Reviews

The John Report: AEW Dynamite 11/12/25 Review (Blood & Guts)

By John Canton • Published Nov 12, 2025 21:32 EST
AEW Dynamite November 12 review

This week’s AEW Dynamite featured two huge Blood & Guts matches, plus “Hangman” Adam Page facing Powerhouse Hobbs.

It’s the annual Blood & Guts show, which is AEW’s version of the WarGames match with two rings surrounded by a massive cage and two tag teams facing off with some unique rules. The Blood & Guts name came from Vince McMahon trashing AEW during a conference call by calling it a “blood and guts show,” so AEW used it as a match name. The B&G matches have taken place in the late spring/summer, but this year it’s in November. The previous four B&G matches were just featuring the men, but this year there’s a women’s match and a men’s match on the show.

This episode of Dynamite will also be 2.5 hours long to accommodate the two long B&G matches.

The next AEW PPV is Full Gear on November 22nd, so they are continuing to build to that.

This was AEW Dynamite episode #319 from the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. Follow me on Twitter/X @johnreport. Let’s get to it.

The ring announcer, Justin Roberts, announced that this was the first-ever Women’s Blood & Guts match. The cage was lowered above the double ring.

Women’s WarGames Match: Jamie Hayter, Mina Shirakawa, Willow Nightingale, Harley Cameron, “Timeless” Toni Storm, and Kris Statlander vs. Triangle of Madness (Julia Hart, Skye Blue, and Thekla), Megan Bayne, Marina Shafir, and Mercedes Moné

The match cannot end until after all 12 women are in the match. At that point, a surrender or submission can win the match. There is a roof on this cage.

It was Skye Blue starting for the heel team and Willow Nightingale for the babyface team. There are referees in each ring, even though the match won’t end until all 12 wrestlers are in the match. I don’t know why they need 12 women instead of 10 like the guys, but here we are. Blue had a kendo stick and Willow had a trash can, but then it turned into a slugfest. The double cage has a roof on it. Willow was in control with her power for a few minutes. There is an extension connecting the ring to the cage, so Willow slingshotted Blue into the cage. Willow hit a Pounce on Blue into the cage. Blue was bleeding heavily from the forehead, so she did a blade job after being sent into the cage. Willow worked over Blue with punches. Willow tried a move off the turnbuckle, but Blue fought her off. The first five minutes were up, so it was time for the next entrant.

The heel side had the advantage, so Julia Hart was next to support Blue. Hart and Blue hit a double team Powerbomb on Willow. Hart worked over Willow by sending her into the turnbuckle and then did a rope walk, leading to a clothesline. Hart and Blue took turns hitting strikes on Willow. Blue was bleeding heavily and superkicked Willow.

It was Harley Cameron as the second entrant for the babyface team. Harley hit a Slingblade. Harley hit multiple splashes. Willow was back up with a double clothesline. Harley set up Hart upside down, so Harley hit a low dropkick into a chair in Hart’s face. Willow hit a cannonball on Blue onto a trash can lid. They went to a picture-in-picture break. I could review it, but it’s a long night of writing, so I’ll just mention when the commercials are on.

(Commercial)

The action continued without a new entrant during the break. Willow hit a Pounce on Hart. The clock ticked down to 0 at that point. That was a long interval.

Thekla the Toxic Spider was next for the heel team, and she hit a cross-body block on Willow. Thekla hit a Spear on Harley. Thekla used a leather belt to hit Willow and Harley in the back. Thekla hit more belt shots. Blue and Thekla hit running kicks to the head. The clock was counting down again, so it was very quick after the last entrant.

It was Jamie Hayter as the third babyface in the match. Hayter had a bag of thumbtacks that opened up when she hit Blue. Hayter hit the three heels with kendo stick shots to the back. Hayter hit a double suplex on two opponents. Thekla jumped off the top, Hayter avoided it and Hayter slammed Thekla face first into some of the tacks.

