AEW Dynamite sees huge ratings increase for Blood & Guts

Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite averaged 600,000 viewers on TBS, up 20.7% from the previous week. It’s the largest episode for the show since Nielsen started using their new ratings reporting system.

Dynamite finished 6th on the prime time cable charts with a 0.15 rating in the 18-49 demo. That’s up 60% from last week and is the largest rating the show has done in that category since August 20th.

The show went head to head with an NBA game on ESPN that topped the 18-49 ratings chart as well as cable news channels which were way up due to Jeffrey Epstein coverage.

As compared to the same week in 2024, and with Nielsen’s former ratings measurement system, the overall viewership was down 9.9% while the 18-49 rating was down 31.8%. This year’s numbers do not include viewership on HBO Max.

Listed below are the last 11 weeks of overall viewership and 18-49 demo ratings as well as the 10 week average in both categories. Beginning October 1st, Nielsen started using the Big Data + Panel system which has resulted in a severe decline in most wrestling ratings particularly in the 18-49 demo. This week’s show was up 17.3% in overall viewers and 50% in 18-49 as compared to recent averages.

Injury updates following AEW Blood and Guts

Image: AEW

In a bit of surprising news, there weren’t a lot of injuries coming out of Wednesday’s AEW Blood and Guts edition of Dynamite.

On Thursday’s Wrestling Observer Live, our Bryan Alvarez had some specific updates.

For the first time, the show saw not only one, but two, of the double cage matches as the women got their opportunity for the first time. One of those women — Jamie Hayter — suffered undisclosed injuries to her face and teeth after taking a thrown chair shot in the corner from Megan Bayne while holding a trash can lid.

Alvarez said her face and teeth “are all messed up.” Fightful Select had reported after the show that the former AEW Women’s World Champion may have chipped teeth.

On the men’s side, Alvarez said Darby Allin is fine despite being thrown through a flaming table during the men’s Blood and Guts match. As Allin was rolling to safety after the spot, fire was visible on his back.

Even though he wasn’t involved in either match, Powerhouse Hobbs survived his falls count anywhere bout with Hangman Page despite taking a hard bump on his tailbone on the outside of the ring. Alvarez said Hobbs is also fine.

Winners crowned in chaotic first-ever women’s AEW Blood and Guts match

The women of AEW made history Wednesday by competing in their first-ever Blood and Guts match as part of a special edition of Dynamite.

The team led by the Triangle of Madness got their hands raised at the end of the match after Toni Storm surrendered for her team.

The beginning of the end saw Marina Shafir throw a mirror at Storm’s head as she was running in for a hip attack. Shafir then stepped on the glass and used it in stomping Mina Shirakawa’s chest, who had Megan Bayne in a bat-assisted figure four. Shafir then judo tossed Shirakawa onto the glass and held her in place as Bayne whipped Shirakawa’s back with a title belt.

Storm was helpless to assist as she was held back by Thekla, Skye Blue and Julia Hart. Storm eventually surrendered and was then beat up by the heels afterward.

The 12-woman bout featured nearly all of AEW’s top female talent including AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander, Storm, TBS Champion Mercedes Mone, Bayne, Willow Nightingale and others. Statlander and Mone were not part of the end as they had made their way to the outside of the cage where Statlander took out the TBS Champion with a Samoan drop off one of the trusses through a table.

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Mone and Statlander, who will meet next Saturday at the Full Gear pay-per-view, had several interactions. Mone made it a point of being grossed out by the blood and later brought in several of her many title belts to hand to her teammates to use on their opponents.

As expected, the match opened up the show from Greensboro, North Carolina, with the men’s Blood and Guts match set for the main event slot. Also as expected, the match featured weapons like a chair, a trash can lid, a belt, a kendo stick with barbed wire, a pool cue, a bag of tacks, and more.

Shafir, a standout in the match, attempted to up the ante after she entered, dragging Statlander outside the cage and counter-clotheslining her on a bed of nails. Storm was the last entrant after Shafir and started hitting women with clutched pearls before Shafir no-sold them and went on the offensive. Storm later got her revenge, wrapping her hands in tape and then sticking broken glass to them for punches.

Blue was busted open early during her opening salvo with Nightingale with her face and upper torso nearly completely covered in red after a few minutes. Statlander was also bleeding at one point as were Bayne, Shafir and Shirakawa.

In another notable spot, Jamie Hayter and Blue were fighting on the top rope when Hayter power bombed Blue through a table that didn’t break, followed up by an elbow drop that also didn’t fully break the table.

The infamous Mone puppet also appeared, hiding a pair of brass knuckles held by Harley Cameron. Cameron, Hayter and Nightingale were not involved in the finish.

