AEW Dynamite

This week, Swerve Strickland will face Killswitch, presented by HBO's House of the Dragon. A Casino Gauntlet match will decide who challenges for the AEW World Championship at FORBIDDEN DOOR.





– We kick off live inside the Kia Forum in L.A., as Excalibur welcomes us to the show while the theme or Mercedes Mone immediately hits.

Out comes "The CEO" for her TBS Women's Championship Celebration. As she heads to the ring, we see highlights of her title victory over Willow Nightingale from the AEW Double Or Nothing 2024 pay-per-view over the weekend. She settles inside the squared circle and does her little overly-confident hip-swivel dance to "The CEO!" chant of her theme. It's already played out. That one.

Mone starts off by saying she already told us "Mone changes everything." She talks about AEW celebrating their five-year anniversary, as well as the in-ring return of the greatest of all-time, "Me!" She's trying to be a heel, but the crowd is into the "CEO! CEO!" chant in L.A. tonight. She talks about how she knew Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander would turn on her.

As she continues talking, she is cut off by Skye Blue on the big screen. She reveals that she was the one behind the mystery lights out backstage attack on Mone several weeks ago. She appears live in the ring behind Mone out of nowhere, lays her out and kneels on her throat holding her TBS Women's Championship up high in the air. She walks off to wrap up the opening segment.

We see The Young Bucks arriving to the building as the commentators run down the lineup for tonight. Highlights are shown of the violent spectacle that was Anarchy in the Arena at AEW Double Or Nothing, which the Bucks and The Elite won. Highlights of the other top matches on the show are shown too, ending with Swerve's defense of the AEW title over Christian Cage.

Swerve Strickland vs. Killswitch

Back inside the Kia Forum, we see the House of Dragons logo on the screen. The fans do the "Who's House?" / "Swerve's House!" organic chant and then on cue, Swerve's theme hits, Prince Nana comes out doing his always-entertaining goofy-ass(ed) dance to bring out the AEW World Champion for our first match of the evening.

Swerve settles in the ring and his catchy-ass tune wraps up. The theme for Killswitch plays and out he comes looking like half a Road Warrior combined with Swamp Thing. The bell sounds and off we go with our first match of this week's show. Swerve starts off strong, but once the action spills out to the floor, Killswitch takes over. Fans get on his case with "Luchasaurus!" chants.

As the action resumes back inside the ring with Killswitch in a comfortable offensive lead, Excalibur talks us into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see Swerve fight back into the lead and hit a Swerve Stomp for the closest two-count maybe ever. He blasts Killswitch with a kick and then finishes him off for real this time for the win in a good opener. After the match, Swerve cuts a lock of Killswitch's hair off.

Winner: Swerve Strickland

– When we return, Tony Schiavone stands up from his seat at the commentary desk to announce per Tony Khan that Mercedes Mone will make the first defense of her TBS Women's title tonight against Skye Blue. We then shoot to a backstage straight-to-camera promo segment with IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley. He talks about his arm not being 100% for his title eliminator bout tonight against Rocky Romero.

– Back inside the arena, Big Bill is in the ring, which is decked out with the set of the new "TV Time with 'The Learning Tree' Chris Jericho" talk show segment. Bill gives him the big introduction and out comes the single-longest "For The World" Champion of ALL-TIMES. The set for this is a giant, corny looking paper cut out tree, as well as an insanely, absurdly expensive Jeri-tron 5,000. He starts by asking, "Who wants more TV Time? I know I do!"

After he and Bill goof off for a minute or so about nothing, they bring out "The Bounty Hunter" Bryan Keith, who babbles about the fans not showing Jericho the proper amount of respect. HOOK's theme hits and Taz mentions how play time is over. HOOK comes out, as does Samoa Joe. They end up leaving together before anything happens, to the confusion of everyone except Jericho, who gives one final big "Thanks guys!"

E– xcalibur sets up a video package for CMLL's Stephanie Rakur, who is coming for her AEW debut. The video wraps up and Excalibur quickly hypes The Forbidden Door season being in full effect. "Wild Thing" then plays and IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley makes his custom entrance through the crowd with his shoulder in a sling and taped up. He settles in the ring for his IWGP title eliminator bout against Rocky Romero.

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator: Jon Moxley (C) vs. Rocky Romero

Rocky Romero's theme hits and out he comes looking all-business. As much as you can with one eye covered by a patch, that is. The bell sounds and Romero wastes no time, charging across the ring and drop kicking Mox right in his injured, taped up arm. Mox fights back as we head into an early mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see Romero working submission attempts on the weakened arm of the IWGP champ.

Mox avoids being finished off with a straight arm bar attempt by Romero. He tries countering into the bulldog choke, but Romero hangs on. Moments later, Mox connects with his Death Rider finisher with one arm and scores the pin fall victory. Much like Konosuke Takeshita on Sunday, a second title eliminator bout involving Mox results in no one earning a title shot. We shoot to HOOK and Samoa Joe, who make a brief statement before walking off together as we head to a break.

Winner: Jon Moxley

– When we return, Don Callis comes to the ring and as always, gets the Dominik Mysterio treatment from the crowd. Orange Cassidy comes out and Callis offers him a contract to join the Don Callis Family. Cassidy turns it down. Callis isn't happy. Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander come out and accept Callis' offer on behalf of their "Best Friend."

