AEW Dynamite Review - July 16, 2025

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

AEW World Champion "Hangman" Adam Page Addressed the Audience

I knew Page was advertised for a match coming into this episode, but I'm glad he was able to address his AEW World Championship victory from All In to start the show. He thanked everyone who attempted to take the title from Jon Moxley (like they were fallen soldiers) and played a part in the fall of The Death Riders. This was great stuff from Page and I'm happy he had his moment to celebrate instead of being immediately interrupted to set up a future program or title defense.

Kyle Fletcher def. Mascara Dorada

All In should have been where Fletcher finally won the AEW TNT Championship, but the unfortunate Adam Cole situation called for a feel-good moment, so I totally understand holding off on Fletcher becoming champ. This was a logical win for him so he could maintain momentum and it was a nice match while it lasted. Consider the trash talking he was doing about Dustin Rhodes afterward (not on the mic but caught on camera), I assume his next shot at the TNT title is coming soon.

The Don Callis Family (Hechicero and Josh Alexander) and The Young Bucks def. ROH World Champion Bandido, Brody King and JetSpeed

This was very much an AEW special in that it was a random eight-man tag team match with a ton of high spots and not much of a story told. Sure, the action was enjoyable and the crowd ate it up, but I doubt I'll remember it a week from now. The key was Hechicero putting Bandido to sleep for the win as it was already teased at the end of Supercard of Honor he's next in line for an ROH World Championship opportunity. On a side note, the Bucks' entrance being altered because they're not EVPs anymore was hilarious.

Adam Copeland Attacked Stokley Hathaway

Are we back to calling him Adam Copeland now with Cope being the occasional nickname? AEW referred to him as Adam Copeland in a social media graphic promoting this segment, so that's why I ask. Nonetheless, this was a strong segment with Copeland running down his history with Christian Cage and FTR in AEW and planting more seeds for that reunion with Christian (which they thankfully don't appear to be rushing into). I can't recall Hathaway getting his comeuppance often in AEW, so Copeland laying him out was a cool moment.

Thekla def. Queen Aminata, Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale in a $100,000 Four-Way Match

Ah, a multi-person match with fake money on the line. If I had a dollar for every time I feel like I've seen one of these in AEW, I'd have $100,000. Okay, kidding aside, this was a very well-wrestled four-way. Then again, that shouldn't come as much of a surprise given the level of talent involved. Skye Blue and Julia Hart aiding Thekla to victory hints at the three of them forming an alliance. When will Jamie Hayter be able to return so she can get revenge on Thekla?

ROH Women's World Champion Athena and Billie Starkz Interrupted AEW Women's World Champion "Timeless" Toni Storm

Storm's promo was more of the same from her, but her shtick is still entertaining, so I can't complain. She did say that Luther is out of commission at the moment with the idea being that she's more in jeopardy of losing her title. Athena also mentioned that she took out another friend of hers in Mina Shirakawa, so Storm is on her own for now. This was a simple exchange to build toward Athena eventually cashing in her contract on Storm and setting up Storm vs. Starkz for next week's Dynamite.

AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada def. Rafael Quintero (Non-Title)

Don Callis was holding the AEW Continental Championship and AEW International Championship belts, so that confirms Okada will have three belts going forward. Oh joy. The match itself was a total squash, though it's worth noting he came out to new entrance music. I'm not saying the theme is bad, but I'm going to miss the old iconic one. He called out Swerve Strickland afterward and the two then faced off when Strickland showed up, so that appears to be Okada's next program.

AEW World Champion "Hangman" Adam Page, Mark Briscoe and AEW World Trios Champion Powerhouse Hobbs def. The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta and Jon Moxley)

I don't know that this show needed a six-man tag team match after we got an eight-man tag team earlier in the episode, especially since it was similar with the lack of stakes and the wrestling being fun and fast-paced. But hey, it ended the show on a high note and Death Riders didn't get their heat back after losing at All In, so I'm not complaining. Darby Allin staring down Moxley from afar confirms we're headed for that match soon, possibly as soon as Forbidden Door.

Overall Show​

If All In is going to be AEW's biggest pay-per-view of the year, that basically makes this edition of Dynamite their version of the post-WrestleMania Raw. No, it wasn't remotely as exciting on the whole and it wasn't as if there were any notable debuts or returns, but it was a thumbs-up episode, nonetheless. Stories were furthered, the wrestling was on par with what it usually is and it was an awesome atmosphere in the building AEW will have a residency in through the end of the month.

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