By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite “Fright Night Dynamite” (Episode 265)
Cleveland, Ohio at Wolstein Center
Aired live October 30, 2024 on TBS
[Hour One] Dynamite opened with a “Fright Night” video package… Another video showed Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta exiting the building after taking out Chuck Taylor last week…
Orange Cassidy walked out minus entrance music and entered the ring that had orange ropes. A “Freshly Squeezed” chant broke out. Cassidy said enough of that. He said he doesn’t like talking and he’s not a leader.
Cassidy said he entered the ring after his best friend Chuck Taylor had his neck crushed by a steel chair. He said he looked around and was surrounded by the future of AEW. He said they are all talented, yet very young. Cassidy said they have no idea about the danger they are in or how dangerous Jon Moxley is.
Cassidy said he realized what he needed to do. Cassidy said the young wrestlers would have nowhere to go without AEW. He said Moxley doesn’t need AEW, but he does. Cassidy said he doesn’t exist without AEW.
Cassidy said he knows he needs to stop this by cutting the head off the snake. Cassidy said he would do it alone and to make sure no one gets hurt. Cassidy removed his shades and then challenged Moxley to an AEW World Championship match. Cassidy said he would take the symbol of the company out of Moxley’s bag and put it in his own backpack.
Cassidy told Moxley that he’s not hard to find because he’s in the ring every week. Cassidy put his shades back on and said that he is the next AEW World Champion and he still doesn’t need a catchphrase. Cassidy dropped the mic and exited the ring…
Powell’s POV: A good promo, especially coming from a guy who doesn’t cut many promos. Cassidy is a logical choice to challenge Moxley given that he feels like an AEW Original and because he beat Moxley at last year’s Full Gear pay-per-view.
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Matt Menard checked in on commentary from their desk at ringside…
TBS Champion Mercedes Mone and Kamille were walking backstage when Renee Paquette approached them and asked Mone for a prediction on Kamille’s match with Kris Statlander. Mone said she hates terrible questions. Mone put over Statlander as a powerhouse, yet said she doesn’t hold a candle to Kamille. Paquette wished Kamille luck. Mone said you don’t need luck when you’re with The CEO…
Ring announcer Justin Roberts delivered the introductions for the opening match while dressed like Peewee Herman. Adam Cole made his entrance while the broadcast team noted that this would be his first match in 14 months. Buddy Matthews made his entrance alone…
1. Adam Cole vs. Buddy Matthews. Matthews offered a handshake. Cole accepted and then Matthews held onto his hand for a couple seconds. Cole sold his ankle early in the match and did so again when he dropped off the apron. Kyle O’Reilly was shown watching the match on a backstage monitor. Matthews threw a kick at Cole from the apron heading into a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Cole caught Matthews with a kick through the ropes and then performed a piledriver through the ropes that led to a two count. Cole went for the Panama Sunrise, but Matthews stuffed it. Matthews wrenched on the ankle of Cole a few times.
Cole rolled to the apron. Matthews went to the ring steps and stomped Cole’s bad ankle. AEW physician Michael Sampson checked on Cole. Sampson told Cole it wasn’t worth the risk, but then he got up and Sampson started escorting him toward the back.
Matthews got the mic and questioned Cole for walking away. Matthews said the old Cole wouldn’t have walked away, but the new Cole is a bitch. Cole limped back to the ring and traded punches with Matthews, who ended up stomping on Cole’s bad foot several times.
Cole came back and went to hit a knee strike, but he fell to the mat. Matthews hit Cole with a Stomp for a near fall. The trainer checked on Cole again. Cole threw a towel at Matthews and then worked him over. Cole caught Matthews with a step-up enzuigiri and a running knee strike for a two count.
Cole went to the ropes and went for the Panama Sunrise, but Matthews caught him with a kick. Matthews hit a Buckle Bomb and another Stomp before covering Cole for just a one count.