Trent appears behind Cassidy wearing all black with a bow tie. He attacks and busts Cassidy open. He gives Callis the Best Friends hug and poses over Cassidy. Callis gets in some cheap shot stomps on Cassidy but hurts his foot in the process. Poor guy. The fans chant "Assh*le!" as Callis and Trent walk off as Cassidy is left in a pool of his blood.

– Will Ospreay vs. Kyle O'Reilly for the AEW International Championship is announced for this week's episode of AEW Collision. Backstage, Daddy Magic and Daniel Garcia are standing by with Renee Paquette. Garcia expresses interest in taking the International title from "The Aerial Assassin." Back inside the arena, Justin Roberts begins the ring introductions for our TBS Women's title bout.

TBS Women's Championship Match: Mercedes Mone (C) vs. Skye Blue

Mercedes Mone's theme hits and out comes "The CEO" for her first title defense. She settles in the ring and her music dies down. The theme for Skye Blue hits and out she comes. The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. After some early back-and-forth action, we see Blue pull into the offensive lead as we head to a mid-match break.

When we return, see Blue dominating the action still, however Mone starts to fight back into competitive form. Mone eventually gets her finisher for the win. After the match, CMLL champion Stephanie Vaquer comes out and raises her title high while staring down Mone in the ring, who is holding her title high. Backstage, Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander cut a quick heel promo and then we head into another break.

Winner and STILL TBS Women's Champion: Mercedes Mone

– When we return, we see an elaborate video package hyping the AEW return of MJF from the AEW Double Or Nothing 2024 pay-per-view. Back live, the theme for The Young Bucks hits and out comes AEW EVP's Matthew and Nicholas Jackson fresh off of The Elite victory at Anarchy in the Arena at AEW Double Or Nothing.

The two make their way to the ring for their scheduled segment, where they will address the future of the TNT Champion after Adam Copeland injured himself in the Barbed Wire Steel Cage match at AEW Double Or Nothing. We hear the coin drop and then Kazuchika Okada comes out. "The Scapegoat" Jack Perry also comes out and all of The Elite head to the ring together.

Okada starts things off on the mic, saying in broken English, "Shut up b*tches!" Jack Perry sounds off next. "Let's get one thing straight, The Elite runs this sh*t!" He talks about being set on fire at Anarchy in the Arena. They say they come barring gifts. They tell Okada it's a small gift. They show a Lambo arrive to the building. Okada gets comically choked up.

The Young Bucks lead fans in a "You deserve it!" chant as Okada cries out, "I love you guys!" Jackson brings up Copeland's injury and feels responsible, because he told him at Gorilla position, "Break a leg!" before going out. They say they have to make difficult decisions as EVPs. They announce "the network is all over our case" for a new champion. They strip Copeland of the title.

They say they have the perfect new TNT Champion. The man who scored the pin fall over Bryan Danielson at Forbidden Door. They go to declare Jack Perry as the new TNT Champion. Before they can finish, Christopher Daniels comes out and says Tony Khan has named him the new Interim EVP. Daniels says the next few weeks there will be qualifying matches with no outside interference.

The winners will go on to Forbidden Door to wrestle for the vacant TNT title in a ladder match. At AEW Rampage the first qualifying match will take place. The Elite head off to attack him until The Acclaimed theme hits. The two sides have a big stand off at ringside to end this segment. Swerve cuts a quick promo and then we head to another commercial break.

Forbidden Door Casino Gauntlet

When we return from the break, MJF's return is announced for next week's AEW Dynamite. Backstage, RUSH cuts an extremely quick promo where he calls out MJF and says his "Mess with the bull, get the horns" catchphrase. PAC and Jay White make their way out to the ring as it's time for the Forbidden Door Casino Gauntlet for the AEW Championship shot at the next PPV.

The bell sounds and off we go. These two mix it up a bit and then the next competitor in the gauntlet, CMLL's Mistico, comes out. He hits some high spots and then we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues in this match, which can feature up to 21 participants until a finish is determined.

As we return, Will Ospreay and then Shota Umino come out as the next competitors in this Forbidden Door Casino Gauntlet. Claudio Castagnoli also comes out as the action continues both in and out of the ring with the remaining competitors. Claudio chases Jay White around the ring, stopping to clobber PAC.

Castagnoli does the Big Swing to White to the delight of the crowd as we settle into yet another mid-match commercial break. As we return, Lio Rush's theme hits and out he comes to join the match as fans chant "Lio! Lio!" He mixes it up with the talent in the ring a bit and then Orange Cassidy comes out to a big pop as the next entrant.

Hechicero comes out after that as another CMLL representative. Juice Robinson runs out to provide an assist for Jay White. He looks for the Bladerunner on Cassidy, but Ospreay takes him out. He picks up Cassidy for a Storm Breaker but Cassidy counters into a pin attempt.

Ospreay kicks out and follows up with a big shot for the win. He will challenge Swerve for the AEW Championship at Forbidden Door. Swerve comes out after the match and stares down his next challenger as AEW Rampage matches are rapid-fire announced. That's how this week's show goes off the air.

Winner and NEW No. 1 Contender to AEW Championship: Will Ospreay