that’s what they’re doing, why not just have Billy Gunn in the role again?

Post match Lynn wants some scissoring but Bowens walks away despite a tease.

The Matriarchy isn’t happy with Luchasaurus being gone but Nick Wayne is ready to go after Christian Cage.

Women’s Tag Team Titles are coming.

Anna Jay and Tay Conti are very excited about the titles being introduced and this is what they have been wanting for years now.

Outrunners/Dalton Castle vs. Corey Sparks/Cowpoke Paul/KM

KM is a good eight inches taller than his partners. Paul (as in COWPOKE Paul) gets taken down by the Outrunners to start and it’s off to KM, who gets suplexed by Castle. The Mega Powers Elbow into the Bang A Rang finishes KM at 1:30. Eh I like it.

Video on Mark Briscoe beating MJF in a table n tacks match at All Out. Now Briscoe is back with the Conglomeration and they’re funny, but they’re no joke.

TNT Title: Kyle Fletcher vs. Kommander

Fletcher is defending and gets rolled up for a fast two. A sunset flip gets the same on Fletcher, who is right back with a slam to cut Kommander off. Some stomping and another slam give Fletcher two but Kommander kicks right back. The very bouncy springboard takes Fletcher outside and Kommander sends him into the barricade. Fletcher cuts off the charge though and powerbombs him onto the apron twice in a row as we take a break.

We come back with an announcement that Hologram is going to be out of action for “quite a while” so his TNT Title shot is off. Kommander gets two off a tornado DDT but Fletcher knocks him down again. They head to the apron, where Kommander has to escape a brainbuster and Tombstone.

Instead it’s a running headscissors to the floor but Fletcher is right back with a Michinoku Driver for two. Fletcher gets kicked outside for a step up twisting moonsault. Back in and a springboard Canadian Destroyer sets up a 450 for two Cielito Lindo hits raised boots though and Fletcher lawn darts him into the buckle. The brainbuster retains the title at 13:30.

Rating: B. I wasn’t expecting much here and they wound up having a heck of a match, with Kommander doing some amazing high spots but Fletcher kept reeling him in and eventually caught him. Above all else, you can see the star power in Fletcher growing every week and this felt like an important person getting a win. Kommander did his part too and I liked this a good bit.

We look at Hologram being attacked earlier, plus Kyle Fletcher’s win.

Fletcher says this was about reestablishing dominance and he’s just so upset about not facing Hologram. Now he has no one to face but he wants someone to step up to give him a challenge on Dynamite.

And it’s going to be Orange Cassidy.

Big Bill/Bryan Keith vs. Hook/Eddie Kingston

Hold on as Hook has talked to Tony Khan and this is now a Texas Tornado match. Sure why not. Hook throws Keith down to start as the other two fight on the floor. Kingston comes back in and gets side slammed by Bill but Hook and Kingston clothesline him out to the floor. Keith gets double shouldered as well but Bill pulls Kingston outside for a ram into the steps as we take a break.

We come back with Hook still in trouble, with Bill hammering away. Schiavone gives us some breaking news: Dynamite will be TWO AND A HALF HOURS this week. Well to be fair, it has been a full week since they’ve gone longer than two hours. Kingston crotches Bill, who pops back up to try a double chokeslam. That’s broken up and a double suplex puts him down for two. Back up and Bill boots Kingston and hits a clothesline for two, only for Kingston to dragon screw leg whip him down. Keith is knocked down as well and the spinning backfist sends him into Redrum for the pin at 10:18.

Rating: C. This was pretty much exactly what you would have expected, as it was a rather unnecessary stipulation with Bill getting to be a wrecking ball until his partner lost. Kingston’s return felt important enough but his stuff in the ring is only so good. At the same time, I guess Kingston is the latest person Hook will be attached to in a desperate attempt to get him over.

The Bang Bang Gang agrees that they need new numbers and Ace Austin comes up. He seems to be the newest member. I still want to know why they aren’t selling Ace Austin playing cards.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart

Skye Blue is here with Hart. Hayter powers her down to start fast and a big boot drops Hart again. Hart gets thrown into the corner again but bails to the floor, allowing Blue to get in a cheap shot. We take a break and come back with Blue pulling Hayter outside again, only to get suplexed down this time. Hayter sends Hart into the buckle over and over and a dropkick sends her into the corner.

The Saito suplex gives Hayter two and she gives Hart a Samoan drop, which is countered into a crucifix for two. Hayter is right back with a fireman’s carry onto the knee but Hart manages a neckbreaker. Hart kicks her down and this the moonsault for two as Hayter’s foot is on the rope. An Octopus has Hayter in more trouble, which is reversed into a Tombstone for two. Hayterade gives Hayter the pin at 10:47 (because in AEW, you have to kick out of one big move before the pin).

Rating: B-. Nice main event here, with Hayter trying to get back the star power that was absolutely there before she got hurt. At the same time, the Triangle Of Madness is only looking so strong, though you know they’re going to be a factor in the Tag Team Title tournament. Hart’s moonsault still looks awesome though and it’s good to see her use it occasionally.

Post match Blue comes in to jump Hayter, who gets double superkicked. Queen Aminata runs in with a belt for the save. Thekla is here as well and Hayter says she had an idea. There is one simple way to solve this: Blood & Guts! You knew the women would get their own version at some point, which is fine, but PLEASE don’t let it be another 45 minute match which should be half of that at most. Schiavone says it might be on Wednesday, only to say actually it won’t be to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The Fletcher vs. Kommander match was rather good and the main event was fine enough, but dang that stuff with the Death Riders at the start was more than a bit tedious. Collision still feels like it would be a lot better as just an hour long show but that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. Either way, not a bad show here, but it felt rather long multiple times, save for the TNT Title match.

Results
Death Riders b. Matt Menard/Paragon – Stomp to Menard
Death Riders b. Rosario Grillo/Rachael Ellering – Mother’s Milk to Ellering
Anthony Bowens/Max Caster b. Swirl – Right hand to Johnson
Outrunners/Dalton Castle b. KM/Cowpoke Pete/Corey Sparks – Bang A Rang to KM
Kyle Fletcher b. Kommander – Brainbuster
Hook/Eddie Kingston b. Big Bill/Bryan Keith – Redrum to Keith
Jamie Hayter b. Julia Hart – Hayterade

 

 

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Dynamite – September 24, 2025: I Wanted Jerry Sags

Dynamite
Date: September 24, 2025
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Bryan Danielson

We’re done with All Out and only so many things came out of the show. There is only so much coming out of the pay per view, which saw Hangman Page retaining the World Title, though Kris Statlander won the Women’s Title in a huge upset. We’re coming up on WrestleDream in less than a month so let’s get to it.

Here is All Out if you need a recap.

Hangman Page praises Kyle Fletcher for his efforts at All Out and warns him to not waste his chance. As for tonight, he’s facing Lee Moriarty, who better be ready.

Tag Team Titles: Gates Of Agony vs. Bandido/Brody King

Bandido/King are defending and before the match, Ricochet promises that the Gates will win. King and Liona start things off but Bandido wants to come in for a loud chop. That just seems to annoy Liona, who takes Bandido into the corner so Kaun can come in. Kaun runs him over and gives him a slam, followed by Liona coming in to do the same. Bandido manages to slip away from Liona though and it’s back to King to power away on both Gates.

Kaun can’t get King in a fireman’s carry so King hits a hard clothesline. The Gates get back up for a middle rope elbow/Backstabber combination for two and we take a break. We come back with a double belly to back slam and a pair of backsplashes getting two on King. Liona is sent into Kaun in the corner and King manages a Cannonball. The much needed tag brings in Bandido who…dances and gyrates his hips? Liona misses a charge into the corner and Bandido GORILLA PRESSES Kaun into him (ok that got me) for two.

Liona blocks the 21 Plex and Bandido is put on top, where King electric chairs the Gates down. King takes Liona outside for the crossbody against the barricade but…well we’re not sure as the camera misses it, but we do see Liona throwing King over the barricade. Bandido misses a frog splash so Ricochet tries to bring in a chair, which is quickly cut off and earns Ricochet an ejection. Kaun drops Bandido with a clothesline and Open The Gates gets two, with King making the save. King dives onto Liona, leaving Bandido to hit the 21 Plex to retain the titles at 14:55.

Rating: B. This was a hard fought match, though I’m not sure why you would have the Gates win on Saturday and then lose here. The team’s biggest issue is that they rarely win in big matches so once they get a big win, they’re right back to losing in another big match. It was another good win for Bandido and King, though I’m almost scared to know who is going to be coming after them next.

The Conglomeration is ready to take out the Don Callis Family tonight and they have a surprise partner. The WORD OF THE DAY is MYSTERY but ORANGE you glad they have so many options to pick from. However, you will not be able to SQUEEZE this JUICY information out of him. Their future is so bright that they have to put on their sunglasses. Kyle O’Reilly calls the interviewer Jane, asks where his mind is, and whistles as he leaves. It’s going to be Jerry Sags isn’t it?

Hologram’s clone video plays.

Kris Statlander (with cheerleader Harley Cameron) is sore from her match but happy to win the title. She needs to face Mina Shirakawa tonight because someone needs to be first. As for being associated with the Death Riders, she says you can make fast decisions.

Video on Lee Moriarty.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page vs. Lee Moriarty

Page is defending. They shake hands to start (as Moriarty is a good guy for one night only) as Danielson gets in his regular praise for Blue Panther. Moriarty takes him down into a headscissors, which is broken up rather quickly for a standoff. A test of strength takes Moriarty down but Page lets him up and hits a big boot.

We take a break and come back with Moriarty landing on the apron, where he hits a springboard clothesline for two. They lock hands and strike it out until a fall away slam sends Moriarty falling away. Moriarty counters a Deadeye into an Octopus and then the Border City Stretch. That’s broken up in a hurry though and Page hits a quick Deadeye to retain at 9:55.

Rating: B-. This wasn’t exactly a match where there was supposed to be doubt about the win and it was good to Moriarty basically dropping Shane Taylor Promotions for one night. If he’s the hometown star, you don’t want to see him lose while as a villain so this was the way it should have gone. Page winning a quick match like this is fine, though hopefully it isn’t something that happens too often, as the title being on the line should feel special.

Back at All Out, Adam Copeland was rather nervous about what happened to his wife Beth. Copeland said he can’t do this anymore because it’s not the first time his family has been hurt. He has to go take care of his family and he isn’t sure if he’ll be back. Christian Cage said he doesn’t have a family anymore so Copeland can go take care of his. Copeland says Cage does have a family and offers a handshake, which Cage accepts. Are we doing this thing again where Beth is destroyed by a single move? I’m guessing we’re just forgetting that she’s a Hall Of Fame wrestler who has survived a lot before but this just wrecks her.

Here is FTR, with Stokely Hathaway, for a chat. Cash Wheeler talks about how what happened at All Out was never supposed to happen. They wanted to get rid of Copeland and Cage and move back towards the Tag Team Titles. What happened was ALL Copeland’s fault and Hathaway forgives Beth for what she did. He was coming out to introduce himself and he ALLOWED her to spear him.

