By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 300)
July 2, 2025, in Ontario, California, at Toyota Arena
Simulcast live on TBS and Max
Excalibur opened the show with Taz and Ian Riccaboni on commentary. Hangman made his way to the ring for a show opening promo. He said he wasn’t there to waste everyone’s time, because he’s already said how much AEW and the AEW Men’s World Championship mean to him. Hangman said he would keep his vow to free the AEW Championship from the briefcase and hold it over his head. He then said Moxley would have to kill him before he would let this chance pass him by.
Hangman continued and said he would not let the Elite or Death Riders cost him, and you’d have to be a dumbass to think otherwise. He said he welcomed them, and Moxley would have to give him everything or give him death, and demanded that Moxley make it a Texas Death Match. Jon Moxley’s music hit and he headed out with Marina Shafir.
Moxley asked if Hangman really wanted to put all his chips on the table, including his health, career, and his life. He then said no, and told Hangman he didn’t want that. Moxley said he’s going to lose on July 12th at All In, and that’s because he doesn’t want to win. He claimed Hangman feels safe where he is, because he doesn’t actually want to wake up on Sunday Morning as AEW World Champion. Moxley said Hangman won the Owen Hart Tournament because it wasn’t the very top of the mountain, because Hangman can’t exist at the highest levels of pressure.
He continued and told Moxley that lots of people call themselves the best in the world, but that’s basic bitch shit. He said he’s much more than that and he would prove it on July 12th. Moxley implied that Hangman couldn’t survive the match, and Hangman slapped him across the face. Moxley tried to tackle Hangman, but it got reversed and Hangman pummeled him from a mounted position. He then pulled out a fork and tried to stab Moxley with it, but the Death Riders and Marina Shafir began to interfere.
Shafir landed a few slaps and Hangman refused to engage with her. He then got bum rushed by Claudio and Wheeler and dropped with a Neutralizer. Claudio and Wheeler left the area, and Hangman got to his feet and talked trash that he was still standing and the Death Riders were Moxley’s neutered little bitches. They returned to ringside, but Samoa Joe and The Opps ran interference. Marina Shafir tried to enter the ring again with the briefcase to hit Hangman, but he intercepted her.
Hangman held up the briefcase and demanded Texas Death in exchange for returning the briefcase. Moxley fired up and accepted, and Hangman returned the briefcase to Shafir. He got on the microphone again and told Moxley and told him Moxley knew he would do whatever it took…but in case he needed a reminder….and gave Marina Shafir a Buckshot Lariat.
We then got a promo for the new Superman film featuring Toni Storm and Rachel Brosnahan, the actor playing Lois Lane. Back in the arena, Toni Storm made her entrance and sat near the commentary table in front of a table full of food. Mina Shirakawa then made her entrance for the opening match, followed by Mercedes Mone.
My Take: Man on Woman violence? Finally some historically accurate Cowboy Shit.
1. Mercedes Mone vs. Mina Shirakawa for the TBS Championship: Toni Storm looked apprehensive as Mercedes started the match on offense. Mina took down Mercedes with a trip and then mocked her a bit. She then landed a Thesz Press and followed up with right hands. Mina tossed around Mercedes by the hair and danced a bit for the crowd. Mercedes replied with a Meteora and rained down some right hands of her own. She then sent Mina to the floor and mocked Toni Storm by writhing on the mat…[c]
After some back and forth battling, Mercedes applied the Statement Maker near the ropes. Mercedes kicked off the bottom rope to roll to the center of the ring, but Mina escaped and applied a Figure Four. Both women then rolled out to the floor as Toni Storm was locked in with a concerned look on her face. Mina performed a Tornado DDT out on the floor. A moment later, Mercedes performed a Meteora from the apron, but came up selling her previously worked over knee.
Both women managed to break the ten count, and traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Mercedes landed another Meteora and an awkward sunset bomb into the corner. She then covered for a near fall. Mercedes fired back and applied another Figure Four, but Mercedes reached the ropes. She followed up with a slingblade from the top rope and covered for a near fall of her own. Both women traded finisher attempts, but nobody succeeded. Mina landed a big round kick and then a back fist.
