The John Report: AEW Dynamite 02/25/26 Review
This is AEW Dynamite, featuring a huge 10-man tag team match, MJF-Hangman setting up their World Title match, Jon Moxley in action, and more.
Last week’s AEW Dynamite ended with Swerve Strickland defeating Kenny Omega in a great main event. After the match, Swerve attacked Omega with a steel chain to choke him, then hit a Vertebreaker through the commentary table. It appeared Swerve had turned heel with that unprovoked, cheap attack.
For this show, I’m going to do a summary style for most of the show and then play-by-play for the main event.
This was AEW Dynamite episode #334 from the Mission Ballroom in Denver, Colorado. Follow me on Twitter/X @johnreport. Let’s get to it.
It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means. Excalibur was on commentary with Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness. This building was a stage with a ramp leading into the ring. I don’t like that look in pro wrestling as much because I think it’s better when there are seats on all sides.
There were pre-tape promos from Babes of Wrath and Megabad about their Women’s Tag Team Title match.
There was a video showing an angle on Collision where FTR got into a fight with The Young Bucks’ parents and beat up the Bucks’ brother, Malakai Jackson, who may be called Balding Buck. They hit a piledriver on Balding Buck. The Bucks said their family will be okay because they are resilient.
Jon Moxley vs. El Clon
This is an AEW Continental Title Eliminator Match, meaning that if El Clon wins, he gets a title shot. They spent the first two minutes doing basic moves like headlocks and armbars. Clon hit an armdrag and a dropkick. Moxley got some offense going with punches and sent Clon into the barricade. Clon used the tag team rope to choke Moxley, and the referee made him break it. They left the ring, and Clon hit a moonsault off the barricade on Moxley on the floor. That led to a picture-in-picture break.
(Commercial)
They were 10 minutes into the 20-minute time limit when Moxley hit Clon with a forearm and The Stomp on the apron. Moxley clotheslined Clon out of the ring and hit a suicide dive. After Clon kicked the rope into Moxley’s throat, Moxley hit a clothesline. Moxley hit a piledriver for two. Clon wrenched on Moxley’s arm and hit a Pele Kick to knock Moxley out of the ring. Clon hit an impressive moonsault from inside the ring onto Moxley on the floor. Back in the ring, Clon jumped off the top, and Moxley hit a Cutter. They decided to sell at that point. That’s nice of them. They did the “stand and throw forearms” spot we see in every Moxley spot. Clon avoided a Stomp and kicked Moxley in the back. Clon jumped off the top with a diving foot stomp for two. Moxley avoided a move and hit a Paradigm Shift DDT. Moxley hit the Death Rider lifting DDT for the pinfall win after 17 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Jon Moxley
Analysis: ***1/2 A very good TV match with Clon continuing to showcase his unique style. It was the usual Jon Moxley match, slow-paced and physical, where he took a beating and then found a way to win against a guy who really had no chance. I don’t think it needed to go 17 minutes. I’d put it at around 10-12 minutes, but hey, that’s AEW. They like longer matches. Anyway, it didn’t really look like Clon had a chance to win here, although he was booked in a way that made him look tough to beat.
A video aired about Swerve Strickland beating Kenny Omega last week on Dynamite, and Swerve did a post-match heel turn attack.
Let’s Hear from Swerve Strickland
Prince Nana showed up at ringside to yell at the announcers about Swerve Strickland being fined $100,000, and Swerve didn’t care. Prince introduced Swerve, who stood on the commentary table.
The fans booed Swerve, and some shouted, “Swerve’s House” too. Swerve said he figured the sickos would enjoy what he did to Kenny Omega last week. Swerve claimed they reinforced the commentary table this week after he drove Omega’s head through it. Swerve was mad that Omega called somebody else the Most Dangerous Man in AEW. Swerve said he’s back in line for an AEW World Championship match. Swerve said Omega challenged him as a man and as a threat. Swerve said it’s another EVP he took down and that he won’t want him in his problems anymore. Swerve shouted, “Your mama, boy,” at a fan in the crowd. Swerve talked about a conversation with “Hangman” Adam Page at All In Texas. Page asked Swerve if he regretted the bad things he did in AEW. Swerve said yes, but that it was the most successful time in his career, so he chooses to live life with no regrets. Swerve warned the AEW roster they are on notice and can get clipped when he decides. Swerve said he will take them down and remind them who the most dangerous man in AEW still is. Swerve left.