MJF was shown watching the match from an undisclosed location. Cole superkicked Matthews and then hit the Panama Sunrise. Matthews rolled to the floor to avoid being pinned. Cole went to the apron and hit a Panama Sunrise on the floor. Back in the ring, Cole hit a knee strike to the back of the head and scored the pin.
Adam Cole defeated Buddy Matthews in 15:30.
Kyle O’Reilly was shown nodding in approval while watching Cole celebrate his win. Cole called for his music to stop playing. Cole told Matthews that he appreciates what he did. Cole said Matthews reminded him of who the real Adam Cole is. Cole offered a handshake. Matthews nodded and then shook his hand.
The lights went out. When they turned back on, a suit wearing Malakai Black was holding Cole’s hand while Matthews stood next to them. Cole exited the ring and was helped by the trainer as they walked past the graveyard set on the stage and through the tunnel to the back…
Powell’s POV: I’m always a fan of wrestlers selling injuries that sidelined them as opposed to just coming back at 100 percent and acting like nothing happened. It was a bit odd to see Cole sell the ankle and then use a lot of kicks that required him to plant on the surgically repaired ankle, but I like the storytelling overall.
Backstage, Paquette spoke with Christopher Daniels and “Private Party” Isiah Quen and Marq Quen. Daniels said he and Frankie Kazarian were in a match with a similar stipulation to the one Private Party would have later. Daniels said he lost the match and his relationship with Kazarian hasn’t been the same since. Both Private Party members expressed confidence that they will win… [C]
Adam Cole delivered a promo while Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett stood behind him in his locker room. Cole said is ankle isn’t what it once was. He said he doesn’t blame MJF for that. Cole said he doesn’t blame MJF for being a bad friend for never checking up on him. Cole said he blames MJF for pretending that they would work.
Cole said guys like him and MJF are meant to be enemies. Cole said MJF would have betrayed him the first chance he got. Cole pointed to what MJF did to Wardlow, Sammy Guevara, and Daniel Garcia. Cole said MJF needed to be taught a hard lesson. He said what they did to MJF was extreme, but it needed to happen.
Cole said he cares about AEW and its fans, and MJF has never been part of the team and never will be. Cole said he will get his hands on MJF at Full Gear and will be happy to teach him another lesson. Cole said it was one down and two to go. The broadcast team pointed out that Roderick Strong had the same three-match challenge…
Kyle Fletcher and Don Callis made their entrance and spoke from the stage. Fletcher said he was a man of his word and then called out Will Ospreay. Fletcher introduced Ospreay twice, but he didn’t come out.
The “Aussie Open” entrance theme played and then Fletcher’s partner Mark Davis walked out and didn’t look happy. Fletcher went for a hug, but Davis stopped him. Davis said Fletcher called out Ospreay while knowing that he was laid up at home. Davis said that he and Fletcher called Ospreay brother.
Fletcher said he has opened his eyes to the truth. He credited Callis with helping him see who Ospreay really is. Fletcher told Davis to forget about Ospreay while adding that he’s sure Ospreay forgot about Davis. Fletcher offered Davis a spot in the family.
Davis said they had a United Empire and Fletcher destroyed it. Davis started to walk away. Fletcher told Davis that there will come a day very soon when he will need to make a hard decision. Fletcher said he’s already shown that he has no problem cutting the past loose…
Excalibur hyped Kyle Fletcher vs. The Beast Mortos for AEW Collision…
Powell’s POV: A good verbal exchange. Fletcher left the door open to Davis joining the Don Callis Family at the end, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the direction they go in.
Backstage, Paquette spoke with Hangman Page about facing Jay White at Full Gear. Page recalled knocking Jay White out of the Owen Hart Cup tournament. Page also took credit for injuring White when he missed time. Page said there is no such thing as redemption. Page said there are only wins and losses and the consequences will follow. Page said he knows what White’s strategy will be, but White doesn’t know what his will be. He spoke of strangling White’s friends in front of him or possibly burning down his home. Page said he would leave White hurt with less than he had before. “Jay White, I will leave you behind,” Page closed…
Jon Moxley, Marina Shafir, Wheeler Yuta, Pac, and Claudio Castagnoli were shown exiting a backstage room… [C]
Jon Moxley and his crew made their entrance through the crowd and headed to the ring. There were some boos and a “Moxley” chant. Moxley said he doesn’t expect Orange Cassidy or anyone else to appreciate what they were trying to do, but one day they will understand.
