Collision
Date: July 5, 2025
Location: Toyota Arena, Ontario, California
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the 100th episode and we are also just a week away from All In. That means we’re going to be having quite the busy week, as there are a lot of things that need to get done. Hopefully the quality is still there with the show as well, though you never quite know what you’re getting around here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Here is Adam Cole to get things going. He thanks the fans for being here for 100 episodes and calls them the best audience he has ever wrestled for in his career. Cole says he’ll hold onto that title through this year and beyond but here is Kyle Fletcher to interrupt. Fletcher says the next 100 episodes of this show belong to him. Fletcher talks about losing to Cole at All In 2023 and it was the worst night of his career. Now he has killed that version of Fletcher and now he wants to make Cole feel just as bad.

No one deserves the title shot as much as he does but here is Daniel Garcia to interrupt. When you talk about the future of AEW, you better be talking about him. Cole says Garcia can have a title shot anywhere, but he’ll lose. The idea of a triple threat is thrown out but Fletcher wants this one on one. Fletcher says he’s beaten Garcia, who says that everyone has beaten him (maybe not the best thing to point out). Garcia and Fletcher are already fighting tonight so let’s make it for a title shot at All In. Works for Cole. This was a long way to set up the main event.

Toni Storm is ready to take out Mercedes Mone and keep the big shiny belt around her waist.

Shelton Benjamin vs. Nick Wayne vs. Kevin Knight

Their respective seconds are all here too and Knight has bad ribs coming in. Knight clears the ring to start but Benjamin pulls him outside. Benjamin sends the bad ribs into the barricade so Wayne can steal a near fall but Knight is back up to cradle Benjamin for the same. Back up and Benjamin gets dropkicked out to the floor, leaving Wayne to knock Knight down.

We take a break and come back with MVP arguing with Mother Wayne. Benjamin powerbombs Nick but Knight springboards in with a sunset flip (nice) for two. A double superkick drops Benjamin, leaving Nick and Knight to slug it out. Benjamin is sent outside and Nick hits a big flip dive, followed by Knight’s springboard double clothesline to drop both of them. Back in and Benjamin gets the ankle lock but Nick breaks it up with Wayne’s World. Knight comes off the top with the UFO to break it up and pins Benjamin at 10:23.

Rating: B-. This was a nice way to set up the now three way Tag Team Title match at All In, which is a lot better than the regular tag match. There is only so much that you can get out of Jet Speed getting the title match so adding the Patriarchy is a good idea. I still don’t believe that the titles are in danger, but this should be an upgrade.

The Death Riders challenge the Opps for the Trios Titles at All In.

Mark Briscoe/Hologram/Mistico vs. Don Callis Family

Mistico gets double teamed to start with Romero working on the arm. Back up and a rope walk wristdrag brings Romero down, followed by a running hurricanrana. It’s off to Briscoe who loads up the chair, but Beretta cuts off the step up dive. A drop toehold sends Briscoe face first into the chair for two and we take a break.

We come back with Hechicero avoiding Hologram’s superkick so Hologram snaps off an anklescissors to take him down. Back up and Hologram is thrown into a Canadian Destroyer to plant Romero but Hechicero Spanish Flys Hologram for two. A running knee gives Beretta two as everything breaks down.

Mistico comes off the top rope with something like a tornado DDT to Hechicero and a hurricanrana puts Beretta on the floor. Beretta suplexes Hologram but Briscoe is back in to low bridge him to the floor. The running flip dive takes out Romero on the floor, leaving Briscoe and Hologram to hit their step up flip dives onto Beretta and Hechicero. Back in and La Mistica makes Romero tap at 17:04.

Rating: B. This was the usual “take a bunch of people and let them fly around the ring for awhile”. It’s an entertaining match and I can always go for Briscoe getting a win like this, though I have no idea what Hologram is supposed to be. Other than the local luchador who has fun matches, he never really moves up or down the card. After so long, it would be nice to see that change a bit.

Post match the winners celebrate (with Briscoe rocking some air guitar for Mistico’s song) but MVP and MJF pop up on the screen. MJF doesn’t like either Mistico or Briscoe and tells the fans to go back to counting food stamps. MVP insults Mistico in Spanish and MJF agrees.

Some AEW stars did some things at a recent NASCAR race, including Swerve Strickland driving the pace car. Anything that gets AEW associated with more mainstream sports is a good thing.

Here is Max Caster, who does not like the fans singing along with his song. He instead tries to get them to chant THIS CROWD SUCKS and asks who will be answering the challenge this week. We get a video of Scorpio Sky of all people, as he is back in training and accepting the challenge.

Scorpio Sky vs. Max Caster

Caster jumps Sky to start and is knocked down just as fast. A TKO ends Caster at 55 seconds.

Ricochet doesn’t want to talk about his interactions with the Gates Of Agony. He walks off and finds the Gates, who have attacked Blake Christian.

Willow Nightingale vs. Vipress

The spinebuster looks to set up the Babe With The Powerbomb but Vipress slips away. That earns her the Pounce into the Babe With The Powerbomb for the pin at 1:26.

Anthony Bowens is banged up after his loss when Billy Gunn comes in. Bowens says thank you for helping him now, but Gunn tells him that it doesn’t happen overnight. Bowens wants to win the Casino Gauntlet and Gunn tells him to trust him. Works for Bowens.

FTR vs. Outrunners

Harwood takes Floyd into the corner to start and gets punched in the face for his efforts. It’s off to Wheeler, who takes Magnum into the corner but some clotheslines have him in trouble. Floyd comes in for an assisted faceplant but Wheeler drops Floyd. A suplex gets Floyd out of trouble though and it’s back to Magnum to clean house. The Mega Powers Elbow is broken up though and we take a break.

We come back with Magnum busted open and getting brainbustered to make it worse. Wheeler misses a running dropkick in the corner but he gets over to break up the tag to Floyd. A high crossbody gets Magnum out of trouble but Harwood is back in with a Razor’s Edge/neckbreaker combination.

Naturally Magnum gets up to knock both of them down and make the hot tag off to Floyd. House is quickly cleaned and now the Mega Powers Elbow hits Wheeler for two. A sunset flip gets two on Wheeler, followed by the Shatter Machine for a VERY near fall. Back up and the regular Shatter Machine hits Floyd for the pin at 18:26, with Stokely Hathaway holding Magnum’s foot to cut off the save.

Rating: B-. I think the idea here was to have the Outrunners get elevated by working a long match with FTR, but the Outrunners are just feeling a bit dated. The fans are still cheering for them, but they lose every big match and only feel like a bit of a threat to win. At the same time, FTR needs something bigger to do, though I’m not sure I can picture them going after the titles again.

Tay Melo/Anna Jay/Queen Animata/Thunder Rosa vs. Athena/Julia Hart/Megan Bayne/Thekla

Aminata and Thekla start things off with a running headscissors taking Aminata down. Rosa comes in to face Athena, who hands it off to Bayne instead. Bayne powers her into the corner but misses a charge, allowing Rosa to hit a running dropkick. Aminata comes in with a top rope double stomp and it’s already back to Rosa as we take a break.

We come back with Hart hitting a spider superplex to Rosa. That doesn’t get her very long though as Rosa pops up and brings in Melo to clean house. Everything breaks down with Rosa diving off the apron to take out Athena. Cue Skye Blue to take out Melo, leaving Jay to avoid a charge in the corner. Penelope Ford offers a distraction though and Bayne hits a running Liger Bomb for the pin at 10:19.

Rating: C+. It wasn’t quite a random match, but Bayne has already smashed through these women a few times. I can go with watching Bayne wreck people though as she does it really well, but again she needs to move up the ladder a bit. At the same time, Rosa looked strong on the way to what is likely a loss to Athena at Supercard Of Honor, but I’ll take what I can get.

Video on Alex Windsor, who is coming back from a knee injury.

Kyle Fletcher vs. Daniel Garcia

Don Callis and Adam Cole are on commentary and Fletcher takes him into the corner for some dancing. A headlock has Garcia in trouble but he fights up for a running shoulder. Some right hands in the corner rock Fletcher and they go to the floor, where Garcia gets in a shot of his own. Back up and Fletcher hits him with a lawn dart into the barricade to bust Garcia open.

We take a break and come back with Garcia hitting a suplex onto the apron. A running dropkick against the barricade connects and Garcia’s top rope superplex, leaving them both down. Fletcher is back up with a sitout powerbomb for two and he tries a running knee, which is countered into the Dragontamer. The rope is reached and they crash out to the floor, where Garcia hits an apron powerbomb. Garcia beats the count but Fletcher gives him a Helluva Kick into a brainbuster for the pin at 14:40.

Rating: B-. Another good match here and in this case it sets up a title match at All In, where Fletcher should be moving on to become the new champion. At the same time, Garcia is sliding down the card and hopefully the solution isn’t a heel turn. This worked well enough for a main event and they didn’t stay too long, which is always nice to see.

Overall Rating: B. This was a good show with the action working well throughout. It was an attempt to have a big milestone show and that went rather well all things considered. They did some good work setting up a few details for All In and you don’t get that kind of a show very often around here. Throw in some solid action and I’ll take this every week.

Results
Kevin Knight b. Shelton Benjamin and Nick Wayne – UFO to Benjamin
Mistico/Mark Briscoe/Hologram b. Don Callis Family – La Mistica to Romero
Scorpio Sky b. Max Caster – TKO
Willow Nightingale b. Vipress – Babe With The Powerbomb
Megan Bayne/Thekla/Athena/Julia Hart b. Tay Melo/Anna Jay/Thunder Rosa/Queen Aminata – Running Liger Bomb to Jay
Kyle Fletcher b. Daniel Garcia – Brainbuster

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
Date: July 2, 2025
Location: Toyota Arena, Ontario, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz

It’s the 300th episode of the show and we are rapidly approaching All In. The show is mostly set but we also have a bit more to cover on the way there. That includes this week’s TBS Title match as Mercedes Mone gets to defend against Mina Shirakawa. That could make for some interesting situations so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Here is Hangman Page to get things going. He has said enough about his match against Jon Moxley already because he is going to win the title. You can tie him up and hang him but you will have to kill him before he lets this chance pass him by. He knows the Elite and the Death Riders are coming for him so let’s make this a Texas Death Match. Cue Jon Moxley, who says Page wants to put all the chips on the table. No. That isn’t what Page wants, because Moxley says he is going to lose.

Page isn’t going to win because he doesn’t want to win. Page doesn’t want everything that comes with the title. People call themselves the “best in the world” but that’s “basic b**** s***” to Moxley, because Page isn’t good enough to go into a Texas Death Match. The brawl is on and Page whips out a fork, which draws in the Death Riders for the save. Moxley bails as Castagnoli and Yuta lay Page out.

Hold on though as Page gets up, saying he’s still standing. That brings Moxley back but the Opps are waiting there to cut them off. Marina Shafir tries a briefcase shot but Page takes it away, demanding the stipulation be made in exchange for the briefcase. Now Moxley is in. Page goes to leave but says he needs to show he’ll do anything to beat Moxley, so he Buckshot Lariats Shafir. I’m almost scared for what this means for All In, but the result is all that matters.

Toni Storm talks to one of the stars of the upcoming Superman film, who used to wrestle.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Mina Shirakawa

Mone is defending and Toni Storm is on commentary. The chase is on to start and Mone catches her coming in for a stomping. Shirakawa’s rollup gets two as the fans are split. Back up and Shirakawa cuts off a leapfrog and stops for some dancing. Mone knocks her down and hits the middle rope Meteora for two before tossing Shirakawa outside. We take a break and come back with Shirakawa jumping over the referee to dive onto Mone, who is right back with the Statement Maker.

That’s reversed into a Figure Four but Mone rolls out to the floor for the break. A hurricanrana to the floor takes Mone down and a DDT makes it worse. Mone is back up with a Meteora off the apron and they go back inside to trade forearms. Another Meteora and a sunset bomb into the corner gets two but Shirakawa reverses a middle rope Meteora.

The Figure Four sends Mone over to the ropes so Shirakawa grabs a top rope Sling Blade. Shirakawa hits her in the back and front of the head, setting up the Glamorous Driver for two. Back up and Mone grabs a Tombstone into a gutbuster for two of her own before grabbing a small package to retain at 14:20.

Rating: B. I’m not sure how much drama there was here because, you know, Mone never loses. Odds are that’s what happens again at All In and then…I have no idea where it goes from there. Mone stopped interesting me a long time ago and while her matches are far more good than bad, I could go for the tiniest bit of drama in the result.

Post match Mone decks Shirakawa again and takes out Storm as she tries to make the save. That’s not enough so Mone throws champagne in Luther’s face.

The Young Bucks have their own customized limousine (on Tony Khan’s dive) and they go on a tour of their childhood homes.

Casino Gauntlet Qualifying Match: MJF vs. AR Fox vs. Anthony Bowens vs. Brody King

For the #2 spot in the match. MJF immediately hands King money to take a dive but King throws it down, which sends MJF bailing to the floor. King beats up the other two without much trouble, including the running crossbody to Fox against the barricade. MJF sits in on commentary as Fox is back in with a skin the cat into a dropkick to King.

Back up and Fox hits a springboard inverted flip dive to take King down. King hits a dive of his own to drop both of them but MJF is back up to steal some covers as we take a break. Back with MJF running the ropes to taunt Bowens but King takes him down. King clotheslines Bowens and Fox down and we get a quadruple breather. Bowens is up with a Blockbuster to King to make him DDT MJF, followed by a spinning DDT for two on Fox.

King’s Cannonball misses MJF, who hits a running knee to Fox. MJF grabs a chair, which King punches into his face, setting up a triple Cannonball in the corner for two. Fox is back up with a 450 for two of his own but MJF hits Bowens with the hammerlock DDT. MJF says BRODY SUCKS but gets caught in the hanging sleeper. King Ganso Bombs Bowens so Fox breaks it up, only to get caught in the Salt Of The Earth to give MJF the win at 13:01.

Rating: B-. I could go a long, long, long time without a three or four way qualifying match for…pretty much anything really. Anyway, this did have more drama than the opener, because the prize of being #2 in the Casino Gauntlet is far different than just not being in the gauntlet whatsoever. King looked like a monster, Fox was his usual entertaining self, Bowens is talented and MJF stole a win as he said he would. Pretty much as expected here.