The reality is Copeland and Cage needed her to win and that b….that BETH doesn’t even work here. Dax Harwood isn’t going to apologize for attacking Copeland, but he would never hurt Beth on purpose. The reality is he was blinded because his eyes were watering and he gave her a piledriver by mistake.

This brings out Willow Nightingale, who suggests that they are in fact LYING. She’s here to talk about Beth Phoenix, who is one of the reasons she became a wrestler. Women like Beth are the reason that women like her don’t take s*** from guys like Harwood. Hathaway tells her to watch the Proud Family and go to sleep so Nightingale goes after him. FTR grabs her but Jet Speed runs in for the save.

After All Out, MJF talks about how he was the biggest star in the world. Then he lost everything and went away for a bit and while he’s glad he accomplished so many things, he’s been doubting himself so much. The tacks in his back represent doubts and he’s going away for awhile. He’s not coming back until he can be back to his old self. And he’ll do it his way.

Here is the Don Callis Family for the six man tag, but first Don Callis wants to unveil his new painting. The painting is wheeled out and it’s….destroyed by the returning Orange Cassidy! Dang it I was really hoping for Jerry Sags. Anyway the fight is on fast.

Don Callis Family vs. Conglomeration

Cassidy dropkicks some of the Family down to start until Briscoe makes the save. The good guys clean house with dives, with Cassidy adding a fall off the top. That’s enough of the pre-match stuff so we actually get the opening bell. Cassidy and Hechicero start things off before it’s off to Briscoe to rain down right hands in the corner. Hologram gets to do the same, with Cassidy getting to put in one punch for a funny moment.

We settle down to Hologram coming in but getting taken down by Hechicero, who grabs a crossarm choke. A cutter plants Hologram again and we take a break. We come back with Hechicero going after Hologram’s knee but Hologram is back with a rather spinning headscissors. Okada comes in to run people off the apron but Hologram ducks a tag and brings in Briscoe. A fisherman’s buster gets two on Okada and Cassidy adds a Stundog Millionaire.

Everything breaks down and Cassidy hurricanranas Takeshita and Okada at the same time. Hechicero is back in with a headscissor driver to Hologram but Briscoe suplexes Okada. Takeshita gives Hologram a kneeling tombstone but Hologram is right back with a Canadian Destroyer. Cassidy gives Hechicero an Orange Punch and Hologram’s spinning torture rack bomb finishes him off at 10:36.

Rating: B-. This was the usual fun stuff and it was nice to have Cassidy back. Like him or not, he’s one of the most popular stars in AEW and having him back was a big upgrade for the show. He’s someone who is going to be slotted into an important spot almost immediately and now we get to see what is next for him, and maybe even Hologram. And Briscoe, who won a big match and is put into a six man where the focus was on his mystery partner.

Post match here is Kyle Fletcher, who says he will be World Champion one day. He felt terrible on Sunday and he’s going to become the greatest TNT Champion ever. That can start next week against….Hologram. Well it’s about time someone brought that up.

Mina Shirakawa is worried that she hasn’t heard from Toni Storm, but tonight she’s going to fight for the title.

Video on Jurassic Express, who reunited after a LONG time apart at All Out.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Hobbs comes through the crowd and hammers away to start, meaning it’s time for a slugout. That leaves both of them staggered but Hobbs is back up with some slams. A belly to back suplex doesn’t do much to Hobbs, who slams him a few more times. Castagnoli’s chinlock doesn’t work as they crash out to the floor, where they slug it out again. Hobbs misses a charge into the steps though and Castagnoli sends him over the barricade.

That’s not enough so Castagnoli drops him onto the barricade and we take a break. We come back with Hobbs powering out of a camel clutch but getting knocked back down for two. Hobbs gets back up for the slugout and some running splashes in the corner have Castagnoli in more trouble. Castagnoli is able to catch him on top with a superplex though and that’s quite the big crash from someone like Hobbs.

A snap powerslam plants Castagnoli though and the corner clotheslines rock him again. Two more slams plant Castagnoli but he blocks the third and tries some clotheslines. That just wakes Hobbs up for a clothesline of his own and a slam, but here is Pac for a distraction. Castagnoli gets a small package for the pin at 11:36.

Rating: B-. There was something fun about watching two big strong guys like this beat the fire out of each other and it was a solid performance for Hobbs. The interference helps protect him, though Pac looking like an overly muscular Austin Aries isn’t helping him. It’s good to have him back for the time being though, even if it isn’t likely to last long.

Post match Samoa Joe chases Pac off and Hobbs clotheslines Castagnoli to the floor. The Death Riders run in for the beatdown but Hangman Page makes the save (returning a favor to the Opps).

President Tony Khan has a big announcement: the introduction of Women’s Tag Team Titles. Renee Paquette gets to unveil the new titles. The division has some teams so it’s not out of nowhere, but there are SO MANY titles already and so much else going on that there is barely time for everything AEW already has going on. If that isn’t fixed, these titles are going to get lost in the shuffle really, really fast.

Women’s Title: Mina Shirakawa vs. Kris Statlander

Statlander is defending and Wheeler Yuta is at ringside. A shoulder puts Shirakawa down to start and a standing moonsault gives Statlander two. Shirakawa ducks a clothesline and does her dance, earning her a quick belly to back suplex. Statlander misses a charge into the corner though and Shirakawa starts in on the knees. Said knees are sent into the apron and steps but Statlander drops all of her onto the apron as we take a break.

We come back with Shirakawa hitting a Sling Blade, followed by a dancing double knee stomp. Statlander is able to get back up for a high kick into a Falcon Arrow for two but Shirakawa takes the knee out again. A top rope Sling Blade gives Shirakawa two and she rolls into the Figure Four. The rope is reached so Shirakawa strikes her down for two but Statlander is right back with the seatbelt to retain at 11:07.

Rating: B. Putting Statlander out there for a win is fine, though dang it feels like Shirakawa loses a lot. In theory Statlander is going to get a rematch with Toni Storm sooner than later, and that’s the kind of win that’s going to really make her a big deal. Assuming it happens of course.

Post match Yuta gets in the ring to celebrate but here is Harley Cameron to even things out. The Death Riders, including Jon Moxley, show up as well and Statlander seems to join the team…only to clothesline Yuta. She even flips off Moxley and runs off into the crowd. Eh it’s close enough to DDP and the NWO that I’ll take it. Cue Darby Allin with a flamethrower to scare the team away. Allin issues a challenge for an I Quit match at WrestleDream. Oh that could go very badly.

Overall Rating: B+. This was quite the show, with solid action throughout and some stuff being made for upcoming shows. Hopefully they can keep the momentum going after a good pay per view and a rather strong Dynamite. The ending made Statlander look like a fresh star and that is something the women’s division has been needing for a good while. Throw in Cassidy being back and anything involving Pac vs. Joe and AEW has me interested going forward.

Results
Bandido/Brody King b. Gates Of Agony – 21 Plex to Kaun
Hangman Page b. Lee Moriarty – Deadeye
Conglomeration b. Don Callis Family – Spinning torture rack bomb to Hechicero
Claudio Castagnoli b. Powerhouse Hobbs – Small package
Kris Statlander b. Mina Shirakawa – Seatbelt

 

 

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All Out 2025: It’s Choking Them

All Out 2025
Date: September 20, 2025
Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Bryan Danielson

It’s back to pay per view and the show is looking decent at best. The main event, or at least the World Title match, is Hangman Page defending against Kyle Fletcher, whose TNT Title isn’t on the line. Other than that we have Darby Allin facing Jon Moxley in a coffin match, which could go in a few ways. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Opps vs. WorkHorsemen

Henry strikes away at Hobbs to no avail to start and gets slammed down a few times to start. Drake breaks up the seventh or so slam, only to take it himself. It’s off to Joe for the snap jabs to the seated Drake but Henry comes back in with a DDT for two. Joe is right back with a powerslam and it’s back to Hobbs to run both WorkHorsemen over. Drake tries a dropkick and Joe walks away, setting up the Koquina Clutch for the tap at 5:22.

Rating: C-. This is a good example of a match that works fine if it starts ten minutes before the pay per view to warm the fans up a bit. Instead, it’s one of four matches with a team who is two thirds of the Trios Champions beating a team that means absolutely nothing in AEW. This added nothing other than content for the sake of content and that’s not the most thrilling start.

Kickoff Show: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia

Marina Shafir is here with Garcia. Shibata charges in and boots him in the face to start fast as they’re quickly out on the floor. Garcia gets sent into the barricade as Shibata is more aggressive than usual here. We actually take a break and come back with Garcia ignoring Matt Menard (smart move) and dropkicking the steps into Shibata’s head. A basement forearm gives Garcia two and they trade forearms, as is their custom.

An exchange of German suplexes leaves Garcia down in the corner but he escapes a triangle choke. They go to the apron with Garcia hitting a Death Valley Driver and we take another break. We come back with an exchange of slaps leaving both of them down. Another exchange of forearms lets Garcia get a front chancery into a piledriver for two. Shibata is back up with the sleeper and Garcia taps but Shafir has the referee. The distraction lets Garcia hit a Gotch style piledriver and a curb stomp for the pin at 14:48.

Rating: C+. Well, Garcia is now a villain and getting to do matches like this. I mean, nothing is really different about him and he’s still about as dull as he was before, but now he has Shafir helping him win. He’s perfectly acceptable as a midcard guy, but if AEW tries to push him beyond that, I don’t see it going well.

Kickoff Show: Hologram/Paragon vs. Frat House

The Frat House jump the good guys to start but that’s broken up in a hurry. Strong suplexes Hologram onto Vance but a distraction lets him send O’Reilly throat first into the ropes. O’Reilly is right back up for the tag off to Hologram to clean house and a triple strike puts Vance down. Hologram hits a big dive and a top rope double stomp finishes Garrison at 3:18.

Rating: C. It was a match you might see on any given edition of Ring Of Honor, though I can appreciate just getting them in and out rather than wasting time on something where the result was never in doubt. The Frat House means nothing in AEW (and have barely ever wrestled here) while Hologram never loses (and never moves up the card). At least Paragon didn’t lose again, though I’m sure they will in the next match that matters in the slightest.

Kickoff Show: Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford/Triangle Of Madness vs. Harley Cameron/Mina Shirakawa/Queen Aminata/Willow Nightingale

Tornado Tailgate Brawl, basically meaning a street fight. Cameron and company get into a football formation to start and throw something, which is enough of a distraction for them to run over the villains. Bayne isn’t having that and starts throwing people to the floor before getting a slugout with Nightingale. Everyone gets back in and it’s a quadruple suplex for Bayne’s team to get sent flying. It’s time to bust out the weapons and we take an early break.

We come back with Nightingale being powerbombed onto…I think it’s a cooler? Shirakawa and Aminata come back in and swing a cooler each to take over. Ford is put in a trashcan for a handspring elbow in the corner before Nightingale Pounces Bayne. The Triangle is put in a barbecue grill, leaving Ford to get caught in the Babe With The Powerbomb for the pin at 11:29.

