AEW Dynamite results (1/1): Barnett’s live review of Rated FTR vs. Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta, Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart, Hangman Page vs. Orange Cassidy

By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)

AEW Dynamite “Fight For The Fallen” (Episode 274)
Asheville, North Carolina at Harrah’s Cherokee Center
Simulcast live January 1, 2025 on TBS and Max

A video opened the show that featured “I’m so Excited” by The Pointer Sisters as the new Dynamite theme song. Kazuchika Okada was shown walking in the back with his Continental Championship. Rated FTR vs The Death Riders, Jamie Hayter vs. Julia Hart, and The Acclaimed vs. Hurt Syndicate were advertised for later. Orange Cassidy vs. Hangman Page will be the first match on the show.

A Jon Moxley promo aired where he spoke about his enemies talking about what they want to do, but that’s not what happens when the bullets start flying. He praised Marina Shafir for taking a bullet for him, and asked what bullets others will take for their goals. Moxley said he grabbed the company by the strap and carried it through the pandemic, and he’s taken bullet after bullet ever since. He rejected the idea that he’s a rebel, because rebels have an authority they are fighting against and no one has authority over him. He called himself a King, and he would show that to Rated FTR later.

Backstage, Rated FTR said they were fighting for Western North Carolina tonight. Adam Copeland said he saw fear in Jon Moxley’s eyes at World’s End, and he would demonstrate what he had to feat later tonight. Orange Cassidy made his entrance in the arena, followed by Adam Page.

1. Orange Cassidy vs. Adam Page: Cassidy went for an Orange Punch early, but missed. Both guys traded counters for signature moves and Cassidy eventually bailed to the floor. Cassidy attempted a rollup for a two count. Hangman then took over on offense and landed some heavy strikes. He made a cover for a two count, and then resumed the heavy punches. Cassidy escaped to the apron, but Hangman followed up with a springboard clothesline. He then tossed Cassidy into the barricade on the floor and gloated to the live crowd.

Page setup for a Powerbomb, but Cassidy reversed with a back body drop on the floor. He then landed 10 punches as Page sat on a chair near the barricade. Back in the ring, Cassidy dove at Page, but got caught for a fallaway slam and a near fall. Things spilled back out to the floor and Hangman caught Cassidy leaping again and threw him with another fallaway slam…[c]

My Take: The Pointer Sisters playing as Dynamite started was amusing. It definitely fits the vibe Tony Khan appears to be going for. The Moxley promos continue to be difficult to take seriously because he’s not very consistent with his logic and motivation for what he’s doing.

Cassidy was left laying on the mat from a big discus punch from Page. Hangman then setup for a Buckshot Lariat, but Cassidy sat down and rolled back to the floor. He followed Cassidy to the floor, but ended up eating a suicide dive for his trouble. Page got back into position for a Buckshot Lariat again, but Cassidy dropped to the mat and rolled away. This irritated Page, who grabbed Cassidy by the throat. Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and slipped away before sending Page into the turnbuckles a couple of times.

He then dove at Page from the top rope, and landed a Tornado DDT. He followed up with a second DDT and made a cover for a near fall. Cassidy landed some light kicks to insult Page, who got fired up and landed a huge lariat. He then went for a Buckshot Lariat, but Cassidy countered into a Beach Break for a close near fall. After a series of reversals, Cassidy landed a couple of Orange Punches. Hangman went out to the apron, and Cassidy attempted a third Orange Punch, but got stuffed.

Page then landed a Buckshot Lariat and got the clean win.

Hangman Page defeated Orange Cassidy at 15:16

After the match, Page continued to assault Orange Cassidy. He landed back to back Deadeye Piledrivers. AEW Official Christopher Daniels tried to intervene, but got punched in the face. Hangman left and told Daniels to say out of his business. Backstage, Jay White said 2025 didn’t start out as he planned, and placed the blame on Wheeler Yuta for interrupting his pinfall at World’s End. He said words can’t do it justice, but he would show Yuta and Moxley how he feels about it soon. He then addressed his match with Swerve Strickland and Roderick Strong, and said he wouldn’t allow them to be obstacles on his way back to the Casino Gauntlet match and the AEW World Championship.

The Acclaimed made their entrance for the next match. A picture in picture promo aired where Bowens and Caster argued back and forth about being focused. Bowens asked Caster if he intentionally cost him his match against Chris Jericho, and he denied it. Caster then said he was focused and he wasn’t going for laughs tonight, and they would drop the mic on the Hurt Syndicate. Back in the arena, the Hurt Syndicate made their entrance.

2. Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley (The Hurt Syndicate) vs. Max Caster and Anthony Bowens (The Acclaimed): Lashley and Caster started the match, and Lashley dominated the early going. MVP joined in on commentary and made it clear they had no interest in Ricochet joining the Hurt Syndicate. Lashley dumped Caster to the floor and tagged in Benjamin. Bowens did nothing to intervene as Benjamin stomped out Caster on the floor. Bowens tagged in after Caster escaped from Benjamin and landed a rolling elbow on Lashley as he stood on the apron.

He then landed some strikes and kicks on Benjamin, but Caster tagged himself into the match as Bowens hit the ropes. They argued for a bit, and Benjamin tossed around Caster with German Suplexes. Bowens jumped down off the apron and just stared at Caster taking a beating. Lashley landed a big running knee and made a tag to Lashley, who landed a big spear. He then followed up with a Chokeslam, followed by the Hurt Lock for the tap out victory.

The Hurt Syndicate defeated The Acclaimed at 4:01

After the match, Bowens called Caster a selfish asshole while Lashley celebrated. Swerve Strickland was interviewed backstage, and he apologized to his fans for not being focused lately, and said tonight he would get back on the path to becoming World Champion. Swerve then said he had never been in a Casino Gauntlet before, and was reminded that’s because he was the World Champion…[c]

My Take: The opening match was good, but I’m left wondering where Cassidy and Page go from there. If Copeland is Moxley’s main feud for now, it seems like they might be on the outside looking in. The Hurt Syndicate dominated per usual. They are struggling to get booed because all they do is look cool and whoop ass.

Jamie Hayter made her ring entrance. Video played of Julia Hart stalking and attacking her over the last several weeks. Julia Hart then made her ring entrance.

3. Julia Hart vs. Jamie Hayter: Hart ducked a collar and elbow tie up to start. Hart then applied an arm twist and pulled Hayter to the mat, but she kipped up and tripped Hart in return. Hayter continued on offense with a slam, followed by two running lariats in the corner. She attempted a third, but Hart popped out with a back elbow. The action spilled to the floor, and Hater attempted a suplex onto the ring steps. Hart reversed and slammed the back of Hayter’s head on the steps herself…[c]

Hayter managed to land a Haytebreaker and covered for a two count. She continued to stomp on Hart in the corner, and then turned her back and taunted. Hayter charged the corner and ate a boot to the face. Hart then managed to land a back heel trip and covered for a two count. Hart then applied the Hartless submission, but Hater powered out and landed a sliding Lariat for a close near fall. Both women ended up in the corner, and Hayter got tripped off the ropes and landed awkwardly on her ribs.

Hart retrieved an arrow from the floor, which the referee quickly cleared from the ring. Hayter went for a ripcord lariat, but Hart pit mist in her eyes and covered for thew in.

Julia Hart defeated Jamie Hayter at 10:06

Hart celebrated her win as Hayter rolled around in pain on the floor. We then saw a video package that recapped the friendship and subsequent feud between Kyle Fletcher and Will Ospreay…[c]

My Take: I had to assume the returning wrestler would pick up the win, and I’m sure they’ll run it back soon. The action was good for the most part, and they gave Hayter some cover with the mist finish.

A video aired that recapped Kazuchika Okada’s Continental Classic title win, and Kenny Omega’s return for the title presentation. It said Kenny Omega would return to Dynamite next week. We then saw a pre-recorded Okada promo. He gloated about defeating Ospreay and being the best tournament wrestler in the world. He questioned how many times he had to beat Omega, and told him to stay out of his business…bitch.

In the arena, Mercedes Mone made her entrance in a shimmering dress. She made a claim about being the greatest TBS Champion of all time, and introduced a video package that showed her 2024 highlights. She then said her first stop in 2025 was the Tokyo Dome and her match with Mina Shirakawa. She mentioned her NJPW Strong Women’s Championship would be on the line, and Mina had Gold she wanted in the Rev Pro Women’s Championship.

A video then aired that promoted various charities that are focused on disaster relief efforts for Hurricane Helene in Asheville and elsewhere. Dax Harwood was shown handing over some big checks to charitable organizations. Roderick Strong was backstage for an interview with Alex Marvez. Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole were with him, and they celebrated the Undisputed Era being fully back together. Strong said it would be every man for himself in the Casino Gauntlet match.

In the arena, Roderick Strong made his entrance. He was followed by Jay White, and then Swerve Strickland.

My Take: Mercedes Mone feels like she’s just going through the motions out there right now. I know it’s tough to make people excited about a match they likely won’t be able to watch without a considerable effort, but her words just have any weight to them right now.

