AEW Dynamite: Copeland and Cage welcome FTR north

Sully Khan

Promo poster for Cage / Copeland and FTR. AEW Dynamite Sept. 18th, 2025 at the Canada Life Place in London, ON, Canada.

Tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite is going to be a massive show emanating from the Canada Life Place in London, Ontario. Yeah, the “OTHER London”, as non-Canadians might refer to it.

Tonight’s Dynamite will be a special three-hour show, with a packed slate of interesting matches that fans will enjoy every minute of.

The crowd shots follow an ecstatic crowd in London, Ontario.

Tony Schiavone introduces “Hangman” Adam Page and Kyle Fletcher to sign the contracts for their AEW Men’s World Championship match this Saturday in Toronto.

Guess who joins Fletcher to the ring, surprising exactly nobody! The boos ring out for the TNT Champion and his manager (dad?), the one and only, Don Callis. The crowd makes their feelings known.

Callis interrupts Schiavone as he’s ready to give the contract to Fletcher to sign first. Callis reminds Page of when he took the title from Kenny Omega (and Callis). He says Fletcher’s the right man to bring it back to him.

Page says he’s glad that Fletcher agreed that he doesn’t need help. He says he’ll have no issue putting the Don Callis Family in the ground Saturday if he needs to. He sees what Fletcher’s potential is and who he can be.

Page and Fletcher chat. Courtesy: Steve Argintaru, Slam Wrestling.
Page and Fletcher chat. Courtesy: Steve Argintaru, Slam Wrestling.

Page tells Fletcher he’s got to earn the title himself because he’s got the potential to carry AEW for decades to come. There’s a clause in the contract that if there are any shenanigans, not only will Fletcher lose that match but he will also lose his TNT title.

Fletcher says he’s not scared of anything. He says he’s the best wrestler to ever step into an AEW ring. He’s confident, I’ll give him that. He also says he’ll be the new “AEW Men’s World Champion”. Glad to see the distinction is catching on. Fletcher says AEW belongs to him now.

He signs the contract and Schiavone hands it to Page. He hesitates. He tells Fletcher he knows what he’s going through. He says Fletcher will be wrecked Sunday morning when he wakes up and remembers that he lost the match. What he does then that will define him.

“Do not disappoint me.”

Page signs. Fletcher says that he hopes Page knows he is a man of his word. He threatens to hurt Page tonight despite there being no physicality at the signing. An ominous threat.

Ahead of his Coffin Match with Jon Moxley, Darby Allin reminds everyone what Moxley did to Danielson when they were supposedly friends in a prepackaged video.

1. Jon Moxley (with Marina Shafir and Daniel Garcia) vs. Roderick Strong (with Kyle O’Reilly)

Strong starts off with a kick through the ropes to Garcia. He gets his attention to Moxley again and the two fight on the outside of the ring.

Moxley gets hit with a massive Backbreaker but he baits him in back in the ring and takes control with elbow shots in the corner.

After taking a bunch of shots, Strong ends up in a stare-down with Marina Shafir on the outside of the ring. If you know, you know. Moxley takes advantage and surprises him with a tough shot to the throat.

I can’t imagine what getting chopped on the sternum by Strong must feel like. After a Piledriver, Moxley covers but only gets two on the count. He gets right into a Juji Gatame but Strong uses his ring awareness to touch the rope.

Strong charges forward as Moxley looks for Paradigm Shift. They both fall through the ropes. Garcia interferes but O’Reilly gets in the way. Wheeler Yuta shows up out of nowhere and distracts Strong. Paradigm Shift.

Winner: Jon Moxley via submission.

A shot from Collision airs of MJF going to Tony Khan and demanding out of the Tables and Thumbtacks Match with Mark Briscoe and All Out. Khan doesn’t budge, bringing up how he tried to win the wrong way against Adam Page at Forbidden Door.