Post match Mark Briscoe comes out to say that MJF will be getting an uninterrupted a** whipping in Dallas. Before then though, he wants MJF to come to the ring on his own for a talkie talk, and if he has anything next to his pickle, he’ll do it. Cue Jet Speed to go after the Hurt Syndicate, who come back and lay them out. Jet Speed keeps getting up and keep getting beaten down as the destruction continues. Kevin Knight gets up again and challenges Shelton Benjamin for Collision. Jet Speed is not feeling like serious challengers, though I’m not sure who would at this point.

Young Bucks/Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kyle O’Reilly/Bandido/Roderick Strong

Bandido takes Takeshita down to start and gives him the finger gun to the face. Matt comes in with a top rope spinning armdrag before the Bucks elbow O’Reilly down. We hit the parade of strikes to the face until Bandido hits a big dive to take the Bucks out on the floor. Takeshita takes him out with a dive of his own though and we take a break.

We come back with Strong getting the tag to clean house, followed by O’Reilly doing the same. Matt is back up with some rolling northern lights suplexes and Takeshita Blue Thunder Bombs Bandido to leave everyone down. A pop up sitout powerbomb gets two on Bandido but he’s back up with a super flipping World’s Strongest Slam for two of his own.

Nick flips out of the 21 Plex though and a double superkick into a wheelbarrow suplex drops Bandido for two more. O’Reilly breaks up the superkick party but the second round takes him down. A triple knee to the face sets up Raging Fire to give Takeshita the pin on O’Reilly at 11:48.

Rating: B. This was the party match of the week and it isn’t like O’Reilly and Strong have much status to lose so the result is fine. The Bucks don’t need a win but Takeshita gets to look strong on the way to his Ring Of Honor World Title match next week. Other than that, this was a way to give the fans something entertaining that has become the standard in AEW and that makes sense for an anniversary show.

Post match Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay run in to clear the Bucks out. They still want the EVP titles on the line because the people can get the power back. The Bucks so no, but Ospreay sweetens the pot by saying if the Bucks win, Swerve and Ospreay can’t challenge for the World Title for a year. Swerve is in as well and the match is set.

Will Ospreay/Swerve Strickland vs. The Beast Mortos/Dralistico

Mortos and Dralistico rush the ring to start fast and Ospreay is knocked to the floor. Swerve kicks away at Mortos and hits the rolling Downward Spiral but Mortos sends him to the floor. Mortos hits a big rolling flip dive to take the heroes out and we take a break. We come back with Ospreay getting the tag to clean house, including a big flip dive to take out Dralistico. Mortos backbreakers Ospreay into a top rope double stomp from Dralistico for two, with Swerve making the save. Back up and a Swerve Stomp/Stormbreaker combination hits Mortos, leaving Dralistico to get Styles Clashed into a House Call for the pin at 8:42.

Rating: C+. Ok so the result was never really in doubt here, but it makes all the sense in the world to have the new superhero team get a win. They have a heck of a showdown coming up in less than two weeks so getting the experience together is a must. I’m not sure which way the All In match will go and that’s a nice feeling, even if it means the Bucks winning feels possible.

Kota Ibushi vs. Kazuchika Okada

Non-title and Don Callis is here with Okada. A shove to the face annoys Ibushi to start and Okada bails to the floor. Back in and Okada pats him on the chest before bailing outside again. A cheap shot from behind drops Ibushi but he knocks Okada outside for a slingshot dive. Okada manages a ram into the steps though and we take a break.

We come back with Ibushi hitting a dropkick and kicking him down, setting up a standing moonsault for two. A running knee drops Okada again but he’s back up with a flapjack to cut Ibushi off. The top rope elbow hits Ibushi again and there’s the middle finger to the camera. Okada knocks him into the corner and hammers away, where Ibushi fights up.

The Rainmaker is ducked and Ibushi hits a hard clothesline of his own. Ibushi’s phoenix splash is countered into a German suplex but the Rainmaker is countered (again) into a kick to the head. They go up top and Ibushi hits a super tiger driver, say it with me, for two. Okada is back on his feet 33 seconds later and counters a sunset flip into a rollup for two more. The big dropkick into the Rainmaker finishes Ibushi at 14:47.

Rating: B-. That super tiger driver being little more than a throwaway move didn’t help here, but at least it seems that Ibushi won’t be getting a Superman push. He’s looked better in his return, but he only means so much in AEW outside of being Kenny Omega’s friend. Okada looks like more of a killer going into All In, and that should make the winner take all match that much better.

Post match the Don Callis Family comes in for the beatdown but Kenny Omega returns with a chair for the save. Ibushi and Omega beat Trent Beretta down and celebrate to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. Rather strong show this week, with a bunch of fine tuning or adjusting being done to the All In card. That’s in addition to a nice slate of matches this week, making it quite the good use of TV. All In is pretty much everything for AEW and they need to knock it out of the park. Getting the setup right is a big part of that and they took some very nice steps in that direction this week.

Results
Mercedes Mone b. Mina Shirakawa – Small package
MJF b. Brody King, AR Fox and Anthony Bowens – Salt Of The Earth to Fox
Young Bucks/Konosuke Takeshita b. Roderick Strong/Bandido/Kyle O’Reilly – Raging Fire to O’Reilly
Will Ospreay/Swerve Strickland b. The Beast Mortos/Dralistico – House Call to Dralistico
Kazuchika Okada b. Kota Ibushi – Rainmaker

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
Date: June 18, 2025
Location: Arena Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s the annual Grand Slam edition of the show and in this case we’re in Mexico City at one of the most famous arenas in all of wrestling. The show will feature a variety of stars from CMLL, including a major showdown between Mistico and MJF. Other than that, we have less than a month to go before All In so the show is going to need some more build. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Here is Hangman Page to get things going. Page actually speaks Spanish and talks about the importance of working together. He thanks the fans for having them in CMLL’s house and together, they have the best wrestling in the world. Page doesn’t like Jon Moxley and while he won’t be wrestling tonight, Page can do something after the main event is over. That was a rather nice change of pace and made Page feel like that much bigger of a good guy.

Adam Cole/Atlantis/Atlantis Jr./Bandido/Brody King/Daniel Garcia/Templario vs. Dax Harwood/Don Callis Family/Volador Jr.

Stokely is here with the villains, though Cash Wheeler and Callis himself are nowhere to be seen. Before the match, Stokely (now minus Hathaway) says that Wheeler can’t be here (I wonder if that’s due to previous legal issues) so they do at least acknowledge it. Bandido and Takeshita start things off, with Bandido spinning into the gun pose. The X Knee is blocked and it’s Hechicero, who the fans certainly react to, coming in to flip Bandido into a choke.

Garcia comes in and dances at Hechicero, who pulls him into something resembling a Boston crab. Harwood and Atlantis Jr. come in, with the latter holding Harwood up for a dropkick from Templario. Atlantis and Templario clean house until we get a Templario vs. Volador showdown. Templario clears the ring and hits a flip dive and it’s off to Archer, who is sent into Alexander on the apron.

King Death Valley Drivers Alexander onto the apron and it’s Cole clotheslining Fletcher back inside. Atlantis takes Fletcher down and Garcia knocks Fletcher to the floor as we take a break. Back with Garcia neckbreakering Alexander, allowing Bandido to come in and hammer away. A Doomsday Device is broken up and Bandido and Templario hit a pair of super flipping World’s Strongest Slams to Alexander and Takeshita.

Atlantis Jr. superkicks Fletcher and everything breaks down, including a string of dives to the floor. King and Archer have a big man showdown but Hechicero breaks that up in a hurry. That’s fine with King, who gives him a running hurricanrana, leaving Harwood to pound on Atlantis. Back up and Atlantis grabs a small package for the fast win at 15:45.

Rating: B. This was a fast paced match with a bunch of people flying around and doing entertaining stuff. That’s all you need for something like this and the fans were certainly into what they were seeing. Atlantis doesn’t do much for me, but that’s not the point of a show like this so letting a legend pin a more than over former champion is a perfectly fine idea.

Post match Harwood jumps Atlantis and runs off.

Video on Kazuchika Okada joining the Don Callis Family before his title unification match with Kenny Omega. Because Don Callis has to be involved in everything.

Mark Briscoe talks about his history with Kenny Omega and he wants some revenge on Kazuchika Okada.

Mark Briscoe vs. Kazuchika Okada

Non-title and Don Callis is on commentary. Okada is sent outside to start but comes back in to pat him on the chest. Some Red Neck Kung Fu takes Okada down and Briscoe sends him outside for the running flip dive. Back in and Okada dropkicks him off the top and we take a break. We come back with Briscoe fighting out of a chinlock and reversing a Tombstone attempt. A double down gives them both a breather and they slug it out until Okada goes to the eyes.

Briscoe is back up with a running corner clothesline for two but Okada grabs the neckbreaker onto the knee for two. Okada flips Briscoe off so, of course, Briscoe bites the finger. The Froggy Bow gets two but Okada dropkicks him down. The Rainmaker and Jay Driller are both blocked so Okada gives him a Tombstone. Now the Rainmaker finishes Briscoe at 13:30.

Rating: B-. Briscoe can work well with anyone and that includes Okada working at half speed. That’s just what you’re going to get most of the time with Okada, but there is quite the potential for his showdown next month with Omega. I could go with Briscoe having a better story though, which has been missing for a good while.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Mistico

Naturally MJF has the very American style gear, which looks quite a bit like MVP’s old stuff. Mistico gets an incredible reaction, with the fans singing his song, which is no surprise given what an incredible draw he is for CMLL, especially around here. MJF takes him down to start and we get a standoff with the fans rather behind Mistico.

Back up and Mistico runs the ropes for a wristdrag to the floor before teasing a dive. Mistico gives chase on the floor but is smart enough to not run into the Hurt Syndicate. That’s enough of a distraction for MJF to get in a cheap shot and pose as the fans calm down a bit. A powerbomb onto the knee puts Mistico down again and we take a break. We come back with MJF slugging away and Mistico hammering him down. Mistico tornado DDTs him down and sends MJF outside for a springboard dive.

Back in and a springboard Swanton sets up Mistico’s missed moonsault so he settles for a powerslam instead. A Canadian Destroyer cuts MJF off again and they go to the ramp, where Mistico charges into a tombstone. Mistico manages to beat the count back in, where the super Spanish Fly (albeit not a great one) gets two. La Mistica makes MJF tap but MVP distracts the referee, allowing MJF to hit a low blow for two more. Back up and MJF kicks him low and that’s enough for the DQ at 16:50.

Rating: B. This is the kind of spot where MJF shines, as he knows how to drive a crowd crazy like few others. That was the case again here, with the fans going nuts at the idea of MJF doing such things to their hero. Odds are we’ll be seeing these two again and it would make a lot of sense to put that match on All In.

Post match MJF beats on Mistico some more and takes the mask. That sounds lucha de apuestay at All In to me. Various good guys come in for the save.

Hologram vs. Lio Rush vs. Ricochet vs. Mascara Dorada

The winner gets four million pesos. Rush poses to start so the other three glare at him, only for Ricochet to team up with Rush for the beatdowns. Hologram and Dorada are back up with superkicks to Ricochet and Rush, both of whom are knocked outside. The villains cut off some stereo dives, leaving Ricochet to plant Dorada. Rush dives onto Hologram and we take a break.

Back with Hologram slugging away but Ricochet and Rush take him down. That’s enough of the working together though and Ricochet shoves Rush, only to get caught with a running hurricanrana from Dorada. Hologram and Dorada hit some dives before Hologram tornado DDTs Dorada for two back inside. Dorada’s crucifix bomb gets the same but Rush is back in to cut him off.

Ricochet can’t hit Vertigo so Rush snaps off some poisonranas. A middle rope version gets two on Dorada so Ricochet goes up, only to get cut off. Rush’s super hurricanrana is blocked so Rush rolls Hologram up with feet on the ropes for two. Hologram grabs his spinning torture rack bomb to finish Rush at 15:55.

Rating: B. Here’s the problem with Hologram: I was relatively certain that he was going to win because, well, that’s what he does. At the same time, Hologram feels like he has been in this same spot for months. I’m not sure what they’re waiting on with him, but it would be nice to see him getting to do something a bit more important than these random matches which are rarely more than flying around for one spot after another.

CMLL Women’s Title: Zeuxis vs. Mercedes Mone

Mone is challenging and gets thrown down by the stronger Zeuxis to start. Mone’s middle rope sunset flip is blocked and Zeuxis plants her down for two. Something like the Bank Statement goes on but Zeuxis rolls away to the floor, only for Mone to come back with a middle rope Meteora. Zeuxis knocks her outside again though and hits a heck of a dive as we take a break.

Back with Mone kicking out again and both of them needing a breather. Mone gets another Bank Statement but Zeuxis powers up and slams her down for two more. Zeuxis takes her to the middle rope for a slam, which is reversed a super small package to give Mone the pin and the title at 9:17.

Rating: C+. And Mone wins again, which is just kind of what she does. In theory that’s what she’s going to do again at All In, though seeing her with another title doesn’t change anything. She’s just doing a lot of the same stuff over and over again, which is still entertaining because she is incredibly talented, but at the same time, it would be nice to see something fresh.

Post match Toni Storm pops up for a film noir speech about how she’s coming for Mone. Mina Shirakawa appears for a distraction and Storm appears to chase Mone off.

Will Ospreay/Opps/Swerve Strickland vs. Death Riders/Young Bucks/The Beast Mortos

Mortos kicks (the bandaged) Ospreay into the corner to start and grabs a quick Samoan drop. Ospreay fights up to send Mortos outside but the Bucks cut off the dive. Back in and the Bucks beat up Ospreay and Strickland without much trouble and Ospreay’s comeback is cut off. Yuta comes in and hammers on Strickland, which seems to just annoy him.

Strickland fights up and brings in Joe to unload on Yuta in the corner. It’s off to Shibata for some beating of his own before the Opps take turns with running corner shots. Moxley comes back in to strike it out with Joe before everything breaks down. Ospreay’s big corkscrew dive to the floor takes out a pile and we go to a break.

We come back with Moxley slamming Ospreay for two and starting in on his arm. That’s broken up and Hobbs comes back in to clean house. Hobbs does not care for the Bucks going after him and he fights off an attempted quadruple teaming. A powerslam gets two on Yuta but Mortos is back up to clean house. Joe Rock Bottoms Mortos out of the corner but the Bucks are back in with the superkicks.

