By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 308)
August 27, 2025, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 2300 Arena
Simulcast live on TBS and HBO Max
Excalibur, Taz and Ian Riccaboni opened the show and welcomed the TV audience to 2300 arena and introduced a video clip of the Death Riders taking out Will Ospreay after the conclusion of Forbidden Door this past Sunday. FTR made their ring entrance after the video with Stokely Hathaway. They jawed with members of the audience on the way to the ring.
Dax got in the ring and struggled to talk over the boos. He called what happened at Forbidden Door a miscarriage of justice, and was told repeatedly to shut the fuck up. Dax claimed the illegal man pinned him on Sunday, and he asked Paul Turner to approach and speak to him. He asked how long he had been a referee, and Turner answered 27 years. Dax called out Turner’s wife in the audience, and asked him to imagine going home to his family and say he failed because of an incompetent moron.
Harwood told Turner that it would be the worst thing in his life, and that’s what he had to do to his family. He demanded Turner apologize, and reverse the decision and make them the AEW Tag Team Champions. Turner said his decision stands, and Stokely Hathaway accused him of being incompetent and wanting to appease online fans. He demanded Turner jump off the fan’s dicks and reverse the decision. They got in Turner’s face again, and Adam Copeland made his entrance.
Christian snuck in the backdoor and gave Stokely an Unprettier. A brawl broke out, with officials attempting to keep order while all four men spilled all over ringside. Eventually things were broken up and Christian grabbed a microphone. He started talking about FTR’s fathers, but Cope interrupted him. The crowd booed so he let them finish. Christian mocked Cash Wheeler for having a dead father and people cheered. Copeland then informed them that it would be “C&C” vs. FTR at All Out in their home town of Toronto, and he would take his pound of flesh.
Afterward, we got a video package for Darby Allin where he painted with the blood that was coming out of his ear piercing hole while a voice over explained that he was coming for Jon Moxley and he was willing to die doing it. He claimed he would take away everything from Moxley at All Out. In the arena, Jon Moxley made his ring entrance accompanied by Wheeler Yuta and Marina Shafir. He was followed by Daniel Garcia.
My Take: A solid opening segment to set up a big match for All Out. The crowd is as fired up as you would expect 2300 Arena. I’m watching on Max, and I imagine a lot of TBS folks are hearing a lot more censoring than I am.
1. Jon Moxley vs. Daniel Garcia: They started the match feeling each other out. Garcia showed some technical skill with some showy mat wrestling, and Moxley shut that down by flexing his power advantage with a back elbow. Garcia targeted Moxley’s knee with a dragon screw in the ropes, and followed up with strikes to the knee on the floor. Moxley tried to battle back into the match, but Garcia kept his focus and continued to target the bad knee. Moxley regrouped at ringside…[c]
Moxley raked the back of Garcia with his fingernails and then applied a front guillotine. Garcia fired back by punching at the bad knee and then taking a bite out of it. Garcia then pulled Moxley off the top rope with a big superplex, but was unable to make a cover. Garcia landed a big lariat for a two count, but Moxley quickly fired back with strikes and a cutter. Moxley went for a DDT near the ropes, but Garcia blocked it and applied a single leg crab.
Action spilled outside, where Moxley delivered a DDT on the ring steps. Garcia needed some encouragement from Matt Menard to beat the ten count. He managed to apply a Dragon Tamer for a moment, but Moxley managed to escape. Garcia then hit a piledriver, but Moxley kicked out at 2.9. He then went for another Dragon Tamer, but Moxley rolled him up and held him down for 3.
Jon Moxley defeated Daniel Garcia at 14:31
Matt Menard tried to console Garcia at ringside. Moxley then approached them to talk to him while Wheeler Yuta got on the microphone and told Darby Allin that Moxley was refusing his challenge for a match at All Out. Moxley and Garcia finished jawing at each other at ringside. Garcia was pissed about the loss and shoved away the camera man as he left for the back…[c]
My Take: A good match but the Death Riders are so far past their expiration date at this point that it’s hard for me to get excited about anything they are doing. Moxley seemingly trying to recruit Garcia after the match has me a bit worried. Hopefully they don’t plan on rebooting this thing.
Wheeler Yuta returned to the ring and said he had a lot more to say. He said he lived in this city and did ring crew in this building as a teenager. Yuta said he broke bones in this arena, and it got him “Shut the F Up” and “F You Yuta” chants. He said it used to bother him that people didn’t like him, because their cheers did nothing for Chuck Taylor, Will Ospreay, or Bryan Danielson. Yuta claimed he slayed the Dragon and replaced him….and then the lights went out.
Hook made his return and marched to the ring. He quickly applied the Redrum to Yuta and sent him scrambling from the ring. A recorded interview with MJF was shown from after Forbidden Door. He expressed anger and frustration over Mark Briscoe costing him the World Championship, and said he should have burned him alive when he had the chance. He called himself the best in the ring, and the best on the mic, and said he was the only one who could take the title from Hangman.