Mina then landed the Glamorous Driver, but Mercedes managed to kick out at 2.99. She then attempted a second, but Mercedes countered with a lung blower. Mina landed a running knee strike, but Mercedes kicked out at one. She followed up with a second lung blower and both women were down. Mina escaped another Monkeymaker attempt, but got trapped in a roll up a few seconds later and Mercedes got the win.
Mercedes Mone defeated Mina Shirakawa at 14:43
After the match, Mercedes attacked Mina after the bell. Toni ran in for the save, but got ambushed from behind with a belt shot when she turned her back to Mercedes. Mercedes then threw a drink in Luther’s face before leaving.
Backstage, The Young Bucks spoke about being a stone’s throw from their hometown. Matt said he went on a spending spree with the company card, and revealed a limousine full of boxes of sneakers. They said they would take a limo ride to their childhood haunts. They showed an elementary school first, and more is to come…[c]
My Take: A very good match from Mina and Mercedes, but I’m still waiting to get captured by the feud between Mone and Storm. Ambushing each other and sitting ringside for matches works in the early stages, but this is the home stretch and this doesn’t feel like it’s scratched the surface of what it could have been.
The Young Bucks went to their childhood home and mocked the area for being poor. In the arena, MJF made his ring entrance for the Casino Gauntlet qualifying match. He was followed by AR Fox, Anthony Bowens, and Brody King.
2. MJF vs. AR Fox vs. Anthony Bowens vs. Brody King in a Casino Gauntlet Qualifier: MJF bailed to the outside at the start, and Brody King used his size and power advantage to maul Fox and Bowens in the early going. He splashed Fox and Bowens into the barricades on the floor as MJF sat in on commentary during the match. Bowens returned fire in the ring as MJF said he would let them kill each other and pick up the scraps. AR Fox got hung up on a springboard, but recovered and delivered a senton to King on the floor.
King got back into things and dove on Fox and Bowens with a suicide dive. MJF appeared from out of frame and hit King in the back with a chair, and then tossed Bowens and Fox into the ring to attempt covers…[c]
MJF gloated to the camera, but turned around into a big chop from Brody King. Bowens and Fox delivered kicks to King, but got leveled by a double lariat. Fox delivered a twisting brainbuster on MJF for a near fall. King recovered and leveled Fox with a lariat and performed a standing side slam on Bowens. He then attempted a cannonball into King in the corner, but Max moved out of the way. MJF arm whipped Fox into Bowens in the corner, and went to ringside to get a chair.
King punched the chair into MJF’s face and then performed a cannonball on all three opponents in the corner. He covered MJF and got a near fall. Everybody traded cutters for some reason, and King covered Fox at the end for a near fall. Fox managed to recover and pull off a 450 on Brody, and covered for a close near fall. MJF pulled off a Hammerlock DDT on Bowens. He then attempted a heatseeker on King, but it didn’t work and King hung him off the apron with a choke.
Bowens delivered a dropkick to the knee of King on the apron. In the ring, King pulled off a reversal into a Gonzo Bomb on Bowens. Fox broke up the pinfall with a dive. MJF then rushed in to apply the Salt of the Earth and got the tap out victory on Fox.
MJF qualified for the Casino Gauntlet at 13:22
Mark Briscoe then made his entrance. He wore a shirt that said MJF has a tiny kosher pickle. Briscoe said he qualified for #2 in the gauntlet, but that only guaranteed him an uninterrupted ass whooping for a few solid minutes. Briscoe made it clear he wasn’t addressing anyone but MJF, and said his beatdown is coming courtesy of calling him a bitch last week. He then challenged MJF to have a “talky talk” next week if he has a set of balls next to his tiny kosher pickle.
Jet Speed then made their entrance and attacked Lashley and Benjamin. It worked for a moment, but Lashley and Benjamin quickly turned the tables and kicked the shit out of them. MJF and MVP sat in chairs at ringside and observed the beat down. Knight and Bailey got back to their feet and said they were still standing, and MVP sent Lashley and Benjamin back in the ring to deliver powerbombs to both men. MJF demanded they stay down, as Benjamin and Lashley kicked their ass one more time.
