AEW Dynamite – “Spring BreakThru”
April 16, 2025
By: John Siino
MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston, Massachusetts
Commentary: Excalibur & Tony Schiavone
RESULTS
- Owen Hart Foundation: Mercedes Mone over Athena via pinfall (21:12) (RECOMMENDED)
- Owen Hart Foundation: Adam Page over Josh Alexander via pinfall (13:03)
- AEW World Tag Team Title: Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin (c) over Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona via pinfall (9:13)
- Owen Hart Foundation: Will Ospreay over Konosuke Takeshita via pinfall (21:43) (RECOMMENDED)
- AEW World Trios Title: Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata & Powerhouse Hobbs over Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeeler Yuta (c) via referee stoppage to become NEW champions (13:56)
Excalibur opens the show by saying that the Death Riders have taken out Hook off-camera earlier tonight, but regardless, The Opps will challenge for the titles tonight. Taz is off commentary as a result, as it’s just Excalibur & Tony Schiavone on the call. (Sii-note: No explanation so far on how the Death Riders are able to use the ‘Freebird’ rule, while Christopher Daniels forced the Bang Bang Gang to vacate these same titles due to an injury just last July.)
Record-breaking show as this surpasses the number of episodes that aired for WCW Monday Nitro on the Turner Networks (Sii-note: Reasoning for the overall ‘Turner Networks’ line being that Nitro stayed on TNT, while Dynamite went from TNT to TBS.)
Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament Semi-Final Match: Mercedes Mone vs. Athena
Despite both competitors entering the ring with six title belts between them, none are on the line as the winner of this goes to Double or Nothing on May 25th to compete in the finals against whoever wins between Kris Statlander & Jamie Hayter, with a whole lot of time in between. This is Athena’s first match on Dynamite since October 2022. Great reaction for both wrestlers, with Mone getting a bit of an edge being in her hometown. ‘Holy Shit’ chant for this first-time one-on-one encounter between these two, even in their previous personas of Sasha Banks & Ember Moon in WWE. Right away, they lock up and brawl out of the ring and up the ramp, before making their way back inside, while still locking up. They continue trading pin attempts and takedowns as Schiavone mentions this being the 2000th match refereed by Aubrey Edwards. Wow. Mercedes puts on the Statement Maker as they roll to the outside, with her keeping it on. Mercedes traps Athena on the apron and tries to hit her with a stomp, but Athena avoids it and knocks Mercedes to the outside as we head to our first break.
When we come back, Athena catches Mercedes off the ropes and tries a Tombstone, but Mercedes reverses it. They do it two more times before Athena lands the Lungblower instead. Mercedes comes back with a DDT off the ropes, followed by another one with rotations to get a two-count. Mercedes hits the Three Amigos, tries a fourth one, but Athena reverses it with three power bombs, before she’s stopped with a backbreaker from Mercedes. We get dueling ‘Fallen Goddess’ and ‘CEO’ chants. They go back and forth on the apron for a while before Athena stops that with repeated stomps to Mercedes, followed by a power slam for a two-count. They start trading crossfaces, before Athena drops Mercedes onto her knees as Mercedes rolls to the outside to avoid the pin. As Athena follows her, Mercedes sends her viciously into the barricade right next to another Don Callis impersonator (Sii-note: Fourth week in a row for these impersonators, you would think something is up). After fighting on the barricade, Athena launches Mercedes into the barricade, making it all wonky. Athena tries the O-Face when they enter back, but Mercedes reverses it and rolls up Athena for the pin, giving Athena her first singles loss in almost 2 years, with the last one being against Willow Nightingale in July 2023.
Winner: Mercedes Mone by pinfall at 21:12, to advance
As soon as the match is over, we hear the music of Toni Storm as she and Luther are up in the crowd, clapping for Mercedes, who waves back.
Smile… Bitch
Renee Paquette tries to get a word with ‘Hangman’ Adam Page about how he’s preparing for the wild card opponent, but he gets interrupted by The Young Bucks & Kazuchika Okada who say they can fix the issue he has with the Death Riders, calling them crazy but says he thinks they can get them on their side. They tell Page to worry about the Owen Hart Foundation and bring the AEW World Title back to The Elite. Okada asks Page why he’s always hungry and tells him to smile. As Page walks away, Okada says ‘Bitch’, causing Page to come back, but Okada says he just said ‘smile’.
We see Tuukka Rask from the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions Boston Bruins.
Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Quarter Final Match: Adam Page vs. Josh Alexander
Josh Alexander makes his AEW debut as the surprise ‘Wild Card’, using the same theme song he was using in TNA and the indies. Alexander gains the upper hand in the first couple of minutes, before taking Adam Page into the corner and ropes with chops, but Page stops that with a fall-away slam. Page knocks Alexander off the apron and tries to dive onto him, but gets caught and is sent face-first onto the apron. Alexander gets trapped on top of the barricade, as Page goes all the way to the top of the ramp before running off and leaping with a fantastic-looking clothesline that takes us into a break. (Sii-note: These two previously shared the ring at ROH All Star Extravaganza VI – September 2014 in Toronto at the former Maple Leaf Gardens in a four-corner survival tag match)
When we return, they test each other with clotheslines before Page knocks him down with a rolling lariat. Page hits a moonsault to the outside and stays in control as the crowd is dueling ‘Walking Weapon / Cowboy shit’ chants. Alexander catches Page into an Airplane spin drop before hooking on the Ankle Lock, but Page breaks out of it with an Enziguri, before hitting a Tombstone for a two-count. Page teases the Buckshot Lariat, but Alexander escapes to the apron where he drives Page down onto it, before hitting his crossbody through the ropes, sending Page to the outside. Back inside, they go back-and-forth before Page hooks on a small package to get the pin and the win, and will face Kyle Fletcher in the Semi-Finals.
Winner: Adam Page by pinfall at 13:03, to advance
As soon as the match ends, Don Callis & Kyle Fletcher make their way down to the ring as Fletcher & Page start going at it. As Page goes for the Buckshot Lariat, Callis whispers something in Alexander’s ear, prompting him to enter the ring, attacking Page and hitting a power bomb. Alexander leaves, as Fletcher re-enters and hits Page with a Brainbuster.
Daddy’s Home
We go to Nick Wayne, Kip Sabian & Mother Wayne in the back, who talk about the father in Christian Cage disappearing, just to see Christian show up behind them and say that ‘Daddy’s home’. Christian says he’s been watching from afar and tells Wayne to say it to his face about not sticking to the plan. Wayne says he did because Christian couldn’t deal with the fact that Cope could have won the AEW World Title before him. Christian says he likes the fire lit under Wayne and says he’s impressed with what he did while he was away, and he got Wayne something and says he’s the one who got him a spot in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament. Christian says he will keep him very busy until then, and it starts tomorrow when Wayne faces off against Komander for the ROH World Television Championship, and tells him that he will win that title by himself and bring it to The Patriarchy. He ends by saying that Wayne wouldn’t let his father down, slaps him, and walks away.
They show highlights of what FTR did to Tony Schiavone on Collision, before Schiavone says they have been suspended and fined for their actions for one week.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (c) vs. Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
MVP goes and joins the commentary team for this match, and right away, Toa Liona knocks Bobby Lashley to the outside before starting the match with Shelton Benjamin. Liona & Bishop Kaun take turns attacking Benjamin in the corner before Lashley gets the tag and sends Kaun to the outside, ramming him into the barricade as we head to break.
When we return, Liona takes Benjamin down with a Samoan Drop and a Senton, but Lashley enters to break up the pin attempt. Lashley attempts the Hurt Lock, but gets sent to the outside, where Liona launches him into the barricade. Back inside, Kaun goes after Benjamin, but he stops him with a thrust kick followed by a release German Suplex. Benjamin hits another one on Kaun before sending Liona to the outside, where he gets taken out with a big spear from Lashley. Lashley & Benjamin work on Kaun as Lashley hits him with another spear to get the pin and the win.
Winners: The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) by pinfall at 9:13, to retain
Watches & Women
As soon as the match is over, MJF’s music hits as he enters the ring and tells the crowd to give it up for The Hurt Syndicate. MJF then says that some of us are ‘slow learners’, which makes Lashley think that he was talking about him as MJF tells him he ‘didn’t say anyone’s name’. MJF says he has some talent in the back and brings out seven women to the ring for The Hurt Syndicate (Sii-note: One of these ladies is independent wrestler Notorious Mimi, formerly of NXT as Sloane Jacobs). MJF says they can have a good time with these ladies as long as they give him three thumbs up. MVP gives a thumbs up, as Benjamin says he thinks he’s going to need some more time, pointing to his wrist as MJF asks if he wants the watch off his wrist. MJF says he will give it to him as long as Benjamin gives him a thumbs up, but Benjamin ultimately gives a thumbs down. MJF respects that, but says that he thinks that he’s growing on Benjamin, and as a token of his appreciation, he gives him the watch and the ladies tonight. He ends that when he does join The Hurt Syndicate, there will be plenty more watches and women where that came from, and as far as ‘Bob’ goes, he respects him for being the ‘Almighty’, but MJF is known for getting what he wants.
