AEW Dynamite Match Review: 8 January, 2025
This week AEW reminded us why they’re here to stay
WWE has been getting a lot of attention lately, and rightly so. Between their Netflix launch and their storylines with some iconic stars, they have been working hard to deliver wrestling fans some pretty solid material. It’s been awesome. However, just because WWE has been amazing, doesn’t mean AEW hasn’t had its incredible moments too. This week’s episode of Dynamite proved this to be the case - it was outstanding.
Hosted at the F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee, this match proved to be a feast for the eyes. Will Ospreay seems to be getting more and more mesmerising to watch, as he always uses his strength and speed to run circles around his opponent. What was cool about this match, was that his competitor, Buddy Matthews, didn’t give him an easy time by any stretch of the imagination.
Image courtesy of All Elite Wrestling
Both athletes are strong, quick on their feet, and have sharp technical skill. Seeing them go up against one another was awesome for wrestling fans who enjoy the art of wrestling just as much as the culture of wrestling. Their moves were precise, damaging, and left me on the edge of my seat. You never knew which wrestler would come out with the upper hand.
Image courtesy of All Elite Wrestling
A personal favourite moment was Ospreay’s use of the Styles Clash, a move that has drawn some controversy in the past. This finishing move is named after AJ Styles, and fans were initially in an uproar about Ospreay using it until the man himself (Styles) said that he feels honoured that it’s being used by someone else. I personally love to see it.
In the end, Ospreay had the upper hand over Matthews, but it didn’t end with a bitter note. Ospreay addressed Matthews, where he said that Matthews was an incredible competitor, and that he sees a bright future for him. Matthews took Ospreay’s feedback well, and even shook his hand afterwards, which was really cool. It might even be possible that we’ll see a tag-team from the two of them in future, but we will see how things play out.
Image courtesy of All Elite Wrestling
Image courtesy of All Elite Wrestling
An interesting development happened much later on, however, when Kenny Omega was addressing the crowd at the end of the event. Don Callis and his crew came out and got into a scuffle with Omega, and Ospreay came to Omega’s defence. This was quite big, given the two have a long history with one another.
It wasn’t a love-fest by any stretch of the imagination, but this moment offered small hint of peace in an otherwise very tense relationship. I’m intrigued to see what is to come between the two as the year progresses. AEW, show us what you’ve got in 2025!
I give this match 5 out of 5 stars:
