The John Report: AEW Dynamite 05/28/25 Review
This week’s AEW Dynamite featured a Toni Storm-Mercedes Mone discussion in the ring, Jon Moxley in tag team action, Adam Cole against Kyle Fletcher, and more.
It’s the Dynamite follow up to the outstanding Double or Nothing PPV from Sunday night. I thought “Hangman” Adam Page and Will Ospreay had a match of the year contender in the main event, while Anarchy in the Arena was amazing, too. Excellent show overall.
For this review, I’ll go summary style for most of the show and play-by-play for one or two matches.
This was AEW Dynamite episode #295 from the El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas. Follow me on Twitter/X @johnreport. Let’s get to it.
It’s Wednesday night, and you know what that means. The commentary team was Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, and Taz. They were taping Collision right after this.
I think AEW should air a 90-second video showing Double or Nothing highlights to start the show. Instead, they showed no video.
Let’s Hear from “Hangman” Adam Page
“Hangman” Adam Page was introduced by Tony Schiavone for a promo in the ring. Hangman was wearing the Owen Hart Foundation Championship belt around his waist. Tony congratulated Hangman, who took the microphone. The fans chanted, “You deserve it” for Hangman.
Page said that triumph in life is fleeting. Page said that defeat is also fleeting. Page said in the past two years, and in the past three years, it’s something that he let himself lose sight of. Page said what matters is not the win or the loss, it’s what you decide to do with it that matters. Page said that at Double or Nothing, he and Will Ospreay knew that one of them had to be defeated. Page thanked Ospreay for the fight of his life and for reminding him why he decided to do this in the first place. Page said that Ospreay can be the type of the man to carry this company. There were “Ospreay” chants.
Page said that while one of them had to taste defeat, another had to taste victory. Page said that he can’t relish in it. Page knows this victory is fleeting. Page won’t carry this championship and defend it. Page said he would have to return this title to you, so he handed it to Schiavone, who passed it on to somebody at ringside. Page said he can tell you how much this tournament meant to him. Page said he has to look forward to what this has always been about – the AEW Men’s World Championship. Page said that is what he’s chased since they saw these three letters together for the first time. Page said for seven months, that championship has been hidden from the world, locked away in a briefcase. Page said to him, that championship is to be a shining light because it’s about competition, creativity, passion and the human dignity that we all treat eachother. Page said that when AEW started, he said that the fans would be his boss. Page said in seven weeks here in Texas, he will win the AEW World Championship. Page will free it, hold it over his head, carry it and defend it with every ounce of his being. Page said that’s a promise he will keep. Interruption time courtesy of Swerve Strickland.
Analysis: Great work by Hangman with that promo. It felt genuine, and the fans loved him for it. I think he’s going to beat Jon Moxley at All In Texas.
Swerve Strickland went down to the ring and had a staredown with Page. Swerve said he would educate us about why he was there. A clip was shown of April 9th on Dynamite. That was when Nick Jackson of The Young Bucks said they cost Swerve Strickland the AEW World Title for their good friend, “Hangman” Adam Page. Nick said that Page never wanted Swerve to be the champion, so they did that for Page. Nick said they loved Page and they knew that Page loved them too.
Swerve said he had the same opportunity that Page has now. Page mentioned that The Young Bucks cost him the championship at Dynasty and they cost Swerve the title. Swerve mentioned that Hangman was in the ring with Swerve that night too. Swerve said that Page has a shot at the championship off of Swerve’s loss. Page told Swerve to his face that he promised Swerve that Page would never let Swerve be World Champion again. Swerve asked Page if he had anything to do with The Young Bucks costing Swerve the World Title.
Page called Swerve a dumbass and said he locked his eyes on Swerve, as well as Moxley. Page said for one god forsaken second, he even thought about helping Swerve. Page said if he wanted to cost Swerve the match, then he’d have done it to Swerve’s face because Hangman has done it before. Swerve said it sounds good, but he thinks Page is still full of shit.
Will Ospreay made his entrance wearing his “Bruv” soccer/football jersey and stood between the two men in the ring. Will told Swerve he looks at him as a big brother, but Swerve is wrong about Page. Will said he never felt more defeated in his life. After the match, Page shook Will’s hand like a man. Will told Swerve that Will can see that Page cares about this place. Will said that last year, Swerve picked Will up and Will said people are starting to believe in AEW again. Will said he hates saying this to Swerve because he loves him, but Will said it’s not Swerve, it’s not Will…it’s Hangman. Will said that we have one shot at this and we can all make this happen if we all work together: You, me and Hangman. Swerve knocked the microphone from Wills’s hand, and Swerve said he would never work with Hangman. Swerve left angrily.
