AEW Dynamite Live Coverage - May 21st, 2025
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AEW Dynamite
This week, Jon Moxley teams with the EVPs taking on Swerve Strickland, Powerhouse Hobbs, & Samoa Joe in a massive All Star Trios Match! The Men's & Women's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finalists meet face-to-face! Mina Shirakawa faces Julia Hart with Toni Storm joining commentary. Plus, MJF officially signs his contract into The Hurt Syndicate.
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– Excalibur, Taz, and Ian Riccaboni greet audiences at home as Tony Schiavone introduces "Hangman" Adam Page and Will Ospreay. Both men make their way to the ring.
Schaivone hands it over to Page and Ospreay, and promises not to get physical with Page despite the security surrounding the ring. Ospreay then dismisses the security and asks Page if he still drinks. He says he owes Page an apology for catching him with an elbow and offers him a beer as he takes one for himself, then extends a cheers to Page. Page refuses to accept the cheers.
Ospreay says he's in the ring to petition to Tony Khan and the Board of Directors to be in the main event of Double or Nothing in the finals of the 2025 Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament. He makes his case for doing so, and says he wants to ring the bell, wear the Owen Hart Cup Foundation Championship, and bring the title home to London, England for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. He says he's been immature in the past, but he wants to win as a means of thanking his loved ones. He says he wants to win the 2025 Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament a little bit more than Page.
Page says there is no grander honor than being the AEW World Champion, and that's something Ospreay knows. He says winning the 2025 Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament could be a professional accomplishment for either him or Ospreay, but says this is personal for him. He says he doesn't want the opportunity to win the 2025 Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament, but he needs to. He says he's wasted two years in his life filled with nothing but grief, sorrow, and hate. He says the sole thing he has won in that time brought him nothing but the same, then says the worst part of it all was his son and wife seeing him not be present.
Ospreay asks Page what he's going to about it, then asks if he'll wrap a chair around his skull and make him retire with Christopher Daniels. He says he's showing up at Double or Nothing and doing his best, but sometimes his best hasn't proven to be enough. He says he's going to leave everything int he ring he has and if he lost, he's won the respect of the fans. He tells Page to bring the animal in him because he knows he can beat him, then says he used to be a pure-hearted dude and someone to look towards when times are tough. He says Page hasn't done that with his attention so focused on Swerve Strickland, and so many fans look up to Page. He says he's proved many wrong, and says he's the best in the whole world. He says when the bell rings, anything can happen and says if Page needs someone watching his back should he wins the 2025 Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament, then he has his back. He says he hopes Page reciprocates that sentiment, then tells Page to meet him in the desert and chugs his beer. Page does the same, and the two men stare each other down.
– Jon Moxley, Marina Shafir, and The Young Bucks make their way to the ring. The Opps, Swerve Strickland, and Prince Nana follow.
All Star Trios Match: Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe, and Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Jon Moxley and The Young Bucks
The bell rings and everyone begins brawling with one another. Joe fires off right hands on Moxley in the center of the ring, but Hobbs and Matthew Jackson tag in. Hobbs levels Matthew with a clothesline, but Strickland and Nicholas Jackson tag in. Strickland connects with a backbreaker on Nicholas and whips him into the corner before all six men begin brawling with one another once again and Nicholas delivers a hurricanrana to Strickland. The Bucks then look to fly over the top rope to level Strickland and Joe on the outside, but Strickland and Joe move out of the way. Moxley then looks to take flight, but Hobbs blocks him. Moxley manages to then take flight, and The Bucks send Joe crashing out of the ring with a double superkick. Strickland delivers a rolling flatliner to Nicholas and flies out of the ring to level him, and Joe then connects with a tope suicida to take out Moxley and The Bucks on the outside.
Back from the break, Matthew lands an open palm strike on Hobbs, but Hobbs levels Matthew with a powerslam. Nicholas and Strickland tag in, and Strickland sends Nicholas crashing into the mat.
Back from another break, Moxley delivers a Tombstone to Strickland. He cinches in a submission hold on him, but Joe tags in. Moxley connects with a DDT on Joe, but Strickland takes him down and lands the Swerve Stomp on The Young Bucks on the outside.
Hobbs levels Moxley and The Bucks with a trio of spinebusters, but Matthew and Strickland tag in. Strickland pins Matthew as Joe cinches in the Coquina Clutch on Nicholas for the win.
Winners: Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe, and Powerhouse Hobbs
– After the match, Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli join Moxley and The bucks in the ring to beat down Strickland, Joe and Hobbs as Shafir goes after Nana on the outside. Katsuyori Shibata runs down to the ring and goes after Yuta and Castagnoli in the corner. Shafir low blows Shibata, but Willow Nightingale runs down to the ring and spears Shafir. Kenny Omega runs down to the ring and delivers a Snap Dragon suplex to Matthew, then follows it up with the V-Trigger. Omega, Joe, Hobbs, and Nightingale set up a couple of tables on the outside, forcing The Death Riders and The Bucks to retreat before Joe sends a message to The Death Riders and The Bucks.
– The Hurt Syndicate then make their way to the ring with their lawyer.
MVP says he has an official announcement from The Hurt Syndicate, then says tonight is a special night. He says MJF finally got Bobby Lashley to give his approval to join the group, then says MJF is better than you and you know it.
MJF's music hits, and he makes his way out. He says this reminds him of when his mother sat him down to tell him that the most important day of his life would be when he got married, but it turns out it was this day when he joined The Hurt Syndicate. He says it's such a shame when a monumental moment has to take place 'in a state that everybody forgets exists', then throws it over to his lawyer Mark Sterling who explains that the contract benefits both parties and every person involved will need to sign the contract.
