Leave it to AEW to start the new year with a bang.

December’s Worlds End pay-per-view left fans salivating over what 2025 could hold after several stellar matches and storyline continuations — some old, some new. After seeing some teases for possible returns, there’s plenty to digest on the first “AEW Dynamite” of 2025, so let’s get into it, gang.

Subtle improvements

2025 launched AEW’s new broadcasting deal with Max, and as soon as the show’s first match started, the changes were apparent.

The hard cam received a noticeable raise along with the usage of a single wide shot for the opening stages of Orange Cassidy vs. Hangman Adam Page. It was an extremely nice but subtle touch, giving a more realistic feel to the atmosphere. The arena’s lighting was also much improved, a complaint for years with AEW. Overall, the production quality appears to be headed in a good direction.

I mean, when “I’m So Excited” by The Pointer Sisters opens your show with a beautiful new intro, you’re doing things right.

Stabbing of the Night

Everyone is trying to land their place in the upcoming Casino Gauntlet match that leads to the AEW World title. To get there, we need some triple-threat action, don’t we? It’s almost like these shows have been getting booked exclusively for me these days. You love to see it.

Roderick Strong vs. Jay White vs. Swerve Strickland — all three are great on their own but even better together. I’ve been pushing for Jay White’s world title reign and I still need to see it, however Swerve Strickland has singlehandedly changed my mind with his continued brilliance.

The guy has “it.” There’s an indescribable presence my fellow Washingtonian has created beyond his history with the world title, and he needs another reign. He’s an absurdly menacing character who still finds ways to show off some deceptive athleticism. Strickland stole the show in Wednesday’s three-way match despite taking the loss after White pinned Strong.

And boy, how unserious is White for mocking Prince Nana while he beats a man down?

Ultimately, there was one lone reason Strickland didn’t get the win here — a scissor-wielding Ricochet, who stole the show Strickland had already stolen.

We’re getting this out of the way early tonight, folks. A double-whammy highlight for our…

Uncrowned Gem of the Night

Ricochet has officially gone completely bats*** bonkers and I cannot be any more excited for it.

“The Man Who Gravity Forgot” interfered in the three-way to sneak up and literally stab Strickland in the forehead with some golden scissors. As Strickland writhed in understandable pain, Ricochet stared blankly from a distance before continuing his bloody assault. To top off these unreal heel antics, he bashed poor Nana into oblivion with a chair and sat in the ring looking like a nerd who was pushed way, way, way too far over the edge.

The aesthetics were incredible. I dare say wrestling cinema.

This couldn’t have been better or more needed for a talent like Ricochet, who had the cheesiest good-guy persona ever. Playing into the opposite direction is a great call, assuming it keeps heading where it appears.

Opposites of the Night

If you didn’t know any better, you might think Ricochet was foreshadowing an alliance with The Acclaimed. That might’ve been pretty funny at one point, but now? That would lead to a tandem with Max Caster. They’re both Hurt Syndicate rejects. Maybe there is something there? I’m just saying.

Nonetheless, we’ve effectively seen the end of The Acclaimed, and it’s for the best. The former AEW Tag Team champions have run their course as a duo and Anthony Bowens let his longtime partner get pulverized by Bobby Lashley during their loss against Hurt Syndicate.

The writing was on the wall before the match as Caster’s been become more and more egotistically selfish. It was a refreshing touch to see Bowens call out problems rather than just ignoring them.

My biggest takeaways here were how Lashley and Shelton Benjamin can make such a dominant run as tag team champions. I’m not totally sure where AEW wants to take them, I’d love to see it lead toward gold, but I’m just beyond happy to see Benjamin utilized like this again.

Emotions of the Night

There are lots of mixed feelings when it comes to Jeff Jarrett, aren’t there?

Personally, I can’t help but always remember how Jarrett put himself over to the fullest in his own promotion. That type of booking always carries somewhat of a stench to it, regardless of whether it worked. And in TNA, when he was on top, I think it did work, so it’s that double-edged sword.

