By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 315) and AEW Collision (Episode 115)
October 15, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri, at Cable Dahmer Arena
Simulcast live on TBS and HBO Max
[Hour One] The Dynamite opening video kicked off the episode… Excalibur welcomed viewers to the show and hyped WrestleDream… Footage aired from AEW Collision of Kota Ibushi suffering a broken femur. They also aired footage of Kenny Omega and Jack Perry agreeing to join forces… Tony Schiavone joined Excalibur on commentary, and they ran through the card for the three-hour block…
Renee Paquette conducted a sit-down interview in a backstage room with AEW Women’s Champion Kris Statlander and Toni Storm. Storm removed a hat and gloves, and Statlander tried to match her by removing some of her clothing. Paquette told them it was enough and threw her own jacket down.
Storm said she dreams of regaining the title. She spoke of taking the title back from a woman she admires. Storm said she doesn’t know who she is without the title. “But, darling, who are you?” Storm asked. Statlander said Storm has never been able to figure her out because she’s constantly evolving and is already different than the person Storm faced at All Out.
Storm said they’ve told some ridiculous lies, but at WrestleDream they will find out the truth. Statlander said Storm knows the truth, but she just needs to accept it. Storm asked if the interview was over. Paquette confirmed that it was, and then Storm told Statlander to meet her in the ring.
Storm and Statlander entered the ring and fought. Storm ended up on her knees and put her hands behind her back, inviting Statlander to hit her with the title belt. Statlander declined, so Storm worked her over and eventually ended up with the belt. Statlander dropped to her knees and put her hands behind her back. Storm teased hitting her with the belt, but she kissed her on the forehead before exiting the ring…
Powell’s POV: I entered this show looking forward to the Statlander vs. Storm match at WrestleDream. And while I still am, I can’t say that any of this actually increased my interest level. By the way, WrestleTix listed the building as being set up for 2,709 and listed the number of tickets distributed as 2,239 as of a couple hours before the show.
Jack Perry was backstage whittling a block of wood. He said he doesn’t hate The Young Bucks, he loves them and will always be grateful for everything they’ve done for him. Perry said that when he needed them most, they didn’t pick up the phone or have his back. Perry said he had to look deep into his past to find somebody who would. Luchasaurus entered the picture and growled…
Bryan Danielson checked in on commentary for the first time. Ring announcer Justin Roberts delivered the introductions for the opening match as the entrances took place…
1. “The Hurt Syndicate” Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin (w/MVP) vs. “GOA” Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun (w/Ricochet). Social media posts from fans were shown on the screen as the match started. Toa performed a Samoan Drop on Lashley at ringside before the first picture-in-picture commercial break. [C]
Lashley was isolated before he eventually made a hot tag. Benjamin knocked Ricochet off the apron with a knee strike. Later, Lashley and Ricochet hit simultaneous clotheslines on the floor that left both men down. Benjamin performed a belly-to-belly on Kaun from the top rope. Ricochet tossed MVP’s cane into the ring. Ricochet snuck in and hit Benjamin with a Spirit Gun while the referee was talking with MVP about the cane. MVP took out Ricochet at ringside, but Kaun pinned Benjamin.
“GOA” Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun defeated “The Hurt Syndicate” Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin in 9:40.
After the match, MVP hit the back of Kaun’s head with the cane. Kaun rolled out of the ring and held his head while celebrating with his teammates…
Powell’s POV: It was good to see the Hurt Syndicate put over GOA on television, even if it was due to Ricochet’s interference.
Highlights aired from the New York Comic Con of Darby Allin attacking Jon Moxley during an AEW panel. The broadcast team spoke about their I Quit match that will be held at WrestleDream…
Excalibur set up footage of a face-to-face confrontation involving Allin and Moxley at an undisclosed location. Allin was seated at a table, and then Moxley entered the room and spoke to him through a glass divider. Moxley said neither he nor Allin would quit, and then asked him what he wanted to do. Moxley told him that it’s never too late to end up on the right side of history.
Allin said it was too late. He said there’s not a day that goes by that he doesn’t think about joining the Death Riders. Allin said he understands the cause, but he can’t join because he doesn’t respect Moxley. Allin asked why he would want to go to war with someone who stabbed his brother, Bryan Danielson, in the back.
