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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
JULY 30, 2025
CHICAGO, ILL. AT ARAGON BALLROOM
AIRED LIVE ON TBS & MAX
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reported that 1,144 tickets had been distributed earlier today; arena is set up for 1,144. The arena has a capacity of 5,000 spectators when configured for concerts.
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Chris Maitland 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.
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[HOUR ONE]
-After the Dynamite opening theme, Excalibur introduced the show as they went to a wide shot of the Aragon Ballroom. He hyped the scheduled matches and segments.
-A video package previewed the “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Jon Moxley main event for the AEW World Title. It included Darby Allin’s return at All In.
(1) THE YOUNG BUCKS (Nick & Matt Jackson) vs. THE OUTRUNNERS (Truth Magnum & Turbo Floyd) – AEW Tag Team Title Contendership Tournament
As the Outrunners came out, an inset promo aired with the Outrunners getting excited about winning the tournament and getting rich. The Jacksons were already in the ring and got the soft-talk jobber introduction without any inflection from Justin Roberts. An inset interview with the Bucks raving about being disrespected. The bell rang 7 minutes into the hour.
The Bucks rallied at 4:00 with a series of highspots. Fans booed a Matt flip at ringside. Matt got in Tony Schiavone’s face at ringside and yelled, “Who’s the superstar now? We’re the founding fathers!” They cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Turbo got a hot tag at 10:00. The crowd popped as he went on a flurry against both Bucks. Taz amused himself with references to Newport cigarettes since the Outrunners pants were based on that color scheme and stripe pattern and font. The Bucks came back and landed superkicks, but Tubro took them both down with a clothesline. He played to the crowd and then they both landed elbowdrops on Nick for a two count.
Matt gave Magnum a low-blow mule kick, but blocked the ref’s view. Fans booed. The ref shoved Matt over a kneeling Magnum leading to a two count. They landed a Recall, but Matt “broke up the cover.” (He more or less then flip dove over Turbo late and Nick never raised a shoulder, so it looked weird.) Fans chanted, “This is awesome!” Matt rolled up Magnum with a yank of the tights for a two count. The Bucks then landed the TK Driver for the win.
WINNERS: The Jacksons in 14:00 to advance to the tournament semi-finals.
(Keller’s Analysis: About what you’d expect here, with the Bucks providing the athleticism and the Outrunners providing the bombast.)
-They showed the brackets with the Young Bucks facing the winners of Brodido vs. Gate of Agony from Collision tomorrow night, plus FTR vs. Bang Bang Gang in the other semi-finals.
-As the Bucks celebrated, Kazuchika Okada came out to join the celebration. He joined the Bucks in stomping away at the Outrunners. Fans called for Swerve. Swerve made the save, but not before Prince Nana danced. Swerve marched to the ring as Okada waited for him. The Outrunners knocked the Bucks out of the ring. Swerve and the Outrunners then triple-teamed Okada. Swerve leaped off the top rope with a Swerve Stomp onto Okada and the Bucks at ringside.
(Keller’s Analysis: Okada hasn’t been with the Bucks since joining the Don Callis Family. Not sure that this means anything as it seemed more focused on just giving Swerve an excuse to beat up Okada a bit.)
-Renee Paquette interviewed Mark Briscoe backstage. Ricochet and GOA interrupted before Briscoe could answer Renee’s question. Briscoe warned Ricochet that he feels like a whole different animal now than at Revolution. He said he’ll whoop Ricochet’s ass. He then turned to the camera and cut a promo about MJF. Ricochet said that doesn’t matter and he’ll see him later tonight. He let out his “ha HA!” [c]
-They went to Excalibur and Taz at ringside. Excalibur said things are going well for MJF and mentioned his role in “Happy Gilmore II” and his possession of a contract he can cash in anytime for an AEW World Title shot, but otherwise things aren’t smooth with the Hurt Syndicate.
-MJF stood backstage and said there are rumors things aren’t great with him and Hurt Syndicate. He knocked on Hurt Syndicate’s locker room. Shelton Benjamin answered. MJF said they can bond with MVP since Bobby Lashley was “out of the picture.” Shelton said MVP isn’t there because he’s disgusted with him. Shelton pulled out the watch MJF gave him and said it was a cheap knockoff. Shelton said they’ve been onto him the whole time, and the only reason they haven’t laid him out before is because MVP was standing up for him. He said he needs to go away or else he’ll end up “in a pool of your own piss.” He told MJF he is out of Hurt Syndicate. MJF asked to talk it over, but Shelton slammed the door closed. MJF shoved the camera away.