On this “AEW Dynamite,” Jarrett announced that he isn’t retiring, but did sign what will be his final contract as a performer. He still looks great for 57, so I was going to be somewhat surprised if he did just call it quits on Wednesday, especially without a match. But then Jarrett proclaimed he wants one more run at a world title. There has to be a swerve coming with this, because as good as this whole segment was, you can’t convince me anyone wants to see that.

I guess we’ll find out in the Casino Gauntlet match.

A sneaky Karen Jarrett appearance backstage was also great while Jarrett met with his friends and former teammates. Sonjay Dutt, in particular, had phenomenal delivery with his lines and you could feel the emotion, considering their history.

Car Crash of the Night

It’s our favorite award!

Firstly, the returning Adam Copeland is now just Cope, apparently. I don’t think anyone has been as affected by WWE name ownership as him. He’ll always be Edge. Despite that, he’s in this extremely confident, consistently hyped up, snarky mode all the time and it’s been incredible in two appearances.

Cope and FTR got the win over Death Riders in an expectedly chaotic trios match. Cash Wheeler’s sprint out of the ring for a dive directly into a Claudio Castganoli uppercut was brutal. Castagnoli’s physicality is almost unparalleled, and you can see him get fired up and keep the momentum going after moments like that. He smashed Dax Harwood with one for good measure right afterward.

The Shatter Machine to a Spear on Wheeler Yuta was a beautiful sight as well. If there wasn’t good action in that match, we’d be gearing up for some serious problems in 2025.

The most interesting element of the match was the Death Riders’ violent ways getting the better of the babyface team and finally costing them. If it weren’t for Jay White’s interference on Yuta while the other boys targeted Cope, the outcome would have been different. But again, as I’ve said in recent weeks, these guys don’t even care about winning, so why are we supposed to believe it now?

All this boils down to is Jon Moxley making far too many enemies for his stable to overcome. White, Cope, Christian Cage, and now MJF, who’s refocusing his attention on the world title.

MJF getting back to a world title picture is definitely needed, but with the other players involved, I don’t know how we get there. An obvious return to the Cage and Cope rivalry is bound to happen whether a title is involved.

EXPLOSIVE

1. I still feel like we wildly underrate the promo work of Moxley. As much as I don’t love the Death Riders, he knows how to captivate me and bring me back in no matter his role. He’s a staple of this company for good reason.

2. Orange Cassidy vs. Hangman Adam Page gave us a good scene-setting match to open the show. Unhinged Hangman remains an intriguing character, and his post-match beatdown of Cassidy and Christopher Daniels leaves us wondering what he’ll do next. The more I think about it, he kind of feels like a more serious version of the old pre-Death Riders Moxley.

3. Julia Hart has a superstar champion entrance. She got the win over Jamie Hayter in a solid match, and her win felt right even though Hayter should be pursuing titles. Ultimately, the Brit was protected by a dirty (literally) mist finish.

4. Kenny Omega is back next week. Automatic win. He’s also heading into another series of certified bangers with Kazuchika Okada. May the anticipation build, folks.

5. Mercedes Moné is becoming the female gold collector and that’s a good route.

6. The Breakthrough Wrestler of 2024 and AEW Women’s World Champion Mariah May is so magnetically arrogant. Her line about not having epics because she is the epic … chef’s kiss.

7. Big Bill and Bryan Keith had a hilarious interaction with Rated FTR.

DUDSVILLE

1. Even with the production plusses, some strangely poor audio came in during the opening Rated FTR promo. This isn’t a huge L by any means, but you’d think these would be cleared up by now.

2. Old man Bobby Fish was left out of Undisputed Kingdom’s completion. The backstage promo from Adam Cole, Strong and Kyle O’Reilly wasn’t good. This doesn’t feel like a positive group revisit, and talk about a dud of an ending to the MJF feud.

3. Powerhouse Hobbs squashed Rob Killjoy and Jon Cruz. Not sure why we’re having an established longtime AEW talent doing this.

I give this show a Crown score of: 8/10.