The AEW Dynamite 10/25 episode starts off with a bang, by that I mean the Bang Bang Gang as MJF defeats Juice Robinson. Very entertaining match. Juice wound up getting color early on. Solid ring chemistry and a lot of near-fall moments where it could have gone either way. Juice attempted to use his knockoff ring but MJF beat him to the literal punch with the real deal, getting the three count.
After the match, Bullet Club Gold attacked MJF who is then saved by The Acclaimed. Jay White taunts MJF to lead up their upcoming title clash. The Gunns also issue a challenge for the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championships to be defended at Full Gear as well. MJF accepts, only for yet another challenge, for MJF to find three partners for an eight-man tag.
MAAAAAAX! MAAAAAAX!!
Out comes Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett who want to be MJF’s partners for the eight-man. MJF tells them in short order to piss off.
The Acclaimed again offer to team up, but Caster again comes on too strong for MJF’s liking. No scissoring.
MJF and Kenny Omega went face to face, announcing a world title bout for Collision this Friday. If MJF wins, he surpasses Omega as the longest reigning World Champion.
There is a lot to unpack here. We’ve been teased for weeks MJF needs to find a trio to face off against the stable.
Pre-tape Wardlow promo, he’s pretty ticked off to see the man who tortured him and was a thorn in AEW is now the most beloved. He’s not taking it too well.
Hook and RVD defeated Dark Order (Silver & Reynolds)
Fun match. I didn’t expect this to be a long bout, but it was enjoyable to watch. It is fun to see Hook and RVD as a team, they’ve got good chemistry. Taz on commentary is fantastic.
Timeless Toni Storm and RJ City release the next silent film running alongside picture-in-picture commercials.We get the debut of Luther the Butler. For a moment I thought it was Gangrel. This gets better and better.
Sting segment: Tony Schiavone brings out Sting and Darby Allin. Sting thanks the Phili crowd and Darby Allin for being the best partner. However, Schiavone then brings out Tony Khan’s “gift” in the form of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair!
Christian comes out and boy does he cut a scather of a promo. There’s a line where he says Flair should have died 20 years ago, which earns quite the vulgar chant from the live crowd. “We are in Philly.” Taz on point. Wow. Christian reaching epic levels of heel. I don’t think I have ever heard him get such a ferocious chant from a live arena.
Hangman Adam Page and The Young Bucks defeated The Hardys and Brother Zay.
It was good for what it was. Another opportunity to “see” the Bucks and Hardys in the ring together, but I hate to be the bearer of bad, but the novelty is gone. Isaiah Kassiday carried his team, figuratively and literally. Matt could move for the most part, but Jeff had very little ringtime. It was easy to predict the outcome, but at least “Brother Zay” got an excuse to steal the show.
Post match, we see Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland do a home invasion angle where they easily walk into Hangman’s home, putz around until Swerve heads upstairs and appears to have a conversation with Page’s baby. He throws a shirt into the crib.
Sorry, not OK with this. Never was a fan of home invasion angles and one involving a kid? Yes, I know its staged and all, but it didn’t feel great.
Yes, this kicks Swerve up to uber-villain, but let’s face it, we’re all gonna cheer him on in the ring.
Hikaru Shida retains the AEW Women’s Championship against Ruby Soho
It was alright. I was a bit disappointed as it appeared Soho was fatigued early on, or possibly competing injured. She appears very slow and seems to overly telegraph spots. There were one-too-many finish spots, and the fall into an exposed turnbuckle seemed unnecessary given Shida clearly dominated the closing moments.
I’m a fan of both so I was bummed not to see something better tonight.
Before the segment could close, Timeless Toni Storm w/ Luther the Butler arrive on scene. Love it.
Adam Copeland and Renee Paquette, talk over earlier tonight with Christian and Flair. While stunned, Sting and Darby arrive where Sting drops some harsh words about blindly turning away, even dropping Lex Luger’s name in the mix. Sting trying to wake up Copeland, who appears shellshocked at the Icon’s dramatic entry.
Claudio Castignoli & Bryan Danielson defeated Orange Cassidy & Kazuchika Okada in the main event of AEW Dynamite 10/25:
A+ match all the way. Fantastic. Danielson and Okada staring down at the other was electric. Claudio and Okada trying to out-tough each other is something you wouldn’t even consider on your 2023 bingo card. Cassidy fit right in, putting shenanigans aside to display his own wrestling arsenal. The closing moments were so fluid, the outcome very unpredictable, and what a shocker it was. Okada fells Danielson with the Rainmaker, but Claudio blasts Cassidy with a massive Swedish Uppercut for the surprise pinfall. It appeared Danielson was hurt in the face from the Rainmaker, but likely selling to build up for their rematch.
Best Friends (Trent, Chuckie, Statlander, Hook, and Romero) protect Okada and Cassidy from Mox, Yuta, and Claudio.
The finish felt like the end of a pro-fight on HBO with all parties getting heated for the next confrontation.
Okada and Cassidy doing the hug mid-match was a thing of beauty and you won’t change my mind.
