Rivalries may have been settled and feuds resolved, but if AEW Dynamite 8//25 is of any indication it only means that the next big fight and Feud are Brewing ahead. The path to Forbidden Door is tensing up.
MJF kicks off the show, antagonizing everyone and gloating about his ability to outsmart both Mark Briscoe and AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page. Flaunting his newly won CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship, it may seem that MJF will have to battle multiple feuds on multiple fronts at multiple venues. I thought it was funny how he only referred to it as the world championship conveniently leaving out it’s the light heavyweight championship.
The Opening match featured Jon Moxley defeating “Speedball” Mike Bailey in what was presented as a potential main event. On paper this could have been a squash, however given the Death Riders sudden spiral and vulnerability, it made sense Speedball seemed to have a better chance than he normally would have. The best part of the match turned out to be just that, where Speedball looked like a true main-eventing star, on multiple occasions could have believably pinned the former world champion. It took some interference, but really drove home a true potential underdog story leaving fans disappointed but yet satisfied that someone like Mike Bailey could last as long as he did against a typically unstoppable Moxley.
Crazy moment during the match where Wheeler Yuta was suddenly grabbed by the throat from behind and yanked into the crowd by one insane Darby Allin. After the match was over there was a body bag in the middle of the street which Marina Shafir and MOX quickly rescued before Darby Allen could run it over. Guess who was in the bag? A scared Yuta. This felt thrilling.
Darby brings one hell of a unique feel. He would have been perfect in ECW.
Alex Windsor wins a Fatal Four Way to Qualify for the TBS Championship at Forbidden Door
A very cool concept, at the upcoming pay-per-view the TVs Championship will be defended against women from AEW, one from Stardom and another from CMLL. Prior to the match, AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm accompanied Alex Windsor backstage and cut a hilarious promo. One of the best parts was Windsor recognizing that she was starting to act like the timeless one. It seems whomever is paired with Tony Storm immediately gets some real positive traction with the division.
This was a fantastic match also featuring Queen Aminata, Skye Blue, and Billie Starkz. Windsor and Aminata were clearly the stronger women in the match, however blue and Stark’s certainly held up their own and could have believably won the match as well. Windsor winning the match with a small package again, lens and nod to Tony storms own signature of the dubbed “ large package” pinfall.
Queen Aminata has proven to be a rising mega force in the company. Her matches on both AEW and ROH programming have been memorable and most recently her feud with Thekla has been phenomenal.
After the match, Mercedes Mone, Athena, and Toni Storm all got involved. It seems while some feuds may not necessarily have ended, perhaps they are intersecting together. Could be curious to see if Mone and Athena will temporarily form an alliance or perhaps eventually become rivals as well.
My one concern is again Athena is being built up, I would hate for her to suffer another loss on a pay-per-view in a championship match.
Don Callis Family Celebration Time
Kyle Fletcher is the subject of the celebration, defeating the natural, Dustin Rhodes for the TNT championship last week on collision. lots of gloating, parading which to be fair went unheard since the live audience completely drowned them out with booze and vulgar, expletive chants. Believe me, these chants were deserved. Don Callis really, and I mean, really brings out the venom from live crowds.
Fletcher continues to look like a big star, and he may quite possibly become as big a name as Kenny Omega one day. The reveal of yet another creepy oil painting cements the level of hate directed towards them. He will defend the championship regularly it seems, as his first defense will be on Collision this week against “The Stone Pitbull” Tomohiro Ishii.
Okada was absent but a display of his championships was not.
I feel bad Marc Davis is out of the picture again. Maybe team him up with Big Brody King and Bandido on his return.
Lots of backstage segments:
Adam Copeland announces he got himself a one-on-one match against Stokely Hathaway. It’s now in FTR’s corner if they want to physically get involved. He briefly addressed his dilemma with Christian Cage but did not elaborate.
FTR and Stokley respond to the challenge, and while Dax and Cash seem confident, Stokely appears to have a complete mental breakdown to everyone’s entertainment.
In a shocking potential Match of the Year Candidate, Brodido (Brody King & Bandido) defeated The Youn… I mean, Max and Jeremy.
Loved the nod to their persona as Generation Me in TNA Impact Wrestling. Pushing the Young Bucks as jobbers has been hysterically entertaining. Love them or hate them, they certainly get creative. Despite the hilarious and botch-filled intro, the Young Bucks weren’t amazingly well with their opponents. Brody King and Bandido clipped on all counts, the Bucks and Bandido moved at all near lightning quick pace but yet we’re able to constantly keep up with each other. Brody pulled out some incredible maneuvers of his own, embracing his inner Cruiserweight with some high risk and high-flying moves of his own. Brody King I believe is one of the best wrestlers in the company. He has a seamless and near perfect blend of typical big man moves, combined with grappling and wrestling holds, and then tosses in some Cruiserweight ability and agility. This match you have to watch to adequately understand what I’m trying to convey. The absolute eruption from the live crowd when Brody and Bandido won the match speaks volumes to how over this team is.
Swerve Strickland is interviewed and asserts himself as a threat to dethroning Okada at Forbidden Door. A well-spoken promo where he puts over Okada and all his accomplishments however sets those aside to position himself as an individual whom Okada cannot take lightly.
Backstage: MJF tries desperately and valiantly to patch things up with MVP and the Hurt Syndicate. however MVP and Shelton Benjamin dismiss him, ejecting him from the group. MVP would go on to give Maxwell a severe and grave warning should he ever cross paths with them again. Should MJF win the World Championship, that will immediately put him in the crosshairs of Bobby Lashley.
MJF seems to have crapped himself.
In an interesting backstage segment, Willow Nightingale joined Queen Aminata’s interview. Kris Statlander showed up and seemed to faux play into the women banding together to take on the threats of the Triangle of Madness (Blue, Hart, Thekla) and Megan Bayne with Penelope Ford.
A bit strange from Statlander. Willow wasn’t having any of it. Strange but intriguing nonetheless.
MJF defeated Mark Briscoe in the Dynamite Main Event. Before the match World champion, Adam page hyped up and praised Mark Briscoe. He even went as far to say that he hopes to defend the championship against Briscoe in the future. This match turned all sorts of chaotic. Brisco pulled out everything and even when he would Crash and Burn continue to get up and face off against his opponent. MJF seemed to employ classic and traditional heel tactics of avoidance and sneak attacks, then using various submissions and wear down holds. However, things took a turn as MJF spiked Briscoe with the heat seeker Piledriver for the pinfall. The ref did not notice Briscoe’s foot over the bottom rope. MJF shoved his foot off after the bell.
Could we see a rematch? They put on a clinic. Run it back. Could this controversy lead to Page defending the AEW World Championship against both MJF and Briscoe in a triple threat? AEW is delivering hits non-stop and fans are loving it.