4. Swerve Strickland vs. Jay White vs. Roderick Strong for the #1 Entrant in the Casino Gauntlet Match: Swerve got off to a hot start, sending White to the floor and slamming Strong to the mat with a hip toss. He then splashed White on the floor and gloated to the crowd. White managed to land a double DDT back in the ring, and then sent Swerve and Strong to the floor. He followed and slammed Swerve onto the apron with a suplex, and then did the same with Strong. In the ring, Strong managed to catch White as he came off the ropes and tossed him into Strickland at ringside…[c]

All three men tumbled off the turnbuckle in the corner. Swerve was up first and landed a series of lariats on both White and Strong. He then delivered a backbreaker to Strong, and then tossed him into White with a powerbomb. Strickland then landed a powerslam on white and covered, but Strong broke it up. Strong countered a flatliner attempt from Strickland with a backbreaker. He then landed a Tiger Driver on White for a near fall. Swerve got back into the match with a Swerve Stomp on Strong, and then lined up for a house call.

Strong avoided the kick and White jumped in and grabbed Swerve for a Bladerunner, but he wasn’t able to execute. The match spilled back outside, where Swerve ran the barricade and kicked white in the face. Ricochet popped up on the floor and decked Swerve while holding a pair of scissors in his hand. White then landed a Bladerunner on Strong in the ring and got the win.

Jay White defeated Roderick Strong and Swerve Strickland at 10:43

After the match, Swerve was shown to be busted open on the floor. Ricochet jumped over the barricade with the scissors in his hand. Nana tried to intervene, but Ricochet walked him off. Ricochet then walked over to Swerve and jabbed the scissors into his head, and then punched him several times. Ricochet’s white shirt ended up splashed with Swerve’s blood. Nana tried to stop him, but Ricochet shoved him into the steps and then hit him over the back with a chair.

He then landed some headbutts to Swerve in the ring and placed him on the chair. Ricochet then backed up into the corner and delivered a Spirit Gun to a helpless swerve. The Undisputed Kingdom ran down and intervened to prevent further damage and ran off Ricochet, who laughed maniacally. AEW Doctor’s began to tend to Ricochet…[c]

My Take: You had to know Ricochet wasn’t going to let himself get embarrassed on Saturday and just eat it. The post match attack was more memorable than the match itself. It wasn’t a bad outing, but I found myself just waiting for the interference before I took any of the near falls seriously.

Backstage, Jeff Jarrett and his crew were interviewed by Alex Marvex. Jeff said it was a big night for him, and asked where Karen was at. Lethal and Dutt said they would support him no matter what. Karen Jarrett then walked up and said they met because of the wrestling business, but it also nearly broke him at times. She told him that they were unbreakable and whatever he wanted is what she wanted.

Mariah May then put on a fake smile and said she was happy with the Women’s Division. She said she had the most matches out of anyone last year, and nobody else was even in the top ten. May said they were off faking injuries and forgetting who they are, and said they would have to work for it if they wanted a chance to be on her level again.

In the arena, Jeff Jarrett made his ring entrance for his announcement. He left a pair of boots in the center of the ring and had a red guitar stood up on a stand. Jarrett said a lot of emotions have washed over him in the past few days, and the first one is gratitude. A Double J chant broke out, and Jarrett said it was sad for him to think of things coming to an end, but that reminded him of how it all began. He recalled his Grandmother taking a second job selling wrestling tickets, and it changed his Father’s life and his life forever.

He said the risks she took paved the way for her to become the CFO of the Tennessee wrestling territory, and then his father bought it and promoted it in Tennessee for 40 years. Jarrett recalled dropping out of school to start his Wrestling Career, and later bet of himself in 2002 to start his own promotion that went on to produce some of the greatest Professional Wrestlers of all time. He picked up his boots and asked if the Last Outlaw should just ride off into the sunset, and the answer is hell no.

Jarrett then announced that the biggest risks in his life have resulted in the biggest rewards, and that’s why he just signed his final talent contract with AEW. He continued and said he wanted to take the big risks and go after AEW Gold. Jarrett addressed the Gauntlet match next week and said he wanted to be in it, because his goal is to become AEW World Champion. He acknowledged he could fall flat on his face, but he was willing to risk it all for one last ride.

Video footage was then shown of Hook defeating Nick Wayne last week on Rampage. Hook said he hopes Christian is having a bad start to the year, and that he wasn’t finished with him. He told Christian to go ask Nick Wayne what it was like to get locked in the Redrum, because he would finish the job in two weeks. Back in the arena, Powerhouse Hobbs made hiring entrance. Jon Cruz and Rob Killroy were already in the ring.

5. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Jon Cruz & Rob Killroy: As you would imagine, this was a power exhibition from Hobbs. He delivered a spinebuster to Killroy, and then drove Cruz into Killroy with a second one and covered for the win.

Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Rob Killroy and Jon Cruz at 0:58

After the match, Big Bill and Bryan Keith said Asheville wasn’t good enough for Jericho to show up. Rated FTR was shown in the background, and they walked over to talk trash with them. Adam Copeland said Keith was lame and told Big Bill his face was stupid. He then challenged the Learning Tree to a match with Rated FTR in Charlotte at Collision on Saturday. He then waved and mocked Jericho by saying “Bye Guys”.

My Take: Jarrett’s announcement was fun but predictable, because much like TNA I just assume he will survive the heat death of the Universe somehow. Hobbs getting a squash was fun, and I hope it results in a continued push for him.

There was a “in memoriam” graphic for Sweet Daddy Siki, who passed on earlier this week.

MJF was shown backstage after World’s End and said the “Better than you BayBay” chapter of his career is over, and it was time for a new chapter. He said his “Triple B” was taken from him unfairly, and now somebody claiming to be a King is walking around with it in a briefcase. He asked what use a god has for a King, and said he would get his due in 2025. He said he had no problem with Moxley, and he didn’t care if he burned the company to the ground, but he wanted his title back and he would get it no matter who was holding it.

In the arena, Death Riders made their entrance for the Main Event. They were followed by Rated FTR.

6. Adam “Cope” Copeland & Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler (Rated FTR) vs. Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta (Death Riders): Harwood and Yuta began the match, and Harwood got an early advantage. Yuta escaped to tag in Claudio, and Cope tagged in and quickly tossed him out of the ring with a hip toss. He then landed a baseball slide through the ropes. Cope tossed Claudio back in the ring, but was shoved into the ring post by Marina Shafir…[c]

Moxley delivered heavy punches to Cope in the corner. Claudio then tagged in and covered for a two count, before applying a rear chinlock. The fans came to life when Cope tagged out to Cash Wheeler. He landed a double clothesline on Moxley and Yuta, and then punched Claudio off the apron. He then tagged to Harwood, who set up for a piledriver, but Claudio ran back into the ring and broke it up. Harwood delivered a brainbuster to Claudio, but got rolled up by Yuta for a two count.

Yuta managed to deliver a back suplex to Harwood to slow him down. He then climbed the top rope, but Harwood met him on top and delivered a back suplex from the top, but Claudio broke up the fall attempt. Moxley managed to guillotine Harwood onto the top rope. Claudio then delivered a suplex, and then Yuta landed a top rope splash for a close near fall. Moxley got upset and threw a chair at ringside after the kick out…[c]

Harwood delivered a back suplex to Yuta. Claudio tagged in and rushed into the corner to kick Cash Wheeler off the apron. Moxley and Cope both managed to tag in a few seconds later. Cope landed an impaler DDT and then lined up for a spear, but Moxley bailed out to the floor. The action spilled into the crowd and then back into the ringside area with some brawling. Yuta tagged in as Moxley got back to the ring before Cope. Yuta delivered a DDT to Cope, but he replied with a Liger Bomb for a close near fall.

Cope lined up for a spear again, but Moxley and Claudio pulled his balls back into the ringpost. Claudio then blasted Cash Wheeler with a big uppercut as he dove through the ropes. The action spilled out to the announcer desk as Moxley threatened to deliver a powerbomb to Cope through the table. Jay White showed up out of nowhere and delivered a bladerunner to Yuta. Cope then reversed out of the powerbomb with a back body drop.

Moxley stood up and ate a spear through the ring barricade. FTR delivered a Shatter Machine to Yuta, and Cope followed up with a spear for the win.

Rated FTR defeated Death Riders at 18:26

After the match, Rated FTR celebrated in front of their hometown crowd as the show went off the air.

My Take: Yuta had “I’m eating a pin” written on his face as soon as this match was announced, and everything went according to expectations. The match was fun, but I can’t get over Adam Copeland shortening his name to just “Cope”. Maybe it’ll grow on me, but my first reaction was not positive. Overall, this was a solid follow up to World’s End for AEW, even if it did feel light on story at times Swerve and Ricochet’s segment was the standout of the show. I guess follow up to that and Kenny Omega’s return are the biggest selling points to tune in next week, but nothing else really jumped off the screen at me.

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