Rating: B-. I had fun with this as it was a big themed brawl, but more importantly, the match had been set up in recent weeks. This was the biggest match on the Kickoff Show and it made things feel more important. It’s also nice to see Nightingale get a win, though I’m more curious about what is next for Bayne, as she is kind of lacking anything to do at the moment.

And now, the show proper.

The opening video looks at the bigger matches on the card, with a theme of going north. To Canada you see.

Bryan Danielson comes out for commentary.

We recap Adam Copeland/Christian Cage vs. FTR. The Canadians don’t really like each other, but they’re agreeing to get back together to help each other with their respective problems.

Earlier today, Copeland and Cage arrived and ran into some Toronto Maple Leaf legends. And a guy in a messed up mask with a makeshift title belt named the Green Bastard. That last one was a bit odd.

FTR vs. Adam Copeland/Christian Cage

Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR and Harwood has a broken nose. Fans: “OH F*** THE REVIVAL!” Cage backs Harwood into the corner to start and it’s an early clean break. Harwood takes Cage down and walks on his back, only to be sent into the post for his efforts. Copeland comes in for a double hiptoss and Wheeler comes in for a change. Wheeler grinds away on a headlock, which is reversed into a Thesz press so Copeland can fire off some right hands.

It’s back to Cage, who bites Wheeler in the corner as the fans sing about wanting Cage to be their a******. Wheeler stomps on Cage’s back to take over and we hit the chinlock. Harwood takes Wheeler’s place but Cage fights up, only for Wheeler to distract Copeland in a simple but classic move. Back in and Wheeler’s Vader Bomb hits raised boots, which is enough for the big tag off to Copeland.

The Edge-O-Matic gets two on Harwood, who is sent into the post. Copeland even returns the favor from a recent Smackdown with a Five Knuckle Shuffle, which gets the fans chanting for someone who will be wrestling on another company’s show later tonight. Cage cuts off a Hart Attack to Copeland and it’s a double Sharpshooter, with Hathaway having to offer an assist for the save. Stokely gets scared on the floor and the brawl heads outside with the Canadians taking over again.

Back in and a Twist Of Fate is broken up, with Harwood sending Cage into Copeland for the crotching on top. The Shatter Machine is broken up and Copeland/Cage use each other’s finishers to put FTR down again. Hathaway has to pull the referee…which brings out Beth Copeland (Phoenix) to drop him with a spear. Wheeler brings in the ring bell but Copeland cuts him off. Harwood begs Copeland’s forgiveness before Cage is sent into the announcers’ table.

A bell to the head and a spike piledriver get two on Copeland but he’s right back with a pair of Impalers. FTR is back with the Shatter Machine for two as the kickouts are getting ridiculous again. Another Shatter Machine connects…and Copeland staggers up for a spear to Wheeler for the pin at 18:03 as Cage cuts Harwood off.

Rating: B-. The fan reaction was fun and really made this better, as did the Beth interference, but WOW that ending was ridiculous, as Copeland got hit with a bell, a spike piledriver, and two Shatter Machines but popped back up with his finisher for the win anyway. The match was good but never reached some higher level, though it felt like it was more for the live fans than anything else. Seeing Copeland and Christian together again was fun though, and a run at the titles shouldn’t be out of the question.

Post match Mother Wayne and Nick Wayne come out for a distraction, allowing FTR to jump Cage and Copeland from behind. Copeland gets handcuffed to the ropes as Kip Sabian comes in to help with the beatdown, including a spike piledriver. Beth fights back as well but gets caught in a spike piledriver of her own.

We recap Big Bill vs. Eddie Kingston. Bill randomly started calling Kingston out as Kingston had been out of action for almost a year and a half after a leg injury. Now Kingston is back and that’s about it.

Big Bill vs. Eddie Kingston

Bryan Keith is here with Bill. Kingston, in a CLAUDIO SUCKS EGGS shirt, gets a big reaction and chops away at Bill to start fast. A big boot drops Kingston in a hurry and Bill mockingly pounds him down, with Kingston telling him to bring it. Bill’s clothesline gets two but Kingston catches him with a backfist.

The exploder sends Bill flying but the spinning backfist is countered into a not so great swinging Boss Man Slam. A better version gets two but Kingston DDTs his way out of a chokeslam attempt. The spinning backfist gets one and Bill kicks Kingston down again. Bill misses a charge into the corner though and another spinning backfist (which really didn’t seem to connect) finishes for Kingston at 7:25.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t the greatest return for Kingston, as the feud pretty much came out of nowhere and then the match itself wasn’t exactly smooth. Kingston looked banged up and slow and the ending came out of absolutely nowhere. Not much to this one, as while it’s nice to have Kingston back, it wasn’t a good return.

Post match Keith comes in for the beatdown but Hook comes in for the save.

We recap Mark Briscoe vs. MJF. They hate each other and have cost each other title shots. MJF wants to fight Briscoe so much that he’s allowing Briscoe to pick the stipulation. Therefore, it’s a Tables And Thumbtacks match, which can’t possibly go well.

Mark Briscoe vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Tables And Tacks with wins coming by pin or submission and MJF is in white so you know what’s coming. MJF immediately heads to the floor, leaving Briscoe to pour out a bunch of tacks. Then he pours out even more but MJF stalls even more, which is enough for MJF to come outside and start hammering away. A low blow gets MJF out of trouble and they get inside, with the tacks scaring MJF again.

They slug it out and tease slams onto the tacks before trying to send the other’s face into the tacks. MJF gets the first slam to send Briscoe into the tacks and then presses him head first into the tacks. It’s time for the first table, which MJF puts right back under the ring. Back in and an Alabama slam sends Briscoe into the tacks again and MJF drags him over the tacks. MJF puts some tacks into Briscoe’s mouth for a right hand but Briscoe is back with a backdrop.

As MJF looks like he wants to cry, Briscoe rips off MJF’s shirt and then powerbombs him onto the tacks for two. It’s too early for the Froggy Bow so MJF rolls outside, where Briscoe (with tacks in his back) hits a running flip dive. The table is set up and MJF is quickly put through it and it’s already time for another table. MJF is elbowed through that one as well so Briscoe sets up a third one, only for MJF to throw tacks into Briscoe’s eyes.

Briscoe powerbombs him onto the tacks again and it’s time for a thumbtack chair. MJF takes it away and hits Briscoe to the back, followed by a Tombstone onto the tacks for two. With Briscoe down, MJF puts a table up in the ring and pours more tacks on top. They go up top, where Briscoe knocks him down and then puts him through the table. The Froggy Bow sets up the Jay Driller onto the tacks to finish MJF at 19:23.

Rating: C+. What is there to say about this? They used the tacks and then they used the tacks and then they used the tacks and then they used some tables and then they used tacks on a table and then they used more tacks. It was fun to see MJF get hurt, but it was really hard to get interested when it was the same weapons time after time. I don’t care for this kind of match in the first place and this wasn’t an interesting way to go either.

Earlier this week, Jerry Lynn got the former Acclaimed a tag match for next week because he knows they work well together. They don’t want to do it but Lynn threatens them with suspensions.

We recap the Gates Of Agony/Ricochet vs. the Hurt Syndicate. The Gates and Ricochet coat them the Tag Team Titles and now the Syndicate wants some revenge, with MVP even getting in the ring.

Gates Of Agony/Ricochet vs. Hurt Syndicate

Ricochet and the Gates are known as “The Demand”, as the names for teams actually get worse around here. MVP and Kaun get things going but MVP wants Ricochet. That’s exactly what he gets but Ricochet bails out to the floor for the always dumb “my time” response. Kaun comes in and gets drop toeholded, followed by a jumping knee. Benjamin comes in and is having none of Kaun’s clothesline before grabbing an ankle lock.

That’s broken up so Lashley comes in to take over on Ricochet. The delayed suplex connects, with Ricochet’s foot hitting MVP on the way down. Ballin hits Ricochet for two and MVP exploders him out of the corner for the same. Liona comes in off a distraction though and kicks MVP’s knee out to put him in trouble for a change. A clothesline puts Ricochet down for a breather and MVP sends him to the apron, allowing the tag off to Lashley.

We get the Lashley vs. Liona showdown but it’s quickly back to Benjamin to send Ricochet flying. Benjamin German suplexes Kaun and Ricochet at the same time (because that’s a thing) and Lashley’s spear cuts Kaun down. Ricochet makes the save with a springboard 450 and Kaun hits a Backstabber into a running elbow.

Everything breaks down and Benjamin hits a step up knee on the floor, only for Ricochet to hit a big running flip dive over the post to take Benjamin down as well. Liona is sent into Lashley and Benjamin but MVP suplexes Ricochet anyway. The Playmaker is broken up with a chop block though and the Spirit Gun finishes for Ricochet at 13:46.

Rating: B-. It was a fun and pretty wild match, with MVP being the weak link in the team, which shouldn’t be a stunning result. It is kind of a stunning result to see Ricochet and the Gates win, as the Gates aren’t exactly known for winning a big match. I’m not exactly convinced this is leading to something big, but it’s certainly a surprise win for a change.

We recap Riho challenging Mercedes Mone for the TBS Title. Mone is defending because she is the eternal champion and Riho is challenging because she exists and therefore must get title shots after being gone for long stretches.

TBS Title: Riho vs. Mercedes Mone

Mone is defending and comes out with a team of guards, all wearing her titles. Riho doesn’t like being shoved in the face to start so she rolls Mone up and goes after the leg. Mone’s arm is tied up in the arm and Riho stops to mock her dance. A 619 puts Mone on the floor and a double stomp off the apron has her in more trouble.

Riho hits a second off of the announcers’ table but she misses a third off the top. A crucifix bomb gets two on Mone but she’s back with a ram into the announcers’ table on the floor. The Meteora off of said table gets two and Mone hits a dropkick, with Mone’s boot hitting Riho in the throat. Mone stomps her down but gets pulled into an armbar, followed by a crossface.

That’s broken up so Riho hits a double stomp to the banged up ribs and a German suplex gets two. Mone is back up with Three Amigos because we needed another Eddie Guerrero tribute. The frog splash hits raised knees and Riho hits the top rope double stomp for two. Mone is back up with the running knees in the corner but Riho ties up the leg again. The leg is grabbed for the escape so Riho switches to a northern lights suplex for two. Mone goes to the eyes and the Moneymaker retains the title at 15:53.

Rating: B-. Hey look: Mone wins again. She lost her one match to Toni Storm and now it’s back to what it always is: her bragging about all of the titles she’s won in promotions that mean absolutely nothing, followed by keeping the TBS Title in a pretty good match. She’s been champion for about a year and a half now. Find something else for her to do already.

We recap the Unified Title match. It’s a rather unnecessary tournament to set up a triple threat for the title, with the champion having to win a qualifying match to earn the right to defend his title.

Unified Title: Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mascara Dorada

Okada is defending. Dorada is sent outside and runs back in to split the other two up, making it all the clearer that he doesn’t need to be in this match. Takeshita takes over with a boot to put Dorada down as Don Callis and Bryan Danielson explain Japanese wrestling culture, because we apparently need to know that to understand the match. Back up and Okada is sent to the floor, followed by Dorada’s hurricanrana to send Takeshita outside.