-Schiavone stood mid-ring and introduced Christian Cage. He asked Christian to react to Adam Copeland asking him to find himself. Christian said, “Tony, my name is Christian Cage and I’m an asshole.” TBS bleeped him. Fans cheered and chanted “Asshole!” He said at Revolution last spring, he walked into Los Angeles ready to fulfill his destiny. He said hit a picture-perfect spear, but when he got up and looked down at the canvas, he caught a glimpse of his past. He said he became “an asshole with feelings.” He said it cost him everything. He said his own family is questioning him and pointing fingers. He said he didn’t realize Nick Wayne and Kip Sabian’s “nuts dropped” to the point of being brave enough to confront him. He said he’s spent more money on rental cars making towns than they’ve made their entire careers.
He asked Nick, Kip, and Shayna what they would know about taking risks, riding his coattails. He was letting hecklers get to him as he paused a few times and yelled, “I’m conducting my business.” He said he has a question for Adam Copeland, though. “Are the things I said really that bad?” he asked. “You understand the game within the game.” He said he should get off his high horse because he’s done some pretty unsavory things to get to the top himself. He said they are so different but also so the same.
Schiavone asked what’s going on with The Patriarchy. Christian said they embarrassed him at All In when they decided they didn’t need him anymore. He said Shayna said he had a hard time getting up that week. He said he’s found himself in holes in the past, but none were as deep or as gaping as hers, but he’s always managed to find his way out. He said the things they are saying comes from a place of entitlement. He asked Nick how it’s going to go when he has to answer for all the things he’s done and actually fight.
He wiped sweat from his brow and turned around, then returned to the mic. He said Nick had more talent than him and he did care about him and he protected him from everything. He said he has every tool to be the future of AEW, but he has to go through him to get there. He said in his young life, he already has one dead father. “Now you have another father who is just dead to you.” He said he now disowns Nick.
Christian left the ring to his music. Shayna Wayne met him on the stage. Kip then came up behind Christian. Nick then hit Christian with his ROH belt. Nick kneeled and yelled, “I disown you!” Kip and Nick put chairs against Christian’s head and then smashed the chairs together with Christian’s head between them.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a long, unsteady, at times awkward and meandering eight minutes. Christian has been amazing in AEW, but this was rough. It just dragged. And it led to him being a heel with no signs of redemption or reflection aiming his words at the young punk heel Nick. If this was meant to show hints of Christian being sympathetic going into the post-promo attack, I don’t think it worked. It was also weird how bothered he was by a heckler. I suppose it might have been intentional to convey he’s reaching some sort of breaking point and perhaps getting hit in the head with jostle him into a new state of mind.) [c]
-They went to Excalibur, Schiavone, and Taz at ringside. Excalibur said if they had an update on Christian’s condition, they’d deliver it.
-Stokely Hathaway and FTR cut a promo backstage. Stokely boasted about FTR’s first round tournament win. He said after what Copeland did last week, he’s banned from the building. He said if he had his way, he’d be banned from Collision tomorrow night. He said what Hurt Syndicate did last week was an act of cowardice. He then spoke about facing the Bang Bang Gang tomorrow night. The Bucks walked in and were wearing smarmy smiles. Cash said it’s good to see the Bucks get their groove back. Dax said he’d see them in the finals. Stokely noted they’re not the bosses anymore.
-They went to the announcers at ringside who said it was time for the AEW World Title match.
(2) “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. JON MOXLEY – AEW World Title match
Mox made his entrance first. Then Hangman. They did formal ring introductions with Justin Roberts standing mid-ring. He noted everyone is banned from ringside (or what?). The bell rang 55 minutes into the hour. They battled back and forth in the early minutes including action at ringside.
[HOUR TWO]
Fans taunted Moxley with a “You tapped out!” chant. Mox piledrove Hangman on the steps at ringside at 9:00. They cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
Hangman eventually made a comeback at 15:00. Mox took control at ringside and set up a move on the announce desk, but Hangman countered into a Dead Eye. Both were down and slow to get up. Fans chanted, “AEW! AEW!” Hangman landed a piledriver in the ring for a two count.
They exchanged mat holds. Mox landed a Gotch-style piledriver next for a two count. Hangman made a comeback and kicked Mox to the floor. He then leaped off the top rope with a moonsault press onto Mox on the floor at 23:00. Another “AEW!” chant. (Shouldn’t they be chanting for Hangman?) When Hangman went for a Buckshot, Moxley ducked and set up a Paradigm Shift. Hangman countered, but the ref got knocked down.
Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli strolled to ringside. Security at ringside stepped up to them. Marina Shafir then ran to the ring and gave Mox the the AEW World Title belt. Mox hit Hangman in the head with the belt. The ref came to and slowly counted. Hangman kicked out. The ref then told security to get Shafir away from ringside. She threw a fit and then apologized to Moxley. Darby showed up in a balcony as security were escorting Claudio and Yuta to the back. He landed on the security guys and Shafir, completely overshooting Yuta and Claudio. Fans chanted “Darby! Darby!” Hangman then caught Mox with a Buckshot lariat. He went for a Dead Eye, but Mox escaped and applied a sleeper. Hangman countered Mox with a Dead Eye again. He then landed a Buckshot for the win.
