AEW Dynamite Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights From May 7

From the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, Michigan, the May 7 edition of Dynamite continued to build momentum toward Double or Nothing 2025.

Samoa Joe collided with The Death Riders' Claudio Castagnoli, just one week before facing Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship inside a Steel Cage.

Toni Storm continued her Championship Eliminator run in a Fatal 4-Way match with Thunder Rosa, Penelope Ford and Anna Jay.

Kevin Knight hoped to earn a Continental Championship opportunity by fighting Kazuchika Okada in an eliminator.

Swerve Strickland teamed with "Speedball" Mike Bailey and Mark Briscoe to get some revenge on The Young Bucks and Ricochet.

Jamie Hayter sat down with Renee Paquette to talk about her upcoming match with Mercedes Moné in the women's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament final.

Both Will Ospreay and "Hangman" Adam Page were in attendance as their battle in the men's Owen final moves ever closer.

This was a packed night of action that had a chance to set the stage for some of the biggest matches of the year in All Elite Wrestling.

'Hangman' Adam Page and Will Ospreay Face Off for First Time

"Hangman" Adam Page said he was finally putting Swerve Strickland behind him, even if he could never forgive or forget. He turned to Will Ospreay, who arrived with a microphone.

The Aerial Assassin explained that he knew The Cowboy's journey, but he still considered this was his story, not Hangman's.

The Don Callis Family interrupted, and Ospreay laid out a challenge. He and The Cowboy would face any two members of the heel group. Hangman did not appreciate Ospreay putting his hand on him, and the two almost came to blows.

This was great all around. Hangman's promo to start was the highlight, selling his face turn is more or less complete, even letting his rivalry with Swerve go.

Ospreay arrived, and he started as the good babyface, putting over The Cowboy. However, he started to lean heel, playing on the crowd's love of Hangman.

He put his journey above Page's, which could mean he fully plays the bad guy in their match at Double or Nothing. Though it's more likely the fans at the pay-per-view on May 25 will cheer both.

Ospreay leaning heel did make the match to come feel more unpredictable. The winner should be AEW's top babyface to contest Jon Moxley, and this first encounter sold Hangman over The Aerial Assassin as that guy.

The Don Callis Family arrival and match setup was the most ordinary part of all this, leaving words unsaid in the first encounter of these new rivals.

Hangman and Ospreay vs. any combination from the current Family will make for a great match next week and test how well The Aerial Assassin and The Cowboy can work together.

Grade

A-

Notable Moments

—Page questioned why the crowd cheered for him, but he wanted them to know it did make a difference.

—He admitted he felt nothing after his win over Swerve.

—Ospreay said it was a pleasure to finally talk to Hangman after they had missed each other in other promotions.

—The Aerial Assassin said this was no longer about Hangman's "redemption." It was about Ospreay's "ascension."

—FTR and Stokely Hathaway threatened Tony Schiavone before formally accepting Daniel Garcia's singles challenge from Collision.

Championship Eliminator: Toni Storm vs. Thunder Rosa vs. Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay

After a competitive battle, Megan Bayne arrived to destroy everyone until Harley Cameron came running in with a pipe to send her packing.

With Bayne out of the way, Toni Storm took Anna Jay out and locked Penelope Ford in a chicken wing for the submission.

This could have been an easy way to get to Storm's next challenger, assuming someone won without pinning her. However, it also worked well to keep up her hot streak.

The crowd was completely in on the action throughout, celebrating the wild spots and the chaos that engulfed the contest down the stretch.

The interference of Bayne made sense, but it did lead to an awkward pacing for the closing stretch of a contest that was rolling beforehand.

In the end, this was a major success that keeps the energy high for the whole women's division, even if it is hard to call who will step up to the challenge against Storm and get the next title shot.

Result

Storm def. Ford, Jay and Rosa by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

—Harley promised to watch Jay's backside before she headed to the ring.

—Ford kicked Storm between the legs, and she rolled outside in pain. Ford moonsaulted onto both Storm and Jay, and then Rosa dived onto everyone.