Moxley said he did the best he could for Danielson. He said this is a war for the future of their craft, and sacrifices have to be made. Allin said Moxley is slowly chipping away at everything that represents AEW and makes it special. He said he would hang the flag he brought to Mount Everest in his house so he can remind himself of everything AEW has given him. Allin said that before he does, he’ll wrap the flag around Moxley’s throat.
Allin said that when Moxley quits at WrestleDream, the Death Riders who blindly follow him will realize that Moxley’s word doesn’t mean a thing. Moxley said he has never lied to Allin. “It’s not about me,” Moxley eventually responded.
Pac entered the room behind Allin and attacked him. Allin bled from the forehead, and it smeared on the glass in front of Moxley. Moxley exited his room to end the segment…
Marina Shafir, Pac, and Claudio Castagnoli were shown entering the building while Excalibur questioned whether Allin would be in any condition to say he quits at WrestleDream… [C]
Powell’s POV: The prison-like setting for the Allin and Moxley meeting was a cool touch. I could have done without Darby saying he thinks about joining the Death Riders every day. Otherwise, it was a strong segment that did increase my interest level in their I Quit match.
2. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Roderick Strong. Both entrances were televised. Excalibur sent best wishes to Taz, noting that he underwent total shoulder replacement surgery earlier in the day. Claudio performed a swing at ringside that sent Castagnoli crashing into the barricade. [C]
Strong got the better of Castagnoli at ringside and dumped him back-first on the barricade. Back in the ring, Castagnoli caught Strong with an uppercut and then set up for a move on the ropes that Strong avoided. Strong kicked Castagnoli and then joined him on the ropes before giving him a backbreaker on the top turnbuckle. Castagnoli came right back with a pop-up uppercut and scored the clean pin.
Claudio Castagnoli beat Roderick Strong in roughly 12:00.
Schiavone said that was Castagnoli’s 100th win in AEW. The broadcast team agreed that the most surprising part of the match was that the Death Riders did not interfere…
Powell’s POV: The crowd was quiet, but the fighting on the floor seemed to win over the fans at ringside. I’m not sure if the broadcast team drawing attention to Castagnoli winning clean is the start of something or just a simple observation.
Footage aired from over the weekend of Don Callis’s surprise birthday party. Callis gave a speech about how the growing numbers of the faction give them strength. Fletcher unveiled a television on the wall. Konosuke Takeshita delivered an onscreen greeting to Callis for his birthday before an annoyed Kazuchika Okada “hit the wrong button” to cut off Takeshita…
Footage aired of Takeshita beating Zack Sabre Jr. to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at the NJPW King of Pro Wrestling event…
Don Callis was introduced, and then introduced Mark Davis, Josh Alexander, and Hechicero. A great Callis cosplayer was shown in the crowd during the introductions. Excalibur hyped a trios match for after the break… [C] An ad aired for AEW WrestleDream being available for purchase on HBO Max…
Jack Perry and Luchasaurus made their entrance while footage aired of the Young Bucks attacking them on last week’s show.
[Hour Two] Kenny Omega made his entrance. The Callis cosplayer gave Omega a thumbs down, and Omega pointed at him…
3. Kenny Omega, Jack Perry, and Luchasaurus vs. Josh Alexander, Hechicero, and Mark Davis. Callis said there would be a spot for Kota Ibushi in his family once he was healthy “in five years.” Omega called for Alexander to start the match with him. Alexander entered the ring, but he tagged in Hechicero once the bell rang. Hechicero targeted Omega’s left leg.
Omega dove over the ropes onto Hechicero on the floor. Callis got up and ran away for a moment. Alexander approached Omega, who then chased him until Davis clotheslined Omega. A short time later, Davis sent Perry to ringside with a shoulder block before a PIP break. [C]
Omega hit Alexander with a V-Trigger to the back. The wrestlers took turns hitting big moves until everyone other than Luchasaurus was down. Omega tagged in and set up for a V-Trigger on Davis, but Callis got up from the table and distracted him. Alexander clipped the back of Omega’s knee. Davis went for a lariat on Omega, but Perry sacrificed himself by shoving Omega out of the way and taking the lariat himself.
A short time later, Omega tagged Perry and then drilled Davis with a V-Trigger. Perry and Luchasaurus hit Hechicero with a Doomsday Device and then Perry pinned him…
Kenny Omega, Jack Perry, and Luchasaurus beat Josh Alexander, Hechicero, and Mark Davis in 13:55.