Moxley said Cassidy thinks he challenged him for the AEW World Championship. Moxley said he challenged Cassidy when he had his friend Chuck Taylor’s neck broken. Moxley said he cut dead weight and a distraction out of Cassidy’s life.
Moxley said Cassidy was dubbed a leader and then he didn’t want to lead his people. Moxley said he doesn’t want Cassidy to catch the disease or the spell that people in AEW are under. He said they are fat and happy with their paychecks and they think they are something they are not. Moxley said he doesn’t want that for Cassidy.
Moxley said that when he faces Cassidy, he will do so in the valley. Moxley said Cassidy better be ready to die because he is. Moxley recalled Cassidy saying no one will get hurt. Moxley said they’d see about that right now. Moxley spoke to his crew. Shafir and Pac took Yuta down and held him. Castagnoli went to ringside and returned with a chair that he put around the neck of Yuta.
Orange Cassidy ran out to help and was quickly outnumbered. Shafir spoke with Yuta, who stood up and then put the boots to Cassidy. “The Dark Order” Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver ran out to help Cassidy, but they were beaten up quickly. The heels worked over Cassidy and Dark Order at ringside. Pac wrapped a chair around Cassidy’s neck.
Darby Allin repelled from the rafters and then attacked Castagnoli. They ended up on the broadcast table before it collapsed. Castagnoli tossed Allin onto the broken table. Lio Rush, Daniel Garcia, Dante Martin, Darius Martin, Action Andretti, Marq Quen, and Isiah Kassidy ran out and eventually Moxley’s crew retreated.
“The Young Bucks” Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson made their entrance after the coast was clear…
2. “The Young Bucks” Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson vs. “Private Party” Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy for the AEW Tag Titles. Justin Roberts delivered in-ring introductions for the title match and mentioned the stipulation that Private Party must split if they lose.
[Hour Two] The challengers cleared the champions to ringside. Kassidy launched off the back of Quen and dove onto the Bucks on the floor. A short time later, Quen took the ring bell away from Matthew at ringside and tried to hit him with it, but accidentally took out Kassidy. Matthew ran Quen into the ring steps. The Bucks were on the offensive heading into a PIP break. [C]
Kassidy bled from the forehead, presumably to sell the bell shot from earlier. Quen and Kassidy put the Bucks down and then went up top in opposite corners and hit stereo 450 splashes for a near fall.
Matthew came back with a Destroyer on Kassidy and then hit Quen with Sliced Bread. Matthew draped Kassidy over the top rope. Nicholas jumped from the ropes onto Kassidy’s back, which launched Kassidy into a sit-out powerbomb from Matthew for a near fall (a really cool and well executed spot).
Quen came back and hit Matthew with an Asai moonsault, then rushed back to the ring and hit a suicide dive on Nicholas. Quen rushed back to the ring and performed a flip dive onto Matthew. Quen climbed back on the apron. Matthew held Quen’s foot while Nicholas hit him with a couple of shots from inside the ring.
The Bucks dragged Quen to the stage and left him there. Kazuchika Okada walked out and performed a tombstone piledriver on Quen while Rick Knox (of course he was the referee) was distracted by the Bucks inside the ring.
Nicholas performed a huracanrana that pulled Kassidy from the ropes into a cutter from Matthew, which led to a two count. Excalibur said that was the Bucks’ version of Gin & Juice. The Bucks pumped up their shoes and then hit Kassidy with repeated superkicks. Matthew covered Kassidy for a near fall.
