AEW Dynamite: Spring Break Thru Live Coverage - April 16th, 2025

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AEW Dynamite

This week, Death Riders must defend their trios titles against The Opps. Hurt Syndicate puts their tag team titles up against the Gates of Agony. The Owen Hart Foundation Tournament continues as Konosuke Takeshita battles Will Ospreay and Mercedes Moné faces Athena. Also, can Hangman Adam Page prepare for his wildcard opponent?


:aew:

– The show kicks off inside the building in Boston, MA. with Excalibur and Tony Schiavone running down the lineup for the show.

They announce that HOOK was attacked before the show and is out of the AEW Trios title tilt later in the evening. Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata will still challenge The Death Riders for the gold by themselves.

They also reveal that due to HOOK being hospitalized due to the attack, Taz is not here, and they will be calling the show alone.

Owen Hart Cup Semifinals: Mercedes Mone vs. Athena

Inside the building, the familiar sounds of Mercedes Mone's theme hits and out comes the TBS Champion for the opening contest. The Boston crowd, who were the first to welcome her to AEW at the Big Business special for her debut, give her a big pop coming out.

She settles inside the squared circle and does her little dance. Her music dies down and then the theme hits to bring out "The Fallen Goddess" Athena. The ROH Women's World Champion heads down and settles in the ring as well.

The bell sounds and fans break out in a loud "Holy sh*t!" chant before they touch. Eventually, they lock up to get things started. They push and pull, sending each other through the ropes and to the outside. They break the hold before going nose-to-nose to run each other down verbally.

Back inside the ring, Athena takes the TBS Champion down but only gets a two count, with Moné catching the ROH Women’s Champion with a backslide for a near-fall of her own. This leads to a standoff before they lock up again, with Athena sent to the ropes, only to take Moné down with a head-scissors.

As the action continues, we see a Statement Maker. They roll to the floor and Mercedes hangs onto the hold, cranking back on "The Forever ROH Women's Champion" at ringside. The Boston fans randomly start chanting "Let's go Celtics!" Mercedes hangs Athena upside down in the tree of woe off the ring apron.

She goes for a double-stomp, but Athena does a sit-up. Mercedes turns around, and Athena hits a stunner off the apron to shift the offensive momentum in her favor. On that note, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break as this high stakes tourney tilt continues.

When the show returns, we see some more back-and-forth action. Mone hits the Three Amigos. She goes for a fourth, but Athena counters and takes over. Athena hits three powerbombs in a row. She goes for a fourth, but Mone counters in mid-air with a wicked backbreaker.

On the floor, Mone sends Athena into the barricade head-first with a ton of momentum. She wears a sadistic smile on her face as she goes to follow-up on Athena. She brings Athena on top of the barricade. The two trade slaps up there and both jump off. Athena hits a shotgun dropkick that sends Mone into the barricade hard enough to short-out the LED boards on it.

Back in the ring, Athena goes for a big move, but Mone counters into a pin attempt for the 1-2-3. With the win, Mone advances to the finals of the Owen Hart Cup, where she will meet the winner of the Kris Statlander vs. Thunder Rosa match. After the match, "Timeless" Toni Storm appears with Luther in the balcony applauding.

Winner and ADVANCING to the Owen Hart Cup women's finals: Mercedes Mone

– Backstage, Renee Paquette is interviewing Hangman Page when The Elite trio of The Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada approach him. They talk like they're still best friends. The Bucks say they know Hangman is happy with them because they cost Swerve Strickland the AEW World Championship at AEW Dynasty, which they say they know he wanted.

They tell him they can handle his issues with The Death Riders. They call them crazy but think they can get them on their side. They tell him to go win the Owen Hart Cup, get the AEW World Championship and bring it back to The Elite where it belongs.

Okada tells Hangman to smile as he walks off. He then calls him a bitch. Hangman comes back and gets in Okada's face again. Okada again just tells him to smile. We head to another commercial break.

Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinals: Hangman Page vs. Josh Alexander

When the show returns, Hangman Page makes his way out to the ring to a big pop from the Boston fans. He settles into the ring to chants of "Cowboy Sh*t!" as always. His music dies down and "The Dapper Yapper" Justin Roberts introduces his opponent.

With that said, out comes his Wild Card opponent, former TNA World Champion "The Walking Weapon" Josh Alexander. The decorated in-ring veteran settles into the ring to chants of "Holy sh*t!" and "Walking Weapon." He puts his trademark head gear on.

The bell sounds and off we go with this match to determine the next semi-finalist in the ongoing Owen Hart Foundation Men's Tournament. After some back-and-forth action early on, things spill out to the floor, where Hangman hits a running diving clothesline off the entrance stage, over a corner of the crowd, knocking Alexander senseless at ringside.