WINNER: Hangman in 27:00 to retain the AEW World Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: A good match marred by the silliness of the “no one allowed at ringside” without any repercussions if people did show up at ringside. It felt like the overbooked Jeff Jarrett Special finishing sequence. I know it’s standard fare in big matches, but I wasn’t crazy about Mox basically popping up from the first Buckshot after two or three seconds. This pivots Mox fully to Darby, I assume.)
-A vignette aired on Kyle Fletcher. [c]
(3) TONI STORM & ALEX WINDSOR vs. ATHENA & BILLY STARKZ
Athena and Starkz came out first. Windsor made her entrance and Taz called her “a tough customer.” When Storm came out, the announcers talked about Luther being injured, saying the phrase is “the bottom fell out.” The bell rang 32 minutes into the hour. Schiavone said Athena has a huge ego and buys her own positive press. Windsor landed a draping DDT on Starkz for a two count. Athena landed a spinebuster on Windsor out of catapult from Starkz. They cut to a double-box break at 4:00. [c/db]
Storm hot-tagged in at 10:00 and went on a flurry against Starkz including a Thesz Press. Storm followed up with a running hip attack as fans chanted “Toni!” She dragged Starkz to mid-ring, but Taz noted Athena was technically legal after a blind tag. Just then, Athena gave Storm an O Face for the win. Schiavone said the ROH Champion just pinned the AEW Champion. Athena leaned over Storm and said it’s only a matter of time before she cashes in her contract.
WINNERS: Athena & Starkz in 12:00.
-Backstage, Renee congratulated Hangman on his first title defense. MJF interrupted and gave him syrupy congratulations. He said heroes don’t stab people in the face with forks. He said Hangman called him a coward, but Hangman is the coward. MJF said they once had a real fighting champion named Swerve Strickland. Hangman said he won’t goad him into giving him a title shot with that. Hangman said MJF has to earn it and get in a line with everyone else. He said Mark Briscoe is someone he admires, so he should fight Mark Briscoe first. MJF said it was “a bunch of hicks from the sticks sticking together.” Hangman said he isn’t sure what is stopping him from beating his ass right now since Hurt Syndicate weren’t there. MJF turned and left. [c]
-Renee interviewed Willow Nightingale backstage. She said she got a match against Thekla tomorrow night. She said she’ll rip off every single one of her eight legs.
(4) RICOCHET vs. MARK BRISCOE
The bell rang 53 minutes into the hour. Excalibur said Ricochet has “upgraded” from his scissors to Gates of Agony. At 3:00, GOA walked to ringside. They cut to a break. Ricochet took over after Briscoe was distracted. [c]
[OVERRUN]
Excalibur snuck in a plug for Collision which airs on Thursday night this week. Briscoe eventually took over and leaped off a chair and flipped onto Ricochet and Leona at ringside. GOA stood on the ring apron again. The ref yelled at them. Brodie King and Bandido then ran out and attacked GOA. Excalibur said they wrestle tomorrow night. Briscoe and Ricochet exchanged big moves. Briscoe landed a Jay Driller for the win.
WINNER: Briscoe in 13:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: If MJF beating Briscoe is supposed to earn MJF a title match against Hangman, Briscoe had to win here.)
-Briscoe stood in the ring and called out MJF. He said if he killed MJF, he wouldn’t feel any remorse after what he said about his brother more than once. He told MJF to “make my day” and come out to the ring. MJF’s music played and he appeared on the big screen. He asked “Mascot Mark” if he has “dropped the comedy routine.” He said that doesn’t mean he has to take him seriously. He said Hangman told him he has to wrestle him to satisfy Hangman, though. He said he spoke to Tony Khan and now he’s booked against him next week on Dynamite. “If you make it,” he added. He then attacked Briscoe live in the ring. MJF yelled, “Who’s the coward now, Hangman!?” Hangman came out for the save. He set up a Buckshot, but MJF ducked. Briscoe went after MJF, but MJF scurried away. Fans chanted, “Coward!” Briscoe’s music then played.
(Keller’s Analysis: How did MJF know with certitude that Briscoe was going to call him out so that he made time to pre-tape a statement to distract him?)
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 Chris Maitland 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.
VIP VIDEO CALLER CODE: CLICK HERE
https://streamyard.com/vjwhvibs2c
Click that link during the post-show to enter the waiting room as “live video caller” (or just audio if you turn off your cam, which is fine). This is a private link, so don’t share. It’s just for VIP members at this time.
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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