MJF, MVP, and Shelton Benjamin all sign the contract, but Lashley hesitates for a moment before ultimately deciding to sign the contract himself. MJF reiterates that this is the greatest moment of his life.
The Sons of Texas' music hits, and they make their way out. MJF begins running his mouth, but Dustin Rhodes tells him to quiet down. He says all MJF does is talk and never wrestle, then says he hates MJF's guts. He says he goes way back with MVP and he has much respect for him, but it's in his best interest to watch out for MJF. He says himself and Sammy Guevara want to get their hands on some more gold, and says there is nothing that The Hurt Syndicate can to him or Guevara that they haven't been put through by better competitors. He tells The Hurt Syndicate not to underestimate himself or Guevara, then says they both fight with heart, passion, and fire.
– Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn make their way down to the ring. Ricochet follows.
Ricochet vs. Anthony Bowens (w/ Billy Gunn)
The bell rings and Bowens sends Ricochet crashing into the mat face first. He clotheslines Ricochet out of the ring, but Ricochet trips Bowens on the apron.
Back from the break, Bowens sends Ricochet crashing into the mat off the shoulders. He levels Ricochet with a superkick, but Ricochet returns with a kick of his own to Bowens and sets up for the Spirit Gun. Bowens avoids it and connects with The Arrival to Ricochet, then sends him crashing out of the ring with a forearm to his spine.
Billy argues with the referee, but Ricochet grabs his scissors from behind the bottom turnbuckle and hits Bowens with them. Ricochet then connects with the Spirit Gun for the win.
Winner: Ricochet
– After the match, Ricochet retreats up the ramp. Mark Briscoe attacks him from behind with the stretcher and gets him on top of it, then ascends up the ropes. Ricochet rolls off the stretcher before Mark can take flight and heads to the back.
– Renee Paquette introduces Jamie Hayter and Mercedes Mone, and they both make their way down to the ring.
Paquette says Jamie Hayter has held the AEW Women's World Championship which is something Mercedes Mone hasn't been able to do, and yet she feels like the underdog in the finals of the 2025 Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament. Hayter says it's fine if she's the underdog, but she's gotten up time and time again when she's hit rock bottom. She says she's never been handed anything in her life and is a fighter, and the fans have helped mold her into the person she is now. She says that winning the 2025 Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament would mean she isn't forgotten, then says Mone's guess about why anyone would care if she won the 2025 Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament is as good as hers.
Mone asks Hayter who she thinks that she's talking to, then says she's more than a champion and is the Beyonce of women's wrestling. She says she will go on to AEW All In to win the AEW Women's World Champion, then says she's the greatest TBS Champion of all time at 360 days and counting. She says she's 25-0 in singles competition, and the 2025 Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament is about leaving her legacy rather than winning.
Hayter points out that Mone is no longer the NJPW STRONG Women's Championship to AZM, then says she thinks it was her destiny and it is her destiny to lose everything. Mone attacks Hayter and rains down right hands on her, but Hayter levels Mone with the Hayter Line.
– Toni Storm's music hits, and she makes her way out with Luther. Mina Shirakawa and Julia Hart follow.
Mina Shirakawa vs. Julia Hart
The bell rings and the two lock up. Shirakawa rocks Hart with a chop and levels her with a knee off the top rope, then charges at her in the corner. Hart moves out of the way, but Shirakawa lands a dropkick on her legs and trips her as she runs the ropes.
Back from the break, Shirakawa delivers a Dragon Screw to Hart. Hart cinches in a Tarantula on Shirakawa, but Shirakawa flies off the middle rope to send Hart crashing into the mat. Hart levels Shirakawa with a clothesline and ascends up the ropes, then looks to land a moonsault. Shirakawa rolls out of the way and dropkicks Hart's knee, then sends it crashing into the mat. She looks to cinch in a Figure Four Leg Lock. Hart avoids the hold from being locked in, but Shirakawa rolls up Hart for the win.
Winner: Mina Shirakawa
– After the match, Hart attacks Shirakawa from behind. Shirakawa cinches in a Figure Four Leg Lock on Hart, but Skye Blue attacks from behind and rains down right hands on her. Storm pulls Blue off of Shirakawa and connects with a German suplex on her, but Hart levels Shirakawa with a spinning backfist. Shirakawa then picks up the AEW Women's World Championship and fights with Storm over it, but Shirakawa cinches in a Figure Four Leg Lock on Storm using the ring post.
– We head backstage to Renee Paquette catching up with The Young Bucks as they leave the arena. Joe surprises The Bucks with a garbage can, and Hobbs joins him. Wheeler Yuta joins the fight with a kendo stick, as does Jon Moxley. Willow Nightingale joins in with a garbage can, as do Marina Shafir, Kenny Omega with a garbage can, Katsuyori Shibata with a kendo stick, and Claudio Castagnoli. Omega chokes Nicholas Jackson with a chain, but Matthew Jackson and Nicholas deliver the BTE Trigger to Omega. Everyone then continues brawling with one another, and Strickland and Omega deliver the House Call and V-Trigger to The Bucks. Gabe Kidd attacks Joe from behind as he has a Coquina Clutch cinched in on Moxley, but Strickland and Omega get placed on tables on the outside. The Young Bucks then fly off the top ropes with an elbow drop and a crossbody to send Omega and Strickland crashing through the table, and they stand tall with The Death Riders and Kidd as the show goes off the air.
