AEW Dynamite – “Maximum Carnage”
January 15, 2025
By: John Siino
The Andrew J Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentary: Excalibur, Taz & Tony Schiavone
RESULTS
- Kenny Omega over Brian Cage via pinfall (11:50) (Recommended)
- The Hurt Syndicate over Mark Briscoe & Private Party via pinfall (9:25)
- Hook over Christian Cage via disqualification (11:39)
- Toni Storm wins Casino Gauntlet via pinfall on Julia Hart (13:22)
- AEW World Title: Jon Moxley (c) over Powerhouse Hobbs via referee stoppage (13:07)
Excalibur welcomes back Taz and calls ‘Maximum Carnage’ a Pay-Per-View caliber show tonight before we get a video package for tonight’s matches. It is a much smaller venue here than usual, but it makes for a more intimate and louder atmosphere.
Brian Cage vs. Kenny Omega
Excalibur calls this match 13 months in the making as Don Callis goes and joins the commentary table, with Lance Archer by his side. Callis says he was trying to congratulate Kenny Omega last week before Omega attacked him. Cage starts the match in control, keeping Omega in the corner with shoulder blocks as the crowd chants ‘Fuck Don Callis’. Omega sends Cage to the outside and goes for the Terminator dive, but gets stopped by Archer who climbs onto the apron, giving Cage enough time to take out Omega with a clothesline. Cage starts attacking Omega on the outside, press-slamming him onto the commentary table as Omega is busted open now. Cage distracts Rick Knox as Callis & Archer continue to attack Omega as we go to picture-in-picture.
We return with Cage still in control, until they start fighting on the ramp where Cage catches Omega and sends him back into the ring with a powerbomb followed by an F5 for a two. Cage goes to the top rope, as Omega springboards off the ropes and powerbombs him off before hitting him with a knee for two. V-Trigger from Omega before he sets him up and hits the One-Winged Angel for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kenny Omega by pinfall at 11:50
As soon as the match is over, Kyle Fletcher runs in and along with Archer, attacks Kenny Omega attacking his gut. Will Ospreay runs out and takes out Fletcher before him and Omega double-team on Archer, with Ospreay hitting him with the Hidden Blade. As Ospreay goes after Fletcher on the outside, Konosuke Takeshita runs in and starts brawling with Omega, just for Fletcher to run back in and help Takeshita. Ospreay runs in yet again but gets taken out by Fletcher & Takeshita, hitting them with the Raging Fire & a brainbuster.
We get a video package from The Hurt Syndicate where MVP says that for the first time in two and a half years, MVP is taking off the suit and lacing up the boots. I guess he means on national television, as he competed twice in late 2024.
New York Minute
We get another ‘New York Minute’ segment from Chris Jericho who hypes up one of the ‘biggest, most anticipated matches in AEW Collision history’ with The Learning Tree & Death Riders vs. Rated FTR, The Outrunners & Powerhouse Hobbs. Jericho says he’s known Jon Moxley for a long time and he guarantees they can be on the same page.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
Justin Roberts tells the crowd to show some love for Ricochet, who makes his way out to the ring and gets ‘bald’ chants that turn into chants for Swerve. Ricochet has the golden scissors in his front coat pocket as he tells the crowd to quiet down. Ricochet finally talks and says a picture is worth a thousand words before throwing to Ricochet over a bloody Swerve Strickland from his attack a couple of weeks ago. Swerve’s music hits as Prince Nana runs in behind Ricochet and takes him out with a chair. Swerve makes his way to the ring with a chain and goes to attack Ricochet, but he escapes and runs out through the crowd and out the exit outside where it’s snowing.
Mone’ Changes Everything
We see a video package for Mercedes Mone’ and her recent media tour, as well as a shopping spree and training in the ring. She ends by asking who’s ready to go next with her and says that money changes everything.
The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin & MVP) vs. Mark Briscoe & Private Party (Zay & Quen)
As soon as the bell rings, The Hurt Syndicate starts attacking all of their opponents, as MVP is attacking Mark Briscoe in the corner as the other four are fighting on the outside. MVP stays in control and sends Briscoe outside where Shelton Benjamin attacks him against the ring and barricade, as we go to break.
