Dynamite – October 15, 2025: Yes, Again

Dynamite
Date: October 15, 2025
Location: Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
Commentators: Bryan Danielson, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

It’s another special night as we have WrestleDream coming up in three days. As a result, this week sees Dynamite and Collision going back to back, which means we’ll be seeing the final pushes to the pay per view in one night. That means we’ll be seeing quite a bit here so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We look at Kota Ibushi breaking his leg on Collision, leading to Jack Perry saving Kenny Omega from a post match brawl. Omega doesn’t trust Perry but says we’ll see where it goes tonight.

We run down the card.

Renee Paquette sits down with Toni Storm and Kris Statlander for their final words before the title match. After they all take off their jackets (including a frustrated Paquette), Storm says she needs the title back and is ready to do anything to get it. If that means being murdered by Statlander, so be it. Statlander says she is constantly evolving, so the woman who beat Storm for the title is already gone. She is the champion and will be forever. Storm gets up and they go face to face, with Storm saying they’ll meet each other in the ring. Paquette is frustrated and wants her jacket back.

Here are Storm and Statlander in the ring and the fight is on. Storm hands her the belt and drops to her knees, only to German suplex Statlander down. Then Statlander drops to her knees as Storm picks up the title, which she hands to Statlander and leaves.

Jack Perry is cutting a piece of wood and says he doesn’t hate the Young Bucks. He is happy with what they did together but they weren’t there when he needed them. That’s why he had to look to his past for help, which is why he is back with Luchasaurus.

Gates Of Agony vs. Hurt Syndicate

Ricochet and MVP are here too. Benjamin and Kaun start things off and slug it out, with Benjamin shrugging off the beating in the corner. Kaun gets kicked down and it’s off to Lashley for a double shoulder. A delayed suplex drops Kaun but he kicks the ropes into a low blow on Lashley.

Liona gets in a Samoan drop on the floor and we take a break. We come back with Liona charging into an overhead belly to belly, allowing Benjamin to come in and clean house. Benjamin’s running DDT plants Kaun and Lashley collides with Liona on the floor. The distraction lets Ricochet come in with a Spirit Gun to Benjamin, allowing Kaun to steal the pin at 9:38.

Rating: B-. There is something fun about watching these teams throw each other around with some rather impressive power. It’s little more than a preview for the six man tag at WrestleDream and in that case, the Gates really needed the win to give them some more momentum. Nice match here, with the villains cheating to win as they should.

We look at Darby Allin getting in a fight with Jon Moxley at New York Comic Con.

Earlier today, Moxley and Allin had a face to face meeting with some glass between them. Moxley says the game is rigged in both directions because neither of them will ever quit. Allin can join the Death Riders and end this but he doesn’t respect Moxley. Why would he want to join someone who treated Bryan Danielson the way they did?

Moxley says sacrifices have to be made but Allin talks about how he saw the freedom at the top of Mount Everest. Now Moxley is chipping away at everything around here, though Moxley says Allin is fighting ghosts of the past. Then Pac comes in to jump Allin, whose blood winds up on the glass. I am out of words to explain how sick I am of Moxley and everything he says and does.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Roderick Strong

They go with the grappling on the mat and then against the ropes to start. Strong avoids a charge in the corner and chops away before chopping away even more. Castagnoli’s headlock is broken up so he grabs it again, followed by a hard elbow. Strong fights up and gets out to the floor, where Castagnoli swings him into the barricade.

We take a break and come back with Castagnoli grabbing a crossface, which sends Strong into the ropes. That’s enough to start the comeback and sending Castagnoli outside for a drop onto the barricade. Back in and Strong drops him onto the turnbuckle, only to charge into Swiss Death for the pin at 10:49.

Rating: B-. As usual, the match was fine, but it’s kind of hard to get interested in a match between two people who have been beaten down this much. Castagnoli is in a better place than Strong, though that’s not saying much. Strong hasn’t won anything important since he’s been in AEW, so how much does it matter for either of these two to win here?

The Don Callis Family is having a birthday party for Don Callis. After a quick song, Callis says this is all about power and is presented with….a video from Konosuke Takeshita, who promises to win the IWGP World Title for Callis. Kazuchika Okada cuts the video off and they toast to family.

We see Konosuke Takeshita winning the IWGP World Title earlier this week.

Don Callis Family vs. Kenny Omega/Jurassic Express

Omega and Alexander start things off, with Alexander immediately tagging Hechicero. Omega’s leg is taken out and twisted around, setting up a dragon screw legwhip. The comeback is cut off as Omega won’t tag and gets taken down by the leg again. Alexander works on the leg in the ropes but Omega gets out and rolls over for the tag to Perry. That means Alexander is quickly beaten down Davis runs Perry over as we take a break.