A double Oscutter takes the Bucks down and Strickland hits a dive. Shibata shrugs off Yuta’s running knee and kicks him in the chest, leaving Strickland to slug it out with Moxley. Ospreay and Strickland team up for Chasing The Dragon on Moxley…but Marina Shafir offers a distraction, allowing Moxley to roll Strickland up with tights for the win at 16:15.

Rating: B. Another wild match with Hobbs getting some great shine, though naturally Moxley takes a big beating and wins anyway, because that’s what he does (a pattern is emerging on this show). Swerve and Ospreay continue teasing working together, which very well could be coming at All In as well. There was a lot going on here but they made it work, which is rather impressive given how many bodies they had moving around.

Post match the villains beat Strickland down but Hangman Page comes in for the save. The slugout is on with Moxley but Page’s Buckshot Lariat hits Nick Jackson. Matt Jackson is annoyed so Moxley tries to bring in the briefcase, which is cut off by a group stare. Page glares at the Bucks to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. I had a very good time with this show, with the crowd being more than enough to help carry things. That being said, I could have gone with something other than the usuals winning, as Mone, Hologram and Moxley winning feels like something that has been done to death. Overall though, rather entertaining and quality show, with nothing bad in the ring and some things being tightened up before All In.

Results
Adam Cole/Atlantis/Atlantis Jr./Bandido/Brody King/Daniel Garcia/Templario b. Dax Harwood/Don Callis Family/Volador Jr. – Small package to Harwood
Kazuchika Okada b. Mark Briscoe – Rainmaker
Mistico b. MJF via DQ when MJF kicked him low
Hologram b. Lio Rush, Ricochet and Mascara Dorada – Spinning torture rack bomb to Rush
Mercedes Mone b. Zeuxis – Super small package
Death Riders/Young Bucks/The Beast Mortos b. Will Ospreay/Swerve Strickland/Opps – Rollup with tights to Strickland

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
Date: June 11, 2025
Location: Theater Of The Clouds At Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz

We’re back with another four hour block of AEW this week with Dynamite and Collision airing back to back under the name of Summer Blockbuster. Last week’s double length block ram out of steam in the end and hopefully they have paced it better this time. The big deal this week is Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Christopher Daniels tells Hangman Page that he can’t fight the Death Riders on his own. Daniels says he has some friends who can help Page if he’ll make some amends, with Page seemingly thinking about it. The Death Riders follow Page.

Opening sequence.

There is a cool setup here with the commentary desk opposite the hard camera.

Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland

Prince Nana is here with Strickland. The fans HOLY S*** the intro and Strickland offers a handshake, with Ospreay eventually agreeing. They actually fight over the handshake until Ospreay starts flipping around and grabbing an armdrag. Strickland misses a legsweep and we get an early standoff. Strickland gets in a shot to the face to bust Ospreay’s nose so he comes back with a running hurricanrana.

Ospreay grabs the hand and fires off some chops so Strickland knocks him down with a single shot to show things are a bit more serious. Back up and Ospreay sends him to the floor but Strickland sticks the landing. That sets up a missed slingshot dive and Strickland grabs a suplex for two back inside. The armbar goes on but Ospreay strikes his way out. The Phenomenal Forearm sends Strickland outside again and this time the Sasuke Special connects as we take a break.

Back with Ospreay knocking him down again but the Oscutter is countered with a neckbreaker (that was great). Another neckbreaker is broken up so Strickland superkicks him out to the floor. Back in and Ospreay is draped over the top rope for the double stomp to the back and two. A running knee and the Hidden Blade both miss so Strickland tries to pull him into a suplex. That’s reversed into the Stundog Millionaire and Strickland slaps on the short armscissors.

Ospreay powers out of that as well and the Cheeky Nandos Kick sets up the poisonrana. Now the Oscutter can connect for two and they both need a breather. Strickland heads outside so Ospreay Hidden Blades him through the ropes (ouch) and we take another break. Back again with Ospreay’s kicks to the head getting on Strickland’s nerves. They go up with Ospreay pulling him down by the arm before grabbing a triangle choke.

That’s reversed into a failed Styles Clash attempt so Strickland hits a (Hangman Page) Deadeye for two. A quick Hidden Blade gives Ospreay a near fall of his own but he can’t follow up. They get to their knees and slug it out, with Ospreay laughing and doing the British version of Hulking Up.

Strickland strikes him back down though and hits the Swerve Stomp for two but Ospreay gets in a shot to the face. The Stormbreaker gets two so Ospreay teases the Tiger Driver 91, which is countered into a Vertebreaker. Strickland kicks him out to the apron and loads up the Swerve Stomp to the apron…and the time limit expires at 30:00.

Rating: B+. Oh of course this was really good. These are two of the most talented stars in all of AEW and they had time to do a long match together. It was one of those things that was all but guaranteed to be awesome and they made it work very well. Odds are these two are going to team up sooner or later and this might have been the catalyst to make that happen.

Post match Strickland says he is in so much pain and he wants to finish the match. Strickland wants sudden death but here are the Death Riders instead (Ospreay didn’t get to answer Strickland’s challenge). They surround the ring but here are the Young Bucks to jump Strickland instead. The Bucks handcuff Strickland to the ropes and start firing off the superkick. The thumbtacks shoes are loaded up but Ospreay runs in and takes the bullet, allowing the Bucks to leave. And there is the moment that will get them together.

Kazuchika Okada…is cut off by Don Callis, who thinks some of his guys should be facing Kenny Omega. The Family comes in and Okada calls Callis b****. This story REALLY does not need Callis.

MVP shows us the Hurt Syndicate attacking Komander and taking his mask.

Mistico vs. Blake Christian

Lee Johnson is here as well. Christian flips him off to start and grabs an anklescissors. Mistico grabs the hand and goes up but gets pulled back down in a heap. Christian stomps away until Mistico comes back with a handspring elbow. A dive to the floor takes Christian out again, followed by a springboard high crossbody back inside. Johnson offers a distraction though and Christian kicks him down. Christian goes up top and gets caught with a super Spanish Fly to give Mistico the pin at 4:12.

Rating: C+. This was a weird way to go as Christian controlled most of the match and Mistico didn’t get to do much that made him stand out. I know he’s going to be getting the big moment next week in his home arena and he absolutely should, but this was the definition of “it was ok”. Mistico didn’t show anything special here and I’m not sure why they booked it this way.

Post match the Hurt Syndicate comes out so MJF can say he’ll face Mistico. For one night only, MJF is dusting off the red, white and blue because he is a patriot. The big American flag (with MJF faces instead of stars) and streamers fall but Mistico says he’ll see him next week in Arena Mexico. Mistico says something in Spanish, so MJF calls him Sloppy Sin Cara. The brawl is on so the Hurt Syndicate comes in, with Jet Speed (Mike Bailey/Kevin Knight) and Mascara Dorado coming in for the save.

Hurt Syndicate vs. Mascara Dorado/Jet Speed

MVP is on commentary and this was a scheduled match. The Syndicate jumps them to start and MJF punches Dorado down. Dorado gets in a shot of his own and hands it off to Bailey to fire off the kicks. A low bridge sends Dorado outside though and we take a break. Back with Dorado diving over for the needed tag off to Knight.

A spinning splash gives Knight two and we get a showdown with Jet Speed against the champs. Bailey is quickly planted with a spinebuster and it’s off to MJF, who spikes Bailey for two. Bailey fights up and brings in Dorado, who gets speared down by Lashley. Everything breaks down and Jet Speed clears the ring, setting up big dives to the floor. MVP gets in a cane shot to Bailey though and MJF’s lifting hammerlock DDT finishes at 11:24.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure about this Hurt Syndicate stuff with MJF, as after the “will they/won’t they” part was done, a lot of the intrigue was gone. Maybe they have a nice twist coming up, but there was only so much you could get out of this. Granted I’m always a sucker for seeing Bailey get beaten up.

Post match the Syndicate beats them down again and MJF takes Dorado’s mask. Cue Mistico to make MJF tap to La Mistica.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat…but the Death Riders jump him in the entrance. They beat him down and tape up his mouth (come on, he’s not that bad of a promo) before taking him to the ring. Jon Moxley apologizes for this in advance but wants a real conversation. This is Page’s time and All In is everything for him.

Moxley doesn’t like the millennial cowboy and Page has been searching for something for a long time. In four weeks, Page needs to step up and become what he is supposed to be or he can get out. Page lunches at him and gets beaten down so the Opps run in for the save. Page says he has come too far to just fall, and swears vengeance tonight. Well at least that should be something for Collision.

Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford vs. Tay Melo/Anna Jay

Jay wants and receives Bayne to start but then hands it off to Melo. Not that it matters as everything breaks down anyway and Ford pulls Melo to the floor. Melo gets sent into the steps, leaving Bayne to splash Jay in the corner. Jay slugs away at Ford to get out of trouble but gets booted down by Bayne as we take a break.

Back with Melo coming in to clean house, including a running knee for two on Ford. Melo fires off three running boots to Bayne and sends her outside, where Jay nails a middle rope dive. Back in and Jay chokes Bayne, leaving Melo to hit the TayKO (I think that’s what it was called at least) for the pin on Ford at 10:22.

Rating: C+. Remember like two months ago when Bayne was this brand new unstoppable force and looked like a can’t miss prospect? Well now she’s just the big strong woman in a tag match to get Melo over again after two years away. That’s not the best way to use her, but it happens to a lot of people in AEW. Hopefully this is just a short term thing though, because it feels like quite the waste of a great prospect.

We take a long look at Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada, focusing on their time in Japan. Eh if it’s all you’ve got.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring for the contract signing between Omega and Okada. With both champions present, we see the (rather nice) new unified title. Okada signs with no issue but Omega has something to say. Omega talks about how it is almost seven years since their last match and he barely recognizes himself in that video package. He wants them both to leave it all in the ring at All In and signs.

They shake hands and say some things that we can’t hear….and here is Don Callis. He wants one of his guys in the match but Omega says he’s beaten the Family and if they want a title shot, get back in line. This is Omega vs. Okada….and Okada hits Omega with the belt because he’s part of the Family. Okada hits him in the ribs with a rod and Omega does a stretcher job to end the show. Let me put this simply: No. No no. No no no, no no. No and may I add, NO. THIS DOES NOT NEED DON CALLIS. He doesn’t need to be involved in every thing that AEW does. Drop this as soon as possible because Okada vs. Omega doesn’t need him.

Overall Rating: B. The opener is more than good enough to carry this show as a fourth of the entire thing is on an awesome match. The six man was fine enough and the main event segment worked until Callis got in there. This was a good show overall, and while I don’t really want to see the second half of the night, at least they’re getting ready for All In and that’s what the focus needs to be on for a good while.

Results
Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay went to a time limit draw
Mistico b. Blake Christian – Super Spanish Fly
Hurt Syndicate b. Mascara Dorado/Jet Speed – Lifting hammerlock DDT to Bailey
Anna Jay/Tay Melo b. Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford – TayKO to Ford

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
Date: June 4, 2025
Location: Mission Ballroom, Denver, Colorado
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz

It’s Fyter Fest, and that means we are in for an especially big show. In this case, this is a four hour special, which I guess means we have Dynamite and then Collision. That means we could be getting some big things over the course of one night, including a four way for the International Title on this show. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Toni Storm is ready to tango.

Here is Will Ospreay for a chat. We see a clip of Ospreay and Swerve Strickland getting into it backstage last week. In the ring, Ospreay says he wants Swerve and Hangman Page to realize that Jon Moxley is the real enemy. Maybe they could put their differences aside for one night and then kill each other. Moxley hates what AEW has become. Well then maybe p*** off.

Ospreay is going to do his part to get the title back from Moxley but Swerve might be getting in the way. That’s why he wants to face Swerve next week…but here is Cru (Ospreay: “Who is this?”) to interrupt. Cru doesn’t want to hear from the crowd and says that Brits like Ospreay LOVE to talk a lot. Lio Rush has some energy to burn off and that’s fine with Ospreay, who is down for a match. The more I hear from Ospreay, the more I get vibes that he might cost Page the title at All In.

Mark Briscoe does not like the implication that he gave up to Jon Moxley last week. Now his kids are doubting him and it’s time to man up, even if it’s not about the World Title.

Jon Moxley vs. Mark Briscoe

Non-title and the Death Riders are here with Moxley. Briscoe backs him up against the ropes to start and Moxley bails to the floor. That earns him some chops from Briscoe but Moxley takes over back inside. A choke doesn’t work for Briscoe so he fires off some right hands. Moxley rips at his face in the corner but gets sent outside for a running dropkick through the ropes.

Another dive misses though and Wheeler Yuta sends Briscoe into the post to earn his keep for the week. We take a break and come back with Briscoe busted open and flipping out of a backdrop. Some Redneck Kung Fu sends Moxley outside for the running flip dive, followed by a boot to the face back inside. The Jay Driller is broken up so Briscoe knocks him down again.

The Froggy Bow is pulled into a rear naked choke, followed by a cross armbreaker to send Briscoe over to the ropes. Yuta posts Briscoe again but he manages to come back in for a Jay Driller and a very delayed two. The Cutthroat Driver is countered into a Stomp and the Bulldog Choke goes on again. Briscoe can’t flip out and the referee stops it at 14:11.

Rating: B-. Just in case you thought Briscoe might get something out of the rematch you see. Of course Moxley beats him in the exact same way again, because Moxley needed to conquer another popular star. Briscoe had a reason to fight for his own honor and all that jazz but Moxley chokes him out, again, because Moxley is amazing and tough or whatever it is this week.

Video on Mistico, who is back next week….for another four hour AEW block.

Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa vs. Julia Hart/Skye Blue

Mercedes Mone is at ringside and eating steak with some wine. Storm tries to do Shirakawa’s dance to less than enthusiastic results. Blue misses a running shot in the corner to Shirakawa and gets hit in the face. Storm comes in as a launch pad for Shirakawa to land on Blue but it’s too early for the Glamorous Driver.

Hart comes in for the Tarantula to Shirakawa before Blue sends Storm into the barricade. Back in and Shirakawa gets planted and we take an early break. We come back with Hart hitting Old School but Shirakawa comes back with a top rope Sling Blade. The tag brings in Storm to clean house, including a jiggle exchange with Shirakawa, followed by the stereo running hip attacks. The TCM Chickenwing finishes Blue at 9:50.

Rating: C+. Blue’s downward slide continues, though there are worse things than getting beaten by the champ. Storm and Shirakawa are fine as the fun tag team, though that’s not something we have time to go into at the moment as Storm is getting ready to likely lose to Mone at All In. I’m not sure what is next for her after that, but it might be time for her to step away from the title picture anyway.

