The first Dynamite of the year, Fight for the Fallen 2025 kicks off with a rundown of the featured matches for the night! I am watching this live on MAX, so let’s see if we get commercials picture-in-picture. The new theme “I’m so Excited” by the Pointer Sisters ushers us into 2025!
Tonight’s show is being held to support relief efforts in Asheville, North Carolina.
Before the action begins, a venomous promo from Mox puts over Marina Shafir, and then seems to lose his mind he berates his recent fallen opponents, then discusses how he carried the company through a pandemic and yet feels the company would sink without him. He’d melt down the AEW World Championship before letting a pretender hold it. Rated FTR cuts a counter promo ready to begin their war with the Death Riders.
Opening up the program is a good match between Orange Cassidy and “Hangman” Adam Page
Most of the most saw each one avoiding the other’s signature moves, showing how two veterans from the first year of AEW know each other’s arsenal. Enjoyable first bout for 2025. Cassidy is certainly not the same man he was when he made his debut years ago. The comedy antics now seem more of a novelty as he isn’t using them as often. Hangman is an unhinged crazy man. I dig it. He’s violent and has no qualms inflicting damage. For example, after defeating Cassidy, he delivers two more Deadeye Drivers, then continues to punch Cassidy in the face until officials rush out. Hangman gets angry and decks Christopher Daniels.
I’m guessing since C.D. is not an EVP anymore we might see him in the ring again.
Hurt Syndicate defeated The Acclaimed
Before the match, a pre-taped promo showed nothing but mistrust between Bowens and Caster. The end is nigh. Now, this wasn’t a match. It was a slaughter. Shelton tossed around Caster like a lightweight. Bowens tagged in and began to even the odds, but in a strange move, Caster blind-tagged himself in, only to get mauled by Benjamin some more. Lashley gets the tag, and the live crowd loses their minds as he spears and forces a submission with the Hurt Lock.
Bowens did not make a save. He opted to walk to the back alone after the bell. My guess, Bowens goes to the Syndicate.
Promo featuring the Return of Kenny Omega followed by a promo from Okada
Building this slow and steady is the right path. Make us wait, build the hype. Let’s get Okada in-ring on a few more television shows, give us Omega in small doses. As All In Texas gets closer, give us some tag matches where we get teases of their inevitable match. In the words of the internet… “Let them cook.”
Julia Hart defeated Jamie Hayter
Winning via underhanded tactics, seems to fit right for the House of Black Princess. She brought her arrow into the ring, and golly I thought we might see a spot New Jack would have been proud of. As referee Aubrey Edwards took the arrow away, Hart smoothly walked over and spit mist in Hayter’s face. Perhaps the poison mist has returned?
Mercedes Mone in-ring segment
Mercedes out in the ring, gloats about her reign as champion. Says she will go on to take the RevPro Women’s Championship from Mina Shirakawa. Decent promo, tries to keep her established as a heel, but felt a bit long and overdrawn. She had a fantastic match with Kris Statlander at World’s End. But the promo felt flat.
Hayter seems to have stalled a bit, perhaps her re-entry onto TV didn’t go as smoothly. It feels like something is lacking here, but I don’t know what it is. Hart showed some ring rust, but nothing which I would be concerned about.
Jay White wins the #1 spot in next week’s Casino Gauntlet Battle Royal
This was a fun match. Triple threats, when booked right, with the right wrestlers are great to watch. Swerve seems to have the match in-hand, but Ricochet interferes, allowing White to capitalize on a wounded Roderick Strong for the win. Post match, Ricochet goes into full serial killer mode. He looks like one of those creepy guys. White shirt, big round glasses, but he’s carrying gold scissors. He doesn’t cut hair, he STABS Swerve repeatedly in the head, like some old school NWA feud which gets far out of hand.
We got ourselves a bloodbath. Ricochet not only has gone heel, but into full psycho-killer mode. This is the Ricochet we have been waiting for.
Jeff Jarrett in-ring promo
Jarrett talks about his family legacy, pretty cool stuff. Getting to the point, he teased a retirement, but opted to continue his run in AEW. With this final contract, Double J wants to achieve one last milestone, winning the AEW World Championship.
Ok, let’s be honest about a few things. No faux return will ever top Mark Henry. Second, he won’t win the world title, but I am sure Jarrett will make his chase fun to watch.
Powerhouse Hobbs squashes Jon Cruz and Rob Killroy
Is it wrong that I enjoy watching Hobbs destroy people? I would like to see him with better opponents, but hey, he’s back on TV.
I want Hobbs/Takeshita II.
Learning Tree vs. Rated FTR in the back
No Jericho tonight, to no one’s disappointment. However, Big Bill and Bryan Keith opt to run down North Carolina. However, they spot FTR and Adam Copeland. Things take a turn when they decide to badmouth the hometown boys. They fire back, and Cope’s delivery of “Your face is stupid” was hilarious. It would have fallen flat from anyone else, yet somehow he made it funny.
MJF post-promo from World’s End. To our delight, he happily says the whole era of Better Than You Bay Bay is over and done with. Mr. Friedman then seems to turn his sights towards Mox. He cuts a pretty scathing promo berating Mox and even with the comparison of Mox as a king… but MJF is a wrestling god.
MJF vs. Mox? Yes please. Next week’s Casino Battle Royal is going to be very interesting.
Main Event: Rated FTR defeat the Death Riders
A wild main event closing out the first Dynamite of 2025. Rated FTR gets the win after Yuta is cracked and crushed by a combo of a Shatter Machine and Spear. Copeland and Mox brawl in the crowd, tables are broken, bodies everywhere. Jay White interfered to further taunt the AEW World Champion. There was no way Rated FTR would lose, and also no way Mox would take a fall just yet. Yuta is the natural pick to eat the finishers. We hate the little turncoat crap so much, crowds erupt when he gets his.
Inevitably Copeland will face Mox one-on-one for the title. I wonder if they would have the Death Riders lose the Trios Championships as a way to push the hype? Will Copeland be the one to dethrone Mox? I am not sure yet, but I am sure the day Eddie Kingston comes back is the day Mox will truly show fear.
Yes, I am going to ride that train and good luck shutting me up.
The trade-off with streaming on Max is the change in commercials. TBS retains the action with picture-in-picture, however Max does not. Social media seems to have the consensus the picture quality is better on Max as well.