Dorada’s dive is cut off though and he gets dropped hard on the floor, setting up a camel clutch back inside. That’s broken up and Okada comes in for a DDT, with Takeshita not being happy on the cover. Dorada uses the distraction to send both of them outside, with a big dive taking Takeshita down. Back in and Dorada takes over, with Excalibur wondering if Dorada can defeat “the greatest tournament wrestler of all time.”

As I cringe so hard at the fact that someone in this company thinks that’s a good moniker, Dorada gets two off an electric chair flipped into a neckbreaker. Takeshita is back up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two on Okada but Dorada is back with a running Canadian Destroyer for two. Okada and Takeshita go up top so it’s a double springboard hurricanrana from Dorada, which even has Callis impressed. That earns Dorada a double big boot to put him back down so the other two trade forearms.

An exchange of suplexes put them both down so Dorada moonsaults both of them for two. Takeshita is back up with a Last Ride but Okada blocks a knee lift. Back up and Takeshita German suplexes both of them at once, but Dorada manages to stick the landing. A hurricanrana gets two on Takeshita and a DDT puts Okada down on the apron. Back in and Takeshita gives Dorada Raging Fire but Okada makes the save and hits the Rainmaker to pin Okada and retain at 20:57.

Rating: A-. Dorada looked great in there and Takeshita was his usual awesome self. At the same time, hearing about Okada being “the greatest tournament wrestler of all time” is every bit as dumb as it was in the first place. Putting together some nothing qualifying matches to officially make this a tournament is as much of a stretch as you can get, as having that many tournaments is hardly some kind of a great idea. All that being said, match of the night by a lot here, with Dorada getting an absolute star making performance before we get to Okada vs. Takeshita down the line.

We recap Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley in a coffin match. They hate each other, Moxley is violent and Allin likes coffins.

Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin

Coffin match and Allin jumps him in the crowd to start fast, with a Coffin Drop from a balcony dropping Moxley again. Moxley manages to cut him off for a drop onto the barricade and they fight to ringside, with Allin going after the ear. Moxley knocks the coffin over but Allin puts him inside for a near close.

That seems to freak Moxley out so he hits a Crash Landing to put Allin onto the coffin for a nasty crash (landing). Cue the rest of the Death Riders to help the bleeding Moxley put the coffin inside. Moxley actually sends the team to the back and mockingly kicks Allin, who whips out a fork to stab Moxley in the head. Allin twists the fingers around and hits a Coffin Drop before finding a pipe.

More ear assaulting continues, with Allin biting said ear. Moxley drops him onto the coffin again but Allin blocks the lid from being closed. Allin hits him with a pipe and whips out a plastic bag to choke Moxley out. Fans: “THIS IS MURDER!” Cue Pac for the save (of course) and a toss Razor’s edge over the top onto the other coffin. Pac puts Allin in a body bag and Allin is put in the coffin (by Pac) to give Moxley the win at 19:16.

Rating: C-. The action was fine, but good grief I can’t stand this nonsense. Between the fork, the ear nonsense, the plastic bag over the head, and of course HAHA MOXLEY WINS AGAIN, I was getting more and more annoyed watching the match. It’s more stupid stunts and violence for the sake of stunts and violence and the good guy doesn’t even win after his big return because Moxley has to instead. Just more nonsense and incredibly annoying.

Mark Briscoe and the Conglomeration are happy with their wins so Briscoe issues a challenge for a six man tag against the Don Callis Family. We even get a tease of the return of Orange Cassidy.

We recap the Women’s Title match, with Toni Storm defending against three challengers in a big movie.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Thekla vs. Kris Statlander vs. Jamie Hayter

Storm is defending. Wheeler Yuta comes out to give Statlander her usual applause before leaving again, making things that much better. Statlander clears the ring rather quickly to start and moonsaults off the apron to drop Hayter. Storm and Thekla crash outside as well (with one of them asking if the other is ok) before Storm is put on top back inside. A spider suplex takes her down and Hayter gets the same treatment.

Storm is back up with some running hip attacks but Hayter fires off some hard clotheslines. Statlander comes back with some kicks and forearms until Hayter and Storm team up to get rid of her. Staturday Night Fever plants Thekla on the floor but Storm hits a hip attack and Storm Zero for a fast two. Thekla is back in with a leg choke on Storm (naturally Danielson is right there to explain the physics behind the move) until Hayter breaks it up. Thekla hits a heck of a spear to knock Hayter off the apron…and Statlander uses the seatbelt to pin Storm and win the title at 11:59.

Rating: B. They kept the energy going here and it was a rather nice good match as a result. It’s a fine example of a match where they got in, did their thing, and got out before it went too long. The ending is a bit odd, but Statlander is instantly launched up the ranks and that’s a great thing to see. Much better than I was expecting here.

We recap the Tag Team Title ladder match. There are champions and three sets of challengers. Since it’s a ladder match, tagging means nothing so it’s time for another car crash.

Tag Team Titles: Bandido/Brody King vs. Young Bucks vs. Don Callis Family vs. Jet Speed

Bandido and King are defending in a ladder match. The Family cleans house to start until Jet Speed come in to take them out. The Bucks get to take over until Bandido breaks that up, including an X Knee to Matt. King comes back in and German suplexes three people at once before bringing in the first ladder.

Bailey is there to take them out with a dive so the Family sends him into a ladder in the corner. Alexander is sent into a ladder as well and has to get checked out, leaving the Bucks to beat up Bailey. King comes back in and tries a dive, which is cut off with a ladder to the head. Nick hits a dive to crush King on the ladder but Knight is back in to make a save. Jet Speed goes up so King cuts them off, only for Bailey to fire off the kicks.

Alexander ankle locks Bailey as he climbs the ladder so they both go up. Hechicero is back in and bridges a ladder into the standing one. Bailey knocks him down and hits moonsault knees before it’s time to set up tables on the floor. The Bucks and Hechicero hit a bunch of dives to put people through tables, with Bailey and King getting the worst of things as they went through a ladder. Knight is one of the few people left standing and go up, with Matt going up for the slugout.

That’s broken up and King climbs as well, until Alexander pull shim down for a crash. Knight goes up again so a bunch of people pick up the ladder and carry him over to the ropes for a crash through a table. The Bucks hit the BTE Trigger and go up until King turns the ladder over. King hands the ladder to Bandido to flip onto a pile of people, leaving him to go up and retain the titles at 24:36.

Rating: B. It’s fun, the spots were good, and I’m rather happy the champions retained. I’m just sick of ladder matches, especially ones where they have this many people. Either way, it’s the definition of “turn your brain off and have fun” and I’ll absolutely take it over the tacks and screwdriver and all that nonsense.

Post match everyone but the Bucks leave…and Jack Perry is back. He flips them off and takes out an interfering Rocky Romero but gets superkicked by the Bucks. The lights go out and we see a car coming to the arena…and a video shows Perry reviving Luchasaurus. The Jurassic Express is back, as that’s apparently a thing again.

Jon Moxley is in the back with the coffin and sends the Death Riders off. Allin pops out of the coffin and fights back to put Moxley in a body bag. Which he lights on fire. Because of course he does.

Tony Khan will have a big announcement on Dynamite. Oh geez.

We recap the main event. Hangman Page won the World Title but Kyle Fletcher wants to prove he’s ready. Page sees potential in him but wants to avoid interference so Fletcher can prove what he can do. Works for Fletcher and we’re on.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page vs. Kyle Fletcher

Only Page is defending and the Don Callis Family is barred from ringside, though Callis himself is on commentary. The lights appear to go blue here (I kind of like it) as Fletcher takes over on the arm to start. They chop it out until Fletcher head fakes him into a superkick for a smart move. Fletcher takes Page outside and sends him over the barricade for a big running dive.

Back in and Fletcher elbows away at the neck, followed by a powerbomb onto the apron. The table (because we haven’t had enough of those tonight) is loaded up but Page fights out of a brainbuster from the apron. Instead Fletcher grabs a hanging DDT for two, followed by a Michinoku Driver for the same. The Boston crab keeps Page in trouble but he manages to fight up and hit a backdrop.

A fall away slam sends Fletcher into the corner for two but Page keeps favoring his neck. Page grabs a pop up powerbomb for two and tries a middle rope moonsault, which is superkicked out of the air. A sitout powerbomb gives Fletcher two and they head outside, with Page managing a Tombstone on the floor. Page’s hanging DDT onto the floor has Fletcher in more trouble (Danielson: “An eye for an eye and a neck for a neck!”) and they get a double breather.

Fletcher kicks him down and hits a brainbuster through the timekeeper’s area. The brainbuster gets two back inside and they trade hard shots to the face. Page is back up with the Deadeye off the apron and through the table (at a scary angle) for the big double down. Back in and Fletcher collapses as Page tries the Buckshot Lariat and they’re both down again.

Page is up with a V Trigger but the One Winged Angel is broken up. Instead Page hits a Deadeye for two and then plants him for two more. The Buckshot is countered into a brainbuster for another near fall, which has Callis and Danielson losing it on commentary. With nothing else working, Fletcher pulls off a turnbuckle pad and takes Page into the corner. The super brainbuster is blocked though and it’s a super Deadeye into the Buckshot to retain the title at 38:07.

Rating: B+. Really good match here, though my goodness get over it with the tables and the weapons and all that jazz. You have two people here who can have a great match without them but they’re involved anyway. All that being said, this was a lot better than I was expecting as Fletcher more than hung in there with a much bigger star. Solid main event, albeit at the end of a very long show.

Overall Rating: B. The show is good overall with most of the big matches delivering, but they have got to cut back on the garbage wrestling/weapons stuff. It’s choking the life out of these shows as it feels like putting things in the matches for the sake of having them there. The Unified Title match and main event are both worth seeing, but there is still a lot that could be cut off the show. I liked it, but as usual I’m exhausted and not wanting to see AEW for a long time, which is always the case on these pay per views.

Results
Opps b. WorkHorsemen – Koquina Clutch to Drake
Daniel Garcia b. Katsuyori Shibata – Curb stomp
Hologram/Paragon b. Frat House – Top rope double stomp to Garrison
Harley Cameron/Queen Aminata/Willow Nightingale/Mina Shirakawa b. Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford – Babe With The Powerbomb to Ford
Adam Copeland/Christian Cage b. FTR – Spear to Wheeler
Eddie Kingston b. Big Bill – Spinning backfist
Mark Briscoe b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman – Jay Driller onto tacks
Ricochet/Gates Of Agony b. Hurt Syndicate – Spirit Gun to MVP
Mercedes Mone b. Riho – Moneymaker
Kazuchika Okada b. Mascara Dorada and Konosuke Takeshita – Rainmaker to Dorada
Jon Moxley b. Darby Allin – Allin was put in the coffin
Kris Statlander b. Toni Storm, Thekla and Jamie Hayter – Seat belt to Storm
Bandido/Brody King b. Young Bucks, Don Callis Family and Jet Speed – Bandido pulled down the titles
Hangman Page b. Kyle Fletcher – Buckshot Lariat

 

 

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AEW All Out 2025 Preview

It’s time for the next pay per view and the show isn’t exactly feeling like a hot one. In addition to having come off of an only so good Forbidden Door, there are a lot of big names missing due to injuries or health issues. That’s going to make for a bit of a messy show, but the wrestling can often pull them out of the fire. Hopefully that’s the case again here so let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Opps vs. WorkHorsemen

This was reportedly set for the show though I didn’t see it officially announced. I can’t blame AEW for not publicizing it more because…well would you really want to see it? The WorkHorsemen are another team that has a bigger guy who can move around fairly well and that’s about it for their appeal. They’re a team who aren’t bad at all but they don’t really stand out, which makes their addition to the show a bit unnecessary.