“The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson ran out and put down Perry and Luchasaurus with superkicks. The Bucks set up for a TK Driver on Perry, but Omega stopped it. Matt turned and was going to throw a superkick, but he stopped once he realized it was Omega. They bickered. Luchasaurus clotheslined both Bucks. Perry performed a moonsault off the top rope onto a group of heels on the floor… [C]
Powell’s POV: Good storytelling in addition to the usual strong in-ring action. Perry proved himself to Omega by sacrificing himself, and Omega didn’t get much revenge on Alexander for Ibushi’s injury. There’s no reason to rush that. In fact, I hope they build up Alexander for a singles feud with Omega, and it won’t be a situation where Omega gets full revenge at WrestleDream.
4. Jamie Hayter vs. Skye Blue (w/Julia Hart). Both entrances were televised. Excalibur recalled Hayter challenging the Triangle of Madness to meet in a Blood & Guts match, but he said the challenge had yet to be accepted. Hayter sent Blue to the floor. Hayter followed. Hart approached Hayter, who dared her to hit her. Blue pulled Hart out of the way and then superkicked Hayter. Blue followed up with a neckbreaker that pulled Hayter off the apron and onto the floor before a PIP break. [C] After some back-and-forth action, Hayter hit Blue with Hayteraid and then pinned her.
Jamie Hayter beat Skye Blue in 12:00.
Thekla appeared on the big screen and applauded Hayter, who was celebrating her win. Thekla said he was misunderstood in Europe and kicked out of Japan. She said she’s been around the world and isn’t impressed. She said she attacked Hayter “because you were just there.” Thekla said her name means chaos and poison. She said it would “get toxic to the core” when they meet at WrestleDream…
Powell’s POV: Thekla started stronger than she closed with her mic work. The “poison” and “toxic” talk was a little corny, even if it does play into her nickname. The Blood & Guts show is now less than a month away, so hopefully the match or matches will be announced next week after WrestleDream.
Backstage, Mercedes Mone told Renee Paquette that she could call her “Ultimo Mone.” Paquette said Mone tied Ultimo Dragon’s record by winning her tenth title when she beat Aliss Ink to win the Bodyslam Women’s Championship. Paquette said Mone will become the longest reigning TBS Champion in history when she reaches 509 days on Friday. Mone screamed and wrapped up the interview… [C]
Powell’s POV: Mone will top Jade Cargill’s record on Friday. Once that record is out of the way, it will be easier to buy into the possibility of Mone dropping the TBS Championship.
AEW World Heavyweight Champion Hangman Page made his entrance and joined the broadcast team. The entrances for the AEW Trios Titles match followed…
5. “The Opps” Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Katsuyori Shibata vs. “La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos (w/Sammy Guevara) for the AEW Trios Titles. Page said he’s giving Joe a title shot because he owes it to him, and he’s looking forward to it. Joe grabbed Shibata from behind to tag into the match. Joe put Mortos down and then looked at Page, who said Joe is “a Christmas ham of a man, who can move like no other.” Danielson smiled and said he liked that.
Shibata tagged in again and was isolated by the challengers. The LFI trio hit a seated Shibata with a triple dropkick before a PIP break. [C] Hobbs put down Rush and Mortos. Dralistico stood in the ropes and gave him the double birds before diving at him, but Hobbs caught him and then slammed him. Joe tagged in and eventually choked out Dralistico with the Coquina Clutch.
The Opps” Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Katsuyori Shibata defeated “La Faccion Ingobernable” Rush, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos in 11:25 to retain the AEW Trios Titles.
After the match, Joe held up his belt while looking down at Page. Rush hit Joe from behind. Rush spat at Page, who stood up and thanked the broadcast team while removing his jacket. Page entered the ring and got the better of Dralistico and Mortos. Rush tossed Page over the top rope. Page set up for a Buckshot Lariat, but Guevara pulled Rush to the floor.