—After the result, Rosa and Storm shared a special handshake and hug.

—An animated spider was shown in the top left corner briefly, possibly setting the first tease for the arrival of Thekla (The Toxic Spider) from Stardom.

MJF Hurts Top Flight

MVP called for another tag team to step up to The Hurt Syndicate. Top Flight arrived to call their shot, but MJF beat down both Dante and Darius Martin.

Bobby Lashley said he would have an answer for The Salt of the Earth next week.

Short and sweet, this was an effective segment to keep this story moving, even if it still feels like the angle is going too long without progress.

After so many votes for MJF, this would have been a great time to simply deliver that All Mighty thumbs up officially...if it is ever coming.

Hopefully, next week will deliver the final answer.

Grade

C+

Notable Moments

—CRU watched this segment closely from the audience.

—MJF interrupted Ospreay's interview to wish him good luck. The Aerial Assassin warned The Salt of the Earth that he did not want to revisit their feud.

—The Don Callis Family challenged The Outrunners to find some partners and fight the full force of the heel stable.

—Interviewer Alicia Atout tried to get an early answer from Lashley, but The All Mighty received advice to stay silent on his answer from legal counsel Harrison Landau.

ROH TV Championship: Nick Wayne (c) vs. Rhino

Rhino was the surprise challenger for Nick Wayne. While the ECW legend fought hard, the Ring of Honor Television champion put him down with a Killswitch.

The growing animosity between Wayne and Christian Cage has been a fun story week to week. The Patriarch has pushed Wayne into a big role as one of AEW's most hated heels.

This was not much of a match, but it was fun to see Rhino in an AEW ring. As one of the ultimate journeymen, it felt right for him to work at least one time for AEW.

It will be a shame to be without the ROH TV champion during his time in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament.

This could be a good opportunity to give Kip Sabian some in-ring time. Christian and The Patriarchy should not completely disappear from television.

Result

Wayne def. Rhino by pinfall to retain the ROH TV Championship.

Grade

C

Notable Moments

—Tony Schiavone received a note early in the night that Wayne would face someone from Christian's past with the ROH TV Championship on the line.

—After the win, Christian dropped Wayne's title on the mat in disrespect.

Swerve Strickland, Mike Bailey and Mark Briscoe vs. The Young Bucks and Ricochet

Matt and Nick Jackson continued to work well with Ricochet, but Swerve Strickland, Mark Briscoe and "Speedball" Mike Bailey looked to have their number.

In the final chaos of the action, Matt caught Swerve returning to the ring with a stack-up pin for three.

This was another fun Elite match, similar to last week. The crowd was at its loudest for this one, enjoying the action and hating on the heels in equal measure.

The big draw for this contest was Swerve, who was having a blast throughout. He showed why he should work more of these all-star tag matches.

It was a surprise to see The Mogul take the pin here, but it works better for the story. The Bucks have just aggravated him even more.

The lingering question after back-to-back wins is whether Ricochet has convinced The EVPs to add him to The Elite. He has shown he fits the billing.

Result

The Young Bucks and Ricochet def. Swerve, Bailey and Briscoe by pinfall.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

—Ricochet asked The Young Bucks to follow his lead against Swerve, and then Matt and Nick realized The Death Riders were in their locker room.

—The Bucks fed The One and Only to the wolves multiple times in this match.

—Ricochet hit a standing moonsault on Bailey, only to take a House Call from Swerve. Nick caught Swerve with a Canadian Destroyer, but he popped up right into another House Call.

—Swerve hit the Gritty several times as he threw around The Young Bucks, looking unstoppable.

—Nick was so shocked that the Bucks won that he gave full credit to Ricochet for having the "winning formula."

Mercedes Moné Ruins Jamie Hayter's Interview

Jamie Hayter sat down with Renee Paquette to explain why she does not want to be compared to Mercedes Moné. She saw The CEO as too entitled and not worthy of Owen Hart's legacy.

