By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 276)
January 15, 2025 in Clarksville, Tennessee at F&M Bank Arena
Simulcast live on TBS and Max
xcalibur, Taz, and Tony Shiavone joined the show at the commentary desk. They introduced a video package that recapped the ongoing story for the Death Riders and Powerhouse Hobbs. That was followed by more story recap for Kenny Omega, Private Party vs. The Hurt Syndicate, Christian vs. Hook, and the Women’s Casino Gauntlet Battle Royal. Brian Cage then made his ring entrance for the first match of the night. He was followed by Kenny Omega.
1. Kenny Omega vs. Brian Cage: Omega landed some hard chops to start, and Cage challenged him for more. He then landed a series of rapid fire kicks and a running elbow in the corner. Cage stuffed an attempt at picking him up, but couldn’t capitalize. Omega attempted to pick him up again, and Cage easily tossed him over with a back body drop. Cage then taunted the crowd and dug his shoulder into Kenny’s abdomen in the corner. Omega slipped up on a flip out of the corner, but managed to follow up with a hurracarrana and send Cage to the outside.
Lance Archer provided a distraction on the apron, which opened up an opportunity for Cage to land a running lariat. The action then spilled outside where Cage tossed Omega into the barricade. He then followed up with a press slam that dropped him abdomen first onto the announce table. Cage then distracted the ref, which allowed Don Callis and Archer to take cheap shots on Omega…[c]
Omega and Cage brawled on the ramp that connected the stage to the ring. Cage eventually avoided a hurracarrana and tossed Omega back into the ring with a Powerbomb. Omega started a comeback, but Cage stuffed it with a pump handle driver for a near fall. Omega came back with a sunset flip powerbomb from the top and a big knee strike for a near fall. He attempted a snap dragon suplex, but Cage escaped. Omega managed to land a V-Trigger knee and set up for One Winged Angel.
Omega picked up Cage and delivered the One Winged Angel center ring for the win.
Kenny Omega defeated Brian Cage at 12:00
Archer and Fletcher entered the ring after the match and delivered a beat down to Omega. Will Ospreay ran down to make the save. With a combined effort, Omega and Ospreay cleared Archer and Fletcher from the ring. Konosuke Takeshita entered the picture and he and Fletcher were able to gain control. They laid out Ospreay and Takeshita with brainbusters as a ‘F&$! Don Callis’ chant broke out in the arena. Don Callis took some cheap shots on Omega as he was down on the mat. Omega and Ospreay both looked frustrated as the Callis Family left up to the stage.
The Hurt Syndicate will face Private Party and Mark Briscoe up next. A video package then aired for the Hurt Syndicate where MVP said he was taking off the suit and putting on his boots for the first time in 2 and a half years…[c]
My Take: A solid match but I think Omega could have put Cage away a bit quicker if they were doing all the post match stuff. Approximately 7 people thought Cage had a chance in this match and they are the folks who forgot to turn the channel after The Big Bang Theory ended.
We got a New York Minute from The Learning Tree discussing their 12-man tag match with the Death Riders against Rated FTR, The Outrunners, and Powerhouse Hobbs. They are intentionally bad so it was bad as you’d imagine. In the arena, Ricochet made his entrance while video was shown of his assault on Swerve Strickland from a few weeks ago. He was booed heavily anytime he brought the microphone to his mouth.
The fans chanted Swerve’s house and Ricochet paced around the ring. Eventually, Ricochet spoke up and said a picture was worth a thousand words, and he displayed a photo of himself holding a bloodied Swerve Strickland. At that point, Swerve’s music hit and Ricochet looked concerned. Nana appeared from behind Ricochet and hit him with a chair. Swerve made his way to the ring and swung a chain at Ricochet, causing Ricochet to flee the arena and exit out into the snow outside the building.
Swerve then returned to the ring, and the announce team introduced a video package that showcased Mercedes Mone. She appeared on a talk show and did some training while showing off her four championship belts. Back in the arena, the Hurt Syndicate made their entrance for the next match. They were followed by Mark Briscoe and Private Party.
