The road to “Revolution” continued last night, when AEW returned to Sacramento at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium for “Dynamite.”
This go-home edition of “Dynamite” was the penultimate stop on the road to this Sunday’s “Revolution.” With only one more episode of “Collision” to finalize any last-minute additions, this week’s episode of “Dynamite” was imperative.
HIT: MJF & “Hangman” Adam Page
The show opened with MJF outside of the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, waiting for the arrival of “Hangman” Adam Page, delivering an erratic promo from the playbook of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
Later in the evening, Renee Paquette joined MJF outside of the arena to interview him. However, they were both interrupted by Page, who arrived once again in his Rivian truck. Page chased MJF in the building, found him, and began dragging him towards the ring. It wasn’t until Page was under the auditorium’s lights, that he realized he was assaulting an imposter. MJF, of course, used the distraction to attack Page.
Page tried delivering a Buckshot Lariat, but MJF stunned him with a low blow. Then, he used his Dynamite Diamond Ring to level Page. MJF ripped off his button down to reveal a new t-shirt, which said: “MJF did nothing wrong.”
MJF wasn’t satisfied with knocking Page out, though. So, he found a bottle of lighter fluid under the ring, and began dousing “Hangman” with it. Before MJF could burn Page alive, a legion of referees, agent, and security flooded the ring — forcibly restraining MJF.
If it wasn’t already apparent, there’s no love lost between MJF and “Hangman” Adam Page. If you weren’t already sold on this match, then this sealed the deal.
HIT: Swerve Strickland & Ricochet contract signing
Swerve Strickland and Ricochet performed a time-honored wrestling festivity: a contract signing. Why do they need to participate in a televised contract signing, when the match has already been made official by Tony Khan? I don’t know.
This segment was terrific though, primarily because of Ricochet’s contributions. Quite frankly, he’s flourished as a heel, defying my wildest expectations.
The winner of this match will become the number one contender of the AEW World Champion.
Personally, I hope it’s Ricochet.
HIT: Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Will Ospreay, & Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Bryan Keith, Mark Davis, and the Murder Machines
The opening contest was an eight-man tag team match between the Don Callis Family and Bryan Keith versus four of Don Callis’ most prescient enemies. Those enemies being Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, Will Ospreay, and Powerhouse Hobbs.
While I’m usually averse to eight-man tag team matches, this was a lot of fun. Multiple angles were woven into this, resulting in a very exciting and efficiently booked match.
In the end, it was the all-star team of Cassidy, Briscoe, Ospreay, & Hobbs who stood victorious; with Ospreay using an Os-Cutter and Hidden Blade combination to pin Keith.
After the match, the Don Callis Family isolated Ospreay in the ring, with Kyle Fletcher joining in the extracurricular activity. As a quick aside, Fletcher looked absolutely shredded last night — continuing to more closely resemble a young Randy Orton by the day.
Mark Davis tried to convince his former tag team partner to stop, but Fletcher wasn’t satisfied; forcing Davis to attack Ospreay with a steel chair. Then, Fletcher punctuated their assault by hoisting Ospreay up and delivering a Brainbuster onto a steel chair, seemingly breaking the “Aerial Assassin’s” collar bone.
Given all the damage that he sustained during and after this match, it looks like Ospreay will be fighting an uphill battle at “Revolution,” when he meets Fletcher in a steel cage.
Rating: ***½
HIT: Adam Copeland vs. Wheeler Yuta
Adam Copeland continued his war against The Death Riders last night, when he faced Wheeler Yuta.
Having already incapacitated PAC, Castagnoli and Shafir, Yuta is the last of The Death Riders’ emissaries. For Copeland, it was paramount for him to remove Yuta from the board.
Unlike PAC or Castagnoli, Copeland didn’t need to use a Conchairto to eliminate Yuta.
This match wasn’t terrific, but it was certainly another strong effort from the 51-year-old “Rated R Superstar.” Yuta’s contributions certainly weren’t lost on me either, though. In the end, Copeland defeated Yuta with his patented Spear.
After the match, Copeland simply shook Yuta’s hand, admitting that he earned the “Rated R Superstar’s” respect. Copeland left the ring, leaving Yuta confused and bewildered. That was until Jon Moxley arrived.
The “One, True King” couldn’t believe that Yuta lost and began berating the Death Riders’ young protege. Eventually, Yuta had enough, turning his back on Moxley and leaving the ring.
Rating: ***
HIT: Jon Moxley promo
Wheeler Yuta has walked out! Now the AEW World Champion Jon Moxley enters his title match against Cope…alone!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS & Max@JonMoxley pic.twitter.com/h6hcXQgiEM
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 6, 2025
Moxley followed Yuta backstage, but Yuta had no interest in talking. So, Moxley turned his attention towards his opponent at “Revolution,” Copeland.