We come back with Alexander pulling Perry into the ankle lock, which is quickly broken up. Omega dramatically gets on the apron for the tag, with even Callis admitting that Omega is on fire here. A running knee gets two on Alexander as everything breaks down. Davis and Luchasaurus knock each other down but Luchasaurus is back up to take over.

Callis offers a distraction to cut off the V Trigger but Perry sacrifices himself to take a clothesline from Davis. A piledriver gets two on Omega and Hechicero grabs a cross armbreaker, with Luchasaurus having to chokeslam Alexander onto them for the break. Everything breaks down and a springboard Doomsday Device finishes Hechicero at 13:57.

Rating: B. The match was pretty good, though there is only so much interest that is coming from the Don Callis Family. They’ve been around for so long and are so dull most of the time that it’s making their matches run with an anchor. Throw in the drama between Perry and Omega being solved in all of a few minutes and this wasn’t the most dramatic match.

Post match the Young Bucks run in to jump the Express, with Omega coming in to yell until Luchasaurus makes the save. Perry moonsaults onto the Don Callis Family.

Skye Blue vs. Jamie Hayter

Julia Hart is here with Blue. Hayter grabs a front facelock to start before switching into a headlock takeover. Back up and Hayter sends her into the buckles, followed by a snap suplex for two. They go outside where Hart’s distraction lets Blue grab a neckbreaker as we take a break.

We come back with Hayter hitting a missile dropkick and a Saito suplex getting two. They trade shots to the face and Hayter’s backbreaker leaves both of them down. Hayter takes her outside for a throw, followed by a fireman’s carry backbreaker back inside. Hayterade finishes Blue off at 12:05.

Rating: C+. The long build towards Blood & Guts continues and it’s still only so interesting. It’s a feud that has been going on for a bit, though it still doesn’t feel violent or angry enough for that kind of a match. I do like that Hayter is at least getting some wins, as she was on fire before her crazy long injury layoff and needs to be built back up in a big way.

Post match Thekla pops up on the screen to say she attacked Hayter (back in May) because Hayter was there. At WrestleDream, they’ll get toxic to the core.

Mercedes Mone brags about winning her tenth title (in DENMARK), which ties Ultimo Dragon’s record. She’s going to defend her CMLL Women’s Title on Friday and on the same day, become the longest reigning TBS Champion of all time. Then she’ll win at WrestleDream! And yes, you are supposed to be impressed that Mone is winning all of these tiny independent titles. That’s really what they’re doing here.

Trios Titles: Opps vs. La Faccion Ingobernable

The Opps are defending and Hangman Page is on commentary. Hobbs and Mortos start things off with Hobbs firing off the clotheslines in the corner. Mortos is right back with a Sling Blade so Rush comes in and requests Shibata. They chop it out and trade German suplexes until Shibata’s STO leaves them both down. Joe comes in to fire off the jabs at Mortos before it’s right back to Shibata, who is quickly triple teamed. A triple dropkick drops Shibata again and we take a break.

We come back with Shibata still in trouble, including with Dralistico sending Mortos into him for a spear in a cool sequence. Shibata suplexes his way out of trouble and it’s back to Hobbs to clean house. Joe is in as well and starts to run people over, with a powerslam getting two on Dralistico. Everything breaks down and the Koquina Clutch finishes Dralistico at 11:25.

Rating: B-. It wasn’t a great match, but I definitely appreciate the titles being defended. There is little more frustrating than for titles to just sit on the shelves for months on end so getting a title defense in there is a good move. Joe gets to look dominant enough going into the title match on Saturday, which is even more important than anything involving these titles.

Post match LFI jump Joe and Rush spits at Page, who comes in to clean house, with LFI bailing to the floor. Joe gets the World Title and, eventually, hands it to Page before leaving to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Not a bad show at all and it did a nice enough job building towards a lot of the WrestleDream matches. At the same time, sweet goodness they have got to get away from the Death Riders and Don Callis Family. I’m not sure who thought it was a good idea to have two huge heel stables, but it’s even worse with having them be so dull. This company really needs some better villains, because what they’ve got at the moment is not working. As usual, the in-ring side of things was fine, but the rest left a good bit to be desired.

Results
Gates Of Agony b. Hurt Syndicate – Spirit Gun to Benjamin
Claudio Castagnoli b. Roderick Strong – Swiss Death
Kenny Omega/Jurassic Express b. Don Callis Family – Springboard Doomsday Device to Hechicero
Jamie Hayter b. Skye Blue – Hayterade
Opps b. La Faccion Ingobernable – Koquina Clutch to Dralistico

 

 

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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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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 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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AEW Collision – September 6, 2025: They’re Cloning Luchadors?