Hangman told Will he won’t do it. Hangman said he would never work with him. Will was frustrated as Hangman left.
Analysis: I liked the promos by all three guys. Swerve needed to know if Hangman really helped the Bucks, but Hangman denied that. There’s the story they can build to at All In Texas in seven weeks as Ospreay tries to get Hangman and Swerve on the same page, which seems like it may be impossible to do. I think Hangman will beat Moxley to win the AEW World Title at All In Texas, and by that point, I think we’ll see Swerve shake his hand. It’s all about telling that long-term story.
A video package aired about the crazy Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing. Swerve’s team of babyfaces got the win.
A truck drove up to the arena driven by Claudio Castagnoli. Jon Moxley was in the back of the truck along with Marina Shafir, Gabe Kidd and Wheeler Yuta. It was time for The Death Riders in action, although Kidd isn’t an official member of the group.
Jon Moxley, Gabe Kidd & Marina Shafir (w/Wheeler Yuta) vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Mark Briscoe & Willow Nightingale
It was chaotic early on with the wrestlers fighting on the floor. Mark did a Sabu tribute by jumping off a chair and going over the top onto the heels on the floor. They went to a picture-in-picture break.
(Commercial)
Bailey was beating up Moxley with a dropkick along with kicks to the chest and a running SSP for two. Bailey rocked Moxley with a superkick. The ladies tagged in, so Willow connected with a splash and a kick to the head. Nice spinebuster by Willow for two. After Bailey kicked Moxley repeatedly, Shafir gave Bailey a German Suplex onto his head/neck. Ouch. Yuta shoved Bailey off the top when the referee was moving a chair out of the ring. Kidd slammed Bailey through a table at ringside.
(Commercial)
Moxley’s team was in control as they isolated Bailey as the face in peril. Kidd loves to speak into the camera. Kidd punched Mark on the apron and spit on Willow, or at least threatened to do that. Kris Statlander was shown watching on a TV backstage. Mark got the tag and cleared the ring. The babyface trio all hit dives, including an amazing moonsault by Bailey. Mark jumped off the top with a Froggy Bow on Kidd for two. Claudio Castagnoli went down to the ring to distract, so Komander walked the ropes and dove off the top onto Claudio on the floor. They are in a match on Collision. Moxley was legal with a Paradigm Shift and Bulldog Choke submission. Kidd and Shafir each applied submissions, so Mark passed out and Moxley got the win. It went about 19 minutes.
Winners by submission: Jon Moxley, Gabe Kidd & Marina Shafir
Analysis: ***1/4 I thought it was booked well, and I liked how the finish was done with Moxley getting the win. It was an intense tag team match to give Moxley a win after he was on the losing team at Double or Nothing. I think Moxley will probably win every match he has on the way to All In Texas to make him look as strong as possible. There’s no reason for him to lose before that match with Hangman.
A video aired featuring The Hurt Syndicate talking about their win at Double or Nothing. The video was from after their win, with MVP bragging about Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin being victorious again. MJF said that these Tag Team Titles aren’t going anywhere. MJF said that they would all be strapped in gold. MJF claimed that the BBB aka AEW World Title will be his. MJF said when it comes to The Hurt Syndicate, it ain’t personal, it’s just business.
Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford did a quick promo about their No DQ Tag Team Match up next. Ford said that their opponents wanted this, and Bayne said they would be her next sacrifice.
(Commercial)
Ricochet did a promo backstage, saying he is going to continue his quest for gold. Ricochet said that he sees the Death Riders, The Opps, the Don Callis Family, The Hurt Syndicate and it made him realize he needs a crew to help him on his quest for gold. Ricochet said that when he finds that group, he’ll show us why he’s out of this world.
Analysis: That means there’s yet another stable coming in AEW. There are many of them. I enjoy Ricochet as a heel. He is very entertaining in that role.
No Disqualification Match: Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay & Harley Cameron
They should call this a Tornado Tag Team Match instead of No Disqualification, but it’s not up to me. Anyway, Jay and Cameron won on the Double or Nothing pre-show, so now it’s a rematch.