The show shifts gears and settles into a mid-match commercial break. When the show returns, Alexander is shown in control in the ring. He hits a German suplex and goes for the pin, only to get a count of two. Hangman fights back and hits a huge top-rope moonsault to Alexander on the floor.

We see some more back-and-forth action, which culminates with Hangman picking up the win to advance in the tournament. After the match, Don Callis comes out with Kyle Fletcher. He says something to Alexander. Alexander attacks Hangman and appears to join The Don Callis Family.

Winner and ADVANCING in the Owen Hart Cup: Hangman Page

– We shoot backstage, where we see Nick Wayne talking about the hierarchy of the Patriarchy, until he is cut off by the return of Christian Cage. Wayne finally addresses why he thinks Cage failed to execute the plan, saying he couldn’t bear to think about Cope becoming World Champion before he did.

Cage talks about what happens when you assume. He gives Nick some kudos for the fire he’s been showing, saying he got him into New Japan’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament before letting him know he’s facing one of those competitors on Collision tomorrow when he faces Komander for the ROH Television Championship.

He looks forward to Wayne bringing the title home to the Patriarchy, but lands a slap on Nick before walking off. Wayne's mom touches his chest to console him, but hears Cage yelling for her off-camera. She quickly leaves her son to go be with Christian. Nick looks annoyed and touches his lip to see if it was bleeding from Cage's smack.

– A video package airs showing FTR turning on Cope. They explain why they did it and then we see footage from AEW Collision of them attacking Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard and eventually Daniel Garcia.

When the package wraps up, the camera shot shows an annoyed Schiavone at the commentary desk to give his take on the situation, since it involves him. We're told FTR has been suspended for a week without pay.

AEW World Tag-Team Championships: The Hurt Syndicate (c) vs. The Gates Of Agony

Now it's time for the next match of the evening, which features world titles on-the-line, as The Hurt Syndicate duo of Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin defend against The Gates of Agony in a tag-team title tilt.

MVP sits in on guest commentary during this one, as the bell sounds to get things started. Toa Liona charges at Shelton Benjamin, keeping on the attack before double-teaming him for a near-fall as Kaun goes after Lashley. Another double-team from the Gates after a tag to Kaun until the ref intervenes.

Tag made to Lashley who lays into Bishop, before the latter lands a chop to take a breather. This doesn’t last long as Kaun gets to his feet, only to be sent out of the ring by Lashley. On that note, we shift gears and settle into a mid-match commercial break as this match continues.

When the show returns, Benjamin has returned to the ring to go after Kaun leading to a double down forcing both men to the mat. Liona gets a tag to go after Benjamin, hitting a running senton for a nearfall before Lashley breaks the pin. Bobby makes the tag, but is sent to the corner for some right hands by Liona, until Lashley gets the Hurt Lock cinched in.

It takes Bishop Kaun running in to break the hold, and chaos ensues until Shelton gets the tag while Lashley and Liona head out of the ring. Benjamin lands a couple big release German suplexes on Kaun before Toa gets involved, only to be sent to the outside, where Lashley meets him with a big spear.

Benjamin hits a running knee strike on Kaun back in the ring before tagging in Lashley, who lands a spear on Bishop for the pinfall victory. With the win, The Hurt Syndicate duo of Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin retain their AEW World Tag-Team Championships.

Winners and STILL AEW World Tag-Team Champions: The Hurt Syndicate

– When the match wraps up, the in-ring celebration by the tag champs is cut off by the familiar sounds of MJF's theme music. MJF accepts the crowd’s chants of his name before saying to give it up for The Hurt Syndicate. The crowd chants “We hurt people!” before MJF cuts them off.

MJF talks about having some “talent” in the back before MVP tells him to put the cards on the table as he’s already pissed off the All Mighty. MJF calls out for the “talent” to come out, and a group of ladies make their way down to the ring to show a level of affection to the Syndicate.

MJF says they can have a night with these ladies, but all he needs in return is three thumbs up. MVP talks to his boys, with Shelton considerably distracted as he says he needs more time to think about it…or rather, he needs a little more time, revealing that he wants the watch off MJF’s wrist. Friedman offers the watch in exchange for a thumbs up.

Shelton thinks about it. He even starts to give a thumbs up, before Lashley stares him down…and this leads to the Standard of Excellence giving a thumbs down. MJF starts to get mad about this, but claims he respects the power of democracy and the people–maybe not these people, but you know what he means.

As a gesture of gratitude, he gives Shelton his watch. He even gives Benjamin the ladies for the night, but for “Bob” he offers a word about how he is known for getting what he wants…because he is MJF, and he is better than you and you know it. The show heads to another break.