The powerful Megan Bayne was next with Penelope Ford joining her as the 4th entrant for the heel side. Bayne hit a running kick on Hayter and a double clothesline. Bayne hit a fallaway slam. Bayne hit two splashes and a splash on two people. Bayne hit a double suplex on Willow and Harley. Bayne slammed Hayter off her shoulders and Bayne hit a German Suplex. Harley hit Bayne with a trash can to the back, which Bayne no sold and Bayne gave Harley a body slam on a trash can lid.

AEW Women’s Champion Kris Statlander was 4th for the babyface team. Kris used a pool cue to attack Bayne. Kris hit a double elbow and Kris sent Thekla into the steel. Kris hit a spinning slam on Bayne and a Vader Bomb splash off the turnbuckle. Bayne and Kris got into a slugfest while the other women lay on the mat. They went to a PIP break there.

(Commercial)

The match continued with Harley hitting a cross body block off the top to knock some people down. The next entrant was after that, so they weren’t doing entrances during the break.

The confident TBS Champion Mercedes Mone was 5th for the heel team while her titles were on display at ringside. Mone kicked Willow and did a headscissors on Kris. Mone hit running knee smashes on three women. Kris caught Mone and punched her. Mone countered a Kris move and hit a DDT on the AEW Women’s World Title. Mone left the ring and put five of her title belts into the ring. Bayne was bleeding from the head. Mone hit Kris in the back with a title. Bayne hit Harley with the title in the back.

Up next for the babyface team was Mina Shirakawa as the 5th entrant, and she had a barbed wire bat. Mina dropkicked Bayne while she was holding the bat. Mina jumped off the top to take out two women with a cross body block. Mina gave Mone a hurricanrana. Kris was bleeding a lot, so that’s at least three women bleeding in the match. They were quick to go to the next entrant.

The last woman on the heel team was Marina Shafir of the Death Riders as the 6th entrant. Shafir punched Kris and then pulled Kris out of the ring. Shafir sent Kris into the barricade. Shafir had a Bed of Nails at ringside. Kris tried to slam Shafir on it, but Shafir fought back. Shafir kicked Kris so that Kris went back first into the Bed of Nails. Kris took down Hayter in the ring with hip tosses.

Toni Storm was the 6th final entrant on the babyface team and the final entrant in the match overall. The cage door was closed and the bell rang.

Storm brought in a handful of pearls and hit some of the heels with them. Shafir attacked Storm with some strikes, along with a spinning kick off the ropes. Storm taped up her first and then put her left hand into some broken glass, which she used to punch two opponents. Storm and Mina hit running hip attacks. Storm and Mina gave Bayne a double DDT onto the pearls of doom. They went to another PIP break.

(Commercial)

There was a table set up between the two rings. Blue was climbing the cage, Hayter went after her and Hayter tried a Powerbomb through the table, but the table didn’t break. Hayter tried an elbow drop through the table and it broke some of the table, but not all of it. Ouch. Willow hit a double clothesline and a bloody Bayne hit a clothesline. Mina hit a DDT on Bayne. Shafir hit Storm with a title belt. Mone kissed Storm and Mone hit the Money Maker on Storm. Money slammed Kris down. Harley had her puppet, and Mone got rid of it. Harley had brass knuckles, I think, and she punched Mone. Hart and Thekla climbed out of the cage by going through some holes that were part of the cage setup. Thekla hit a Spear on referee Mike Posey, so Hart grabbed the key. Hart opened the cage door. Hayter and Harley were tossed from the ring to the floor. Money threw Kris onto the steel steps. Thekla hit a running Spear on Hayter and Harley. Kris pulled Mone out and Kris shut the door on Bayne. Kris knocked two more women down on the floor. Mone and Kris were climbing the truss connected to the cage and Kris picked up Mone on her shoulders, so Kris gave Mone a Samoan Drop through the table that had the titles on it. They were over 40 minutes at this point.

