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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
FEBRUARY 26, 2025
OCEANSIDE, CALIF. AT FRONTWAVE ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON TBS & MAX
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reports that 3,029 tickets had been distributed as of right before showtime. The arena has a capacity of 7,500 spectators when configured for concerts, but the wrestling stage cuts off some of that capacity.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Dan Kuester 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 cut to the arena as pryo blasted. Excalibur introduced the show and said the show is loaded. An ambulance arrived backstage and Adam Copeland opened the back doors. He said he wanted to show the Death Riders what their ride would be. “See ya’ later,” he said.
-They cut to Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz standing at ringside. They hyped the “absolutely huge” line-up of matches and appearances. Excalibur said they hadn’t heard from “Hangman” Page all day.
-A clip aired of MJF lying on a treatment table. He took digs at fans chanting “Cowboy Shit” and expressed dismay fans have chosen Hangman over him. He said the only three letters that matter to him now are MJF. It showed a tattoo being removed from his calf.
-“Hangman” Adam Page arrived in a Rivian R1T (EV) pick-up truck with horns on the hood. He got out and walked into the arena to his entrance theme.
(1) “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. AARON SOLO
Hangman clubbed Solo as the bell rang. He hit a Buckshot Lariat a minute later and got the three count.
WINNER: Hangman in 1:00.
-Hangman grabbed a chair at ringside and slid it into the ring. A graphic hyped Hangman vs. MJF on AEW Revolution one week from Sunday. He said there are three things that he hates in this world, and it’s running out of biscuits, English ivy, and when a little bitch with a spray tan spits in his face. He sat in the chair mid-ring and said he’s sitting there until someone finds MJF so he can give him an ass-beating of a lifetime. MJF’s music played.
MJF walked out with a bloodied towel and threw it aside, then asked Hangman if he is nuts. “You’re a ruthless killer devoid of any emotions,” he said. “I’m not fighting you right now.” He said he’s not sure he has a prayer at Revolution, but he’s going back to “the most magical place on Earth – Long Island, New York” and train. He was about to leave, but then said he forgot what he came out there for. He said he should be awfully worried about his friend and he should check on him. “This is the part where we find out who is actually real,” he said before throwing the mic down. They cut to an image of Christopher Daniels bleeding from the forehead and his white shirt drenched in blood. Hangman marched backstage with a chair in hand, searching for MJF. He found medics tending to Daniels, then went in search of MJF.
-They went to the announcers at ringside. Schiavone said it was a horrible sight, but not beneath someone like MJF. He said MJF just ratcheted up the intensity of the match at Revolution. Excalibur said he’ll have hell to pay.
-They cut to the Don Callis Family in the luxury suite. Fans booed as Kyle Fletcher stood and extended his arms. Excalibur talked about Callis putting a bounty on the head of Will Ospreay and said Bryan Keith aptly is going after it. A clip aired of Chris Jericho pinning Bandido to retain the ROH Title on Collision on Saturday.
-Renee Paquette interviewed Jericho outside his locker room and called his win over Bandido “an instant classic.” Jericho said he can see what she’s doing and suspected she was going to apologize for how she treated him last week. She asked how the match with Bryan Keith came about. Callis walked out of Jericho’s locker room. Callis said he gave a chance to someone in his family, but he dropped the ball. Mark Davis was standing right behind him. Jericho said he chose to associate Keith. He said he has what it takes to be a champion AEW and he has what it takes to beat Ospreay. “Trust me, Don, Bryan Keith’s your man,” Jericho said. Ospreay said that’s all he needed to hear from the GOAT. Jericho sneered at Renee and then returned to his locker room.
(2) WILL OSPREAY vs. BRYAN KEITH
Ospreay made his entrance. Excalibur said Ospreay can’t afford to enter Revolution at anything less than 100 percent. Taz said Keith is a dangerous man. They showed the Don Callis Family watching from the luxury suite. Excalibur wondered if Keith would be more concerned with winning or maiming. Taz said maiming. The bell rang 17 minutes into the hour. Ospreay pointed up at the Don Callis Family. Fans sang Ospreay’s name as the match began.