2. Private Party (Zay and Quen) and Mark Briscoe vs. The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP): The Hurt Syndicate pounced once the bell rung. MVP and Mark Briscoe fought in the ring while Lashley and Benjamin controlled Private Party on the floor. Briscoe managed to gain control and land a dropkick from the second rope. MVP regained his composure and landed a big boot. He then tossed Briscoe out to the floor before tagging in Shelton Benjamin…[c]
My Take: I appreciate the effort to sell the match on Collision, but the New York Minute segments try to do the “so bad it’s good” thing, but then circle all the way around to being bad again. Swerve looked dangerous upon his return, and it was smart to hold off on him getting his hands on Ricochet.
MVP continued the assault on Mark Briscoe. He landed a Fisherman’s Suplex into a cover for a two count. Briscoe landed a flying elbow to MVP, who had to scramble for a tag. Briscoe tagged out to Zay, who landed rapid fire strikes as he got into the ring. Zay tagged Quen and then landed some double dropkicks that sent the Hurt Syndicate to the floor. Briscoe then dove to take out Benjamin on the floor. Lashley and MVP were sent to the floor, and Quen landed a Flatliner on Benjamin in the ring for a two count.
Lashley tossed Briscoe with an overhead suplex on the floor. He then spiked Quen with Spinebuster in the ring. Benjamin landed a release German Suplex on Zay, and then Lashley hit him with a spear. Benjamin followed up with a superkick on Quen and got the win.
The Hurt Syndicate defeated Private Party and Mark Briscoe at 9:33
The Hurt Syndicate celebrated their win after the match. Moxley vs. Hobbs was advertised for later. Cope vs. Pac was advertised for next week’s episode of Dynamite. Video was shown of Pac and Cope’s animosity over the last week. This was followed by a hype video for Rated FTR that focused on their friendship…[c]
My Take: A well worked match, but it continues the Hurt Syndicate’s presentation of being much cooler and more badass than their opponents who are supposed to be fan favorites.
Swerve vs. Ricochet will take place in Atlanta in 3 weeks on Dynamite. In the arena, “BREE WOOOOO” blared from the speakers and Jeff Jarrett made his ring entrance in street clothes. He attempted to speak about how things had been humbling for him, but MJF quickly interrupted him and made his way out to the ring.
MJF told Jarrett that he hadn’t learned the definition of humbling, and complained about his audacity for turning him down last week. Jarrett called him too lazy to enter the Casino Gauntlet match, but Max shouted him down. He spoke about who Jarrett really was, and said he was the last person you see before your favorite Pro Wrestling company dies. MJF called him the grim reaper, and his career is enough to make him want to drink.
He mocked Jarrett’s former alcoholism, and told Jarrett he should him back to rehab where he belongs, but to make sure Karen sticks around. He said he would ship her off to Tennessee when he’s done, so he could taste what a generational talent and an Olympic Medalist’s balls taste like.
Jarrett laughed and said he’s heard all that before. He asked to get down to business and recalled the AEW fanbase awakening his passion when he entered the Owen Hart Cup over the summer. He said he didn’t know he still had the passion, and he wanted to keep it going, because that’s the only way he has any chance at being a World Champion. He went back to MJF’s shtick, and said he did it before him and better than him. Jarrett said he wasn’t sure if he was a dumbass or just a fool.
He then tore into MJF’s upbringing. He called his Mom a call girl and his Dad an ambulance chasing lawyer. Jarrett said that when his Dad knocked up his Mom, she still made him pay for it. He then addressed his girlfriend, and called her a Canadian call girl. Jarrett said while he was having his sixty minutes with Will Ospreay, his girl was doing 60 minutes with about 10 other wrestlers. He said MJF is too lazy to put in the work and is terrified of being a one hit wonder.
MJF snapped and told Jarrett that he’s nothing like him. He didn’t need his Daddy to start a couple of companies to make him a top guy. MJF continued and took credit for the success of All In, and said the people who put him on a pedestal screwed him and tried to take everything from him. He told Jarrett that he didn’t want the world title, he needed it because he wanted to shove it down all of their throats. MJF then mocked Jeff Jarrett’s friendship with Owen Hart, and claimed he had cynically ridden the coattails of his dead friend to try and get more opportunities in AEW.