Collision
Date: September 6, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, Matt Menard

We’re still in Philadelphia and still on the way towards All Out, which only has so much officially set. That’s going to need to be addressed, though I’m not sure how much is going to take place here. The big feature match this week is another All-Star tag match, this time including eight women. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Jon Moxley vs. Daniel Garcia

Marina Shafir is here with Moxley. Garcia takes him into the corner to start and Moxley ducks into the ropes, where he dares Garcia to hit him. Moxley kicks him in the back but Garcia is right back with the forearms in the corner. That’s broken up and Moxley goes after the fingers before going after the head with right hands. Moxley takes him to another corner and keeps up the beating but Garcia is out with a dragon screw legwhip.

Garcia sits down on the leg and the wraps it around the post. The Figure Four around the post keeps Moxley in trouble until Shafir sends Garcia into the announcers’ table. We take a break and come back with Moxley heading to the apron, where Garcia elbows his way out of a fireman’s carry. Garcia piledrives him onto the apron (Moxley is back on his feet in thirty seconds) and Slugs away back inside as the fans greatly approve.

Moxley’s quick Sharpshooter attempt is countered into a rollup for two and Garcia hits a top rope superplex for two more. Moxley is right back with a Death Rider for two of his own but the bulldog choke is countered into the Dragontamer. The rope is grabbed so they pull themselves up and yell at each other, which fires Garcia up. Moxley’s suplex over the top leaves them both crashing before they get back inside for a slugout. Garcia’s rollup is reversed into Moxley’s rollup for the pin at 16:41.

Rating: B. The fans helped carry this one as they wanted to see Garcia get the big win. That being said, Garcia losing makes for a more interesting situation as he’s going to need to go back to the drawing board again and perhaps actually change something for a change. Moxley is all but guaranteed for a big match against Darby Allin at All Out so the result makes perfect sense for him.

Post match Garcia looks crushed and takes the mic from Tony Schiavone. He’s tired of making the same mistakes but he keeps getting back up. It’s been a good five years but sometimes good isn’t enough.

We look at the Dynamite main event and post match beatdown, with Kenny Omega being laid out by the Don Callis Family.

We run down the rest of tonight’s card.

Big Bill talks about hitting rock bottom in this building and the fans here gave him nothing. That doesn’t surprise him because he comes from a real city in New York. Someone else around here does that too, so he’s officially calling out….Eddie Kingston.

FTR vs. Tommy Billington/Adam Priest

Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR. Priest and Wheeler go to the mat to start with neither being able to get the advantage. They try it again and that gets the same result so Wheeler chops him instead. Harwood comes in to headlock Billington but Priest comes back in for a double elbow. Some clubberin in the corner has Priest in trouble but Billington makes the save. Stereo snap suplexes have FTR in trouble so they slap Priest as we take a break.

We come back with Priest and Billington cleaning house, with Billington getting a crossface. That’s broken up and Priest is dropped across the barricade, leaving Billington to miss the Swan Dive. The PowerPlex is broken up so Billington and Priest hit stereo Swan Dives for two on Harwood. Back up and Harwood blasts Priest with a left hand and FTR grab stereo German suplexes for two each. Billington is sent outside and the PowerPlex finishes Priest at 14:04.

Rating: C+. The action was good, but this was the wrong way for the match to go. FTR is on the way to a huge grudge match in two weeks. Why are they needing almost fifteen minutes to beat a makeshift team against a jobber in Priest and someone coming off a big injury in Billington? There’s no need to have it go this long other than to fill in TV time and that’s not a good thing.

Post match the beating continues as Hathaway talks trash about Adam Copeland and Christian Cage.

The Outrunners are getting back to nature but run into….some Boys. They also find Dalton Castle, who is ready to break some hearts. Well that’s random. Awesome, but random.

Jon Moxley talks about how simple minded it is to think that belts matter and now he’s ready to get rid of Darby Allin for good. The match is on for All Out with Moxley promising to put him in the ground.

Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne vs. Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa/Kris Statlander/Harley Cameron

Wheeler Yuta comes in to offer some advice to Statlander but realizes he’s not wanted here and leaves. Mina slides away from Thekla to start and does the dance but Thekla is waiting for her with the spider pose. Hart comes in and gets splashed by Cameron, followed by Mina’s sling blade for two. Everything breaks down and Bayne hits a middle rope clothesline as we take a break.

We come back with Hart tripping Mina down and hitting a standing moonsault for two. Mina fights out of trouble and ties up Blue’s leg while DDTing Hart at the same time. Storm comes in to clean house as the fans certainly approve. Statlander helps Mina hit a big dive to the floor and it’s time for the parade of knockdowns. Statlander clotheslines Bayne, who pops back up with a spear. We settle down to Blue and Cameron trading forearms until Hart gets an Octopus on Statlander. That’s reversed into an electric chair faceplant and a Wheeler Yuta seatbelt pins Hart at 12:03.

Rating: B. This got rather awesome by the end, with the tag structure being thrown out for the sake of everyone going nuts and hitting whatever they thought of as fast as they could. It continues to be the junk food style that AEW uses very often, but dang it is entertaining. I’ve long since stopped caring about the Statlander/Yuta deal but it’s still going anyway.