Penelope Ford and Queen Aminata, both injured in recent weeks and pulled from the match, made brief appearances.

Order of Entry:

  • Willow Nightingale and Skye Blue
  • Julia Hart
  • Harley Cameron
  • Thekla
  • Jamie Hayter
  • Megan Bayne
  • Kris Statlander
  • Mercedes Mone
  • Mina Shirakawa
  • Marina Shafir
  • Toni Storm

Team advantages decided for AEW Blood & Guts

The advantages in the men’s and women’s Blood & Guts matches have been determined.

After Jamie Hayter defeated Skye Blue to even the odds on Saturday, Harley Cameron faced Thekla in a match to determine the advantage of the women’s Blood and Guts match. Although competitive, Cameron missed a swanton bomb towards the end of the match, allowing Thekla to connect with a spear to win the advantage for her team heading into Wednesday.

In the main event of Collision, Jon Moxley faced off against Roderick Strong in a match to determine the advantage for the men’s match. Towards the end, Moxley attempted to get back into the ring but was held back by someone under the ring, grabbing Moxley by the leg. This distraction led to Moxley being counted out, giving the win and advantage to Strong’s team.

After the match, PAC went to investigate under the ring and found two things: a taser and Darby Allin.  PAC sold the taser as Allin used it to exit the ringside area, closing out the show.

Two wrestling legends to appear at AEW Blood & Guts

Two legends will appear at Blood & Guts this Wednesday.

It was announced during AEW Collision on Saturday that Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat and Ric Flair would be in attendance this Wednesday in Greensboro, North Carolina. Both wrestlers have a well renowned history with the city, a longtime wrestling hotbed dating back to the days of the Mid-Atlantic territory.

Ric Flair has appeared on AEW television before, with his energy drink being associated with the promotion at one point. Back in May, he appeared on an episode of Collision to pay tribute to former Four Horsemen member Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael.

Steamboat has also previously appeared on AEW television in an angle with Ricky Starks, where Starks attacked Steamboat with a strap that ultimately led to a strap match between Starks and Bryan Danielson.

The updated lineup for Dynamite:

AEW Blood & Guts lineup | Wednesday, November 12 | Greensboro, NC

  • Women’s Blood & Guts match: Mina Shirakawa, Kris Statlander, Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron vs. Thekla, Skye Blue, Julia Hart, Marina Shafir, Megan Bayne & Mercedes Mone
  • Men’s Blood & Guts match: Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, PAC & Daniel Garcia vs. Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly
  • AEW World Champion Hangman Page vs. Powerhouse Hobbs in a non-title falls count anywhere match
  • Ricky Steamboat & Ric Flair to appear

AEW extending Blood & Guts broadcast length

This Wednesday’s annual AEW Blood & Guts edition of Dynamite will be a supersized version of the show.

Revealed on the TBS schedule, the show has an allotted runtime of two hours and 30 minutes with the possibility of an overrun — something AEW head Tony Khan frequently takes advantage of.

As part of their new media rights deal with WBD, AEW has aired several extra-long episodes on Wednesdays, sometimes as long as four hours as was the case with June’s Summer Blockbuster and Fyter Fest shows. More recently, they have gone to two hours and 30 minutes for their anniversary show and up to three hours for combined Dynamite and Collision nights.

AEW Blood & Guts lineup | Wednesday, November 12 | Greensboro, NC

  • Women’s Blood & Guts match: Mina Shirakawa, Kris Statlander, Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron vs. Thekla, Skye Blue, Julia Hart, Marina Shafir, Megan Bayne & Mercedes Mone
  • Men’s Blood & Guts match: Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, PAC & Daniel Garcia vs. Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly
  • AEW World Champion Hangman Page vs. Powerhouse Hobbs in a non-title falls count anywhere match

Falls count anywhere match part of AEW Blood & Guts lineup

Image: AEW

Announced at the tail end of Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, AEW World Champion Hangman Page will face Powerhouse Hobbs in a falls count anywhere match on this Wednesday’s Blood & Guts episode.

The bout came to be after Hobbs and Page brawled up the entrance ramp during the Trios title match main event between Page, Hook and Eddie Kingston against The Opps. Hobbs put Page through a table with a jumping powerslam off the stage, taking him out of the match.

Unless something changes, it will be a non-title match. The two have squared off once before on the June 26 episode of Dynamite with Page picking up the win.

On Thursday, it was also revealed the show will be a two hour, 30 minute broadcast.

