4/9/25 AEW Dynamite Recap

Apr 9, 2025 - by Michael Riba

Location: Balitmore, Maryland
Venue: Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Commentary Team: Excalibur, Taz, and Tony Schiavone

A pre-recorded promo from the Death Riders airs. Jon Moxley says AEW has the greatest roster in professional wrestling, but none of them want to do what matters. Moxley says they will go scorched-earth before they give an inch to anyone, and then says The Young Bucks have stumbled onto a board and don’t even know what game it is. Moxley tells the Bucks to be very careful.

Match 1 – Singles Match
Jon Moxley (w/Marina Shafir) vs. Katsuyori Shibata
They lock up and Moxley takes Shibata down a couple of times. Shibata counters out and goes for a waist-lock on the mat, but Moxley makes it to the ropes. Moxley backs Shibata into the corner and pie-faces him, but Shibata comes back with a slap to Moxley’s face. They exchange chops, and then Moxley kicks Shibata in the face a few times. Shibata isn’t fazed, and then drops Moxley with a heel trip. Shibata applies an abdominal stretch and goes into a flying octopus hold, but MOxley gets to the ropes. Shibata delivers a knee strike, and then kicks Moxley in the face before delivering shots in the corner. Shibata delivers a a low dropkick in the corner and goes for another, but Moxley drops him with a pair of clotheslines. Moxley goes for the cover, but Shibata kicks out at one. Moxley delivers a piledriver, but Shibata comes back with a PK. Shibata applies a sleeper, but Moxley counters into one of his own. Shibata counters with a snap-mare and applies a sleeper again. Moxley gouges Shibata’s eyes, then drops down into a rear-choke, and Shibata passes out.
Winner: Jon Moxley
-After the match, Moxley and Shafir go to leave, but The Young Bucks come to the ring. Shafir stands in between them and Moxley, and then Moxley and Shafir leave the ring. Nicholas Jackson says to give it up for Moxley and show respect to them. Nicholas says they did what they did to Swerve Strickland on Sunday for their friend, Adam Page, and then says they never forget who their friends are. Matthew Jackson says they consider what they did for Moxley and the Death Riders was a peace offering, because they have no problems with them. Matthew says they and the Death Riders want all of the same things, and then says imagine the synergy if the Death Riders and the Elite work together. Matthew invites the Death Riders out to discuss business, but Kenny Omega comes out instead.
Omega says if the Bucks did all of that before their best friends, they forgot about him. Omega says the last time they were around, they shoved him off the stretcher that was taking him to the hospital. Omega compares the Bucks to annoying little dogs that a friend of his used to have, and then says the Bucks almost killed the company that he almost gave his life for. Omega insults how the Bucks look now, and then says they can cut out the middle man and fight right now. Omega gets into the ring, but Kazuchika Okada comes to the ring, followed by Strickland, who comes from behind with a chair. Okada and The Bucks escape the ring, and then Omega and Strickland share a fist-bump before Omega leaves.
Strickland says it is Buck hunting season and he is ready to blast some EVPs. Strickland says he dealt with them last year, but then PAC attacks him from behind and chokes him with his boot in the corner as the show heads to a commercial.

Match 2 – Singles Match
PAC vs. Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana)
Back from the break, the bell rings and Strickland drops PAC with a kick to the face. Strickland delivers body shots and kicks in the corner, and then follows with Snake Eyes and abother boot to the face. Strickland sends PAC to the floor and slams him into the barricade a few times. Strickland slams PAC into the steps and gets him back into the ring. PAC comes back with a shoulder to Strickland’s midsection and goes for a hurricanrana, but Strickland counters with a Buckle Bomb. Strickland delivers a diving uppercut and PAC rolls to the outside as the doctor checks on him. PAC rolls bakc into the ring, but Strickland kicks him in the face again, and then delivers the Swerve Stomp for the pin fall.
Winner: Swerve Strickland

CRU, Ricochet, and The Beast Mortos are backstage. Ricochet says there is a lot he can do with $400,000, and he will lead Team Ricochet to victory tonight. The other guys look confused, and he says he is the captain now.

Kevin Knight, Mark Briscoe, Mike Bailey, and Will Ospreay cut their own promo, and they talk about splitting the money and what they will spend it on.

Footage of the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament airs, followed by the announcement for the upcoming matches. Backstage, Renee Paquette tries to interview Adam Page about his match on the men’s side next week, but he brushes by her and confronts Prince Nana. Page is looking for Strickland, but he isn’t there and Page tells Nana he didn’t do what he did at Dynasty for Strickland. Page says if Strickland gets involved in his match next week, he will pick things up where he left off with him. Page goes to leave, but Nana says he needs to say something to Page and has for the past year, but Page tells him that he doesn’t get to to that.