Post match the fight continues with the Triangle laying everyone out (again). Jamie Hayter runs in for the save so Storm asks if they want to get nuts. She’s ready for Hayter. Thekla and Statlander at All Out.

Video on Ace Austin.

The Bang Bang Gang is tired of all the bad luck so they’re done with the cardboard cutouts. Now it’s time to find out what is next. This should come together sooner than later.

Mercedes Mone isn’t happy with Riho, so how about Riho and Alex Windsor face Mone and Riho’s mentor Emi Sakura on Dynamite?

Here is the Don Callis Family (with Kyle Fletcher rocking a pink suit) to brag about what happened on Dynamite. Josh Alexander is ready to take out Hangman Page in their grudge match next week. Fletcher isn’t impressed with Mark Briscoe, who won’t win tonight anyway, so now he needs to find out what is next. Maybe he’ll just win the World Title instead. Say at All Out. It’s where Page got his first World Title shot so Fletcher sees it as poetic.

The red Hologram is coming soon.

Paragon and the Conglomeration is in the back, with Kyle O’Reilly thinking it’s awesome that WE’RE CLONING LUCHADORS. Roderick Strong doesn’t want to hear it and is happy that Tomohiro Ishii is going back to Japan. O’Reilly says they’ll get back together and conglomerate later.

Anthony Bowens is bragging about what he’s been doing lately but Jerry Lynn comes in to say Bowens has been slipping. It’s time to find out what is missing.

Mark Briscoe vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Josh Alexander is here with Takeshita…who sends him to the back because he has this on his own. That’s another sign for Takeshita. They fight over arm control to start with Takeshita sending him into the corner and we take an early break. We come back with Takeshita hitting a hanging DDT to the floor and the chinlock goes on back inside. Briscoe fights up as one tends to do out of a chinlock, setting up a fisherman’s buster for two.

A Blue Thunder Bomb gives Takeshita two and we get a quick breaker. Takeshita sends him outside for one heck of a flip dive but Briscoe low bridges him to the floor. The apron Blockbuster connects for Briscoe and a sliding lariat gets two back inside. A double clothesline leaves them both down and we take another break. We come back with Briscoe winning an exchange of forearms and hitting a Death Valley Driver.

The Froggy Bow is broken up so Briscoe gives him a sunset bomb and now the Froggy Bow…hits raised knees. Takeshita hits a Helluva Kick but Briscoe drops him with a hard lariat for two more. The Jay Driller is blocked and Takeshita hits a kneeling tombstone for another near fall. Briscoe is taken up top but headbutts his way out of a superplex. Callis offers a distraction so here is MJF to shove Briscoe off the top. Raging Fire gives Takeshita the pin at 17:56.

Rating: B+. This got awesome rather quickly and that’s not a surprise at all. I’m a bit surprised that Briscoe lost as it seemed like they were setting up Briscoe vs. Fletcher at All Out. Now it seems to be Briscoe vs. MJF, which should work rather well too. Good stuff here, with Takeshita continuing to be outstanding.

Post match Takeshita is NOT pleased with the interference but Briscoe and MJF have to be held apart. MJF says pick the time and the place and even the stipulation. Briscoe picks All Out and he’ll get back to him on the stipulation.

Overall Rating: B+. Pretty awesome show here with the wrestling being a strong highlight. There was nothing close to bad on the whole show and I was rather wrong about nothing being set up for All Out. This was one of the better Collisions in a good while and I had a heck of a time with it, which is always a nice surprise.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Daniel Garcia – Rollup
FTR b. Adam Priest/Tommy Billington – PowerPlex to Priest
Kris Statlander/Harley Cameron/Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa b. Triangle Of Madness/Megan Bayne – Seatbelt to Hart
Konosuke Takeshita b. Mark Briscoe – Raging Fire

 

 

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Ring Of Honor – September 5, 2025 (Special Episode): Of Course Not

Ring Of Honor
Date: September 5, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s a special bonus show, because we didn’t get enough matches on this week’s regular show. The advertised card features eleven matches, making it a good deal longer than yesterday’s episode. I’m not sure how well that is going to go, but hopefully it’s more interesting than what we usually get. Let’s get to it.

Here are this week’s edition if you need a recap.

We open with a Death Before Dishonor recap.

Opening sequence.

Frat House vs. AR Fox/Kingdom

The Frat House pose on the floor and get taken down by some dives because Taven and Fox don’t like toasts. We start with Taven dropkicking Vance but Jakked Jameson offers a distraction, allowing Garrison to get in a cheap shot. Fox’s dive is pulled out of the air and he gets sent into the barricade, leaving Taven to get caught in a delayed suplex.

Taven manages an enziguri and brings Fox in to pick up the pace. The skin the cat dropkick sets up a cutter to Vance, followed by a flipping stomp and flipping dive. Bennett comes in and gets dropped with a discus lariat as everything breaks down. Karter misses a 450 though and Rockstar Supernova into the 450 gives Fox the pin at 7:51.

