wrestling / TV Reports
Ciocco’s AEW Dynamite Review 2.5.25
Image Credit: AEW
Loading...Well, hello there, Sickos! It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means! It’s time for a new episode of Dynamite, and we have a lot of fun and interesting stuff on tap tonight. The saga between Swerve Strickland and Ricochet will continue tonight, albeit in the confines of an AEW ring (and obviously outside and around it), and Don Callis Family members Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher will team up against the newly rebranded Hounds of Hell, those being Buddy Matthews and Brody King. Will Ospreay will do battle with the mysterious member of the Callis Family, Queen Aminata will face TIMELESS Toni Storm, all of that and, forever and always, so much more!
So, how are you doing, my friends? Obviously, I am still on edge as it is NOT soon enough to the Superbowl to see if my Birds can extract revenge on Kansas City for the loss two years ago. It cannot be 6:30PM on Sunday soon enough! I will say that, depending upon what happens, next week’s Dynamite recap could be the happiest one you’ve ever read, or the worst one that you ever read. Let’s hope that it is definitely the former.
At any rate, let’s enjoy Dynamite tonight!
Tonight, we are LIVE from Atlanta, Georgia! Our announcers are the Trio of Terror known as Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz Jones!
We get Renee Paquette leading us in. We see wrestlers show up, and she catches Jay White. White says there is no history between Cope (Just Cope), but there is a little bit of history between him and FTR. As he is talking, here comes The Death Riders, but Rated FTR are behind them. White counts to eight and says just on time as the fight is on! After some clusterfack action in the back, everyone comes out to the arena. Cope rips the shirt off of Claudio, apparently, he didn’t like it lol. White has Moxley in the ring, but Yuta sneaks up, only to eat the Bladerunner. Jay tries again, but PAC with the save now. Shatter Machine by FTR on PAC! Claudio catches a flying Cash with an uppercut. Nice. Claudio and Mox stomp out White, but Cope is in the ring with the SPEAR on Claudio, saving Jon.
The Death Riders take off over the barricade as Cope has the mic. MOXLEY! I don’t know if you can hear it, but they’re chanting one name. So Moxley, what is your answer? Do you still have a set of nuts? Cope and Jon one-on-one for the World Title at Revolution.
Moxley to the edge of the barricade, he gets a mic. You deserve nothing, you get nothing, the answer is no. LMAO!
White on the mic now. You son of a bitch, how about I make you breathe with the Switchblade and make you drown in a pool of your own blood? White proposes himself and Cope against Claudio and Jon for a Brisbane Brawl at Grand Slam in Australia? Okay, so this is where we will get Cope (Just Cope) and Moxley at Revolution?
Swerve and Ricky is the main event tonight, which is fitting, as Excalibur runs down the rest of the card. I miss when he used to fit ten thousand words in a minute, NGL.
We revisit Buddy Matthews challenging Kazuchika Okada for his Continental Classic Title. Apparently, this match is official for the title at Grand Slam. Nice!
Will Ospreay is here, and we’ll soon find out who he is facing tonight.
Will Ospreay vs. ?????????
The greatest theme song ever hits, here comes Don Callis. He has a very important announcement to make. FUCK DON CALLIS chants. Ladies and gentlemen, the opponent for Will tonight is someone that he has traveled the roads with, called him his best friend, and knows him well. It’s Mark Davis! Wow! Talk about a surprise, for sure.
Will Ospreay vs. Mark Davis
YOU SOLD OUT chants as the bell rings. Davis with thunderous chops, taking Will to the corner. Will replies, but Davis cuts him off. He misses a standing splash, and Will with a basement dropkick. Will hooks the ropes, kick to the Davis. Will off the ropes, but Davis with a back body drop. Corner clothesline by Davis, low elbow to the face of Ospreay. The cover, two count. Davis chucks Ospreay around like he’s a sack of potatoes. Davis with more chops and hits the back senton this time. Cover, another two count. More chops by Davis, he sits Ospreay on the top rope. Will fights him off, to the top rope, springboard clothesline! PIP Break!
PIP Thoughts:
-Did y’all know that AEW is on MAX? I know, I’m shocked, SHOCKED I tell you!
-White Lotus is back! I don’t watch it, but awesome that it is back for their fans.
-Bleh, keep that Corona.
-WHOPPER WHOPPER WHOPPER WHOPPER!
-“What’s the economy?” That is a great question, NGL.
-HERE’S KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYS!
-Might if I root through your trash? LOL!
-Impractical Non-Jokers.
