‘AEW: Summer Blockbuster’ Review (Jun 11th 2025)
Welcome to this week’s review of AEW, which was a HUGE four-hour Summer Blockbuster special, combining both Dynamite AND Collision and broadcast live from the Moda Center’s Theater of the Clouds in Portland, Oregon. With that, let’s get straight into the review!
Match #1: Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay (Draw)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland faced off in an intense, hard-hitting bout, built on Ospreay’s insistence that Swerve make peace with Hangman Page and Strickland’s steadfast refusal. The match opened with a respectful handshake, signifying mutual respect despite recent tensions. Both men displayed remarkable agility and endurance, engaging in rapid exchanges and impressive aerial maneuvers, including Ospreay’s stunning Sasuke Special dive and Swerve’s impactful Swerve Stomp. Early on, Ospreay appeared to suffer a broken nose, impacting his breathing but not diminishing his offensive output. Late in the contest, the competitors exchanged signature moves, with Ospreay executing the Stormbreaker and multiple Hidden Blade elbows, including a diving one through the ring ropes, while Swerve countered with high-impact offense, including a punishing Deadeye. Neither wrestler could achieve a decisive pinfall, as they continually kicked out of near-falls, demonstrating immense resilience. Ultimately, the match reached its 30-minute time limit with both wrestlers unable to secure victory, officially declared a time-limit draw.
My Score: 5 out of 5
Match #2: Mistico def Blake Christian
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mexican legend Mistico squared off against Blake Christian, as Mistico showcased his extraordinary agility, executing a high-risk tope suicida that took out Christian. Christian responded impressively, landing a precise springboard 450 splash, nearly securing an upset victory. However, Mistico rallied, regaining momentum with his rapid, signature springboard crossbody and ultimately clinching victory with a perfectly executed La Mistica, forcing Christian to submit and capturing a decisive win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: The Hurt Syndicate def. Speedball Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight and Mascara Dorada
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
AEW Summer Blockbuster hosted a heated trios bout featuring The Hurt Syndicate (Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley, and MJF) against the agile team of Kevin Knight, Speedball Mike Bailey, and Mascara Dorada. The contest began explosively, with high-paced exchanges and impressive aerial attacks. Mascara Dorada particularly showcased his remarkable agility, landing a precise springboard crossbody, while Kevin Knight’s standout athleticism delivered a powerful dropkick, stunning MJF. However, The Hurt Syndicate utilized their significant size and strength advantage, notably with Lashley delivering a devastating spear and Benjamin executing impactful power maneuvers. After a chaotic series of dives, including Bailey’s Triangle Moonsault and Dorada’s Shooting Star Press, the match reached its climax. In the critical moment, MVP interfered, striking Bailey’s knee with his cane. This distraction allowed MJF to capitalize immediately, hitting a quick DDT, followed by his decisive Heat Seeker to secure the victory for The Hurt Syndicate.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Anna Jay & Tay Melo def. Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Early in the match, Megan Bayne asserted dominance, using her size and power advantage to control Anna Jay. Penelope Ford complemented Bayne’s brute strength with agile and calculated attacks, driving Tay Melo into the steel ring steps and applying pressure to Anna’s vulnerable shoulder. Despite their prolonged time apart, Anna Jay and Tay Melo quickly rediscovered their chemistry, displaying synchronized teamwork and resilience. Melo made a spirited comeback, landing impactful strikes including a strong Pump Kick and an innovative Modified Calf Slicer submission on Bayne, nearly forcing a submission. A chaotic exchange ensued as Anna Jay executed a bold diving crossbody, only to be followed by Penelope Ford’s impressive Moonsault onto the floor, targeting both TayJay members simultaneously. Bayne responded with sheer power, hoisting both opponents simultaneously for a devastating double slam. However, Tay Melo seized a critical opportunity, skillfully reversing Ford’s offense into a Tay-KO. Melo secured the decisive three-count, earning the comeback victory for her team.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: Kyle Fletcher def. Anthony Bowens
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The match started with high energy, featuring swift exchanges and impressive agility from both wrestlers. Bowens showcased his athleticism early with fluid dropkicks and a precise fallaway slam, nearly securing an early victory. Cole highlighted Bowens’ momentum, acknowledging him as a potential future contender to his TNT Championship, yet confident Bowens wouldn’t defeat him. Kyle Fletcher, demonstrating resilience and power, regained momentum after capitalizing on Bowens’ hesitation. The turning point occurred when Fletcher connected with a brutal big boot, knocking Bowens from the apron, and followed it up with a devastating twisting DDT from the turnbuckles, coming close to victory. Bowens fought back with determination, hitting a perfectly executed Famouser reminiscent of his mentor Billy Gunn, but Fletcher shockingly kicked out. After further intense exchanges, Bowens launched an aerial attack to the outside, momentarily staggering Fletcher. However, as the action returned to the ring, Fletcher cunningly distracted Bowens by confronting Billy Gunn, seizing the opportunity to deliver a crushing Brainbuster, ultimately pinning Bowens for the victory.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: Toni Storm def. Julia Hart