Match 3 – $400,000 Explosive Eight-Man Tag Team Match
CRU (Action Andretti and Lio Rush), Ricochet, and The Beast Mortos vs. Kevin Knight, Mark Briscoe, Mike Bailey, and Will Ospreay
Ricochet and Bailey start the match, but Ricochet tags out to Mortos. After some back and foth, Bailey drops Mortos with a hurricanrana. Ricochet tags back in, but backs away from Bailey and tags Rush into the match. Ospreay tags in, but Andretti distracts him and he gets triple-teamed in the corner. Ricochet tags back in and stomps on Ospreay with Andretti, but Ospreay fights out and all eight men get into the ring and brawl. Ospreay’s team delivers right hands to Ricochet’s team and clear the ring of all of them except Ricochet. They quadruple-team RIcochet before seding him to the floor, and then knock CRU back to the floor. Ospreay and Briscoe dive onto CRU, Knight dives onto Mortos, and then Bailey dives onto CRU. Ricochet tries to dive on Ospreay’s team, but they all dodge him and drop him with slaps to his head as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Bailey splashes down onto Mortos for a two count. Bailey delivers a few kicks, but Mortos comes back with a lung blower. Ricochet tags in and comes off the ropes, but Bailey dodges him. Ricochet delivers shots to the guys in the corner, but Bailey takes him down. The match breaks down, with CRU eventually double-teaming Knight for a bit. Ospreay comes back in and delivers a double kick to CRU, but Ricochet sends him to the floor. Bailey kicks Ricochet and goes for a knee-drop moonsault, but Ricochet dodges and delivers a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Briscoe takes Ricochet to the outside, and Bailey kicks Mortos in the face a few times. Briscoe and Bailey double-team Mortos, and then Ospreay drops him with an Os-cutter. Knight delivers the UFO Splash to Mortos and goes for the cover, but CRU and Ricochet break it up. Ospreay tags in and delivers the Hidden Blade to Mortos for the pin fall.
Winners: Kevin Knight, Mark Briscoe, Mike Bailey, and Will Ospreay

Footage of FTR turning on Cope after their match this past Sunday at Dynasty airs.

The Hurt Syndicate make their way to the ring. MVP says two more challengers stood up for an AEW World Tag Team Championship Match, and two more challengers got beat down. MVP proposes a toast to celebrate another title defense, but MJF interrupts. MJF says they hurt people, and then says this opportunity came at the perfect time. MJF says Tomy Khan wanted him in the Owen Hart Tournament, but now he gets to skip the line and get back his World title. MJF says he helped them retain the titles, and now they can help him. Lashley tells him to shut up and says MJF tried to help them this past weekend, but he didn’t get the job done. MJF and Lashley yell at each other before MVP and Shelton Benjamin get in between them. MVP says for MJF in order to join the Syndicate, he has to get three thumbs up. MVP puts his thumb up, but Benjamin puts his thumb down and shares a hug with Lashley. Benjamin and Lashley leave the ring, and then MVP shrugs his shoulders at MJF and follows them out.

Renee interviews Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford backstage. Ford says Bayne losing at Dynasty doesn’t change anything and says everything is just goint to get worse. Ford says Bayne will be at Collision and doesn’t care who or how many show up. Bayne says she will make them bow down.

Toni Storm joins the commentary team for the next match.

Match 4 – Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Quarterfinal Match
Kris Statlander vs. Thunder Rosa
Rosa takes Statlander down, but Statlander comes back with a side-headlock. Rosa sends her off the ropes, but Statlander drops her with a shoulder tackle. They go back and forth for a bit, and then Rosa drops Statlander with an arm-drag. Statlander comes back with a chop in the corner and an arm-drag of her own. Statlander follows with a dropkick and delivers an uppercut in the corner. Rosa comes back with a thrust kick, but Statlander dodges a low dropkick. Statlander goes for a senton back into the ring from the apron, but Rosa dodges and connects with the low dropkick. Rosa takes Statlander down on the outside and gets her back into the ring for a two count. Statlander comes back with a kick to the midsectio and a DDT, and Rosa rolls to the floor as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Rosa clubs Statlander in the back and pulls her back to the mat from the top rope. Rosa delivers forearm strikes and drops Statlander with a hurricanrana. Rosa delivers a Northern Lights suplex and goes for the cover, but Statlander kicks out at two. Rosa applies a rear choke, but Statlander counters out and delivers a powerbomb for a two count. Rosa comes back with a thrust kick and drops Statlander with an arm-drag. Rosa delivers a destroyer and goes for the cover, but Statlander kicks out at two. Rosa delivers a running knee strike and goes for the cover, but Statlander kicks out at two again. Rosa slaps Statlander and runs the ropes, but Statlander drops her with a clothesline. Statlander delivers Staturday Night Fever and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Kris Statlander
-After the match, Statlander helps Rosa to her feet, and Rosa leaves the ring.

Backstage, Don Callis is with Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher. Callis says all roads are pointing to them meeting in the finals of the Owen Hart Tournament and hypes them up. Callis says his Family has suffered injuries recently, so they are accepting applications for new members.

Backstage, Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong cut a promo. O’Reilly says they have been chasing moments in AEW, and it has started with the AEW TNT Championship. Strong says it’s about time they have their moment, and Cole says they will. Cole says he has been through hell and back the last two years, and now he is the face of TNT. Cole says this is just the start for the three of them, because it is a new era. Cole says they are the Paradigm, and that is undisputed.

Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring for an edition of “TV Time.” Jericho says he is no longer the ROH World Champion, but he has to give credit to Bandido for pulling it off. Jericho says Bandido did it with the help of his family, but he has his own family. Jericho introduces Big Bill and Bryan Keith. Jericho says he was hoping all three of them would have championships tonight, but they also lost their match at Dynasty. Bill stops him and says he already knows what Jericho is going to say. Bill says he knows Jericho is angry, because they are angry too. Bill says he has been getting angry a lot lately, and says Jericho needs to hear this. Bill hypes Jericho up, and says he joined the Learning Tree because he wanted to learn from him. Bill says he did not sign up to be Jericho’s punching bag when things go wrong.
Bill tells Jericho to teach them something, but if he is going to berate them he needs to let him know right now so he can leave. Bill says Keith feels the exact same way and Jericho gets in Keith’s face and asks him if he does. Jericho says he believes in them and he hand-picked them. Jericho says he doesn’t have to help anybody in AEW if he doesn’t, but he wants to help them. Jericho says some people are saying it is their fault that he lost the ROH World Championship, but he’s not. Jericho says he is not angry, he is just disappointed, and then begins breaking the TV in the ring with his baseball bat. Jericho says he is disappointed in them and until they change that, it is best that he leaves.

Footage of Anthony Bowens answering Max Caster’s open challenge on the Dynasty Zero Hour airs. Bowens will take on Blake Christian this Saturday on Collision.

Alicia Atout is backstage with the Hurt Syndicate. Lashley says everyone knows MJF is not to be trusted, and he doesn’t like him. Lashley says they don’t need him, and Benjamin says they don’t need anybody. Benjamin says it is kind of funny, but Lashley walks away. Benjamin goes after him and MJF walks in. MJF asks MVP why he is getting treated by a punk bitch, and MVP says MJF’s reputation precedes him. MVP tells MJF to find out what the Syndicate wants and then give it to them.

Outside the arena, Jericho continues to break stuff with his bat before getting in his car and leaving.

Match 5 – Tag Team Match
The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta) vs. The Opps (Hook and Samoa Joe)
Yuta and Joe start the match. Joe applies a wrist-lock and takes Yuta down. Yuta comes back with an elbow strike, but Joe chases him out of the ring. Yuta gets back into the ring and tags in Castagnoli. Castagnoli kicks Joe in the midsection and follows with uppercuts, but Joe comes back with a chop and quick right jabs. Joe sends Castagnoli to the corner and connects with a back elbow and an enzuigiri. Hook tags in, but Castagnoli clubs him in the back and delivers a scoop slam. Yuta tags in and dives, but Hook backs away and delivers a series of German suplexes. Joe tags back in and delivers jabs and chops to Yuta in the corner. Joe slams Yuta on his back and drops an elbow before tagging Hook back in. Hook delivers body shots in the corner and sends Yuta to the apron. Hook knocks Yuta to the floor, but Yuta pulls him out. Hook kicks Yuta in the face a few times, but Castagnoli stomps on Hook as the show heads to a commercial.
Back from the break, Hook delivers elbows to Yuta and follows with an arm-drag, but Yuta comes back with a side suplex and gets a two count. Castagnoli tags in, but Hook delivers elbow strikes to him and Yuta. Castagnoli delivers knee strikes, but Hook takes him down. Yuta tags in and knocks Joe to the floor, but Hook drops Yuta with an overhead throw. Castagnoli tags back in and delivers an uppercut to Hook for a two count. Castagnoli and Yuta double-team Hook after Yuta tags back in. Yuta comes off the top and goes for the cover, but Hook kicks out a two. Castagnoli slams Joe into the barricade, but Joe comes back and slams Castagnoli on top of the barricade. Hook gets Yuta in Redrum, but Moxley runs out and distracts Hook. Yuta gouges Hook’s eyes and Moxley grabs a chair, but Shibata runs out and puts Moxley in a rear choke. Hook locks Yuta in Redrum again and Joe locks Castagnoli in the Coquina Clutch on the outside as Yuta taps in the ring.
Winners: The Opps
-After the match, Shafir gets into the ring and hits Joe in the knee with a chair. Yuta and Castagnoli join in on the attack, and Shibata tries to make the save. Shibata gets beaten down, and then a chair is set up with the legs pointed up. Castagnoli delivers the Neutralizer to Hook on the chair, and then the Death Riders leave through the crowd as Joe stares them down. Joe calls the Riders cowardly sons-a-bitches, and says the Opps came to Baltimore to give them a fist fight. Joe says it looks like the Riders are running scared, and then says they are coming for the Trios Championship. Joe and Shibata help Hook to his feet and they leave the ring as the show comes to a close.

Announced for this Saturday’s Collision
-Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Brody King vs. Konosuke Takeshita
-Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Athena vs. Harley Cameron
-Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Billie Starkz vs. Jamie Hayter
-Anthony Bowens vs. Blake Christian
-We will hear from FTR

Announced for next Wednesday’s Dynamite Spring Breakthru
-Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Quarterfinal Match: Adam Page vs. the wild card
-Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament – Semifinal Match: Mercedes Mone vs. Athena/Harley Cameron winner

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