The mention of Owen caused Jarrett to start throwing punches. Officials eventually intervened along with Karen Jarrett. MJF held Karen hostage so he could back up to the ropes and slip away to the back. A video package then aired that focused on Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii for their upcoming match for the Continental Championship.
Back in the arena, Christian Cage made his ring entrance. He was jumped by Hook on the way to the ring, and the referee rang the bell during the attack.
3. Christian vs. Hook: The action started outside the ring as Hook continued the attack. Christian tried to bail out of the ring through the crowd. Hook gave chase and dragged him back to the ring. Christian begged off and attempted to give Hook a hug. Hook grabbed a hold of Christian and delivered a big suplex. He then sent Christian out to the floor, where he hugged Mama Wayne for support…[c]
My Take: Jarrett and MJF delivered their stuff well, but it was odd to hear Jarrett call MJF a one trick pony, and then say he was a better one trick pony a moment later. These segments always get a rise from the crowd but it does seem like the shock jock stuff is running out of gas for me personally. Most of all it was way too long.
Hook attempted to break Christian’s arm using the ring steps, but he escaped and Hook crashed spine fist into the barricade. Christian then delivered back to back frog splashes in the ring, only getting a near fall. He then went for a spear, and got stuffed with a knee strike. Christian then landed on the second spear attempt, and covered for a one count only.
Christian hit the ropes, but Hook caught him with a lariat. Hook then delivered a Northern Lights Suplex into a pin for a near fall. He then landed a Fisherman’s Buster into a bridge for another near fall. Hook delivered some cross face punches, but Christian avoided Redrum and shoved Hook into the ring post. Christian delivered an inverted DDT to Katsuyori Shibata, who was on the floor. Hook recovered and eventually applied Redrum, but Christian called in Kip Sabian and Nick Wayne to break it up and cause a DQ.
Hook defeated Christian by DQ at 11:35
After the match, Wayne and Sabian set up chair to Pillmanize Hook’s arm, but Samoa Joe made his return to put a stop to it. Shibata entered the ring and delivered a PK to Sabian, and the Patriarchy were forced to flee. The Women’s Casino Gauntlet match is up next. A video then aired for the fallout from the Men’s Casino Gauntlet. The Undisputed Kingdom is apparently going after the TNT Title, and Jay White is coming after Wheeler Yuta…[c]
My Take: Hook and Christian was fine, but the crowd was 100x more pumped for Samoa Joe than Hook getting his revenge on Christian. They really botched that story and nobody seems invested in it.
Jeff Jarrett was interviewed by Renee Paquette backstage. Before he could reply to her questions, Dustin Rhodes popped into frame and said that MJF doesn’t have a clue of what they’ve been through in the business over the decades. He said he needed to remember that he was a 12 time World Champion, and that means something. Dustin reminded him that Outlaws never die, and paradoxically, that they were the last of their kind.
Mariah May made her entrance to join in on commentary for the Casino Gauntlet match. Kris Statlander was out first for the competitors, followed by Jamie Hayter.
4. Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match: Neither woman got much of an advantage in the early going. Statlander landed a Michinoku Driver just as the timer ran out on the next competitor.
Megan Bayne made her entrance as the third competitor
Bayne methodically entered the ring and quickly landed a flying clothesline in Kris Statlander. Bayne then delivered a Michinoku Driver of her own to Statlander, and a DDT to Hayter just as the time ran out.
Julia Hart made her entrance as the fourth competitor
Hayter ran out to meet Hart on the stage and delivered a suplex on ramp to the ring…[c]
My Take: Megan Bayne is a great addition for AEW, but a lack of talent in the women’s division has never been the problem. Hopefully Tony Khan doesn’t use her on TV for a couple of weeks and then make her disappear like Batman with a smoke bomb.
As the show returned the countdown ran out and Willow Nightingale’s music hit.
Willow Nightingale made her entrance as the fifth competitor
Willow traded shots with Bayne. She and Statlander then delivered a double suplex to Bayne and flashed a smile at each other. Willow traded shots with Statlander and then delivered a pounce. The countdown ran down and Toni Storm’s music hit.
