AEW Dynamite
March 12, 2025
By: John Siino
Save Mart Center in Fresno, California
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
RESULTS
- Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata & Hook over Vinny Pacifico, Gabriel Aeros & Eli Theseus via pinfall (2:17)
- Powerhouse Hobbs & Hologram over Brian Cage & Dralistico via pinfall (10:39)
- AEW International Title Dynasty Eliminator Tournament: Mike Bailey over The Beast Mortos via pinfall (10:57) (RECOMMENDED)
- Konosuke Takeshita over Max Caster via pinfall (1:30)
- Willow Nightingale over Penelope Ford via pinfall (8:39)
- AEW International Title Dynasty Eliminator Tournament: Orange Cassidy over Hechicero via pinfall (10:09)
The New International Champion
The show starts with the new AEW International Champion Kenny Omega making his way to the ring. Omega says before 2025 he was more than happy to say he was cleared and could try to do this again. Not only is he back, but he won a singles title. He goes on to thank Konosuke Takeshita for pushing him harder at the Pay-Per-View than he could push himself, and if it weren’t for him forcing him to drag him to that place where he needed to be to stand amongst the top of AEW, he wouldn’t have that belt. Takeshita made this belt truly an International Champion, so when Tony Khan said he had an idea for the Dynasty Eliminator Tournament, he thought it was a great idea because he wanted whoever had this belt to legitimately call themselves the best on the planet. He wants to face the best, no matter what country they are from and he will be watching closely.
As Omega is leaving he bumps into The Opps, with Katsuyori Shibata (who is in this Eliminator Tournament) having a staredown with Omega.
The Opps (Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata & Hook) vs. Vinny Pacifico, Gabriel Aeros & Eli Theseus
Right away, Samoa Joe starts to chop and attack before making the quick tag to Hook. Vinny Pacifico tries his best but gets taken down as Katsuyori Shibata tags in and attacks Pacifico in the corner, as the crowd is behind Shibata. Shibata quickly puts him out of his misery with the PK to get the easy win.
Winners: The Opps (Katsuyori Shibata, Samoa Joe & Hook) by pinfall at 2:17
Quest For Gold Not Over
We go to Ricochet in the back who says that just because he got screwed at Revolution, it doesn’t mean his quest for championship gold is over. He said he didn’t want that ‘ugly ass robe’ anyway and admits the International Championship looks pretty but would look better around his waist. He knows what Shibata is capable of, so he’s giving him the option to give up and forfeit and if he shows up at Collision this Saturday he’s afraid of what might happen to Shibata. It’s still Ricochet’s time and that’s a promise.
Mox vs. Cope II – Street Fight
They announce that on next week’s Dynamite, Jon Moxley will defend the AEW World Championship against Cope in a Street Fight with the winner of that taking on Swerve Strickland at Dynasty on April 6th.
We see footage of Swerve after Revolution where someone asks him when he wants to challenge for the AEW World Championship. Swerve says absolutely, as he won the title for the first time at last year’s Dynasty and this year he will do the same thing. Cope walks in and says he didn’t lose at Revolution and there’s a chance he could be facing Swerve at Dynasty.
We go to Jon Moxley in the back who says he got the winning shot at Revolution, but he should have put him on ice before Christian Cage got involved, and he underestimated Adam Copeland. He said Cope was hurt, but he didn’t care as he kept coming forward and whatever he’s made of, is rare and he admires that. If Cope wants to complain about the rules, he can take all the rules and call it a Street Fight, or whatever looks cool on a poster. His dad always told him to measure twice and cut once, and he underestimated the depth of Cope’s resolve and toughness. There’s a reason why he’s the World Champion, and the difference between him and amateurs is that he never makes the same mistake twice.
Hologram & Powerhouse Hobbs (w/ Harley Cameron) vs. Brian Cage & Dralistico (w/ The Beast Mortos)
Harley Cameron comes out by Hologram’s side in her Harleygram persona. They start the match right away, with Powerhouse Hobbs & Brian Cage fighting on the outside as Dralistico and Hologram go at it in the ring. Dralistico goes to rip off Hologram’s mask, earning himself boos from the Fresno crowd. Hologram sends both Dralistico and Cage to the outside and tries a dive, but gets caught by Cage right into a vertical suplex. Cage stays in control as we head to commercials.
