Takeaways From October 22, 2025

Following WrestleDream, AEW Dynamite delivered a strong night of segments and in-ring action that continued the fallout from the pay-per-view. With championship matches and key storylines advertised, the company wasted no time shifting focus toward Full Gear, which is now just a month away.

The show featured two title matches as its main attractions, while Mercedes Moné held a celebration to honor her latest championship victories. AEW also unveiled the full bracket for the upcoming Women’s World Tag Team Championship Tournament, rounding out an already packed night of developments.

What exactly went down on the show? Let’s take a look at some of the key moments.

Fans Aren’t Ready to Boo Samoa Joe Just Yet

When a veteran, multi-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer nears the end of their career, it’s hard to dislike them. If anything, people start to appreciate them more for everything they’ve given to the sport and just want to sit back and enjoy what’s left.

That’s exactly what’s happening with John Cena. He’s on the tail end of his run, and instead of the usual dueling chants, he’s now getting cheered by everyone. Fans simply want to appreciate his presence one last time.

Something similar is happening with Samoa Joe. Granted, his contract doesn’t expire until 2027, but he’s clearly winding down his in-ring career. He’s been beloved for decades, right alongside Cena, and he’s still performing at a very high level.

That makes booing him difficult, as we saw from the fans in San Antonio on AEW Dynamite. He wasn’t jeered out of the building. Instead, “Joe” chants filled the arena while he explained his actions, and he was still cheered when he made his entrance.

This might change when he faces the ultra-babyface Hangman Adam Page again for the AEW World Championship, but tonight made one thing clear: fans don’t want to boo the Samoan Submission Machine right now. His heel turn at WrestleDream was abrupt, and there’s still work to be done before their next match.

Statlander Crashes Moné’s Celebration to Set Up Full Gear Title Clash

The build-up to Kris Statlander’s first AEW Women’s World Championship defense against Toni Storm was one of the most entertaining women’s storylines AEW has produced in recent memory. Before the match, Statlander even rejected overtures to join The Death Riders, which helped solidify her babyface credibility ahead of her title win at All Out. Her exchanges with Storm were sharp and full of personality, capped by a heated brawl on the go-home episode of Dynamite that set the tone perfectly for their clash.

Statlander more than proved she belonged at the top of the division, and AEW has continued to spotlight her with a title defense now set against Mercedes Moné at Full Gear. Moné laid down the challenge on Dynamite, and Statlander’s response on the October 22 episode showed that this feud has real energy behind it.

During Moné’s in-ring celebration for winning her 11th and 12th career championships, Statlander crashed the party, slammed Moné’s face into the celebratory cake, and then put her through the table. It was a moment that instantly connected with the crowd. Earlier in the show, Statlander also delivered a confident backstage promo that officially issued her challenge to Moné, adding more heat to an already strong rivalry.

AEW may also be setting up Moné’s downfall before Full Gear. Pairing her with Athena in the tag division could distract her from the world title chase, and if she falls short again, it would mark her second straight loss in a championship match.

So far, this program has been a highlight of the women’s division. The chemistry between Statlander and Moné feels fresh, the energy is high, and with four weeks left until Full Gear, the build has room to get even better.

AEW Delivers a Cohesive Follow-Up to WrestleDream

The best thing coming out of this episode of Dynamite is that AEW finally capitalized on momentum from a pay-per-view. This is something they have repeatedly failed to do in the past, often leaving top stars from the most recent major show off the follow-up episode of Dynamite. That approach usually creates a disjointed build to the next event.

This week, AEW did not hold back. Samoa Joe explained his turn on Adam Page, Darby Allin made two appearances and reignited his rivalry with The Death Riders, and Kris Statlander and Mercedes Moné continued to build their Full Gear match with both a confirmation and an entertaining segment. Mark Briscoe returned to the ring for a face-to-face with Kyle Fletcher, while Bandido earned his AEW Unified Championship match against Okada after pinning The Rainmaker at WrestleDream and The Hurt Syndicate challenged The Opps for the AEW World Trios Championship.

The tension between Okada and Konosuke Takeshita also began to simmer, adding another layer to that story. Even The Young Bucks got Tony Khan to book them in another money match with Jurassic Express.

Overall, AEW hit all the right notes to make this episode of Dynamite feel worthwhile instead of a throwaway transition show. They moved quickly to jumpstart the road to Full Gear, and the result was a lively, engaging broadcast that kept viewers invested from start to finish.