As Ospreay set up a Hidden Blade, Keith rolled to the floor. Ospreay slingshot himself at ringside. Back in the ring, Keith side-stepped a charging Ospreay who then crashed to ringside and clutched his knee. Keith clotheslined him at ringside. With Keith in control, they cut to a double-box break at 4:00. [c/db]
Keith remained in control during the break. He gave Ospreay an exploder suplex into the corner, then stood over him. Ospreay rallied, but Keith stopped it with a lariat. Ospreay then fired back with a Stun Dog Millionaire and an OsCutter for a very near fall at 9:00. Ospreay looked up at Fletcher in the suite. As Ospreay went for a Hidden Blade, Keith countered with a knee strike. Keith landed a Tiger Driver for a near fall seconds later.
With both men down and slow to get up, fans chanted, “This is awesome!” Keith stood first. He headbutted Ospreay and rolled him up, but Ospreay rolled through and landed a Styles Clash and a Hidden Blade for the win.
WINNER: Ospreay in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match. Keith looked formidable, but ultimately lost clean.)
-Ospreay went up the steps to go after Fletcher. Fletcher met him on the stairs. Security separated them quickly. Excalibur said nothing will separate them at Revolution.
-A clip aired of Mariah May attacking Toni Storm at Collision on Saturday.
-They went to the announcers who reacted to the Mariah attack. Excalibur said Toni Storm was sidelined pending medical evaluation. [c]
-A video package aired on Momo Watanabe including Stardom footage of her earning the title match of her choosing which is a match against Mercedes Mone at Revolution. Captions translated that she is disappointed she lost to her last year and is motivated to beat her in their rematch.
-They showed Mercedes backstage covered in four title belts. She told Momo she has to be quick because she had deals to seal and planes to catch. Billie Starkz entered the picture (rudely interrupting a promo in progress, looking lost). Mercedes shoved her drink in her face, which appeared to be just water even though it was in a paper coffee cup with a lid. Starkz asked who she thinks she is. Mercedes said she’s the greatest TBS Champion of all-time and other accolades. Starkz said she’s also a narcissistic bitch. Starkz introduced herself as “ROH superstar and future Women’s Champion.” She told Mercedes to watch her back. Momo swung a bat at her. Mercedes fled. Momo held up the TBS belt that Mercedes left behind. She said she’ll beat her at Revolution. Starkz told her the belts looks good on her.
(3) THE OUTRUNNERS (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) vs. THE MURDER MACHINES (Brian Cage & Lance Archer) – Tag Team Contendership match
After the Outrunners made their entrance, they showed them at the Omaha Men’s basketball team practice. They dropped elbows on a plastic trash can in the locker room and were swarmed by the Outrunners. Excalibur talked about the clip making SportsCenter. Cage and Archer then made their entrance. The bell rang 39 minutes into the hour. The Machines took control at the start. The Outrunners made a fast comeback. The Machines made a comeback at ringside. They cut to an early double-box break. [c/db]
The Machines were in control after the break. Turbo hot-tagged in and got in a little offense, but the Machines took over again. Truth jumped Cage as he set up a powerbomb. Cage and Magnum tumbled to the floor. Floyd hit Archer with forearms, but he no-sold them. Archer then chokeslammed Floyd for a near fall. As Archer lifted Floyd for a Razor’s Edge, The Hurt Syndicate’s music played and they walked out. Archer froze and then dropped Floyd. Floyd rolled up Archer for a three count.
WINNERS: The Outrunners in 9:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Some rough, sloppy exchanges. The finish is so weak in that we’re supposed to believe AEW would be party to playing distracting music in the middle of a match, made worse by Archer stopping a move that could’ve given them a win rather than just showing off in front of Hurt Business by finishing his move and scoring a pin. It made Archer look bad.)