We come back as ‘Harleygram’ is protecting Hologram from getting attacked by The Beast Mortos, by dancing for him which seems to work as Mortos is conflicted on what to do. Cage & Hobbs start having a ‘meat-off’. Hologram & Dralistico get involved until Cage catches Hologram and powerbombs him into Hobbs. Cage suplexes Hobbs into the ring, before Dralistico has a bit of miscommunication with Hobbs after with their sequence. They all start fighting on the apron for a bit where Hologram flips off of Hobbs’s chest to Cage on the outside. Hobbs & Dralistico fight in the corner for a bit before Hobbs catches him into a spinebuster to get the pin and the win.
Winners: Powerhouse Hobbs & Hologram by pinfall at 10:39
Lance Archer & Mark Davis make their way down to the ring and start trading words with Hobbs.
The Chill Syndicate
We see footage from Revolution where Alicia Atout asks The Hurt Syndicate what’s next for them after their win over The Outrunners. MVP says nobody works harder than them as they are already asking whose ass they are going to beat next. MVP calls them the baddest but now they are going to chill and are going to enjoy sun and fun and take a week off, and will take care of business next week. Shelton Benjamin says they will take time off but still hit the gym. MVP says The Hurt Syndicate is the most dominant faction in wrestling today and they want to hurt people.
The Tramp Is Still The Champ
We see a video package showcasing the history of Toni Storm & Mariah May as well as their Hollywood Ending from Revolution. Storm makes her way to the stage and says with stitches in her lip, staples in her head, and glass in her ass, she stands before you to tell you that this tramp is still the champ. This past Sunday, it was her Hollywood Ending and a chunk of her heart would be gone forever but when she looked at the title, it was well worth it. Now it’s time for a new beginning and it is her honor to be your AEW Women’s World Champion because this is the most talented locker room in all of professional wrestling. They have so many different champions and say the other world title is in a briefcase, we have forever champions and belt collectors but when you fight with her, it’s like visiting the zoo; she bleeds like a pig, licks like a giraffe and she will eat you like a lion. She promises you will never hear her meow because she is no pussy and nobody swings like Toni Storm so ladies put your keys in the bowl and let’s get this orgy started. It will be messy and it will be sweaty, but it will always be Timeless. As her music hits, she gets attacked from behind by Megan Bayne.
AEW International Championship Dynasty Eliminator Tournament First Round Match: The Beast Mortos vs. Mike Bailey
The Beast Mortos is in the ring to face his mystery ‘wild card’ opponent who ends up being ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey who comes out with a new theme with some resemblance to the beginning of ‘Brass Monkey’ by Beastie Boys. A battle of former IMPACT Wrestling alumni with this opening round match. They take it to the outside pretty quickly where Mortos gains the upper hand. Bailey comes back with kicks to Mortis against the barricade before they take it back inside where Bailey sends Mortos back outside and meets him with a cannonball dive as we head to commercial.
When we come back, Bailey catches Mortos off the corner into a Liger Bomb for a two-count. Bailey heads to the top rope but misses a Shooting Star Press and is caught into a pop-up Samoan Drop for a two from Mortos. Mortos now heads to the top, but Bailey stops him just to get press slammed off as Mortos gets another two. Mortos follows with a backbreaker and a discus lariat before Bailey reverses him and they go into a pin attempt exchange. Bailey hits a moonsault knee drop before hitting the crescent kick to pick up the win.
Winner: Mike Bailey by pinfall at 10:57, to advance
Bailey will be in a four-way matchup on next week’s Dynamite to find out who will challenge Kenny Omega for the AEW International Championship at Dynasty.
Patriarchy Problems
Renee Paquette is in the back with The Patriarchy as she asks Christian Cage why he decided to cash in at Revolution. Cage says that Renee is related to Jon Moxley and won’t talk to her and tells her to get out of his sight. Cage says he’s still the reigning and undisputed next AEW World Champion and demands his contract gets handed back to him. Cage says he told the referee he was cashing in for a one-on-one match against Cope (but he wasn’t champion?) he keeps going on about saying how he didn’t tap out but Nick Wayne cuts him off and says Cage is making excuses and he’s lying to everybody and maybe if he stuck to the original plan he would be AEW World Champion now. He says Cage owes them an explanation and an apology. Cage pushes Nick Wayne, but Mother Wayne gets in between them. Cage tells her if she has something to say, say it or she’ll be working at Waffle House again. Cage gets in Nick’s face and asks him how many world titles has he won or how many his biological father won, and he should be lucky Cage found out and he’s not like his cowardly father who died in front of Nick’s mother. Cage says he’s going to be AEW World Champion if it’s the last thing he does on this earth and tells Nick to shut up and ride his coattails because the next time they have this conversation it’ll be the last time. Kip Sabian goes and leaves The Wayns to join Christian.