Rating: B-. Hot match to start here with a bunch of people flying around and doing their thing to get the show going. I’m not sure I can imagine Fox and the Kingdom going after the Six Man Tag Team Titles, but at least there’s a chance of something happening. Just get something happening with the titles already.

At Death Before Dishonor, Shane Taylor Promotions are happy with winning the Six Man Tag Team Titles. This might mean more if they didn’t lose so frequently in AEW/ROH but it’s still better than the Sons Of Texas. I think.

Premiere Athletes vs. Spanish Announce Project

In case you needed to know the most Ring Of Honor match possible. Before the match, Mark Sterling says he’s injured but has a contingency plan. Nese takes over on Angelico to start but they roll around a bit until Angelico snaps off a dropkick. Serpentico comes in and gets hiptossed onto Nese, followed by a falling splash for two. It’s off to Daivari, who chokes Serpentico on the ropes, which allows Nese to…well do the exact same thing actually.

Nese misses a triangle moonsault though and Serpentico rolls away, allowing the needed tag to Angelico. A kick to the head gets two on Daivari and a Downward Spiral into the Swanton gets two. Sliced Bread gets two more on Daivari but Sterling gets on the apron. Cue a rather tall woman to chokeslam Serpentico so Daivari can get the pin at 7:40.

Rating: C+. This is one of those matches where it’s hard to imagine that this is going to mean much. I like the idea of the Athletes having their version of Chyna, as it’s something that could suit them well. At the same time, this match couldn’t feel much less important given what these teams have meant over the years.

Post match Sterling announces the woman (who is a good 3-4 inches taller than the Athletes) is the contingency plan.

Rachael Ellering vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Pure Rules, but NOT a tournament match, because we need preview matches. Ellering has to burn a rope break about thirty seconds in but she’s right back with a running mare. A backsplash gets two but Ellering has to get out of a Fujiwara armbar. Another Fujiwara armbar makes Ellering use another rope break. Some forearms and a suplex get Ellering out of the armbar and Purrazzo accidentally uses a rope break to get out of an O’Connor roll. The Boss Woman Slam connects but Purrazzo is right back with the Venus de Milo for the tap at 5:13.

Rating: C. Yes, the woman in the Pure Rules tournament, who is known for her technical abilities, beat someone who…well isn’t either of those things. Why this match needed to be on this show rather than another part of the tournament is beyond me, but at least Purrazzo won in fairly convincing fashion. Now just do the tournament already so the title can almost never be defended.

Post match Trish Adora comes out to stare down Purrazzo (who she’s facing in the tournament).

Trish Adora vs. Ashley Vox

Pure Rules and Adora uses a rope break less than thirty seconds in. Adora works on the arm and powers Vox up, making Vox use her first rope break. A backpack Stunner sets up a double hammerlock to make Vox tap at 2:46.

Post match Adora kicks Vox outside.

The MxM Collection and Johnny TV are happy with the Seed fragrance and say you’ll be facing it when you face them.

Alex Zayne vs. Johnny TV

The MxM Collection and Taya Valkyrie are here with TV. Zayne starts fast but has a superplex attempt broken up. TV has to bail out of a springboard but settles for a running knee for two instead. Zayne is sent outside for a cheap shot from the Collection and TV powerbombs Valkyrie onto him against the apron. Back in and we hit the chinlock, followed by the Flying Chuck.

TV stops to kiss Valkyrie, which is enough of a distraction for Zayne to knock TV into the corner. The flipping faceplant gives Zayne two, with the Collection pulling TV outside. Zayne dives onto everyone but TV, who drops him with a superkick. Back in and a cutthroat driver connects for Zayne, only for Valkyrie to distract the referee. Mansoor sprays seed in Zayne’s eyes to give TV the win at 5:17.

Rating: B-. I was having a good time with this one and it’s nice to see the Collection getting to do something that ties into what they’re doing. Zayne is someone who can have an exciting match and do a bunch of cool stuff so he’s a fun addition to the show. Not exactly a lengthy classic, but it was at least a bit different.

The Premiere Athletes’ contingency plan is Story Denali and yes she’s an official member of the team.

Jordan Oliver vs. The Beast Mortos

Mortos uses the ropes to flip into a wristlock before Pouncing Oliver into the ropes. Oliver tries to strike away but Mortos flips over him and hits a headbutt for two. A dropkick to the knee gets Oliver out of trouble and he hits a springboard hurricanrana. Oliver dragon screw leg whips him out of the corner but Mortos is fine enough to hit a pop up Samoan drop. Oliver goes to the knee again and hits a slingshot stunner. Mortos is right back with a backbreaker into the spinning piledriver for the pin at 5:31.

