‘AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash’ Review (Dec 31st 2025)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash, which was broadcast from Omaha, Nebraska, and featured THE best ending to AEW’s 2025! With that, let’s get into the review…
Match #1: Death Riders (Marina Shafir, Claudio Castagnoli & Daniel Garcia) def. “Timeless” Toni Storm, Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The match began as soon as the Death Riders got in the ring, as all six competitors paired off! Storm mounted Shafir in the corner for 10 punches, but was thrown from the ring by Castagnoli. Strong took over on Castagnoli and got 10 punches on him in the corner. Garcia came in and gave Strong the same treatment. Cassidy came in and hit one punch on Garcia, so he celebrated only to be put in a full nelson by Shafir. He broke out of it by putting his hands in his pockets. Shafir shot him off the ropes, but he rolled through for a near-fall. She threw him into Garcia for a suplex, and then all three Death Riders took turns crushing Cassidy in the corner, just as they did at Worlds End. The Death Riders had complete control! Strong was the latest to get the same treatment from the Death Riders until he avoided a charge in the corner from Shafir, took out Garcia, and nailed Castagnoli with a fireman’s carry slam! Cassidy and Storm wound up together in the middle, so Cassidy danced Storm into a back elbow on Shafir, and Storm did the same with Cassidy to Garcia, and then they both hit elbows on Shafir and Garcia. Castagnoli came back in to get hip-tossed by Storm and Cassidy, so Storm called for the giant swing. Cassidy first caught Castagnoli with a PK, so Storm thought it was time, but when she went to pick him up, Garcia clobbered her to stop it! Omaha hated that! OC came back with an Orange Punch on Garcia, only to get caught in Mother’s Milk by Shafir. Strong saved OC and nailed Shafir with a backbreaker. Castagnoli returned to drive Strong to the mat, but OC was back for a Stundog Millionaire on Castagnoli to send him into the corner. Storm came back with a large hip attack on Castagnoli, and Cassidy followed with a DDT! He called for an Orange Punch, but Castangoli distracted the ref, allowing Wheeler Yuta to stop Cassidy. When Cassidy turned around, he ate a diving uppercut from Castagnoli, which got the Death Riders the three-count and the win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Bandido def. The Beast Mortos
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mortos tried to attack Bandido from the jump, but Bandido wound up using the cape of his entrance gear to tame Beast Mortos until Mortos sent Bandido to the outside and stomped on the cape. Mortos kept control until Bandido put the cape back on and crashed down onto Mortos on the floor. Mortos recovered and punished Bandido on the outside before depositing him back in the ring. He appeared to be going for Bandido’s mask, so Bandido rolled him up for a nearfall. Bandido came back with a headscissors to take down Mortos. Mortos got up right into a thrust kick from Bandido, who scaled the ropes and nailed a frog splash from the top! Mortos was able to kick out at two! Bandido ran into an elbow from Mortos, who followed with a Samoan drop to get a two-count after a hesitation on the pin attempt. Mortos caught Bandido on his shoulders and dropped him for a backbreaker, followed by a discus lariat that got another two-count! Mortos hit another lariat and went to the top, but missed on a moonsault and crashed hard onto the mat! Bandido hoisted Mortos up for the X-Knee and followed with the 21 Plex to get the win!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #3: Brody King def. Lee Johnson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
As King made his entrance, Johnson came flying over the top rope and crashed onto King! He celebrated too quickly, as King got up and chopped him before chucking Johnson into the barrier. King hit another chop and threw Johnson back in the ring to officially begin the match. King nearly beheaded Johnson with a lariat and followed with a cannonball in the corner. King hit a Gonzo Bomb to make short work of Johnson with the pinfall victory!
My Score: Squash out of 5
Match #4: AEW Continental Championship Eliminator – Jon Moxley def. “The Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Moxley made a rare mistake of turning his back on Alexander in the ring to soak in the adulation from the crowd, so Alexander attacked from behind, and we were underway! Alexander chopped Moxley around the ring until a strike battle turned into Alexander working Moxley’s injured ankle on the mat and in the corner. Moxley fought through the pain to get the upper hand and rain down 10 punches on Alexander in the corner, drawing blood on Alexander. Mox dragged Alexander along the top rope while holding him in a headlock. Alexander avoided a Mox charge by sending him over the top rope for another bad landing on the injured ankle. Alexander followed with a front suplex onto the apron. He hanged Moxley in the tree of woe and crushed him with a running crossbody! Alexander is all over Moxley and is putting all his focus on Moxley’s ankle. An ankle lock did some damage, but Moxley made it to the ropes and rolled to the apron. Alexander went out to meet him, as the two traded reversals before transitioning into another strike battle that saw Alexander front slam Moxley onto the apron at the 10-minute mark! Alexander went to the top, but missed a moonsault when Mox moved! Alexander and Mox got into an elbow exchange until Mox nailed a cutter out of nowhere! Alexander kicked out at two, so Mox tried for a choke, but Alexander suplexed his way out only for Mox to shake it off and nail a suplex of his own. Alexander dropkicked Moxley into the corner, but Moxley took a few beats and came flying out of the corner with a clothesline. Alexander bailed to the outside, so Moxley followed with a dive that connected! He threw Alexander back in the ring, so Alexander rolled to the other side. Moxley tried to follow, but got tripped up and put in a figure four on the ring post until the referee broke it up. Back in the ring, Alexander went to the inside of Moxley’s leg, only for Moxley to lock in a rear-naked choke! He let go of it to hammer down on Alexander with elbows, which knocked Alexander’s headgear off, as he continued to bleed from the head! Moxley reapplied the choke, and the referee called for the bell when Alexander didn’t respond! Moxley takes care of business with less than five minutes remaining!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: AEW National Championship – Ricochet def. “Jungle” Jack Perry
