This episode of AEW Dynamite was a huge improvement from other episodes this year, and despite a few problems was well paced, exciting and consequential. The show had two killer matches in the All Star Tag Match and Ricochet/Swerve, as well as excellent performances from Harley Cameron, MVP, Colten Gunn, Hangman Page and Dustin Rhodes. Ospreay/Davis also delivered well and the crowd were strong throughout. It wasn’t all perfect, with the Toni Storm performance not landing for me and some promos not always reaching the expected standard, but this did a good job of culminating and advancing feuds up and down the card. A very proficient and promising episode ahead of Grand Slam.
Tonight on AEW Dynamite, Swerve Strickland finally gets his hands on Ricochet after weeks of torment. Will Ospreay is also set to face a mystery member of the Don Callis Family in singles action. Elsewhere on the card, ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm returns, and Brody King and Buddy Matthews take on Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher. Let’s get at it!
We opened with a fun brawl between Rated-FTR + Jay White against The Death Riders. It was standard stuff but ended seemingly in the setup for a no holds barred tag for Grand Slam. Nice tidings for the feud here, even if the make-up of matches was structured slightly oddly with Moxley responding to one challenge but not the other.
GREAT Will Ospreay vs Mark Davis
Its funny how Ospreay’s style of high octane epic’s mean that when he has a smaller scale tv match they come across rather slight. It was nice to see Davis working the heelish style and while the Callis link is a bit convenient this week I’ll forgive it. This was a good match that followed a basic Ospreay formula, got over Davis’ heel power game before the Ospreay comeback and win with the Hidden Blade. Good work and chemistry from both but I think unlike Ospreay’s TV match with Fletcher there is a lot more on the table here for an even better Ospreay Davis rematch which I would like to see!
Result: Will Ospreay by Pinfall via Hidden Blade
David Sheldon WR Star Rating – 3.75 Stars
AVERAGE Will Ospreay/Kenny Omega Promo
I love both of these guys, but this was a rare miss from the pair. Inconsequential, rambling and not very well delivered, this was poorly structured as a physical segment and a verbal promo. The Callis family were like Barbie Dolls moving around the camera to suit the segments whims which made them look bizarre and like an afterthought, disappearing before Kenny’s pyro. It didn’t make me any less excited by any means and both men are affable enough to make nothing at least feel a little more exciting, but it just didn’t hit nearly as intended and felt superfluous to the show.
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 2.75 Stars
A very good recap video for Swerve vs Ricochet, even if I noticed Ricochet looks like the Righteous’ secret 3rd member in the white suit.
GREAT The Hurt Syndicate Promo
Despite MVP’s best efforts, Private Party’s reign still unfortunately feels like a black mark against the tag division, so now begins the attempt to rebuild. This was good ergonomical storytelling, introducing the champions, then the returning challengers, simple motivations on both sides and the deal is set. MVP was the best in this segment, with Colten Gunn also delivering a fantastic performance. They led the segment, which is a good thing because Austin’s interjection did nothing to help it. Colten’s passion and fury did not at all match Austin’s cheesy delivery and facials, leaving him the odd man out. Enjoy both men as performers, but I would advise getting on the same page as to the segment tone and letting the reliable Colten lead the way.
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.5 Stars
Harley Cameron continues to prove she is a genius and that I’ve never been more wrong about anyone ever as she cut a hilarious promo on Mercedes Mone. Her body language, comedic timing and contrast to Mercedes is superb and I want nothing more now than her to be pushed to the moon. Currently the funniest performer in wrestling.
From the best comedic performer to the best dramatic performer, another amazing backstage promo from Hangman Page, skirting around last weeks issues and going after Max Caster. Caster’s character is solid right now as an over-confident jobber and Hangman switched from dramatic to comedic register with great ease that never compromised his character. Very impressive work.