There is a grand total of no doubt about the winners here, as Joe and Hobbs can get a nice victory in what should be dominant fashion. I say should be because it won’t be, because this is a match that will likely get way more time than it needs. Joe getting to smash people is always fun though and that’s the appeal here, as he’s really good when he gets to do his thing.

Kickoff Show: Daniel Garcia vs. Katsuyori Shibata

It’s the third match in a trilogy where the first two matches were only so interesting in the first place. This is also coming just after Garcia joined the Death Riders so he’s going to be even more evil and….whatever you call the Death Riders. Shibata is likely going to be his usual self and that’s going to mean a lot of cool looking stuff without a ton of charisma behind it.

I have no reason to believe that Shibata is winning here as Garcia can get his revenge and get off to a nice start as part of the Death Riders. That’s a good way to go as beating Shibata still feels like an impressive feat. Garcia needs to show that he has gotten something out of his turn and this is as good a chance as he is going to have to start off pretty fast.

Kickoff Show: Harley Cameron/Mina Shirakawa/Queen Aminata/Willow Nightingale vs. Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford/Triangle Of Madness

This is likely going to be the Kickoff Show main event as it’s a Tornado Tailgate Brawl, which is the latest term for a hardcore/weapons match. The good thing is that these teams have been fighting for a few weeks now so there is at least a story to the whole thing. I’ll take that over another randomly thrown together match and there will at least be some nice violence to start things off.

I’ll take Bayne and company to win here, likely beating Aminata in the process. Cameron’s team is a bunch of more fun people rather than tougher stars, which is going to be a problem against a monster like Bayne. Either way, there should be some fun spots in here and it feels a good bit more interesting than some of these things that we have seen over the previous shows.

Hurt Syndicate vs. Ricochet/Gates Of Agony

This is a rare instance of MVP getting back in the ring and that’s one of the only reasons to believe that the Syndicate is in danger. The Gates Of Agony are not going to be threats to Lashley and Benjamin, as has been proven before, so the only real chance the team has is to take out MVP. I’m not sure what is where it is going to go, but it makes for the only interesting option.

I keep wanting to say Ricochet sand the Gates win but I’ll take what feels like the more reasonable pick and say the Syndicate. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them move up to something more important in the near future (they might want their Tag Team Titles back) and that doesn’t involve losing here. Either way, it should be a nice power brawl, with MVP being able to hold up his end despite not being in the ring in a good while.

Big Bill vs. Eddie Kingston

So this one is just kind of happening, as Kingston has been gone for about a year and a half due to his injuries and didn’t have any major issues with Bill. Then one day Bill just randomly started talking about Kingston and the match was set. I kind of like the idea of mixing up a return rather than having Kingston show up to end a show for a change, but this is kind of out there.

Again, I don’t see any reason to believe that Kingston is losing here, as you don’t bring him back to lose in his first match. At the same time, I kind of wish it wasn’t Bill getting stuck with a loss as he’s been doing well, but the match is so random and out of nowhere that it’s not like they have another choice. Kingston wins here, because there is pretty much no reason for him to lose.

Tag Team Titles: Bandido/Brody King(c) vs. Young Bucks vs. Jet Speed vs. Don Callis Family

Hey look: a ladder match for the titles. It’s another match where they can do all of their stunts and dives without having to really put together a coherent match and that’s what always tends to happen. In this case we have the Bucks getting back into the title hunt because they’re the Bucks, Jet Speed because they’re the new tag team that AEW wants to push and the Family because…well there are so many of them that they have to go somewhere.

I’ll take the champs to retain here, as they haven’t had the belts for very long and could use a big win. While it would be better to have them beat some teams clean in a regular match where they can tear the house down, the best we’re going to get is this kind of a thing because AEW really likes having ladder matches. You knew this was coming so just enjoy the popcorn style match because it has to be checked off a list.

Unified Title: Kazuchika Okada(c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mascara Dorada

This is two matches in one as you have the “get it before it’s gone” portion as the Unified part will be taken away for the sake of this year’s Continental Classic, along with the “here’s a match that would be better with two people but we’re doing three” with Dorada added. My guess is that AEW needs an excuse to talk about Okada being “the greatest tournament wrestler of all time” even though this has been a tournament only in the loosest sense of the word.

While Takeshita is the red hot hand at the moment, I’m thinking they keep the title on Okada so we can get Takeshita’s moment later on, perhaps in the tournament final. As in the other tournament final later this year with the Continental Classic. Dorada is likely there to take the fall as this keeps stretching out, despite it being the perfect time for Takeshita to end Okada’s however long reign with whatever title you say he has at the moment.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone(c) vs. Riho

It’s time for the annual Riho push as she’s back from her hiatus for whatever reason it was this time and of course she’s right in the title picture. At the same time, Mone is coming off her loss to Toni Storm and needs another victim, so we’ve been lucky enough to have Riho get moved up to the front of the line. This match has felt entirely tacked on and yet it gets a pay per view spot anyway because Mone is a major star or something.

This feels like the next regularly scheduled victory for Mone so we’ll say the title stays in one place for the time being. I have no idea who is supposed to take the thing from her but hopefully she drops it sooner rather than later. Her matches are good but just watching her stack up her eleventy billion belts from places like BestYa Wrestling (yes that’s a real place) isn’t exactly interesting. Either way she retains here.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm(c) vs. Thekla vs. Jamie Hayter vs. Kris Statlander

Here we have another match that feels like it should be a singles match as Thekla has been coming after Storm for a few weeks now but Hayter and Statlander are just kind of here too. That makes for another messy match where they can trade off on occasion, though I’m wondering if Willow Nightingale is going to get involved and cost Statlander the match in some way.

I’ll go with Storm retaining here, as she has been champion for a long time now but I’m scared that we’re building up to Mone taking the title from Storm in a rematch. For now though, it’s going to be a wild match with a bunch of things going on and people flying around, but Storm probably retains here. It still should be Thekla vs. Storm, though why do that when you can put more people into the match?

Adam Copeland/Christian Cage vs. FTR

This is a match that is about as much of a layup as you can get on paper, but somehow they’ve managed to make it feel less important. The problem here is that FTR has been doing their side feud with Adam Priest/Tommy Billington and had trouble beating them in two straight matches. Then they jumped back to Copeland and Cage, which just kind of made FTR seem weak leading into their huge match.

That being said, I’ll of course take Cage and Copeland to win here, as there is no reason to have them lose. It isn’t like FTR is doing much of note at the moment so having them lose to the legendary team is a smart way to go. Hopefully they don’t bother trying to do anything ridiculous for the sake of heat, as this should be one result without veering off the path no matter what.

Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley

Well at least Moxley isn’t champion anymore. This is a coffin match, which is now Allin’s signature deal and hopefully a way to write Moxley off for a bit. In short, AEW needs a breather from Moxley, who has dominated the company for far too long. He’s no longer the World Champion but now he gets the chance to beat Allin for good and wrap up their feud that started like a year ago and then stopped for the sake of mountain climbing.

There’s no reason for Allin to lose here so we’ll go with Moxley losing to hopefully start the downfall of the Death Riders. There is little reason to even consider Moxley winning here, as he dominated the company for so long that he needs to lose some big matches for a change. While I’m scared that Moxley might get the win to set up some final showdown with Allin, I’ll take the logical move of Allin winning.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Mark Briscoe

This is a Tables N Tacks match because reasons of tables n tacks need to be a thing. It’s supposed to be little more than violence and Briscoe getting revenge on MJF for everything he has done, which will work out well enough. At the same time though, it’s hard to believe that Briscoe is going to win here because Briscoe is just not the kind of person who wins big time matches.

So yeah, I’ll take MJF to win here, as it’s one of those matches that seems to be set up for him to lose, only for him to pull off the win in the end. It’s the kind of thing that makes the most sense, with MJF getting to head back to his World Title feud with Page, while Briscoe heads back to being the kind of weird guy who pops up and beats midcarders but loses to bigger opponents. It makes sense, even if I could go for Briscoe getting a nice win for a change.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page(c) vs. Kyle Fletcher

I’m liking Fletcher more and more in recent weeks, but at the same time I’m nowhere near close enough to seeing him as a viable World Championship challenger. He feels like someone who is being thrown out there because we need someone to face Page. The idea of having Fletcher doing this on his own is a good move, but I’m not sold on the idea that the Family stays out.

I can’t imagine this actually closes out the show but either way, Page wins to retain the title. He’s likely going to be moving on to the next challenger, whomever that might be, as Fletcher is dispatched in a long match. That’s where it should go at least and I can’t imagine it being much of anything else. Fletcher is going to be fine after the loss, though I have no idea how he is the best option available as a reigning champion.

Overall Thoughts

I’m still not feeling this show, as a lot of it feels like it should be featured on a big time TV special rather than a pay per view. There are some parts that look good, but a lot of it feels like they threw things together without many better options. The action will wind up being very good as every AEW pay per view is, but I’m not overly interested in seeing this show and that’s not a great feeling.

 

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Collision – September 17, 2025 (September To Remember): Well, They Tried

Collision
Date: September 17, 2025
Location: Canada Life Place, London, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Bryan Danielson

It’s the second show of the night as Dynamite and Collision are separate shots, likely for the sake of contracts or something. It’s also the last show before All Out and the pay per view needs another push. There was only so much done on Dynamite so hopefully this show features more pay per view build than usual. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Collision officially opened with the end of the Thekla vs. Queen Aminata match from Dynamite, with Thekla winning off a Stomp onto some chairs. A big brawl with the women in the four way title match at All Out, plus the rest of the Triangle Of Madness, followed.

Christopher Daniels gives Top Flight a pep talk before their qualifying match later tonight.

Matriarchy vs. Jet Speed

Tag Team Title qualifying match. Sabian and Knight start things off with Knight hitting a quick dropkick and scaring Sabian into the corner. Bailey comes in for a kick to Killswitch’s leg and a dropkick before some kicks to the face drop the villains. More running kicks stagger Killswitch but Sabian pulls the rope to send Bailey outside. We take a break and come back with Sabian planting Bailey for two.