Post match Storm eats Mone’s steak.

MJF comes up to Will Ospreay who says Ospreay can’t get the World Title if Hangman Page wins it. Ospreay goes to leave but MJF mocks him again, earning a grab by the jacket. The Hurt Syndicate comes in and Ospreay thinks better of it.

Here is the Hurt Syndicate for a chat. Bobby Lashley used to live here and is glad that he left for Texas. MVP talks about how there is no one who can challenge them for the titles. NO ONE. With that out of the way, MJF says he wants the World Title back. That brings him to Mexico and Mistico, who needs to understand that the best wrestlers in the world come from the greatest country in the world: the United States.

MJF sold out Arena Mexico because he is a star and Mistico is a big fish in a small pond. Next week he’ll watch Mistico’s match and maybe, maybe, he’ll agree to face him at Grand Slam in Mexico. Cue Komander, Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight, with Komander insulting MJF in Spanish. Bailey says they’re a group of international killers….and MVP laughs at him. The challenge seems to be issued though. It’s not a good sign when you ask for challengers to step up for the titles and no one does so. The tag division really is that dead at the moment and that needs to be fixed.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Mike Bailey/Komander/Kevin Knight

The fight starts fast and everyone goes out to the floor with the good guys taking over. Rush gets caught in the corner back inside for some running shots, setting up Bailey’s basement dropkick. The rest of the villains come in to take over on Bailey and knock all three of them to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Komander cleaning house and bringing Knight back in to hammer on Rush. That doesn’t last long as Rush sends Knight into the corner for the cocky kick to the face and everything breaks down again. A triple dropkick puts La Faccion on the floor for the triple dives. Back in and Komander gets suplexed into a pop up Samoan drop for two. Bailey comes back in for the moonsault knees on Mortos before tossing Knight at him for a clothesline. Komander hits his rope walk flip dive and Knight’s twisting top rope splash finishes Mortos at 14:28.

Rating: C+. Knight continues to look good out there while Komander and Bailey were their usual selves. This was only so interesting as it was another six man tag designed to pop the crowd with big spots. AEW likes to feature these things a lot and it feels like something we’ve seen quite a few times around here.

Post match the Hurt Syndicate comes out to say that the winners can face them next week. The Syndicate comes to the ring and is quickly cleared out, setting up the triple slingshot dives.

The Paragon and Daniel Garcia agree to team up to fight the Don Callis Family tonight.

The Patriarchy is in the back. Christian Cage tells the fans to sit down and shut up while he conducts his business. Cage talks about Nick Wayne’s run in the Best Of The Super Juniors in New Japan….and tonight he gets to defend the TNT Title in a four way. Wayne does not seem thrilled.

Here is Max Caster with a petition to declare him the best wrestler alive. Caster asks the referee to sign it while he gets the fans doing his chant. The challenge is on.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Max Caster

Spinebuster finishes for Hobbs in 48 seconds.

International Title: Kenny Omega vs. Brody King vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Mascara Dorada

Omega is defending and this is one fall to a finish. King and Castagnoli hammer Omega down in the corner to start but wind up fighting each other. Castagnoli is knocked outside and King joins him, leaving Dorada to flip away from Omega. King and Castagnoli come back in, with Castagnoli hitting a Cactus Clothesline.

Dorada hits a big dive of his own and King crushes Dorada and Castagnoli against the barricade. Omega snapdragons King on the floor and then busts out the big flip dive as we take a break. Back with Castagnoli escaping You Can’t Escape with some raised knees and King crushes Omega in the corner. Dorada is Death Valley Drivered into Omega in the same corner but Castagnoli plants King for two.

Omega tries a One Winged Angel on King but winds up being the base for a Doomsday uppercut from Castagnoli. The bleeding King gets tossed off the top and Omega hits a V Trigger to Castagnoli. The parade of knockdowns sees King hit a clothesline for two on Castagnoli, who is right back with the Swing to King. Dorada grabs something like a West Coast Pop for two on Castagnoli before monkey flipping him to the floor. Dorada dives onto King but gets caught in the One Winged Angel to retain Omega’s title at 17:37.

Rating: B. Well aside from the time being the same date as the whiskey that Long John Silver offers the crew in Muppet Treasure Island, this was the usual fast paced and exciting match that AEW knows how to do rather well. Omega gets a good win to show that he still has it, along with likely setting himself up for the title match with Okada at All In. I was a bit surprised that Dorada took the fall here, but it’s better than King or Castagnoli getting pinned again.

Overall Rating: B. I had a good time with this show as it went by fairly quickly and the action worked well enough. Hobbs being the latest person to smash Caster is a good use for him and Storm stealing the steak was fairly funny. Other than that, this was more about setting things up for the next few shows, including a bit about tonight’s Collision. I’d call this a pretty solid show, and hopefully the other one can back that up.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Mark Briscoe via referee stoppage
Toni Storm/Mina Shirakawa b. Julia Hart/Skye Blue – TCM Chickenwing to Blue
Mike Bailey/Komander/Kevin Knight b. La Faccion Ingobernable – Top rope twisting splash to Mortos
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Max Caster – Spinebuster
Kenny Omega b. Brody King, Claudio Castagnoli and Mascara Dorada – One Winged Angel to Dorada

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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Double Or Nothing 2025
Date: May 25, 2025
Location: Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Arizona
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

It’s time for another full fledged pay per view and that means the show is likely going to run long. In this case we have what is mostly a two match show and that could create some issues. The big matches here are Anarchy In The Arena, plus the Men’s Owen Hart Tournament final between Hangman Page and Will Ospreay. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay/Harley Cameron

Bayne powers Cameron into the corner to start and faceplants her down, followed by a hair pull from Ford in the corner. It’s off to Ford for a slap to Cameron before Jay comes in for a running spinning kick in the corner. Cameron then sends Ford’s face into the back of Jay’s tights, which is enough to bring Ford back up for a fireman’s carry gutbuster. Jay is back up with a basement dropkick and a neckbreaker over the middle rope…wakes Ford up for a clothesline.

Bayne sends Jay flying with a t-bone suplex and Ford’s running dropkick to the back gets two. Some stomping and choking in the corner but Jay gets in a kick to the face, allowing a middle rope Blockbuster to connect. Cameron comes in to clean house and Bayne splashes Ford by mistake. A double DDT gives Cameron two but Bayne is back up to double German suplex both of them.

That’s not impressive enough so Bayne tosses Ford onto the two of them at ringside. Back in and a parade of knockdowns leaves everyone on the mat, allowing Bayne to go up top. A double superplex brings her down for a crash and a two but Bayne is back up for a double clothesline. A Doomsday Device is broken up though and Bayne goes outside with Jay, leaving Cameron to hit Her Finishing Move on Ford for the pin at 12:35.

Rating: C+. This was a match which could have been on any given episode of Dynamite and that means it is a great choice for a spot like this one. Sometimes you need to have a fun tag match, which is exactly what you got here. Cameron needed a win after some recent setbacks and Bayne was a monster, which is about as well as it could have gone.

Kickoff Show: Cru/RPG Vice vs. AR Fox/Bandido/Los Titantes del Aire

The villains jump them from behind to start and it’s Bandido getting caught in the corner for some running clotheslines. That’s broken up and we settle down to Romero getting taken into the wrong corner for a running shot to the face. Komander grabs a chinlock for a bit before Bandido comes back in for the delayed vertical suplex. That’s broken up and Cru double teams Bandido down so Los Titantes come in to knock them outside.

A double suplex onto the apron puts Komander in trouble but it’s back to Bandido for a top rope corkscrew crossbody. Fox comes in and cleans house with a cutter and slingshot hilo, setting up a suicide dive to the floor. Beretta drops Fox on the floor though and Rush forearms him down for two back inside. Fox is back up with a double top rope clothesline but a spike Strong Zero plants him for two.

Andretti clotheslines Fox back down but he’s right back up for the tag off to Hologram to clean house. Komander adds a running hurricanrana as everything breaks down again. A quadruple dive takes out the villains on the floor so they’re thrown back inside for a quadruple splash off the top for two. An assisted 21 Plex finishes Andretti at 13:18.

Rating: B-. Take a bunch of people, let them go nuts and do a bunch of high spots. I could have gone for the match being a bit shorter as these things tend to go better in short stretches, but it went well enough. I’m still not sure when Hologram is going to actually do something important, but that hasn’t stopped AEW with him for months now.

And now, the show proper.

Women’s Owen Hart Tournament Finals: Mercedes Mone vs. Jamie Hayter

Non-title. They stare each other down to start and lock up, with Hayter powering her into the corner. Mone slips away and fires off some forearms, only to get knocked down for a quick two. Mone’s rollups get two each, sending them into a battle over leg cranks. Hayter finally pulls her into a half crab but Mone rolls out and hits the running knees against the ropes. Another running shot sends Hayter crashing out to the floor and it’s time to crank on some limbs back inside.

A Backstabber sets up a cross arm choke until Hayter powers up and drives her into the corner. The middle rope Meteora hits Hayter but she’s right back up with some right hands in the corner. Mone pulls her crashing down onto the buckle for two more and some running knees to the back make it even worse. Hayter is fine enough to snap off a suplex and a middle rope dropkick sends her into the corner. Some running knees rock Mone but she’s right back with the Three Amigos.

A Backstabber looks to set up the Mone Maker but Hayter superkicks her into a hard clothesline. They go to the floor and Hayter hits a step up clothesline off the steps (with a quick slip) and they’re back inside. Three straight Backstabbers set up the Mone Maker, which is broken up rather quickly. Something like a middle rope seated senton gives Mone two but Hayter pulls her into a rear naked choke.

That’s broken up and Mone pulls her into the Statement Maker. Mone tries to kick herself back to the middle of the ring but Hayter gets up and hits a backbreaker for two. Back up and a Tombstone gives Hayter two more (with a heck of a sell from Mone) and she loads up Hayterade but gets small packaged to give Mone the pin at 21:18.

Rating: B-. I liked it well enough, though it felt like they were getting a bit repetitive in there. Hayter managed to make it feel like she could pull it off once or twice here, which is a lot more than I was expecting off what felt like a layup coming in. Mone vs. Toni Storm (more than likely) is a dream match around here and this gets us ready on the long road to All In.

Commentary wishes Jim Ross good health in a nice moment.

We recap FTR vs. Daniel Garcia/Nigel McGuinness. FTR went full evil by attacking Cope and Tony Schiavone didn’t like it. This sent them after Schiavone, so McGuinness stood up for his broadcast partner. Garcia didn’t like it either so it’s time for a tag match, with McGuinness admitting that he and Garcia are likely in trouble.

FTR vs. Nigel McGuinness/Daniel Garcia

Stokely Hathaway is here with FTR while Matt Menard is with McGuinness/Garcia. Wheeler and Garcia lock it up to start before shoving away out of the corner. Garcia punches him down and Wheeler backs away, meaning it’s off to Harwood vs. McGuinness. Harwood chops and strikes away in the corner and then does it again in another corner to keep things level.

Everything breaks down and FTR is cleared out to the floor for a breather. Back in and McGuinness takes both of them down in the corner but they send him outside. Some rams into the apron and announcers’ table have McGuinness in trouble and they go back inside. Harwood gets a hard whip to send McGuinness into the buckle and lays down to mock him a bit, like most good villains should.

Wheeler goes outside to mock Schiavone and we hit the chinlock back inside. McGuinness fights up and manages a rebound lariat, which is enough for the diving tag to Garcia. Some clotheslines take FTR down and a belly to back suplex gets two on Harwood. Wheeler quickly breaks up the Sharpshooter and Harwood escapes the Tower Of London. Garcia helps McGuinness hit a Tower Of London in the middle of the ring and FTR gets caught in stereo holds. Hathaway offers a distraction to break that up and the fight heads to the floor, where Wheeler gets in a cheap shot.

Back in and Garcia hits his rolling superplexes on Harwood but Wheeler breaks them up. A spinning superplex into Wheeler’s top rope splash gets two, leaving Hathaway frustrated. FTR takes McGuinness outside for a Shatter Machine, which is enough for Schiavone to get up and seemingly beg for mercy. Garcia fights back inside until a piledriver is countered to give Harwood two. A spike piledriver gives Harwood two, followed by a Sharpshooter to keep Garcia in trouble. McGuinness is held back and Garcia passes out at 22:30.

Rating: C+. WAY too long here for a match that probably could have been cut in half without missing match. It didn’t help that it was a fairly random pairing against one of the best teams going today, as the result wasn’t exactly in doubt. I wasn’t feeling this one and the length was the biggest problem, as there was no need for this to break fifteen minutes, let alone twenty two.

We recap Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet. They don’t like each other, Ricochet uses scissors, stretcher match. Totally logical sequence of steps there.

Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet

Stretcher match, where you have to be put on n stretcher and into an ambulance, which would usually make it an ambulance match. Ricochet jumps him to start and takes things out to the floor, where Briscoe fires off some chops. Briscoe sends him into the ambulance and so Ricochet jumps out and SPRINTS to the ring in a funny bit.

Back at ringside and Briscoe rams him with the stretcher but it’s too early for a Bang Bang Elbow. Ricochet knocks him onto the stretcher but the shooting star press from the apron only hits stretcher. Now the Bang Bang Elbow can hit Ricochet and a chair to the ribs keeps him in trouble. A table is set up but Ricochet gets whipped into the barricade and it’s time to get….some cleaning products?

Briscoe of course polishes Ricochet’s head (that’s worthy of a chuckle), followed by a bucket to the (well polished) head. A tribute to Sabu takes too long though and Ricochet gets in a shot to the head to take over. Some cleaning products to the eyes cuts Briscoe off again and it’s time to take the padding off the stretcher.

The bloody Briscoe is carried back to the ambulance but he uses a crutch to block the door. A fire extinguisher blast blinds Ricochet and they go back to the ring, where Briscoe hits a Jay Driller. Now the table is set up for the Froggy Bow but Ricochet fights back. The scissors to the head staggers Briscoe but he gets the scissors and swings away. A low blow cuts him off though and Ricochet sends him into the ambulance to win at 16:03.

Rating: B. It was a bloody, violent fight and that made for a change of pace from what we’ve seen so far. I’m still not sure why this needed to be a stretcher match but it had some funny moments and Ricochet won in the end, as he should have. That’s all this needed to accomplish, and they did it with Briscoe bleeding a gusher.