We’re back, as Davis continues to channel his inner Ric Flair with those chops. Ospreay tries to fight him off, but he eats a release Dragon followed by a knee strike. He rams the knee into the head of Ospreay, he covers for a two count. Ospreay channels his inner Darby Allin and refuses to die, as he hits a rolling kick to the head of Davis. Mark to the floor, Ospreay clears the top rope with a crossbody block. Thrust kick and a hook kick by Ospreay. Oscutter by Will, cover for a two count as Callis gets on the apron. Hidden Blade, but Davis up with a clothesline. Ospreay with palm strikes, but a huge piledriver by Davis! Cover, 2.5! Rick Knox checks on Will, as Davis breaks the middle turnbuckle off. Davis argues with Knox, as Will comes through the (Not) Hidden Blade for the win!
WINNER: Will Ospreay
TIME: 11:00
THOUGHTS: Surprised they decided to turn Davis here, remember, the last time we saw him, he was fighting against Kyle and with Will. So that was a surprise. A good match, nothing great.
RATING: ***
Post-match, the fans chant OSPREAY as Will on the mic. Oh, yes, BRUV! Atlanta! It’s like a party in here, right? And Don! Seeing as to you like to crash the party and you’re a party pooper; he has a new best friend back there that he is teaming up with at Grand Slam.
The fans chant KENNY as his music hits. Callis runs away from commentary. LOL! Kenny casually walks by Davis on the ring entrance. Kenny on the mic. He doesn’t remember a reception like this, so thank you, Atlanta! This is meant to be a celebration of Will, but Mark Davis. Man to man, I have no clue what Callis has on you, but trust me, even if it’s scary, help is there. And there are people here that you can trust. One week from now, Kenny makes his in-ring return to AEW in Brisbane. But hearing his name gave him the itch and he had to come on and day hi. Fletcher and Takeshita are out here, Callis holds them back. Kenny says they have nothing but time, he suggests they pack a back, get on a jet, and train for next weekend. It’s been a long time since people could really feel what Kenny was feeling in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Now that he’s back in 2025, the fans will feel the exact same thing he is feeling. It’s not a match for fun, it’s not a match to prove that they are better than Take and Fletcher, but it is to prove that the future is up there and in this ring. Kenny must bid you adieu, so goodbye, MUAH, and goodnight, BANG!
Good promo by Kenny, you almost forget how good he can be on the mic. Definitely a personable promo as well.
We take a look back at how we got to this match tonight between Swerve and Ricochet.
COMMERCIALS!!
WE HURT PEOPLE, WE HURT PEOPLE! The Hurt Syndicate have arrived, all looking dapper. WE HURT PEOOPLE chants. MVP on the mic. Ladies and Gentlemen, ATLaliens, and the viewing fans. Stand up and give respect to the Standard of Excellence and the All-Mighty, your NEW AEW Tag Team Champions. That sounds good, doesn’t it? He’s going to keep it short and sweet, because they are heading out for the Superbowl. He has to give props to Private Party; they are great young talent with a bright future. But it was the wrong place and wrong time. It’s not their fault that they had to face the deadliest tandem in all of wrestling. If you are an AEW athlete and you are a champion, get ready, because when they choose, they are coming to see you, to hurt you, and take your title. They are open for business, and if you want to challenge for the tag titles…
But they’re cut off by a familiar theme. GUNS UP! Austin and Colten Gunn are back! Colten has the gun. They don’t mean any disrespect coming out here and cutting them off, but they want to talk business. MVP says they aren’t dressed like businessmen, but they are talking like men, so come on in the ring and discuss your business. They get in the ring, but first thing is first, GUNS UP FOR OUR ATLANTA GUNN MEMBERS! ATL chants. They are the Gunns, they are former tag team champions, and they have been waiting for two years to get the titles back. The Gunns are back to get their titles back. Austin on the mic. Oh, you hurt people? That’s kind of your job isn’t it. But it is our job to take our titles back. MVP says he appreciates their courage and moxie and respect their father more. Next week, for the AEW World Tag Team Titles, it will be the Hurt Syndicates against a couple of Ass Boys. Colten on the mic. Ass Boys? The sound goes out, so I don’t know what he said to them. But I did get IF YOU DON’T LIKE THAT, WE GOT TWO WORDS FOR YOU, GUNNS UP!
Harley Cameron picked up her first televised AEW win on TV this past week! Renee is expecting Mercedes Mone, but it’s the Mone puppet! She wants to announce that this week on Collision, she will be in concert! You’re not such a dummy. She doesn’t get the joke lol. Here is the real Mone now. Are you stupid? Renee wants to know who she will face at Grand Slam. Mone thinks it is cute that Cameron got her first win. She got her first win at 23, and she has four titles now. Harley, you are a loser, and losers don’t get to ride the MONE train. She rips the puppet and throws it to the floor. BOO!
