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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
JULY 16, 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.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Darrin Lilly 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]
-They opened with a camera panning the relatively small crowd filling a historic venue as Excalibur introduced the show and touted All In. He said it was odd to refer to Jon Moxley as the former AEW World Champion.
-Tony Schiavone introduced “Hangman” Adam Page who made his way to the ring to his old music again, just as at All In. Fans chanted, “You deserve it!” He said when fans chant that, some of them might have missed the point. “The truth is that you deserve it,” he said. Fans shifted to a “We deserve it!” chant. He said for everyone in attendance and who watched at home, they were the ones who needed and demanded a better and fully realized professional wrestling product. He said they are the reason for All Elite Wrestling. Fans cheered and chanted, “AEW!”
He said the fans deserve to see the championship and have someone carry it who understands the connection and has more gratitude for them than they could ever ever know. Fans cheered. He said he walked into a war on Saturday in the Texas Death match to try to free the championship. He said some of the people who have fought in that war will never be the same.
He thanked Orange Cassidy. Fans chanted “Freshly squeezed!” He thanked other with pauses for applicable fan chants afterward including Jay White, Adam Copeland, the Opps, Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin, and Will Ospreay. Hangman paused and a “Swerve’s House!” chant started. He said if he’s going to be the champion he intends to be, he’s not sure if he helped for himself or for AEW or, “for one small moment, he decided to help for me, but I will say to Swerve Strickland, thank you.” Fans applauded. Another chant for Swerve broke out.
He said All In weekend was a roller coaster of highs and lows for him. He said he shed blood and tears. He said there are people like Moxley who would say that makes him weak or less of a man. He said he wanted Mox to look at him. “I have a wife and two kids who love me,” he said. “I have thousands and millions of people watching AEW, fans who can look to me and who can respect me.” Fans cheered. He said if you want to know what kind of man he is, you can look at him “because I am the champion of the f—-in’ world!” (He was bleeped.) Hangman’s music played.
(Keller’s Analysis: Excellent earnest and unabashedly sappy promo that the crowd ate up every step of the way.)
-Excalibur threw to a two-hundred-forty minute highlight video of All In that left a lot out. Bush’s “Machinehead” played. Graphics noted it was the biggest gate in AEW history, had 4.8 million social media engagements on Saturday, 12 million social media engagements during the week, 196 million views for All In, and nearly 100,000 new social media followers.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good decision to celebrate that event with a video like this and also plug the replay. You want to give viewers who didn’t see it a feeling that they made a mistake and missed a great party. This did that.)
-They cut to The Young Bucks arriving via Uber. Matt covered his face in shame and Nick yelled at the camera angrily as they carried their bags in.
(1) KYLE FLETCHER (w/Don Callis, Lance Archer) vs. MASCARA SAGRADA
As Fletcher came out, Excalibur said he expected to win the TNT Title, but Dustin Rhodes did. As Sagrada came out, Excalibur touted him as a flashy, exciting wrestlers from CMLL in Mexico. The bell rang at 19:00. Fletcher attacked Sagrada with a running boot to the head and pummeled him. Sagrada avoided a Fletcher dive through the ropes and then landed a twisting dive onto Fletcher at ringside. He followed with a top rope rope leap, but Fletcher avoided him and then slammed him hard to the mat. They cut to double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
Dorado landed a fancy huracanrana that Schiavone said he’s never called before. He landed a 450 splash on Fletcher next for a near fall. Fletcher eventually won with a brainbuster. Fletcher said his life mission is to take everything from Dustin Rhodes after what happened at All In.
WINNER: Fletcher in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good showcase match. Fletcher looked really good throughout until he needlessly grossly drooled as he cut a promo into the ringside mic after his win. Yuck.)
-Renee Paquette was shown approaching the Young Bucks as they were looking in the old basement for their locker room. She asked how they feel about no longer being EVPs. Matt curtly said they are looking for their locker room. Matt smiled and said hello to Marina Shafir and she just shook her head and walked past. Then they came upon their locker room which had an EVP sign on, but a guy was crossing out “EVPs.” Ricochet said, “It sucks to be you guys! Ha ha!” Don Callis walked in and said it’s an abomination that they lost one match and the company treats them like jobbers. (There he is again, trying to “get over” by using insider terms.) Callis suggested they work together. Matt said they would never join their family, but they could work together. They all hugged.