We recap the Tag Team Title match. The Hurt Syndicate are the dominant champions and the Sons Of Texas have been the Ring Of Honor champions for several months due to reasons I have yet to begin to fathom. Now Dustin Rhodes wants a third title and Sammy Guevara is here too.

Tag Team Titles: Sons Of Texas vs. Hurt Syndicate

The Syndicate, with MVP and MJF, is defending (unlike the Sons Of Texas). Rhodes and Lashley start things off with the latter driving him into the corner a few times. Rhodes fights out and gets shouldered down so it’s off to Benjamin. Some right hands stagger Benjamin, who is right back with a German suplex. A running knee lift gets Rhodes over for the tag off to Guevara to clean some house.

Benjamin sends him flying with a German suplex as well and Lashley hits a heck of a spinning spinebuster. Guevara is sent outside for a cheap shot from MJF, which the fans don’t seem to like. Back in and something like a Dominator plants Guevara, who manages a quick cutter for a needed breather. Rhodes comes back in and slugs away, including a powerslam to Lashley.

The Canadian Destroyer drops Lashley and MJF’s accidental distraction lets Rhodes hit Benjamin with Shattered Dreams. Benjamin is back up with a quickly broken ankle lock and Rhodes hits a quick Cross Rhodes for two. Rhodes goes up and gets pulled back down so MJF offers Benjamin the ring. That’s not happening so MJF backs off, leaving Lashley to spear Guevara. Rhodes breaks up the pin so MJF goes after him, with Lashley breaking up a ring spot. A spear sends Rhodes through the barricade and Benjamin cuts off a dive attempt. Benjamin superkicks Guevara for the pin at 12:39.

Rating: C. The Sons Of Texas still aren’t interesting, they’re nothing special in the ring and thank goodness MJF didn’t accidentally (or on purpose) help them win the titles. I didn’t care when they became the #1 contenders and the match wasn’t anything more interesting. Thankfully the Hurt Syndicate beat them here, as I can’t take anymore of Rhodes holding titles for months at a time.

We recap the Continental Title match, which doesn’t have much of a story other than Mike Bailey asking for and receiving the shot.

Continental Title: Kazuchika Okada vs. Mike Bailey

Okada is defending. They stare at each other for a bit before locking up and going to an early standoff. A fight over wrist control lets Okada slap him on the chest and they’re quickly on the floor. Bailey hits a crane kick and goes back inside for the bouncing kicks, only to get taken down with a dragon screw legwhip.

They’re quickly back on the floor for a DDT from Okada but Bailey dives back in to beat the count. Back in and Okada does the taunting kicks, followed by a far more serious running kick to the face. A baseball slide puts Bailey on the floor but he is right back up for his “avoid the dive and hit a moonsault” sequence. Back in and a missile dropkick connects, setting up the running shooting star press for two.

Okada shoves him off the top and hits the Air Raid Crash onto the knee. The falling top rope elbow hits Bailey and Okada gets in a middle finger. Bailey kicks him down and tries the shooting star press, which hits raised knees. They forearm it out until Bailey hits a superkick and goes up, only to get dropkicked out to the floor.

The fight heads to the apron, where Bailey hits the moonsault knees. Back in and the Ultimate Weapon misses and the tornado kick is dropkicked away. Bailey kicks him down again for two and ducks the Rainmaker, followed by another kick to drop Okada. It’s back up top, but this time Okada dropkicks him out of the air. The Rainmaker retains the title at 16:04.

Rating: B-. Bailey is one of those guys where you’re either going to like him a lot of not at all and I’m more in the latter category. He did well here, but I can only get so much out of all those kicks and the stupid little bowing deal. Okada was only a bit better here, but the bigger issue was they have all but said it’s Okada vs. Kenny Omega at All In, so this didn’t have the most drama.

We recap Toni Storm vs. Mina Shirakawa. Storm is on the way to All In but wanted a title defense before she got there. Shirakawa returned and won a #1 contenders match, which had Storm excited.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Mina Shirakawa

Storm is defending and gets taken down for some early kicks to the leg. That’s reversed and Storm dances a bit before grabbing a headscissors. Shirakawa reverses into a dancing double stomp to the knees but Storm makes the ropes to escape. The leg is kicked out again and wrapped around the post but Storm is fine enough to hit a snap suplex on the floor.

Back in and Storm gets two off a fisherman’s suplex, only for Shirakawa to hit a springboard tornado DDT. A clothesline hits Storm and she bails to the floor, where Shirakawa beats up Luther. Shirakawa isn’t done and uses Luther as a launchpad to tag Storm out again. Back in again and Shirakawa grabs a Figure Four, with Storm turning over for the escape.

They trade strikes to the face and both fall down for a double breather. Storm snaps off some suplexes but the knee won’t let her do the running hip attack. Shirakawa is smart enough to go after the knee again but Storm makes the rope to escape another leglock. A reverse implant DDT gives Shirakawa two and the Figure Four goes on again. That’s broken up with another grab of the ropes and they trade small packages for two each. Then Storm grabs a quick Storm Zero for the pin to retain at 15:54.

Rating: B-. The ending was absolutely out of nowhere, but that kind of fit as Storm was only able to do so much with her bad leg. Much like the previous match, there was only so much drama here, as Shirakawa vs. Mone doesn’t feel like quite the same level of showdown. What we got here was good, which is more impressive as they were in a pretty tight spot.

Post match, respect is shown.

We recap Anarchy In The Arena. The Death Riders and the Young Bucks are the two evil groups so a bunch of good guys (and Willow Nightingale) are fighting back. Therefore, it’s time for anything to go in a wild brawl.

Young Bucks/Death Riders vs. Opps/Swerve Strickland/Kenny Omega/Willow Nightingale

Anarchy In The Arena so anything goes. Swerve has some special gear which might be the Predator, while Omega is Captain America…and there is no Joe. The Death Riders come in from a bunch of different entrances and the Bucks get another big entrance about how great they are because this joke is still a thing. They’re the founding fathers and have their own patriotic sounding music, which plays for a bit as the brawl starts.

Joe pops up in the crowd to brawl with Castagnoli and we go to a quadruple screen for the four brawls. We settle down to a bunch of people in the ring and Omega asks for some new music, which is….I’m So Excited. The villains get pummeled in the corners and we cut to Joe beating up Castagnoli at a merchandise stand. Back in the ring and Omega says that doesn’t fit so we’ll play some Bodies by Drowning Pool, which is a better fit for this kind of thing.

Omega even leads some fans in a singalong as the fight heads into the crowd. Moxley forks Hobbs’ head and Yuta cuts off Omega’s dive from a balcony. Instead Yuta is tossed onto the pile and then Omega follows with a moonsault. Joe uses the Captain America shield trashcan lid to beat on Castagnoli at ringside before Moxley brings Hobbs into the ring. Moxley takes him down in the corner and grabs a table, with Hobbs spearing him through it (you knew that was coming).

Matt is pulled in for You Can’t Escape from Omega as Shafir and Nightingale have brawled outside. Back inside and Shibata puts Yuta in a laundry cart and rams him into a wall. A barbed wire kick has Yuta in more trouble and we cut back to Swerve and Omega beating up the Bucks. Castagnoli uppercuts Swerve out of the air though and swings him into a speaker (cutting off the music).

The women are back now and Shafir hits Nightingale with a frying pan. The Bucks are back up to send Omega through a table at ringside as Nightingale’s ear has been chained to the post. A bunch of people go back towards the entrance and Nick Swantons through Hobbs on a table. Hobbs fights up but gets kneed back down, followed by a chair to the head. Hold on though as here is Swerve on a forklift to Swerve Stomp onto the Bucks and Moxley.

Hobbs snaps off some spinebusters inside as Nightingale is finally unlocked. Joe and Moxley grab a choke each, as do Shibata and Shafir. Swerve and Matt break those up with 450s and Matt grabs a staple gun. Hobbs isn’t having any of that, including one to his head and Swerve has his own staple gun. A low blow cuts Matt off but Shafir hits Swerve low and his tongue gets stapled. Omega fires off some snapdragons, including one to Shafir (who spat on him).

The Bucks are back up with superkicks, including a double to the referee. Nightingale is back up for the Tombstone half of a Meltzer Driver to Matt for two. Joe plants Moxley out of the corner and Hook is back to go after Castagnoli. The MuscleBuster into the Koquina Clutch has Moxley in trouble but Gabe Kidd is here to break it up. Kidd piledrives Omega and Yuta puts thumbtacks into Omega’s mouth for an EVP Trigger.

Joe breaks up a bulldog choke from Moxley and they go up to the entrance, where Mark Briscoe is back to take out Kidd. The Death Riders are put in the ambulance, leaving the Bucks alone with Omega and Swerve. The Bucks are dropped in a hurry and Prince Nana brings in the special shoes, with Omega One Winged Angeling Matt through an exploding table. A Swerve Stomp with tacks on his shoes gives Swerve the pin on Nick at 35:11.

Rating: B+. This is one of the perfect examples of a match where your individual tastes are going to make all of the difference. If you like this kind of stuff, you’ll have a great time but if you don’t like this style, this was a huge waste of time. I had a good time with it, partially because while they had some barbed wire and tacks, it was far from the dominant feature. This was about people beating each other up until the ending and I had a fun time, which is all you can get in this thing.

We recap Paragon vs. the Don Callis Family. Neither had anything to do on the show so they’re having a match.

Paragon vs. Don Callis Family

Lance Archer and Don Callis are here with the Family. Cole and Takeshita trade arm cranking to start with Takeshita backing him into the corner. O’Reilly comes in to work on the arm as well before it’s off to Fletcher, who gets struck in the corner. That’s broken up and Alexander comes in to send Strong to the apron for the running crossbody to the back. Even Callis gets in a shot of his own but Strong is able to Angle Slam Takeshita. Alexander is right back to cut off the tag…for all of a few seconds as Strong dives over to bring Cole in.

House is quickly cleaned and it’s back to O’Reilly to go after Alexander’s arm. That doesn’t work so they clothesline each other for a double down. Takeshita is back in with a superbomb for two on Strong but he’s right back up with a running dropkick off the apron. Back in and we get a rapid string of strikes until O’Reilly’s guillotine is broken up. Fletcher grabs the brainbuster for the pin at 12:48.

Rating: B-. Oh man they were stuck in a rough spot here and it showed badly. There is just no way to follow that previous match and the lack of a big story other than “neither of us have anything else to do” didn’t help. They were all working hard and trying, but a six man tag after that wild thirty five minute war beforehand is not going to be easy.

Post match (because we needed a post match as it’s almost midnight with the main event to go) the Family jumps Paragon again but Brody King, Tomohiro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi make the save.

We recap the main event. Hangman Page and Will Ospreay both want to be World Champion and they’re in the finals of the Owen Hart Tournament for the All In World Title shot. Ospreay wants to win because he wants to be the best, while Page wants to prove that he can still do it and that his first reign wasn’t a fluke.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament Finals: Hangman Page vs. Will Ospreay

Ospreay easily wrestles him to the mat to start so Page grabs a headlock. Back up and Page hits a running shoulder, with Ospreay nipping right back up as he is known to do. Page backs him into the corner and they trade legsweeps for two each, giving us a staredown. The Oscutter is blocked and Page backdrops him before avoiding a quick Hidden Blade attempt. That means another standoff as they definitely seem to have a lot of time here.

A running hurricanrana sets up a corkscrew moonsault to give Ospreay an early two. Page knocks him out of the corner but gets caught with a quick Phenomenal Forearm. Ospreay’s slingshot dive is pulled out of the air though and a fall away slam sends Ospreay into the barricade. Back in and Page hits a corner clothesline into a German suplex for two, with Taz being right there to explain the science behind the throw.

Page’s chinlock doesn’t last long so he kicks Ospreay, which just fires him up. A Stundog Millionaire into a rolling kick sends Page to the floor and now the dive connects. Back in and Ospreay’s spinning torture rack bomb gets two but Page breaks up a dive off the top. Page hits a big moonsault to the floor, followed by a Sharpshooter back inside. The rope gets Ospreay out of trouble and Page’s chops just wake him up.

A kick to the face rocks Page, who hits a clothesline and they’re both down. They go to the corner for a Cheeky Nandos Kick to Page but he’s back with a flipping lariat. Ospreay breaks up the Buckshot Lariat though and hits a knee to the head for two. Page is back up with a Tombstone and Angel’s Wings for two but misses a Best Moonsault Ever. Instead Ospreay is back up with a Hidden Blade and they stagger out to the apron.

Ospreay powerbombs him onto the apron and hits a Styles Clash to the floor. Naturally Page is able to dive back in and beat the count, setting up an Oscutter for two. Another Hidden Blade gets two more and a frustrated Ospreay hammers away. A big boot knocks Page to the floor so Ospreay rams him face first into the announcers’ table. They get onto the table and load up…something that they don’t get to do as the table breaks.

Page gets the better of things and, after a staredown, hits a Buckshot Lariat for two. Ospreay is right back with a Stormbreaker but misses the Hidden Blade to leave them both down. Back up and Ospreay hits a V Trigger and something close to a One Winged Angel gets two. Ospreay can’t hit another Stormbreaker and Page hits a quick clothesline, setting up the Buckshot Lariat to finish Ospreay at 37:02.

Rating: A. This match had one of the best possible things going for it, as I had no idea who was going to win here. You could have gone either way and while I had guessed Ospreay, Page is the hotter hand right now and it makes for a better story. Other than that though, this was an outstanding story with the high flying Ospreay being far more athletic and skilled but Page going with more of his brawling and heart. I wanted to see where this was going and it was excellent stuff throughout as they more than lived up to the huge hype. Check this one out if you get the chance as it’s an instant classic.

Post match Page celebrates but comes back to check on Ospreay. A handshake ends the show.

Overall Rating: B. It’s too long. I know that’s not the most positive way to start a final thought but that was the biggest issue here and I was worried about it coming in. Counting the Kickoff Show (and if there are matches taking place, it sure does count), this ran about six hours. I get the idea of “giving them their money’s worth” and all that jazz, but my goodness man, stop having every match go so long. Garcia/McGuinness vs. FTR going 22 minutes? Everything getting at least 12 minutes? Come on already. I was sick of watching this show about halfway through and then it kept going. Quality aside, that isn’t a good thing.

Now with all of that out of the way, this was a rather good show, with the main event being outstanding and Anarchy In The Arena being a lot of fun (though I can get mileage varying). They covered a lot of stuff here and nothing was bad, but I’m not sure how much some of it needed to be on the card.