Moné attacked Hayter, and the two brawled into the arena. While Hayter sent The CEO running at first, Moné snuck around, laid out Hayter and locked her in the Statement Maker.

Hayter and Moné have made the most of the time they have until Double or Nothing. This rivalry is developing well each week.

The interview alone could have been enough, but mirroring the brawl from last week sold how personal this story has already gotten.

At this stage, both competitors have stood tall, and the brawls get more brutal each time. If they can keep the intensity growing, this could be the most heated angle of The CEO's AEW run by the time Double or Nothing comes around.

More and more, it feels like Hayter could be the one to finally defeat The CEO in AEW. But nothing is certain.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

—Hayter continues to lean in on her wild colorful throwback outfits, no matter how many times she is compared to Scooby-Doo.

—Kris Statlander tried to apologize again to Willow Nightingale. Instead, Willow wanted to fight her on Collision.

Championship Eliminator: Kazuchika Okada vs. Kevin Knight

Rush attacked Kevin Knight during his entrance, choking The Jet out until "Speedball" Mike Bailey made the save.

Knight still wanted to compete but fought from behind throughout. When The Jet finally got rolling, Okada caught him with a dropkick and Rainmaker to take the win.

Afterward, Okada laid out Knight with a pair of Rainmakers. Speedball made the save again to avoid further damage.

The attack from The Bull limited this match, but it was still good action that further elevated The Jet. He will be missed heavily by AEW during his BOSJ run.

Okada could not lose with this setup, given how much AEW has protected him. However, the controversial start could lead to a rematch once Knight returns.

In the meantime, it seems Okada's next true challenger will be Speedball, which should be a great match on any stage.

Result

Okada def. Knight by pinfall.

Grade

B

Notable Moments

—Early in the night, Rush delivered a warning to Knight that he was going to make him pay with his blood for costing him $100,000 on Collision.

—Okada mocked Knight's plight, being sarcastic in any concern for his opponent's well being.

Samoa Joe vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Claudio Castagnoli and Samoa Joe battled viciously throughout this contest, but once The Samoan Submission Machine locked in the Coquina Clutch, The Swiss Superman was quick to tap out.

The Death Riders headed to the ring, but Powerhouse Hobbs came out with a steel chair. Jon Moxley stopped while Joe and Hobbs laid out Castagnoli with the seat.

Joe has still got it, but he never really lost it. At 46 years, despite some serious injuries, he can still wrestle with the best of them.

It helps to work with a powerhouse at the level of Castagnoli, who also works much faster than his 44 years might suggest.

This was the most complete match of the night and kept a strong, steady pace throughout. The result was a foregone conclusion, but it still worked well.

Moxley and Castagnoli have sold just how lethal Joe's Coquina Clutch can be, so Joe feels as dangerous to Mox as anyone as anyone he has faced before.

The steel cage match should be great next week, even if there are sure to be shenanigans in place to save Mox.

The Death Riders angle has improved significantly recently thanks to the level of competition, which is why Beach Break next week is so highly anticipated.

Result

Joe def. Castagnoli by submission.

Grade

B+

Notable Moments

—Castagnoli found an old service elevator to stand behind for his entrance.

—Joe played conductor for the crowd as they sang "Joe's gonna kill you!"

Overall Show

Good enough hasn't been AEW's standard for a while, so a solid but not outstanding show feels like a downgrade for what the company has delivered recently.

However, there will always be outlier weeks, and this was hardly a bad show. The opening collision of Will Ospreay and "Hangman" Adam Page was incredible.

Most of the action was at least good, especially highlighted by the energy of the crowd behind the women's Fatal 4-Way and the Elite Triple Threat.

Samoa Joe and Claudio Castagnoli may not have been building drama, but they went to compete and sell how the tide is slowly turning against The Death Riders.

Mercedes Moné and Jamie Hayter clearly did not want to be upstaged by the men's Owen confrontation, and the built more heat in their own growing rivalry.

With some big matches saved for this week's Collision and Beach Break next Wednesday, this was a solid if somewhat forgettable two hours of wrestling.

Grade: C+