This week’s episode of “Dynamite” was the final stop on AEW’s rocky road to “Grand Slam Australia.” With that being said, this episode was actually taped on Tuesday night, to accommodate the wrestlers and crews travel schedule.
Last week’s episodes of both “Dynamite” and Saturday Night “Collision” were very enjoyable. Did this week’s episode outing maintain their momentum?
HIT: Max Caster’s Open Challenge
“Platinum” Max Caster acquired the trademark for the title “best wrestler alive” last year and used it as a fulcrum of his recent single’s exploits. So, he’s issued an open challenge to see if anyone can survive the so-called “best wrestler alive.”
Unfortunately for Caster, it was “Hangman” Adam Page who answered the challenge.
Caster immediately fled the ring, opting to hide amongst members of the crowd. Before Caster could escape though, Page met him at the pass, forcing Caster to return to the ring.
Caster attacked Page while he was entering the ring and quickly gained control in the match. While he was able to accumulate a little offense, it proved futile in the face of Page.
“Hangman” made quick work of Caster, finishing the affair with a devastating Buckshot Lariat.
While this wasn’t much of a contest, it did add another win to Page’s record and contribute to the ethos of Caster.
Rating: N/A
HIT: The Death Riders [c] vs. The Undisputed Kingdom
This was The Death Riders’ first defense of the AEW World’s Trios Championships since November. So, in case you’ve forgotten, this specific configuration of The Death Riders is PAC, Wheeler Yuta, & Claudio Castagnoli.
This feud has been brewing on “Collision,” with Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, & Roderick Strong focusing their attention on the trios division. The only obstacles standing in their way were Shane Taylor Promotions and Daniel Garcia & 2point0, who they beat last Saturday.
While I’m admittedly not a big fan of trios action, this was a fun match. The Undisputed Kingdom have extraordinary chemistry and their tandem-offense was tremendous. Unfortunately, The Death Riders observe a different rule book.
Wheeler Yuta landed a low blow on Kyle O’Reilly amidst a little pandemonium, scoring a pinfall with the most devastating move in sports-entertainment: the small package.
After the match, the Death Riders tried to indulge in a little bit of extracurricular activity, but were met by Garcia and 2point0.
Rating: **¾
HIT: “Switchblade” Jay White & Adam Copeland steal the briefcase
Immediately after the match, Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir were backstage, presumably on their way towards the ring, when Adam Copeland and “Switchblade” Jay White attacked them.
Copeland grabbed the briefcase and threw Shafir in a closet, closing the door behind her. Of course, the briefcase was still handcuffed to her wrist, so the chain was preventing the door from closing. So, while Copeland held the door handle, “Switchblade” used a pair of bolt cutters and sever the chain, allowing Copeland to steal the briefcase.
What’s in the briefcase? Is it the AEW World Heavyweight Championship? Marsellus Wallace’s soul? PAC’s street clothes? Is it a bomb, containing the missing fuel from Moxley’s exploding barbed-wire deathmatch with Kenny Omega?
HIT: MJF and “Hangman” Adam Page Face-to-Face
MJF is backstage with Renee Paquette, discussing his impending match with Dustin Rhodes when his interview is interrupted by “Hangman” Adam Page. Over the past three weeks, these two men have experienced brief, but meaningful encounters.
Page isn’t interested in MJF’s pleasantries, so the “Devil” got right to the chase.
MJF doesn’t think Page’s heart is dark enough to stomach the evil deeds that he’s performed. More importantly, he’s scorned by the fact that the fans believe in “Hangman,” more than they believe in him.
This was more than just a hit. This was a homerun. These are the kinds of interactions and performances that separate MJF and “Hangman” Adam Page from the field. These are two of the most multifaceted professional wrestlers alive. This was proof positive of that.
HIT: Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, & HOOK (The Opps) in action
The formidable team of Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, & HOOK returned to trios action last night.
Their poor victims were Aaron Solo, Jon Cruz & Rosario Grillo. Naturally, this didn’t last long.