When we return, MVP does the Ballin’ elbow drop, as Private Party hasn’t entered the match at all yet. On cue, Zay tags in along with Benjamin and goes after him with a dropkick. Briscoe & Private Party stay in control for a bit, attacking Benjamin in the corner but Bobby Lashley stops their momentum with a spear. Benjamin takes out Quen with a superkick to get the pin and the win.
Winners: The Hurt Syndicate (Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley & MVP) by pinfall at 9:25
They announce that next week it will be Cope vs. PAC on Dynamite before we get a video package for Rated FTR where they explain how close they are to each other. They also announced that in three weeks, it’ll be Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet on February 5th’s episode of Dynamite in Atlanta.
Jeff Jarrett & MJF
Jeff Jarrett makes his way to the ring and says the last few weeks have been humbling for him, but he immediately gets cut off by MJF’s music. MJF says that Jarrett has yet to learn the definition of the word ‘humbling’ as he dared to turn MJF’s help down. Jarrett says that MJF was too lazy to enter the Casino Gauntlet himself, as MJF snaps at him for being interrupted. MJF says if he retired today he’d be in the Hall of Fame and then starts to school everyone here on the real legacy of the Last Outlaw and says Jeff Jarrett is the ‘last’ thing you see before your favorite wrestling company dies.
MJF says that Jarrett is the definition of a pro wrestling grim reaper and his career is enough to make him want to drink, before saying he took it way too far with Jarrett calling him a raging alcoholic before correcting himself and saying ‘recovering alcoholic’. MJF says he will send Jarrett back to rehab where he belongs but tells him to make sure his ‘sexy MILF of a wife sticks around’ as he’s a fan of her but when he’s done he’ll ship her back to Jarrett so he can find out what himself and an Olympic Gold Medalist’s balls taste like that. Jarrett calls everything MJF said crude and stupid but it’s all been done before a thousand of times. Jarrett knows the best time of his years is behind him, but last year in the Owen Hart Foundation the fans opened up a desire in him he didn’t know he still had. He’s going to keep the fire going as it’ll keep him on track to become the AEW World Champion. Jarrett says MJF didn’t hurt his feelings, because he was him before MJF was himself as he did everything he did before him and better than him. Jarrett says he doesn’t know if MJF is a dumbass or a scumbag, but knowing where he comes from it’s all of the above. Jarrett talks about MJF’s ‘tough upbringing’ being raised by a call girl mother and says when his dad knocked his mom up, she still made him ‘pay for that shit’. Jarrett keeps going on with the insults for MJF’s moms before saying that MJF will be a one-hit-wonder. MJF says he didn’t need his daddy to help him and says he’s the reason for all the ticket sales and says he was the best in the world until he got screwed out of his championship. MJF says that no wrestling fan has ever given a shit about Jarrett and just because he was best friends with Owen Hart, he thinks he’s owed a grand finale. He sees right through Jarrett and calls him a ‘carny succubus’ and a leech riding the coattails of his deceased fan. MJF says that Jarrett must not like when he talks about his old pal Owen, which prompts Jarrett to go after MJF until security runs out to try and stop them. Karen Jarrett runs out, but MJF uses her as a shield before running away.
They announced that Kazuchika Okada will defend the AEW Continental Championship against Tomohiro Ishii this Saturday on Collision before showing a video package for it.
Christian Cage (w/ Mother Wayne) vs. Hook
As Christian Cage is making his way out, Hook attacks him from behind before they enter the ring to start the match. Christian escapes and tries to leave for the back, but Hook runs after him to bring him back in. Christian tries to beg Hook off and call him in for a hug, but Hook takes him out with a belly-to-belly suplex. Christian goes out to regroup with Mother Wayne as we go to break.
They take it to the outside where Christian starts to attack Hook in between the steel steps and the ramp, as Nick Wayne, Kip Sabian & Katsuyori Shibata have now made their way down ringside as well. Hook stops a spear attempt with a knee, but then gets hit with a spear anyway just to kick out at one. Hook stays on top with suplexes and attacks Christian in the corner, before hitting a Fisherman’s Suplex for two. Christian gets out of a Redrum attempt and sends Hook to the outside where he hits Shibata with a reverse DDT. Back inside the ring, Hook escapes from a Killswitch attempt and puts on the Redrum, just for Sabian & Wayne to enter the ring and attack Hook causing a disqualification.
