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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
FEBRUARY 12, 2025
AUSTIN, TEXAS AT HEB CENTER (Recorded 2/11)
AIRED LIVE ON TBS & MAX
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reported shortly before yesterday’s taping that 2,884 tickets had been distributed. The arena has a capacity of 8,700 spectators when configured for concerts, but the wrestling stage cuts off some of that capacity.
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Taj Narayanan to review AEW Dynamite LIVE tonight right after Dynamite. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Dynamite during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Dynamite. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.
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[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with the Dynamite logo on the screen briefly followed by shots of Hurt Syndicate warming up, The Gunns shaking hands, MJF laughing at something on his phone, Dustin Rhodes deep in thought, and Megan Bayne.
(Keller’s Analysis: This was too generic. They needed to at the very least identify the wrestlers with a graphic. In journalism, the rule is no photo goes without a caption no matter how famous or obvious it is to almost everyone. It’s especially important with someone new like Megan Bayne.)
-Excalibur introduced the show as the camera panned the audience.
-Max Caster entered the ring as fans pelted him with chants and boos. He introduced himself as “Platinum Max Caster and I am known as the best wrestler alive.” A loud “You suck!” chant broke out. He said he had trademarked “Best Wrestler Alive” and held up a certificate. He invited anyone to face him. He said since he ran Billy Gunn and Anthony Bowens out of AEW, it is clear now that the true mastermind behind The Acclaimed was always him. Schiavone called him ridiculous.
(1) “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. MAX CASTER – Max Caster Open Challenge
When Hangman entered the ring, Caster leaped to the floor and then retreated over the ringside barricade. He sat with fans and hid behind a sign. Hangman chased him through the crowd and into the ring. Caster jumped Hangman as Hangman slid into the ring, so logically the referee immediately called for the bell to start the match. Caster landed a huracanrana on Hangman, then gloated mid-ring. Hangman stood and approached him from behind. Caster turned and ate a clothesline. Hangman followed with a running clothesline in the corner and then a sliding clothesline. Hangman followed immediately with the Buckshot Lariat for the win.
WINNER: Hangman in about 1:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Caster is likely to get some lower card type of “fun” heat for a while with this gimmick, but it continues to path down the card to preliminary comedy act without seemingly much of a chance to rebuilt to something more substantial. I’m getting a kick out of it, but I think he had a chance to be more than an opening match imbecile punchline gimmick in AEW. Hangman is pretty much a babyface now.)
-A vignette aired on the Ricochet-Swerve Strickland feud.
(2) DEATH RIDERS (Pac & Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) vs. UNDISPUTED ERA (Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) – Trios Title match
O’Reilly and Strong came out first, and then Cole’s “Boom” theme played and he joined them on the stage. A clip aired of the Death Riders attacking Cole, O’Reilly, and Strong on Collision after they qualified for a title match. Excalibur said this could be the toughest test yet for the Death Riders. They brawled at ringside at the start and the ref logically called for the bell while no one was in the ring 11 minutes into the hour. Within seconds, they cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Back from the break, fans chanted “Undisputed!” Nigel tried a Super Bowl reference; Excalibur and Schiavone had to steer him a better direction. The Death Riders controlled the majority of the action for several minutes. They cut to another break at 10:00 after a barrage of rapid-fire strikes against Strong in the corner by all three Death Riders. [c/db]
The crowd popped for a hot-tag in by Cole at 14:00. The ref made random meaningless impotent gestures as all three members of Undisputed Era took turns beating up Pac leading to a near fall which concluded with Claudio leaping with both feet onto the back of O’Reilly. The ref needlessly stopped counting even though nothing actually happened to disrupt the cover O’Reilly had on Pac as Pac’s shoulders were still down and O’Reilly was still on top until he voluntarily rolled off Pac a second later.
Claudio took control and launched Yuta off the top rope, but O’Reilly lifted his knees and scored a very near fall on Yuta with a small package. O’Reilly and Strong landed the High/Low on Yuta. Pac intervened, so the ref stopped his count, and at least Yuta appeared to trying to lift his shoulder as the ref stopped his count at two. O’Reilly put Yuta in an anklelock as the other four paired off and fought at ringside. Claudio brought a chair into the ring. The ref tried to take it. Cole and O’Reily superkciked Claudio out of the ring. Yuta gave Strong a low-blow as the ref turned to move the chair out of the ring.
WINNERS: Death Riders in 18:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: There was a lot of wrestling action to appreciate there with those six pros. The haplessness of the referee and the lame pin break-ups added a needless sloppiness that is so easily corrected took away from the overall polish of the match, though.)
-Afterward, as the Death Riders attacked Undisputed Era, Daniel Garcia, Daddy Magic, and Cool Hand Ang ran out and cleared the ring. The Death Riders retreated into the crowd.
-Marina Shafir and Jon Moxley were shown backstage when Adam Copeland showed up and hit Mox with a chair frpm behind, and then blocked a chair swing by Shafir and swung her into a bathroom. Jay White used a bolt cutter to snip the chain attaching the briefcase to Shafir’s wrist. Mox then stood and went looking for Shafir. He grumbled when he noticed the briefcase was gone.