2. “The All Mighty” Bobby Lashley (with MVP and Shelton Benjamin) vs. Toa Liona (with Bishop Kaun and Ricochet)

The crew notes that Toa Liona can bench press 635lbs. That’s like four of me. Yeesh.

The two start with a lock-up and Liona gets Lashley off his feet, using the ropes to his advantage. Lashley gets some speed and tries to charge at Liona but gets met with a boot to the jaw.

Liona nails Lashley with a stiff headbutt and then a Samoan Drop on the outside of the ropes.

Lashley comes back with a big Drop to gain some momentum as the two trade elbow shots. Lashley hits a Belly-to-Belly Suplex but Liona gets right back to his feet. Lashley connects with a Spear.

Lashley gets control as Liona takes too long soaking in the moment. This is the kind of cannonball you get out of the way of … if you can.

MVP neutralizes Ricochet and Shelton Benjamin goes after Bishop Kaun. Liona fights back but Lashley locks in the Hurt Lock.

Winner: Bobby Lashley vis submission.

MVP and Shelton Benjamin assert their presence, driving Ricochet and Bishop Kaun from the ring.

Back from commercial, Schiavone is in the ring again as he introduces Adam Copeland and Christian Cage first. As expected, the crowd serenades Cope with finishing Metalingus.

Schiavone notes the gravity of the teams in the ring with him tonight. No physicality tonight.

Stoke says the fine for hurting him will be 5x as much as if Copeland and/or Cage hurt FTR. Cash Wheeler notes their history with Copeland and how they feel he hasn’t been grateful.

Dax Harwood says he’s not going to yell or scream over anyone. He spends a long time basically just saying that he and Wheeler will end Copeland and Cage’s careers Saturday.

Cope cuts them off as he’s had enough. He reminds everyone of the history he and Cage have created in tag team wrestling over their 25+ years.

They come to blows and FTR get sent out of the ring. Harwood’s nose looks bad as blood spills out onto his mustache and he looks legitimately ticked.

Renee Paquette is backstage with the Young Bucks. They have their proper entrance back but the chyron says they’re “good guys”.

3. “Rock Hard” Juice Robinson and Austin Gunn of the Bang Bang Gang vs. The Young Bucks

Matthew Jackson starts against Juice Robinson and the Young Bucks take early control as they get the tag.

They have money again and they go right back to using it the ways only they can.

Austin Gunn hits a beautiful Thrill Slam and then hits a Famouser on Nick Jackson outside the ring. The Bucks come back with a TorKneeDo onto both opponents.

Robinson avoids an EVP Trigger and hits a Blade Runner, paying homage to his injured Bang Bang Gang comrade Jay White. It’s all for naught as the Young Bucks take control.

Winners: The Young Bucks via pinfall.

4. Mascara Dorada vs. The Beast Mortos

Despite giving up a lot of size and strength, Dorada is as resilient as they come.

But Mortos is deceptively athletic for his size. If you’ve never seen his Tornillo through the ropes, here you go.

He defies physics. For me, it’s the delay on the spin as he flies through the ropes. Insane.

Dorado hits a Canadian Destroyer on the edge of the ring … “IN CANADA!”, as Bryan Danielson notes. He hits another one in the ring but Mortos gets right up.

With both men standing on the top rope, Dorada hits a Hurricanrana but Mortos gets right up at one on the count.

Dorada hits a Shooting Star Press.

Winner: Mascara Dorada via pinfall.

Dorada gets interrupted by Kazuchika Okada and Don Callis. Konosuke Takeshita comes out himself. He’s had tension with Okada and the Don Callis Family and is more than ready for a solo run. Dorada hits Okada with a drop off the ropes. Takeshita moves out of the way and then he and Dorada stare each other down.

“Timeless” Toni Storm comes out to an electric reception and says, among other things, that “This tramp is still the champ!” She’s unsure for how much longer. Her current reign has been seven months!

She is ready for her challengers but says they’ll need to burn her body to defeat her.

Jamie Hayter shows up and reminds Storm of their history. Kris Statlander shows up and says she’s sure she belongs. Storm is ready but Thekla shows up with refs running out in front of her.