COMMERCIALS!
We’re back, with Renee and Hangman Page. She wants to know if Page had motive looking for Strickland. Page says it was just a moment of weakness, don’t ever ask again. Renee asks if he feels bad about injuring and retiring CD. Page doesn’t feel remorse; he says Daniels accepted that match and he knew what was coming. Max Caster is seen off screen, he wants them to wrap this up. he says he respects Page, imagine if he could put Anthony Bowens or Billy Gunn in a neck brace? Page doesn’t see either of them here, but he does see Caster. Max tries to escape, but Page says he will follow him. LOL.
The Hounds of Hell are here!
Hounds of Hell (Brody King and Buddy Matthews) vs. The Don Callis Family (International Champion Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher)
I expect this one to be a BRISCOE, although neither team should be losing. Obvious Okada interference is obvious, though.
Matthews and Fletcher to start us off. Aussies explode as both men trade wrist control. Matthews with a headlock take over, Fletcher doesn’t budge on a shoulder tackle. Matthews looking for a roundhouse kick, but Fletcher ducks it. Takeshita tags in now. Go-arounds are exchanged, as King tags in. Takeshita doesn’t realize it, until he turns around and eats a couple of chops. Takeshita peppers King with punches, but King eats them and floors Takeshita. Fletcher in, but he thinks better of it and gets out of the ring. Fighting on the floor ensues. King and Matthews sit Takeshita and Fletcher down in chairs against the barricade so King can do the running crossbody. ONE MORE TIME chants. This time, King sits Fletcher on Takeshita and sandwiches them a second time LOL. PIP Break.
PIP thoughts:
-Forget the Superbowl, Sunday is the Puppy Bowl!
-Jared said OH NO YOU DON’T, KAY’S!
-The funny thing about this Josh Johnson commercial is that he really DID play for that many teams. Amazing.
-Let go! Okay, you can have Corona lol.
-WALFART!
-This commercial if Progressive’s D-Material.
-Chocolate? Now? The nerve!
-Real oranges in Tropicana!
-I WANNA PAY WITH YOU ANYWHERE!
-You still put Factor in a microwave.
-Doubling down on Jared! EAT IT, KAY NERDS!
-NGL, the Four Nations thing is very interesting.
We’re back, as King is fighting to get to his corner. He picks up and lifts Takeshita twice but Take sends him back to his team’s corner. King drops Fletcher and tries again for the tag. Takeshita kicks Matthews off the apron, but King drops Take. RELEASE GERMAN BY TAKESHITA, BUT KING GETS RIGHT BACK UP! He’s the real PCO lol. King looking for the Ganzo Bomb, but Takeshita out, they hit crossbodies and they’re down. Both men make it to their corners, and here comes Matthews on the attack. Clotheslines and a dropkick to Fletcher. Matthews looking for the Orton DDT, but Fletcher fights it off. Matthews throws Fletcher to the floor, Take is here, Matthews over the top with a corkscrew plancha to both men! Back in the ring, Matthews with a Meteora to Fletcher for two. THIS IS AWESOME chants. Fletcher tries to fire up, but he runs into the boot of Matthews. AH, as expected, the coin drops, and Okada’s music plays! Fletcher takes advantage, crotches Matthews, but he slips out. kicks Fletcher in the head. He tags in King. CANNONBALL AND SLIDING DROPKICK COMBO! COVER, BUT TAKESHITA WITH A DROPKICK SENTON SPLASH TO BREAK THE PIN UP! DAMN! King applies the choke to Takeshita on the apron, he rakes the eyes to escape. Orton DDT by Fletcher on King, cover, 2.8! Brain buster is fought off by Fletcher, Takeshita in. Tandem offense by both men, Fletcher with an assisted brain buster for the win.
WINNER: Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita
TIME: 14:15
THOUGHTS: Yo, I know I said that neither team should have lost this match, unfortunately the HoH had to lose, but this match was AWESOME!
RATING: ****
We see highlights from HOOK and Joe’s match with Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian. To the here and now, Joe and HOOK are walking in the back. HOOK says he isn’t sensible when he is mad, but they enter the Patriarchy locker room anyway. Sabian and Wayne are here. Joe asks for their daddy, they say that he isn’t here. They can call back later. Joe says they could leave a message, and they beat down Kip and Nick. We see Christian Cage watching this LOL! Joe says tell them they said hi. They leave, THEN Cage comes in and checks on them.