Analysis: A strong heel promo from Swerve Strickland, as usual. I like Swerve more as a heel, so this was good. At least he didn’t blame it on the fans like some heel turns. Swerve was all about making the point that he was mad that he wasn’t considered the most dangerous man in AEW, so now he’s gone back to that heelish life.
Brody King was with Bandido for a promo. King said that Swerve seems to have a problem with people saying King is the most dangerous man in AEW. King said tonight, he’s going to prove why he’s next in line for an AEW World Title shot.
(Commercial)
Orange Cassidy vs. Gabe Kidd
There were signs that Roderick Strong was lost, with a $15 reward if you could find him. Thank you, Kidd, for kicking Orange before he could put his hands in his pockets. I like that. Orange tried a DDT, but Kidd avoided it and hit a forearm for two. They went on a PIP break.
(Commercial)
The heel Kidd remained in control, knocking Orange from the top turnbuckle to the floor. Orange finally got some offense going with a Stundog Millionaire and a suicide dive elbow strike. Orange jumped off the top with a diving DDT for two. Orange hit another DDT. Kidd hit a forearm and a stacked Powerbomb for two. Kidd hit a knee smash and a high-angle suplex. Orange punched Kidd, who hit a lefty clothesline, and they did the “lay down and sell” spot. Orange did his comedy bullshit, so Kidd spit in his face, but Orange came back with a Beach Break for two. Good spot. Kidd hid behind the referee, then gouged the eyes, and Kidd hit a piledriver for the pinfall and the win. It went about 10 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Gabe Kidd
Analysis: *** It was fine for a 10-minute TV match. A rare loss for one of Tony Khan’s favorite wrestlers, Orange Cassidy, who rarely loses like that. I guess a piledriver hurts more after an eye rake? Sure. They want to build up Kidd as a threat because of his rivalry with Darby Allin.
After the match, Gabe Kidd’s buddy, Clark Connors, attacked Orange with punches and a boot to the throat. Darby Allin made the save with his dreaded skateboard. Alli hit Kidd, knocking him out of the ring. Allin hit a Code Red on Connors. Orange hit an Orange Punch on Kidd, and Allin used the skateboard’s wheels to attack Kidd’s back.
Analysis: That probably sets up an Allin singles match against Kidd or perhaps Allin & Orange against Kidd & Connors. Either way, these rivalries are going to continue.
Next week on Dynamite: Thekla defends the AEW Women’s World Title against Thunder Rosa.
Thunder Rosa and Kris Statlander were interviewed by Renee Paquette. Rosa spoke in Spanish about taking the AEW Women’s World Title. Kris told Rosa to be careful. Rosa and Kris are tagging on Collision, which is taped after this show. Rosa ranted in Spanish and left. Renee asked Stat why she’s concerned about Rosa taking this match, and Stat said nothing before leaving.
Kevin Knight vs. Mansoor
This feels like a random match. Knight beat The Beast Mortos last week, so his momentum carries into this match. Knight is one third of the AEW Trios Champions. Mansoor rarely wrestles on Dynamite, but when he does, he’s there to lose. Knight hit an atomic drop and a dropkick. Mansoor hit an atomic drop and a spinebuster. Mansoor missed a moonsault off the top because Knight moved. Knight hit a top-rope hurricanrana and a DDT. Knight went up top and hit a UFO Splash for the pinfall win after 3 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Kevin Knight
Analysis: *1/2 Easy win by Knight to continue his positive momentum. Mansoor is part of a stable, but the poor guy didn’t even have his allies at ringside.
Kevin Knight did a promo saying we all know Hangman will wipe the floor with MJF’s ass. Knight said that after Hangman wins the AEW World Championship, he wants to be the first challenger for that belt. Knight said not only is he the future, but The Jet is the here and now.
The MJF/Hangman promo segment was up next, midway through the show.
(Commercial)
MJF-Hangman Adam Page AEW World Title Stipulation Discussion
I don’t know the official name of this segment, but it’s a contract-signing segment where they have to agree on the stipulation for their AEW World Title match at Revolution on March 15th. Tony Schiavone introduced the challenger, “Hangman” Adam Page, first, and then the AEW World Champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Page said last week he would not challenge for the AEW World Title again if he lost. However, they had to agree on the stipulation.
MJF told the fans to keep their mouths shut. MJF said he’s going to be the second man whose AEW career ends by making sure they can’t challenge for the AEW World Title again. That’s a Cody Rhodes reference. MJF trashed the crowd for being potheads. I think there was a “Weed” chant, so MJF said if you smoke dope, you’ll go broke. MJF threw his gum at a fan in the crowd. Haha, I love that.
