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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
FEBRUARY 19, 2025
PHOENIX, ARIZ. AT ARIZONA FINANCIAL THEATRE
AIRED LIVE ON TBS & MAX
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reports that 2,969 tickets had been distributed right before showtime, so they’ll top 3,000 with late walk-up buyers. The arena has a capacity of 5,000 spectators when configured for concerts, but the wrestling stage cuts off some of that capacity.
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[HOUR ONE]
-They cut live to the arena with a wide view of the entrance stage from behind the last row. Excalibur said they are “back on American soil after one of the greatest nights in AEW history, Grand Slam Australia.”
(Keller’s Analysis: It was a good five-match event, but not sure if lives up to those superlatives.)
-MJF made his entrance. The stage is right up against the ring with fans surrounding the ring in a cozy set-up. “Hangman” Adam Page came out next. Excalibur said everyone is on edge with these two combustible wrestlers in the ring at the same time. Taz said MJF can be an instigator, but he’s just seeking truth. MJF told fans he “doesn’t speak poor.”
MJF said the first match in the history of AEW was the Casino Battle Royal where the winner would earn the opportunity to become the inaugural AEW World Champion. MJF said he had the win within reach, but Hangman cheapshotted him like a gutless little worm. He said as a result he had to scratch and claw himself to the top, and he did that by beating some of the biggest names. “Think of your favorite wrestler; yeah, I beat ’em,” he said.
He said he is struggling to remember, though, who he beat the first time he won the Dynamite Diamond Ring. He then said that he remembered it was Hangman. He said he went on to headline the biggest event in pro wrestling history at Wembley Stadium. He said he is the best and longest-reigning AEW World Champion of all-time. He said his full name and closed with telling Hangman, “I’m better than you and you know it.”
Hangman asked MJF why he’s talking to him like he doesn’t know who he is. He said he’s 28 years old with a history-making career already. He said he should be proud, but as he listed his accomplishments, he seemed angry, not happy. He asked if it’s because he still hasn’t won respect from the fans. MJF yelled at Hangman to shut his mouth. He said he didn’t care about them. He said it’s funny to him that the hypocrites get to decide who’s morally redeemable and who’s not. He said Hangman has had everything served to him on a silver platter because the fans woke up one day and decided he should be “the main character.”
MJF said he’s the guy who drank a man’s blood, attacked innocent veterans in the locker room, drove a syringe through a human being’s face, and was low down and vile enough to burn down a childhood home of a rival. He said that supposedly makes him a hero. Fans cheered. MJF said the fans will chant “Cowboy Shit!” at the top of their lungs. The chant started. He asked Hangman if that gives him the “warm and fuzzies.”
MJF asked Hangman if he loves himself, though, such as after he ended the career of his mentor “that worthless, talentless jobber hack.” Hangman yelled at MJF fiercely that he can’t talk about him like that. He said Christopher Daniels is ten times the man he will ever be. He said if he could rip out his spine and give it to Daniels, he would do it in a heartbeat. He said a 32 year career and 100 times around the globe, Daniels gave a part of his life to every promotion he worked for. “He died a warrior’s death,” he said. He said he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. He said he took care of pro wrestling even when pro wrestling didn’t take care of him. “He is the best of us, all of us,” he said. He said it’s due to people like him that he can stand in the ring today. Fans chanted, “Fallen Angel!” Hangman paused as MJF smirked.
Hangman said that self-awareness and selflessness and humility is something MJF doesn’t have the stomach for. He warned him his career might end tonight if he doesn’t wipe that smirk off his face. He asked what would be said about MJF if his career ended tonight. He asked if they would call him a selfish coward and opportunist who took every shortcut out there to try to win admiration. Hangman said even after all he’s done, the fans still seem to care about him. He said he won’t be arrogant and pretend to understand it, but he said he knows what is right and what is wrong and he tells the truth about it. He said in five years, he has probably lied 500 times, but never has he done it to the fans. He said he has worked for everything including his championships and his family. He said it was not easy. He said during the same five years, MJF was scheming his way to the top. He said deep down MJF knows it.
MJF looked down and broke into laughter. “Oh my god, are you a child?” he asked. He said the history books don’t care how you get the job done. He said he has earned everything, but he can’t say the same for Hangman. He said before the doors to AEW opened, the powers that be decided to prop up Hangman. He said he was the chosen one who had all the buzz and propaganda in the world, whereas he came in with a scarf and a mic. He said Hangman earned nothing. He said he walks, talks, and dresses better than him. He told him to name one thing he doesn’t do better than him.