MJF said he could no longer cash in his contract any time he wants, because Tony Khan required him to give 7 days notice. He said he would end Mark Briscoe and then he would cash in his contract. MJF said it wouldn’t just be for the title, it would be for Hangman’s soul. In the arena, Penelope Ford and Megan Bayne made their entrance. They were followed by Kris Statlander and Harley Cameron.
2. Harley Cameron and Kris Statlander vs. Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford: Statlander and Ford started the match. Ford got an early advantage with help from Bayne. Statlander fired back with a clothesline into a backbreaker. Ford and Cameron then made quick tags and isolated Ford, who had to scramble to her corner after avoiding a lariat to tag in Bayne. Bayne and Cameron started a test of strength, but Harley played dirty and gave her a headbutt. Ford and Bayne focused on Cameron and cut her off in their corner. Bayne delivered a big lariat from the apron and Ford followed up with a dropkick to the back for a two count…[c]
My Take: Sounds like MJF and Hangman will happen again at some point, but they shouldn’t rush into it. The fanbase is heavily invested in Hangman at this point and there’s no reason to change directions when he’s getting big time reactions. It was good to see Hook back. Hopefully they keep him away from the trios division.
Kris Statlander tagged in as the show returned and threw her weight around. Bayne managed to take her down with a flying lariat and made a cover, but Cameron broke up the fall. Bayne and Ford went for Double Moonsaults a moment later, but Statlander and Cameron got out of the way. All four women ended up down after a diving kick on Ford from Bayne, and Statlander returning fire with a discus lariat. Bayne and Statlander then went strike for strike, and Statlander got the better of it. Ford was able to make blind tag and land a knee strike.
Bayne got sent to the floor, where Harley Cameron landed a DDT. Statlander applied a triangle choke of sorts on Ford shortly after and got the tap out victory.
Harley Cameron and Kris Statlander defeated Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford at 10:58
After the match, Megan Bayne attacked Cameron on the floor and then went after Statlander in the ring. Willow Nightingale ran down for an awkward save, where she and Statlander weren’t on the same page. Harley Cameron played peacemaker between the two of them…[c]
My Take: A good effort from all the women but the match never quite got out of second gear. The Nightingale and Statlander conflict feels like it’s been going on for my entire adult life. They have to move to the next step of whatever it’s going to be quickly.
Renee Paquette was in the ring and introduced Mercedes Mone, Renee was in the ring with an entire table covered with the belts Mercedes currently owns. Mercedes introduced all nine of her belts, and then Renee recounted some of her recent wins. Renee then asked about Alex Windsor, and Mercedes said she didn’t care about her. She said that she was a better Rev Pro Champion than she ever was, and if she wanted to ride the Mone Train again, she would beat her all over again and put her in the hospital next to her husband. She then danced in celebration of all of her titles.
Mark Briscoe then cut a pre-taped promo and said he would set the hopes and dreams of MJF on fire the next opportunity he got. He then said he and Kyle Fletcher have had a rivalry and are 2-2 against one another. He challenged him to a match for his TNT Championship, and said they should do it in Philly. In the arena, Don Callis made his entrance with Wardlow. He then made ring announcements for Hechicero, Josh Alexander, Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada. They were followed by Mike Bailey, Kevin Knight, Brodie King, and Bandido.
3. Hechicero, Josh Alexander, Konosuke Takeshita, and Kazuchika Okada vs. Kevin Knight, Mike Bailey, Brodie King, and Bandido: Hechicero and Bandido started the match. They traded some quick strikes and reversals before Josh Alexander and Brodie King tagged in. The babyface team quickly isolated Alexander and Jet Speed landed some double team offense. Thanks to an Okada distraction, Alexander was able to hit Mike Bailey with a forearm strike. Takeshita and Okada had a brief argument, which let Brodie King take advantage and send both fo them to the floor.
King followed up with a cannonball dive off the apron, and then Jet Speed performed dueling dives that took out Hechicero and Alexander…[c]
My Take: Mercedes Mone’s presentation continued to illustrate how holding a lot of belts does not automatically make one an interesting television character.
Chaos continued as the match returned. Brodie missed a cannonball in the corner. Kevin Knight landed a big DDT on Takeshita. Hechicero landed an impressive backbreaker on Bandido, but was quickly taken out by a big splash from King. Bailey and Takeshita ended up the legal men, and Bailey landed an impressive kick and double knees to the chest. He covered but Alexander broke up the fall. The heels then took turn taking shots at Bailey, and Takeshita and Okada came to conflict again.
Brodie King pulled Takeshita out of the ring, and Bandido sent Hechicero to the floor. Takeshita dove on a pile at ringside, and then Bailey quickly evaded a Rainmaker from Okada. Bailey quickly took to the ropes for a double knee strike on Alexander, but he avoided it and rolled up Bailey and got the win.
The Callis Family defeated Brodido and Jet Speed at 11:18
My Take: A rapid fire spectacle of a match. The Callis family definitely needs to cut some folks loose. Wardlow was out there as essentially Window Dressing.