-They went to the announcers at ringside briefly. [c]
-A promo aired with MVP, Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley, and MJF backstage. MVP said he was stoic because they knew they were going to retain the tag titles, but he’s been begging for one of the legendary tag teams to “take these tag titles from us, please.” He said it’s getting boring. MJF said he is happy Hangman won. He said he wants to prove to his fans that he’s not a good guy or the best. MJF then yelled, “I’m the best in the world.” He said his clipboard with a title match contract “is break glass in case of emergency.” He said Hangman can be the main character all he wants and he’ll have no problem being the bad guy. He said good guys finish last. MVP added, “We aren’t nice guys at all.”
(Keller’s Analysis: Good, straight forward heel promo by MJF, although I could do without the pointless brief ALL CAPS yelling by MJF. It feels put-on and unnatural.)
(2) HECHICERO & JOSH ALEXANDER & THE YOUNG BUCKS (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. JET SPEED (“Speedball” Mike Bailey & Kevin Knight) & BANDIDO & BRODY KING
Callis joined in on commentary. When The Young Bucks came out, their music stopped and the screen went black with just their names typed out. The bell rang 42 minutes into the hour. They cut to a break at 4:00. [c/db]
Speedball landed karate kicks on the Bucks. Callis said, and Taz agreed, that he shouldn’t be allowed to wrestle barefoot. Speedball dove onto Matt at ringside. The Bucks made a comeback a minute later, but Speedball blocked a double sunset flip by both Bucks and then landed a standing moonsault. Speedball then somersaulted to his corner and tagged in Brody.
Later, when Knight springboarded into the ring, The Bucks landed stereo superkicks. Bandido took over against Matt. The Bucks and Josh landed a spike piledriver on Bandido and then they set up Hechicero for a sleeper on Bandido for the win.
WINNERS: The Bucks & Alexander & Hechicero in 14:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Not sure if the Bucks teaming with Callis’s guys is a one-off to justify this athletic time-filler on Dynamite or if it’s the start of an angle. Lots of talent in this match working hard and the fans appreciated it.)
[HOUR TWO]
-Adam Copeland made his entrance. Fans sang his song. He thanked them and said that reaction is why he keeps wrestling. He said people are asking if he came out to save Christian Cage. “The answer is no,” he said, laughing. “He’s an asshole.” He said Christian tried to make his life miserable since he arrived in AEW. He said he came back at All In to get his hands on FTR.
He said five years ago, he got cleared to return to the ring. He said he got his dream back and the first two people he called were FTR. He said he wanted to wrestle with FTR and win the Trios Titles. “I’m in a different company and we’re talking about this,” he said. He said FTR ended up complaining within two weeks about feeling like they were in his shadow and holding them back from the tag titles. He said they’re the types to blame everyone but themselves. He said they put him on the shelf for four months. He said he’s been wrestling for 33 years and they put him on the shelf “for four months that I don’t have.” He intensely said he came back to end FTR. FTR’s music played.
Stokely Hathaway came out with four AEW security members. Taz said Stokely knows that Copeland can be unstable at times. Stokely told security to enter the ring before him. Stokely then entered the ring and said FTR read him like a book. (Cliche alert.) Fans chanted, “Shut the f— up!” Stokely said when Copeland came out, he ran back and forth on the stage as he used someone’s year’s salary worth of pyro. He then brought up “Spike,” Copeland’s board with spikes. He said AEW said they received three anonymous emails complaining about his behavior after All In. He said as a result, moving forward, if he interferes in FTR’s matches, he will be fired. He told Copeland to leave AEW and get a hobby.
Copeland called Stokely an Oompa Loompa. He said Stokely said he’ll get fired if he attacks FTR, “but you didn’t say anything if I get near your.” Two security guys charged at Copeland and he knocked them down. The other two security guys sprinted to the back. Fans chanted, “You f—ed up!” Copeland the speared Stokely. Copeland walked on Stokely’s back as he walked out of the ring.
-Excalibur plugged the main event tag match.
-A Mark Briscoe promo aired where he said if you act and talk like a bitch, you’re a bitch. He said MJF is a bitch and vowed revenge for what he said about his late brother. He said he’ll make him pay for his sins.
(3) THEKLA vs. QUEEN AMINATA vs. WILLOW NIGHTINGALE vs. KRIS STATLANDER – $100,000 prize for the winner
The bell rang 14 minutes into the hour. They cut to a double-box break at 7:00. [c/db]
After a flurry of moves, all four were down and slow to get up at 12:00. Fans chanted, “AEW!” Excalibur plugged Collision’s return to Saturday and noted Dustin Rhodes would speak about being the TNT Champion. Statlander yanked the ref out of the ring as Willow had a pin on Thekla. Taz said it was a smart move. Schiavone agreed. Willow and Statlander brawled up the ramp. Aminata landed a double-stomp off the top rope on Thekla in the ring for a two count at 13:00. Skye Blue marched to the ring and distracted the ref as Julia Hart sprayed mist in Aminata’s eyes. Thekla then delivered a stomp for the win.