MJF is here now. CUT MY MUSIC, CUT MY MUSIC! Geriatric Jeff Jarrett! All you had to do was stay out of the way of a rising, impressive, and good-looking star. But that is why he had to teach him a lesson, the E in AEW stands for All Elite Wrestling, not All Elderly Wrestling. MJF has killed himself with that joke lol. He is one step closer to obtaining his Triple B. No one is on the level of the…
Max Caster is here now, he points over his shoulder. MJF tells him to get out of his ring, as Hangman’s theme hits. Page enters the ring, and MJF comes face-to-face with him. Page leaves and gives chase to Caster. MJF says are we for real now? You guys like Cowboy Shit? Before he was interrupted by a talentless and worthless hack, ain’t nobody on the level…
Dustin Rhodes is here now! Rhodes tells Max to shut his stupid trap. All you do is come out here and badmouth everyone in the back. You talk about people who aren’t even here anymore like Owen Hart. LOOK ME IN MY EYES, YOU SON OF A BITCH! You keep Owen’s name out of your mouth, or he’ll kick his teeth in. Stop talking about people’s wives, and people’s pasts with addictions. Rhodes is one of them. He looked the Devil in the face, but he kicked him in the mouth. Max is NOT the Devil. There is a reason he is still here at 55 and hanging with everyone on this roster. He is a survivor; he is the last of his kind. He has survived everything that Max can think of BOY! When he is gone, the mold will be broken forever. He is better than Max will ever be, and his bitch ass knows it. MJF says give it up for Rhodes, that was incredible. But he has to tell him the part where he said he was better than him, that is interesting. He could imagine that all those years of being a useless drug addict turned his brain into Swiss cheese if he thinks that. Dustin Rhodes is the man who took 37 long years of blood, sweat, and tears, to get out of his daddy’s shadow. Golddust reference by MJF lol. You know what’s sad about this? After all of this, you live in the shadow of your baby brother.
Dustin has heard enough, as he punches MJF. Security, including Christopher Daniels and Jerry Lynn, try to break it up. MJF back in the ring, he kicks Rhodes in the balls. MJF tells CD that Hangman did a number on him. Terry Yaki chants lol.
COMMERCIALS!
Mariah May is here, looking really fine this evening. She’s here to commentate for the following match.
Timeless Toni Storm The Glamour Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata
Justin with the intro, playing the part of the Glamour Mariah May. Huh. LOL! Toni Storm is Mariah May tonight! And I love it! She looks just like May, but with more cake!
The bell rings, and the real May has nothing to say lol. Aminata works a headlock on Cake May, she fights out of it. We see Serena Deeb watching in the back. Cake May slaps Aminata in the face and hits a Russian Leg Sweep. Queen trips Cake May into the ropes, she charges into the ropes, but Cake May moves and hits a hip attack on Aminata. She goes to follow up, but Aminata sends Cake May to the floor, suicide dive to the floor! Aminata does an MxM pose! PIP Break!
As usual, I have the moral obligation to mention that women’s matches don’t get PIP thoughts. IYKYK.
We’re back, as Cake May tries a pin attempt on Aminata for a two count. Cake May hammers away on Aminata and puts her on the top rope. Cake May tries the head scissors from the top, Aminata fights out, but Cake May with the basement dropkick for a two count. Mariah wants Tony to look at her brilliant breasts. I mean, yeah, go for it like it’s fourth and one lol. Both women trade slaps in the middle of the ring. The Queen with a low release German. Aminata tries the bottom boot kick to Cake May. She mocks Mariah, the cover, two count. THIS IS AWESOME chants. Cake May reverses Aminata with a short DDT and a big kick. Hip attack in the corner. Cake May picks up the Queen, MAY DAY! The cover, sexy pin ensues, that’s three!
WINNER: The Glamour Cake May, as played by Toni Storm
TIME: 9:05
THOUGHTS: Let’s be real, this wasn’t as much as a match as it was a perfect portrayal of Mariah May by Toni Storm. It feels like a disservice to Aminata, but she had another great match, but the end result was predictable.
RATING: **********
Post match, Renee wants to interview Toni Storm, but please, call her Mariah May. She is the woman from hell! She stands on the neck of every woman in the division, and there isn’t a woman alive that can touch me! The real Mariah May is pissed, she stands on the apron, while Toni extends her hand. May thinks better of it, goes and grabs her titles, and leaves. Toni does the Mariah pose in the middle of the ring.
Speaking of people who are pissed off, it’s Dustin Rhodes! He is still here! Maxwell Jacob Friedman, he lives for blood, sweat, and tears. He is the last of his kind, BOY! Next week in Austin, Texas, he is going to beat his ass, BITCH!