Hangman got one inch away from his nose and said: “I am real.” He threw down the mic. A “Cowboy Shit!” chant broke out. MJF said he can be the main character all he wants, but he’s got no problem being the bad guy. He dropped the mic and stared right back at Hangman. They yanked off their jackets and looked ready to fight. Security guys were standing around the ring apron as Taz said it’ll cost them a lot of money if they fight. MJF raised his arms in a disarming gesture and turned his back. He then turned back to Hangman. Excalibur said it’s rare MJF takes the high road, but maybe he’s thinking with his wallet. MJF spit at Hangman. Taz said he didn’t touch him, but it was vile and disgusting. Hangman lunged at MJF, but MJF bailed out onto the ramp. MJF smiled as security held Hangman back.
Just when it appeared security might be safe for once when just doing their job, Hangman attacked them unprovoked. Daniels then entered the ring and Hangman froze. Daniels said he knows who Hangman is and he knows who he is in his heart. “You understand?” he said. Hangman absorbed the words with a look of respect for Daniels, then left the ring.
(Keller’s Analysis: I was about to praise the segment for showing the novel restraint of not doing the tired trope of a babyface beating up security guys for no reason and without ramifications. Oh well. Yes, Hangman is a babyface now. The crowd is cheering him despite ultimately hapless attempts to make Hangman the most despicable heel possible, because in part they don’t take over-the-top stunt booking seriously, but also because the fans just want to cheer Hangman. MJF’s best moments were the calm intense talking at the end, and the weakest was when he was needlessly yelling at the top of his lungs. But generally speaking, it was a tremendous segment overall that underlined who MJF is and why he’s worthy of scorn and boos, and who Hangman is and why at the core, despite past actions, he is earning fans respect and cheers. Now can we just stay with these two in this role for the next three or four years without any straying from it or hotshot stunts and worked-shoot nonsense? Because they are talented enough to color within the lines and produce money-drawing art on the mic and in the ring.)
-Excalibur hyped scheduled matches.
-A video recap aired of AEW Grand Slam: Australia including Toni Storm’s cradle three count on Mariah May.
-They went to Taz, Excalibur, and Riccaboni standing at the announce desk with a view of the ring and the crowd behind him. It looked really good. Excalibur said Toni will speak later about her title win.
-The Patriarchy made their ring entrance. [c]
-Renee Paquette interviewed Roderick Strong, with Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole, about facing Orange Cassidy later in a Revolution International Championship Series match. O’Reilly said Cassidy is his boy. Cole said regardless of who is friends with whom, Strong will whoop Cassidy’s ass, “and that is undisputed.”
(Keller’s Analysis: I think the word “undisputed” as part of Cole’s act has moved into the category of seeming like he’s “living in the past” and not growing into a new era. It’s especially damaging after the Matt Taven and Mike Bennett incarnation of Undisputed Kingdom and the awful Adam Cole-MJF chapters.)
(1) THE PATRIARCHY (Christian Cage & Nick Wayne & Kip Sabian) vs. THE OPPS (Samoa Joe & Hook & Katsuyori Shibata)
Joe, Hook, and Shibata made their ring entrance. The bell rang 30 minutes into the hour. The Opps beat up Kip early in a comedic way. Christian tagged in, but then immediately tagged out to Nick. Nick absorbed several Joe chops. At 3:00, Christian and Sabian interfered as Shibata ran the ropes. Nick took over and scored a two count. Then they cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Hook hot-tagged in after the break and rallied against Sabian. He clotheslined Christian over the top rope to the floor and then gave Nick a Northern Lights suplex into a bridge for a near fall. Joe then leaped through the ropes and tackled Christian at ringside. Back in the ring, Nick rolled up Hook and held the ropes for a near fall. Nick leaped at Hook, but Hook caught him and put him in a sleeper for the win.
WINNER: The Opps in 9:00.
-Excalibur said Tony Khan just made MJF vs. Hangman official for AEW Revolution. [c]
-Riccaboni commented on a Chris Jericho vs. Bandido match at ROH Global Wars Australia with Bandido pinning Jericho after ducking Jericho’s attempt to knock him out with his title belt.
-Renee interviewed Jericho backstage. She asked if he accomplished what he set out to do by getting pinned by Bandido. Jericho told her to wipe the smirk off her face. He said he can have her thrown out of the arena. He said without him, there is no AEW and he can oust anyone from the building. He asked why he gets no respect. “Is it because I’m so nice?” he asked. He said he is a nine-time world champion in multiple countries around the world. He said he’s the level of wrestler that gets asked for photos on the street, and Bandido is the one who they hand the camera to. He said Bandido’s win over him is the biggest of his career, so he’ll give him a shot at his ROH Title this Saturday on Collision. He said he will prove that people around AEW are getting a little too comfortable around “Chris [bleep] Jericho.”