Focus On The Word ‘Was’
We see Lexy Nair from Revolution where she is trying to get a word with MJF. We see MJF in his locker room before he punches his mirror and screams to Nair to get out of there.
We go back live as MJF heads to the ring and says everything hurts but everyone knows that he had the match against ‘Hangman’ Adam Page won on Sunday, but the ‘cowardly cowboy’ decided to cheap shot him just like he did in 2019 and get a fluke victory. MJF says he’s smarter than Page and all of his fans, as he thinks ten steps ahead and he will get his. This thing between him and Page isn’t over, by a longshot.
We hear The Hurt Syndicate’s music as MVP makes his way to the ring. They introduce each other in a tense way before hugging it out. MVP says he met MJF about 8 years ago and says when MJF once offered to drive him to an event for the low price of sitting next to him and asking questions about the wrestling business. The questions that he asked impressed him and mentioned working with him again down in an independent promotion in Florida. MJF did everything he told MVP he would do, and he’s proud of him. What he’s not proud of is what happened to him on Sunday and he asks why MJF is whining to these people and says he should be angry, punching people in the face and hurting people. He says MJF has lost his edge and the boys in the back don’t respect him anymore or fear him, but they fear The Hurt Syndicate. He says he was able to help MJF a long time ago, and he might be able to help him again. He goes to give MJF his card, calls it an opportunity, and says maybe it’s time for them to talk some business. MJF declines the card and says he’s not the same kid he was all those years ago and with all due respect he doesn’t need MVP’s help or advice and he was the world champion for 406 consecutive days. MVP tells him to focus on the word ‘was’ and hands him the card which MJF takes this time.
After the break, we see Max Caster in the ring who says that he has the most popular shirt on Shop AEW and that proves that he always was and always will be the top star of The Acclaimed. He talks about the most popular chant in all of AEW and tries to get everyone to chant ‘Let’s go, Max, you’re the best wrestler alive’ as Taz calls it a ‘smooth chant’. He calls the people in Fresno stupid for not chanting along and whoever opens his open challenge is stupid as well. Out comes Konosuke Takeshita to accept.
Max Caster vs. Konosuke Takeshita
As soon as the bell rings, Max Caster stays on the mic and says there is no way that Konosuke Takeshita is there to fight him as he’s the best wrestler alive and he’ll frigging kill him. He must be here to invite him into The Don Callis Family and calls that interesting and maybe he can main event the Tokyo Dome or get that recording contract. Or maybe he can do the thing that Takeshita wasn’t able to do and beat Kenny Omega. Takeshita takes him out with a big forearm but pulls him up before the three count can be done and follows with the Raging Fire to pick up the win.
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita by pinfall at 1:30
Gravity Is The Perfect Word
We see Chris Jericho with Gravity’s mask in the back as he calls ‘gravity’ the perfect word as he addresses Bandido. He says the temperature of the room has changed because he humiliated himself in front of his family, embarrassed his brother, stole his mask, scared his sister, and made his mother cry in front of him. How do you come back from that and look her in the eyes with the disappointment she has in him? Maybe Bandido is the unlucky son of a bitch who got in his way when he decided for people to stop taking advantage of him. Bandido’s life has changed and it’s not a good thing before he tosses the Gravity mask down.
Willow Nightingale vs. Penelope Ford
Commentary mentions how Penelope Ford is undefeated against Willow Nightingale with wins over her in 2021 and 2022. Willow starts in control hitting a suplex for a one-count as the crowd is fully behind her. Ford places Willow against the ropes and kicks her in the back with a dropkick, staying in control as we head to break.
We return as Excalibur is plugging a promotion for the Queen of the Ring movie where you buy one ticket and get two free. Willow hits a big spine buster on Ford for a two-count. Willow puts on a Gory Special, but Ford bites her way out of it. Willow follows with a power slam before Ford hits a stunner only to get pounced down as Willow gets the pin and the win.
Winner: Willow Nightingale by pinfall at 8:39
As Willow is celebrating, Ford starts attacking her with a chair before Kris Statlander runs out for the save and takes out Ford with a dropkick with the chair in between them. Statlander helps Willow up just for Megan Bayne to run in and take them both out with a double clothesline. Bayne follows with Bow Down on Statlander.
Billie Looking For Change From Mone’
Renee is in the back with Mercedes Mone’ who can’t talk much as she got kicked in the throat at Revolution by Momo Watanabe. Renee brought in Billie Starkz upon Mone’s request and asked what she learned on Sunday when she took notes. Starkz says ‘not to get kicked in the throat’ to lighten up the mood and brings up all the accolades she’s done in Ring of Honor and says she and Mone aren’t that different. She says she’s been looking for a change and next week she’s looking to change into a champion. Mercedes says Billie is way out of her league and next week she will prove there is a price to pay when she messes with Mercedes Mone’.