Bailey isn’t having that and is back up with the bouncing kicks, allowing the tag back to Knight. A double super hurricanrana (as it sounds) brings Killswitch down for two but Sabian is back up with a springboard tornado DDT. Back up and Killswitch chokeslams Bailey but Sabian slaps Killswitch for a tag. That makes Killswitch break up Sabian’s rollup with feet on the ropes and then drops away from a tag attempt. Knight kicks Sabian into the Tornado Kick to give Bailey the pin at 12:02.

Rating: B-. AEW is going to get Jet Speed over through either pure willpower or the fans just accepting them. The team isn’t bad by any means but Bailey continues to be so uninteresting and so non-threatening that it’s hard to take him seriously. Knight is at least better, but the team screams midcard flippy guys and that’s about it. On the other hand you have the Matriarchy and I have no idea what they’re doing or why I’m supposed to care about these losers.

Big Bill is still ready for Eddie Kingston but doesn’t believe it’s happening until Kingston shows up. If Kingston shows up, Bill will prove he’s a fraud.

Earlier today, Bryan Danielson sat down with Darby Allin, who climbed Mt. Everest because he was tired of living someone else’s life. He thought he was going to die up there a few times but he was going to plant the AEW flag on top of the world. Allin talks about his uncle dying in the car they were in when Allin was five and Sting, who he would never let down. Danielson has to promise to not interfere on Saturday. Danielson agrees, but whispers something he wants Allin to do, which Allin agrees to as well. Since when was there a worry that Danielson would get involved?

Riho vs. Robyn Renegade

Mercedes Mone is on commentary. Renegade grinds away on a headlock but Riho sends her outside and hits a big dive. We take a break and come back with Renegade knocking her down in the corner as Mone certainly approves. Riho fights back but misses a double stomp, allowing Riho to snap off a German suplex. The crucifix bomb finishes for Riho at 4:54.

Rating: C+. Riho is another name who pops in every so often, is shoved into a title match, and then vanishes again. I’m sure there are people in the back who are big fans and fair enough, but dang it’s hard to get myself to care about this match with her being out there again. They didn’t have much time here, but it was just a warmup for Riho anyway.

Post match Mone stares at Riho, with Renegade jumping Riho from behind. Mone hits a Backstabber to leave her laying.

Daniel Garcia wants to finish Katsuyori Shibata.

Samoa Joe accepts on Shibata’s behalf.

Don Callis Family vs. Top Flight

The final qualifying match for the All Out Tag Team Title match and Don Callis is on commentary. Hechicero takes Darius down to start but Darius is back up with a rollup for two and a standoff. Dante dives in to drop the Family as everything breaks down. The Family is sent out but Alexander is back with his crossbody to the back as we take a break.

We come back with Darius kicking his way out of trouble and bringing Dante in with the Nose Dive for two on Alexander. Hechicero is back in for an assisted DDT from Alexander and Darius is dropped with an elbow. Dante dives onto Alexander but gets caught with a running hurricanrana driver to give Hechicero the pin at 10:41.

Rating: B. Another fast paced and entertaining match, even as Top Flight continues to go around in circles as they have been for years now. I still see no reason for them to not get some kind of a chance (and no, the injuries don’t explain it away as AEW has pushed all kinds of injury prone stars). Either way, we already have a high flying team in the title match with Jet Speed so the Callis Family is a more unique option here.

Post match the rest of the teams involved in the ladder match run in for a brawl, with Bandido hitting a big dive to take out the pile. Hangman Page runs in to help take out the Don Callis Family but Rocky Romero grabs his leg, allowing Kyle Fletcher to run in and beat him down. Page fights back but gets belted in the face. A brainbuster off the apron and through a table leaves Page laying to end the show. So what was Fletcher’s plan to leave Page laying (as he promised on Dynamite) if Page didn’t run out there?

Overall Rating: B-. Well it did do something more for All Out, but focusing on the Tag Team Titles and TBS Title only offered so much interest. All Out just does not feel important and there isn’t much of a way around it at this point. Hopefully the pay per view winds up working, as this only offered so much extra interest in the show. They did something a bit different with this Collision and while it covered some ground for All Out, there was only so much they could do.

Results
Jet Speed b. Matriarchy – Tornado Kick to Sabian
Riho b. Robyn Renegade – Crucifix bomb
Don Callis Family b. Top Flight – Hurricanrana driver to Dante

 

 

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Dynamite – September 17, 2025 (September To Remember): They Might Be In Trouble

Dynamite
Date: September 17, 2025
Location: Canada Life Place, London, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Bryan Danielson, Excalibur, Taz

It’s the last night before All Out as we have both Dynamite and Collision airing back to back, albeit with only one hour of the second. That means we could be in for some big stuff this week, as they need to push All Out over the line. The show is only so interesting right now and needs a nice final night of build. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We’re starting with a contract signing for All Out so here are Hangman Page and Kyle Fletcher, with Tony Schiavone running things. Don Callis cuts Schiavone off though and talks about how Page took the title from him by beating Kenny Omega. Now though Callis has a better challenger for the title and no one can do anything to a star like Fletcher.

Page talks about being tired of all the interference in his title matches and he sees the potential in Fletcher. That’s why he wants Fletcher to be a star of the future without the Family helping him. Page has a new rule in the contract: if the Family interferes or if Fletcher gets disqualified, he loses the TNT Title.

Callis panics but Fletcher is more than fine with the terms. He knows he’s better than Page and signs but Page talks about how he knows what Fletcher is feeling right now. What Fletcher doesn’t know is how it will feel after All Out and that’s how his future will be defined. Page signs as well and we should be done but Fletcher promises to leave as a double champion. Violence is promised for later tonight but until then, say his full name. While I don’t believe that the Family won’t get involved, Fletcher has more than held his own in these promos and that’s a good sign for his future.

Video on Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley in a coffin match.

Jon Moxley vs. Roderick Strong

The Death Riders are here with Moxley while Strong has Kyle O’Reilly. Strong starts fast by dropkicking Daniel Garcia on the floor but Moxley goes outside to rake Strong’s eyes. Strong drops Moxley onto the barricade and it’s time to chop it out back inside. Another dropkick sends Moxley outside and we get a double staredown on the floor.

We take a break and come back with Strong striking away and hitting some suplexes for two. Moxley cuts off an exchange of strikes and gets two off a piledriver. The cross armbreaker is broken up as Strong makes the rope. They go up top with Strong hitting a super belly to back faceplant for two of his own. Garcia grabs Strong’s boot so O’Reilly jumps him, which allows Wheeler Yuta to come out and trip Strong. The Paradigm Shift into the bulldog choke finishes Strong at 12:48.

Rating: B-. This was about all you would expect from this match and that’s not the most thrilling thing in the world. Strong is able to have a good match with some hard hitting shots but he’s pretty much never a threat to win anything important. Moxley is on his way to a big grudge so it wasn’t so much about if the Death Riders would cost Strong but rather when they would do it.

Video on MJF in a tables and thumbtacks match. This includes MJF going to yell at Tony Khan about the match but Khan yelled back and said no. MJF suggested he’ll kill Briscoe.

Bobby Lashley vs. Toa Liona

Their respective seconds and thirds are here too. They fight over a lockup to start and Lashley powers him into the corner to hammer away. Lashley charges into a boot in the corner though and they go to the apron, where Liona hits a Samoan drop. We take a break and come back with Lashley managing an electric chair out of the corner. They trade clotheslines until Lashley hits an overhead belly to belly. Liona rolls outside to avoid the spear and everyone else gets into a brawl. Back in and Liona hits a Pounce for two but Lashley is back with the Hurt Lock for the tap at 10:02.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure if I’d have the Hurt Syndicate’s representative win here, as the team feels like a major favorite going into the six man in the first place. It was nice to see Lashley have someone who could match him size and power wise though, even if Liona got knocked out at the end. Still maybe not the best way to go in the end, as the Gates Of Agony hardly have the best results in the first place, but maybe there’s a surprise on Saturday.

Post match the Hurt Syndicate easily clears the ring.

Tony Schiavone brings out Adam Copeland and Christian Cage for a chat and yeah they’re crazy over in their home country. They’re joined by FTR, with Stokely Hathaway recapping their issues. Hathaway makes it clear that Copeland will be heavily fined if things get physical here. Wheeler talks about meeting Copeland 16 years ago when he was a huge star and then he and Harwood became a legendary team.

Harwood talks about the Canadians being a great team but it was only because their competition was mediocre. We hear about the greatness of FTR until Copeland cuts him off. Copeland talks about how he helped Wheeler, even letting him live in his apartment when Wheeler was homeless.

Yes FTR is in the discussion of the greatest tag teams ever. Copeland and Cage have been there for twenty five years. They pioneered a match that became a pay per view. Cage disagrees about the team name and says that a $500,000 fine for jumping FTR right now is worth it because he’s right. The brawl is on and FTR is cleared out. FTR vs. Copeland and Cage is a dream match on paper, but the build for this has been draining my interest in the match more and more every week.

The Young Bucks are back in suits and pay off production to make their entrance better this week. As an apology, they give Renee Paquette $10,000.

Young Bucks vs. Bang Bang Gang

Qualifying match for the Tag Team Title ladder match at All Out. Matt and Robinson start things off with Matt working on an armbar. The Bucks get to pose for a bit and it’s a double clothesline to take them down. Gunn comes in to slug Nick down but gets caught with a neckbreaker. Matt adds a slingshot hilo and we take a break.

We come back with Gunn missing a diving tag, allowing Matt to knee him in the face for two. For some reason Nick grabs some of the money, which is knocked away by Gunn, who grabs a tilt-a-whirl slam. Robinson comes in to clean house before it’s already back to Gunn (Danielson thinks it’s too early) but Robinson comes back in rather quickly.

A slingshot X Factor hits Robinson but Nick misses a moonsault and gets taken down by a Fameasser on the floor. Back in and an assisted German suplex sets up a double basement superkick for two on Robinson. The EVP Trigger is broken up and a Downward Spiral drops Nick for two. We get a pinfall reversal sequence for two each, followed by a TK Driver to pin Robinson at 11:39.

Rating: B-. The Bucks winning again isn’t the most thrilling result in the world, but I can live with it over the remnants of the Bang Bang Gang. The group has been absolutely decimated so having these guys lose to the Bucks is hardly a stretch. I’m not sure what is next for the Bucks, but I’ll be fine as long as they don’t get the titles back anytime soon.

Video on the eight woman tag on Saturday’s Kickoff Show.

Unified Title Qualifying Match: Mascara Dorada vs. The Beast Mortos

They trade armdrags to start and Mortos runs him over with a shoulder for no count. An anklescissors into an enziguri has Mortos in trouble but he’s back with an even bigger shoulder. Dorada is sent outside for a big corkscrew dive and we take a break. We come back with Mortos missing a charge into the corner and getting taken down by an armdrag. They go to the apron where Dorada hits a Canadian Destroyer, followed by his own big corkscrew dive.

Back in and Dorada misses a 450 and gets flipped into a piledriver for two. Dorada reverses a torture rack into a crucifix bomb but Mortos catches him on top. They both go up top and a super anklescissors brings Mortos back down for one. Dorada is back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker into a shooting star press to pin Mortos at 10:03.