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
What looked like an early advantage for Perry was quickly erased by the distraction of Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona on the outside. Luchasaurus tried to come to Perry’s aid, but GOA overcame him, as Ricochet dropkicked Perry off the apron and to the floor! Meanwhile, Liona and Luchasaurus fought up the ramp and to the back. Perry fought from behind for several minutes until turning things around in a big way with a German suplex. However, it was short-lived, as Ricochet turned a DDT attempt into a Northern Lights suplex chained to a brainbuster! Perry kicked out at two! Perry nailed a big lariat to get a two-count of his own. Perry lined up Ricochet for his running knee strike, so Ricochet rolled to the apron. Perry followed, so Ricochet hung him over the top rope. Ricochet went back outside on the opposite side, so Perry slid after him and was caught by Ricochet, only to turn it into a bulldog on the floor. With Ricochet back in the ring, Perry had his sights on going to the top, but he was interrupted by Kaun on the floor. Perry kicked Kaun away, but Ricochet had already recovered and met Perry on the top rope. Perry pushed him off and hit a jumping DDT from the top! Ricochet kicks out to save the AEW National Championship! Perry called for the knee again, but Kaun grabbed his leg from the floor while Ricochet distracted the referee. With Perry paying attention to Kaun, he turned right back into a Spirit Gun to give Ricochet the pinfall victory!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: TBS Championship – Willow Nightingale def. Mercedes Moné
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Moné pie-faced Nightingale before the championship announcements, though order was restored until the bell rang, when Moné dropkicked Nightingale in the knee and then out of the ring! Moné continued by running Nightingale into the barricade and followed with a second throw, but then missed running knees and bounced off the barricade, which allowed Willow to pounce Moné into the adjacent barricade! Nightingale went for the cover back in the ring, but only got a two. Moné tried for a couple of quick pin attempts, only for Nightingale to flatten her with a lariat to get another near-fall. Moné tried to toy with Nightingale, but Willow cartwheeled out of a whip, blocked a knee strike, and then nailed a dropkick from the second rope. She crushed Moné with a cannonball in the corner for another two-count, so Moné rolled to the outside. Nightingale followed with a running cannonball from the apron! Nightingale tried to throw Moné back into the ring, but Moné tripped Nightingale, sending her face-first into the steel steps! Moné followed with running knees into Nightingale’s face, sandwiched in the steps. The punishment continued from Moné, although the more Nightingale fought back, the more frustration appeared all over Moné’s face. Finally, Nightingale powered out of the corner with a Death Valley Driver! Nightingale fired up with lariats and another in the corner, but then Moné caught her boot. Willow shook her off and tried for a spinebuster, but Moné escaped, so Willow hit her with another pounce! Nightingale hit another Death Valley Driver for a two-count! Moné fought back with a backstabber, only for Nightingale to escape her grasp with a rebound Doctor Bomb! Moné saved her TBS Title by rolling her foot on the rope just in time! Nightingale went to the top and missed a moonsault, which was a rough landing on the mat! Moné went to the top for a Frog Splash, but Willow got her knees up! Nightingale hit yet another Death Valley Driver, only this time onto the apron! She tried to roll Moné in, so Moné rolled out the other side. Nightingale tried to follow with a running cannonball, but missed! Moné started Three Amigos until Nightingale broke loose and took the top off the announce desk. With both women on the table, Moné got out of another Doctor Bomb and suplexed Nightingale off the desk onto the floor! Moné returned to the ring and tried to take the countout victory, but Nightingale got back just before the 10 count. A furious Moné brought elbow strikes down on Nightingale before locking in the Statement Maker! Nightingale reversed it into a near-fall and then lifted Moné on her shoulders. Moné elbowed her way out, but Nightingale blocked the Moné Maker by running Moné into the top turnbuckle. She tried for a Babe with the Powerbomb, but Moné escaped, and the two traded backslide positions until Nightingale trapped Moné in the same pinning predicament that beat her at Worlds End, only this time, Moné kicked out! Moné tried another Moné Maker, so Nightingale swung her around. Moné tried to sweep Willow into a jackknife for a pin attempt, but Nightingale rolled over and nailed a Babe with the Powerbomb to get the pinfall victory!
My Score: 5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4/5
AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash felt like the company firing on all cylinders at exactly the right moment. While the undercard was a mixed bag of solid-to-good action (Bandido vs Mortos and Moxley vs Alexander both delivering in very different ways), the show was smartly paced and built momentum as it went. Brody King’s squash did what it needed to do, and Ricochet vs Jack Perry continued to underline how stacked AEW’s midcard title scene remains, even with shenanigans baked in. But let’s be honest, this episode will be remembered for its back half. Willow Nightingale vs Mercedes Moné was nothing short of outstanding, a brutal, dramatic, emotionally charged title match that felt like a genuine statement bout for both women and arguably one of the best TV main events AEW put on all year (personally, as a HUGE fan of Willow, it is THE best!). Add in a red-hot crowd and a closing stretch that genuinely felt special, and New Year’s Smash delivered exactly what it promised: the strongest possible full stop on AEW’s 2025.