Hangman Page made his way to the ring. His first words were to Will Ospreay, and he told him he was sorry for how things had gone for him since All In, and he hoped he could fully recover and come back to challenge him for the AEW World Championship. Hangman then addressed MJF and told him he had thrown everything he could think of at him and he had still failed. He then said if MJF had to give him 7 days notice of his next challenge, but that doesn’t matter because if he ever signs that contract he would beat his ass before the ink is dry.
Don Callis then walked out and told Hangman that he wanted the AEW World Championship back in the Don Callis Family. He said the question wasn’t whether they would take the title from him, it’s which one of his family members would do it. Lance Archer, Hechicero. Josh Alexander, and Rocky Romero walked out. Hangman said he’s not a dumbass, he can see how this was going to go. He then attacked Josh Alexander at ringside.
Jet Speed poured out of the back to even the numbers, but it wasn’t enough as Rocky Romero had a steel baton. Kenny Omega then ran down to even things out, and they ended up doing a V-Trigger and Buckshot combo on Lance Archer before sharing a hug. A hype video package aired that hyped up Mina Shirakawa vs. Athena for the ROH Women’s Championship at Death Before Dishonor. It was humorous stuff from Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa.
Back in the arena, Ricochet made his entrance with GOA members Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun. They were followed by The Opps.
4. Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, and Ricochet vs. Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Katsuyori Shibata: Ricochet started the match with Hobbs, who quickly overpowered him. Kaun made a blind tag, and Hobbs dragged him into the corner to tag in Shibata. Kaun and Shibata had a long strike battle, and Kaun took a shortcut to get the better of it. The heels then cut off Shibata and dumped him to ringside, where all three of them put the boots to him and gloated to the crowd…[c]
My Take: Hangman feuding with the Callis Family is almost forced at this point, considering it occupies the 90% of the heel roster he hasn’t beaten recently. Hanger and Kenny’s little reunion got a strong reaction from the live crowd.
Toa and Hobbs traded big beef sirloin power punches as the show returned. Hobbs got the better of Toa with a big lariat, and then both Ricochet and Joe tagged into the match. Ricochet landed a kick, but Joe returned fire with a powerslam and a running senton for a near fall. Liona then returned to the ring and took down Hobbs with a lariat. Joe then landed a Uranage on Kaun out of the corner. Shibata returned to the ring and applied a sleeper onto Liona.
Ricochet took to the top rope, but MVP ran down to the ring and cracked him over the back with his cane. Hobbs then hit him with a Spinebuster, Shibata landed a PK, and Joe finished him off with a choke out for the win.
The Opps defeated Ricochet and GOA at 10:48
After the match, Ricochet was held up by the GOA. Lashley and Benjamin then made their entrance to brawl with GOA. They brawled in the entry way into the backstage area…[c]
My Take: The match was ok, but nothing memorable. The GOA and Hurt Syndicate could be fun if they don’t make GOA out to be jobbers in the process.
Claudio Castagnoli made his entrance for the main event Falls Count Anywhere Match. He was shown backstage, where he was quickly attacked by Darby Allin, who jumped off a shipping crate.
5. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Darby Allin in a Falls Count Anywhere Match: Claudio quickly recovered and shoved Darby into a shopping cart, and then ran him into a pile of folding chairs. They then spilled into the entryway, where Claudio swung him around in a giant swing and crashed him into the barricades. Darby recovered and delivered a high speed suicide dive as Claudio was gloating to the crowd. He then climbed one of the building’s support beams and performed a Coffin Drop from about 15 feet in the air. He covered for a near fall at ringside.
Claudio fired back with a pop up european uppercut for a two count. He then demanded the announce team move out of the way. Claudio picked up Darby over his head and threw him over the ropes onto the announce table, which did not break and he crashed to the floor…[c]
Darby and Claudio traded strikes, but Claudio picked him up and dumped him into the ring with a gutwrench. Tables and Chairs were now in the ring, and Claudio used the chair over the back of Allin. Darby fired back with a guillotine choke, and Claudio repeatedly teased putting him through a table. Claudio took a run at Darby after he escaped from the choke, and ended up crashing through a table himself. Darby then grabbed a chair and hit Claudio over the back a few times.
Claudio fired back with a European uppercut and a chair over the back. Claudio then suplexed Darby off the top onto a pile of chairs for a close near fall. Claudio then put him through a table with a running powerbomb for another near fall. Claudio then took the turnbuckle pad off and tried to catapult Allin into it, but Darby avoided it and landed a double stomp. Shortly after, Darby used a drop toe hold to send Claudio into the exposed turnbuckle. He then followed with a Code Red and two Coffin Drops for the win.
Darby Allin defeated Claudio Castagnoli at 11:38
After the match, Gabe Kidd entered the ring and suplexed Allin almost immediately. Jon Moxley then entered the ring. They tried to continue the assault, but Darby quickly escaped and ran out of the building before more damage could be done. Moxley and Kidd showed frustration with their failed plan as the show concluded.
My Take: A wildly violent main event, as are most encounters involving Darby Allin and the Death Riders. Allin getting the clean win is the right call given the trajectory of the story. Overall, this was an above average episode of Dynamite. The show was paced pretty well and they started the process of assembling a card for All Out.
What a fcukin show that was. The arena looked great. Road to All Out is underway.