-A video package aired on Jon Moxley vs. Adam Copeland for the AEW World Title. It included snippets of Copeland taking shots at Moxley and then soundbites from the Death Riders. Claudio Castagnoli said it’s not Copeland hunting them anymore. “Now, it is me hunting you,” he said. [c]
-A video package aired on Ricochet with snippets of his promo last week and his confrontation with Prince Nana.
-In the ring, Swerve said it makes sense he’s wrapping up Black History Month since he “made black history” when he fulfilled his destiny by becoming AEW World Champion. Fans chanted “Swerve’s House!” He said he defended the title night in and night out, showcasing it to the world. He said Prince Nana was right when he said he hasn’t been focused on the AEW Title enough lately. “Make no mistake about it, I’m still the man around here,” Swerve said. He said he’s the best wrestler in the world, and to prove it, he needs gold around his waist. He insulted Ricochet and said he’s walking around with something that doesn’t belong to him. He said Ricochet might say they’re done and he’s moving on, but “we’re done when I say we’re done.” Ricochet’s music played.
Ricochet walked out wearing Prince Nana’s robe. Excalibur said he was taunting Swerve. Taz said the robe looks good on him. Ricochet asked if he is stupid or dumb. Ricochet said winners don’t chase losers. He took a shot at the Padres and said “the Chargers deserted this broke-ass town.” Ricochet spun around his baseball hat, revealing it was a Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Champion win hat.
Nana said he spoke to Tony Khan earlier and he said he agrees that the fans deserve a rematch. He said all Ricochet has to do is accept it. He said the winner will be the no. 1 contender for the AEW World Title. Ricochet said all he has to do is “beat Swerve’s ass” one more time and he gets a chance to become AEW Champion. He accepted, but said he’s not doing it tonight. He said the fans don’t have enough money to pay his fee, so they’ll do it in the City of Angels at Revolution. Ricochet left the stage.
[HOUR TWO]
Nana told Swerve he is proud of him that he’s taking steps to become AEW Champion again and making it the no. 1 priority for him. He said that’s what he and the fans want. He said he wants him to also go back to being who he says he is, “the most dangerous man in AEW.” Nana said he took a lot of bullets for him, listing Sting, Hangman, The Hurt Syndicate, and Ricochet. He said that robe means so much, so he needs him to fix his legacy and get his robe back “or I don’t know if I can do this anymore.”
(Keller’s Analysis: I’m not sure there’s enough evidence to justify putting Ricochet one win away from an AEW World Title match at this point. Nana giving Swerve a bit of an ultimatum to win “or else” feels slightly unfair in terms of the pressure it puts on Swerve, but it adds some stakes and almost suggests a possible heel turn by Nana.)
-Renee interviewed Hangman backstage as he was heading back to his Rivian EV. He said when he finds MJF, if he doesn’t run him over, he will wish he had. (That Rivian R1T goes from 0 to 60 in less than 2.5 seconds, so MJF better be ready.)
(4) DANIEL GARCIA & FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. ADAM COLE & KYLE O’REILLY & RODERICK STRONG
The bell rang 6 minutes into the hour. After brawling at ringside, they cut to a double-box break at 5:00. [c/db]
Dax had Strong in a Sharpshooter. O’Reily then put Dax in a guillotine. Cash put O’Reilly into a abdominal stretch. So all four were involved in the hold. Cole countered a Garcia attempt at a piledriver with a roll-up for a leverage three count.
WINNERS: Cole & O’Reilly & Strong in 11:00.
-After the match, FTR and Garcia offered a handshake. O’Reilly kicked Garcia hand and smiled. They shoved each other. Excalibur said Tony Khan just told him Garcia will face Cole one-on-one at Collision for the TNT Title. Taz said Cole earned it with that pinfall on Garcia.
-Backstage, Claudio was shown looking for Copeland. In a fortunate coincidence, Copeland charged at Claudio at that very second. They brawled into the arena. Copeland high-fived a kid in the stands. They fought to ringside where Wheeler Yuta joined in the attack. Claudio threw Copeland into the ringside steps. Marina Shafir showed up at ringside and observed. Claudio rolled Copeland into the ring where the beatdown continued. (Where did FTR and Garcia go that they couldn’t help?)
