As All Elite Wrestling heads towards GRAND SLAM: AUSTRALIA on February 15th, we return to Atlanta for a loaded DYNAMITE hailing from the Gateway Center Arena! Between two marquee matches, The Don Callis Family will be front and center tonight. In one contest, AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher will face the Hounds of Hell, Brody King and Buddy Matthews. In another, “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay will step into the ring against The DCF, but unlike Brody and Buddy, Ospreay has no idea who will be standing across the ring from him in Atlanta!
In addition, the grudge between Ricochet and Swerve Strickland is set to explode when they finally clash inside an AEW ring! We will also see “Timeless” Toni Storm in action against Queen Aminata with AEW Women's World Champion Mariah May joining commentary for the contest, and so much more in store for the AEW faithful!
DYNAMITE, the flagship of All Elite Wrestling, gets underway at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT streaming on MAX, as well as on TBS, and around the world via AEW PLUS and TSN in Canada! Before we hit your viewing screens, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel to catch-up on highlights from last week's editions of DYNAMITE and COLLISION, a tribute to “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, HEY!(EW) with Grizzled Young Veterans, and so much more! Then join us on Saturday in Houston for COLLISION at the Fort Bend County Epicenter starting at 6 p.m. CT, featuring Mark Briscoe versus Kyle Fletcher, Thunder Rosa taking on Penelope Ford, as well as a Three-Way Trios match between Undisputed Kingdom, Shane Taylor Promotions, and the unit of TNT Champion Daniel Garcia, Angelo Parker, and Matt Menard!
GRUDGE MATCH...
Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet
Swerve Strickland and Ricochet have a history that dates back more than a decade and crisscrossed multiple wrestling promotions across the independent landscape. From Rhode Island to North Carolina to Texas to Florida, they've danced several times over the course of their careers, but only twice has it come in the form of a one-on-one battle, and each man holds a victory over the other. Ricochet scored first blood in April 2017, Swerve evened the score six months later, and that was the last time the two trend-setting competitors shared the ring prior to tonight's fight on DYNAMITE. While this may be their first in-ring encounter for All Elite Wrestling, it's far from their first interaction since Ricochet arrived in AEW at ALL IN: LONDON 2024. We witnessed Swerve engage with Ricochet at DYNAMITE: HOLIDAY BASH 2024...
...and it continued to escalate until DYNAMITE: FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN 2024 on January 1st when Ricochet unleashed his vindictive fury on the former AEW World Champion:
Tonight in Atlanta it all comes to a head when Swerve and Ricochet step into the ring with one another for the first time since 10/5/17, but nothing is the same today as it was that night in Orlando. Both men have grown tremendously as competitors, but more than that, each has found out who they truly are within this professional wrestling world. Swerve admits he's a villain, he's honest with himself and with the people, and they (much to the chagrin of Hangman Page) respect him for being upfront about who he is at heart. That edge Swerve has developed over the course of his AEW tenure led him to the AEW World Title, led him to the AEW World Tag Titles, and revealed him to be one of most sadistic individuals to ever step into an AEW ring.
Ricochet, well it took a few months for him to figure out who he truly is at heart...or perhaps it is more accurate to say that it took time for him to reveal himself to the world. Maybe Ricochet didn't want to admit to himself who he is at heart, but being showered with toilet paper at WORLDS END 2024 pushed him to the point where an assault with scissors became a viable response to that humiliation. It was unquestionably an excessive response to what Swerve and Prince Nana did to embarrass Ricochet, but was indicative of Ricochet dropping any facade of being the hero. Frankly that image was shaken up enough with his groveling to The Hurt Syndicate weeks prior, but this was the final nail in that superhero coffin. Everything that's happened in the month since those scissors came into play has just shown the world what's been in Ricochet's heart all this time.