Rating: C+. Oliver continues to be someone who could turn into a thing if he’s given the chance around here, though it depends on if he’s sticking around after the residency ends. On the other hand you have Mortos, who did his thing of running through everyone in front of him. That’s a style that works well for him, even if he’s not around very often.

The Outrunners say they’re down but not out.

LSG/Beef vs. Don Callis Family

Archer kicks Beef down to start and fires off the crossfaces in the ropes. Beef’s jabs are cut off with a crossbody and it’s off to Hechicero, with the fans approving. LSG comes in to jab away and is taken down just as fast. Hechicero’s running knee in the corner sets up a flapjack, with Beef making a failed save attempt. Hechicero powerbombs LSG for the pin at 3:27.

Rating: C. You know what I saw on Dynamite this week? A Lance Archer match. Last night on Ring Of Honor? Lance Archer having a match. Tonight? That would be Lance Archer in action. Archer isn’t someone who is going to mix it up very much in the first place and yet here we are, seeing him three times in three days. This is a prime example of how it feels like this show is just stretching to make the shows longer for the sake of more time.

We get a long video on Athena’s 1000 day reign as Women’s Champion. She deserves the praise, along with a full time spot in AEW but why do that when you can just keep doing the same stuff?

Josh Woods vs. Matt Mako

Pure Rules (again). They go to the grappling to start until Woods ties up the legs, sending Mako to the ropes. Ring announcer: “He has used his first rope break.” They go back to the mat but Mako uses a closed fist to take over. Woods slams the knee into the mat a few times and grabs the ankle lock, setting up a German suplex. Back up and Mako misses a spinwheel kick in the corner before they trade boots to the face for a double down. Woods is back up with the spinning suplex into the corner for the pin at 7:05.

Rating: C+. Mako has had one match here since 2021 and this was Woods’ first match here since November. These are the people who are in the third Pure Rules match of the night. This show isn’t even trying to hide that it’s content for the sake of content against this week’s Smackdown. I get why Tony Khan would want to do that, but MAYBE PUT SOME EFFORT INTO IT FOR ONCE???

Hologram vs. Aaron Solo

They trade armdrags to start until Hologram stacks up a rollup for two. A running headscissors sends Solo outside but he’s ready before the dive. Instead they trade places and Solo hits his own dive, followed by a snap suplex back inside. An elbow to the face gives Solo two more and he’s getting rather cocky. Naturally it’s time to go for the mask, which doesn’t work, and Hologram sends him outside for the big flip dive. Back in and a hammerlock faceplant gets two but Solo drops him right back. Hologram knocks him out of the air though and the torture rack bomb finishes Solo at 7:25.

Rating: C+. Well, I’m not sure what to think of the match. It might have been as good as the match Hologram had at Death Before Dishonor but not as good as the one the next night on Collision. I’m thinking it was better than the one he had last night on Ring Of Honor, but maybe I’m getting the four matches he’s had in eight days confused. Eh either way it’s not that it matters as he wins all the time and never moves up the ladder, while people like Shane Taylor Promotions never actually win and get a title shot. Such is Ring Of Honor.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Lee Johnson vs. Bandido

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Johnson (with Blake Christian) wins or lasts the ten minute time limit, he gets a future World Title shot. Johnson backs him into the corner to start and they head outside, with Bandido being dropped onto the apron. Back in and Johnson chops him down for a sliding forearm and two. Johnson gets two more off a belly to back suplex but Bandido is back up with a spinning high crossbody.

The X Knee is countered so Bandido runs him over. Christian blocks the 21 Plex though and Johnson gets in a kick to the face. The brainbuster gives Johnson two and they trade kicks to the face. Johnson hits the ropes but Bandido presses strong grapple and flicks the joystick to hit a pop up cutter. The X Knee finishes for Bandido at 5:28.

Rating: C+. You kind of had an idea of how this was going when the bell rang with only a few minutes left in the show. It’s nice to see Bandido get in the ring, but again it makes me wonder why Johnson is getting pinned, even by Bandido, when Swirl is supposed to be climbing the ranks. It’s not quite the same thing, but maybe protect your team a bit better?

Post match Christian runs in and hits a Lethal Injection to drop Bandido to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. It wasn’t as dull as last night’s show, but the problem here is how bleh the whole thing was. While I liked some of the action, we had three Pure Rules matches, plus people like Archer and Hologram making their third and fourth appearances in about a week. Throw in the Premiere Athletes and the Spanish Announce Project etc. and it’s just so repetitive every single time. Oh and we’ve had two shows since Death Before Dishonor in the same venue. Any sign of the new Six Man or Tag Team Champions? Of course not.