MJF said a quarter is in his pocket, and if it lands on tails, they’ll have the Texas Death Match that Page wants. MJF said that if the quarter lands on heads, we’ll have the match of his choosing – The One Way No Disqualification Match. MJF said that means he can do what he wants, and if Page looks at a weapon, he’ll be disqualified. MJF wondered whether Page was a cowboy or a coward.
Page said he’ll do it. Page told MJF that before he flips that coin, he needs to understand what he’s doing here tonight. Page wondered what would happen to MJF if he brought broken glass into the ring and it cut open MJF’s back. Page threatened to use barbed wire to tear MJF’s mouth apart. Page wondered who Max would be, since all of his tricks would mean nothing. Page said this hell is his. Page said that if it’s Texas Death, then Max doesn’t stand a chance. Page could beat MJF in any kind of match in the world – even his dogshit idea. That led to a “Dogshit” chant. Page said he’s put his entire future on the line because he wants this to be it. Page said he wants to leave absolutely no doubt about who the better man is. Page said that at Revolution, if he can’t beat a piece of shit like MJF, then he doesn’t deserve this championship. That led to a “Piece of shit” chant. Page said he knows him, understands him, and feels lucky, so let’s flip that coin.
MJF said he was feeling lucky as well. MJF flipped the coin. Tony announced that the coin was heads, so Tony said it would be a One Way No Disqualification Match. MJF left.
Page told MJF to give him the quarter, and MJF said he wasn’t giving him a damn thing. MJF tried to leave, but Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight, Brody King, and Bandido stopped him. Page said there’s no way a coward like MJF would leave this to chance. King took the quarter from MJF. Page examined both sides of the coin and revealed it was a 2-headed coin. Tony Schiavone said he got word from Tony Khan that, because the coin was rigged, the World Title Match at Revolution would be a Texas Death Match. MJF looked sad as Page tossed the 2-headed coin into the crowd.
Analysis: It took a while to get through all of that, but MJF and Hangman are two of AEW’s better talkers, so it’s not surprising they got a lot of time. They could have announced the Texas Death Match early, but doing it in a way that leaves MJF outsmarted makes the fans happy. I’m not sure if Hangman will take the AEW World Title, but based on the stipulation, it seems like a possibility. I’m also hoping MJF has a very long title reign until at least All In London in the summer, so if he were to lose the title to Page at Revolution, that would cut the title reign short. I thought Page’s title reign last year was way shorter than it should have been, too. It seems like AEW has enjoyed shorter title reigns over the last year.
The Brawling Birds duo of Alex Windsor and Jamie Hayter did a promo after their win last week on Dynamite. They aren’t there to shake hands or have a jolly old time. They are there to beat the piss out of people. Hayter and Windsor agreed to say they don’t give a “flying f**k” about other teams. They left to have a pint, aka beer.
AEW Women’s Tag Team Championships: Babes of Wrath – Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron vs. Megabad – Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
Babes of Wrath beat Megabad earlier this month. After that match, Lena Kross attacked and joined Megabad, so now there’s a rematch for some reason.
Willow and Bayne started off exchanging shoulder tackles. Ford tagged in with a rollup on Willow, who came back with clotheslines. Harley hit a running knee on Ford, and a combination senton double team splash by the champions. Babes of Wrath hit double clotheslines, knocking the heels out of the ring. Bayne punched Harley out of the ring and then hit a suicide dive. Ford hit a moonsault off the top onto both faces on the floor.
(Commercial)
There was an ankle injury suffered by Ford during the action that took place during the break, so Bayne had to fight alone for her team. The referee, Aubrey Edwards, was talking to the women frequently to relay the plan with Ford injured. Willow hit a spinebuster for two. Willow hit a German Suplex on Bayne, then hit a cannonball on the floor. Bayne sent Willow into the turnbuckle. Lena Kross went into the ring and hit Willow with the Women’s Tag Team Title, leading to a DQ finish. The match went 8 minutes.
Winners by disqualification: Babes of Wrath – Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron
Analysis: ** There was a legit ankle injury by Penelope Ford, so they had to improvise a finish. I believe this was going to be a title change, but with Bayne fighting alone, it made sense not to go through with it. That’s why they improvised with Kross delivering the cheap attack. They could have planned it better by having Kross make the save when Bayne was being pinned, but it’s still the same point.
After the match, Megan Bayne and Lena Kross beat up Willow and Harley. Megan posed with the titles.
Analysis: If they want to do the title change with Bayne getting the titles, then she can team with Kross and say that Ford is a champion too whenever she can return. They could also go with another team.