Toni Storm made her entrance as the sixth competitor
Toni landed some snap mares and shoulder tackles on everybody in the ring. The action broke down a bit and Julia Hart delivered a DDT to Jamie Hayter in the ring. WIllow then dove off the apron and landed on Megan Bayne on the floor. Statlander then dove on both of them, and Toni Storm flew in to hit them with a flying hip attack. The countdown ended and Harley Cameron’s music hit.
Harley Cameron made her entrance as the seventh competitor
Harley landed a bit of offense, but was taken down by Julia Hart. Jamie Hayter appeared to land a Haytebreaker on Hart, and then another one on Harley. Hart used her mist and aimed for Hayter, but ended up hitting Cameron. Toni Storm then shoved Hart and Hayter to the floor and covered Cameron for the win.
Toni Storm won the Casino Gauntlet Match at 12:46
Tony celebrated as the show cut to commercial quickly…[c]
My Take: Last week’s Casino Gauntlet felt a bit too long, and this one felt a bit too short. Storm winning heading home to Australia seemed obvious. Hopefully they have some quality story progression in mind for her between now and then with Mariah May. Megan Bayne faded into the background pretty quickly after a big deal was made of her debut early on.
Powerhouse Hobbs made his entrance for the main event. He was followed by Jon Moxley, who walked in from outside in the cold with Marina Shafir. Claudio and Pac surrounded the ring before the bell to put Hobbs on the back foot.
5. Jon Moxley vs. Powerhouse Hobbs for the AEW World Championship: Moxley took advantage of the distraction to jump Hobbs early on. Hobbs used his power to return fire and take control with an overhead suplex and some heavy clubs to the chest. Hobbs then landed a big body block to force Moxley to retreat to the floor. Hobbs landed some shots on the floor and tossed Moxley back into the ring. Moxley quickly got to his feet and went on the attack, and the action quickly spilled back outside to the floor.
Hobbs got back on the advantage out on the floor, so Moxley fled back to the ring. He gouged Hobbs eyes as he got back in the ring and then delivered some heavy shots in the corner. Hobbs used his strength to overwhelm Mox and placed him on the turnbuckle. Hobbs climbed into the corner and bit Moxley on the ear, and then came up with blood on his lip. Moxley was then dumped to the floor again…[c]
Moxley was bleeding heavily from the ear as Hobbs delivered a running lariat. Moxley traded punches with Hobbs and sent him out to the floor, where Marina Shafir landed some cheap shots. Moxley attempted to set up for his death rider DDT, but Hobbs avoided it. He then landed a series of Lariats on Moxley. Hobbs delivered a version of Mark Henry’s World’s Strongest Slam and covered for a near fall. He then delivered a powerslam from the second rope, but Moxley rolled through and applied a cross armbreaker.
Hobbs managed to pivot his hips and reach the ropes. Moxley then tied up the referee while Wheeler Yuta ran down to deliver a Busaiku Knee before running away. Hobbs managed to power up and deliver a spinebuster. Marina Shafir managed to land a shot with the briefcase, but Hobbs kicked out. Moxley then delivered a Paradigm Shift DDT, but Hobbs kicked out again. He then finally applied a bulldog choke, and Hobbs passed out in the hold.
Jon Moxley defeated Powerhouse Hobbs to retain the AEW World Championship at 13:30
After the match, the Death Riders swarmed Hobbs, who targeted his bad knee. They set up to Pillmanize his bad knee, and managed to stomp the chair onto his knee. Eventually, Rated FTR made their entrance to clear the Death Riders from the ring…[c]
My Take: A good effort from Hobbs and Moxley generally speaking, but the ref blindness and interference bag of tricks in every Moxley match is growing a bit tiresome if for no other reason than it feels like deja vu. The kicks outs at the end of the match establish Hobbs toughness, but they did nothing to convince you that Hobbs anticipated the obvious Moxley tactics and had a plan to overcome them. I’m just not a fan of wrestling stories that require babyfaces to suffer sudden onset room temperature IQ. Overall, there was some quality action on this show, but the booking remains an obstacle to AEW’s growth. There is a palpable feeling that the company is not confident in what it’s identity is and is just throwing a lot of things at the wall to see what sticks.
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