[Overrun] Joe picked up the AEW World Championship belt. Joe shoved the belt into Page’s chest and then left the ring. Joe stood on the floor and said, “You’re gonna find out”…
The broadcast team closed out Dynamite and then the screen went black for a moment…
The big screen read AEW Collision while Page was making his exit. Excalibur, Schiavone, and Danielson were shown at the broadcast table. Excalibur hyped WrestleDream for Saturday…
Powell’s POV: The match was fine, and Joe was featured heading into this AEW World Championship match. There was an odd moment late when Shibata hit Rush with a sliding dropkick under the bottom rope, but Rush didn’t budge. Shibata grabbed him from behind on the floor, but Rush still didn’t play along and then spoke to Shibata before they exited the camera shot. I thought Rush might be hurt, but he seemed fine during the post-match angle, so I’m not sure what happened.
Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, and Marina Shafir made their entrance through the crowd. The entrances of Kyle O’Reilly and Orange Cassidy followed…
6. Orange Cassidy and Kyle O’Reilly vs. Wheeler Yuta and Daniel Garcia (w/Marina Shafir). The ring apron and LED boards were changed for Collision. A “F— you, Yuta” chant broke out and went uncensored. The heels performed a double suplex on the floor as the show went to a PIP break. [C]
The fans stood up, and then a shot aired of Jon Moxley, who walked up to the barricade and watched while O’Reilly caught Garcia in a submission hold. Moxley hopped the barricade. Shafir distracted the referee, who apparently lost the ability to hear Garcia tapping out. O’Reilly released the hold.
Pac took out Cassidy at ringside, and then O’Reilly hit Pac with a knee strike from the apron. Claudio Castagnoli arrived and hit O’Reilly with a running uppercut. Castagnoli rolled O’Reilly back inside the ring, where Garcia pinned him.
Wheeler Yuta and Daniel Garcia beat Orange Cassidy and Kyle O’Reilly in 12:25.
After the match, the Death Riders continued their attack while Moxley watched from the apron. Tomohiro Ishii and Roderick Strong ran out to help the babyaces, but the heels had the numbers advantage. Moxley got a microphone and moved to the middle of the ring.
Darby Allin’s entrance music played. Moxley smiled. Allin limped out to sell Pac’s attack that aired during Dynamite. Castagnoli ran to the stage and drilled Allin with an uppercut. Allin bled from the forehead. He crawled a bit and then got to his feet, only to have Pac put him down with a big boot. Allin continued to crawl toward the ring while Danielson asked if there was anything that could make Allin quit. Allin got back to his feet and was attacked by Yuta and Garcia. Allin started crawling again, and then Shafir kicked his head.
Allin put his hands on the ring canvas and then used the ropes to pull himself into the ring. The other babyfaces fought the other Death Riders to the back. Allin pulled out the flag he had on Mount Everest and placed it on the mat in front of Moxley. Allin grabbed the mic while on his knees and said, “It’s never too late, Jon, to say I quit.” Moxley hit Allin with a Death Rider on the flag. An angry Moxley left the ring and exited through the crowd with Shafir while Allin was down in the ring…
Powell’s POV: The good news is that Darby didn’t try to set anyone on fire this week. I get that they were trying to show that Allin won’t quit, but it was slow developing and the crowd didn’t really cheer him on every time he took a beating and kept moving forward.
The broadcast team was shown at ringside while Excalibur hyped the WrestleDream pre-show that will be simulcast on TNT and HBO Max on Saturday…
Megan Bayne made her entrance and stopped on the stage. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler made their entrance with Stokely Hathaway, and then they all headed to the ring together. Bayne asked Willow Nightingale how it felt to know that she gave it everything she had, only to realize that it still wasn’t good enough.
Bayne said Willow is dusting herself off, tagging with a new friend, and wants to take another swing at her. She said it doesn’t make Willow a fighter; it makes her stupid. Bayne said that maybe tearing Harley Cameron apart will make it click for Willow.
Stokely took his turn on the mic and said he couldn’t articulate how much he hates Willow, Kevin Knight, and Mike Bailey. He said Bailey looks like Billy Ray Cyrus with an autoimmune disorder. Harwood took his turn and told the crowd to settle down because Daddy was speaking.
Willow Nightingale, Harley Cameron, Kevin Knight, and Mike Bailey interrupted Harwood via the big screen. Cameron yelled that FTR stands for “Fear the Wrath.” The others explained why that didn’t work. She said she was missing the W. They all made their exit from the interview set.