When the show returns, we see Benjamin, Lashley, MVP and MJF's "talents" backstage. Lashley is talking to MVP about how they shouldn't trust MJF. He says he's annoying. MVP agrees but says he's the type of guy that can help them get where they want to be.

If he gets out of line, they'll hurt him, but for now can they party? Shelton doubles MVP's request, and adds a please while looking at MJF's "talents." Lashley smiles and they head off to party. That's how the MJF and Hurt Syndicate saga appears to wrap up for this week.

Owen Hart Cup Semifinals: Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Will Ospreay makes his way to the ring for our next match as commentary runs down the big international announcements made earlier today, with AEW heading to the OVO Hydro in Glasgow for Dynamite and Collision and The O2 in London for Forbidden Door, as well as Grand Slam Mexico from Arena Mexico.

With the Aerial Assassin in the ring, Konosuke Takeshita makes his way out next to get this match underway. “Ospreay” chants kick off as the two men lock up, with Will getting the upper hand until Takeshita counters for a near-fall.

They fight back to their feet as the crowd lets Don Callis know what they think about him, while Ospreay takes Takeshita to the ropes for a chop. He sends Konosuke to the corner, but the Alpha forces the ref to intervene before taking control.

He then sends Ospreay down the mat. He then sends Will to the ropes, but Ospreay counters with an arm drag for an armbar attempt before Konosuke breaks free, and the action resets and continues. From there, Ospreay takes the Alpha to the mat with a cross body, but Takeshita fights back to hit the ropes for a running lariat on the Aerial Assassin.

Ospreay starts to fight back, but is sent to the mat by Takeshita and forced to the outside, where the Alpha catches him with a big dive sending him to the barricade. As both men are down and out on the floor at ringside, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break as this high stakes tourney tilt continues.

When the show returns, we see several additional minutes of absolutely incredible back-and-forth action, with Tony Schiavone and Excalibur referring to this as one of the best matches they've ever seen. When all is said-and-done, however, it is Ospreay who hits his Stormbreaker move for the pinfall victory.

With the win, Ospreay advances in the ongoing Owen Hart Foundation Men's Tournament, where he will face the winner of the Hangman Page vs. Kyle Fletcher match. The winner of the tourney will be determined at AEW Double Or Nothing 2025, with the winner earning a world title shot at AEW ALL IN: Texas. After the match, we head to another commercial break.

Winner and ADVANCING in the Owen Hart Cup: Will Ospreay

AEW World Trios Championships: The Death Riders (c) vs. The Opps & Powerhouse Hobbs

When the show returns, we hear the familiar sounds of Jon Moxley's theme music. We see a shot of him entering the arena and meeting up with the rest of the Death Riders. They walk through the fans in the concourse areas and find their way into the back of the crowd inside the arena.

They make their custom walk through the crowd towards the ring for their scheduled defense of the AEW World Trios Championships against The Opps. It will be a three-on-two match apparently, because as noted earlier in the show, The Death Riders attacked HOOK before the show began, taking him out of the equation.

After the champs settle in the ring, their music dies down. The entrance tune plays for The Opps, and out to fireworks and pyro come the two-man team of Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata. They head to the ring where they will challenge Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta.

They won't be fighting alone, however, as Powerhouse Hobbs comes out to join them. All six men collide, with some in the ring and some on the floor, as the bell sounds to get things officially started at exactly 9:59pm EST. It goes without saying, as usual, this show is going long this week.

We see some back-and-forth opening action and then the show settles into a mid-match commercial break. When we return, we see The Death Riders dominating things for several minutes. On the floor, The Opps team starts to gain some traction, but Marina Shafir chop-blocks Hobbs' knee from behind, allowing The Death Riders to take over again.

They go to use steel chairs in the ring, however Willow Nightingale runs down, yanks it out of Mox's hands and flips him off. Mox turns into a big shot from Joe. Yuta hits a missile dropkick off the top-rope. The Young Bucks make their way out to a ton of boos. They get chairs but end up getting blasted by a fan who turns out to be Swerve Strickland.

Willow Nightingale stops Marina Shafir moments later when she tries to get involved again. Meanwhile, back in the ring, Joe counters Mox's death rider attempt and slaps his choke-finisher on him. He squeezes away and gets the win. With the win, The Opps duo of Joe and Shibata, as well as Powerhouse Hobbs, are now the new AEW Trios Champions.

Winners and NEW AEW Trios Champions: The Opps & Powerhouse Hobbs

– The whole locker room comes out to celebrate with them. That's how the record-setting episode of AEW Dynamite in the history of wrestling on Turner Sports wraps up.