Moxley congratulated Copeland for eliminating the Death Riders from the equation. However, while he may successfully have isolated the AEW World Champion, that doesn’t mean Copeland’s chances have improved. Moxley won the AEW World Championship three-times, by his own volition. So, while he may be alone at “Revolution,” he was alone then, too. The end result will be the same.
This was arguably Moxley’s most incisive and poignant promo, since he betrayed Bryan Danielson. This was one of the AEW World Champion’s few triumphs, since he won the title in October.
HIT: Kris Statlander & Thunder Rosa vs. Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
Two weeks ago, Penelope Ford intervened in Kris Statlander and Megan Bayne’s match, helping the latter defeat Statlander. After the match, Thunder Rosa came to Statlander’s rescue, forcing Bayne and Ford to retreat.
Last night, their feud continued in a tag match, presented by the movie “Queen of the Ring.”
This was a great tag match, with all four women being able to showcase their tremendous talent. In the end, it was the “Megasus” who shined, delivering an emphatic F5, that she’s rechristened as “Fate’s Descent,” to Rosa for the three count. Bayne has no pinned both Statlander and Rosa. It only feels like a matter of time until she’s challenging either the AEW Women’s World Championship or TBS Women’s Championship.
HIT: Max Caster Open Challenge
“Platinum” Max Caster continued his open-challenge series this week on “Dynamite,” challenging the AEW locker room to see “who can survive the ‘Best Wrestler Alive.’”
This week, it was “Switchblade” Jay White who answered his challenge. White made short work of Caster, quickly ending the contest with a Blade Runner.
Afterwards, White reaffirmed his loyalty towards Copeland, promising that there will be a new champion at “Revolution,” and his name is Cope(land).
I love Caster’s open-challenge gimmick. I don’t know how sustainable it is, but it’s thoroughly entertaining.
HIT: “Timeless” Toni Storm & Mariah May sit down with Renee Paquette
This wasn’t just a hit. It wasn’t even a homerun. This was a grand slam.
Mariah May has, both literally and figuratively, lost the plot. May is ready for their “Hollywood Ending” at “Revolution,” so both women can burn together.
“Timeless” Toni Storm told May that she “didn’t deserve the dignity of death.” Instead, she’ll be cursed to live a life of mediocrity; to be good, but never great.
If it wasn’t already abundantly clear, May and Storm’s rivalry has reached an ethereal place in professional wrestling. Every week, whether it’s on “Dynamite” or “Collision,” these women are batting a thousand.
At “Revolution,” their trilogy will conclude in a Falls Count Anywhere match, that’s been billed as their “Hollywood Ending.” Hopefully, it will be every bit as ostentatious and climactic as I expect it to be. In all actuality, I’m sure it will exceed my wildest expectations. That’s how great these women are.
HIT: Kauzchika Okada & Ricochet vs. Brody King & Swerve Strickland
The main event saw Kazuchika Okada & Ricochet face Brody King & Swerve Strickland in a tag team matchup. While Ricochet and Strickland have been laying the groundwork for months now on “Dynamite,” Okada and King’s has been more hastily constructed on “Collision.” They’ll be squaring off at “Revolution” for the AEW Continental Championship.
This match was good, considering the caliber of all four participants. Still, I don’t think this match exceeded the sum of its parts.
While I’m sure King will shine alongside the “Rainmaker,” their match is certainly one of the least exciting offerings of this year’s “Revolution.” Meanwhile, Strickland and Ricochet sparingly met in this main event. That was, until the end, when Ricochet used Okada’s Continental Championship belt to incapacitate Strickland, allowing him to pin Strickland for the victory.
For a program that regularly loses a vast number of its viewers in the last half-hour, this was a safe main event. It was largely inconsequential, albeit it’s hard to imagine that Ricochet will pin Strickland yet again come “Revolution.”
Rating: ***
Final Verdict
This was yet another solid outing from AEW, which has resulted in one of the longest stretches of quality episodes of “Dynamite” that I can recall in quite a long time. I can confidently say that the build to “Revolution” has been a triumphant success for AEW, resulting in one of the most highly anticipated pay-per-views in the company’s history.
Rating: ***¾
Saturday Night “Collision”
- Daniel Garcia [c] vs. Lee Moriarty
- Serena Deeb vs. Momo Watanabe
- Harley Cameron In Action
- Hologram vs. Dralistico
“Revolution”
- Toni Storm [c] vs. Mariah May (Falls Count Anywhere)
- Jon Moxley [c] vs. Adam Copeland
- Konosuke Takeshita [c] vs. Kenny Omega
- Mercedes Mone [c] vs. Momo Watanabe
- The Hurt Syndicate [c] vs. The Outrunners
- “Hangman” Adam Page vs. MJF
- Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher (Steel Cage)
- Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet
- Kazuchika Okada [c] vs. Brody King
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