Willow and Cameron entered the ring and performed a double DDT on Bayne. Knight and Bailey showed up and hit Harwood and Wheeler with missile dropkicks. The babyfaces cleared most of the heels from the ring. Willow put Harwood down with a spinebuster, and then Knight hit him with a top rope splash.
Justin Roberts announced that the Bayne vs. Cameron match would start now…
7. Megan Bayne vs. Harley Cameron. Bayne put Cameron down with a running kick right after the bell rang. Cameron got a hope spot before Bayne pulled her over the top rope with a suplex before a PIP break. [C]
Cameron got a little more offense, but Bayne countered a suplex with a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Bayne put Cameron on her shoulders and then climbed to the middle rope and showboated before Cameron slipped down and hit her with a sunset bomb for a nice near fall. Cameron performed running hip checks and went for a third, but Bayne put her down with a lariat. Bayne hit Fate’s Descent, but Cameron kicked out. Bayne followed up with a running powerbomb and got the three count…
Megan Bayne defeated Harley Cameron in 8:05.
Powell’s POV: Cameron got a lot of offense, but Bayne still came off like a badass. I suspect this would have come off much better earlier in the night when the crowd was hotter.
Eddie Kingston and Hook delivered a backstage promo. Kingston said he had two wins over LFI wrestlers, but they needed to move on and enter the tag team ranks. Kingston asked Hook where they would be. Hook said Tailgate. Kingston asked when, and Hook said Saturday. Kingston said whoever wants some should come get some… [C]
Backstage, Alicia Atout spoke with Anthony Bowens and Max Caster. Bowens held his magazine covers while Caster held his Best Wrestler Alive certificate. Bowens said he wouldn’t team with Caster, who said he didn’t want to team with Bowens. They bickered and then took turns looking into the camera and asking Tony Khan not to book them as a team. Caster said he has autonomy over his body. Funny. Atout called them The Acclaimed, and they came back and yelled at her for calling them by that name…
8. TNT Champion Kyle Fletcher, Lance Archer, and Rocky Romero vs. Mark Briscoe and AEW Tag Team Champions Brody King and Bandido in a trios match. The entrances were televised. Don Callis sat in on commentary again. The babyfaces trio had Fletcher down and were playing to the crowd before what Schiavone said was the final break. [C]
[Overrun] Excalibur announced that The Demand vs. The Hurt Syndicate match at WrestleDream will be a tornado trios match. He also said Eddie Kingston and Hook will be in action on the pre-show. Excalibur added “The Conglomeration” Orange Cassidy, Tomohiro Ishii, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly vs. “The Death Riders” Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, Pac, and Claudio Castagnoli in an eight-man tag to the pre-show.
Late in the match, Fletcher and Briscoe fought toward the stage. In the ring, Bandido hit Archer with a DDT, causing Archer to roll to the floor. King hoisted up Romero and held him while Bandido hit a running knee strike, and then King performed a tombstone piledriver. Bandido covered Romero for the three count.
Mark Briscoe, Brody King, and Bandido beat Kyle Fletcher, Lance Archer, and Rocky Romero in 11:00.
After the match, Fletcher and Briscoe fought to the back. As Bandido and King celebrated, the lights flickered, and then El Clon walked onto the stage. Kazuchika Okada snuck inside the ring and hit King with the AEW Unified Title belt. Bandido tried to hoist up Okada, who slipped away and then put him down with a Rainmaker clothesline. Callis entered the ring and stood by Okada, who held up both AEW Tag Team Title belts. Excalibur played up the possibility of Konosuke Takeshita winning two titles in less than a week when he and Okada challenge Bandido and King at WrestleDream…
Powell’s POV: It’s a good move to close a three-hour show with a babyface win in hopes of sending the tired crowd home happy. Three hours is still too long for a weekly television show, and the WrestleDream countdown special actually aired right after the three-hour block.
Overall, it was a mixed bag when it comes to being an effective go-home show for WrestleDream. I will be back shortly with a same-night audio review of Dynamite and Collision that will be available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the three-hour block by grading it below. By the way, I’ll have live notes on the Tony Khan media call on Thursday at 2CT/3ET.
Join me on Saturday for my live review of AEW WrestleDream.
Does anyone buy the idea of a $500K match in 2025? Maybe they could book a “Loser Leaves Town” match?
The people that buy a $500k match in 2025 are the same ones that buy an I Quit match after a Coffin match.
And setting each other on fire