AEW Dynamite
May 7, 2025
By: John Siino
Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, Michigan
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
RESULTS:
- AEW Women’s World Title Eliminator: Toni Storm over Penelope Ford, Anna Jay, Thunder Rosa via submission (10:52)
- ROH World Television Title: Nick Wayne (c) over Rhino via pinfall (3:22)
- Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson & Ricochet over Swerve Strickland, Mark Briscoe & Mike Bailey via pinfall (14:15) (RECOMMENDED)
- AEW Continental Title Eliminator: Kazuchika Okada over Kevin Knight via pinfall (9:35)
- Samoa Joe over Claudio Castagnoli via pinfall (10:42)
Hangman Meets The Aerial Assassin
AEW Dynamite starts with Sum 41’s ‘You Wanted War’ as the new theme song, as ‘Hangman’ Adam Page makes his way to the ring. Page wonders why anyone would cheer for him, as the crowd here in this beautiful Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit does indeed start chanting. Page talks about not being able to find closure and unleashing that on anyone who got in his way, but that tore down anyone around him. He starts addressing Swerve Strickland, saying he won’t forget what Swerve did to him and won’t forgive him, but he will have to put it behind him. He made that decision when entering the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, and talks about defeating Josh Alexander & Kyle Fletcher, with Fletcher being in front of his family. Page says that at Double or Nothing, if he gets a chance at the AEW World Championship, he will wrestle Will Ospreay, which prompts Ospreay to make his way out. The crowd gives Ospreay a happy birthday chant as he stands face-to-face with Page. Ospreay says, despite all the promotions they shared, this is the first time they have spoken to each other. Ospreay speaks about one of his favorite moments, which was when Page took the Dark Order and showed them leadership and what it takes to be a cowboy before he then became AEW World Champion. Ospreay brings up seeing something from Page, we haven’t seen in a long time, when Page smiled again. Ospreay brings up Hangman tearing this place apart with Jeff Jarrett, Christopher Daniels & Swerve before Ospreay saying that it was him doing media, meet and greets, and taking photos with families. Ospreay says this isn’t about Page, but about him, as we then see The Don Callis Family standing on the ramp.
Don Callis says Ospreay shows him every day how stupid he is, and the stupidest day of his life is when he left The Don Callis Family. And asks if he even knows what that is standing next to him in the ring, calling him a violent, mentally unstable sociopath who put his mentor into a retirement home. Ospreay tells Callis to bring two of his guys down to the ring right now, as Page grabs his arm and tries to stop him. Callis says the two can’t even get through a segment in the ring without killing each other, so he agrees and says he’ll take two of his guys to face them if Page doesn’t have another mental breakdown before next week.
Snake in the Grass
As commentary is running down tonight’s line-up, they get interrupted by FTR & Stokely. Stokely asks Tony Schiavone if he has an issue with FTR and brings up how they issued him and Nigel McGuinness an apology. Despite that, week after week, Schiavone has something negative to say about FTR & Stokely and called Stokely a ‘snake in the grass’ on this past Collision. Stokely calls Schiavone a pale pasty piece of shit, but Schiavone stands up and tells Stokely that’s enough before he gets pushed down. Schiavone gets back up, but FTR tells him to relax before they start addressing Daniel Garcia. Cash Wheeler said they saw themselves as father figures to Garcia, but he turned his back on them, and they will hurt him ’emotionally’ tomorrow on Collision. Dax Harwood then told Schiavone that they will see Nigel tomorrow night.
Tenacity & Aggression
We see Harley Cameron giving Anna Jay words of encouragement before tonight’s match, as Jay asks if she has her ‘fat ass’ like she did last week. Harley says they have T&A and says it’s tenacity & aggression, before Harley also says it’s ‘tits & ass’ as they make their way to the ring.
AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Four Way Match: Toni Storm vs. Thunder Rosa vs. Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay
Right away, Anna Jay starts attacking Penelope Ford in the corner and takes her outside before Toni Storm & Thunder Rosa go at it with Rosa hitting her with a dropkick against the bottom rope for a two-count that Ford breaks up, before she hits her dropkick that Jay then breaks up the count for. Ford takes out Jay & Storm with a moonsault on the outside before Rosa splashes on them with a tornado as we head to break. (Sii-note: There was a random graphic of a red spider that appeared on the top left corner during this match. This looks to be for the ‘Toxic Spider’ Thekla coming soon to AEW.)
When we return, Tony Schiavone says that Nick Wayne will defend the ROH World Television Championship against someone from Christian Cage’s past. (Sii-note: It would have been a nicer surprise if AEW itself hadn’t advertised that Rhino would be on these shows.) Megan Bayne enters the ring and takes advantage of the no disqualification and starts attacking Rosa & Storm, as Paul Turner tries his best ‘get out of the ring!’ direction at her. Bayne and Jay start going at it before Ford gets involved as Bayne takes out Jay with a sit-out power bomb. Harley Cameron makes her way out with a lead pipe, clotheslining Bayne to the outside, and starts attacking her with the pipe. Back inside, Ford has an Indian Deathlock on Jay, but Storm breaks it up before putting on the TCM Chicken Wing on Ford to make her tap out.