-They went to the announcers on camera who reacted to the segment. They hyped AEW Grand Slam Australia airing on delay after NBA All-Star festivities on TNT. Excalibur listed the line-up as graphics flashed on the screen.
-Renee Paquette asked MJF backstage about the home state advantage Dustin Rhodes might have tonight. MJF said Texas isn’t a real state and Dustin isn’t a real man. He said he knows they teach Dustin in his AA meetings to pray to a higher power, but should pray to the devil because no amount of paint covering his mangled face is going to be able to hide his shame. Hangman walked up to MJF and said firmly, “Out.” MJF asked Hangman if he has a crush on him. He said he smells great and said, “I had no idea Jack Daniels came out with a cologne.” MJF said apparently he’s not high-brow enough for him. He got serious and said Hangman doesn’t have the stomach to deal with him. He said he’s a joke and the punchline is the fans actually believe in him. He said he is owed an apology for the lack of respect the fans, Hangman, and Dustin give him. He said he’s going to accomplish what Hangman has failed to do, which is become a multiple-time AEW World Champion. Pacquette tried to ask a question, but Hangman stared off as MJF walked away and seemed to contemplate his words.
(Keller’s Analysis: MJF is better in these smaller doses in backstage interviews where he gets right to the point. I liked his shift from the Jack Daniels quip to a more serious tone. He plays off of Hangman well. When MJF does an in-ring promo again, it’ll feel novel and more important as a result of doing these shorter more traditional backstage interviews with Renee.)
(3) SAMOA JOE & HOOK & KATSUYORI SHIBATA vs. JON CRUZ & AARON SOLO & ROSARIO GRILLO
The bell rang 35 minutes into the hour. Joe landed a senton and a Muscle Buster on Cruz for the win.
WINNER: Joe & Hook & Shibata in under 2:00.
-Afterward, Joe held court with a mic. He said people are asking him what they’re all about. He they are known as The Ops and they will hunt you down because the only answer is violence. When Joe said Christian was too much of a chickenshit to be there, he challenged The Patriarchy to face them next week on Dynamite.
-Renee interviewed Chris Jericho with Bryan Keith backstage. She said Keith failed to beat Bandido, so is there at least a consolation he gets to keep his $200,000 bounty. Jericho didn’t like her smirk. He said he put up a bounty because he was prepared to pay it. He told Keith to watch and learn later as he collects the bounty from Bandido. He challenged him to meet him in the ring right then for a showdown. Keith told Renee not to embarrass him in front of Jericho again. [c]
-Bandido made his entrance and stood opposite of Jericho in the ring. Keith grabbed Bandido’s leg. The Outrunners ran out for the save. Big Bill showed up with the wanted poster and then lifted Bandido for a chokeslam. Powerhouse Hobbs’s music played, so Bill stopped and didn’t chokeslam Bandido (even though setting him down carefully took as much time as chokeslamming him would have). Hobbs punched Bill and gave him a spinebuster. Bandido dropped the wanter poster over Bill’s chest and stood with Hobbs.
-They cut to Jay White and Copeland. White said they have a canvas in Australia waiting for them to paint on with the blood of the one true king. Copeland said he knows Mox no longer has the weapon that keeps everyone under his thumb. He said if he wants the briefcase back, meet them in the ring before the end of the night.[c]
-Renee interviewed Dustin Rhodes who asked Austin, Texas if they were ready. Dustin said he brought the devil and he’s about to find out why he’s the last of his kind, “bitch.” (Reset the Bitch-o-meter.)
(4) DUSTIN RHODES vs. MJF
MJF made his entrance first. The bell rang 58 minutes into the hour after a staredown. Dustin drew a line in the sand with his boot, then snap powerslammed a charging MJF. MJF retreated to ringside. Dustin beat him up in the aisle and then threw him back into the ring. MJF took over and targeted Dustin’s arm.
[HOUR TWO]
Dustin took over again and set up Final Reckoning, but MJF blocked it and went for Salt of the Earth. Dustin blocked it, but MJF stomped on his arm and then applied Salt of the Earth. Dustin quickly leveraged MJF’s shoulders down, so MJF released his grip. Dustin countered a CrossRhodes with his own and scored a two count.
Dustin eventually hit his Final Reckoning suplex for a dramatic near fall at 9:00. MJF came back with Salt of the Earth a minute later. Dustin resisted, but after MJF dragged him to center-ring, Dustin passed out and the ref called for the bell.
WINNER: MJF via ref stoppage in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: It’s good to see MJF actually wrestling on TV, and this was the right setting and a nice backstory setting it up that the crowd reacted to near falls and to each wrestler. MJF’s heel mannerisms during and after the match are top of the craft in that fans just want to see someone like they shut him up and humble him.)