After the match, Joe addressed the fans, locker room, the trios division, and the Patriarchy. More specifically though, Christian Cage, whose dance with HOOK has lasted long enough. So, Joe challenged the Patriarchy to a match next week on “Dynamite.”
Rating: N/A
Chris Jericho vs. Bandido
Last Saturday on “Collision,” Chris Jericho offered to pay the “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith $200,000 to defeat Bandido, effectively doubling the bounty on Bandido’s head. My question is: who put a $100,000 bounty on Bandido? Tony Khan? Shouldn’t we get to the bottom of this? This seems like a serious issue.
Jericho looked like a cowboy, I guess, so you know what that means: he wanted to collect and show Keith how “The Learning Tree” handles their business.
Bandido met Jericho in the ring, in short order. Unfortunately, Jericho’s earnest challenge proved to be a facade. Keith got the drop on Bandido, prompting The Outrunners to intervene. After that, Big Bill entered the fray to even the odds in the “Learning Tree’s” favor. Then, Powerhouse Hobbs arrived — taking the fight to Big Bill.
Sure, this was a cluster. However, it was a fairly efficient booking, furthering two angles in one fell swoop.
Rating: N/A
HIT: Adam Copeland and Jay White backstage
Copeland and White are backstage with the briefcase in hand. White says that they have a canvas to paint with the blood of the “one, true king.”
The “Rated R Superstar” remarks that he’s held a few title belts before and gestured to the briefcase, but didn’t elaborate any further. However, if Moxley wants his briefcase back, then he needs to meet Copeland and White in the center of the ring at the end of the night.
This was a fantastic respite and great way to thread the needle for a television program.
HIT: MJF vs. Dustin Rhodes
MJF’s ring gear looked positively ridiculous.
That aside, this match was a great match; certainly one of Dustin Rhodes’ best matches in recent memory.
While this wasn’t exactly a walk in the park for the former AEW World Champion, most of his shortcomings were self-inflicted. Still, Rhodes was unable to mount any significant offense against MJF, despite delivering both the Cross Rhodes and the Shattered Dream.
MJF weathered the storm and finally was able to apply the Salt of the Earth. The “Natural” was able to hang on, but MJF rolled him to the center of the ring, transitioned into a crossface, and forced him to submit.
Rating: ***¾
HIT: “Hangman” Adam Page attacks MJF
After the match, MJF forced referee Bryce Remsburg to leave the ring so he could continue assaulting Dustin Rhodes. However, he was interrupted by “Hangman” Adam Page.
Page was still clearly frustrated after their earlier encounter, so he didn’t waste any time bringing the fight to MJF. Jerry Lynn and Chuck Taylor led the security to the ring to separate both men, but the fight continued into the H-E-B Center’s concourse.
Eventually, the security guards were able to separate both men; forcibly escorting Page out of the arena. MJF returned to the ring and called Page a coward, believing he had been removed from the H-E-B Center. However, Page ran back down the aisle and attacked MJF once more — which continued until the commercial break.
Once their skirmish was finally over, it was announced that both men will meet face-to-face next week on “Dynamite.”
This was phenomenal. From the opening contest between Page and Caster, to their backstage segment, to MJF’s match with Rhodes, to this encounter: this was a great segment through-and-through. It’s very rare that AEW weaves stories throughout a single episode, but this was extraordinary. My level of excitement for this feud is through the roof, right now. I’d call this another homerun.
HIT: Megan Bayne in action
Nigel McGuinness called Megan Bayne “equal parts stunning and indomitable.” I think he hit the nail on the head.
Last Saturday, Bayne attacked Thunder Rosa after her match on “Collision.”
This was a great showcase for Bayne, who faced a local wrestler named Maya World.
As Bayne was walking back to the go-position, Kris Statlander made her entrance ahead of her match with Penelope Ford. The two had a brief face-to-face confrontation, before Statlander continued to the ring.