(Incoming Okada lawsuit).
Video package for Big Bill and Powerhouse Hobbs.
HI GUYS! Welcome to a very special first time live of the New York Minute with Chris Jericho!
Keith: RESPECT CHRIS JERICHO!
Also, Keith: APPRECIATE LEARNING TREE!
(ATL, get it?)
Jericho doesn’t know how Bandido figures he is a wanted man, because no one wants him here. He will turn this into a teachable moment. There is a 100K bounty on Bandido’s head. There is a bounty hunter here in Keith, he will double that if Keith can do to Bandido what Bill did to Hobbs. Bill does to speak but here comes P-P-P-POWERHOUSE!
Problem is, this is a 3-on-1 disadvantage for Hobbs. But never mind that, here comes the Youngest Team Alive, The Outrunners! Security is here to break it up, but both Hobbs and Bill threaten security violence. Bill chokeslams his guy, so Hobbs pulls his in and delivers a chokeslam of his own. Both men enter the ring, hockey fight ensues! They go outside the ring and fight over the table now.
Hilariously, the New York Minute frame stays on the whole time LOL.
COMMERCIALS!
We’re back, as everyone is screaming in the back. Security is ejecting The Learning Tree from the building. There’s like no time left on the show. LOL.
WHOSE HOUSE? SWERVE’S HOUSE!
Swerve Strickland w/Dancing Prince Nana vs. Psycho Professor Ricochet
Ricky attacks Strickland from behind with a chair to the back! He beats him down the ramp with the chair. Ricky throws Strickland into the ring now. Paul Turner has not called for the bell yet, but Strickland says ring it. Vertigo from Ricky, but Swerve kicks out at two. Ricky crawls to the corner in shock. Ricky with a back breaker on Swerve. Uppercut and a back breaker by Ricky. Excalibur mentions this is the third all-time meeting between both men, the last one coming in 2017, and it’s tied at one. Ricky tries Vertigo again, but Swerve fights him to the ropes. Ricky goes up and drop kicks Swerve out of his leapfrog sequence. That was neat. Swerve to the floor, Ricky follows him with a DIVE to the floor. Ricky now on the barricade. Thumbs down by Ricky Batista. Swerve counters a Ricky hurrincanrana with a POWERBOMB on the barricade. HOLY SHIT chants. Back on the apron, Swerve smacks Ricky’s head off the top buckle, then launches Ricky into the exposed corner of the ring post. PIP Break.
PIP Thoughts:
-SATURDAY NIGHT IS ALRIGHT FOR COLLISION!
-White Lotus is back, in case you forgot.
-Progressive, but now with Maura stalking a woman.
-I’ve lost track of all the commercials featuring a Manning, a Watt, a Kelce, or a GRONK.
-Kays with the final punch tonight? We’ll see!
-You shouldn’t need a CoQ10 if you take a Statin…
-Choclate for the win!
-TWISTED TEA WITH TWISTA!
-RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
-Chipotle, IYKYK.
We’re back, as Swerve is peppering Ricky with punches. Swerve to the top, but Ricky kicks out the feet. Lung Blower by Ricky for a two count. Ricky with another back breaker. Another one. WHO’S BALDOCHET chants. OMG LOL. Ricky and Swerve exchange chops. Swerve up, off the wall by Ricky, kicks drop Swerve to his knees. Reversal suffale now. Swerve gets the better of it with a power slam for a two count. Ricky tries a low blow, but Swerve catches him. Release German into the flat liner, and the House Call! SWERVE STOMP, BUT RICKY KICKS OUT AT 2.8! Ricky snaps the neck of Swerve on the ropes twice. Kind of an enziguri to the shoulder of Swerve leads to a German on the apron by Ricky. Back in the ring, 450 splash by Ricky for a two count. Ricky to the top again, SHOOTING STAR PRESS TO THE SPINE OF SWERVE. ANOTHER KICK OUT AT TWO. Spirit Gun is locked and loaded but Swerve catches Ricky with the HOUSE CALL! SWERVE STOMP, BUT RICKY HITS HIM WITH A LOW BLOW! SPIRIT GUN, AND RICKY WITH A BIG WIN!
WINNER: Psycho Professor Ricochet
TIME: 13:30
THOUGHTS: Was there any doubt that this was going to be a BRISCOE? Even as a heel, Ricky is able to hit the babyface moves, but he keeps his attitude in check and mixes in the heel moves and tendencies really well. I am looking forward to more from these guys, and this guarantees we will get that.
RATING: ****
Post-Match, Ricky takes the robe that Swerve wore to the ring and wears it on his way up the ramp.
And with that, we are done!