Claudio hit Copeland with a chair. Wheeler brought another chair into the ring. Claudio smiled. Jay White’s music played, so Claudio stopped in his tracks and stared at White (modelling himself after Archer’s flawed focus earlier). Copeland stood and bashed Claudio and Yuta with the chair, then speared Claudio. Shafir grabbed Copeland from behind with a sleeper. Yuta charged at Copeland, but Copeland moved and the Busaiku Knee hit Shafir. Fans chanted, “You f—ed up!”
White gave Yuta a Blade Runner. Copeland bashed Claudio with a chair and then set up a Conchairto. Taz said Copeland can get crazy. White encouraged him to swing the chair at Claudio’s head. Copeland did, although they chose the worst camera angle that showed it didn’t make contact with the head. Fans chanted, “One more time!” White fended off Mox who arrived at ringside. White held off Moxley as Copeland stood over Claudio with his chair. Willow Nightingale’s music played and she walked out to the ring. She then picked up a chair and smashed the chair down at Shafir’s head for a Conchairto. Copeland’s music played.
(Keller’s’ Analysis: It seems to me the entertainment value of chairshots to the head, whether or not they make impact, expired 20 years ago after the affects of that brutal era started to surface in wrestlers with CTE and other issues. It’s worse when they look so fake. The crowd wasn’t reacting much to the angle in its final stages as it kind of dragged.) [c]
(5) DEONNA PURRAZZO vs. HARLEY CAMERON
Cameron came out first. Then Purrazzo made her entrance. The bell rang 29 minutes into the hour. They showed Tyra Valkyrie watching on a monitor backstage. Cameron scored a two count at 2:00. They cut to a double-box break with Purrazzo in control. [c/db]
Purrazzo hung Cameron upside down in the corner, but Cameron kicked her as she charged. Cameron rolled up Purrazzo while in an armbar for a two count. Cameron then landed a swinging faceplant for the win. Excalibur called it “a come from behind victory.”
WINNER: Cameron in 8:00.
-A video package aired on Orange Cassidy vs. Konosuke Takeshita with a look at Cassidy’s history as International Champion and then the set-up for this match. [c]
(6) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA vs. ORANGE CASSIDY – International Title match
Callis joined in on commentary. The bell rang 46 minutes into the hour. Takeshita took off Cassidy’s sunglasses and broke them and chewed them before throwing them aside. Callis laughed. Cassidy pulled a second pair out of his pocket for a small crowd pop that prompted the question of whether he always wrestles with spare sunglasses or he somehow anticipated Takeshita breaking his first pair. Takeshita took Cassidy to the mat and then took his sunglasses off and gave them to Callis. Callis proudly put them on and smiled. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c]
Takeshita nailed Cassidy with a lariat after the break. Takeshita blocked a Stun Dog Millionaire and landed a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. They brawled to ringside. Cassidy lured Takeshita onto the announce desk by putting his hands in his pockets, and then he countered Takeshita with a Beach Break onto the desk. They slid to the ground. Cassidy and Takeshita re-entered the ring to avoid the countout. Cassidy landed an Orange Punch and then dove at Takeshita with a tornado DDT at ringside. Cassidy threw Takeshita back into the ring, then yanked his sunglasses off of Callis.
Cassidy returned to the ring and leaped at Takeshita. Takeshita, though, caught him with an elbow strike. Cassidy countered a brainbuster with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Cassidy then charged at Takeshita and rolled him up after a reversal with a near fall. Takeshita then delivered Raging Fire for the win.
WINNER: Takeshita in 12:00 to retain the International Title.
-As Takeshita and Callis celebrated, they plugged Garcia vs. Cole, FTR vs. O’Reilly & Strong, and a Kenny Omega promo on Saturday on Collision.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Dan Kuester 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.
LIVE ON YOUTUBE RIGHT AFTER AEW DYNAMITE TONIGHT: CLICK HERE TO WATCH
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