Tonight AEW's anti-hero will step into the ring with an unquestionable villain, not for a wrestling match, but for a fight, and everyone who has watched Swerve throughout his AEW career knows that he's quite comfortable with whatever violence and blood may come as a result, even if it's his own. Can Ricochet say the same if he sees the sight of his own?
ONE-ON-ONE...
“Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Queen Aminata
***MARIAH MAY ON COMMENTARY***
GRAND SLAM: AUSTRALIA is just ten days away, and that night AEW Women's World Champion Mariah May will face “Timeless” Toni Storm with the title on the line in a rematch of their ALL IN: LONDON 2024 bout last summer. The road leading there has been dramatic to say the least; from Toni's return to the AEW stage at DYNAMITE: WINTER IS COMING 2024 with seemingly no memory of the last several years of her life to the rebirth of “Timeless” at COLLISION: HOMECOMING 2025, we have all been on quite the roller coaster alongside both the 3-Time Women's World Champion and the reigning Women's World Champion.
That ride culminates on February 15th in Australia, but tonight when “Timeless” Toni Storm returns to AEW competition for the first time since ALL IN: LONDON 2024, “The Woman from Hell” Mariah May will be watching from the announcer's table:
“Timeless” Toni Storm may already have her date with the champion set, but that doesn't mean what happens between now and then won't shape the aftermath of GRAND SLAM: AUSTRALIA. One woman who wants to be in line for whoever leaves Brisbane with the title is Queen Aminata, in no small part because she's got losses to redeem against both Toni Storm and Mariah May. A victory over Toni, just one year shy of their last encounter, could set her up as a contender regardless of who leaves Australia with the title, but especially if “Timeless” earns her fourth World Championship on February 15th.
Can the Queen spoil the “Timeless” return to action, or will the 3-Time Women's Champ make tonight an unofficial sequel to COLLISION #34?
INTERNATIONAL ALL-STAR TAG MATCH...
Don Callis Family (AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher)
vs.
Hounds of Hell (Brody King & Buddy Matthews)
This is a tough one to call! In one corner we have Hounds of Hell, Brody King and Buddy Matthews, let off their leash and ready to wreak havoc on the whole of All Elite Wrestling, specifically the realm of the tag team division. In the other corner we have The Don Callis Family, as represented by “The Protostar” Kyle Fletcher and AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita, two top-tier athletes looking towards their GRAND SLAM: AUSTRALIA clash with Will Ospreay and Kenny Omega.
This is a professional wrestling pick'em if there ever was one! The DCF pair need this victory as they head towards that Brisbane bout, as much to build momentum as to bolster their fluidity as a team. After all, Takeshita and Fletcher have only teamed up on four occasions and they're 1-3 in those outings, with one of those losses actually coming at the hands of the unusual pairing of Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho. They are unquestionably two of the most elite performers in a locker room full of the world's best, but as a team they need to build their rapport.
That rapport is something Buddy Matthews and Brody King have in spades, not just because they're 5-2 in tag team competition, but because their bond runs deeper than just collecting a paycheck from the same man. Takeshita and Fletcher are bound by Don Callis' bankroll, Brody King and Buddy Matthews are tied together by walking the same road for the last three years, by sharing the same experiences, and even running together as two-thirds of the World Trios Champions for 175 days. Now that they're in control of their own path these Hounds of Hell aim to devour any competition placed in front of them. That began with Gates of Agony on COLLISION on January 25th, and they aim to continue eating tonight on DYNAMITE!
Which of these teams will have their hands raised tonight in Atlanta when there's so much at stake for both pairs? Will it be The DCF or HoH that emerges the victor?
MYSTERY MAN...
“The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay vs. A Don Callis Family Member
“And who said there's only five of us?”