AMAZING The Hounds Of Hell vs Don Callis Family
When I saw the names Brody King, Buddy Matthews, Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher on paper, I drooled with excitement. Thankfully I was not disappointed. 15 minutes of top quality wrestling, with the stall immediately set from the beginning. Matthews and Fletcher wowed with technical wrestling before Takeshita and King came in for meaty strong style. This then mixed and match to clash styles beautifully, with each man able to adapt with great skill. Innovative sequences, impeccable fundamentals and very strong psychology made this technically the best match of the night, even without the story there as strong. Okada’s music didn’t really work as a distraction spot, but nonetheless the action was excellent and a match like this should be on every episode of Dynamite.
Result: Kyle Fletcher by Pinfall via Assisted Brainbuster
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 4.25 Stars
Hook and Samoa Joe look for Christian Cage backstage, but find Kip and Nick instead, beating up both men. Cage and Martha are shown to be slimy cowards, hiding from the attack then feigning innocence. Fun character advancement but I would like every one of these guys to be moving on to something else.
AMAZING MJF/Dustin Rhodes Promo
Lots of moving parts to this segment. Firstly we had MJF running down Jeff Jarett in a solid but unremarkable way, much in line with what he’s said before. He is interrupted by Max Caster who is run off by Hangman, but not before a staredown between MJF and Page which continues to build nicely and slowly. Then out came Dustin Rhodes to cut a promo with more fire than anything MJF or Jarrett have produced in the last month, to immediately fire me up. They may do very little with Dustin, but he can sell you a match like few can. MJF resorted to cheap retorts which led to a pull apart brawl. This was a good performance from MJF elevated by an amazing turn from Dustin, injecting so much life into the segment by his prescence and making a good segment into a really great one.
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 4 Stars
GOOD Toni Storm vs Queen Aminata
Before the match it was announced that Toni would be playing Mariah in this match. Toni looked the part and made a few astute observations as to Mariah’s movement, but I think this idea was better on paper than in execution. The crowd, usually in love with Toni, didn’t seem to connect with her here, with more audible chants for Aminata than for Storm. The work was good between the ropes, but the whole gimmick came across more lame than I think it should’ve, which I think a lack of crowd reaction facilitated.
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3.25 Stars
GOOD The Learning Tree Promo
A totally fine promo here from Jericho setting up the returning Bandido against Bryan Keith on Collision. Big Bill and Hobbs then had a really fun brawl that brought their very fun Collision feud to the Wednesday show. Wish more hadn’t been cut in the ad break though as we cut from the ringside to the back, missing a good chunk of brawling.
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 3 Stars
AMAZING Ricochet vs Swerve Strickland
This started out at 10 and never let up, with an immediate chair to the back from Ricochet into a Vertigo for a near fall. Shame this didn’t get the reaction from the crowd that match that followed got. They got hugely into the back and forth sequences here, and while occasionally botchy it was wrestled at an excellent pace, with good ebbs and flows in tempo where necessary. Some really brutal spots like a power bomb to the barricade mixed with fun athletic displays. A needed heel win for Ricochet in an inventive finish. The story of this match combined with the strong, if not always perfectly clean action led to the tied highest rated overall match on the card.
David Sheldon WR Star Rating- 4.25 Stars
Overall…
This episode of AEW Dynamite was a huge improvement from other episodes this year, and despite a few problems was well paced, exciting and consequential. The show had two killer matches in the All Star Tag Match and Ricochet/Swerve, as well as excellent performances from Harley Cameron, MVP, Colten Gunn, Hangman Page and Dustin Rhodes. Ospreay/Davis also delivered well and the crowd were strong throughout. It wasn’t all perfect, with the Toni Storm performance not landing for me and some promos not always reaching the expected standard, but this did a good job of culminating and advancing feuds up and down the card. A very proficient and promising episode ahead of Grand Slam.
Matches: 0.75/1 Stars
Show Structure: 0.75/1 Stars
Atmosphere: 0.75/1 Stars
Storytelling: 0.75/1 Stars
Production/Theme: 0.75/1 Stars
Overall Rating: 3.75/5 Stars
Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling – February 5th 2025
For inquiries about the rating criteria check out the article announcing the new system here :