For a show that felt at least partially like a preview for All In, this show was more than worth a look. Just trim a good number of the matches down by a few minutes (if not moving them to TV) and it’s that much better. It’s a two match show and those matches were both good to great, which is more than enough to carry a perfectly acceptable undercard. Now it’s off to All In, and thankfully they’re off to a positive start.

Results
Anna Jay/Harley Cameron b. Megan Bayne/Penelope Ford – Her Finishing Move to Ford
Los Titantes del Aire/Bandido/AR Fox b. Cru/RPG Vice – 21 Plex to Andretti
Mercedes Mone b. Jamie Hayter – Small package
FTR b. Daniel Garcia/Nigel McGuinness – Sharpshooter to Garcia
Ricochet b. Mark Briscoe when Ricochet put Briscoe in the ambulance
Hurt Syndicate b. Sons Of Texas – Superkick to Guevara
Kazuchika Okada b. Mike Bailey – Rainmaker
Toni Storm b. Mina Shirakawa – Storm Zero
Kenny Omega/Swerve Strickland/Opps/Willow Nightingale b. Young Bucks/Death Riders – Swerve Stomp to Nick
Don Callis Family b. Paragon – Brainbuster to O’Reilly
Hangman Page b. Will Ospreay – Buckshot Lariat

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

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Dynamite
Date: May 21, 2025
Location: Rio Ranchos Events Center, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Ian Riccaboni

It’s the last Dynamite before Double Or Nothing and that means it is time to put most of the final touches on the pay per view. Odds are that means something getting us ready for Anarchy In The Arena, plus a bunch of build towards the Owen Hart Cup finals. That should be more than enough to get us through the night so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and brings out Will Ospreay and Hangman Page for a chat. They agree to get physical and Ospreay has the security go to the back, though he does promise they’ll get paid (nice guy). He asks if Page still drinks and apologizes for the shot to the face last week. Ospreay has some beers brought in but puts his down and says he has an official request for Tony Khan: the two of them should be in the main event at Double Or Nothing.

That is a lot of pressure, but the winner goes on to All In and the winner has the responsibility of taking the World Title back. Ospreay flies around all the time and is jet lagged every Tuesday but puts on his crime fighting pants and says ring the bell. That’s what he wants more than anything else. He wants to be the World Champion at Forbidden Door in London, thirty minutes from his house.

More than that though, he wants his six year old to look at him as the World Champion. Ospreay knows Page wants it, but he wants it that much more. Page says that’s the difference between them. Ospreay wants it bad and Page has had that feeling before. There is no greater prize than being the World Champion, but for Ospreay, it could be a professional accomplishment.

It’s just that though: professional. Page calls it personal for him though because he doesn’t want it, but rather needs it. Page has not won anything in two years and those moments have killed him more every day. He needs his son to look at him and see his father and for his wife to look at him and see her husband. What he needs is for Ospreay to be wrong when he said it was “too little, too late” for Page.

Ospreay asks what Page is going to do about it. Wrap a chair around his skull? On Sunday, he is showing up and doing his best, which hasn’t been enough before. Yes he has lost but he has never given less than everything. Page asks if that is enough to beat Jon Moxley and the Death Riders but Ospreay doesn’t know. Ospreay asks if what Page is now is enough either.

The best of Ospreay has beaten a lot of people because he is the best in the world. Anything can happen when that bell rings and if Page wins and needs someone to have his back at All In, Ospreay has his back. He hopes Page will do the same if Ospreay wins, so meet him in the desert. They both drink the beers and stare hard at one another. They go up the aisle and get to the entrance at the same time for quite the staredown. This was GREAT, with both of them laying out why they want to win. I’m not sure who is going to win, but I’m almost more curious to see what happens when one of them loses.

Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir arrive, with Moxley saying the spoils will go to those who embrace the anarchy.

Jon Moxley/Young Bucks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs/Samoa Joe/Swerve Strickland

Marina Shafir and Prince Nana are here too. Joe and Moxley slug it out to start with Joe having to be held back. Hobbs and Matt come in with Hobbs running him over but not being able to hit the powerslam. Swerve comes in to backbreaker Nick and hits a neckbreaker as everything breaks down. Moxley’s dive is cut off by Hobbs so he dives onto Hobbs instead. The Bucks superkick Joe down but Swerve plants Matt and hits a dive to take him out as well. Now Joe can hit his suicide elbow as we take a break.

Back with Moxley hammering on Hobbs in the corner before going after the knee. For some reason Nick decides to slap Hobbs in the back, earning himself a World’s Strongest Slam. Swerve comes in to plant Nick, who avoids a running shot, allowing Matt to superkick Swerve down. Back in and an assisted Sliced Bread plants Swerve, who gets his knees up to cut off a Swanton. That’s still not enough for the tag though as Moxley is back in for a Crash Landing on Swerve.

Matt dives onto Joe and Hobbs, followed by Risky Business for two more. The hanging Swanton gets two on Swerve with Hobbs having to make the save this time. We take another break and come back again with Moxley’s piledriver (with a middle finger to the fans) getting two more. Something like the Rings Of Saturn bring the fans back to cheer Swerve so Moxley grabs a full nelson.

A headbutt drops Moxley and it’s Joe coming in to clean house, followed by Hobbs’ frog splash for two. Everything breaks down and the Bucks head fake Hobbs into a double DDT. Joe drops them with a double clothesline but Moxley is back in to take Joe down. Swerve gives Moxley the House call and adds a Swerve Stomp off the apron onto the Bucks. Back in and Hobbs busts out some spinebusters to clean house but Moxley is there to send him into Swerve. A double superkick puts Joe down but Swerve rolls Matt up for the pin at 21:17.

Rating: B. The length helped here, as the match had the time to build up rather than having to hurry through everything. As good as that part was though, it was another example of why the Bucks can be so annoying. Just like always, they got in all of their stuff, beat up just about everyone, and then lose on a fluke rollup. I’m sure they’ll get some kind of heat back later, because the Bucks just have to be part of everything no matter what.

Post match the Death Riders run in to beat the winners down but Katsuyori Shibata returns for the save. Marina Shafir cuts Shibata off with a low blow though so here is Willow Nightingale to Pounce Shafir. Kenny Omega runs in for the real save. A table is set up and Matt has to be saved from a One Winged Angel. The villains leave but Joe says they’re coming after them tonight.

The Hurt Syndicate says MJF should be the excited one tonight and he has a new suit for the occasion.

Here is the Hurt Syndicate to officially induct MJF into the team. MJF comes out and says his mom told him that the most important day of his life is the day you marry the love of your life. MJF: “It’s clear that that b**** never joined the Hurt Syndicate!” MJF and MVP take turns mocking the fans who boo a lot and everyone but Bobby Lashley signs. Lashley seems unsure but ultimately signs, and yes there is a commemorative hat.

Cue the Sons Of Texas, with Dustin Rhodes telling MJF to shut up. Rhodes and MVP have a long history of respect but Rhodes thinks he shouldn’t trust MJF. We hear about how they changed the business and now they want more gold. If they like to hurt people, jump on Rhodes and try to hurt him. They have been beaten up and hurt by bigger people and now they’re ready to fight with heart. He would bet on the Day One guys. As usual, Sammy Guevara is the guy just standing there nodding as Rhodes does everything.

Kazuchika Okada isn’t letting Mike Bailey call him out for Double Or Nothing….because he’s calling Bailey out instead. And no catchphrase!

Ricochet vs. Anthony Bowens

Billy Gunn is here with Bowens and this is to crown the true Scissor King. Bowens jumps over him in the corner to start and hits a clothesline to the floor. Ricochet stops to glare at Gunn, earning himself another shot from Bowens. They go back in where Bowens hits a quick knee, only to get sent hard into the post.

We take a break and come back with Bowens hitting the running Fameasser into something like a reverse Angle Slam. They trade forearms until Bowens hits a superkick for a quick two. The Arrival sets up the Mollywop but Ricochet is knocked outside. The referee goes after Gunn, allowing Ricochet to pull out a pair of scissors to stab Bowens. Stabbing a man in the head is of course a setup for the Spirit Gun to give Ricochet the pin at 9:26.

Rating: C+. I really don’t know if Bowens should be losing so soon into his singles run, but at least it was to a bigger name and through some cheating. That being said, I still have no idea why Ricochet uses scissors. It’s such a random weapon with no real connection for him, but that’s what he gets to do. On top of that, he’s in for kind of a weird gimmick match on Sunday, though at least he’s on the show.

Post match Mark Briscoe brings out a stretcher and beats up Ricochet.

Double Or Nothing rundown.

Stokley Hathaway, with FTR, wants to sign the contract for the Double Or Nothing tag match face to face. Nigel McGuinness and Daniel Garcia can even bring Matt Menard.

Renee Paquette brings out Jamie Hayter and Mercedes Mone for their own face to face interview (with chairs). Hayter says so be it if she is seen as the underdog because she is used to being there. She will fight back every single time because that is who she is. Hayter doesn’t have people running around here doing her dirty work and yes she is rough around the edges.

This means more to Hayter and they both know that, because it’s about not being forgotten. If she doesn’t win, what does it mean for her? Mone laughs it off and calls herself the Beyonce of wrestling. She’s going to All In to win the Women’s Title because she is the greatest TBS Champion of all time.

Mone hasn’t gotten here through luck because it’s about leaving her legacy. Hayter’s chapter finally ends at Double Or Nothing. Hayter points out Mone losing the NJPW Strong Women’s Title and that is going to be her destiny. Mone jumps her but gets dropped with Hayterade. Cue Toni Storm, who will be on commentary for the main event. It’s hard to believe that Mone is in any danger, and my goodness she gets less and less interesting every week.

Mina Shirakawa vs. Julia Hart

Toni Storm is on commentary. Hart grabs a wristlock to start and hits Old School but Shirakawa does something similar, albeit with some hip shaking. Shirakawa goes outside to mock Storm, allowing Hart to take her down as we go to a break. Back with Shirakawa hitting a running knee, followed by some clotheslines.

Hart grabs something like a Tarantula but Shirakawa hits a spinning backfist. A not great top rope crucifix bomb gets two on Hart but she’s back up with a knockdown of her own. The moonsault misses though and Shirakawa goes after the knee. The spinning backflst looks to set up the Glamorous Driver but Hart rolls out. That’s reversed into a cradle to give Shirakawa the pin at 9:30.

Rating: C+. This was a bit of a weird choice for the main event, but there is only so much you can do on a three match show. Shirakawa is in a good place where she’s not new but she’s still fresh, so she doesn’t have to really be built up that much for the title shot at Storm. I can’t imagine she wins the title, but having her lose so soon in a high profile match would be a fairly odd way to go.

Post match Hart goes after Shirakawa, who ties up Hart’s bad leg. Skye Blue comes in to deck Shirakawa so Storm makes the save. Shirakawa and Storm get in a tug of war over the belt and Shirakawa goes after Storm’s knee, tying it around the post with the Figure Four.

The Young Bucks try to leave but Powerhouse Hobbs and Samoa Joe jump them. Cue the rest of the people in Anarchy In The Arena for the weapons filled brawl. The fight goes into the arena where the Bucks beat up Kenny Omega, who fights back as this is anarchy in the arena to set up the Anarchy In The Arena. Gabe Kidd runs in and helps the villains with the beatdown and the Bucks hit stereo dives to put Omega and Swerve through tables to end the show. This was a good example of a week that didn’t need an overrun as this was just a long brawl to set up the already announced long brawl at the pay per view.

Overall Rating: B. Double Or Nothing is going to be quite the booking challenge, as so many people are in one match. That leaves the two tournament finals to carry the thing and thankfully the men’s match got an incredible go home segment that really elevated things. Those are by far the two biggest things on the show, and it should be interesting to see if the rest of the card can live up to that hype. I’ll take a two match show, but they are in for a challenge if one of those matches doesn’t deliver.

Results
Samoa Joe/Powerhouse Hobbs/Swerve Strickland b. Young Bucks/Jon Moxley – Rollup to Matt
Ricochet b. Anthony Bowens – Spirit Gun
Mina Shirakawa b. Julia Hart – Cradle

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
Date: May 14, 2025
Location: NOW Arena, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Taz, Excalibur

It’s Beach Break and that means it is time for the World Title to be in tone line. Jon Moxley is going to be defending the title inside of a steel cage against Samoa Joe, which has the potential to be a heck of a fight. Other than that, we don’t have much time left before Double Or Nothing and it’s time to build up the card. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Will Ospreay/Hangman Page vs. Don Callis Family,

They’re so excited about the opener that the entrances go to the split screen which is usually saved for commercials. Ospreay and Takeshita trade legsweeps for two each to start and it’s quickly off to Alexander. A middle rope dive misses for Ospreay and Alexander catches him with a flapjack to take over. Page gets drawn in so Alexander can choke on the ropes. That doesn’t last long as Ospreay gets up and hands it off to Page, who moonsaults off the apron onto Alexander.

Back in and a Death Valley Driver gets two on Takeshita, followed by a pop up sitout powerbomb for the same. Ospreay comes back in for a basement lariat into a standing shooting star press for two. Alexander is right back with a knockdown to the apron, setting up the running crossbody to the back.

We take a break and come back with Alexander grabbing a northern lights suplex for two on Page. Alexander pulls him into an ankle lock, which is broken up for the tag off to Ospreay to clean house. Page is back in to run Takeshita over, followed by back to back top rope dives to take the Family down again. Back in and Ospreay’s handspring is countered into a spinning torture rack bomb.

Takeshita gets a kind of weird Blue Thunder Bomb for two and it’s Page coming back in, with Alexander giving him a German suplex. Alexander rolls some German suplexes on Ospreay but he’s right back up with the Oscutter. Another one takes Alexander down for two but Page tags himself in, only to almost hit the Buckshot Lariat on Ospreay. Page and Ospreay get in an argument and the Hidden Blade almost hits Page. With the issues out of the way, the Buckshot Lariat and the Hidden Blade hit Alexander at the same time for the pin at 18:33.

Rating: B. This was the long form tag match that AEW tends to do well, especially with Ospreay and Page’s issues being advanced on the way to Double Or Nothing. That’s a nice way to go, as Page and Ospreay could go either way when we get there and they set things up here. Good opener here, with the four of them all working hard and getting a lot of time.

Post match Takeshita jumps both of them and the fight is on again wish Ospreay fighting back. Ospreay accidentally hits Page and immediately tries to calm things down, which doesn’t exactly work. Both leave in a huff. More logical and effective stuff here.