(Commercial)
Brody King vs. Mark Davis (w/Don Callis)
The fans chanted “F**k Don Callis,” who joined commentary. They also chanted “F**k ICE” in support of King. They engaged in a “stand and throw chops” exchange while Davis had his right hand taped up after injuring it last week. Davis hit a thumb to the eye. Davis hit a body slam, missed a senton, and King hit a senton splash. The fans did dueling “F**k Don Callis / F**k ICE too” chants. After King sent Davis out of the ring, Davis blocked a diving attempt with a punch.
(Commercial)
There were strikes exchanged, and King hit a Bossman Slam. King followed up with a suicide dive to the floor. King hit a cross-body block into the LED barricade. The referee didn’t count them out of the ring because it’s AEW. King also hit a cannonball in the ring. Davis hit a lariat, and they decided to sell so the fans could cheer for King. They got back up. Davis hit an enziguri kick, blocked a lariat, and then King hit two more lariats for the pinfall win after 10 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Brody King
Analysis: ***1/4 A hard-hitting match to give King a victory after he lost an AEW World Title match earlier this month. I guess King didn’t need to use the Ganzo Bomb on a bigger opponent like Davis and instead beat him with two lariats. They use Mark Davis in spots like this as a heel who can hit hard and lose matches. I don’t ever recall Davis winning a singles match on Dynamite.
Brody King delivered a promo calling out Swerve Strickland, telling him to look into his eyes because King is exactly who he says he is. King said he is number one in violence and the most dangerous man in AEW. King said that at Revolution, in his backyard of Los Angeles, he’s looking for a fight. King barked. Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana were shown watching on a TV backstage. Bandido was in the ring with King, so he said he wanted a fight, too.
Andrade El Idolo walked out with Don Callis, so they teased the idea of Andrade facing Bandido.
Analysis: I like King a lot, but if you say you’re number one in violence, then maybe you should win a match with something more devastating than two lariats in a row. It looks like it will be King against Swerve and Bandido against Andrade at Revolution. Both of those matches should be great.
The TNT Champion, Kyle Fletcher, was interviewed by Renee Paquette. Kyle addressed Tommaso Ciampa, saying the TNT Title is his and that Ciampa came up short. Kyle said it’s Pinky and that it belongs to him. AEW International Champion Kazuchika Okada approached Kyle, noting that they have both been champions, unlike Takeshita. Okada proposed that they team up on Collision at Protokada, and Kyle shook his hand. They were happy.
(Commercial)
10-Man Mile High Madness Anything Goes Tag Team Match: Jack Perry, The Young Bucks – Matt & Nick Jackson and The Rascalz – Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz vs. FTR – Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler and The Demand – Ricochet, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun
This match is essentially the same as the Anarchy in the Arena Match that they do on PPV every year, but it has a different name in the Mile High City of Denver.
After Jack Perry made his entrance, he was attacked by Ricochet and his partners. The babyfaces ran out to help Perry. There was fighting all throughout the building. Cash used Stokely in a wheelchair to hit Nick Jackson and knock him down the stairs. Matt and Dax were fighting in the crowd, while the other guys were fighting in the crowd. Jack Perry’s song kept playing in the arena for a few minutes. Perry sent Ricochet out of the ring, then hit a hurricanrana on Kaun on the floor. Perry hit a DDT on Ricochet on the floor. Kaun dropkicked Perry into the barricade, and Toa sent Perry over the barricade. Toa tossed Nick onto a bunch of dudes at ringside. Toa sent Matt into the barricade. The Bucks fought with FTR in the crowd again. There was action in the ring as Ricochet and The Demand beat up The Rascalz. Toa and Kaun did a double-team power slam on Xavier. They went on a PIP break.