Those were the words Don Callis spoke to AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita, “The Protostar” Kyle Fletcher, “The Machine” Brian Cage, and “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer as seen on COLLISION: HOMECOMING 2025 less than two weeks ago. While it's not easy to read everyone's faces when Callis said those words, the look of surprise on Archer's face was quite evident. So what does that mean for tonight? Is Don Callis just playing a mind game with his enemies by suggesting there are other members of his Family that we haven't met yet? Perhaps it is someone we've met? Perhaps there are no other members of the Don Callis Family at all and this is all just a ruse? It's Don Callis so anything is possible; Will Ospreay could stand in that ring tonight anticipating a clash with the unknown and it turns out to be Lance Archer who emerges to cave in Will's skull in repayment for his July 31, 2024 DYNAMITE loss to Ospreay. It could be Brian Cage coming for revenge after last week's loss in Huntsville or even Fletcher/Takeshita pulling double-duty with their tag team bout.
Point being, when it comes to Don Callis, expect the worst but plan for something even worse than that. After all this is the individual who, with Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, stabbed men he called friend and family in the back as well as turned Takeshita against Omega and Kyle Fletcher against both Mark Davis and Ospreay. He used and discarded both Sammy Guevara and Powerhouse Hobbs when they were no longer of use, aligned himself with The BCC when their interests matched, and will do anything to tear down his enemies.
So what, or rather who, will he throw at Will Ospreay tonight on DYNAMITE with this promise of a mystery member of The DCF and how will it play into February 15th's tag team battle at GRAND SLAM: AUSTRALIA?
HANGMAN AND MJF...
Last week Hangman Page and MJF had a face-to-face moment backstage that stemmed from one of the most unexpected circumstances imaginable. Renee Paquette was attempting to talk to Swerve Strickland when, of all people, Adam Page walked into his dressing room for some inexplicable reason. Considering their history, the fact that Hangman didn't even bother to knock could've resulted in an utterly explosive situation, so perhaps it's for the best that Swerve was not in the room at that moment.
As can been seen in the video above, Renee tried to get a word out of Hangman in Swerve's absence, but instead cameras caught that former AEW World Champion running smack into another one with MJF. They had a moment inside the ring recently prior to this encounter, and though no words were exchanged, the tension was quite palpable.
MJF being MJF, he didn't hesitate to take advantage of the camera's presence and proceeded into an impromptu rant about Hangman until Renee took on the unenviable task of reining Max in long enough to discuss Jeff Jarrett.
After all that, and after what went down between Double J and The Death Riders, tonight live on DYNAMITE, we will hear from both Hangman Page and Maxwell Jacob Friedman! What will each man have to say about last week, and does Page perhaps have some words for MJF after that little anti-Hangman diatribe?
All Elite Wrestling is heading back to Atlanta for the first time in five years, and we are bringing a stacked edition of DYNAMITE with us! The action emanates from the Gateway Center Arena, and that includes “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay facing an unknown member of The Don Callis Family in singles competition. In addition, The DCF will be in action when AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher fight Brody King and Buddy Matthews, collectively known as Hounds of Hell! As if that wasn't enough, Swerve Strickland and Ricochet will go to war tonight after weeks of escalation and “Timeless” Toni Storm returns to action for the first time since ALL IN: LONDON 2024 to face Queen Aminata! It's all in preparation for GRAND SLAM: AUSTRALIA on February 15th where Toni faces AEW Women's World Champion Mariah May for the title, and Ospreay unites with Kenny Omega to take on The DCF's Takeshita and Fletcher!
Prior to showtime, make a point to drop by AEW's official YouTube channel to watch highlights from previous editions of DYNAMITE and COLLISION, the Timeline tribute to “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, HEY!(EW) with Grizzled Young Veterans, and more! Then we head to Houston this Saturday for COLLISION at the Fort Bend County Epicenter starting at 6 p.m. CT, and featuring Mark Briscoe versus Kyle Fletcher, Thunder Rosa taking on Penelope Ford, as well as a Three-Way Trios match between Undisputed Kingdom, Shane Taylor Promotions, and the unit of TNT Champion Daniel Garcia, Angelo Parker, and Matt Menard!