AEW Blood & Guts lineup | Wednesday, November 12 | Greensboro, NC

  • Women’s Blood & Guts match: Mina Shirakawa, Kris Statlander, Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron vs. Thekla, Skye Blue, Julia Hart, Marina Shafir, Megan Bayne & Mercedes Mone
  • Men’s Blood & Guts match: Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, PAC & Daniel Garcia vs. Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly
  • AEW World Champion Hangman Page vs. Powerhouse Hobbs in a non-title falls count anywhere match

Lineup change made to women’s AEW Blood & Guts match

Queen Aminata is officially out of next Wednesday’s AEW Blood & Guts match — the first one ever featuring the women of AEW.

Aminata was pulled off Wednesday’s Dynamite where she was set to challenge Megan Bayne in the first of a best-of three series to determine who will have the woman advantage in the bout. She was replaced by Mina Shirakawa who fell in defeat to Bayne.

Before the show began, AEW head Tony Khan said Aminata wasn’t medically cleared to compete after not being 100% in last week’s AEW Women’s Tag Team title quarterfinal match either. He cast doubt as to whether Aminata would even be able to compete in the double cage match.

A graphic shown at the top of the show made it official that Shirakawa was joining AEW Women’s World Champion Kris Statlander, Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron to take on Thekla, Skye Blue, Julia Hart, Marina Shafir, Bayne, and Mercedes Mone. Two bouts on Saturday’s Collision will determine the woman advantage.

It’s unclear if Aminata is still dealing with a knee injury she mentioned on her vlog in mid-October.

Blood & Guts Advantage Battle series announced for AEW Dynamite & Collision

Tony Khan has announced the Blood & Guts Advantage Battle.

AEW’s two-ring double-cage match returns on the November 12 edition of Dynamite. For this week’s go-home editions of Dynamite and Collision, two best-of-three series will take place to determine which teams have the advantage in both the men’s and women’s Blood & Guts matches.

For the men’s division, the Blood & Guts Advantage Battle matches will be:

  • Match 1: Orange Cassidy vs. Claudio Castagnoli (AEW Dynamite 11/5)
  • Match 2: Darby Allin vs. Daniel Garcia (AEW Dynamite 11/5)
  • Match 3 (if necessary): Roderick Strong vs. Jon Moxley (AEW Collision 11/8)

For the women’s division, the Blood & Guts Advantage Battle matches will be:

  • Match 1: Megan Bayne vs. Queen Aminata (AEW Dynamite 11/5)
  • Match 2: Jamie Hayter vs. Skye Blue (AEW Dynamite 11/5)
  • Match 3 (if necessary): Harley Cameron vs. Thekla (AEW Collision 11/8)

Tony Khan announced the news on Tuesday during a live stream on X.

Both AEW Dynamite and Collision this week are scheduled for the Bayou Music Center in Houston, Texas. Collision will air live from the venue on Saturday, November 8, rather than being taped the same night as Dynamite.

Updated lineups are below:

AEW Dynamite lineup for November 5:

  • AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship Tournament first round: Mercedes Mone & Athena vs. Babes Of Wrath (Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale)
  • Hangman Page, HOOK, & Eddie Kingston vs. The Opps (Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, & Powerhouse Hobbs)
  • Women’s Blood & Guts Advantage Battle series match 1: Megan Bayne vs. Queen Aminata (AEW Dynamite 11/5)
  • Women’s Blood & Guts Advantage Battle series match 2: Jamie Hayter vs. Skye Blue (AEW Dynamite 11/5)
  • Men’s Blood & Guts Advantage Battle series match 1: Orange Cassidy vs. Claudio Castagnoli (AEW Dynamite 11/5)
  • Men’s Blood & Guts Advantage Battle series match 2: Darby Allin vs. Daniel Garcia (AEW Dynamite 11/5)

AEW Collision lineup for November 8:

  • Men’s Blood & Guts Advantage Series match 3 (if necessary): Roderick Strong vs. Jon Moxley (AEW Collision 11/8)
  • Women’s Blood & Guts Advantage Series match 3 (if necessary): Harley Cameron vs. Thekla

AEW Blood & Guts lineup for November 12:

  • Blood & Guts match: The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, and Mark Briscoe), Roderick Strong, and Darby Allin will take on Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia, and Pac).
  • Blood & Guts match: Mercedes Mone, Megan Bayne, Marina Shafir, Thekla, Julia Hart, and Skye Blue will go against Kris Statlander, Toni Storm, Harley Cameron, Jamie Hayter, Queen Aminata, and Willow Nightingale.

Challenge issued for men’s AEW Blood & Guts match

As AEW head Tony Khan teased earlier in the month, a men’s Blood & Guts match is on the way in just two weeks time.

Following Jon Moxley and Kyle O’Reilly’s rematch on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite that ended in a double countout, both The Conglomeration and the Death Riders came out to get into a brawl that also included recently Moxley rival Darby Allin.