Winner: Toni Storm by submission at 10:52
Storm & Rosa embrace after the match.
MJF Hurts People
CRU makes their way through the crowd, as The Hurt Syndicate makes their way down to the ring. MVP brings up how this is AEW, where the best wrestle and questions where the best tag teams are to come up and step up to them to try and take the tag titles from them. Top Flight makes their way out, as Darius Martin says they’ve been down on their luck lately, which is why they can’t look at this challenge as an opportunity, and says CRU is afraid to step up because The Hurt Syndicate hurt people. Darius says they’ve been hurt before, but they get up every single time. Dante Martin says they are the underdogs, but they have proven before that they can hang in there, and asks Motor City if they want to see a miracle. MJF runs down in street clothes and takes out Top Flight. MJF continues on the attack and busts Darius’ forehead up before powerbombing him onto the apron. MJF enters the ring and asks for the mic as the crowd chants ‘three thumbs up’. MJF says, ‘I hurt people,’ as Bobby Lashley says he’ll have an answer for him next week.
Good Knight, Bitch
We go to The Elite in the back, as Nicholas Jackson yells at the commentary for more enthusiasm as they pitch to the Founding Fathers of AEW. Kazuchika Okada tells Kevin Knight to have a good night, bitch, before Ricochet enters the picture. Matthew Jackson asks why he was so eager to team up with them, as Ricochet says they have a Swerve problem and he knows how to beat them, as well as Mike Bailey & Mark Briscoe, and if they follow his lead, he will lead them to victory. The Young Bucks enter The Elite’s locker room to find the Death Riders sitting in the dark.
ROH World Television Championship: Nick Wayne (c) (w/ Christian Cage, Mother Wayne & Kip Sabian) vs. Rhino
As I predicted, Rhino came out as Nick Wayne’s challenger to a big pop here in his hometown of Detroit. Right away, Rhino sends Wayne to the outside, where he goes to regroup with The Patriarchy. Wayne comes back with an attack on Rhino in the corner, as the crowd starts chanting for Rhino. Kip Sabian gets on the apron to distract the referee as Christian Cage swipes at Rhino’s leg, but it has no effect as Rhino hits a spinebuster for a two-count. Wayne comes back with the Killswitch to get the quick pin.
Winner: Nick Wayne by pinfall at 3:22, to retain
Christian takes the title from Wayne, before wrapping it around his waist. Christian keeps holding and looking at the title before dropping it in front of Wayne and leaving him and his mother in the ring.
We go to Rush in the back, who says that Kevin Knight cost him $100,000, and now he owes him that money and will pay him in blood.
Mark Briscoe, Mike Bailey & Swerve Strickland (w/ Prince Nana) vs. Ricochet & The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson)
Swerve Strickland wants to start the match with Ricochet, who looks to tag out, but The Young Bucks aren’t having it as Swerve stomps Ricochet down in the corner. All six men enter the ring as Ricochet & the Bucks take control, hitting sentons from the ropes before posing to the crowd. This celebration doesn’t last long as the faces send them outside. Mike Bailey starts targeting Ricochet, hitting him with a moonsault as Mark Briscoe & Swerve hit dives to the Bucks on the outside at the same time. The Bucks take control, attacking Bailey, before Ricochet hits him with a 450 splash as we head to break.
We return as Bailey heads to the top to attack Matthew Jackson, but Nicholas Jackson tries to stop him, just for Bailey to knock the Bucks into each other. Bailey goes for a Shooting Star Press on Matthew, but misses. All six men go at it next with Swerve hitting a House Call on Matthew before all six men are laid out, and the crowd erupts. Swerve gains the momentum next, going after everyone, before the faces start triple-teaming on Matthew, with Briscoe hitting the Froggy Boy on Matthew as Swerve goes for the pin, just for Nicholas to break it up. During all this action, Matthew rolls up Swere with an inside cradle to pick up the win.
Winners: The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) & Ricochet via pinfall at 14:15
On Another Level With The Devil
Renee Paquette is in the back with Will Ospreay and brings up how he will be teaming with Adam Page to take on The Don Callis Family next week, but before he can comment on that, MJF interrupts and plugs his diamond ring being sold on Shop AEW. Osperay asks MJF what he wants, as MJF says he’s a fan and wants him to win the entire Owen Hart Foundation Tournament and win ‘his’ AEW World Championship at All In, so it’ll be easy to take it from him. Ospreay says if it was so, why was MJF not in the tournament, and says it was fear that Ospreay would beat him again, just like he did at Wembley. MJF says he hopes they wrestle again, and if they do, Ospreay will find out that nobody is on the level of the devil, but Ospreay says he’s wrong, because he is on another level.