Ford dominated Jay on the floor and sent her into the barricade. In the ring, Bayne missed an attack and hit a steel chair against the turnbuckle. The faces hit Bayne in the back with repeated chair and pipe shots, but Bayne didn’t take a bump. Bayne hit a leaping double clothesline. Jay and Harley hit a double team legsweep on Ford onto a chair. The fans were chanting for a table, so Jay and Harley set up a table on the floor. There was a PIP break.
(Commercial)
Harley wanted to Powerbomb Bayne off the apron, so Jay hit Bayne with a chair (Bayne got her hands up), and Harley completed the Powerbomb on Bayne through the table. Ford hit a Lung Blower double knee attack on Jay. Bayne picked up Harley and sent her hard into the steel steps. The referee called for Dr. Sampson to check on Harley after that. Harley was bleeding from the mouth or nose and insisted she could still compete. Jay gave Ford a Gory Bomb on a chair, but Bayne broke up the pin. Bayne hit Fate’s Descent (F5) on Jay onto a chair for two because Harley broke it up. Jay left the ring and Dr. Sampson checked on her. Bayne put Harley on her shoulders and Ford jumped off the top with a weak Doomsday Device clothesline for the pinfall win after about 11 minutes. I’m not sure if Ford even touched Harley. It was not a good clothesline. Jay had a gash on her nose from Fate’s Descent on the chair.
Winners by pinfall: Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
Analysis: **3/4 ** I was going to give it three stars, but after rewatching the finish, I realized Ford didn’t even touch Harley, so I’ll knock it down a peg. They tried hard, but there were some sloppy spots and I felt bad for Jay landing face first on a chair after taking Fate’s Descent. Harley likely used a blood capsule to make it look like she was bleeding, but Jay’s bump looked rough. Bayne wins most of her matches, so it was more of the same here.
Mercedes Mone was shown arriving in a low rider. She had her many championships with her.
The Opps – Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs & Katsuyori Shibata vs. The Frat House – Preston Vance, Griff Garrison & Cole Karter (w/Jacked Jameson)
The Frat House’s Jacked Jameson did a promo about all the guys in El Paso being weak and skinny in El Paso while the guys were fat and ugly. The announcers need to do more to explain who these guys are. I don’t watch ROH. Many people don’t watch ROH.
Shibata and Griff started, with Griff getting the advantage in that matchup. Hobbs destroyed Karter with several clotheslines. There were some random pledges who got thrown into the ring and Hobbs hit spinebusters on all of them. More spinebusters by Hobbs on Vance and Carter, who Hobbs pinned. It went about three minutes.
Winners by pinfall: The Opps – Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs & Katsuyori Shibata
Analysis: *1/2 Squash city. If I wasn’t reviewing it, I’d have hit fast forward and not missed a thing. I don’t think Joe even tagged in. There was some brawling before the match, but there wasn’t much to it. Vance has been in AEW for five years and he’s not in a good spot being part of this group. He seems out of place to me. The Frat House was annoying more than anything and didn’t impress me much.
(Commercial)
Jamie Hayter Interview
Renee Paquette introduced Jamie Hayter for an in-ring interview. Hayter tried to speak about her future, but the lights went out. When the lights came back on, “The Toxic Spider” Thekla was in the ring standing over Hayter. Thekla decked Hayter with a punch. Thekla did an upside down stare into the camera. Excalibur mentioned there were spiders on the show over the last few weeks teasing her debut. That was it.
Analysis: The debut of Thekla was at the expense of Jamie Hayter, who didn’t get to say much. The attack was brief. I think Thekla should have done three or four moves in that spot.
There was a video about CMLL wrestler Mistico. Excalibur said AEW is looking forward to seeing Mistico in an AEW ring again.
TNT Championship: Adam Cole vs. Kyle Fletcher (w/Don Callis & Lance Archer)
I’ll go play-by-play for this match. Don Callis joined commentary for this match.
Kyle knocked Cole down with a shoulder tackle. Cole avoided a slam, Kyle kicked him and Cole hit a jumping enziguri kick to the head. Cole sent Kyle to the apron, followed by Cole kicking Kyle from the apron to the floor. Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero showed up at ringside, so Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly went to ringside to fight Trent and Rocky to the backstage area. Fletcher capitalized with a superkick on Cole. Kyle gave Cole a Powerbomb on the apron, but he missed the apron and the back of Cole’s head hit the floor hard. Cole missed a lot of time a few years ago with a serious concussion, so that’s a brutal bump to take. They went to a PIP break.
