AEW’S TOP MATCHES OF THE WEEK: An inter-gender match done well, an old man taking a beating, and men in suits about to brawl

What a great week for wrestling between Dynamite and Collision. There were a lot of matches to choose from, and I’m sure some of you will disagree with what I choose this week. That’s a problem I’ll take anytime, though. You can never have too many great matches in a week.

I still can’t believe that guys like Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and Tomohiro Ishii are still putting out banger matches like this in their late-40s with the miles that they have on them. I’m turning 40 myself this week and I think I’m feeling a little nostalgic, so I really wanted to showcase these guys and how much respect I have for them for doing this so late in the game.

Jon Moxley vs. Tomohiro Ishii – Dynamite 10/8/25

I’ll admit when I saw this match announced that I really wasn’t expecting much from it and did not expect it to make the list after the line-up of matches that was promoted on Dynamite this week. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised by what we got here.

I thought this was Ishii’s better performances in AEW. The crowd was really behind Ishii in this one, and I love how Ishii just keeps attacking, head down, and relentless. The visual of these two in the ring isn’t the greatest because Ishii does look like an old man, and if you were just flipping channels you’d be like “why is this old man being beat up,” but I really thought they both brought the fight here.

Moxley throwing Ishii into the ringpost followed by Ishii throwing Moxley into the ringpost was a great sequence, and I always love the desperation look Moxley gets when he can’t keep an opponent down. Just a really strong match to kick off what I thought was a great night of wrestling on Dynamite.

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The Hurt Syndicate vs. The Demand – Dynamite 10/8/25

When the Hurt Syndicate walked out in dress shirts, I was like you have to be kidding me? I thought it was so funny, and then after they won the match, they put their coats back on, and it made me laugh even more.

Bobby Lashley has been on a great run here the last few months, and the crowd was really behind him in this one. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in line for a title shot soon. AEW has been doing a lot of street fights lately, but I thought this one really delivered. I can’t believe Bobby, and Shelton are still doing this at 49 and 50 years old. Respectfully. MVP… well, MVP should just stay on the mic.

Another thing that I thought during this match was, there is no way these generic, canned Twitter/X posts they are putting on the screen are real, right? What’s even the point?

I thought they got a really sick camera angle of ricochet diving off the stage here, and he really slammed his back into the bottom of the ringpost to the outside. You could tell it really hurt and it left a real nasty mark on his back. The table not breaking on the shooting star press from Ricochet was also a tough looking spot. Ricochet’s body bent in a way a human body shouldn’t bend. Lashley also took a chair straight to the face on a spear attempt that made me say “ouch” out loud.

There was also a spot early in the match with Ricochet hiding under the table that made me laugh. He’s such a good slimy heel its ridiculous. The ending of the match with Shelton Benjamin launching Ricochet into the sun with that German suplex was so cool. I just really thought all these guys brought it, and they worked well outside the ring with such a condensed space.

FTR & Megan Bayne vs. Jet Speed & Willow Nightengale – Collision 10/ 11/25

I wanted to put this match on my list this week to highlight how when done right and in a smart way, an inter-gender match when men and women get physical with each other can really work. I thought this match did an excellent job highlighting that.

Kudos to Jet Speed and FTR for letting the women shine in this match and really letting the women beat the hell out of them. I thought they did a great job of teasing the physicality between the men and women early on in the match, and when Willow finally got her licks in, the crowd went crazy for it.

I loved Megan Bayne throwing “Speedball” Mike Bailey around the ring. She really is a force of nature and that was really highlighted here. When Dax got in the ring and saw that he had Willow all to himself, he had this sly little smile on his face which I thought was so good. Just such a prick move to smile like that, and he also had another great spot where he was pinning Willow and he pulled her tights. It was so good and such a prick heel move to pull a women’s tights while pinning them. Just so good.

I think Willow and Jet Speed are also a great fit together. They are both goofy and fun and it works. I loved seeing Willow just beat the hell out of FTR, too. She’s really having a great showing for herself in this rivalry with FTR, and it goes back to that original promo she had with them a few weeks ago. I can’t wait for her and Beth Phoenix to share the ring together eventually during this feud with FTR.

When Harley Cameron ran out at the end of the match for the save on Willow followed by Megan Bayne high-tailing it out of the ring, my first initial thought was “Why would Megan Bayne run away from Harley Cameron?” No offense to Harley Cameron, I think she’s great (in doses though, lately), but then I saw that Harley Cameron had a weapon in her hand, and I was like, ohh, thank God, alright that makes sense. Its small little touches, like that I appreciate.

NOTEBOOK ITEMS…

– The video package showcasing the history between Toni Storm and Kris Statlander this week on Dynamite was really well done. AEW has really been crushing these video packages lately

– We are at a point with Kyle Fletcher where he needs to be front and center on these Callis Family promos, not just a guy standing in the back not speaking. It aggravated me to no end this week when he was just in the background while Don Callis spoke.

– Speaking of Fletcher, am I the only one who is getting the vibe they are going to put the TNT Title on Mark Briscoe at WrestleDream? I hope not, but I feel like it might be coming.

– Mercedes Mone desperately needs a long-term story. These one-off stories are doing her no favors.

– Don Callis saying “what great teamwork” as Takeshita is pushing Okada in the back after their match for stealing his pin on Dynamite was so funny.

– I’m in on “Top gods, out” with the pairing of FTR and Megan Bayne

– AEW is really pushing the match numbers lately. I feel like that should be held for big time matches, though. Kyle vs. Kyle 3 really doesn’t need that if the first two weren’t epic matches. That needs to be saved for real epic trilogies.

– That Kota Ibushi injury broke my heart. If he didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all with these injuries.

– I can’t believe Roderick Strong is still screaming people’s names. What are we even doing? He needs a real friend to tell him to stop.

– I love the MxM pose, and I don’t care who knows.

– Lose the sunglasses, Mortos. I know Mercedes is beautiful, but it’s alright to say no to some of her suggestions.