Video on Jon Moxley vs. Samoa Joe.

Top Flight and Leila Grey are sick of MJF and are ready to face the Hurt Syndicate tonight. The Sons Of Texas come in with Dustin Rhodes talking about how good Top Flight is. Oh and Sammy Guevara is there too.

Ricochet vs. Zack Gowen

Yes that Gowen and yes Ricochet has stolen his prosthetic leg. Gowen drops to the mat to start and Ricochet is already bailing to the floor. A boot through the ropes takes Ricochet down but he drops Gowen onto the barricade. We take a break and come back with Ricochet crotching himself on the ropes. He’s fine enough to counter a tornado DDT though and a springboard 450 crushes Gowen.

A shooting star press gives Ricochet two more and Vertigo connects for the same. The scissors are brought in but the referee takes it away, allowing Gowen to get in the prosthetic leg shot for two. The moonsault misses though and the Spirit Gun finishes for Ricochet at 7:22.

Rating: C. Naturally the first thing I thought of here was the episode of the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air when Ashley’s date wants to blow in her ear. Ashley gives a very confused response of “Why?” and the date realizes he has no idea why he’s asking about it other than he was told to. It’s the same thing here: why in the world is Zack Gowen wrestling in this spot in 2025? Ricochet stealing Gowen’s leg was a fine heel spot but putting him in the ring on Dynamite? Why?

Post match Ricochet gives him another Spirit Gun but Mark Briscoe makes the save.

MJF wants to be back on the top of the company and everyone knows he likes to work hard. That involves joining the Hurt Syndicate and he’ll make it happen. He’s asked about what happens if the team says no and it seems to make him think. The Hurt Syndicate comes in to say join them in the ring. MJF looks shaken, which you don’t see happen very often.

Hurt Syndicate vs. Top Flight

Non-title and MVP and Leila Grey are both here too. Top Flight starts fast but Lashley pulls Dante’s dive out of the air. Darius adds a dive of his own to break that up but Benjamin sends Darius flying with a suplex back inside. Lashley plants Darius on the apron and drops him with a neckbreaker, setting up Benjamin’s release German suplex. Dante tries a springboard to make the save but gets kneed out to the floor. The spear crushes Dante and the Hurt Lock finishes him off at 4:26.

Rating: C-. So Top Flight is leaving right? This was a total destruction that you do not see very often with actual established names. Top Flight got in pretty much nothing here and were completely decimated. And for what exactly? The sake of clearing the way for DUSTIN RHODES getting another big spot?

Post match the Sons Of Texas come out to say cut it out. The challenge is on but here is Cru to interrupt. They want the title match as well but Rhodes says not so fast. MVP calls it off and says make it a #1 contenders match instead. I have no idea why I would want to see that.

Post break and the Hurt Syndicate is still in the ring with MVP calling out MJF. There’s no MJF so Benjamin goes to the back to find him, with MJF hiding at the Gorilla Position. A rather scared looking MJF comes to the ring and it’s time for the official voting. MVP and Benjamin give him the thumbs up and that leaves Lashley. With his arm around MJF, Lashley teases the thumb going down and then puts it up, with MJF officially joining the team. Next week, the official contract signing. That’s a big surprise and I’m curious about the next step. I’d call that a good sign.

Toni Storm vs. Mina Shirakawa vs. AZM vs. Skye Blue

Non-title Eliminator match and this is Blue’s first match in a very long time after breaking her ankle. We see a clip of AZM winning the NJPW Women’s Strong Openweight Title from Mercedes Mone (albeit in a triple threat with Mone not factoring into the decision). It’s a brawl to start with Storm and Blue fighting to the floor. Shirakawa and AZM trade rollups for two each, with Shirakawa’s dance being cut off.

The pairings trade places and Blue hits a springboard tornado DDT to drop Storm. Back up and Shirakawa and Storm have a staredown, which quickly breaks down into an exchange of forearms. AZM comes in as Shirakawa ties up Storm’s legs, only to suplex AZM at the same time. Storm makes it to the ropes to break the Figure Four and goes outside, with Shirakawa taking her out with a dive. AZM hits a dive of her own and Blue takes all three of them out with her own dive.

We take a break and come back the four of them fighting in the ring until Storm and AZM are dropped. That’s broken up as well and Storm hits a series of running hip attacks in the corner. Shirakawa kicks Blue in the head but gets suplexed by Storm. The chokebomb plants Blue but she’s fine enough to come back with Code Blue. AZM comes off the top for the save and plants Blue for two. Storm Zero gets two on AZM, only for Shirakawa to small package Storm for the pin at 12:12.

Rating: B-. Good, action packed match here, though I have no idea why Blue was brought back in her hometown and put in the middle of a four way match where pretty much anyone could have been in the spot. Shirakawa is at least someone the fans know and who has a bit of a history around here so making her the next #1 contender is a good enough way to go.

Post match the title match is set for Double Or Nothing and arguing ensues. Cue Mercedes Mone to jump AZM from behind and put her in the Bank Statement. Jamie Hayter makes the save. Let me guess: Mone gets a chance to win her title back on Dynamite or Collision against someone who has pretty much no history around here but Mone wants to do it so here we are.

Commentary pays tribute to Sabu, with Taz breaking down in tears.

MJF can’t believe he’s part of the team and MVP is pleased…but MJF calls in his lawyer Mark Sterling to check out the contract. MVP doesn’t seem pleased.

Here is Nigel McGuinness to address the FTR situation. After apologizing to Tony Schiavone (in the ring with him), he asks Daniel Garcia to come out for an apology as well. McGuinness immediately apologizes to Garcia for costing him the chance to win a match and promises it won’t happen again. Garcia says McGuinness did exactly what he should have done and he wants McGuinness to join him for a fight.

Cue Stokely Hathaway to interrupt and ask what is McGuinness’ problem. McGuinness didn’t like someone getting physical with him but Hathaway doesn’t accept. He issues the challenge to a match with FTR, but McGuinness keeps it simple: he and Garcia barely know each other and FTR are a great team so it wouldn’t be close.

Garcia doesn’t care and says he’s overcome the odds for his entire career and wants McGuinness to take the mat. Hathaway taunts McGuinness, saying he can’t beat FTR when he barely beat hepatitis. That makes McGuinness get way more serious but here is FTR from underneath the ring to jump the good guys. Matt Menard makes the save with a crowbar. That’s an interesting way to go and I kind of love McGuinness being realistic about the whole thing.

Here’s what’s coming on Collision.

The cage is lowered (and it comes down fast).

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley vs. Samoa Joe

Joe is challenging in a cage. They go with the grappling to start and go nowhere so it’s time to slug it out. Joe sends him into the cage before it’s off to the chopping. A running knee in the corner rocks Moxley and a big elbow gets two. Moxley starts going after the leg to take over, meaning it’s time for some cranking. A Figure Four has Joe in more trouble for a bit, only for Moxley to get back up for a big boot.

We take a break and come back with the Death Riders at ringside. Moxley and Joe are busted open as they slug it out as the Opps are here too. Joe wins the slugout and hits some atomic drops into the big boot and backsplash for two. The powerbomb into the STF into the crossface has Moxley in trouble but he makes the rope. For a break. In a cage match.

Back up and Moxley’s clotheslines rock Joe, setting up a cutter for two. A cross armbreaker is blocked so Moxley goes with the bulldog choke. That’s broken up as well and Joe grabs the Koquina Clutch, meaning it’s time for everyone on the floor to brawl. Joe lets go of the Clutch though and a guy in a black hoodie slides in the briefcase so Moxley can knock Joe out to retain at 14:57.

Rating: B-. This wasn’t a bad match at all, but it felt like a countdown to whatever way there was for Moxley to escape with the title again. In this case it was someone else interfering to take Joe out, possibly giving him a new opponent. Hopefully Moxley loses the thing at All In, but at this point I’m not getting my hopes up.

And it’s Gabe Kidd from New Japan. The cage is raised and everyone else gets in a big brawl on the floor. Cue the Young Bucks to offer a handshake to Moxley but cue Kenny Omega to go after the Death Riders. Kazuchika Okada takes Omega out and throws him inside as the cage is lowered again. Mike Bailey comes out and brawls to the back with Okada but the big beatdown is on.

Swerve Strickland comes in and climbs the cage to dive onto the villains. The cage is raised so the Death Riders and company leave. Strickland issues the challenge for Anarchy In The Arena at Double Or Nothing. That’s a tradition for the show and it lets Moxley keep the title until he gets to a new challenger at All In.

Overall Rating: B. This was a show where the bigger parts worked well but there was a stretch that really didn’t work so well. It did a nice job of getting things ready for Double Or Nothing so we’ll call those segments a success. I’m not sure if this really felt like a special, though the main event did feel big. It’s just time to get beyond the Death Riders stuff though, as it stopped being interesting a long, long time ago.

Results
Will Ospreay/Hangman Page b. Don Callis Family – Buckshot Lariat/Hidden Blade to Alexander
Ricochet b. Zack Gowen – Spirit Gun
Hurt Syndicate b. Top Flight – Hurt Lock to Dante
Mina Shirakawa b. AZM, Skye Blue and Toni Storm – Small package to Storm
Jon Moxley b. Samoa Joe – Briefcase to the face

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
Date: May 7, 2025
Location: Masonic Temple Theater, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Taz, Excalibur

We’re less than a month away from Double Or Nothing, but before we get there, we have a World Title showdown between AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and Samoa Joe. That’s going to take place inside a steel cage next week in Chicago, so it’s time to really set things up a bit more. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence, I believe with a new theme song. Thankfully not I’m So Excited again.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat. He has no idea why anyone would cheer for him after everything he has done but they certainly seem happy to see him. Page talks about the horrible things he has done to Swerve Strickland and how he was so close to closure but it never came. He didn’t know why, and then he channeled that anger at everyone around him. While he can never forget what Strickland did, he can put it behind him. That brings him to Double Or Nothing, where he will face Will Ospreay for a World Title shot.

Cue Ospreay, who says this is the first time they have ever actually met. Ospreay understands what this means to Page and talks about Page’s history here in AEW. Then he lost it and things went bad, but last week, for the first time in a good while, Page smiled again. While a lot of people want to see Page be happy again, Ospreay isn’t losing at Double Or Nothing. Ospreay has been doing all of Page’s jobs, from meet and greets to media to photos with kids. Just because Page is smiling again doesn’t mean he can take that spot back, because that doesn’t mean cowboy s*** to Ospreay.

This is about his ascension…and here is the Don Callis Family to interrupt. Callis calls Ospreay an idiot for leaving the team so Ospreay issues the challenge for a tag match…but Page doesn’t seem interested. That’s fine with Callis, who says the match is on for next week, assuming Page doesn’t have another mental breakdown before then. The Ospreay vs. Page stuff was good with Ospreay’s promo being rather strong, but as usual, Callis brings everything down several notches.

FTR and Stokely Hathaway comes up to commentary and mocks Tony Schiavone, who is almost ready to fight Hathaway. FTR cuts that off and is ready to beat up Daniel Garcia on Collision. They’ll see Nigel McGuinness tomorrow night too.

Harley Cameron and Anna Jay have the T & A (tenacity and aggression) to win tonight. Jay thinks they have the more common definition as well, with Cameron agreeing.

Toni Storm vs. Thunder Rosa vs. Anna Jay vs. Penelope Ford

Non-title eliminator match and there’s no Cameron, even though Jay was riding her to the ring. Jay and Ford brawl to the floor to start and Rosa hits a running dropkick against the ropes for two on Storm. Back up and Storm hammers on Jay until Ford breaks it up. Ford takes both of them down with a moonsault to the floor but Rosa hits a dive onto all three.

We take a break and come back with Jay dropping Rosa for two before suplexing Ford on the floor. Ford is right back up to dive onto all three of them but Storm hip attacks Ford and Jay in the corner. Cue Megan Bayne to take out everyone but Ford, including a sitout powerbomb to Jay. Harley Cameron comes in with a pipe to clear the ring but Storm gets the TCM Chickenwing to make Ford give up at 10:53.

Rating: B-. It wasn’t bad, but Storm running through three potential challengers is quite the interesting way to go. At the same time, having two people interfere in the match made it even messier than it was coming in, which wasn’t exactly necessary. Having Storm in the ring so often because she doesn’t have a match (yet) at Double Or Nothing is kind of an odd move, but at least she’s not losing.

Cru is in the crowd.

Here is the Hurt Syndicate for a chat. They are the best tag team in AEW so who is here to challenge them? Cue Top Flight to interrupt, saying they know they’re underdogs but they’re ready to show they belong again. MJF, far less formally dressed than usual, jumps Top Flight from behind and lays them both out. Lashley, who looks pleased, seems to be ready to give MJF an answer next week. It’s nice to see the big moment coming up and I’m not sure where it’s going.

The Elite and Ricochet are ready for their matches tonight.

Ring Of Honor TV Title: Nick Wayne vs. ???

Wayne is defending against someone from Christian Cage’s (here with the rest of the Patriarchy) past. In this case it’s…hometown boy Rhino! Wayne actually takes him down and grabs a chinlock, only to miss a standing moonsault. The Patriarchy’s distraction doesn’t work as Wayne walks into a spinebuster, only to avoid the Gore. The Killswitch gives Wayne the clean pin at 3:20.

Rating: C. Well that was certainly a thing. I’m not sure why you would bring in someone like Rhino and have him lose clean like this but odds are this is only going to be a one or two off appearance for Rhino. The match was nothing, but Rhino continues to be someone who can do his basic stuff well, with the fans being behind him of course.

Post match Cage goes to put the belt on Wayne but then throws it down before leaving on his own.

Rush wants revenge on Kevin Knight for costing him $100k on Collision.

Mike Bailey/Swerve Strickland/Mark Briscoe vs. Young Bucks/Ricochet

Strickland and Ricochet start things off with Strickland striking away. Bailey and Briscoe come in for some shots of their own but the villains fight up and strike a pose. That earns then a trip out to the floor but the Bucks leave Ricochet on his own in a pretty on point move. Stereo dives take out Ricochet and the Bucks, setting up Redneck Kung Fu on Ricochet back inside. The Bucks are right back up with stereo dives to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Briscoe fighting out of trouble and bringing Bailey in to fire off the kicks. The shooting star press misses though and everything breaks down. We hit the parade of knockdowns and after a breather, Bailey’s diving tag is cut off. Bailey kicks the Bucks away though and it’s off to Strickland to clean house. Ricochet gets powerbombed and a series of knockdowns sets up the Froggy Bow for two on Matt, with Nick making the save. With the other four on the floor, Matt rolls Strickland up for the pin at 14:16.