(Commercial)
The match continued with Kyle delivering a body slam. Callis blamed Cole for kicking Kyle to the floor, which set up the dangerous move. Kyle took way too long to charge and Cole hit a superkick. Cole hit a back elbow and pump kick. Cole hit a jumping kick to the face, followed by Cole slamming Kyle’s neck/back onto the knee. Cole tried for Panama Sunrise, Kyle backed out of it and got a two count. Kyle hit a Half N Half suplex, along with a running kick. Cole suplexed Kyle onto the knee. Cole hit the Panama Sunrise. Cole ran the ropes, Josh Alexander went into the ring and ran over Cole with a forearm for the DQ finish. It went about 10 minutes.
Winner by disqualification: Adam Cole
Analysis: **3/4 They were on their way to a pretty good match, but then it ended abruptly.
After the match, Kyle Fletcher and Josh Alexander attacked Cole with stomps and kicks. Brody King made the save with a steel chair in hand. The King/Alexander match is next.
Analysis: A simple way to set up the next match that was already advertised. I assume we’ll see Cole against Fletcher again in the future.
(Commercial)
Josh Alexander (w/Don Callis) vs. Brody King
Don Callis is on commentary. I believe it’s the last match on the show, so I’ll go play-by-play here too.
King attacked Josh with punches, but Josh fought back and hit a dropkick. King hit a back body drop. King stuffed his t-shirt in Josh’s mouth and King hit Josh with forearm smashes to the chest. Josh avoided a strike on the floor, so King hit the ring post. Josh rammed King’s right arm into the ring post. Josh wrenched on the right arm against the railing. King sent Josh into the barricade and King slammed Josh onto the top of the barricade. Back in the ring, Josh kicked King twice, and then King did a shoulder tackle that knocked Josh out of the ring. King charged, Josh hit a forearm to stop that and Josh hit a DDT on the ring apron. Josh hit a cross body block to knock King off the apron to the floor. Josh whipped King shoulder first into the steel steps. They went to a PIP break.
(Commercial)
The match continued with King hitting a German Suplex. King was selling the right arm injury, so King hit a lefty clothesline to knock Josh down. King tried some move on the turnbuckle, but Josh pulled King’s arm onto the steel turnbuckle. King kicked Josh in the head, but Josh pulled down on the right arm again. Josh hit a German Suplex on the ring apron. Josh set up King on a steel chair on the floor, but King blocked that with a kick. King did some barking, which led to King’s running cross body block on Josh against the barricade. Ouch. Back in the ring, King went for a cannonball, Josh moved and Josh applied an Ankle Lock on the foot. King kicked Josh to break free. Josh did a back body drop to counter a move by King. Josh trapped the arms, leading to a bridging German Suplex for two. Josh was bleeding from the nose or maybe the right eyebrow. Excalibur said it may have been from the German Suplex. Josh went for a moonsault off the top, but King got the knees up. King hit a clothesline. King hit a Ganzo Bomb for the pinfall win after 14 minutes. Josh was bleeding heavily by his nose. There was a lot of blood on his face.
Winner by pinfall: Brody King
Analysis: ***1/2 A very good and physical match by two guys I really like and they matched up well. Alexander delivered a lot of punishment, King sold the right arm injury throughout the match and still found a way to win with a few big moves at the end. King is a guy that I think AEW needs to push more, but they don’t consistently use him as well as they should.
The win by Brody King means he’s in a 4-way match for the AEW International Title held by Kenny. There will be two more wrestlers in the match based on who wins matches on Collision.
Next week AEW has a four-hour broadcast of Fyter Fest. Long night. Am I going to review all four hours? To be determined.
Kyle Fletcher was backstage saying he didn’t need anybody’s help to beat Adam Cole. Fletcher said he should be the TNT Champion right now. Cole attacked Fletcher and punched him a few times. Security was there to break it up.
Face to Face: Mercedes Mone and Toni Storm
Mercedes Mone made her entrance looking stylish as usual. Mone said she’s not just the greatest TBS Champion, but also the greatest Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament winner. Mone said that legends like Owen Hart and her hero Eddie Guerrero don’t even compare to the legend that is Mone. That’s why Mone calls herself the CEO.