Knight and Bailey got to their knees and said they might know how to hurt people, but they’d have to kill them if they want to keep the titles. Knight challenged Benjamin to a match on Collision…[c]
My Take: Homer Simpson vs. Drederick Tatum went about the same the second time around. The Gauntlet qualifier was a quality match, and Briscoe continues to be fun on the microphone.
The Young Bucks arrived at the arena in their gaudy limo and made their ring entrance. They were followed by Konosuke Takeshita. Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong were out next, and their third will be Bandido.
3. Bandido, Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly vs. Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, and Konosuke Takeshita: The Young Bucks were both in the arena in the early going and took control. Bandido and Matt Jackson ended up in the ring one and one, and that allowed Bandido to mount a comeback. Strong and O’Reilly regained control of things, and Bandido splashed both Young Bucks on the floor. A wild Takeshita appeared and he delivered a follow up splash that took out the babyface team…[c]
Rapid fire action as the show returned. KOR applied a front guillotine, but Matt escaped and delivered a Northern Light’s Suplex. Bandido then delivered a press slam to Matt, and then engaged with Takeshita. They battled back and forth until Takeshita delivered a Blue Thunder Bomb. Everyone was sluggish to their feet. Takeshita delivered a big liger bomb to Bandido a moment later and got a close near fall. Everyone piled into the corners. KOR landed a superplex on Nick Jackson. Bandido performed a tabletop suplex from the top and covered, but it was broken up.
The Bucks and Takeshita delivered some triple team offense to Bandido. First it was a vaulted spike piledriver, and then it was a double superkick into a back suplex. KOR and Strong broke up the pinfall attempt. KOR applied a guillotine to Takeshita, but he powered out. The Bucks and Takeshita delivered a series of superkicks and elbows to KOR. They followed up with a three man version of the BTE Trigger, and then a Raging Fire from Takeshita for the win.
The Young Bucks and Konosuke Takeshita defeated Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly and Bandido at 10:47
After the match, Swerve and Ospreay showed up and the Young Bucks bailed from the ring. Swerve grabbed the mic and demanded their answer for a match at All In Texas with the EVP Titles on the line. Swerve clarified that they had no interest in the EVP titles for them, they wanted to return them to the people (groan). He said the only person that runs the company is Tony Khan. Ospreay asked if they were the “Young Bucks” or the “Young $&#ks”.
The Bucks demanded to know what they were going to get out of it, and said no. Ospreay made an offer that they wouldn’t challenge for the AEW Title for a Year, and Swerve got fired up because he wasn’t consulted. The Bucks said yes, provided that Swerve and Ospreay could get on the same page. Swerve said they got a deal, but he and Ospreay shared words afterwards…[c]
My Take: I’m glad the Young Bucks refused and forced Swerve and Ospreay to put something on the line. Though it still doesn’t seem like we’re talking about equal stakes for everyone involved. The trios match was well worked but there was zero suspense so the near falls had no impact on me.
La Faccion Ingobernable made their entrance. Ospreay and Swerve were still out in the ring.
4. The Beast Mortos and Dralistico vs. Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay: LFI jumped both Strickland and Ospreay at the outset of the match. Ospreay ended up being the legal man and got isolated for the opening minute or so. Swerve managed to tag in and restore order. He sent Dralistico to the floor and delivered a facebuster on Mortos. Dralistico grabbed Nana on the floor, which caused a distraction that opened the door for Mortos to send Swerve to the floor. He then performed a dive onto Swerve and Ospreay at ringside…[c]
Ospreay regained control with some strikes, and then a Sasuke Special to ringside onto Mortos and Dralistico. He then delivered a springboard elbow to Mortos for a near fall. Dralistico spiked Swerve in the ring with a tornado DDT. He then performed a Destroyer on Ospreay. Mortos followed up with a spear for a close near fall. Ospreay landed a crucifix bomb into Dralistico. Swerve and Ospreay then delivered a combo Stormbreaker and Double Stomp onto Mortos. They followed up with a Styles Clash into a House Call Kick to Dralistico and got the win.
Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay defeated Dralistico and The Beast Mortos at 8:49
Ospreay and Swerve celebrated their win…[c]
My Take: A solid TV match. I might not have given Mortos and Dralistico so much offense, but it’s AEW so that’s just going to happen.
Kota Ibushi made his entrance after the break. He was followed by Kazuchika Okada.
5. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kota Ibushi: Okada shoved and paintbrushed Ibushi, and then rolled to the floor. The action continued on the floor. Ibushi splashed Okada with a springboard. Okada attempted a DDT, but Ibushi stuffed it. He was then successful in sending Ibushi into the ring steps…[c]
Okada missed a running elbow in the corner, and Ibushi responded with a dropkick. He followed up with round kicks and palm strikes, followed by a standing moonsault for a two count. He then delivered a running knee strike and covered for a near fall. Okada applied a top wristlock, but Ibushi fought out. Okada managed to capture Ibushi out of the corner and delivered a neckbreaker. He then followed up with a scoop slam and climbed up to the top rope. Okada delivered an elbow drop to the gut of Ibushi.
He then flipped off the crowd and lined up for a Rainmaker. Ibushi backed Okada into the corner, but Okada fired back with a shotgun dropkick that sent Ibushi crashing into the corner. He followed up with strikes, but Ibushi fired up and ignored them. He then pummeled Okada in the corner until the ref separated them. Okada attempted a Rainmaker, but Ibushi ducked and delivered a huge lariat of his own. Ibushi then climbed the top rope, but was met by Okada with a waist lock. Okada delivered a big German Suplex, but couldn’t land the follow up Rainmaker.
Ibushi landed a kick and then placed Okada on the top rope. He climbed up to the top rope and grabbed a double underhood. He delivered a sit out Tiger Driver from the top rope for a close near fall. Ibushi attempted a Kamigoye, but Okada avoided it and they traded roll ups. Okada used the ropes to cause a ref break, and then snuck in a huge lariat. He then delivered a dropkick and a Rainmaker for the win.
Kazuchika Okada defeated Kota Ibushi at 14:45
The Callis family beat down Ibushi after the match, with Rocky Romero and Lance Archer in the ring. Kenny Omega ran down with a chair to clear the ring. Trent Beretta snuck up from behind Omega, but ended up eating a Powerbomb into a German Suplex from Omega and Ibushi. They stood tall to close the show.
My Take: A good TV Main Event from Okada and Ibushi to close the show. The outcome was predictable, but this match did make me feel a bit more optimistic that we will see Okada in big match mode for All In. He had energy and fire here that has been missing from his AEW persona over the last several months. Overall, this show was an above average edition of Dynamite, and had considerable focus on furthering feuds for the All In Texas show next week. I can’t say everything worked, but at least effort was made to add some story depth to the top feuds.
I sincerely hope they aren’t going with Adam Page as champion. The only thing he brings to the table is the opportunity for the marks to chant a vulgarity on live TV. Has everyone forgotten that when Swerve broke into Page’s house IT TURNED SWERVE BABYFACE? This guy’s got nothing. Squash loss to MOX at the PPV and then back to ROH for whatever remains of his contract.
I’d tell you all this show was hot garbage but consider this. 23 people took the time to vote in the grade poll. TWENTY THREE Not even gonna tell you that 50% gave it an “F” because… 23 total votes !!!
All wrestling seems a bit down lately but wow AEW would be on life support were it not for Daddy Kahn’s incredible wealth
NXT had 19 votes. It’s a holiday week. NXT’s viewership suffered, AEW’s likely will as well. The hilarious part to me is that Dynamite still got the usual 12 automatic F votes. The obsession doesn’t even take a break for a holiday.
NXT is down right now too. The best women got drafted and they need to rebuild a bit. The men’s division is soft and needs a ton of work. But it’s developmental / third brand.
Dynamite is the flagship. It’s a bad show lacking star power and a reason to watch right now
Id also argue that only 12 Fs tells me is even AEW’s detractors have lost interest at this point. Not good
You’re making valid points, but the dirtsheets have to pretend Tiny Con’s epic shitshow is good or else they’ll lose their “media” passes to the shitty softball question post PPV verbal fellatio fests.