Storm was on the attack with a high heel shoe that she used to gouge the heads of Blue and Shafir, who was also bleeding. Storm dumped out some broken glass in the ring. Storm and Mina gave Shafir a double DDT onto the broken glass. Storm put a mirror into the ring, she put the mirror against Shafir and Shafir shoved the mirror into Storm’s face. That was a silly spot anyway, because why would Shafir hold onto the mirror and take a move? Anyway, Willow superplexed Bayne into the middle metal part between the two rings. Mina applied a Figure Four Leglock on Bayne with the bat for an assist. Shafir stepped on the glass and kicked Mina in the chest. Shafir held onto Mina in a front facelock while Storm was being held by the other heels. Bayne smacked Mina in the back with the title belt repeatedly. Storm was being held by three women. Storm surrendered to save her buddy Mina from the attack. It went 45 minutes.

Winners: Triangle of Madness (Julia Hart, Skye Blue, and Thekla), Megan Bayne, Marina Shafir, and Mercedes Moné

Analysis: ***3/4 It was a wild match that was great in the last 15-20 minutes or so. When all the competitors are in the ring, that’s when things get really good because then you know it can end. Before that, it’s kind of a slow process and just waiting out until everybody is in the match. I thought the story was good because the heels drew the babyfaces out of the ring, which set up the finish with Mina and Toni trying to fight against the five heels in the ring. Unfortunately for Mina, she wasn’t able to overcome the attack and Toni did the right thing as a friend of Mina’s by surrendering to save Mina from a further attack. This also put over Bayne & Shafir as a tough team in the Women’s Tag Team Tournament, while the Triangle of Madness trio of Blue, Hart & Thekla were also put over strongly. I figured the men would win the Men’s B&G match, so having the heels win here made sense.

They showed Mina getting helped out of the ring while the heels were celebrating in the aisle.

A video package aired to set up “Hangman” Adam Page against Powerhouse Hobbs.

(Commercial)

There was a parking lot scene where the Jurassic Express were attacked by the Don Callis Family. The Young Bucks duo of Matthew & Nicholas Jackson were back there watching it. Callis said that Kenny Omega will be there next week, so maybe next week the Young Bucks can join the Don Callis Family. Kazuchika Okada said it was, “Decision time.” Matt Jackson said they will see them next week.

Analysis: It could lead to a babyface turn for The Young Bucks by turning down the Don Callis Family invite. A reunion with Kenny Omega would be popular with the fans, but I like the Bucks as heels.

Falls Count Anywhere: “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

This is not for Hangman’s AEW World Title. Hobbs is a Trios Tag Team Champion. Page had his ribs taped up to sell an attack from last week.

Hobbs ripped a turnbuckle pad off to expose the steel, so Page took a turnbuckle pad off too. Hobbs worked over Page with punches. Page sent Hobbs into the gap between the two rings and hit a clothesline. They went into the near ring after starting in the far ring. Hobbs hit a running lariat. They left the ring where Hobbs tackled Page into the ring apron. Hobbs sent Page into the ring, so Page came back with a dive onto Hobbs. The stronger Hobbs sent Page into the barricade. Hobbs set up Page against the steel steps, he charged and Page moved out of the way. Page jumped off the steel steps, Hobbs caught him and slammed Page onto the ring apron. Hobbs slammed Page on the commentary table. Hobbs also slammed Page onto the top of the steel steps. That looked and sounded brutal.

(Commercial)

Hobbs sent Page into the exposed steel turnbuckle and a powerslam. Hobbs sent Page out of the ring. Hobbs put Page onto the commentary table. Hobbs slipped for a moment. It was obvious that Hobbs wasn’t going to hit a move as Page gave Hobbs a cross body block off the table and onto the floor. Hobbs took that on his ass/tailbone. Ouch. Page clotheslined Hobbs over the barricade, so they fought into the crowd. As they fought into the crowd, Page hit an impressive moonsault onto Hobbs. Page jumped off the barricade with a clothesline, but Hobbs didn’t go down. Page kicked Hobbs and then Page threw a trash can at Hobbs. Hobbs caught a running Page and hit a spinebuster through a table that was there. Hobbs picked up Page and they went into the crowd. Hobbs teased slamming Page down for a long fall, but Page fought out of that. Page hit Hobbs a few time and Hobbs was standing on a barricade that was about 10 feet high. Page got a running start, he took his boot off and hit Hobbs, who fell about 10 feet through an electricity table. The lights were flickering in the arena after that. Page walked down the steps, covered Hobbs on the floor and referee Paul Turner counted the pinfall for the win. It went about 14 minutes.