-MJF smiled and went back on the attack. Hangman then came out to his music. MJF stood and stared at him as fans chanted, “Cowboy Shit!” As Hangman got in his face, MJF slowly backed away. He then tackled Hangman. Security ran in to pull MJF off of Hangman. Hangman broke free and fought MJF into the crowd. They brawled up into the lower bowl. Security intervened as fans chanted, “Let them fight!” MJF made his way to the ring as security dragged Hangman out. MJF said Hangman won’t return to the ring because he’s a loser like all of them. Hangman ran back to the ring and attacked MJF. Security swarmed them and pulled them apart.
(Keller’s Analysis: Hot segment and the best content that either MJF or Hangman have been part of in a while. They’re both aligned with how fans want to react to them and their personality-clash feels real and their brawling is intense and straight forward.)
-A vignette aired hyping Grand Slam with soundbites from competitors.
-The announcers commented on the MJF-Hangman brawl before the break.
(5) MEGAN BAYNE vs. MAYA WORLD
The bell rang 22 minutes into the hour. Bayne dominated and won with an F5. Excalibur said she’s not paid by the hour.
WINNER: Bayne in just under 2:00.
-As Bayne walked toward the back, she crossed paths with Kris Statlander who made her entrance.
(6) KRIS STATLANDER vs. PENELOPE FORD
The bell rang 25 minutes into the hour. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
Statlander avoided a handspring by Ford into the corner and then landed Wednesday Night Fever for the win.
WINNER: Statlander in 9:00.
-As Statlander celebrated, Bayne walked out and eyed her. Ford knocked Statlander out of the ring. Bayne then delivered an F5 on her at ringside.
-A Harley Cameron music video aired. She had a Mercedes Moné Muppet doll with a wine bottle hanging out a window and rapped. She then said Mercedes is one of the greatest wrestlers alive, whereas not long ago she didn’t know to wrestle, but she also once didn’t know how to sing, play guitar, perform ventriloquism, or speak Chinese. She then spoke in Chinese. She thanked Mercedes for elevating the AEW Women’s Division and inspiring her. She said she’s going to win the TBS Title in her home country. “I don’t want to ride the money train, I want to drive it,” she said. “Feel the wrath.”
(7) HURT SYNDICATE (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin w/MVP) vs. AUSTIN & COLTEN GUNN – AEW Tag Team Title match
The bell rang 42 minutes into the hour. MVP’s mic didn’t work when he tried to talk at the announce desk. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
Shelton dominated Austin in the ring as Lashley took Colten down at ringside. Shelton and Lashley double-teamed Austin, but he leaped over them and hot-tagged in Colten. He took Shelton down with a flying lariat and then dropkicked Lashley out of the ring. He played to the crowd briefly and then slammed Shelton and scored a two count.
The Gunns delivered a series of moves on Shelton culminating in a Fameasser from Austin for a two count at 10:00. Shelton set up their finisher, but Lashley interfgered. Shelton then superkicked Austin. He followed up with some released German suplexes. Lashley slammed Colten and then speared him for a three count.
WINNERS: Lashley & Benjamin in 11:00.
-Brian Cage and Lance Archer walked out, applauding in a mocking way at Hurt Syndicate celebrating their win.
-A promo aired with Mariah May. She said (in a space with awful acoustics) that Toni never knows how to write a good ending. She said she did every mind game better than her and she is nothing without her and doesn’t exist without her. She said she is a pathetic figment of her own imagination and it stops now. She said she really loves Storm because Grand Slam will feature a mercy killing. [c]
-Copeland and White made their ring entrance. Excalibur said they’d team together against Moxley & Claudio this Saturday night at Grand Slam Australia. He called Copeland and White “the team we never thought we’d see.”
[OVERRUN]
Copeland said the briefcase has been hidden inside that briefcase for a long time. He asked if they wanted to see it. He said he had an idea. He pulled out a giant case that had “Spike” spray-painted on it. He said he doesn’t know if the fans remember Spike, “but she’s pretty hungry and I feel like she wants to dig her teeth into that briefcase.” He pulled the spiked board out and called out Mox.
Mox walked out and asked if Copeland thinks he doesn’t care about the AEW Championship. He said Copeland and the fans don’t understand. He said he has left pieces of his soul inside the ring over what that title represents. He said he is just too much of a nice guy, so he’ll show Copeland how much he cares. He said at Revolution, he will break Copeland’s neck. He said if he wants his shot at his title, he got it. He threw the mic down. Copeland said that’s what he was looking for.
Copeland said he’s going to show everyone how much he cares about the championship. He bashed the briefcase with Spike. Yuta ran in. Copeland knocked him to the floor. Pac almost snuck the briefcase, but Copeland stopped him. Then Shafir did grab it. Mox and Pac attacked Copeland. Copeland speared Pac and punched away at Mox in the corner. Claudio went after Copeland, but White gave him a Blade Runner. As Mox held Spike and wound up to hit White, Copeland speared Mox. White and Copeland left the Death Riders in the ring. White said they’re going to put the Death Riders in the ground at Grand Slam.
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Taj Narayanan to review AEW Dynamite LIVE tonight right after Dynamite. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Dynamite during the show.
Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Dynamite. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps.
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