When we return, Alicia Atout catches up with The Hurt Syndicate as MVP excuses the women. Bobby Lashley says they can’t trust MJF, as MVP says that a personal reaction, but this is business and business-wise they can use MJF to get what they want, so all he’s asking is for Lashley to ease up and the moment he gets out of line, they can ‘hurt’ him. Shelton Benjamin begs for them to leave with the ladies now, which they do.
Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Semi-Final Match: Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita
Don Callis stares down the impersonator before he goes to join commentary as Schiavone announces there are limited commercial interruptions for this match. Callis starts hyping up how it’s going to be an all-Don Callis Family finals, as Will Ospreay & Konosuke Takeshita take it slow for the first couple of minutes. They ask what Callis said to Josh Alexander earlier, and he tells them he was ‘speaking Canadian’ and they wouldn’t understand. Ospreay & Takeshita start running the ropes before Ospreay gains the upper hand as the crowd starts chanting ‘Bruv’ at him. Takeshita comes back with a leaping lariat before sending Ospreay to the outside, where he dives onto him as we head to break.
We come back as Schiavone says, ‘no more breaks!’ for this match, as Ospreay hits a springboard elbow for a two-count. Takeshita heads to the top rope, where Ospreay joins him and reverses Takeshita into a Stundog Millionaire, followed by an Os Cutter on the outside onto the ramp. Back inside, Ospreay hits a missile dropkick followed by a Sky Twister for two. Ospreay hits another Os Cutter, but Takeshita kicks out at two. They go back and forth with pin attempts, with Takeshita coming extremely close on the last one. Ospreay fires up with some boots, but gets taken down hard by a big shot from Takeshita. Taeshita calls for Raging Fire, but Ospreay escapes and hits a flurry of kicks, but when he tries the Hidden Blade, Takeshita collapses. Takeshita comes right back with a Blue Thunder Bomb. They exchange crazy fast offense and one-count pin attempts before Ospreay hits a wheelbarrow and German Suplex, as Takeshita hits Ospreay with a Hidden Blade. They both beat the 10-count, before Takeshita goes to the top rope with Ospreay slipping a bit before he joins him. Takeshita hits him with a top rope Lariat, but Ospreay lands on his feet and hits a Hidden Blade, only getting a two. More back-and-forth before Ospreay hits a Styles Clash for two. Ospreay catches Takeshita off the ropes, right into the Storm Breaker to pick up the pin and the win, and will head to the finals at Double or Nothing against the winner of Kyle Fletcher & Adam Page.
Winner: Will Ospreay by pinfall at 21:43, to advance
Tony Schiavone seems to be going to sign off the show before Excalibur reminds him that it’s not quite over yet.
AEW World Trios Championship: Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) (c) (w/ Marina Shafir) vs. The Opps (Samoa Joe & Katsuyori Shibata) & Powerhouse Hobbs
The Death Riders start their entrance from outside the venue, before making their way through the crowd and into the ring. Samoa Joe & Katsuyori Shibata of The Opps come out by themselves, before it’s revealed that Powerhouse Hobbs will be their partner in this match. All six men go at it in and out of the ring as the match starts. Jon Moxley tries to stop Hobbs from attacking Wheeler Yuta in the corner, only to run to the outside as Yuta bravely tries to attack Hobbs from behind. Joe tags in next and attacks Yuta in the corner before Shibata has next. Shibata gains the upper hand and tags out to Moxley, who stays in control heading to break as we are past the top of the hour.
When we return, we see Marina attack Hobbs from behind on the outside. Shibata & Claudio Castagnoli trade uppercuts before Shibata can make the hot tag to Joe, who hits a power slam on Yuta that Moxley breaks up. Moxley grabs a chair from under the ring, but before he can use it, Willow Nightingale runs out and takes it away from him. Everybody goes at it now, hitting moves including a big clothesline from Joe that knocks him and Moxley down. The Young Bucks start making their way down to the ring now and grab chairs, but Swerve Strickland shows up from the crowd and takes them both out. Back to the ring as Shibata takes Claudio to the outside with a Sleeper and a PK, as Joe goes for a Muscle Buster on Moxley that Yuta breaks up. Hobbs catches Yuta on the outside and slams him onto the commentary table, but Marina takes him out from behind with a chair. Willow takes out Marina, as Joe puts the Coquina Clutch on Moxley, before the referee calls the match off.
Winners: Powerhouse Hobbs & The Opps (Samoa Joe & Katsuyori Shibata) by referee stoppage at 13:56, to become NEW AEW World Trios Champions
Will Ospreay and other babyfaces from the AEW roster come out to celebrate with the new champions.
Collision ‘Spring BreakThru’ Line-Up
- ROH World Television Title: Komander (c) vs. Nick Wayne
- Mercedes Mone & Harley Cameron vs. Julia Hart & Kris Statlander (with Toni Storm on commentary)
- Adam Cole TNT Championship open challenge