Results
AR Fox/Kingdom b. Frat House – 450 to Karter
Premiere Athletes b. Spanish Announce Project – Chokeslam to Serpentico
Deonna Purrazzo b. Rachael Ellering – Venus de Milo
Trish Adora b. Ashley Vox – Double hammerlock
Johnny TV b. Alex Zayne – Rollup
The Beast Mortos b. Jordan Oliver – Spinning piledriver
Don Callis Family b. Beef/LSG – Sitout powerbomb to LSG
Josh Woods b. Matt Mako – Spinning suplex into the corner
Hologram b. Aaron Solo – Torture rack bomb
Bandido b. Lee Johnson – X Knee

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite – September 3, 2025: I’ve Seen This Before

Dynamite
Date: September 3, 2025
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re less than a month away from All Out and the card is rather slow out of the gate. There is only one match announced so far so there is a good chance that some of the matches might come together this week. AEW is still in the old WCW Arena and that means we should be in for a rowdy crowd. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Here is Gabe Kidd to interrupt the show’s opening but Darby Allin jumps him from behind. Allin sends him neck first into the turnbuckle rod but Kidd fights back with a clothesline. Allin fights up with the skateboard and some tacks, even taking out an intervening Wheeler Yuta. The rest of the Death Riders come out but here are Hook, Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs and Willow Nightingale for the big brawl. Kidd and Allin fight to the back, where Kidd tries to crush Allin’s head with a hammer. Allin chokes him out though and puts him in a body bag, which is tied to a truck and driven away. And that’s the first eight minutes of the show.

We recap Alex Windsor vs. Mercedes Mone for the latter’s TBS Title.

TBS Title: Alex Windsor vs. Mercedes Mone

Mone is defending and forearms away to start but gets caught in an early Sharpshooter attempt. With that broken up, Windsor settles for some armdrags but has to use the ropes to get out of a quick Statement Maker. Windsor sends her outside for a flip dive off the apron and slams Mone’s knee into the apron. Another Sharpshooter in the ropes is broken up and Mone drops her onto the apron as we take a break.

We come back with Windsor hitting some clotheslines and a flying shoulder. A Blue Thunder Bomb sets up the Sharpshooter, which is reversed into the Statement Maker, which Windsor reverses into a crucifix bomb for two. The Sharpshooter attempt sends them outside, where the Sharpshooter goes on again outside but has to be released due to the count.

Back in and Mone grabs the Statement Maker but Windsor is back up with a running clothesline. They forearm it out and a Grace Driver gives Windsor two more. The Statement Maker goes back on, with Windsor using the ropes to escape but Mone rolls her up to retain at 15:03.

Rating: B. This is the kind of match that I was hoping to see, even with the spamming of the dueling submission holds (Natalya does it all the time in WWE so maybe it’s a Sharpshooter thing). Other than that it’s the two of them going after each other after a story was set up for a few weeks. Windsor got a lot out of the build and match, but Mone losing the title is going to be a major deal and it wasn’t likely to happen here.

Post match Mone puts the Statement Maker on again….and Riho returns to make the save. Riho kicks Mone to the floor and picks up the title, as I guess it’s time to treat Riho like the biggest star ever before she leaves for months again. Lucky us.

Hook comes up to Samoa Joe and Powerhouse Hobbs, saying he can fight his own battles. He’s not happy with the Opps replacing him so fast but Joe says the Opps are about opportunities. Joe made the call and the team will still have Hook’s back when he needs it, whether he wants it or not. Hook doesn’t look pleased as he leaves.

Ricochet, with the Gates Of Agony, talks about how his legacy with the Hurt Syndicate, which started a long time ago. The Gates are a bit more assertive and issue the challenge for a six man at All Out.

Here is Mark Briscoe for a chat. Briscoe talks about how he and his brother fell in love with wrestling in this very building. Now his focus is on Kyle Fletcher and the TNT Title so he has to talk to a man named Don Callis. He has to beat a member of the team to get the title shot so here are Callis and some of his Family. Callis emphasizes the name MARK and says that he’ll be facing Konosuke Takeshita on Collision. Takeshita comes out for the staredown but Briscoe wants to fight right now.

Mark Briscoe vs. Lance Archer

They slug it out to start and Briscoe knocks him to the floor, only for Archer to cut off the dive. Archer chokeslams him onto the steps and we take a break. We come back with Briscoe still in trouble but knocking Archer outside. The running flip dive connects but Archer is right back with a buckle bomb. The chokeslam gives Archer two and Briscoe goes up, where he bites Archer’s head on top. A sunset bomb sets up the Froggy Bow to finish Archer at 7:59.

Rating: B-. This is where Archer can be well used, as the idea is to make Briscoe feel like a threat to the TNT Title. Therefore, he beat a monster and looks like he could pull off the upset against Takeshita and then Fletcher. It’s a simple way to go and one of the perks of a huge stable like the Family, as you can throw one member after another like this.

Toni Storm knows the history of this building and is ready to be the baddest b**** it has ever seen. Now it is time for someone new to step up and come after the title.