Rating: C+. And that’s a Young Bucks match. They get to do all their stuff, the survive a bunch of moves, and they win in the end. This comes after they get to do their usual promo about being awesome and then they still don’t get much in the way of comeuppance. But I’m sure it’s coming any day now.

MJF interrupts Will Ospreay and they argue a bit, with MJF wanting to face him again to show that Ospreay isn’t on his level. Ospreay says he is on another level.

We get a sitdown interview with Jamie Hayter, who doesn’t think Mercedes Mone is much like Owen Hart. She wants to know the real Mone, who says that Hayter is like her. That doesn’t work for Hayter, who doesn’t have the same resume as Mone, but she has integrity, grit and truth. This is about showing Mone that she isn’t everything she thinks she is because Mone is looking past her. Mone runs in for a cheap shot and the chase is on. They brawl out into the arena and Mone runs off again, only to come back and grab the Bank Statement. They’re trying with Hayter but this match still doesn’t feel very important.

Willow Nightingale wants a title shot but Kris Statlander interrupts. Nightingale doesn’t want to talk to her, but they can have a match on Collision.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Kevin Knight

Non-title eliminator match. Hold on though as Rush jumps Knight from behind during the entrance and beats him down but here is Mike Bailey to interrupt. Granted that means posing at Rush while he chokes Knight, because Bailey isn’t all that smart. Knight wants to fight anyway and Okada hits a DDT for a fast two. A Flapjack gives Okada two more and he sends Knight outside as we take a break.

Back with Knight grabbing a quick powerbomb for two but Okada slams him down again. The top rope elbow connects and Okada gets to flip off the crowd. Some rollups give Knight two each and he scores with a dropkick. Okada dropkicks him out of the air though and the Rainmaker finishes Knight at 8:30.

Rating: B-. They didn’t have time to do much here and the story was that Knight was banged up to start. The match wound up being pretty good as they’re both talented, but there is only so much you can do with that little time in the first place, plus a break. Okada still seems destined to face Kenny Omega at All In, so this was just a week to give him something to do on the way to the big showdown.

Post match the beatdown stays on but Bailey runs in for the save.

The Don Callis Family tells the Outrunners to get some partners to face the Don Callis Family.

The Hurt Syndicate’s lawyer tells Bobby Lashley to not say anything about MJF.

Samoa Joe vs. Claudio Castagnoli

After conducting the fans in their JOE’S GONNA KILL YOU chants, Joe drives him into the corner and then takes it to the floor. Castagnoli gets sent into the barricade but then does the same to Joe to take over. Joe fights back and they get inside again where the beating continues on Castagnoli.

An arm snap over the top rope cuts Joe off though and we take a break. Back with Joe fighting out of a cobra clutch and hammering away. A powerslam into a running big boot gets two on Castagnoli, who is right back with the springboard spinning uppercut. That’s fine with Joe, who pulls him into the Koquina Clutch for the tap at 10:42.

Rating: B-. Much like the previous match, they only had so much time here and the match was more about setting up Joe for next week’s title match by having him take out a member of the Death Riders. Granted that’s pretty much what happened with Cope but Joe is a bit more intimidating. I don’t buy Joe having much of a chance to win the title, but at least he makes for an intimidating presence.

Post match the Death Riders come to the ring but Powerhouse Hobbs runs in with a chair for the save. Castagnoli gets beaten up to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This wasn’t so much a big show as much as it was the show getting us ready for the big show and that’s not a bad thing. It helps when most of the matches were good and they set some things up for later. With so many major events coming up, including next week’s Dynamite, you need a show like this and it worked well enough.

Results
Toni Storm b. Thunder Rosa, Anna Jay and Penelope Ford – TCM Chickenwing to Ford
Nick Wayne b. Rhino – Killswitch
Young Bucks/Ricochet b. Mike Bailey/Swerve Strickland/Mark Briscoe – Rollup to Strickland
Kazuchika Okada b. Kevin Knight – Rainmaker
Samoa Joe b. Claudio Castagnoli – Koquina Clutch

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
Date: April 16, 2025
Location: MGM Music Hall Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

We’re still on the road to Double Or Nothing and in this case that could make for some interesting options. There is a long time to get the card ready but there is a good chance we see the beginnings being put together here. We also have two title matches this week, with the Trios and Tag Team Titles on the line. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

The Death Riders have attacked Hook, who is at the hospital. The Trios Titles are still on the line though.

Women’s Owen Hart Tournament Semifinals: Mercedes Mone vs. Athena

Non-title. They lock up to start and go to the mat before crashing out to the floor in a heap. The lockup keeps going and they go all the way up to the stage before breaking it up. They get back in the ring with Athena’s headlock not getting her very far. Instead they trade shoulders to no avail as commentary talks about all of the upcoming international shows. They fight over some rollups but can’t get anywhere until Mone knocks her into the corner.

The running knees connect for one on Athena, leaving Mone rather stunned. Athena is back up with an enziguri and a flipping elbow connects in the corner. Mone is right back with the Bank Statement but they fall out to the floor, where Mone has to let it go. Back in and Athena winds up hanging upside down by her feet above the floor but Mone misses a double stomp. Athena grabs a quick Stunner on the floor and we take a break.

Back with a battle over a Tombstone until Mone throws her up for a gutbuster. Mone hits a spinning DDT for two and they’re both down again. Three Amigos connect but Athena blocks a fourth and hits three powerbombs. The fourth is countered into a Backstabber though and they’re both down again. Athena misses a charge into the corner and gets dropped with a running knee to send her outside. Ever the hero (ok not really), Mone tries a German suplex from the apron before going for a sunset flip, only to get stomped on the apron instead.

Athena kicks her down and adds a slam on the apron for two. Back in and Athena grabs a crossface, which is reversed into a failed Bank Statement attempt. Athena manages a spinning knee to the face but Mone crashes out to the floor. A missed charge takes Athena out again though and they fight onto the barricade. Athena throws her down and hits a shotgun dropkick against the barricade. Back in and the O Face is countered into a rollup with tights to give Mone the pin at 20:49.

Rating: B+. You could tell these two wanted to have a heck of a match and that is exactly what they did here. They were working hard and going at it with everything they were trying, with Mone thankfully cheating to get the win. Athena losing in the tournament isn’t a surprise as it’s what happened last year, but it would be nice to have her FINALLY move up to the main show full time, though I’m not sure I can see it happening.

Toni Storm and Luther applaud Mone from the crowd.

Hangman Page is interrupted by the Elite, who think Page should be happy that they cost Swerve Strickland the World Title. Now Page can win the title and bring it back to the Elite, but Page doesn’t seem impressed. Kazuchika Okada calls him a b**** and then backs off in a hurry.

A former Boston Bruin is here with the Stanley Cup.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Hangman Page vs. ???

And it’s….Josh Alexander. Well you knew he was coming in sooner or later. They fight over arm control to start with Alexander being the better wrestler, leaving Page getting a bit frustrated. Alexander takes him down in a hurry but Page is right back with a fall away slam. Page sends him outside, where Alexander misses a running boot over the barricade. A dive off the stage drops Alexander and we take a break.

Back with Alexander getting two off a German suplex but Page flips out of another one and hits a discus lariat for a double down. They fight to the apron where Page hits a backdrop, allowing him to score with a heck of a moonsault to the floor. Alexander is back with a forearm to the back of the head and a spinning torture rack slam, setting up the ankle lock. Page breaks out of that in a hurry and hits a Tombstone, only to get caught with a World’s Strongest Slam onto the apron. Back in and Page slips out of another ankle lock, setting up a small package for the fast pin at 13:09.

Rating: B. Yeah Alexander is going to be fine around here, as he’s more than a skilled enough wrestler and someone who can work well with just about anyone. Having someone out there who can wrestle a hard hitting style and has the credibility to back it up is a great addition to the card. Page winning is the logical way to go, though I do wonder: if the Bucks, who are still in charge, wanted Page to win the tournament, why did they let him a tough opponent?

Post match Kyle Fletcher, Page’s second round opponent, comes out for the staredown. Don Callis tells Fletcher to go for it and the brawl is on, with Page hitting a clothesline. Callis talks to Alexander though and Alexander jumps Page, as we seem to have a new Family member. Fletcher plants Page with a brainbuster and stands tall.

Nick Wayne says the Patriarchy is a hierarchy but his father is gone…until he isn’t as Christian Cage is here. Cage gets in Wayne’s face and says he gave Wayne a month to find himself. In addition, he has gotten Wayne a spot in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in New Japan. As for tomorrow, he has a Ring Of Honor TV Title shot, and he’ll win it by himself. Then Cage slaps him in the face.

We look back at FTR turning on Cope and then taking out Daniel Garcia.

Tag Team Titles: Gates Of Agony vs. Hurt Syndicate

The Syndicate, with MVP, is defending and get jumped at the bell. Benjamin gets stomped in the corner as MVP joins commentary. Lashley comes back in though and hits a running shoulder to Kaun in the corner. The Downward Spiral into a belly to belly suplex has Kaun in trouble as we take a break.

Back with Liona hitting a Samoan drop on Benjamin and dropping a backsplash for two. Liona fires off the clotheslines to Lashley in the corner but has to be saved from the Hurt Lock. Benjamin is back in with a release German suplex to Kaun, leaving Lashley to spear Liona on the floor. Another spear finishes Kaun to retain at 9:10.

Rating: C+. The Gates are in the bad place of being wrestlers who are there to be thrown into matches like this and then lose. The problem is there is no reason to believe that the titles were in any danger and that made this more of a countdown towards the Syndicate retaining. If nothing else, have the Gates beat some other teams to make you think this time might be different, rather than giving them one win and then setting up the title shot.

Post match here is MJF to say he knows how great he is and praise the Hurt Syndicate. Well maybe not MVP. MJF has some, ahem, talent in the back so he brings them out to meet the Syndicate. The rather attractive women have Benjamin’s attention but he needs a little more time to make his decision. By that he means the watch off MJF’s wrist, but that’s not enough to get Benjamin’s acceptance. MJF likes the idea and is willing to offer something else. As for Lashley, MJF is just better than him and he knows it.

Post break Benjamin and Lashley agree to have a nice night with the ladies.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament Semifinals: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Will Ospreay

Don Callis is on commentary as they fight over wrist control to start. Takeshita knocks him down but gets caught in an armdrag. A pop up hurricanrana drops Takeshita and a slingshot hilo makes it worse. Takeshita cuts off a springboard though and hits a release F5, followed by a basement dropkick to the floor. The big running flip dive connects on Ospreay and we take a break.

Back with Ospreay knocking him down, setting up a Phenomenal Forearm for two. A hard clothesline drops Ospreay and some t-bone suplexes put him down again. Ospreay catches him on top though and it’s a super Stundog Millionaire to bring Takeshita back down. An Oscutter connects on the ramp and after countering a Blue Thunder Bomb, another Oscutter gives Ospreay two. The Stormbreaker is countered and Takeshita German suplexes him into a rollup for two more.

They slug it out with Takeshita getting the better of things with a big forearm. Raging Fire is broken up but Takeshita drops to the mat to avoid the Hidden Blade. The Blue Thunder Bomb gives Takeshita two and he forearms Ospreay out of the air. Ospreay’s running forearm gets one but the Hidden Blade is blocked. A wheelbarrow piledriver into a wheelbarrow suplex gets drops Takeshita but he’s back with his own Hidden Blade.

Ospreay cuts him off again and they go up top, where Takeshita hits a hard clothesline, only for Ospreay to backflip onto his feet. Now the Hidden Blade connects for two on Takeshita, whose Raging Fire is countered into a hurricanrana into a Styles Clash to give Ospreay two more. Back up and Takeshita hits a running knee, only to charge into the Stormbreaker to give Ospreay the pin at 21:33.

Rating: A-. Yeah this was about as exciting of a match as you’re going to get on free TV and it was good stuff throughout, with both of them just going nuts and leaving it in the ring. Takeshita has been built up as a force in AEW so Osprey getting to beat him is a big deal. Awesome stuff here, with some of those sequences at the end being pretty breathtaking.

Trios Titles: Death Riders vs. Opps

The Riders are defending (with Jon Moxley replacing the injured Pac) but Hook is injured as well. The Opps have a replacement of their own though with….Powerhouse Hobbs getting the spot. It’s a brawl to start (shocking I know) and Hobbs takes over on Yuta in the corner. Moxley comes in for a save but runs away from Hobbs, who plants Yuta with a powerslam.

It’s off to Joe, who hammers Yuta down in the corner before Shibata comes in to chop away. Shibata is sent outside though and gets dropped by Castagnoli, who comes in as we take a break. Back with Shibata still in trouble but not being able to fight out of the corner. Shibata fights out on the second attempt and brings in Joe to clean house. Moxley grabs a chair but here is Willow Nightingale to take it away.

Everything breaks down and Joe drops Moxley with a clothesline so here are the Young Bucks. Cue Swerve Strickland to cut them off as Shibata chokes Castagnoli on the ramp. Yuta breaks up the MuscleBuster to Moxley and gets planted on the announcers’ table for his efforts. Marina Shafir chairs Hobbs but gets taken down by Nightingale. Back in and Joe pulls Moxley into the Koquina Clutch for the win and the titles at 13:52.

Rating: B-. Good action here, with the title change being almost necessary after Pac’s injury. That being said, it wouldn’t stun me if the Opps were going to win the titles the whole time, as they have been built up for a good while now. This was the big feel good moment to wrap up the night and it made for a good win, with the Death Riders FINALLY losing something important.

Some wrestlers come out with champagne to celebrate the title change to end the show.

Overall Rating: A. Yeah this was a pretty outstanding show, with a string of pay per view quality matches. Even the worst match on the show was a perfectly acceptable Tag Team Title match which suffered more from the lack of drama than anything else. It felt like they were going for a major show here and it worked very well, with one of the better Dynamites I can remember seeing. Check this out if you have the time, as it’s going to be a hard mark to beat this weekend.

Results
Mercedes Mone b. Athena – Rollup with tights
Hangman Page b. Josh Alexander – Small package
Hurt Syndicate b. Gates Of Agony – Spear to Kaun
Will Ospreay b. Konosuke Takeshita – Stormbreaker
Opps b. Death Riders – Koquina Clutch to Moxley

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