AEW Dynamite closed on an emotional and chaotic note as Bryan Danielson returned to the ring and reunited with the Death Riders in a 10-man tag team main event held in tribute to the late Pac.
Danielson joined Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, and Gabe Kidd against the Don Callis Family-aligned group of Wardlow, Lance Archer, Mark Davis, Jake Doyle, and Josh Alexander. The match also marked Wardlow’s return to the Don Callis Family after his involvement had been teased at AEW All Out, but the powerful faction could not secure the win in a bout shaped by personal emotion, escalating confrontations, and the kind of multi-man disorder expected from two groups packed with physicality.
The Death Riders ultimately prevailed when Garcia forced Doyle to submit to the sharpshooter after Castagnoli added a decisive stomp. The result gave Danielson and his reunited allies a meaningful victory at the end of a Dynamite that paid respect to Pac’s legacy.
Danielson Rejoins the Fight
Danielson’s entrance immediately changed the atmosphere around the main event. There was little time for a conventional opening exchange once his music hit, as the wrestlers quickly spilled into a brawl. The conflict had the urgency of a match in which neither side was interested in patiently feeling out the opposition.
For more background on this topic, read Will Ospreay Honors Pac With Black Arrow Victory Over Ricochet On AEW Dynamite.
Danielson made his presence felt early by dropping a knee onto the back of Alexander’s head. Castagnoli followed with his trademark swing, turning the sequence into a punishing display of teamwork. Yuta then added a dropkick to cap off the opening surge from the Death Riders’ side.
The Don Callis Family contingent answered by attempting to isolate Yuta. Davis and Archer worked to keep Yuta away from his corner while also taking shots at the wrestlers stationed on the opposing apron. With 10 competitors involved, maintaining control of the ring was never going to be simple, but the larger members of the opposition used their size and numbers to slow the Death Riders’ momentum.
Yuta eventually found the opening he needed and tagged Danielson back into the contest. Danielson immediately went after the Don Callis Family side before settling into a one-on-one exchange with Alexander. The matchup between Danielson and Alexander provided one of the bout’s most technically charged stretches, even amid the broader chaos surrounding it.
Danielson connected with an elbow off the ropes and followed with the familiar “Yes!” kicks. Alexander avoided a roundhouse kick and moved directly into an ankle lock, looking to neutralize Danielson’s dangerous striking game and force a quick submission. Danielson, however, countered into the LeBell Lock, demonstrating that even in a crowded 10-man environment, he could still turn a match-ending hold against an opponent in an instant.
Wardlow’s Don Callis Family Return Brings More Power
Wardlow’s presence was a major part of the Don Callis Family team’s game plan. His return to the group had been teased at AEW All Out, and Dynamite offered the latest chapter of that association in the ring. Wardlow brought immediate force to the match, including a powerbomb on Garcia during one of the bout’s heavier exchanges.
That momentum did not last uninterrupted. Wardlow squared up with Castagnoli, only for Castagnoli to catch him with an uppercut from the middle rope. It was a reminder that the Death Riders’ team was not lacking for strength or resilience despite facing a lineup featuring Wardlow, Archer, Davis, and Alexander.
The match continued to swing back and forth as both sides unleashed rapid offense. Danielson and Yuta found a moment to hit double Busaiku knees, producing one of the more emphatic combined attacks of the contest. Yet even after that burst, the Don Callis Family side was able to regain the upper hand, keeping the outcome in doubt and preventing the Death Riders from building a sustained advantage.
Archer also became involved in one of the match’s more volatile moments when he attempted to choke Marina Shafir. Shafir responded by applying an armbar over the ropes, creating an opening for Garcia to send Archer out of the ring. The exchange reinforced how quickly ringside involvement and shifting alliances could affect the flow of a 10-man tag match.
Daniel Garcia Delivers the Decisive Finish
Garcia played a central role in the closing sequence. After taunting Doyle with his signature dance in the corner, Garcia helped set up a punishing run of offense from the Death Riders. Doyle was caught in a train of uppercuts from the group, leaving him vulnerable as the match moved toward its conclusion.
Kidd then landed a lariat, adding another hard-hitting blow to Doyle. Garcia followed by applying the sharpshooter, putting Doyle in a difficult position with the match hanging in the balance. Castagnoli punctuated the sequence with a stomp, and Garcia was able to secure the submission victory.
The finish emphasized the collective nature of the Death Riders’ win. Garcia received the decision, but the sequence involved Kidd’s strike, Castagnoli’s intervention, and the team’s sustained focus on Doyle. Danielson’s return gave the unit an emotional lift and an elite in-ring presence, while Yuta, Castagnoli, Garcia, and Kidd each contributed to an ending built around the group operating together.
An Emotional Dynamite Closing Statement
Beyond the physicality and faction conflict, the main event carried added emotional weight because it took place as AEW honored Pac. Danielson’s return and reconciliation with the Death Riders gave the match a sense of unity at a difficult time, with the victorious side standing together after surviving a deep and imposing Don Callis Family lineup.
For Danielson, the match was not simply another appearance in a packed Dynamite main event. His role alongside Yuta, Castagnoli, Garcia, and Kidd placed him back within the Death Riders’ orbit, and the in-ring performance showed no shortage of the urgency, grappling ability, and striking precision associated with the American Dragon. His exchanges with Alexander, in particular, showed how quickly the match could narrow from a sprawling faction fight into a high-level technical contest.
For Wardlow, the return to the Don Callis Family came with a setback rather than a triumphant result. He delivered power and presence, but his team was unable to stop Garcia’s submission finish. Archer, Davis, Doyle, and Alexander also brought a variety of threats to the bout, from Archer’s intimidation to Alexander’s ankle lock and the group’s attempts to isolate Yuta. In the end, though, the Death Riders found a way to withstand it.
The closing match gave Dynamite a decisive result while leaving plenty of combustible dynamics within AEW’s faction landscape. Danielson is back in the ring and once again aligned with the Death Riders. Wardlow is back with the Don Callis Family, even if that reunion did not begin with a victory. Garcia scored the submission, and the Death Riders closed the night united in a main event that balanced chaos in the ring with a meaningful tribute outside of it.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.