Rating: B. Power vs. speed works just about every time and Dorada is one of the better stars from CMLL, so this worked well for a good match. I still have no idea why the title match needs to be a triple threat but it’s the kind of choice that feels like it’s being overthought. That being said, at least Dorada had a heck of a performance here, even if it’s over Mortos, who never wins anything important.

Post match Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita come out for a staredown. Dorada dives onto Okada and glares at Takeshita. The dive helped, but Dorada in the background while Takeshita and Okada stared at each other was a perfect representation of this match in one visual.

Here is Toni Storm for a chat and she lists off her usual nicknames. She’s still the champ, but it isn’t clear how long that will last. She has spent every day of her reign like it is her last and loved every second of it. If you aren’t willing to put your life on the line every time you get in the ring, you ain’t s***. If any of those three women want her title, be ready to burn her body and smoke the ashes. Jamie Hayter comes in to say she’s coming for the title because Storm invited her into the match. Kris Statlander comes in to say she’ll win but Storm says “trim your bushes b******” because they’re going all out.

Thekla vs. Queen Aminata

Anything goes. The brawl is on outside to start with Aminata getting the better of things and throwing some weapons inside. Thekla uses those weapons to beat the fire out of her and knocks Aminata over the barricade. We take a break and come back with Aminata hitting a hanging Twist Of Fate for two. Thekla hits a spear to send Aminata into an open spear for two and they slug it out from their knees.

Aminata’s big headbutt gets two as Dynamite officially ends and Collision starts. Thekla sits up to escape the Tree of Woe and trashcan lids Aminata in the head. Aminata cuts off the spear though and a fisherman’s buster onto some chairs gets two. A middle rope legdrop misses though and Thekla Stomps her onto some chairs for the pin at 10:29.

Rating: B-. It’s another odd choice to have Thekla doing this side feud with Aminata while she’s on her way to the title match, but it hasn’t exactly made her feel like a big deal. Thekla has some appeal to her and she could be a threat to the title, but it’s another case where it feels like AEW is trying to focus on too much at the same time and it’s hurting things.

Post match Thekla calls out Toni Storm so the brawl is on, with Jamie Hayter, Kris Statlander and the rest of the Triangle Of Madness joining in. Statlander leaves and the Triangle is chased off, leaving Hayter and Storm to have a big staredown. We’ll wrap this show up there.

Overall Rating: C+. There were some good matches here but man alive All Out does not feel important. This was the bigger portion of the go home show and I’m not exactly interested in seeing the pay per view at all. Hopefully they find something better with Collision, but it’s not exactly a promising sign so far. What we got here was fine, but it didn’t help All Out that much and that’s not great to see.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Roderick Strong – Bulldog choke
Bobby Lashley b. Toa Liona – Hurt Lock
Young Bucks b. Bang Bang Gang – TK Driver to Robinson
Mascara Dorada b. The Beast Mortos – Shooting star press
Thekla b. Queen Aminata – Stomp onto chairs

 

 

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Collision – September 13, 2025: And So Much For That

Collision
Date: September 13, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s finally the last show in Philadelphia and we’re also just a week away from All Out. That means the show is pretty much officially coming together and now we get to see some of the last pieces of the buildup. In this case, we’re seeing FTR vs. Adam Priest/Tommy Billington II because…I’m really not sure. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Ian Riccaboni is in the ring to start and brings out MJF for a chat. MJF gets right to the point: Ian is to stand there while he does the talking. He talks about how stupid the fans are, which is somehow as stupid as Mark Briscoe. MJF brags about his recent and future successes, which make him ok with Briscoe picking their All Out stipulation.

Cue Briscoe on screen to say he hasn’t been this excited since he was a kid waiting on Santa Claus. That’s why he’s been thinking about things, like the fact that they’re in Philadelphia. This city is known for its love of tables, so we’ll make that the first piece of the puzzle. We’ll throw in thumbtacks as well, and he means tens of thousands of them. He’ll even throw in a wedding present, which involves Briscoe running in and jumping MJF, who escapes a Jay Driller onto the thumbtacks.

We look at Daniel Garcia joining the Death Riders.

Hologram and Paragon (complete with the corrupt file thing) yell about Garcia turning on his friends. Paragon is ready to give the Death Riders a beating.

Unified Title Tournament First Round: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Anthony Bowens

Takeshita strikes away to start and hits a running clothesline. Bowens is back with a running faceplant and a neckbreaker gets two. A dragon screw legwhip in the corner has Takeshita in trouble and Bowens sends him into the post. Bowens hits a big dive to the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Bowens striking away for two but Takeshita snaps off a poisonrana. Bowens pops up for a running Fameasser and a middle rope neckbreaker gets two. The Mollywop knocks Takeshita outside but he’s right back in with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Raging Fire finishes Bowens at 9:10.

Rating: B-. Well, the latest unnecessary tournament is on and I’m really not sure why. Was anyone buying Bowens, who is known for losing, having a chance here against one of the hottest stars in the company? That’s not a great sign, but at least the whole tournament, as much as it is one, is only going to be four matches.

Mascara Dorada is ready for The Beast Mortos on Dynamite.

Video on Riho vs. Mercedes Mone.

Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford vs. Harley Cameron/Kris Statlander/Tay Melo/Anna Jay/Jamie Hayter

For $500,000 and Toni Storm is on commentary. Earlier today, Cameron and company got in an argument, with Hayter and Statlander in particular not getting along, despite Cameron’s cheerleading. Cue Wheeler Yuta to cheer for Statlander, who wants to start with Bayne but Hayter comes in instead. They fight over the lockup to start and neither can get a hiptoss.

Instead Bayne powers her into the corner and it’s off to Cameron, whose shoulders don’t get very far. A headscissors works a bit better though and it’s off to Jay as everything breaks down. Cameron and company rain down right hands in the corner but get reversed for some quadruple stomping. Ford sends Melo into the ropes for a running shot to the back and we take a break (and yes Storm throws us to commercial).

We come back with Bayne hitting a Falcon Arrow for two on Hayter, with Statlander making the save. Everything breaks down again and the Triangle starts taking over. We hit the parade of knockdowns until it’s down to Bayne vs. Hayter for the slugout. The double tag brings in Thekla to spear Jay for the pin at 9:13.

Rating: C+. This was the latest All Star tag match and not much different than last week’s version. Storm was funny on commentary and it’s smart to give Thekla the pin as she’s still getting established around here. I still don’t buy Storm in much danger in the title match but at least they’re building up one of the challengers.

Post match the brawl stays on but Queen Aminata and Mina Shirakawa run in with…a spatula and a cooler for the save. Storm gets in a dive of her own and counters Thekla’s spear into Storm Zero to clear the ring.

Here’s Max Caster for another open challenge.

Max Caster vs. Big Bill

Even Caster seems to know this isn’t good. Bill knocks him into the corner to start and talks a lot of trash, including about Eddie Kingston. The beating is on in the corner and, after mocking Caster’s clap, Bill finishes with the swinging Boss Man Slam at 1:58.

Post match Bill calls Eddie Kingston out again, saying he’s tired of people yelling at him for not showing Kingston respect. Bill doesn’t care about Japanese wrestling and the challenge is on for All Out. He doesn’t think Kingston will show up.

Jerry Lynn talks to Anthony Bowens again but Bowens jumps Max Caster and they brawl into the arena. Caster fights back but gets choked down, drawing Lynn out to break it up. Lynn remembers how good of a team they were but then they wanted singles runs. Neither of them are doing anything but here is the Swirl to interrupt. Blake Christian is tired of Lynn trying to become Billy Gunn II and jump him but Caster helps Lynn fight back. Bowens runs in as well and the Swirl is cleared out. Neither caster nor Bowens seem to want any part of a reunion though.

Mistico is cut off by MJF, with a guy who looks like a short Abraham Lincoln. MJF is ready to take Mistico’s mask for the better of wrestling. The Lincoln guy runs his mouth and gets slapped.

FTR vs. Tommy Billington/Adam Priest

Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR. Billington and Wheeler lock up to start before Billington runs him over a few times. Harwood comes in and gets taken down as well, only to come up with some right hands in the corner to Priest. Back up and Priest starts in on Harwood’s arm, with Billington coming off the middle rope with an elbow to said arm. Billington gets caught on top though and a belly to back superplex brings him down.

We take a break and come back with Priest cleaning house but Wheeler low bridges him to the floor. Priest gets dropped onto the apron and some double teaming knocks him back inside. A backbreaker lets Wheeler taunt Billington a bit and Priest’s slap just makes Wheeler angrier. Priest Saito suplexes his way out of trouble but Harwood is there to backdrop Billington on the apron. Priest makes the comeback on his own, including a kick to the leg to set up a half crab.

That’s broken up so Billington missile dropkicks Harwood into the post. The snap suplex drops Harwood again but he catches Billington up top. Priest is back up with a tornado DDT to plant Wheeler on the apron and there’s a suicide dive to drop him again. Stereo flying headbutts get two on Harwood before Priest and Wheeler crash out to the floor. Billington crossfaces Harwood but a foot on the ropes gets him out. Wheeler catapults Priest into a post and the spike piledriver finally finishes Billington at 17:11.

Rating: B. It was a good match and absolutely should not have been happening here. Just like last week, the idea is that FTR is going into a dream match and one of the biggest challenges of their career. This week though, rather than using their experience against this brand new team, it takes them even longer to win. These matches haven’t made FTR look like they’re ready for a huge match, but rather that they’re not as sharp as they used to be.

Post match FTR celebrates and we’re told about a four way ladder match for the Tag Team Titles at All Out.

Various teams are ready to qualify for the ladder match.

Unified Title: Michael Oku vs. Kazuchika Okada

Okada is defending and this is part of the tournament as well because…..oh let’s just move on. Okada strikes away to start but Oku knocks him to the floor for the Fosbury Flop. Back in and a frog splash misses for Oku and Okada knocks him to the floor as we take a break. We come back with Oku kicking him away and hitting a superkick. The top rope Lionsault gets two but the half crab is broken up. Okada’s Rainmaker is countered into a small package for two but Okada Tombstones him into the Rainmaker to retain at 9:16.

Rating: C+. Let me see if I can remember this. Okada just won this match to qualify to defend his title in a three way a few months before it is vacated for the Continental Classic, during which the Unified Title will be split, making it no longer unified. Did I get all of that right? Either way, there was no reason to believe Oku was going to win here, making it just another not exactly inspiring Okada match.

Post match Konosuke Takeshita comes in for a staredown.

Video on Kyle Fletcher vs. Hangman Page.

Death Riders vs. Paragon

Garcia, now in black shorts, takes O’Reilly down to start and it’s quickly off to Strong for a change. Strong wins a wrestle off and Paragon chases Garcia outside for a series of strikes against the barricade. Back in and Moxley has to break up a cross armbreaker so Strong goes after him, only for Garcia to take out the leg. A Figure Four around the post has Strong in more trouble and we take a break.

We come back with Moxley working on O’Reilly’s leg but O’Reilly fights out and brings Strong back in. Strong’s belly to back faceplant gets two on Moxley and the top rope superplex puts him down again. Naturally Moxley, who just got superplexed from the top, is able to grab a choke from his back, followed by the big clothesline.