The Bucks set up for the EVP Trigger, but Kassidy fell face first on the mat. They picked him up again and went for the move, but Kassidy moved, causing the Bucks to slam their knees together. Kassidy caught Matthew in a small cradle for a two count.
Kassidy picked up another two count, but then at a kick from the apron. The Bucks hit the EVP Trigger. Matthew went for the pin, but Kassidy kicked out aggressively. Nicholas hit Kassidy with a V-Trigger as Quen started to crawl toward the ring. Matthew hit a One Winged Angel on Kassidy, but Quen returned to break up the pin.
The Bucks set up for the TK Driver, but Quen broke it up. Kassidy hit a Poison Rana on Matthew. Quen and Kassidy followed up with Gin & Juice on Nicholas. Kassidy covered Nicholas and got the 1-2-3…
“Private Party” Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy defeated “The Young Bucks” Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson in 18:10 to win the AEW Tag Titles.
After the match, the Bucks took the title belts away from Quen and Kassidy, The Bucks looked at the belts and then handed them back to Private Party and congratulated them before leaving the ring. Quen and Kassidy entered the crowd and celebrated their win. Oddly, Knox followed them and then they all went to the back…
Powell’s POV: A really good match and a hot title change. I really liked the added stipulation that Private Party would have to break up if they lost. It made the match feel even more important and it didn’t seem unrealistic that they would go in that direction. I’m happy they didn’t split them up after that impressive outing. The live crowd got really invested as the match went on and it came off like a real feel good moment when Private Party won. I could have done without the post match sign of respect from the Bucks, which felt unnecessary, but the match was a lot of fun.
Excalibur officially announced Jon Moxley vs. Orange Cassidy for the AEW World Championship for the Full Gear pay-per-view on November 23…
Backstage, Paquette spoke with Jamie Hayter and Penelope Ford and noted that they had agreed to no physicality. Paquette asked them about their match on next week’s show. Ford said she’s been with the company since day one and said she would take what she deserves and accused Hayter of taking it from her. Hayter said she would mop the floor with Ford…
A tale of the tape was shown for Swerve Strickland vs. Shelton Benjamin and then a brief video package set up the match… [C]
The broadcast team recalled Chris Jericho winning the ROH Championship with help from Big Bill…
Chris Jericho, Big Bill, and Bryan Keith stood on the stage. Bill gave a little speech about teamwork. Jericho did his “hi, guys” bit. Jericho said the ladder match was something the Wrestling Observer said would be remembered for a long time. Jericho said Dave Meltzer gave the match four stars. Jericho said he couldn’t have done it without Bill and Keith.
Jericho acted like he messed up by starting to say they were in Cincinnati, which got some boos. Jericho mentioned his role in Terrifier 3. Jericho said he would take ROH to its biggest success because he’s Chris Jericho and he can. Jericho said if you underestimate him, then you are overestimating your knowledge of the television and pro wrestling business.
“Never underestimate Chris Jericho, you dumbasses,” Keith said. Jericho went into David Lee Roth mode while telling fans to reach down between their legs, ease the seat back, and enjoy the ride while he takes ROH and all of you to places and heights you’ve never seen before…
A video package set up Mariah May vs. Anna Jay for the AEW Women’s Championship for Saturday’s Collision…
Alex Marvez was backstage trying to speak with the Young Bucks, but Jack Perry stopped him from entering The Elite dressing room. Daniel Garcia said Perry would be next to lose his title. Perry shoved Garcia, who shoved him against the wall. Garcia said he’s sick of entitled guys like Perry, who said the fans used to dance for him too.
After Garcia left, Perry entered The Elite’s dressing room. Okada was seated in a chair while the Bucks were stuffing gear in their back quickly and Brandon Cutler was shredding documents. Perry shoved the cameraman out of the room and closed the door…
3. Kamille (w/Mercedes Mone) vs. Kris Statlander. Both entrances were televised. Kamille was on the offensive heading into an early PIP break. [C] Statlander powerslammed Kamile and hit an F5 style move for a near fall.