Rating: N/A
HIT: Kris Statlander vs. Penelope Ford
On Monday, Kris Statlander issued an open challenge to anyone in the women’s division. Penelope Ford answered her challenge in short order, setting the stage for this contest.
This was a terrific match. Once again, Penelope Ford proved herself as one of AEW’s best utility players. Unfortunately, she suffered her sixth straight loss last night. Hopefully she can start accruing some wins of her own.
On the other hand, there are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Kris Statlander delivering in the ring.
These two delivered in spades.
Rating: ***¾
HIT: Harley Cameron vignette
Harley Cameron is one of the most talented women in AEW. She can sing, play guitar, speak Mandarin, and perform ventriloquism. She’s a pretty good wrestler too.
Her ventriloquism act with the Mercedes Mone Puppet has become one of the most entertaining recurring-segments in AEW, over the last month. But, it’s Cameron’s earnestness as a babyface that has made this feud infinitely more compelling.
This is an underdog story, in the truest sense of the phrase. Cameron just earned her first televised win two weeks ago on “Collision.” Now, she’s facing Mercedes Mone in her home country. That alone is a remarkable feat.
While I certainly don’t expect Cameron to win the TBS Women’s Championship at “Grand Slam Australia,” it’s clear that Cameron’s future in wrestling is extremely bright.
HIT: The Hurt Syndicate [c] vs. The Gunns
The Gunns returned to tag team action last night against the AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Hurt Syndicate.
Colten & Austin Gunn haven’t wrestled without Jay White since last May. So, this was baptism by fire.
I was pleasantly surprised by how The Gunns fared against Bobby Lashely & Shelton Benjamin. The Gunns lived up to their billing as former tag team champions, finding ways to mount significant offense against the frightening duo. Unfortunately, Lashley and Benjamin are seemingly inviolable — quickly cutting off the Gunns’ advances and pulverizing them with a variety of thrust kicks, slams, and suplexes.
Benjamin delivered a rising knee to Austin Gunn in the corner. As Austin was stumbling, Lashley punctuated the affair with a devastating spear to score the pin.
The Hurt Syndicate’s scored their first successful title defense, against former champions no less. After the match, the Don Callis Family’s resident tag team, the Murder Machines, stood at the entrance way — making their presence known to the Hurt Syndicate.
Rating: ***¾
HIT: Adam Copeland & Jay White confront Jon Moxley
Earlier in the show, Copeland threatened to keep Moxley’s briefcase, which ostensibly contains the AEW World Heavyweight Championship, unless Moley met them in the ring at the end of “Dynamite.”
So, the final segment saw Adam Copeland and “Switchblade” Jay White enter the ring with Moxley’s briefcase in hand. Copeland retrieved a briefcase of his own from under the ring, containing “Spike;” which he threatened to use to open Moxley’s briefcase, unless he accepted his challenge at “Revolution.”
Moxley frantically met Copeland in the ring area, refusing to allow Copeland or White to open the briefcase. Moxley accepted Copeland’s challenge, promising that he’ll break his neck at “Revolution.”
Copeland tried to open the briefcase anyways, driving “Spike” into it multiple times before the Death Riders intervened. In the end, while Shafir was able to retrieve the briefcase, Copeland and White got the better of Moxley and escaped relatively unharmed. White delivered a Blade Runner to Castagnoli, while Moxley leveled the champion with a spear.
Final Verdict
This was one of the best episodes of “Dynamite” that I can recall in a long time and easily the best of 2025. Not only was this week’s episode well paced, but the match-quality was incredibly high, and the backstage segments were excellent. Not only did this week’s installment of “Dynamite” deliver as a go-home episode for “Grand Slam Australia,” but it also continued the build towards “Revolution.”
Rating: ****½
Grand Slam Australia
- Mariah May [c] vs. “Timeless” Toni Storm
- Kenny Omega & Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher
- Adam Copeland & Jay White vs. Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli
- Mercedes Mone [c] vs. Harley Cameron
- Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Buddy Matthews
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