Kris Statlander takes off Harley Cameron’s mask and reveals…what looks to be pink paint. They’re ready to win more but Wheeler Yuta comes in to say the Death Riders have their back. Marina Shafir comes in for the staredown, with Statlander saying tell their friend she got his message. Yuta: “Ok I’m going to go wrestle now.”

Tag Team Titles: Bandido/Brody King vs. Death Riders

Bandido and King are defending. Yuta works on Bandido’s arm to start but Bandido is right back up with a headscissors. Castagnoli and King come in to slug it out, with King getting the better of things. Bandido comes back in and manages to muscle Castagnoli over with a suplex. Castagnoli sends him outside though and Yuta hammers away as we take a break.

We come back with Bandido managing a springboard hurricanrana to Castagnoli, allowing King to come back in. Bandido hurricanranas King into Castagnoli in the corner and King superplexes Castagnoli as everything breaks down. Cue Jon Moxley to post King and the Fastball Special gets two on Bandido. The Swing into the dropkick gets two so Moxley tries to get involved again, only to get taken out by Darby Allin. King decks Yuta from the floor and the 21 Plex gives Bandido the pin at 12:45.

Rating: B. Good match here as Bandido is turning into a bigger star almost every time he’s out there. That’s a rather positive sign for his future and now we are going to see how far he and King can go. I’m not exactly picturing them as long term champions, but they’re a hot team right now and that’s what they need to be.

Kazuchika Okada is happy with his win with Konosuke Takeshita last week but Takeshita needs to realize that Okada is the crown jewel of the Don Callis Family.

The Hurt Syndicate isn’t sure what happened to Ricochet and don’t want the Gates Of Agony to be turned into punchlines. Yes they accept the challenge and they’re ready to give Ricochet and the Gates a beating.

Here is Adam Copeland for a chat…and FTR run in to jump him. Christian Cage runs in for the save and the brawl is on. Harwood is busted open as security gets the four of them apart. Some other wrestlers come out and FTR hits a jobber with a spike piledriver. Adam Priest isn’t happy and goes after FTR.

Video on Daniel Garcia vs. Jon Moxley.

Stokely Hathaway and FTR are ready to take out Christian Cage and Adam Copeland. Adam Priest comes in and gets yelled at as well.

Here’s what’s coming on Collision.

Young Bucks/Don Callis Family vs. Jet Speed/Kenny Omega/Hangman Page

Apparently the Bucks had issues at a meet and greet because they need the money. Page takes Alexander down by the wrist to start and everything breaks down. The villains are sent outside for a quadruple slingshot dive. Alexander gets double chopped down and we take a break. We come back with Bailey coming in to pick up the pace, including a middle rope dropkick to Matt. Knight takes Matt down as well but the spinning splash hits raised knees.

A tornado DDT gets Knight out of trouble and it’s back to Page to pick up the pace. Alexander saves Fletcher from the Buckshot Lariat but Fletcher gets caught with a sitout powerbomb. Bailey comes back in to kick away at Alexander, who rolls some German suplexes. The Bucks are back in with a pair of TK Drivers to Jet Speed and we take another break. We come back with the Bucks hitting a top rope double stomp to Bailey’s back with a bunch of people making a save. Bailey is back up with a poisonrana to Alexander and Omega comes in to clean house.

Some snapdragons and we get the big Page/Omega vs. Bucks showdown and it’s a big four way strike off with Page having to pull up from hitting Omega. Everyone is down until it’s Fletcher coming in to slug it out with Page. Fletcher’s jumping Tombstone plants Page but Jet Speed is back in to clean house. Knight DDTs Fletcher but the top rope splash misses. Fletcher kicks Knight in the face and another team Tombstone plants him again for the pin at 22:11.

Rating: B+. It was a wild match, with the Bucks getting to look awesome again but it’s different because they’re being mocked this time. Other than that, it was the bad guys getting to dominate again, though at least Knight took the loss rather than the bigger stars. Fletcher seems to be coming for the World Title, even if Mark Briscoe is after him as well. That could go either way, but for now the villains stand tall.

Post match the villains keep up the beating and the rest of the Don Callis Family comes in to help. Fletcher brainbusters Page through an open chair and a table is set up at ringside. Omega gets chaired down again and a brainbuster sends him through the table. Omega is put in a neck brace to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The wrestling itself was pretty nice, though I wasn’t wild on some of the developments. Seeing the heels standing tall in the end, even if it’s a different group of heels, is a bit much after watching the Death Riders do it for so long. Throw in Riho being back and it didn’t leave me overly interested in the future. Hopefully it’s not just more heel dominance for weeks on end, though we still need a good deal of work on the All Out card.

Results
Mercedes Mone b. Alex Windsor – Rollup
Mark Briscoe b. Lance Archer – Froggy Bow
Bandido/Brody King b. Death Riders – 21 Plex to Yuta
Young Bucks/Don Callis Family b. Jet Speed/Kenny Omega/Hangman Page – TK Driver to Knight

 

 

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