Statlander went up top and went for a 450, but Kamille rolled out of the way. Kamille hit a leg lariat for a two count. Kamille performed a torture rack powerbomb for another near fall. Statlander reversed a tombstone piledriver and scored the pin.
Kris Statlander beat Kamille in 6:30.
After the match, Mone ran in and hit Statlander from behind with one of her title belts. Mone barked at Kamille to go to the back. Mone said that when you want something done right, you do it yourself. Mone held the TBS Title belt in Statlander’s face and then her music played…
Powell’s POV: I’m not a fan of Kamille losing this early in her run. There were other ways to set up Mone vs. Statlander.
A video package focused on The Patriarchy leaving Hook lying last week…
Christian Cage stood backstage with Nick Wayne, Mother Wayne, and Kip Sabian. Christian said there was a bit of a misunderstanding with Hook last week. Christian said he wanted to extend an olive branch and then invited Hook to join him in the ring next week so he could explain himself…
Excalibur hyped Swerve Strickland vs. Shelton Benjamin for after the break… [C]
Paquette spoke with Mark Briscoe, Kyle O’Reilly, and Tomohiro Ishii. Briscoe said ROH and the ROH Title mean a lot to him. He questioned when Chris Jericho bumped his head to the point that he no longer cares about his own wellbeing. Mark said Jericho mentioned Jay Briscoe’s name again and will pay. Briscoe spoke about facing Jericho in a Fight Without Honor…
Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson were making a quick exit from the building and blew off Alex Marvez. Christopher Daniels tried to stop them for some reason. Matthew said they wanted to change the world, but Daniels and nobody else would listen to them. Matthew said he would be working from home. Brandon Cutler stumbled around with a box while calling for the Bucks not to leave without him even though they’d already left.
Jon Moxley and his crew showed up. Pac choked out Cutler while Moxley forced Daniels to watch. Castagnoli slammed a hammer on the hand of Cutler…
Powell’s POV: Was that a babyface turn for Moxley’s crew? Anyway, I feel like I missed the Bucks being threatened. They went from losing the tag titles to showing respect for Private Party to suddenly being fearful while trying to leave as quickly as they could.
Entrances for the main event took place…
4. Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana) vs. Shelton Benjamin (w/MVP). Nana led “Swerve’s House” from ringside as the match started. MVP spoke with Nana at ringside for a moment. Benjamin suplexed Swerve over the top rope. MVP strutted on the apron.
Swerve went to ringside and tried to run Swerve into the ring post, but Swerve slipped away. Swerve put Benjamin in an armbar around the post. Back in the ring, Benjamin suplexed Swerve again. Benjamin drilled Swerve with a knee strike that sent him to ringside going into a PIP break. [C]
[Overrun] Swerve made his comeback while Excalibur hyped Lio Rush vs. Komander for Friday’s Rampage and previously advertised matches for AEW Collision. Excalibur also hyped Chris Jericho, Big Bill, and Bryan Keith vs. Mark Briscoe, Tomohiro Ishii, and Kyle O’Reilly in a Fight Without Honor, Jamie Hayter vs. Penelope Ford, Malakai Black vs. Adam Cole, and Darby Allin and Orange Cassidy vs. Pac and Claudio Castagnoli for next week’s Dynamite.
Swerve went up top, but Benjamin ran up and joined him. Swerve executed a powerbomb from the ropes. Swerve went back up top and hit the Swerve Stomp before scoring the clean pin…
Swerve Strickland defeated Shelton Benjamin in 14:35.
After the match, MVP pulled out his phone and made a call while Swerve celebrated his win. The lights went out for a second. Drum music played and then Bobby Lashley walked onto the stage and posed. MVP smiled and nodded at ringside while Swerve looked concerned. Lashley walked to ringside and hugged MVP.
Lashley and MVP entered the ring. Lashley went face to face with Swerve while the fans chanted “holy shit.” Benjamin climbed on the apron and distracted Swerve. Lashley put Swerve down with a clothesline and threw punches at him. Benjamin ran Swerve toward Lashley, who gave him a big spinebuster. MVP shoved Nana into a big boot from Benjamin.