(2) BIG BILL vs. POWERHOUSE HOBBS
Bill kicked Hobbs in the face as the bell rang as Hobbs charged at him. The bell rang 48 minutes into the hour. They fought into the audience right away and up the steps for a “walk ‘n’ brawl.” They brawled back to ringside and used apparatus against each other. Bill swung a large wrench at Hobbs twice, which Hobbs ducked. He landed on the third try. Hobbs went down and came up bleeding. As Bill continued the attack including a uranage onto the ringside steps, they cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Hobbs took over during the break. He shoved Bill off the ringside steps set up on the stage through a barbed wire covered table at ringside. There were two of them, but Bill overshot the first one. Bill was caught in the barbed wire and couldn’t escape. The ref counted him down with a count of ten for the loss.
WINNER: Hobbs in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Did they really think, setting up the tables, that Bill would land on that first one which was pressed up near the stage given the trajectory of the move planned? Bill seemed legitimately caught in the barbed wire. The brawl was clearly for the hardcore sickos, which AEW likes to cater to now and then.)
[HOUR TWO]
-Backstage, Renee told Brian Cage and Lance Archer that they upstaged the Hurt Syndicate last week after their tag team title win. Cage said they’re nowhere to be found this week. Archer said they’re taking the belts and everybody dies.
-Justin Roberts stood mid-ring and announced that AEW Double or Nothing will take place in the Phoenix market on May 25. Fans cheered. It’s technically in Glendale, Ariz. at Diamond Arena. The announcers hyped ticket sales.
-Toni Storm made her entrance in black and white at first. She said, “This tramp is your new champ!” She said on the other side of the world, “in front of fans, family, and former lovers,” she faced a woman from hell who broke her heart, took her title, and ruined her soul. “Mariah May, you sick bitch!” she said. She said she is so proud of her because she gave her the fight of her life, “and then I beat you with my small package.” She said they say the best things come in small packages, “but baby, you should’ve worn protection, because I railed you with the biggest package there’s ever been.” Taz interjected, “She’s back.” Toni said Mariah has been “compromised to a permanent end.”
She plugged that she’s starring in the movie, “Queen of the Ring,” coming out March 7. She said as for her championship, if she’s going to be the best, then she needs to face the best. She asked the women of wrestling to lend her their ears. She said whether they’re there to stick their chin up or stick their tits out, if they want to go face to face, tit to tit, or lip to lip, she’s not hard to find. She listed Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, and Wendi Richter. She said, “For God is a woman and her name is Timeless!” She struck a pose.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good presentation of her character. I think it’s time to just keep it simple for a while and have her be exactly that version of her persona and play off of challengers with each feud feeling novel because the dynamic is new with each opponent.)
-A clip aired of Gabe Kidd. A graphic said he is coming to AEW Collision this Saturday night. The announcers then plugged upcoming matches. [c]
-In a backstage interview, Renee interviewed Willow. She complained that her husband attacked her and her 2025 has gotten off to a terrible start. Marina Shafir attacked her and bashed her with a briefcase. Jon Moxley joined the scene and asked the camera to follow him to the ring. It did. Wheeler Yuta was with them also. He told everyone that they’re sitting in his building and his seats. He said Adam Copeland is probably still facedown in the dirt in Australia. He said he challenged him, and he popped his head off his shoulders with his bare hands. He said if he shows up at Revolution, he will finish the job. Jay White’s music played and he made his way to the ring. Claudio entered the ring and Pac came out behind White, so White was surrounded. Adam Copeland then came out to his music and helped White fend off the heels.
Copeland speared Claudio. He pulled out the barbed wire bat and swung at Mox, but Mox bailed out. Copeland pursued them. Copeland told Moxley the fans aren’t Mox’s people, they belong to him. He called him a scumbag and said he’s a coward without nuts or guts or a spine. He said as of now, he is going to take his henchmen out one by one by one so when they get to Revolution, it’ll be one on one and he’ll kick his ass. His music played again.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good, intense, to-the-point promo from the crowd. I’m not sure it makes up for him taking the loss on Saturday night, though, in terms of selling the idea that he’s an actual threat to win the AEW Title. This just feels like a personal grudge feud, not a feud where the AEW Title belt is a central factor.)
-Renee interviewed Mercedes Moné backstage. She said she didn’t want any interruptions, surprises, or damn puppets. Renee said Revolution is in two weeks and she just caught up with Momo Wantanbe. A clip aired of Renee asking Watanabe about how she has a right to challenge for any title by virtue of her International Women’s Cup win. She asked if she’s made a decision. Watanabe said she has chosen Mercedes and she will stop the Moné Train. Back to Mercedes, she asked, “What the hell was that? Didn’t I say no surprises?” She told her to show up to Dynamite and say it to her face.
