AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[Lorne Malvo]

Ian veers between very good and quite bad for me. It's like there's no middle ground. 

Taz cutting off his Willow rap was a highlight for me the other week.

[Merzbow]

AEW Taz is one of the biggest glow ups ever, he was fine with Cole waaay back but that entire TNA run was miserably bad.. none of his jokes then hit and let's talk less about his constant weird pervy shit when knockouts were on screen.

Now though? One of my faves ever, his camaraderie with Excalibur which just got better and better over time and he has me laughing every episode of TV.

[Jesse]

Tazcalibur arguably the best thing to come out of Dark, the two of them becoming so comfortable with each other in the much less controlled space that they've been able to bring that vibe back into the more professional and directed approach on Dynamite.

[Chili]

I miss AEW Dark a lot. I really enjoyed seeing these unknowns especially when they had a gimmick on them. I started becoming really fond of some of them especially when Ryzin, Fuego, Baron Black or M'Badu would appear. Some really fun women's enhancement as well. I really enjoyed Dani Jordyn (who I think is now retired) and her Mean Girls inspired 'Burn Book'. Really neat way of getting unsigned talent to showcase themselves and probably boost their independent pull a bit with appearances for a big company.

Edited July 2, 2025 by Chili

[RedTwoster]

A weird episode of Dynamite in the sense that I really enjoyed it, even though there were aspects I really disliked.

First off, I don’t like Hangman attacking Shafir. I’m never a fan of man on woman violence being treated as justifiable in wrestling.

Secondly, I don’t like that The Bucks put their EVP status on the line in return for Ospreay and Strickland vowing not to challenge for the World title for a year. Conveniently, that takes Ospreay up to All In 2026, when I could absolutely see him winning the big one. But ultimately, it’s a hugely imbalanced stip - why not have the Young Bucks call their bluff and raise the stakes, having them never challenge for the World title if they lose? Likely, I assume, because The Bucks are going to win, and we’ll see Ospreay and Strickland challenge The Hurt Syndicate, which i not against. But they got there in a messy way, if that’s the intention. And if The Bucks lose, the stakes should have been made higher.

On the whole though, it was a really fun show. The wrestling was good, the matches at All In feel exciting - I hope the show gets the attendance it deserves, it’s going to be a corker.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, RedTwoster said:

Secondly, I don’t like that The Bucks put their EVP status on the line in return for Ospreay and Strickland vowing not to challenge for the World title for a year. Conveniently, that takes Ospreay up to All In 2026, when I could absolutely see him winning the big one. But ultimately, it’s a hugely imbalanced stip - why not have the Young Bucks call their bluff and raise the stakes, having them never challenge for the World title if they lose? Likely, I assume, because The Bucks are going to win, and we’ll see Ospreay and Strickland challenge The Hurt Syndicate, which i not against. But they got there in a messy way, if that’s the intention. And if The Bucks lose, the stakes should have been made higher.

I quite like the stip. I think most of us assumed it was going to be career, but this is a stip that the Bucks could believably win. I still think Osprey and Swerve win, because the EVP gimmick needs to go away, but there's some tension now, and considering they are doing their best to telegraph the main event, I'm down with that. 

Anyway, I will remember this show for four things. The opening segment, which was generally really good. I've already seen that people on socials are taking Mox's "best wrestler in the world basic bitch stuff" comment as being a shot at Punk, which I think misses the shots fired as Max Caster. Mox has been on good form with someone like Hangman to work with, which continues Adam Page's streak of resurrecting careers, like he did with MJF. The Anti-Vortex. What a guy.

The second thing is the main event angle, with the return of Kenny Omega slightly ruined by him being in that Superman advert 20 minutes before, but fine. 

The third thing is Takeshita and the Bucks vs Paragon and Bandido, which was great. I'm quite happy with Paragon in this fairly standard white meat babyface role, and they can have excellent matches. I was thinking about them as a team for the Hurts, but then I realised that would mean Cole and MJF interacting again, which...no.