Winner by pinfall: “Hangman” Adam Page

Analysis: **** Awesome match. Hobbs was in control for a lot of it and there were a lot of power moves by him throughout the match, but Page found a way to come back and win. The ending spot was very creative with Hobbs going up that barricade part by the fans and then taking a big back bump through the table to give Page the win. Even though Hobbs lost the match, he still came across as a main event level wrestler who showed that he is tough to beat. Meanwhile, it shows that Hanger will do just about anything to win.

After the match, Katsuyori Shibata attacked Page and threw Page into the ring, where Samoa Joe was waiting. Joe hit Page in the back with a steel chair. The cage was lowering. Eddie Kingston arrived at ringside and he fought with Shibata on the floor. Hook and Kingston went into the ring to help Page, so Joe and Shibata left.

Page did a promo saying if you wanted him inside of a Steel Cage, all you had to do was ask. Page said that at Full Gear, leave Shibata at home and leave Hobbs in the hospital. Page said that at Full Gear, their AEW World Title match will be a Steel Cage Match. Joe seemed to like it, but then he looked a bit frustrated about it.

Analysis: It’s a logical way to set up a Steel Cage match since Samoa Joe’s allies will technically be unable to interfere in the match, so Joe will have to try to beat Page alone. I expect Hangman to win.

The Men’s Blood & Guts Match was coming up.

(Commercial)

It’s official at Full Gear on November 22: “Hangman” Adam Page defending the AEW World Title against Samoa Joe in a Steel Cage Match.

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat Interview

Tony Schiavone called this the greatest venue for pro wrestling in history. I don’t agree, but I know there’s a lot of history in that building. The great Ricky Steamboat was introduced by Tony for an in-ring interview. Tony talked about some of Ricky’s history in this building.

Ricky gave a shoutout to TBS for airing all of this, so everybody here can have their moment on TV. Ricky pointed a poster in the ground for the Mount Rushmore of Greensboro: Flair, Steamboat, Dusty and Sting. Ricky mentioned that back in the day, Ric Flair was his number one nemesis. Ricky said in 1977, he came to Mid-Atlantic Wrestling here in the Carolinas. Ricky said that Ric Flair went to Jim Crockett, saying he wanted to do something with him…and here’s the interruption.

FTR’s Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, with Stokely, made their entrance to rudely interrupt them. Ricky said that a few years back, he had a hand in working with Dax. Ricky said that Dax is climbing that ladder.

Stokely said he couldn’t believe he was in the ring with a legend, and he called FTR the greatest tag team in the business today. Big Stoke shook hands with Ricky. Ricky mocked Big Stoke for being short. Stokely said that at Full Gear, FTR will make history when they become 3-time AEW World Tag Team Champions. Stokely said he wanted Ricky to be there live and asked if he had Macho Man’s phone number.

Cash said that they hold Ricky in high regard. Cash showed images of FTR teaming up with Ricky in Ricky’s retirement match. Cash said that if they are going to make Ricky look like a shell of his former self, then it’s FTR.

Dax said he has learned so much from Ricky. Dax said that 13 years ago, Ricky was his trainer. Dax mocked Ricky by acting like he didn’t learn anything from him. Dax trashed Ricky for not saying an intelligent thing in his entire life. Ricky said that Dax’s attitude has gone in the toilet. Dax claimed that Ricky told him that it doesn’t matter how much you make, just make sure you save your money. Dax mocked Ricky, saying that if he took his own advice, then he wouldn’t have to be here tonight. Dax claimed that he was a bigger legend than Ricky ever was. The fans booed that. Dax grabbed Ricky’s face, so Ricky shoved him back. There were “Ricky” chants. Dax told Ricky to get out of his ring.