Lashley put Swerve in the Hurt Lock, er, Full Nelson. Referees and security guards ran out. Lashley, MVP, and Benjamin roughed up the security guards. MVP got a microphone. “Guess who’s back in business,” MVP said while standing over Swerve to close the show…
Powell’s POV: AEW security guards take more punishment than crash test dummies. Anyway, the main event was solid and if there was going to be a clean finish, they made the right call. Benjamin spent years working as a WWE mid-card wrestler, so it would have been a bad look if he came in and beat a former AEW World Champion clean. Lashley’s arrival has been expected and yet it was still enjoyable and a strong way to end the night.
The Fright Night theme was merely cosmetic. No complaints. The last thing I wanted to see was a batch of shitty Halloween themed hardcore matches after NXT Halloween Havoc. Overall, this was a good show with a really good tag team title change, and obviously the big Lahsley debut at the end. I will have a lot more to say about the show during my weekly same night audio review of Dynamite for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Someone please start feeding Adam Cole some steroids. It’s embarrassing to see someone on TV with a body that would make late career Baron Von Raschke look like Hulk Hogan.
It’s becoming more of an issue. Lashley will help, but there’s little motivation to be fit and bulky in Aew. If guys get pushes without nice bodies, why bother?
We know noodle arms with love handles wouldnt fly in WWE.
If Cole could win a fight vs Buddy, then I could make Lesnar tap out in 5 seconds.
Adam Cole is built like a 12 year old girl and he’s beating a guy 3 times his size. Orange Cassidy challenging for a world championship is like Santino Marella challenging for the WWE title 10 years ago. This company is a joke no matter how “crowd pleasing and fun” some people say it is
And yet here you are…every…single…week.
Just praise this bullshit and keep taking cheap shots at NXT you hack. No bias though from you. Everything is just great in AEW except the booking, ratings and ticket sales
Yeah, today’s NXT Hit List with no misses was super biased against NXT. As usual, the most tribal fans on both sides are the first to accuse others of being biased.
Don’t worry I won’t be back anymore to your site. I’m tired of your ads blasting when I come here anyway
Cool. I’m sorry you can dish it out but can’t take it, but thanks for the time you spent frequenting the site.
I don’t understand it. I really don’t. Why would someone like “Brian” come here every week and just hate? Is that all he has in this world is to come to a wrestling site and dog on everything?
I am not high on AEW, currently, but I am not going to sit here and just trash it every chance I get.
Maybe it’s therapy for him. He gets to complain online, no one sees his face, and he feels a bit better.
Still, there comes a time where it gets old, and it got old with him fast (and the other commentator).
Oh no, the fake Brian is going to leave the site!!! I highly doubt that, but whatever. The main event was fun, and the tag match was good. This Moxley angle is not clicking for me. It’s missing some depth.
Either TK is in cahoots with Mox or it’s a massive plot hole that he doesn’t mind his company being taken over. There’s turning your brain off and there’s not being able to turn it on.
And I know TK will never get this, but ending with a Hurt Business beatdown waters down the earlier beatdowns from Mox’ crew.
Decent ep, a lot better than the past 2, well under last night’s Nxt.
Is Jericho hinting at ROH landing on FOX?
ROH on FOX?!
If so probably at 1am on Fridays.
FOX doesn’t run any late night programming. Their affiliates own that time.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see Moxley’s group make a defacto babyface turn since no one wants to boo them, and since there are a lot of people who wouldn’t mind seeing the runt class of AEW originals squashed.
A suggestion for TK. Rather than spend any more money on 150 pound indy darlings whose push starts with an on-camera mark sign, hire Chavo Guerrero Jr. to help with the book. In Lucha Underground, Chavo was able to take random pairings, do a three minute vignette and make you want to see the match coming up next. Since those kinds of random pairings are a staple of AEW TV it would improve the product immensely.