(Keller’s Analysis: The audience that is inherently interested in this match is limited, so there’s some work to do here to get the entire fanbase invested in this. This was one of Mercedes’ better AEW promos, I suppose. It wasn’t anything remarkable, but she felt sort of like an actual human being not just going through catchphrases.)
(3) MEGAN BAYNE vs. KRIS STATLANDER
The bell rang 22 minutes into the hour. Bayne countered a Statlander flurry of offense with a spear at 2:00 and then they cut to an early double-box break. [c/db]
Back from the break, They collided mid-ring and Bayne ended up delivering a dead lift German suplex. Statlander rolled to the ring apron. Bayne met her there. Statlander slammed her on the ring apron. Bayne stood and suplexed Statlander back into the ring. Penelope Ford shoved Statlander off the top rope. Bayne then lifted Statlander in the air and dropped her face-first onto the mat for the win.
WINNER: Bayne in 9:00.
-Thunder Rosa came out afterward and went after Penelope for interfering, wielding a chair. It got awkward as it appeared she was going to hit Penelope and Bayne, but then almost seemed to offer it to them for a tug-o-war or something. It went on a while and led nowhere.
-Renee interviewed Max Caster backstage and asked if he’s reconsidering his approach. He said no. He complained about Hangman chasing him before the match began. He said that’s not what his open challenge is about. He said the open challenge continues on Saturday on Collision, and he expects that person to look him in the eyes before he beats them. “You can’t be better than the best,” he said. He held up his official trademark for that phrase.
(Keller’s Analysis: I suppose Gabe Kidd is a leading candidate to step up, right?)
-Ricochet made his ring entrance. He complained about fans booing him. He took a shot at Phoenix and called it “basically a poor man’s Las Vegas.” He said he has a helicopter waiting for him outside. He said like Kevin Durant, he’s trying to get out of this town as soon as possible. “You do you,” he said. “And I’ll do me.” He said he knows everyone at home can hear him loud and clear. He said when they boo a winner, they are booing into a void of nothingness. He said he is a winner and he proved it when he pinned Swerve Strickland. He said he has been whooping their favorite wrestlers’ asses since he arrived in AEW. He listed several names. He said winners always have something to show for it. He said he’s not content with just wearing his robe. He said he came to AEW because he wants a championship. He said he will be the main name on the roster. He said he’s too good looking not to be champion.
Swerve’s music interrupted, but out walked Prince Nana. Nana said he knows what he was thinking he was doing there, but it’s not what he thinks. He said he asked Swerve to stay home because he had something to say to him. He said he honestly doesn’t know where their rivalry is going, but he’s wearing something that doesn’t belong to him. Nana said three decades he’s been in pro wrestling in the ring and making champions and making deals and making history. He said that robe has a lot to do with it. He said it represents pride and integrity and those that he’s walked through and those that he’s lost. He said anyone who is wearing it has honor and has been bestowed the opportunity to be great. He said if Ricochet is the winner he says he is and is a humane individual, he’d just give his robe back to him.
Ricochet asked Nana if he was going to cry. “That’s okay, we all have emotions,” he said. He told Nana he’s not getting the robe back and then did his high-pitched “ah ha!” in his face. Taz said he feels bad for Ricochet.
(Keller’s Analysis: I did feel like Undertaker, Mickie James, Bubba Ray Dudley, and Booker T were going to judge that promo afterward, it felt so much like a tryout promo from a newbie. I don’t think they’d pan it. I think they’d say it was a decent start.) [c]
(4) ORANGE CASSIDY vs. RODERICK STRONG (w/Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly) – Revolution International Championship Series
Strong made his entrance first. Then Orange Cassidy made his entrance. Excalibur welcomed Jim Ross to the broadcast table. Ross said it was good to see Taz. Taz said he’s in a good mood, which is rare. They battled back and forth early and cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
They fought back and forth. The announcers touted Cassidy’s resilience. Cassidy landed some kicks, but Strong fired back by dropping Cassidy over his knees. Cassidy countered with an Orange Punch for the clean win.
WINNER: Cassidy in 12:00.
-After the match, Don Callis walked out and told Cassidy that he might think he’s the greatest International Champion of all time, but he’s nothing but a red-headed hippie. Mark Davis and Konosuke Takeshita attacked Cassidy two-on-one. Callis entered the ring and kicked Cassidy in the gut a few times. Kenny Omega’s music played and he ran out and made the save. Takeshita and Davis, though, fended off Omega briefly. Omega landed a V-Trigger on Takeshita. Cassidy landed an Orange Punch. Takeshita retreated to the ramp as fans chanted, “Kenny! Kenny!” Riccaboni said Cassidy, Omega, or Takeshita will leave Revolution as International Champion. Omega picked up the belt and eyed it. Cassidy and Omega exchanged a few tense words to close the show.
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Chris Lansdell 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.
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