Mercedes Interrupts Hayter
After the break, Renee is sitting down with Jamie Hayter and brings up how she’ll be facing Mercedes Mone at the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament finals at Double or Nothing, and asks her what it means to her. Hayter says it means more to her than it does to Mercedes and says she’ll be damned if Owen Hart’s legacy will be represented by Mercedes. Hayter says she wants to get to know the human behind the name, not the egotistical, obnoxious woman we know today. Hayter laughs and says she’s insulted that Mercedes said Hayter reminds her of herself, and says that Mone runs from her like she owes her money. She doesn’t have her star power, but what she does have is integrity, grit, truth, and more of a reason to hurt Mercedes. This isn’t about gold or glory, but showing her that she isn’t untouchable and she can’t walk around here, do what she wants, and say what she wants like she’s the second coming. Renee asks about her back injury, but Hayter says it’s irrelevant and she’s good to go. Mercedes enters the frame and starts attacking Hayter, before Hayter chases her out from the back as they make their way onto the box seats. Mercedes escapes from a Hayterade attempt and runs to the back. As Hayter’s music plays and she starts talking into the camera, Mercedes attacks her from the back and puts on the Statement Maker.
Willow Challenges Statlander
Alicia Atout is in the back with Willow Nightingale and brings up her issues with the Death Riders. Willow says she’s not alone as the list who want revenge is getting longer and longer. Kris Statlander steps in and says if Willow doesn’t want to talk in the back, they can do it here so everyone can see. Willow says that Statlander is disappointed that she didn’t win the Owen, just like she didn’t win it last year, and says if she wants to face off in the ring, they can do it tomorrow, as the match is made for Collision.
Kazuchika Okada makes his way down to the ring for the AEW Continental Championship Eliminator Match with Kevin Knight, but as Knight makes his way down, he gets attacked from behind by Rush, who is with Dralistico. Mike Bailey runs out to take out Dralistico and chase away Rush. It looks like the match is called off, but Knight tells Aubrey Edwards that he still wants to do this, as Aubrey sends Bailey to the back before it can start.
AEW Continental Championship Eliminator Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kevin Knight
Kazuchika Okada goes right after Kevin Knight at the start and hits a DDT for a two-count, before dropping him flat on his face for another two. Knight escapes from a Tombstone attempt and starts attacking away at Okada, before Okada places Knight on the top rope and dropkicks him off to the outside as we head to break.
We come back, as Knight is in control before getting caught right into a neckbreaker by Okada. Okada follows with the top rope elbow drop before throwing up the middle finger. Knight dodges a Rainmaker attempt and goes for a couple of pin attempts for two before taking down Okada with a back flip kick. Knight tries a UFO Splash, but Okada gets his knees up and misses a dropkick. Knight hits his dropkick, but as he jumps off the top rope, he gets stopped with a dropkick and hit with The Rainmaker as Okada picks up the win.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada by pinfall at 9:35
After the match, Okada hits two more Rainmakers, but as he’s about to hit a third one, Mike Bailey runs out to chase him away.
We go to The Don Callis Family, as Don Callis calls out The Outrunners and tells them to find a couple of partners, so they take them on.
Alicia Atout tries to get a word with The Hurt Syndicate in the back, but Bobby Lashley’s legal counsel, Mr. Harrison Landau who advises him to save his answer for next week.
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Samoa Joe
They go at first hard at the start, as Samoa Joe sends Claudio Castagnoli to the outside and starts whipping him against the barricades. Claudio tries to come back with a running uppercut but gets stopped with a uranage on the floor before hitting Claudio with a running boot. They enter the ring and start trading chops before Joe places Claudio on the top rope, but Claudio gauges his eyes and attacks his arm as we head to break. (Sii-note: This is their fifth one-on-one encounter, with the last one happening at the 2019 WWE King of the Ring. Joe has won all four previous matches, with two in ROH and two in WWE.)
When we return, Claudio is in control, going for pins before calling for the Giant Swing, but Joe kicks him off and immediately puts on the Coquina Clutch as Claudio taps out right away.
Winner: Samoa Joe by submission at 10:42
As soon as the match ends, Wheeler Yuta, Marina Shafir & Jon Moxley make their way down ringside, but Powerhouse Hobbs, with a chair, joins Joe in the ring. Hobbs attacks Claudio with the chair, before the crowd asks for one more time, as the Death Riders don’t budge. Joe then sets up a chair and drops Claudio’s ribs first onto the chair as the show goes off the air.
Collision Line-Up
- Daniel Garcia vs. a member of FTR
- Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale
- Mike Bailey vs. Dralistico
- Anthony Bowens vs. Lee Johnson
Dynamite ‘Beach Break’ Line-Up
- Will Ospreay & Adam Page vs. Konosuke Takeshita & Josh Alexander
- AEW World Title Steel Cage: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Samoa Joe