The Assassin Is Coming For The Throne
Tony Schiavone is in the ring and brings out Will Ospreay who is all bandaged up and says it’s amazing that he is still standing. Ospreay says he was scared at the top of the cage and he wants to thank everybody for the support to carry him through. He says one day Kyle Fletcher will be world champion and he hopes that next time they meet he can say that he is the better man. He says he’s in a bit of trouble with his wife because he lied to her on Saturday. He says she told him to not do anything stupid off the cage, to which he agreed since he has back problems. He then realized they were on Amazon Prime and there was a guy in a green shirt that told him not to die. He then saw 50 missed calls from his wife and when he called she was very nice to him until she yelled that he jumped off the cage. Thankfully he’s a charming man and he will be back on Friday to cook her dinner. Schiavone asks him what’s next as Ospreay says he wants to be the guy but in order to do that he has to have a title around his waist. He says Cope & Swerve Strickland have title shots, and it makes him wonder where it matters most to call his shot as he looks at the All In Texas image for July 12th. Ospreay says he wants to be in the main event at All In, and he knows the one way to get there is to enter the Owen Hart Tournament. He plans on going against anyone standing in his way including Cope, Swerve, and even Jon Moxley. He gives Moxley the warning that an assassin is coming for the throne. He wants to be the guy because his name is Will Ospreay and he is on another level.
“Did I Hit Cope On Purpose?”
Renee is in the back with Jay White as he immediately addresses Will Ospreay and says maybe one day they can see each other in the ring again. For now, he wants to congratulate him on his Revolution win and says they have to keep protecting Ospreay from him. He starts asking Renee and the crowd if he hit Cope on purpose, and says the answer is no and he failed at helping him become champion. He’s a bit all over the place here mentioning Swerve Strickland before saying that he will be world champion.
Laughing The Entire Way Up That Mountain
Renee is in the back and is walking and talking with ‘Hangman’ Adam Page and asks what’s next. Before he can say anything he bumps into MJF. Page says MJF tried to light him on fire but he doesn’t believe him, when you do something like that you have to mean it. He says on Sunday MJF proves that he cares what these people think of him. MJF takes a step back as Page smells like ‘rotten ass’ and calls his bluff. He says Page is on his ‘high horse’ for beating him, but now he goes on to become a multiple-time AEW World Champion, and future Hall of Famer while Page is going to scratch and claw his way to the top of the mountain just to come tumbling all the way down wallowing in his own self-pity. When Page’s mask slips off, he notices that his biggest insecurity is that he doesn’t think he deserves their love and he’s right, because one day the people will get sick and tired of waiting for Page to win the big one as he never will while MJF will win it over and over again, laughing at Page the entire way up that mountain. Page says ‘we’ll see’ as they have a face-off before MJF walks away.
AEW International Championship Dynasty Eliminator Tournament First Round Match: Orange Cassidy vs. Hechicero
Jim Ross joins commentary for the main event and right away talks about how impressed he was with ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey earlier. Hechicero starts by distracting Orange Cassidy with his hand movements. Orange comes back with a hands-in-pocket hurricanrana and rolls up Hechicero with just his feet to get a two-count. Hechicero escapes to the outside as we head to break.
We come back with both men going at it as Hechicero tries to quiet the crowd that’s chanting for Orange, who comes back with a Stundog Millionaire and a tornado DDT, but as he tries to kip up his knee gives out. Orange heads to the top rope but as he tries an elbow drop, gets caught right into an armbar from Hechicero. They tussle back and forth before Orange twists up Hechicero in the Mouse Trap to pick up the win.
Winner: Orange Cassidy by pinfall at 10:09, to advance
As soon as the match is over, Mike Bailey makes his way out and has a staredown with Orange Cassidy.
Collision Line-Up
- Dynasty Eliminator Tournament: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Ricochet
- Dynasty Eliminator Tournament: Mark Davis vs. Mark Briscoe
- FTR vs. Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong
Dynamite Line-Up
- Dynasty Eliminator Tournament Final: Mike Bailey vs. Orange Cassidy vs. ??? vs. ???
- AEW TBS Title: Mercedes Mone (c) vs. Billie Starkz
- AEW World Title Street Fight: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Cope
Dynasty Line-Up
- AEW International Title: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Dynasty Eliminator Tournament winner
- AEW World Title: Jon Moxley (c) or Cope vs. Swerve Strickland