The Riders get stereo holds but Paragon gets out and strikes away at Moxley for two. O’Reilly dives onto Moxley with a dropkick against the barricade, followed by the cross armbreaker to Garcia. That’s broken up and the Dragontamer on the bad leg makes O’Reilly tap at 12:48.

Rating: B-. The team that loses pretty much every important match they have loses an important match. Let me show you my big surprised face. Paragon matches can be entertaining as they work well together, but egads it would be nice to have had some double about the result. Garcia is now a villain and…yeah he’s the same not very interesting wrestler that he’s been for years, but now in different gear. What a thrilling adjustment.

Post match Matt Menard yells at Garcia, who just leaves to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. As much as I liked last week’s show, this was a show that you could easily skip and not lose much of anything. It was a bunch of matches that had no realistic question about the winners or no real consequences (I’m sure the winning women’s lives will be changed by the money), with the only important changes to All Out being….a thumbtack/tables match and of course, a ladder match. I was bored throughout a lot of this, as it was a show that made me realize just how long Collision can feel a lot of the time.

Results
Konosuke Takeshita b. Anthony Bowens – Raging Fire
Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford b. Kris Statlander/Anna Jay/Tay Melo/Jamie Hayter/Harley Cameron – Spear to Jay
Big Bill b. Max Caster – Swinging Boss Man Slam
FTR b. Adam Priest/Tommy Billington – Spike piledriver to Billington
Kazuchika Okada b. Michael Oku – Rainmaker
Death Riders b. Paragon – Dragontamer to O’Reilly

 

 

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Dynamite – September 10, 2025: With Mouse Traps And Staples

Dynamite
Date: September 10, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Bryan Danielson, Excalibur, Taz

It’s the last Dynamite in the 2300 Arena and that might mean AEW wants to go out with a bang. I’m almost scared to imagine what they could do around here, but with only ten days to go before All Out, they are going to need to do something special. If nothing else, we could use a World Title match for the pay per view. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Bryan Danielson is officially on commentary.

Josh Alexander vs. Hangman Page

Non-title grudge match so they slug it out to start with Page chopping him into the corner. Alexander’s ankle lock is broken up rather quickly with Page sending him to the floor, only for the dive to be forearmed out of the air. A brainbuster onto the apron rocks Page but he’s right back up with a moonsault to the floor. That’s reversed into an ankle lock, which Page escapes and clotheslines him over the barricade. Back in and Alexander hammers away in the corner but Page fires off some chops. A clothesline sends Alexander outside but it’s too early for Page to try the moonsault.

We take a break and come back with Alexander kicking him in the face, which just makes Page fight back for some reason. A Death Valley Driver gives Page two but Alexander is right back with the rolling German suplexes. They even go into the aisle, where Page slips out of a German suplex to suplex him into the barricade.

Both of them beat the count back in so they slug it out, with Page hitting a powerbomb for two. They fight to the top, where Alexander grabs a super Regal Roll. The ankle lock is countered and they wind up on the apron. The C4 Spike is countered into a Deadeye and Page hits a moonsault. After the Don Callis Family is dispatched, the Buckshot Lariat finishes for Page at 16:23.

Rating: B. Good match here, even with Alexander losing again, though it’s a bit different when it’s the World Champion. Alexander can have a good match with just about anyone and that was the case here, with Page getting to fight off some odds and win. It’s a nice way to open the show and they had a hard hitting match.

Post match Page says he didn’t lose all kinds of blood to win the title to just have MJF change the stipulations under threats of pain. At the same time, wrestling is the word that matters in AEW, because he is the All Elite WRESTLING World Champion. Kyle Fletcher comes out to say he hasn’t gotten a response to his title challenge so Page tells him to get in the ring.

Page says he sees a lot of potential in Fletcher but he can’t even put on his socks. While Fletcher is full of potential, he isn’t ready, which Fletcher says he’s heard his whole life. Page is willing to give Fletcher the title shot, but he needs Fletcher to do it himself. The title can be on the line if the Don Callis Family is left out. This really does not feel like a pay per view World Title match.

We look at MJF costing Mark Briscoe his match on Collision.

MJF talks about getting married recently but he’s not going on his honeymoon until Mark Briscoe is dead. He’s been married to a long time, because he’s married to hatred.

The Young Bucks are tired of the food at catering and even Brandon Cutler turns on them. Jon Moxley comes in to say they’re in on the $500,000 tag match. This is of course TOTALLY DIFFERENT than an all-star tag match.

Emi Sakura/Mercedes Mone vs. Riho/Alex Windsor

Riho gets taken into the corner so Sakura can come in to stomp away. That’s broken up and it’s off to Windsor for some Poetry In Motion. Mone has to pull Sakura away from a half crab and the dive takes her down. We take a break and come back with Mone hitting the running knees in the corner.

Riho fights back and knocks Mone down, allowing the tag off to Windsor to clean house. The Sharpshooter is blocked so Windsor holds Mone up for a top rope double stomp from Riho. Everything breaks down and Sakura comes back in, with Riho half crabbing her for the tap at 9:45.

Rating: C. Yeah fine. This is the latest time where we’re told how important Riho and Sakura are and how it’s a big deal that Sakura trained Riho so Riho beating her with a basic move is important. I still have pretty much no interest in anything Riho does as she popped back up and was put right into the title picture again, but that’s something AEW loves to do.

Ricochet and the Gates Of Agony want to take out the Hurt Syndicate at All Out.

Video on FTR vs. Christian Cage/Adam Copeland, with a bunch of stats about how awesome both teams have been over the years.

Here are FTR and Stokely Hathaway to say it won’t be a dream match at All Out, but rather a fight. This should have been a dream match but Harwood stops to go get in fans’ faces to ask if they want to fight. Instead, FTR beats up a cameraman until security breaks it up. Well that’s overly aggressive.

Shelton Benjamin accepts a challenge from Ricochet, with everyone else staying in the back. The six man is set for All Out as well.

Ricochet vs. Shelton Benjamin

Ricochet dropkicks him into the corner to start and hammers away to send Benjamin outside. The big flip dive takes Benjamin down and a springboard splash gets two back inside. Benjamin fights back and sends him into various things on the floor to take over. Ricochet is back with a whip into the announcers’ table and a kick from the apron as we take a break.

We come back with Benjamin snapping off a German suplex before they trade some kicks to the chest for a double down. Benjamin hits a running clothesline and intercepts Ricochet’s scissors. The scissors are broken up but here are the Gates Of Agony for a distraction/cheap shot to give Ricochet the pin at 11:09.

Rating: B-. Nice match here, with Benjamin continuing to look like he’s about fifteen years younger than he really is. It made for a nice power/technical vs. high flying match and I had fun with the whole thing. The six man at All Out should be good too and this was a nice little preview.

Post match the Syndicate comes out for the big brawl and everyone has to be separated.

Hook is sitting around a fire in New York and understands that he was replaced in the Opps. It’s time for him to stand on his own. Or maybe not.

Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher are ready for Fletcher’s title shot at All Out.

Toni Storm vs. Skye Blue

Non-title street fight and Storm does a Sandman inspired entrance. They start in the aisle with Storm missing a kendo stick shot, allowing Blue to stick her instead. Storm fights back and plays a stop sigh like a guitar (kind of like New Jack) but Blue is back with a staple gun to various personal areas. Some staples have Blue in trouble and the hip attack puts her on the floor as we take a break.

We come back with the two of them slugging away on the barricade and then sitting down to trade shots to the head. A street sign to the head rocks Storm, who is right back with a shot of her own. Storm pulls a covering off a table to reveal a bunch of mouse traps (and cheese, because of course), with Blue managing to powerbomb her onto said traps. Back in and Storm sends her into a chair in the corner and chairs her down, followed by a DDT for two.

A small tennis (I know it’s not tennis but I don’t know what sport it’s actually used in) racket is used for a spanking but Blue is back with a powerbomb out of the corner onto a trashcan for two. Storm is right back with another sign, which is hip attacked into Blue. Storm Zero onto a chair finishes Blue at 11:45.

Rating: C. I get what they were going for here, but a lot of this was just kind of dumb. It’s the big ECW style silly weapons brawl and I get why they needed to do that, but the stuff with the cheese and the staple gun came off as more ridiculous than anything else. At least Storm won and there were some funny spots so it could have been a lot worse. Just not for me, though at least they avoided stuff like barbed wire and tacks etc.

Post match the rest of the Triangle Of Madness runs in for the beatdown but Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter run in for the save. The villains take over again though and Thekla spears Storm and holds up the title again.

Willow Nightingale wants to punch Marina Shafir in the face but Harley Cameron comes in with a song.

Here is what’s coming on Collision.

There will be a tournament for the Unified Title at All Out:

Kazuchika Okada
Michael Oku

Konosuke Takeshita
Anthony Bowens

The Beast Mortos
Mascara Dorada

So yes, Okada has to defend the title to get into the pay per view title match.

Death Riders/Young Bucks vs. Opps/Bandido/Brody King

For $500,000. King beats up the Bucks to start fast and it’s off to Bandido for the Macarena. Joe comes in to kneebar Yuta and then hammers him down in the corner. Shibata gets to do the same but Yuta manages a middle rope dropkick. Everything breaks down and the Bucks are sent outside for a big suicide dive from King. Castagnoli gets beaten up in the ring and Bandido drops a frog splash for two as we take a break.

We come back with Bandido armdragging the Bucks down and bringing Hobbs in to clean house. Stereo clotheslines put Castagnoli and Hobbs down and it’s off to King, who runs Nick over for two. Everything breaks down again and the Bucks fire off the superkicks. Bandido breaks that up and tries a monkey flip but the Bucks trip him down and an assisted rollup gets the pin at 13:20.

Rating: B-. Another all star style match here, with the Bucks getting another main event spot and another win. I’m sure this will set them up for a Tag Team Title shot at All Out, which is hardly the most appealing idea in the world. It was another energetic match, but nothing that hasn’t been done around here a lot.

Post match the Bucks and Bandido/King brawl to the back, leaving the Death Riders to beat on the Opps. Darby Allin runs in for the save but Daniel Garcia comes in to take him out, apparently joining the Death Riders. Allin is left laying to end the show. It’s a surprise, but it’s still just Daniel Garcia.

Overall Rating: B-. This show did some good work towards building to All Out, but the pay per view is looking a bit underwhelming. Hopefully they can fix that up a bit in the future, but for now, things could look a lot worse. If nothing else, it’s nice to see them getting out of Philadelphia for a bit, as they need a change of scenery after the last few weeks. Nice show here, but nothing exactly great.

Results
Hangman Page b. Josh Alexander – Buckshot Lariat
Riho/Alex Windsor b. Emi Sakura/Mercedes Mone – Half crab to Sakura
Ricochet b. Shelton Benjamin – Rollup
Toni Storm b. Skye Blue – Storm Zero onto a chair
Young Bucks/Death Riders b. Opps/Bandido/Brody King – Assisted rollup to Bandido

 

 

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