Winner: Hook by disqualification at 11:39
Samoa Joe Returns
The Patriarchy goes to attack Hook with chairs, as Taz gets up from commentary and teases helping Hook. We then hear Samoa Joe’s music as he makes his return and takes out Wayne & Sabian, while Christian escapes. Shibata joins in on the attack on Sabian as Christian watches on.
We get a recap of last week’s men’s Casino Gauntlet where The Undisputed Kingdom tease going after gold as Daniel Garcia says anyone can try to get it from him.
Outlaws Never Die
Renee Paquette is in the back with Jeff Jarrett and tries to get a response to what happened tonight with MJF, but Dustin Rhodes interrupts and says MJF doesn’t know a thing about all the years that people like him and Jarrett have gone through. Rhodes says that he’s 110% behind Jarrett’s dream of becoming AEW World Champion and MJF doesn’t know the things they’ve been through and he doesn’t have a clue. Rhodes reminds Jarrett that he’s a 12-time World Champion and that outlaws never die and says he and Jarrett are the last of their kind.
Casino Gauntlet Match
Mariah May makes her way out to join commentary as the winner of this match will face her for the AEW Women’s World Championship at Grand Slam Australia next month. Kris Statlander enters at number one, as Jamie Hayter is number two. The graphic shows that Grand Slam Australia will take place during the Collision slot on TNT and Max on February 15th at 8 pm EST. Out at number three is Megan Bayne finally making her AEW Dynamite debut after last appearing on AEW Dark in 2021. May shows fear in her voice asking why is she even here and asks someone to check Tony Khan’s social media to see if she got a graphic. Julia Hart comes out at number four and gets attacked by Hayter before she can enter as we head to break.
When we return, Willow Nightingale is out at number five and goes after Bayne before she and Statlander go at it. Toni Storm is out at number six as the crowd chants for the ‘rookie’. We see some crazy fast offense including Statlander diving from the ramp before it’s just Hart & Hayter in the ring as Harley Cameron comes out at number seven. Cameron ducks the Hayterade and gets hit with mist from Hart to the face. During all this confusion, Storm rolls up Hart to get the pin and the win.
Winner: Toni Storm by pinfall at 13:22
AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley (c) (w/ Marina Shafir) vs. Powerhouse Hobbs
As the bell rings, PAC & Claudio Castagnoli show up as well and start surrounding the ring, but they don’t stick around for long. Powerhouse Hobbs goes right after Jon Moxley in the corner with punches. They take it the outside, where Moxley hits Hobbs with a tope before they start brawling into the crowd. Back inside, Hobbs drives Moxley into the corner, before they head to the top rope where Hobbs starts biting Moxley’s ear. Hobbs knocks Moxley off the apron as we head to a break.
When we return, Moxley tosses Hobbs to the outside where Shafir is there to attack him. We see Moxley is bleeding profusely from his ear, as Hobbs takes him down with a pair of clotheslines before splashing him in the corner. Hobbs hits a power slam from the ropes, but Moxley quickly turns it into a cross-armbreaker, before Hobbs reaches for the rope. The blood is now all over the ring as Wheeler Yuta runs out and takes out Hobbs with a Busaiku Knee as Moxley has the referee distracted. Hobbs comes right back with a spinebuster and tries a backbreaker, but Moxley escapes. As the referee has his back turned again, Shafir hits Hobbs with the briefcase. Moxley hits a Paradigm Shift for two, before putting on the Bulldog choke before the referee calls off the match.
Winner: Jon Moxley by referee stoppage at 13:07, to retain
The Death Riders all run in and start attacking Hobbs, targeting his injured knee with chair shots before they wrap the chair around his knee and jump on it. Cope’s music hits as he and FTR run out to chase away the Death Riders.
Collision ‘Maximum Carnage’ (1/18)
- AEW Continental Title: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Tomohiro Ishii
- Texas Death Match: Adam Page vs. Christopher Daniels
- The Learning Tree & Death Riders vs. Rated FTR, The Outrunners & Powerhouse Hobbs
Dynamite (1/22)
- Cope vs. PAC
Dynamite (2/5)
- Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet
Grand Slam Australia (2/15)
- AEW Women’s World Title: Mariah May (c) vs. Toni Storm
- Airing during the Collision time slot on TNT & Max