5. “Toxic Spider” Thekla vs. Queen Aminata in a No Holds Barred Match

Aminata hits her with a massive elbow and tosses her into the barricade.

Thekla bides her time as Aminata introduces many weapons into the ring. Thekla takes control and hits Aminata with a trash can lid in the crowd.

During a commercial break, Thekla takes off her belt and uses it to choke Aminata.

Thekla gets dropped and tangled in the ropes. Aminata drops her head onto a trash can but Thekla kicks out at two on the pinfall.

There might not be a better headbutt in AEW than this.

Thekla uses chairs to her advantage, Chair to the face of Aminata.

Winner: Thekla via pinfall.

Triangle of Madness, Jamie Hayter, and Kris Statlander join the fray. Statlander is joined by Wheeler Yuta and Marina Shafir but she tells them to leave. Storm and Hayter almost come to blows in the ring after Storm fights off Skye Blue and Julia Hart.

Alicia Atout is outside with Top Flight, Scorpio Sky, and Christopher Daniels. They’re ready for their match against Josh Alexander and Hecichero in tonight’s main event.

6. Killswitch and Kip Sabian (with Mother Wayne) vs. JetSpeed

Killswitch quickly tags in Sabian as Kevin Knight starts. Knight uses Sabian being distracted to his advantage, landing a Missile Dropkick.

Sabian and Killswitch clearly have tension and it’s not doing them any favors.

Bailey takes a lot of punishment from both opponents but comes back with his vintage speedy kicks to both sides of Sabian.

Later in the match, the tension between Killswitch and Sabian comes to a head as Killswitch leaves Sabian in the ring, avoiding a tag.

Mike Bailey gets the pinfall.

Winners: JetSpeed via pinfall.

Big Bill and Bryan Keith are backstage and Big Bill isn’t sold on Eddie Kingston being ready to fight. Bill says he’ll expose Kingston as a fraud if he shows up Saturday.

After a commercial, Bryan Danielson speaks with Darby Allin. The two chatted earlier in the day about Allin’s Coffin Match against Jon Moxley. At the end of the conversation, Danielson whispers something in Allin’s ear, refusing to share what he said with the rest of the commentary team.

7. Riho vs. Robyn Renegade

Mercedes Mone joins the commentary team ahead of her TBS Championship match with Riho Saturday.

Riho takes early control over Robyn Renegade.

Riho takes control.

Winner: Riho via pinfall.

Mone hits a Backstabber on her way up the ramp and the commentary team notes that she might be a bit rattled ahead of Saturday.

The rubber match of Daniel Garcia vs. Katsuyori Shibata will take place at Tailgate Brawl this Saturday!

8. “The Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander and Hechicero (with Don Callis) vs. Top Flight (with Christopher Daniels)

Scorpio Sky accompanies Top Flight to the ramp but heads back.

Darius Martin starts against Hechicero. It’s good to see Top Flight back at it with their chemistry.

Danielson notes that he’s never seen a tag-team as technically sound as Josh Alexander and Hechicero as the two go to work with textbook precision.

Precision can win you matches, but so can pure agility. I’m not sure many pro wrestlers can make this move look this easy.

The Don Callis Family get back to work, though, and Hechicero gains the advantage.

Winners: Josh Alexander and Hechicero via pinfall.

The Don Callis Family comes out and the Young Bucks join the fray as JetSpeed and Scorpio Sky also join the fray. Brodido get the final say.

“Hangman” Adam Page rushes out to go after Lance Archer after he kicks Christopher Daniels. Kyle Fletcher comes out, keeping his promise to Page about getting to him before the night ends.

Fletcher puts Page through a table, intercepting a Buckshot Lariat with his TNT title belt to Page’s face.

He stands tall holding both belts as the show closes.

Top Photo: Edge and Christian ain’t going to take it no more. Courtesy: Steve Argintaru, Slam Wrestling.

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