Ricky said that, going back a few years, he would tell both of them to kiss his ass. Ricky said sometimes discretion is the better part of valour. Ricky said sometimes you realize that he’s going to be 73. Ricky said he’ll be the smarter man today and he left the ring, but Cash grabbed him. Dax punched Ricky lightly a few times. Brodido’s Brody King and Bandido made the save. King and Bandido beat up FTR with strikes. Bandido hit his 21 Plex on Cash. King clotheslined Cash out of the ring. Steamboat chopped Dax a few times, Bandido kicked Dax a few times, King tried a lift and Dax was saved by his guys. Brodido stood tall in the ring with Ricky. The fans cheered.

Analysis: It was a fun segment full of cheap heat since FTR know how to be jerks and the fans loved the legendary Steamboat. Brodido making the save made sense since they’re feuding with FTR. It took Brodido a while to get out there, but once they did, they cleaned house and Ricky got some shots in on Dax to make the fans happy. I thought it was done well.

The Men’s Blood & Guts main event was next.

(Commercial)

Men’s Blood & Guts Match: Darby Allin, Roderick Strong, and The Conglomeration (Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, and Kyle O’Reilly) vs. Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, and Pac)

The match cannot end until after all 10 men are in the match. At that point, a surrender or submission can win the match.

The wild man Darby Allin started the match for the babyface team while Wheeler Yuta was up first for the Death Riders. Allin had his skateboard in the ring. Yuta bailed to the floor, so Allin with a dropkick on the floor. Allin sent Yuta into the barricade and side of the cage several times. Allin sent Yuta into the barricade again. Allin charged, Yuta avoided him and Yuta sent Allin into the barricade. The fans were chanting, “F**k you, Yuta” as Yuta sent Allin into the cage. Yuta kicked the cage door into Allin’s head. They went into the ring where Allin climbed the cage and hit a Coffin Drop on a standing Yuta. Allin jumped off the skateboard and hit a Code Red. Allin had thumbtacks glued to the bottom of the skateboard, so Allin rammed the tacks into Yuta’s head. Yuta was bleeding from the forehead, so he was the first one to bleed in this match. Yuta hit a low blow and an Olympic Slam followed that.

In this match, the babyfaces had the advantage, so Orange Cassidy was next and he brought the backpack into the ring. Orange was jabbing the sunglasses into Yuta’s head and he hit a DDT on Yuta. Allin hit three splashes on Yuta in a row. Orange had a chain and punched Yuta in the ribs with them. Allin jumped off the top and stomped on the skateboard onto Yuta’s back. Orange covered, but there was no pinfalls in this match.

The next Death Riders member was Daniel Garcia. I don’t think I’ve seen Garcia win a match since he joined the Death Riders. Garcia choked Allin and Orange at the same time. Yuta and Garcia used a chain to clothesline Orange down. They stomped on Yuta few times as the show went to a picture-in-picture break.

(Commercial)

After the show came back, Roderick Strong was the third guy in for the babyface team. I missed a few minutes of action due to going to the bathroom. Sorry, but a man has to go sometimes during a long wrestling show.

The 3rd Death Riders member was Claudio Castagnoli looking like a badass as usual. It was just Claudio and Strong standing while the other four guys were down selling. Claudio sent Strong into a chair that was against the turnbuckle. Orange jumped on Claudio’s back, but Claudio still did the Giant Swing to Allin while Orange was on his back. Claudio tossed Allin from the near ring into the far ring. Claudio sent Strong into the cage and Strong was bleeding from the forehead after being sent into the chair. Yuta hit Orange with a chair to the back. Garcia did a surfboard submission and Claudio hit an uppercut on Allin to knock him down.

It was Kyle O’Reilly at #4 for the babyface team. Kyle hit a belly-to-back suplex on Garcia. Kyle hit a knee on Claudio and a DDT. Kyle applied a guillotine, but Claudio got out of it. Strong hit a knee strike and Kyle/Strong hit a knee/forearm combo to knock Claudio down. Garcia jabbed Orange in the stomach with a chair. Yuta hit a delayed vertical suplex on Orange. Garcia kicked Orange a few times and Yuta suplexed Strong onto a chair. Orange was sent over the turnbuckle and wedge against the apron. Yuta hit a piledriver on Allin and Claudio hit a power move as well.

(Commercial)