After things settled down, Mark Briscoe grabbed the microphone and said his group had an idea to settle the rivalry between the two factions. He then handed the mic to Orange Cassidy who eventually said “Blood & Guts.”

Earlier in the night, Allin and Cassidy defeated Yuta and Garcia in a tornado tag team match.

It appears it will be Allin, Briscoe, O’Reilly, Cassidy and Roderick Strong against Moxley, Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli and PAC in the double cage as part of the Wednesday, November 12 special edition of Dynamite.

It will be the third-such match for Moxley, Castagnoli and Yuta while it’s the second for Garcia, PAC, Briscoe and Allin.

The match will join the first-ever women’s Blood & Guts match the same night that is expected to feature Jamie Hayter, Queen Aminata and two others against the Triangle of Madness (Julia Hart, Skye Blue & Thekla) and two others.

AEW announces date and location for next Blood & Guts event

Blood and Guts returns in November.

On Tuesday, AEW officially announced that the fifth Blood & Guts event will take place Wednesday, November 12, 2025, from the First Horizon Coliseum (formerly the Greensboro Coliseum) in Greensboro, North Carolina. The venue, renamed in October 2024, last hosted a double-ring steel cage match during the 1991 Great American Bash tour, when a WarGames bout headlined the show.

“On Wed, Nov 12, AEW’s most violent match will take over the First Horizon Coliseum! Early Access Premium Seating starts tomorrow; tickets on sale 10/3,” AEW wrote on X.

The first-ever women’s Blood & Guts match could take place on the show. Jamie Hayter teased on Saturday’s episode of Collision that it was the only way to settle the multiple feuds developing in the division involving The Triangle of Madness, Hayter, Queen Aminata, Harley Cameron, and others.

November 12 will be the first time AEW has run an event in the former Greensboro Coliseum since AEW Revolution 2024, which featured Sting’s retirement match with Darby Allin against The Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championships.

Challenge issued for first-ever women’s AEW Blood & Guts match

For the first time in its history, the women of AEW will have their first-ever Blood & Guts match in the near future.

Following her win on Collision over Julia Hart, Jamie Hayter was attacked by Hart, Thekla and Skye Blue before Queen Aminata ran out to help even up the odds.

Afterward, Hayter said she was tired of all this and there was only one way to settle things: Blood & Guts.

No other details were teased or given.

The five women have been feuding in different forms for months with former AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm among those also involved. Storm will appear on this Wednesday’s Dynamite for the first time since losing her title to Kris Statlander at last weekend’s All Out.

Once official, it will be the fifth edition of the double ring, double cage match designed to settle feuds between warring factions. The first came in May 2021 with the following year’s edition taking place in June. The 2023 and 2024 editions were both in July — all of which took place on an edition of Dynamite.

Tony Khan said on a recent media call to expect a Blood & Guts match by year’s end. During the week of October 5, the company is holding Homecoming editions of both Dynamite and Collision at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida — the location for the first-ever such Blood & Guts match.

Fight Game: Drew McIntyre is on fire

John LaRocca and I are back to talk about the major topics in the world of professional wrestling on this week’s Fight Game Podcast.

We kicked off the show with our Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down winners and losers of the week before going through our Top Five topics of the week which included:

  • Why MJF vs. Will Ospreay is AEW’s hottest program
  • Thoughts on last Wednesday’s Blood & Guts match
  • The Rhea Ripley/Dom Mysterio/Liv Morgan love triangle
  • Adding Seth Rollins to the scalding hot Drew McIntyre & CM Punk program
  • Who we’re keeping our eyes on during the NJPW G1 tournament

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

Team AEW wins Blood & Guts match on Dynamite

After harassing the roster and management for months, The Elite finally got theirs during Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, losing to Team AEW in the annual Blood & Guts double steel cage match.

The end came when Jack Perry was handcuffed to the cage and Darby Allin doused him with gasoline. He threatened to light Perry on fire unless he granted him a TNT title match at All In to which Perry spit at him in response. The handcuffed Matt Jackson then began pleading with Allin not to do it and eventually agreed to the match on Perry’s behalf.

Allin then insisted Jackson say “I quit” to end the match for his team which he also agreed to in order to save Perry.

The five-on-five match saw Matt & Nick Jackson, Kazuchika Okada, Perry and Hangman Page take on AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, Mark Briscoe, Allin, Anthony Bowens and Max Caster.

As expected the match featured plenty of violence, weapons and notable spots including Bowens falling through tables from halfway up the cage on the outside of the ring, Bowens using scissors on Perry to open him up, Allin’s thumbtack-laden skateboard, a barbed wire board, staple guns, Allin delivering a coffin drop to Perry while hanging from the inside of the cage, and more.

The match was the fourth-ever Blood & Guts bout in company history.