“Timeless” Toni Storm made her entrance as the AEW Women’s World Champion to face off with Mone in the ring. Mone said that they finally meet. Mone said she knows the fans are sick of the black and white and want a champion full of color.
Storm said she had waited so long for Mone. Storm said that Mone arrived in AEW 441 days ago on a show named after her. Since then, she’s won titles, made history and remains undefeated. Storm claimed that Mone had never spoken to her, and Storm wondered what took Mone so long for this to happen.
Mone said it’s patience. Mone said this is about her legacy. Mone claims she is the Beyonce of women’s wrestling. Mone said she’s the standard, the conversation, the blueprint and the revolution. Storm said that she’s the Toni Storm of Professional Wrestling, and Mone has never met anyone like her. Mone said that this shy, nervous Toni, who she met 10 years ago, Toni is very different. Mone said she’s not a boss anymore, she’s a CEO. Mone said she’s beaten the very best all over the world, and then she’s going to bring it home at All In Texas, where they will have the greatest women’s match of all time.
Storm said that they both started so young, struggled in the Indies, found success, were given trophies, given flowers, and left it all behind to follow their hearts. Storm said in AEW they are exactly who they are meant to be, which led to “AEW” chants. Storm said there’s one glaring difference. Storm said that Mone wants titles all the time, but Storm needs only one. Storm said she’s lived for this, cried for this, bled for this, and died for this. Storm placed the AEW Women’s Title on the mat. Storm said if you want to ride the Mone Train in the Toni Tunnel, you better hope you can get deep enough. Mone said not even your hips are deep enough for the Mone Train. Storm said 45 days from now, they’ll meet in the ring at All Texas. Storm said some little girl will be watching and she’ll say: “Holy s**t, these bitches are crazy.” Storm said that she will find out who the best woman is. Storm said that Mone is the greatest of all time, but unfortunately for one, Toni happens to be Timeless.
Mone said that Storm might be Timeless, but her time would come to an end. Mone said she’ll see her at All In and Storm said she’ll see her at All In. Mone dropped her titles and was wearing the TBS Title. Mone extended her hand for a shake. Storm shook her hand. Storm smelled Mone and kissed Mone’s hand. Mone tried a move, Storm countered it, Storm wanted Storm Zero, Mone avoided that and Mone bailed to the floor to avoid that.
Toni Storm celebrated in the ring while Mercedes Mone was on the floor. Excalibur shilled next Wednesday’s Dynamite Fyter Fest show that will be four hours long and Collision matches. Storm and Mone had a long distance staredown to end the show.
Analysis: That was great. I thought Toni really stood out with her promo. She was more serious than usual, and that helped set the stage for what kind of match they were going to have. Mone had some good lines, but she’s also playing this over-the-top character with the annoying catchphrases. I liked what Storm had to say about their career journeys, they won in other places, but they came to AEW and they are where they are supposed to be. That’s a smart line to say because it puts over the company and the fans like that. You don’t want to reference the other companies. Take pride in your own company. I think I’ll probably pick Mone to beat Storm at All In Texas, but I wouldn’t call it a lock.
The show ended at 10:05 p.m. ET this week.
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Three Stars of the Show
- Toni Storm and Mercedes Mone
- Brody King
- “Hangman” Adam Page, Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay
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The Scoreboard
This Week: 7 out of 10
Last Week: 7
2025 Average: 7.35
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Final Thoughts on AEW Dynamite
This was a solid episode of Dynamite where I liked the promos more than the matches. The Toni Storm-Mercedes Mone promo in the main event was very well done. Storm was excellent, and I liked how she was more serious about how big of a match it was. Mone is solid in her heel role too. I also liked the Adam Page, Swerve Strickland, and Will Ospreay opening promo. That’s something that will grow in the weeks ahead to see if Page and Swerve can get on the same page.
It was one of those shows with some pretty good in-ring action, but I wouldn’t say it was great. The six-person tag was fun, and I liked King-Alexander. Other than that, the matches were of a lower quality than what we usually get from AEW.
They have seven weeks until All In Texas, so there is plenty of time to build up the stories.
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Thanks for reading. Go Toronto Blue Jays. You can contact me using any of the methods below.
John Canton
Email: [email protected]
Twitter/X: @johnreport