‘AEW: Dynamite’ Review (Feb 12th 2025)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW: Dynamite, which was broadcast from the H-E-B Center in Austin, TX. We’ve got Excalibur, Nigel McGuiness, and Tony Schiavone on commentary, so let’s get into the review!
Match #1: ‘Best Wrestler Alive’ Open Challenge Match – “Hangman” Adam Page def. Max Caster
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Caster attempted to hide in the crowd, but Page stalked him. Caster slid into the ring and kicked Page as Page followed. Caster took down Page with a hurracanrana. Page answered with four lariats. Page blasted Caster with the Buckshot Lariat and scored the pin!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #2: AEW World Trios Championship Match – The Death Riders— (PAC, Wheeler Yuta, & Claudio Castagnoli) def. The Undisputed Kingdom (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, & Roderick Strong)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Both teams brawled around the ring as the bell rang! The Undisputed Kingdom had momentum on their side at first. They worked over Wheeler Yuta, taking turns with quick tags in and out. Yuta shoved Kyle into the corner of the Death Riders. PAC drove his boot into Kyle’s face. Claudio tagged in and began to stomp on Kyle. Strong came in and served up some of his patented back breakers. Claudio suplexed Roderick Strong behind the ref’s back. Yuta and Claudio hit Roddy with tandem offense. Yuta snap suplexed Roderick for a near fall. Pac tagged in and applied a vice-like headlock on Strong. Pac closed the distance with a driving upper cut. The Death Riders triple teamed Strong with running upper cuts in their corner. Cole tagged in and cleaned house on the Death Riders. Cole dropped Yuta with a pump kick. Cole staggered Yuta with a neck breaker. Cole super kicked Pac, who had attempted a springboard! Undisputed Kingdom isolated Pac and worked him over. Claudio came in and launched Yuta with the fast ball special on Kyle. Kyle countered by raising his knees. Kyle cradled Yuta for a near fall. Kyle put Yuta in an ankle lock. Claudio got into the ring with a steel chair, but Cole and Kyle connected with double super kicks. Yuta hit Kyle with a low blow when the ref wasn’t looking and Yuta rolled up Kyle to steal the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Samoa Joe, HOOK, & Katsuyori Shibata def. Jon Cruz, Aaron Solo, and Rosario Grillo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Samoa Joe, Hook, and Shibata charged into the corner toward their opposition. Hook sent Solo for a ride with a high low suplex. Shibata chopped Grillo, punishing him against the ropes. Samoa Joe crushed Grillo with a senton. Samoa Joe smashed Cruz with the Muscle Buster and pinned Cruz in short order!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #4: MJF def. Dustin Rhodes
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Rhodes power slammed MJF and then stomped MJF. Rhodes raked MJF’s back. MJF put Dustin in an arm bar, wrenching back. Dustin went for a sunset flip, but MJF countered by targeting Dustin’s arm. MJF gouged Dustin in the eyes. Dustin power bombed MJF out of the corner. MJF was writhing in agony. Dustin rocked MJF with a running bulldog. MJF stomped on Dustin’s outstretched elbow, a rare miscalculation from the Natural. Dustin drilled MJF with the Cross Rhodes for a near fall! MJF spiked Dustin with a pile driver out of nowhere. Dustin kicked out at the two-count! Dustin shoved the ropes while MJF was on the turnbuckles, causing MJF to lose his balance. Dustin booted MJF between the legs and followed up with the Final Reckoning for a near fall. MJF staggered Dustin with the Final Reckoning and then applied the Salt of the Earth arm bar! MJF transitioned to a cross face. Dustin was unresponsive and the referee called for the end of the match, awarding the bout to MJF!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: Megan Bayne def. Maya World
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bayne shoved Maya into the corner and then bulldozed her with a big shoulder tackle. Bayne sent Maya flying with a belly to belly suplex. Megan served up a flying lariat. Bayne sent Maya down with an F-5 and picked up the pin fall victory!
My Score: 0 out of 5
Match #6: Kris Statlander def. Penelope Ford
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Statlander used a headlock takeover on Ford. Stat slid into Ford with a lariat. Statlander tried for a sunset flip, but Statlander rolled through and dropkicked Penelope. Statlander nailed Ford with a vertical suplex. Penelope Ford dropkicked Statlander in the back. Statlander superplexed Ford. Statlander power slammed Penelope for a near fall. Penelope nailed Kris with a high boot and then a neck breaker. Ford rocked Stat with a stunner. Statlander grabbed Penelope with a German Suplex. Penelope planted Stat with a poison rana! Stat cracked Ford with a lariat and then pinned her with the Wednesday Night Fever!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #7: AEW World Tag Team Championship Match – The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) def. The Gunns (Austin & Colten)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Bobby back elbowed Colten in the jaw. Bobby used his power and bashed Colten with a shoulder block. Austin tagged in but Bobby dumped him over the top rope. Shelton came in and bounced Austin back and forth between the barricade and the ring. Colten tagged in and walloped Shelton with a leaping clothesline. Colten flattened Shelton with a cross over neck breaker. Austin spiked Shelton with the Fame Asser for a near fall. Shelton knocked Austin’s block off with a thrust kick! Shelton hurled Austin with two German Suplexes. Bobby choke slammed Colten in the center of the ring! Lashley speared Austin and then Shelton pinned Austin!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3/5
What a weird episode of Dynamite… three squash matches intertwined with three good matches and a great tag team main event to cap everything off. Though we also got far too many promos etc., including an extended final segment that should’ve gone to an actual match IMHO. Still, there was enough action here to keep me watching, even when I wanted to zone out.