(Commercial)
The match continued with Toa press slamming Xavier on the stage, but Myron Reed sprayed Toa with a fire extinguisher to help his buddy. Reed jumped over the top rope and hit a Cutter in the ring. Reed hit a jumping kick on Dax and a kick to Cash, too. FTR caught a diving Reed and slammed him into the commentary table. Jack hit a suicide dive on FTR after that. Perry grabbed a vacuum cleaner and hit Toa in the head with it. Perry jumped off the top and hit a DDT on Toa for two because Ricochet and Kaun made the save. Ricochet clotheslined Wentz, and Kaun punched Xavier. Nick threw a trash can at a leaping Ricochet. The Bucks hit double-team moves on Kaun, including a neckbreaker and a trash can to the head. The Bucks hit a double-team kick to the back into a Powerbomb. Nick hit a Swanton Bomb onto a trash can that was on Ricochet, and Matt covered Ricochet for two. The Bucks and Rascalz took turns hitting superkicks on the heels. A lot of leg slapping was going on. The Bucks set up a table on the floor. Toa hit a double suplex on both Bucks at the same time. After Toa was knocked down, the five babyfaces all superkicked him. Matt kicked the heels on the floor, and Nick hit a dive over the top onto the heels. Xavier hit an amazing Shooting Star Press off the top onto the heels on the floor. Perry tried a move on Toa, but Toa hit a back body drop over the top and through a table on the floor. The fans chanted, “Holy Shit” for that. Wentz hit a missile dropkick and an enziguri kick. Wentz also hit a German Suplex. Toa stopped that with a headbutt. Kaun kicked a leaping Xavier. The Demand worked over Xavier with two kicks, then Toa splashed Xavier. After a superplex on Xavier, Cash hit a Superfly Splash. Toa hit a headbutt, and Ricochet hit a springboard 450 Splash for two because the faces made the save. Wentz hit a cross-body block on Ricochet out of the ring to the floor. Matt gave Dax a catapult into Cash. Dax hit a DDT on Nick, and Matt hit a DDT on Dax. The Rascalz hit a double-team Spanish Fly on Ricochet through a table. The Rascalz worked over Kaun with kicks and a double foot stomp to the back. Toa took strikes from the babyface and then a Powerbomb/superkick combo through a table on the floor. Dax tried a rollup on Nick for two. Matt clotheslined Dax out of the ring. The Bucks sent Cash out of the ring and through a table on the floor. The Rascalz hit their double-team splash. The Bucks hit BTE Trigger on Ricochet. The Bucks launched Perry into Ricochet with a knee smash to the head, and Perry pinned Ricochet for the win. It went about 19 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Jack Perry, The Young Bucks – Matt & Nick Jackson and The Rascalz – Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz
Analysis: ****1/4 Crazy match. I enjoyed it, and the crowd loved it. I often complain about AEW tag team matches that ignore any rules, and I say just do Tornado Tags more, so that’s what happened here. The result was a very entertaining match. My complaint about a match like this is that there’s no time for the audience to breathe because the guys are spot after spot without much selling. With 10 guys in a match, you can sustain that pace, but I think pro wrestling is better when you slow down and sell the impact of moves because selling is so important in pro wrestling. Anyway, I’m not surprised the babyfaces won because this is the kind of match where you should put over the good guys. Perry beating Ricochet makes sense since Ricochet holds the AEW National Title, which is like the 5th most important title in the company that really doesn’t need to exist, but it’s still a thing for somebody to chase.
The babyface team of Perry, The Young Bucks and The Rascalz celebrated the win while the announcers plugged Collision on Saturday.
===
Three Stars of the Show
- Jack Perry, The Young Bucks and The Rascalz
- Jon Moxley
- FTR – Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler and The Demand – Ricochet, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun
===
The Scoreboard
This Week: 7.75 out of 10
Last Week: 8
2026 Average: 7.56
===
Final Thoughts on AEW Dynamite
It was another very good Dynamite episode, though maybe a notch below the last two weeks. I thought the second half was weaker than the first, but it ended strongly with the insane 10-man main event. The main event was 20 minutes of pure chaos with some impressive spots. It would be nice if they sold more and took some time. Instead, it’s all spot after spot. It’s an entertaining spotfest, and I’m sure biased wrestling observers will like it more than I did. Some of the matches are predictable, so it’s tough to really get into them.
The Women’s Tag Team Title match looked like it was going to end in a title change, but then Penelope Ford got hurt, and they improvised a weak DQ finish. That hurts the show, but hopefully Ford is okay and back soon.
I liked Swerve Strickland’s heel promo a lot. The MJF/Hangman promo exchange was solid and was designed to make the heel champion MJF look like a coward, while Page will enter their Texas Death Match at Revolution with a lot of confidence. It will be interesting to see how that MJF/Hangman match is booked.
The next AEW PPV is AEW Revolution on March 15th in Los Angeles. Here’s the lineup so far.
* AEW World Championship Texas Death Match: Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. “Hangman” Adam Page – If Page loses, he cannot wrestle for the World Title again.
* AEW World Tag Team Championships: FTR vs. The Young Bucks
* AEW Continental Championship No Time Limit Match: Jon Moxley vs. Konosuke Takeshita
===
Thanks for reading. Go Toronto Raptors, and Toronto Maple Leafs. You can contact me using any of the methods below.
John Canton
Email: [email protected]
Twitter/X: @johnreport