That's actually the fourth thing. The phrase "firing on all cylinders" has been thrown around with impunity, but the cylinder marked "tag team champions" isn't even sputtering. It's collapsing in on itself. The cylinder marked "trios" seems to have completely fallen off the car, too, but it's several miles back, and tags seems to be a bigger issue. I keep expecting a swerve. That a different tag team, some sort of mega power, is going to come out and challenge the Hurts. Maybe all of Christians talk about Nick is going to lead to a swerve where he actually brings out Copeland, or something. And it keeps not happening. Everything seems to be leading to JetSpeed, who are repeatedly proving to not be on the Hurts level, getting the shot. If you had any interest, Dynamite hammered the point home again. What massive geeks. They started the fight and then lost. Over and over again. Keep getting up all you like guys, you're not getting any offence in. 

Kevin Knight has to beat Shelton on Collision, surely? I don't expect it though. I expect Shelton to beat him up. Is this another WWE guy thinking they're too big for the territory thing? Neither guy has had that issue before, have they?

Those are the things I'll remember. A good development, a strong closing angle, a great party match, and an absolute turd in the hot tub. 

[RedTwoster]

50 minutes ago, Duke said:

Kevin Knight has to beat Shelton on Collision, surely? I don't expect it though. I expect Shelton to beat him up. Is this another WWE guy thinking they're too big for the territory thing? Neither guy has had that issue before, have they?

I don’t think he will - Knight has to win for the story to have any intrigue to it. If it were Lashley I’d feel differently, but I’d be amazed if they put Shelton over here. We’ll see, though. 

I expect Hurt Syndicate to retain, however - with Edge/Christian and possibly Ospreay/Strickland kicking about, there are potentially some really exciting matches ahead.

[The King of Old School]

Do we think the Trio's Title's will ever be defended again?

[Supremo]

19 minutes ago, The King of Old School said:

Do we think the Trio's Title's will ever be defended again?

Next time they change hands, most likely.

[Ro_y Disco]

I punched the air when Hangman laid out the challenge. I forgot they've had a Texas Death before and I HATED that match (I think I'm probably in the minority). Hopefully less spots that would literally kill someone this time  - a brick to the head should never be used in a match and certainly shouldn't be a mid-match, immediately get back up spot.

[The King of Old School]

I personally think Mox/Hangman would have been better as a straight one on one match without any gimmicks.

Edited July 3, 2025 by The King of Old School

[GlennCullen]

It was always going to be a clusterfuck match with interference anyway, feels like Mox has come up with a nutty spot and a willing participant before he takes a nice, long break (hopefully). Looking forward to seeing what madness they come up with.

Edited July 3, 2025 by GlennCullen
Don't even think about it Tony.

[RedTwoster]

4 minutes ago, The King of Old School said:

I personally think iMox/Hangman would have been better as a straight one on one match without any gimmicks.

I’d have preferred it, but given the brutality of the Death Riders I suppose it makes sense. I don’t want them to go to excessive levels of gore with it (though I suspect they will) as that’s not really for me.

37 minutes ago, The King of Old School said:

Do we think the Trio's Title's will ever be defended again?

I know that people on here generally like the trios division, but I’d be quite happy for it to go away. I’ve never really cared for it, for whatever reason.

[Guest]

Hoping Hangman and Moxley of all people, won't go too far in Texas Death is probably in vain. 

 

It's also their version of bloodline rules, telegraphing "lots of interference in this match!" Without having to bump the ref. 

[HarmonicGenerator]

6 hours ago, RedTwoster said:

But ultimately, it’s a hugely imbalanced stip - why not have the Young Bucks call their bluff and raise the stakes, having them never challenge for the World title if they lose? 

There's still another week to go, they still might?

 

All In Texas is now available for purchase on Triller, for those that use it. I've ordered the show because I want to see Taz vs. the bear on a pole from the Young Bucks' school, which, after the build-up throughout this week's Dynamite, had better make the PPV card.