The AEW residency in the Aragon Ballroom continued last night, for Episode 304 of Wednesday Night “Dynamite.”
There was a lot to love about this week’s installment of “Dynamite.”
The Young Bucks received a jobber’s introduction for their tag team title eliminator tournament match against The Outrunners. Unfortunately, it was Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum who were forced to perform the time-honored tradition.
Shelton Benjamin summarily dismissed Maxwell Jacob Friedman from The Hurt Syndicate for giving him a fake Rolex.
In a rare moment of clarity, Christian Cage finally admitted that he’s an “asshole.” Cage then proceeded to gaslight the fans and abandon his gimmick-sons. For his transgressions, Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian tried to kill him with an awful looking Conchairto.
Athena and Billie Starkz overwhelmed “Timeless” Toni Storm and Alex Windsor in tag team action, however it was the “Fallen Goddess” who dealt the killing blow—pinning Storm with an O-Face. While this was the perfect scenario for Athena to exercise her Casino Gauntlet Contract, the “forever champion” curiously opted not too. Now, we’re forced to question Athena’s mental faculty, because she seems incompetent.
In the main event, Mark Briscoe renewed his rivalry against Ricochet—marking their third single’s encounter of 2025. However, the main attraction of this week’s “Dynamite” was a rematch from “All In: Texas,” between “Hangman” Adam Page and Jon Moxley. This was the final stanza of Moxley’s reign of terror. And, with it, a new chapter has begun in AEW—one centered on “Hangman” Page and MJF.
This was a phenomenal return to form for Wednesday Night “Dynamite” and an exceptional episode of televised pro-wrestling.
The ending of Dynamite was glorious. Hangman and Briscoe standing tall in the ring, while MJF literally ran away like a coward—hurling obscenities at the babyfaces from the comfort of the stage like a raving lunatic.
That’s rasslin.’
— Ray Petree (@ray_petree) July 31, 2025
Rating: ****
The Matches
The Outrunners vs. The Young Bucks
The Outrunners continued to impress me in this match, proving that they’re more than an aesthetic. Unfortunately, their opponents are renowned for ignoring the rules of tag team wrestling—in a way that lacks subtlety. Therein lies the margins that prevent this match from being great. Thankfully, Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd have become adept in the southern tag format—keeping their fingers on the audience’s pulse.
Rating: ***¼
“Hangman” Adam Page [c] vs. Jon Moxley
While this was delivered under the auspices of free television, it felt like a true Pay-Per-View quality title fight—courtesy of two of AEW’s best big match performers.
The ring entrances were very effective here. A foreboding sense of dread filled the air when Moxley arrived, which only intensified as he descended down the stairwell. When “Hangman’s Tale” played, that palpable fear vanished in an instant. That unique rush of adrenaline, that can only be found in professional wrestling, was infectious—for both the fans and champion alike. Page’s stoicism slowly gave way, filling the Aragon Ballroom with hope.
The match itself proved to be a testament to Page’s resiliency. Moxley exhausted his arsenal during a lengthy control segment, using a series of submission holds and a myriad of piledrivers to break the champion. When that didn’t work, he summoned his Death Riders to steal the victory.
All of it was in service of breaking “Hangman” Page, but when the dust settled— it was the cowboy who emerged victorious.
While this match had the misfortune of living in the specter of their previous encounter, it was a satisfying coda to Page and Moxley’s rivalry.
Rating: ***¾
Toni Storm & Alex Windsor vs. Athena & Billie Starkz
Last Saturday, Alex Windsor failed to defeat Athena for the ROH Women’s World Championship. Last night, she joined forces with “Timeless” Toni Storm, to exact some measure of revenge against the “Fallen Goddess” and her minion, Billie Starkz.
As a standalone match, this was inoffensive enough. Windsor feels at home in AEW, whose smash-mouth style is reminiscent of Jamie Hayter or Kris Statlander.
Rating: **¾
MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet
You may be asking yourself why these two are wrestling again. To be perfectly honest, so am I. Was it for the love of the game? Was it for the purposes of the ranking system, that we’re no longer privy too? Was it so Briscoe could earn a marquee victory, before his match against MJF? Maybe all of the above.
What I do know is that this match was awesome.
For months now, I’ve extolled Ricochet’s work as a heel. However, the star here was Mark Briscoe—who I would argue has become the second best American television wrestler in the world. The first being the world champion, “Hangman” Page, who Briscoe stood side by side with after the match.
Briscoe and Ricochet have seemingly cracked the code, ending their trilogy with another exceptional performance. Next week, he’ll finally get his hands on MJF. The winner will ostensibly determine the number one contender for Page’s title.
Rating: ****
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