WINNER: Thekla in 14:00. [c]
-Toni Storm stood in a balcony and celebrated her win over Mercedes Moné. Fans chanted her name. Storm thanked “Mercedes Money for going all in with me.” She said they did everything they set out to do. She said she her buffet is always open if she wants to do it again. She said Luther was “injured in the line of duty.” She said she can’t say what happened other than “it requires reattachment surgery.” Fans chanted, “Luther!” She said, “Now my tits are pointing to the future.” She was interrupted by Athena from the locker room. Athena said she is the “forever ROH Champion.” She said Storm will be the “wide-hipped heffer no one remembers.” Billy Starkz was standing behind Athena. Athena held up her clipboard and said she’ll cash it in against her some day. She listed some dates she might cash in. She said Toni should stop looking for happy endings because “your demise and murder are here.” Fans chanted, “Toni! Toni!” Storm said if she is ready and she will bend her over the table “because I am timeless!”
-Excalibur announced Storm will face Starkz next week.
-A promo aired with Kip Sabian, Nick Wayne, and Mother Wayne. Kip said the pulled back the curtain and found out what the purpose really was. Mother Wayne said she noticed Christian had trouble “getting up by himself,” but said that’s not unusual. She said Nick Wayne is her son and prodigy. Wayne said the answer is simple. He said Christian is past his freshness date and became a liability. He said Christian strayed from their path. He said Christian used to like getting in his face. He asked if he forgot that he’s only 20 and he’s the youngest crowned champion in their company’s history. He said the question is how many more titles will he win. He said now he and the rest of AEW have to live with him as the new face of TNT and AEW “now and forever.”
(Keller’s Analysis: He’s a champion in ROH, so how is he the face of TNT? That was a solid promo by Nick, who has had a rough time with some over-emoting during promos in recent weeks.)
-Callis stepped out and touted the big win by Kazuchika Okada at All In and then introduced him.
(4) KAZUCHIKA OKADA (w/Don Callis) vs. QUINTERO
Excalibur noted that Kenny Omega was injured in their match at All In. Schiavone noted Okada’s “all-new presentation” and said it’s a brand new era for AEW with the new Unified Championship.
WINNER: Okada in 1:05.
-Swerve cut an impassioned brief promo afterward calling Swerve a “bitch” for screwing his friends, The Young Bucks. Swerve then came out with Prince Nana. Swerve entered the ring and said, “Yeah, I did do that. What are you going to do about it, bitch?” They stared at each other. Okada turned and left as Swerve stared at him. [c]
(5) “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE & MARK BRISCOE & POWERHOUSE HOBBS vs. THE DEATH RIDERS (Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta & Claudio Castagnoli w/Marina Shafir)
The bell rang 55 minutes into the hour. Claudio and Hobbs battled mid-ring at the start. They cut to a double-box break at 2:00. [c]
[OVERRUN]
Mox pulled Hobbs’s hair to interrupt his attack on Yuta. Yuta ran out of the ring, but Hobbs pursued him. Shafir blocked Hobbs, and then Claudio hit him from behind. Excalibur wondered if Mox’s spirit is broken after losing the AEW World Title. Schiavone said AEW athletes came together against him including Darby Allin. With Mox in control of Briscoe at 11:00, they cut to another double-box break. [c/db]
Mox gave Briscoe a leaping piledriver. Hobbs broke it up. Claudio and Yuta charged at Hobbs. Briscoe made a comeback and landed a top roped dropkick. He then leaped and hot-tagged in Hangman which popped the crowd. He cleared the ring of Claudio and then landed a fallaway slam on Yuta. He followed with a pop-up powerbomb for a near fall, with Claudio breaking up the cover with stomps.
Claudio and Yuta went for a Doomday Device, but Hangman flipped and landed on his feet. Briscoe leaped to ringside onto Claudio and then Hangman leaped off the top rope with a moonsault onto Claudio. He threw Claudio back into the ring, but when he set up a Buckshot Lariat, Mox cut him off and bit at his forehead. Briscoe intervened. Hangman went for a Buckshot, but Claudio ducked. Hangman countered a Neutralizer, but Hangman bridged back into a leverage three count.
WINNER: Hangman & Hobbs & Briscoe in 17:00.
-Mox, Yuta, and Claudio attacked Hangman in the ring afterward. Darby Allin appeared in the balcony with a spotlight on him. Hangman then hit a distracted Mox with a Buckshot Lariat. Mox retreated with Shafir. Excalibur closed by saying the era of Hangman as AEW Champion has begun.
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 Lansdell 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/haxpang85w
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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