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Toni Storm faced off against Julia Hart in a singles match, as AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Moné joined commentary, notably bringing multiple championship belts to ringside as she once again partook in a steak dinner with quite the spread. Before the match, Skye Blue interfered by attacking Storm, causing her ejection from ringside. This left Storm vulnerable and initially struggling to even stand. Julia Hart immediately capitalized, aggressively dominating the early match, landing relentless attacks, including a moonsault that nearly secured victory. Storm resiliently fought back, utilizing her powerful German Suplex and signature Hip Attack. Despite Julia Hart’s relentless pressure, Storm capitalized on a crucial error by Hart—after Hart connected on another Moonsault attempt, Storm smartly countered into a small package pin to secure a hard-fought victory.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #7: Mark Briscoe, Tomohiro Ishii & Willow Nightingale def. MxM Collection & Taya Valkyrie
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The match erupted into chaos from the start, with intense, high-energy exchanges. Notably, Mace displayed power moves, while Mansoor’s agility shone through, highlighted by a remarkable Sunset Flip Powerbomb. Briscoe utilized his distinctive Redneck Kung Fu, creating several dynamic moments. Willow Nightingale impressed, delivering impactful moves, including a well-executed Shotgun Dropkick and showcasing her relentless aggression. In the climactic moments, the MxM Collection attempted their devastating Doomsday Device, but Briscoe cleverly countered. The finish came as Willow executed a powerful Gutwrench Pickup powerbomb, securing the hard-earned victory for her team in an exhilarating matchup.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #8: Bandido def. The Beast Mortos
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Mortos immediately asserted dominance, overpowering Bandido with sheer force and delivering punishing moves, including a devastating Tornado Suicide Dive and repeatedly targeting Bandido’s mask—attempting to rip it off, an intense display of disrespect in lucha libre tradition. Bandido courageously fought back, demonstrating incredible resilience and explosive athleticism. He executed a daring dive, followed by a powerful Lungblower, showcasing his tenacity. Mortos countered forcefully with an impactful Tornado Bomb. The match’s breathtaking climax unfolded as both competitors struggled atop the turnbuckles. Bandido successfully countered Mortos’ offensive maneuver, ultimately delivering a remarkable, match-winning Moonsault Fallaway Slam from the top rope. This impressive feat allowed Bandido to secure the dramatic victory, cementing his stature as ROH World Champion in a hard-fought and captivating battle.
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #9: Thekla def. Queen Aminata
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
From the start, Thekla showcased her distinctive arachnoid-like style, utilizing her agility and unorthodox wrestling stance, often retreating into the corner in a spider-like position. The match quickly intensified, with Queen Aminata initially overpowering Thekla, delivering sharp strikes, aggressive body blows, and a brutal headbutt in the corner. Aminata demonstrated resilience, nearly securing victory with a powerful double knee strike and a devastating slam from an elevated position. Thekla, however, displayed remarkable tenacity, frequently utilizing inventive submissions and acrobatic maneuvers. She trapped Aminata with a variety of unique holds, including a leg scissor submission around the ropes, pushing referee limits. Her agility culminated in a spectacular spear that left Aminata vulnerable. Ultimately, Thekla locked Aminata in her signature submission hold, the Death Trap, a vicious bridging neck crank. Aminata had no choice but to submit, granting Thekla her second consecutive victory in AEW.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #10: The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Josh Alexander, Hechicero and Lance Archer) def. Paragon (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong) & Daniel Garcia
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
The match began with technical exchanges between Garcia and Hechicero, showcasing Garcia’s agile mat skills against Hechicero’s innovative grappling. Adam Cole swiftly demonstrated his explosive offense, delivering impactful strikes including a precise pump kick. Lance Archer’s massive size and strength drastically shifted momentum, overpowering opponents effortlessly, while Josh Alexander, known as the “Walking Weapon,” executed precision strikes and displayed technical dominance. Kyle O’Reilly endured significant punishment, isolated by quick tags from the Don Callis Family, notably suffering a targeted knee strike from Alexander. Garcia revitalized his team mid-match, unleashing fiery offense and resiliently engaging Takeshita. Takeshita countered aggressively with powerful strikes, maintaining intense pressure. A chaotic sequence unfolded as each competitor unleashed devastating moves; Roderick Strong’s famous backbreaker offense came into play, and Cole showcased resilience and strategy. The match reached a controversial climax as referee Aubrey Edwards was distracted, enabling Takeshita to deliver a stealthy but devastating elbow strike to Strong. Alexander seized the advantage immediately, capitalizing for a German suplex and the pinfall victory over Paragon and Garcia.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.25/5
AEW’s Summer Blockbuster was an explosive episode that lived up to its name, delivering intense in-ring action and major storyline twists. The main event between Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay ended in a dramatic 30-minute time-limit draw, but more than lived up to the hype. It was a technical masterpiece with incredible pacing, emotion, and athleticism—cementing both men as top-tier champions. The post-match chaos, including the Young Bucks’ interference and Ospreay’s heroic save, added even more fuel to AEW’s growing fire ahead of All In. Equally shocking was the brutal contract signing between Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada. What started as a tense confrontation turned into an all-out ambush, with Okada viciously attacking Omega and leaving him bloodied and stretchered out. It was a chilling heel turn and a moment that added real venom to their upcoming title unification bout. Elsewhere on the card, tag team and faction rivalries advanced in compelling ways, and the undercard held its own with strong performances and simmering tensions. AEW’s creative momentum is clearly in full swing. In the end AEW’s Summer Blockbuster wasn’t just a flashy title, it delivered on every level. With top-tier wrestling, shocking moments, and storylines building real anticipation, AEW knocked it out of the park!